Go West 16

Chicago in the haze ahead means this is the last of this series; we’ve gotten as far west as this gallivant will go.  The link in the previous sentence shows a map of the trajectory, with all of its legs.

That’s Navy Pier.

Squinting, I see this as a man doing a tire repair on a flipped over bicycle, but of course my eyes have their issues.

A surprise was the use of tug-barge excursion trips with the likes of

City View.

Not all tug-barge traffic transported passengers, however.

I’ll have to find out more about Kiowa after journey’s end.

Riverview is part of the people-scow fleet and it just squeezes under the bridges.

 

USACE Racine has a scow beside the Chicago Harbor Lock.

All photos here by Will Van Dorp, who has now begun other gallivants while on the way home.

Stacks 6

Here are the previous five in this series.

Triple engine/screw/stack Andrea’ might be the “newest” tugboat in the sixth boro.  All those triples is not something you see every day.  Of course, in the inland waters quadruples show up some time.

 

My question is . . . why

is there that apostrophe after the terminal A in Andrea’  ?

But briefly back to the triples . . .  here’s a photo I took near the Ohio/Mississippi confluence just over three years ago of American Pillar.  Click here for other Mississippi boats I photographed back then.   Any idea where/when  American Pillar came into service? Answer follows.  And Andrea’  ?

American Pillar is here, Nashville, 1976.  Andrea’ is Houma, 1999.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

Thanks to Barrel 2

Alpha is the caption on the photo, but there’s no 1928 boat by that name on this list.  Might it also have been called Captain Eric Bergland?

Convoy is one of the four sisters delivered by Leathem Smith in Wisconsin in the spring of 1941. I love the coil on the hawser rack.   I posted photos of wo of the four sisters side by side in this post a few months back . .  scroll.

You can read here a story of Evanick, christened in 2006 by the widow of its namesake.  Here’s the Professional Mariner story of her, comparing the Texas-built Evanick‘s power (3000 hp) as twice that of Raymond C. Peck, the vessel she replaced. Peck became Martha T and , unfortunately, made casualty news here in March 2013.

Bluestone Drifter is not much unlike the self-propelled scows (SPS’s) used extensively on the Erie Canal.  This “crane boat,” as the USACE calls it, comes from Utica IN in 2001, making it much newer than the SPS’s on the Canal.

Grand Tower, also Indiana-built, was commissioned in 2001.

Prairie du Rocher is a 2002 product of the same shipyard as Grand Tower and Bluestone Drifter.

Ditto Sanderford, 2005.  I’m starting to want to make a trip along the Ohio visiting shipyards  . . . soon.

Iroquois, delivered in 2005 from a Louisiana shipyard, operates from the Nashville USACE yard.

Barrel calls this Racine, but I can find no info about a newish USACE tug called Racine.  Anyone help?

J. C. Thomas is a 2000 product of Jeffboat, also along the Indiana bank of the Ohio.  Click here for another product of Jeffboat, Cape Henlopen, some folks’ favorite people mover. Is it true that Jeffboat is considered the largest inland ship builder in the US?

I don’t know the date of this photo of Derrick Boat #7 and tug Pilot, but the style of the derrick is quite similar to what is used in the Erie Canal.

And finally for today, there’s an unidentified USACE tug pushing dredge William L. Goetz.  Anyone have an ID or an idea?

Many thanks to Barrel for these photos.  More of them to come . . .

For an article on what is claimed to be the largest diesel towboat operating on the Mississippi–I’m always skeptical about superlatives–click here.  That article actually describes what could be called MV Mississippi V.  The largest one I’ve ever seen is MV Mississippi IV, now pulled up on a bank in Vicksburg, MS, a museum.  Enjoy these photos I took there three years and four days ago.

 

 

 

Second Lives 21

Here are previous posts under the category second lives, a designation I use for vessels that are significantly modified from one owner or role to another. The approaching vessel in the next two shots–which I took on the Erie Canal west of Three Rivers in September 2014–show Grand Erie, the newest (built 1951!!) and largest tug in the Erie Canal.

Look at that low Erie Canal design carefully, because

she started life looking like this photo probably taken in 1951 when she was brand new in Pascagoula.  That’s probably the open Gulf of Mexico in the background.

All the black and white photos in this post are credited to Boat Photo Museum.  If anybody wants 8×10 photos, they are $5.00 each, plus postage through the Museum.

Chartiers was considered a dredge tender.  Here she’s pushing a scow somewhere in the Pittsburgh area.

And here she’s tied up at the Corps of Engineers repair base at Neville Island, Pittsburgh.  Look carefully at the upper superstructure in this photo, pre-1985.

In 1985, the vessel was purchased by the New York canals system, then still called the Barge Canal.  The name changed in 1992.  Then, Chartiers traveled to New York state from the Ohio River via St. Louis, the Illinois River, Chicago, and the Great Lakes.

