Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs): A Canadian approved PFD is designed to keep you afloat in the water. PFDs were designed for use in recreational boating and are generally smaller, less bulky and more comfortable than lifejackets.
The Erie Canal, in New York state (shown below), was 360 mi (580 km) long, and connected New York with the Great Lakes via the Hudson River. Locks were built to overcome the 571-ft (174-m) difference between the level of the river and that of Lake Erie.
The Erie Canal still does connect Lake Erie with the Hudson River. Indirectly, the Erie Canal connects the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. The Hudson River, after meeting the east end of the canal, flows to the Atlantic Ocean by way of New York City. The Erie Canal is one of several such connections that enable ocean-going shipping to access Great Lakes ports.