Port of Erie PA 1

The port of Erie is protected behind an “almost island” called Presque Isle, pronounced in French to rhyme with “wheel.”  Click on the map to interact with it.

So guess which “laker” was behind Presque Isle the other day?  Presque Isle, of course, and that’s the name of both the tug and barge.  Both parts date from the early 1970s but were built in different locations . . . Louisiana and Michigan.  Does that mean the tug made the saltwater journey to Michigan solo?  I caught her here in Port Weller last summer.

 

Over in the distance, the land is inner side of the peninsula of Presque Isle.

St Clair was also in port, tied up here to the DonJon pier.

I finally got a closeup of one of the more interesting “second lives” vessels” I’ve ever seen:  a 1945 YO-178 tanker, sold out of government service in 1953,  converted to a trailing suction hopper dredge!  J. S. St. John started life in Pensacola.

To see her underway, check out this video.  for lots of news and photos from Erie, check out Erie Shipping News.

All photos here by Will Van Dorp, last week.