Three Lakers & Three Lights

Daylight hours are getting very short, reiterating summer 2019 is no more, but I’ve still got photos left from gallivants of warmer and brighter days this year, like this one of a

downbound Thunder Bay passing Rock Island Light, once legitimately tended by an erstwhile pirate William Johnston.

 

Later as we continued towards Lake Onrario, we followed Atlantic Huron, an ore boat we seem to have encountered frequently this season, here leaving Carleton Island to port and

Wolfe to starboard.

Soon after passing Tibbetts Point Light, we entered the NE corner of

Ontario.  By the way, the hostel beds previously available at Tibbetts Light will soon be no more.

And as Atlantic Huron disappeared in the distance, we passed John D. Leitch,

passing the light at Charity Shoal, a light over an impact crater.

I love that steering pole.

 

Then Leitch entered the funnel, leaving Wolfe Island to port and downbound waters become the Saint Lawrence.

All photos from a few warmer months back by Will Van Dorp.

 

 

 

MB 2019 D

This post covers the St. Clair River (in the wee hours) and down to Detroit.  If it seems that it’s just a chronological series of photos of the voyage, well . . . yes, that’s what it is, and what’s wrong with that.

Can you identify the vessel that we passed between 0415 and 0430?  I’ll give the answer at the end of the post.

We followed Kaye E. Barker into the sixth Great Lakes. . .

Partway across, we both passed Atlantic Huron.

 

Just south of Belle Isle, we saw Bristol Bay with her barge and

still farther, Cheyenne light.

Federal Seto was moored near the Boblo-marked building, and

The last two boats for this post are Iver Bright and

Patricia Hoey.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

The mystery vessel was Paul R. Tregurtha.

 

xx

 

Random Ships *5

My staying with this * thread leads me to wonder how to refer to this long peaceful international boundary between the US and Canada, and after rejecting a few like “third coast” (It would be disputed with the Gulf of Mexico) and “fresh coast” (Fresh has too many negative connotations) I’ve settled –for myself–with “great coast.”  Keep the Lakes Great stems from great partnerships.  Check out this great short video.

So let’s continue with this cataloging of a finite set of vessels from both countries along the great coast.

  CSL Laurentian (1977) is a fleet mate of my erstwhile crush . . . Alice Oldendorff.  We’ve we’ve both moved on;  at least I have.  I can’t speak for Alice of the stone heart.

Kaye E. Barker is one of the classics, to me.  Launched in 1952, she went back to work in spring 1976 after experiencing  a 120′ growth spurt that allowed her to lug 6000 more tons of cargo.

Adding a self-unloader shortened her in-port times, making her more profitable in the steel-related trades.

Here she’s at the south end of Lake St Clair, Detroit river bound.

Atlantic Huron‘s story here details just how much of an panAmerican boat she is, having worked from the Orinoco to Newfoundland.

As a former resident of Indiana, I’m amazed by the diverse usage of that state’s 40-mile shoreline along Lake Michigan from national lakeshore to national leader in steel production.

As such, it’s not surprising to find this name on one of the Great Lakes 1000-footers.

Can you tell the direction of travel?

Can you “read” the prop wash of Calumet?

Here the 1973 “river class” boat has backed out of the stone dock in Holland MI and is heading through Lake Macatawa out to Lake Michigan.

All photos and sentiments by Will Van Dorp, who will continue to unpack the summer (and fall) gallivants, along with a few diversions.

 

Seaway

Atlantic Huron arrives at Eisenhower Lock from Snell Lock. Cargo is iron ore from Labrador and loaded at Sept-Isles. Anyone know why the hatch covers are kept wet?

LOA is 736.’ Lock chamber is 740′ by 78.’ Breadth of vessel is 77.’ Notice the two crewmen standing by.  I heard no scraping along  the sides.

Crewman in yellow helmet also stands by just forward of the house. I’m intrigued by the enormity of the hydraulic ram that raises the self-unloader.

Seven minutes adds 42′ to the level of water in the lock chamber.

Atlantic Huron exits the lock upbound, maybe for Hamilton.

Next stop–Iroquois Lock. Play with this amazing interactive Seaway map.

Downbound Algoport, shown two days ago, approaches the Eisenhower Lock.

Seven hours later Atlantic Huron passes port of Ogdensburg. Ready for a most unexpected connection: click on Atlantic Huron and then click again on “related links.” Click on “CSL International” and then on “our fleet.” Alice Oldendorff is there, a cousin along with others like Ambassor, Barkald, and Bauta . . . all of whom have appeared on this blog.

Photos, WVD.

Seawaymax

740′ x 78′ x 26.’ Shoehorning won’t add an inch anywhere. Atlantic Huron, below and loaded with ore, squeezes in with inches on either side and only four feet length to spare.

Vertical lift in Eisenhower Lock is 42 feet.

The lock celebrates its half-centennial next year. I celebrated my return there after 44 years two days ago and feel the same excitement now as when I was 12.

More on Massena, the locks and the fourth coast later.

Although I’ve never seen them, the locks in Panama must look similarly maxed out when a Panamax vessel squeezes through. Got lube?

The lock functions for these “made-to-measures” as well as for 25-foot sailboats. Anyone know the fees for locking through in a recreational vessel? I don’t.

By the way, I’m now back in the sixth boro and finished with the Winooski.

Photos, WVD.