My photos of ACP tugs are coming, just not yet because in the unrivaled crossroads of the oceans that is the Panama Canal, a slow look-around brings unparalleled reward. Take Pacific Hope with her classic lines in diminutive scale. Any ideas on her mission? I figured oceanographic research, but
built in 1983 and registered in Dominica, she provides medical and dental care. According to Facebook, she’s currently underway and bound for Cartagena, now quite high on my gallivanting list.
It appears the MSC vessel has calved?
Hercules Pride, in spite of her 1/3 scale, makes bunker runs between the Balboa port and the terminal on the island of Melones.
Pana Venture . . . nice lines but too many years on the hook with too little TLC . . . that’s all I can say. Anyone help?
Don Chebo appears to be a small tanker. While trying to find info on the ship, I learned the name comes from a comic character in Guatemala.
Whatever the provenance of the ship, her propulsion comes from two Thrustmaster units, as seen in these Erie Canal boats.
Discoverer 2 is tied up in Balboa between seismic assignments. That appears to be the Sinopec logo right behind the wheelhouse.
Andres Felipe IV . . . a modified landing craft, with the controls moved forward and to starboard?
Lady Remington II (a great name) and Coiba Cargo . . . await cargo in a marina out by the Causeway Islands.
A Point-class former USCG patrols the Pacific side of the canal.
And I’ll end on a surprise, although not really . . . it’s USCGC Vigorous, a 1967 product of Lorain OH! It appears that a crew boat is just arriving alongside.
All photos by Will Van Dorp.
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March 16, 2018 at 11:39 am
JED
ANDRES FELIPE looks like a 1646-class Landing Craft Utility (LCU). House is where it is supposed to be.
March 16, 2018 at 12:55 pm
tugster
Thx, JED. I’ve never seen one of these that I know of. http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/18/181654.htm
March 16, 2018 at 2:29 pm
Mike
I’m pretty sure Don Chebo used to be a bunker tanker in the port of Montreal in a former life, or at least a very similar sistership was…
March 16, 2018 at 6:26 pm
George Schneider
Yes, I agree with Jed, ANDRES FELIPE IV is a fairly unaltered unit of the LCU 1610 Class, and apparently he knows some recognition feature that narrows her down to the LCU 1646 and after. Cheers, Jed.
The LADY REMINGTON II is definitely an LCM-8, and it appears that a 4-digit LCM number (beginning with 8) is visible on the transom just below the current name. That would indicate she’s one that worked for the Army. By her shape and the glimpse inside the well deck, I’d say COIBA is also a former U. S. LCM-8, but I wouldn’t put all my wealth on that. Any chance you can pick out the stern number from your original shot, Will?
March 16, 2018 at 6:49 pm
tugster
George– The transom is smooth, indicating maybe replaced steel? Thx much for helping me understand what I saw.
March 16, 2018 at 7:50 pm
George Schneider
I believe the stern of LADY REMINGTON II will say 8536. Army LCM 8536 was documented under U.S. flag as MAVERICK (ON 1168042) in about 2005, and shows later names of ANNA GWYNN and then LADY REMINGTON II. Her documents haven’t been renewed since then, so she either may still be calling herself U.S. flag or may now be Panama flag or some flag of convenience.
I meant to also comment on PANA VENTURE and say Duh or something intelligent like that. She’s definitely a yacht in origin, but I’d say 1950’s or even before. The bridge doesn’t look concurrent with the hull, and of course, the cabin could have been added anytime or could be original. It strikes me the rectangular ports are also more modern than the gentle lines of the hull. Shipspotting has a picture of her anchored there back in 2010, already looking a little bit neglected.
March 17, 2018 at 6:51 am
Anonymous
Will- when you were skulking around there did you perchance find any remains of the RUM CAY GRACE I (old U S C G HORNBEAM).?She was grounded on a jetty by a storm a couple years back.
March 17, 2018 at 7:33 am
tugster
Skulking?!@#! Why I was gallivanting of course. Seriously, I did see some wrecks but hadn’t known this story and so I didn’t photograph everything. Thanks for mentioning her. Here’s an account of her transformation and demise: http://haitisfuture.yolasite.com/mv-rum-cay-grace.php
March 17, 2018 at 11:27 am
William Lafferty
Don Chebo is a hydraulic sand dredge owned by Arena de Construccion Yung Chon SA.