Eddie (deckhand) and Tyler (callman) work to resecure a fleet of barges after "making the cut" at the Kentucky Lock and Dam. Water levels above and below a dam may differ by up to 80' in depth and Locks are a kind of "doorway" built into the dam to allow towboats to pass through. Many of these were built decades ago and with the changes in individual size and tonnage moved, crews are often required to cut the tow in half or thirds in order to compartmentalize and get everything through in sections. Making the cut is often the most dangerous part of the job, as deckhands are required to remove, handle and reconnect heavy cables, catch lines to slow the tow (when the towboat is no longer connected) and avoid twisting a series of barges up to 1000" in length and breaking them all loose.
Shannon Kelso (deckhand) assuring that the tow is tightly secured before contacting the wheelhouse to navigate out of the Kentucky Lock and Dam.
