Random Tugs 203

except “random” here  just means in the order that I encountered them on my all-too-short gallivant around Wisconsin.

In Sturgeon Bay, I finally saw the 149′ x 27.8′ John Purves, built in Elizabeth NJ in 1919, definitely retired now but looking great as part of Door County Maritime Museum.  John P. Holland had some connections with Patterson and the shipyard in Elizabethport NJ–right across from Howland Hook terminal, as well, where the USN’s first series of submarines was built.  See some here (and scroll).

Stern to stern with Purves is Donny S, formerly ATA 230, G. W. Codrington, William P. Feeley, William W. Stender, and Mary Page Hannah.  She’s 135.5′ x 33.1′ and is said to hail from Cleveland.  She was building a Levingson Shipyard in Orange TX.

I gather she was once part of the Hannah Marine fleet, as in here.

Quite a number of Selvick tugs rafted up here as well:  right to left:  William Selvick, Jacquelyn Yvonne, Sharon M Selvick, Cameron, Susan L, and William C. Gaynor. … a bit too tightly packed for good photos.

Farther south in Kewaunee, WI, I stumbled upon Ludington, a 1943 Jakobson Oyster Bay tug just a month older than Nash, restored to Navy gray and part of the exhibit in Oswego NY’s H. Lee White Maritime Museum.  Lots of tugboats–current and older–in the sixth boro hail from Jakobson’s, now all gone.

In Milwaukee, I was fortunate to track down tug Wisconsin.  Now that might seen less than ordinary until you learn she dates from 1897 and still works!!  She’s gone through more names than there are Great Lakes but here she is.

Off her stern Minnesota and Superior (almost invisible) are rafted up.  The 1911 Minnesota is a year older than Urger but still profitable.  Superior was launched in 1912 in Manitowoc and still works in ship assist and lakes towing.

I’ll need some help on this one, high and dry just beyond Superior.  For some of the more GL tugs previously posted here, click here, here,  and here.

Joey D is a workboat boat, 60′ x 20′ launched 2012, built in Cleveland.

My guess is that this is the boat Joey D replaced, but that’s sheer conjecture.  It’s not conjecture that this bow’s seen some ice and made contact.

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who’s eager to get back to the Great Lakes basin and see more.