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Thrift Lock
Watercolour, crayon and marker
©2011 Charlene Brown
On the eighth day of our cruise we entered the 171-kilometre Danube-Main Canal. This still-controversial final link in a navigable water route across Europe was first envisioned by Charlemange in 793, but was completed just twenty years ago after many false starts.
Our 68-meter ascent to the crest altitude at the continental divide was followed by a pretty dramatic 175-meter descent beginning with the three deepest locks. Because the natural in-flow at this altitude is relatively modest, ‘thrift locks’ store and recycle 60% of the water needed. As the lock is emptied, water flows to the highest of three basins, and then, apparently to the others – we were only able to watch the first part of the process before dropping into the eight-story deep lock.
My painting was still heavily influenced by Hundertwasser, and may have continued to be, but I ran out of masking fluid.
