M/V Nick G Buford enters the Kentucky Navigation Lock in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. Most Locks are between 600 and 1200 feet in length, forcing many towboats to "cut tow" in order to get through. "Making the Cut" is often the most dangerous part of a deckhands duties. Once the maximum tow is safetly inside the Lock, deckhands must then "cut" or separate the tow, leaving one to remain on the barges and ride the tow up or down within the lock. Once inside, the deckhand must rope a ____ to secure the tow within before being lifted or lowered. The other (often the mate or lead deckhand) will climb the lock wall and walk to the other side to help guide the tow once it exits the lock. When the first portion of the tow is safetly through the Lock, the process will repeat with the remaining tow and towboat combo. After the second reaches the desired level, the lock walls will open and deckhands must resecure the two sections of barges together before pushing out and continue their journey.
Engineer of the M/V Nick G Buford walks through the engine room with earmuffs firmly in place. Speaking from first hand experience, the noise levels of a towboat engine room are more than simply uncomfortable. Physical pain is likely while in the engine room. Basic earplugs are required at minumum for short visits and for engineers who are in rooms like this for most of a tour, are required to where over the ear industrial grade protection. Due to the dangerous decible levels and long term exposure, it's not uncommon for engineers (and deckhands in some cases) to begin losing hearing more rapidly than those of other industries.