Here’s Dan Owen’s description of the photo:  “This is how it [looked] when I first saw it going up the [Mississippi] Aug. 13, 1985 at St. Louis.  It was on the other side of the river.  The top part of the pilothouse roof was actually cut off to the level of the second deck cabin to get under the bridges in the Chicago area. I do not know how long the pilothouse was 100% air conditioned, all the way from Pittsburgh, or at a shipyard in the St. Louis area. Or, if the pilothouse was welded back on after clearing the Chicago bridges.”

 

Here’s more of Dan’s description:  “These two photos show Chartiers departing Chain of Rocks Lock, Granite City, Ill.  [Notice the helm,] complete with searchlight, sitting on the deck. Also visible are two spare rudders.”

For more comparison, below are three photos of Grand Erie I took in September 2015.  In the photo she’s flanked by Tender #3  starboard and tug Waterford to her port.

Compare this photo of Grand Erie to the second b/w photo above to note all the changes.

And compare this one to the last b/w photo above.

Many thanks to Dan Owen of Boat Photo Museum for use of these photos.  All color photos were taken by myself, Will Van Dorp, in 2014 and 2015.

Here’s how you might be able to add to this collection:  in July 1986 the newly modified Grand Erie came to NYC waters  aka the sixth boro to participate in Liberty Weekend, the rededication of the Statue of Liberty.  Grand Erie served as Governor Cuomo‘s ride.  Does anyone have photos from that time  . . . Grand Erie in NYC in 1986?  I’d love to see them.

Random Nola Tugs 4

Despite the distance and the fog covering the escutcheon,  I could immediately identify this tug–once a regular on the Hudson and in the sixth boro– on the Mississippi.

Let me end out this series with tugboats and other vessels:  Sydney Ann

and Brandi,

Mary Parker and

Port Ship Service Little Ray, 

David J. Cooper and

Bulk Guatemala with selfie-shooting watch stander,

Sonny Ivey and

Connie Z,

Moose, 

Jena Marie C, 

Capt CJ, and

fireboat Gen. Roy S. Kelley,

Jo Provel with the 9th steamboat named Natchez.

Now all of this has nothing to do with the photo below, which nevertheless deserves recognition . . . interactive art which really seems to have caught on.  Thanks, Candy Chang.

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who’s even now in the cold NYC air plotting a return to

 

Nola.

Random Nola Tugs 3

I wonder . . . if I move here, will I tire of watching the traffic pass?   Sometimes there are familiar vessels . . . like Buster Bouchard, but otherwise . . .

commerce rafts in vessels never before seen . . . like Fu Kang (almost a racy name?) foreground and Caribe Pearl protruding from around the bend, with  Angus R. Cooper, Bollinger, and Algiers Point in between.

Leopard Sea and Miss Sylvia keep the excitement going, with

handoffs to Karen Koby,

Cindy R and Zante,

C. Mack Zito, 

Jesus Saves,

Presager,

J. K. McLean, 

Alice I. Hooker, 

Merrick Jones, 

Louisiana and Angus R. Cooper meeting Qingdao Tower.

The Mississippi never stops, but I will of now, with a note of familiarity, not Dolphin per se–she’s never been pictured on the is blog, I think–but rather the Kirby livery.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

Back to Jesus Saves, is there any truth to the story that somewhere along the Mississippi a nun is master of a tug?

Random Nola Tugs 2

You might conclude that in this city I do nothing except sit on the riverbank, but the better conclusion is that Nola river traffic volume is phenomenal.  So here’s a sampling of another–say–two hours total traffic, beginning with a vessel that would look entirely at home in NYC’s sixth boro . . . it’s J. George Betz.

Next something you’ll not see except in the inland big river, O. H. Ingram, 185′ loa x 54′ 9200 hp and triple screw,  pushing

at least eight barges heading into a turn with at least two oncoming tows:

Joe B. Wyatt, 170′ loa x 45′ 6120 hp twin screw,  pushing 18 barges and Mr. Pete with a single, but they all squeeze around the turn.

The range of vessels is interesting, considering the likes of Lil Susan S

and Josephine Anne of Bisso Offshore, with Wise One in the distance.

Natalie S . . . and

Blessed Trinity .  .  . and

and Natures Way Commander . . .

Moose . .  and

CSS Savannah . . . and less than two hours have elapsed and I haven’t included all the traffic!

and let me conclude with a photo taken the previous afternoon, another that would NOT look out of place in NYC’s waters, Greg Turecamo.

More soon.  All photos by Will Van Dorp.

 

Random Nola Tugs 1

I’ll start with the greatest looking tug of all I saw.  It has a name, but I cropped it out and will reveal it as this post goes on.  But isn’t this a beaut?!!  It also has an evocative previous name.  Can you guess her vintage?

