For starters, a question: how is this pronounced . . . rhyming with “wheel” or “while”? I’ve already been told each is the correct one.
Erie Trader is a big ore carrier, but Presque Isle is larger, with capacity
of 57,500 tons!
For comparison, that’s twice the capacity of Edmund Fitzgerald.
Anyone know her crew size?
When you look at the photo below, there’s know doubt it’s a tug and barge. Is it an ATB or an ITB?
All photos by Will Van Dorp.
tugster: a waterblog 
10 comments
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September 7, 2018 at 11:15 am
Lee Rust
The French phrase for ‘almost an island’ would rhyme with ‘wheel’. Canadians might be OK with that, but Americans from Maine or Pennsylvania would look at you funny.
September 7, 2018 at 11:17 am
Lee Rust
Michigan too!
September 7, 2018 at 11:51 am
Christian Herrou
ah ah Presque Isle rhyming with “wheel” or “while”? It remember me one time as I was sailing with the US Coast Guard, a guy was laughing at me because I was not saying well Chicago arguing that it’s an Indian origin name and had to be pronounced “Chicago” then I asked him how he pronounced Detroit (the Michigan motor city) ? Presque Isle is definitly a French origin name with meaning of peninsula in English – It’s an old writing as actualy the “S” is replaced by the circumflex – today : île and yesterly isle. Anyway St.Louis, Sault Ste Marie, Marquette, Charlevoix, St Ignace or Detroit and so on are in United State and pronouced as pronounced by the actual inhabitants… Thanks Will for your “carnet de voyage sur les Grands Lacs” I used to sail aboard the old Mackinaw (WAGB83) in the late 90′ great souvenirs.
September 7, 2018 at 11:53 am
urbie
I’m nawt a Maine Native — ya gotta be bawn in Maine ta be a Native, ayuh — but I’ve only ever heard Presque Isle rhyming with “while!”
Meanwhile, I saw the drawbridge open last night, that lets ships in and out of that Chelsea River port where the Iver Prosperity was sighted in my Trainster shots — but I’m afraid I couldn’t get a good shot of it from… (pronunciation) Reveah Beach Pahkway!
Regahds,
Urbie (a bawn New Englandah, even if nawt a Native Mainah, ayuh!)
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September 7, 2018 at 12:04 pm
Harry T Scholer
Is the tug able to come out of the notch? I sailed on another of her type with Maritrans, MT Constitution and she was not a stand alone tug.
September 7, 2018 at 12:25 pm
Mike
She’s an ITB, just like USS’ Mobile and Groton. She can come out of the notch but the pair is not designed to operated separated.
September 7, 2018 at 12:58 pm
Lee Rust
Presque Isle is apparently an ITB, which has a rigid connection between barge and tug, ATB allows for the tug to pitch independently of the barge. Interesting articles here…
https://www.maritimepropulsion.com/news/the-articulated-tug-barge-451624
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/itb.htm
September 7, 2018 at 3:28 pm
ws
Amazing!
September 7, 2018 at 4:11 pm
John van der Doe
Will, do you know that the PRESQUE ISLE’s homeport was once Los Angeles, CA.
September 8, 2018 at 11:13 am
mageb
While, from my Milwaukee and MI family.