Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Nothing will change in terms of photos from the park, observation platform or tour boats. Drone rules remain the same as they have been. The advisiory was aimed at mariners on ships in the locks who have a higher and closer vantage point.

From the Boatnerd News page

LeighAnn Ryckeghem, Operations Manager, Soo Project office, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has clarified the report below after a request from the Boatnerd news page editor. She said the news release was meant for mariners and "was to raise awareness and inform mariners traversing the Locks that (their) photos and videos have a different vantage point and can capture sensitive infrastructure the public doesn’t see from the park orobservation platform. Our intent is to deter these types of photos/videos for public broadcast."

She said that the release was not meant to target to photos taken from Soo Locks Canal Park, the observation platform or from Soo Locks tour boats.

"If you are on a Soo Locks boat tour, you can still take photos we just ask you to be mindful of government employees in the photos and any closeups of infrastructure are not allowed," she said.

It was a bit startling to see the photo restrictions within the St. Mary's Rapids Canal. I can't even imagine how many photos and videos already exist from tourists on the Locks Tour boats and pleasure crafts. I have documented every transit of the locks (Canadian and American) aboard our pleasure crafts for decades. What has changed?

Even Dirty Jobs was able to record work in the tunnels. I certainly understand restrictions in controls and operations areas, but not within the locks themselves.