Here was RRT15.
All the fotos in this post come from my sister, who is currently making her way south along the Jersey shore heading into retirement aka Bahamas for Christmas. In mid-August, they departed Muskegon, near where they took this foto of Samuel de Champlain in June 2011. SDC was built in 1976 and is loa 142.’
She passed Demolen–older sister of Ellen McAllister– several times, once on August 26, 2013.
She took the next three fotos on August 28, 2013. Mike Donlon is 53′ and christened in Philly in 1999.
J-Krab, 25′ built in 2010.
Wilfred M. Cohen is a 1948 Newport News-built railroad tug now flying the Canadian flag. Click here to see lots of fotos of her on tugboathunter. Also, here’s a great Great Lakes search site.
The next day in the vicinity of Detroit, she ran into this huge unit. ITB Presque Isle, launched 1972, loa 148′ with a 31′ draft . . . uses 14,840 hp to move a 978′ barge by the same name.
Here’s St Mary’s Cement II pushed by Sea Eagle II, 1979 launched at Modern Marine Power although also Candian-flagged, I think.
That’s the Detroit skyline in the distance.
On September 6, she passed Invincible, 94′ loa and 1979-built in Fort George, FL.
She also passed this unidentified unit. Anyone help?
Last one for now, on September 16, already in the western end of the Erie Canal, she ran into this vessel. Guess her age?
Dahlke was built in Ferrysburg, MI in 1903!! That puts her only two years younger than Urger, built there as well. Here’s quite the Ferrysburg historic vessel page.
Ah . . . the Great Lakes . . . Anyone interested in a summer project to cruise from the sixth boro to Duluth and back and forth to catch more of these eclectic vessels?
And if you’re interested in following my sister, click here.
tugster: a waterblog 
4 comments
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October 19, 2013 at 9:18 am
tugboathunter
The tug in the third-to-last shot is the “Kathy Lynn” of Ryba Construction. Built in 1944 as ST-693 for the Army.
October 19, 2013 at 11:19 am
sleepboot
The “Samuel de Champlain” is the former :Musketeer Fury”, “Tender Panther”, “Margarita”, “Vortice”, and “Norfolk”.
After a fire on the Atlantic as “Vortice” towed to Italy. Bought by McKeil from Hamilton, ON. where the tug was laid up for a number of years, sold to the US renamed in “Norfolk” and rebuilt as she is now.
Regards,
John van der Doe
October 19, 2013 at 4:05 pm
tugster
john– thanks for the heads up about the fire . . . twenty years ago. here’s a foto of the vessel after the fire: http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1566504 any idea what caused the fire?
October 19, 2013 at 7:09 pm
sleepboot
While plying the waters near Trieste in 1993, she suffered a devastating fire to her upper engine room and deckhouse. The accommodations were completely destroyed and much of the steel deck and superstructure warped from the heat. The vessel was laid up in Italy until McKeil Marine Ltd. purchased the Vortice on spec in the mid-’90s and towed her to Hamilton, Ontario.
The engines were not damaged, probably the reason the tug came to Canada.
I have been onboard a few times during her lay up in Hamilton.