I’m in the mood for puzzling today, so what’s this?  I know there’s no tug in this photo, but . . .

now there is.  Check out the scale of those gift boxes!  Here’s the story of the Algiers Christmas bonfires. Scroll through here to photos 4 and 5 for last year’s Algier’s bonfire fuel.

So here’s a closer up of the tug Bunker King passing the tanker Bow Trajectory, heading for Plaquemine.

See the Algiers “gift boxes” over the stern of Cecilia B. Slatten?  See where she fits in her fleet here.   Can anyone explain what if any connections there are between Bisso Towing and Bisso Marine, who recently have had a project in NYC’s sixth boro?

Freedom . . . there’s nothing in the sixth boro with these colors and artwork.

M/V Magnolia . . . as night falls.

Night falls on James Dale Robin and Kimberly Hidalgo.  Less than an hour earlier, prayers had been offered and champagne spilled over these two vessels and another, Dale Artigue.

And nightfall means I should return to the beaut in the first photo . . . here it is with name restored, formerly called Havana Zephyr.  Check out this fabulous line drawing of her by Barry Griffin.

Here’s the whole vessel as I saw it last week.  Such lines!  I’d really love to see a bowsprite rendering of those curves!

Merlin Banta, which my defective eyes first read as ‘merlin santa,” came out of the St. Louis Boats yard in 1946, not long after the yard delivered a fleet of icebreaking tugs to the US Navy and then to the USSR!  If you click on no other links in this post, you have to see these icebreakers . . . last photo in a post I did a year ago here.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

 

Along Bayou Lafourche Again 2

Thanks much for the encouragement;  here’s another set of photos.  Actually, if you follow the Bayou nearly to the end, you’ll be here in Port Fourchon at the entrance to one of the southernmost roads in Louisiana.  This post will be mostly a photo album.

As you’ll notice in the following photos, certain colors dominate here.  Here’s  C-Legacy and

beyond Delta Power  . . . more orange and yellow in the background including

Timbalier Island, C-Clipper, and unidentified.  Many Edison Chouest vessels are listed here, and for Timbalier Island, launched less than a year ago, click here.

Finn Falgout and another view of Timbalier Island.

For the many other Edison Chouest vessels I’ve previously posted, click here.

Crosby Enterprise and Kurt J. Crosby.  For lots of Crosby tugs including these, click here.

Joshua Chouest

Miss Aimee and John G. McCall

C-Pacer and Fast Track

Harvey Champion and Harvey Supporter and some I can’t identify.   Here’s the Harvey fleet including

Harvey Falcon, Harvey Racer, and Harvey Hero.

Betty Pfankuch

AMC Ambassador, Seacor Conquest, and Bob Jr

Norbert Bouziga

HOS Mystique and HOS Sandstorm

HOS Crockett

Russell Adams

Mainport Pine and some unidentified vessels

Connor Bordelon, a ProMariner ship-of-the-year this year, and Blue Dolphin and what looks like an identical BakerHughes vessel.  I saw other Baker Hughes vessels in Brazil last year.

And finally .  . the MSRC vessel everyone hopes never to have to deploy . . . Deep Blue Responder, she with a sibling in the sixth boro and many other places.

Thanks for asking for more of these.  Tomorrow I’ll start unpacking the Nola photos.

All photos here by Will Van Dorp, but if you want to follow work on vessels like these, check out Crewboat Chronicles and New England Waterman.

 

Merrily Merry

My sincere Merry Christmas/Happy 2014 wishes to all of you.  Actually, I hit the road Monday morning for the now-annual road trip to see family in greater Atlanta.

Consider this my Christmas card.  Any ideas what this is?  These three fotos come courtesy of Nancy Donskoj.

It’s the tugboat Gowanus Bay delivering Sinterklaas and his entourage up the rondout to Kingston, NY’s annual Sinterklaas festival.   Sinterklaas is the red-clad legend I was first made aware of, and he would supposedly arrive on December 5.   Click here for more pics.    Kingston was the third oldest settlement in New Netherland.

Believe it or not, Sinterklaas stories are clouded in some controversy because of the guy standing to his left.  Actually not this guy per se at all.  In the Dutch tradition, this man is Zwarte Piet . .  or Black Pete.  The Americanization in the foto below is interesting.

As the Dutch say, prettige kerstfest.

The next two pics come thanks to Jen Muma currently of New Orleans, and it’s fuel for the

Christmas bonfire.

Here are two East Coast traditions, but I’m thinking the sixth boro really doesn’t have much PUBLIC Christmas tradition spectacle related to the water at all.  Four years ago, I floated an idea about a harbor tree inspired by what folks do in New England, but I’ve moved on.  For myself, I like the idea below, the nautical clutter tree in my friend Ed Fanuzzi’s backyard.

Have a festive day with your loved ones.  I will repost again in a few days.

Thanks again to Nancy and Jen for use of their photos.