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I have one more LL set, which I’ll post soon, but I first wanted to observe a connection between Eastport ME and Escanaba MI. Back in April, I was issued travel docs to get to Eastport via Toronto and Saint John NB, which meant a re-entry at St Stephen/Calais. Since I met up with others at the Saint John airport and we all were crossing in the same van, we were all asked to step into the CBP office for further scrutiny. Of course, our travel, though circuitous, was legit and we were sent on our way, but that was after some CBP expressed skepticism about a cruise ship being in Eastport.
As it turns out, Eastport, as the deepest eastern US port, it has seen recent cruise ships and was once the 2nd busiest port in the US! I quote from the second link in the previous sentence: “
Passengers traveling to and from Boston and Saint John, New Brunswick, came by packed schooners and then crowded steamships, French said. Larger steamships soon made multiple stops in the city each week, carrying hundreds of people at a time.
In 1876, Eastport launched the North American sardine industry, totaling 18 canning factories along its shores within a decade. The arrival of the railroad to Eastport in 1898 caused the port to further flourish as goods and passengers gained new access to the country’s rail network. As it did, the city’s population reached its peak at just over 5,000.
Following the invention and spread of the automobile in the early 20th century, the massive steamships fell out of popularity, and in 1933 stopped coming to Eastport altogether.”
For specifics on steamers that once called in Eastport, check this johnwood1946 link.
As I get to the connection between Eastport and Escanaba, let me digress with the next two photos: it’s Viking Polaris, the newest cruise ship on the Great Lakes, waiting for us to pass at Côte Ste. Catherine in the South Shore Canal portion of the Saint Lawrence Seaway.
Bow above by a friend and stern . . . my photo.
This brings us a week later and over 1000 nm farther west to Escanaba MI and
this warm welcome.
I was told by two unrelated folks in town that we were the first passenger vessel to call in Escanaba in over a half century. Of course, that triggered me to wonder what the previous vessel was. The archivist at the local county historical society was very prompt in responding to my Q, writing… “During the later 1940s and the 1950s both SS North American and SS South American made stops in Escanaba. The boats docked at the municipal dock at that time, and passengers (as many as 400) walked across the park to the old House of Ludington Hotel for lunch, followed by strolling around the city. I do have photos of one of the boats at the dock. Many older adults who were young folks at the time remember that the passengers threw coins into the water and kids dove off the dock for them. (Those stories always give me a ‘third world’ feeling.)”
Phenomenal! I know of the two American ships and their ignominious end. It also gave me pause to think we were following in the wake of these two fine vessels produced by GLEW!
Here’s some info about Escanaba’s Sand Point Light, which I’ll be sure to visit later this season. Another stop will be House of Ludington. To be acknowledged but now long gone is also Sialia
Many thanks to Karen Lindquist, archivist, for the info about Escanaba and its previous visitors.
All photos, unless otherwise stated, and any errors, WVD
Quick post today . . . just trucks with patina, and all between Texas and Kansas, and
in various states of integrity and
different types of display
or on long-term layaway
and surface condition
and past specialized function
and even substance, and
some even serve as daily drivers.
All photos, WVD, who’s mindful the ides have come today.
I might have to put this post into a context of riverbanks, or you’ll think I’ve lost my mind. My sense is that I’ve just opened it a bit. This blog IS called a waterblog, and there is water in this post, but there’s also–like negative space in photos–“negative water” here, i.e., geological structure and bones resulting from water now gone. But given the “water cycle” idea, is the water ever gone. But enough talk . . . to the photos.
Heading south from Alpine, then Marathon, sand in some flats show that water has flowed here.
In a place like Big Bend, the fossil record is rich, and
[hat tip to the truckster series] scientists have been coming here for some time.
The fossil discovery exhibit was the first place I stopped inside the NP.
That’s my brown hat on the tip of that plaster replica of the deinosuchus skull.
Other small craft appear in this post, but this one was used as a fossil sled.
That rift is the Santa Elena canyon. That’s Mexico to the left and the US to the right, and
yes, those are folks on the Rio Grande for recreation.
Here Mexico is to the right.
Nope, I saw no desert beaver, but the frogs croaking in this canyon were loud!
Lots of canoeing opportunities exist.
OK . . . here’s a gratuitous photo of the reporter.
All photos [except the last one] and any errors, WVD. If ever there’s been a gallivant post, this is it.
The first half of January 2013–a decade ago–was one long gallivant, taking in New Orleans to St Louis to Pittsburgh and then back home. In the spirit of these retro posts, let me start here, shooting right off the Algiers ferry. Barbara E. Bouchard is now Dann M’s Turquoise Coast, which I’ve not seen.
No stroll in the night life of Nola is complete without a stop at Igor’s Checkpoint Charlie, combo bar, music venue, and laundromat!!
Following the river by car, we next stopped in Baton Rouge, and among the dozens of boats, enjoy this one–Ned Ferry–with a sixth boro connection: It was built in 1959 Pittsburgh for Pennsylvania Railroad, which in 1968 merged with the New York Central to form Penn Central. In 1974 it was sold to Crescent, which repowered and rebuilt it . . . Find more in Paul Strubeck’s Diesel Railroad Tugs Vol 1.
The river is quite busy; here Creole Sun works on a fleeting job.
Richard‘s pushing a set of tank barges. You might imagine I’m toying with a Mississippi River cruise this year.
American Pillar is a good example of a line haul boat: 195′ x 54′ and working with 10500 hp.
Fort Defiance Park in Cairo IL is a good place to see the Ohio and the Mississippi River refuse to mix for a while. Note the difference in water color.
I never mentioned that my car was broken into in East St Louis in summer 2021; Malcolm W Martin Park right across the way is the place. I left a review on tripadvisor in September 2021 here if you scroll through.
Leaving St Louis in 2013 we made a stop in Kampville to catch the ferry across the Illinois River.
Then it was a lot of dry until we got to the Monongahela River at Belle Vernon PA, and the port of registry on these boats tell you where the nearest port (to the north) is.
We’ll leave it there. If you want to peruse the archives for January 2013, click here . . . they are in reverse chronological order. There were obviously many many photos.
All photos, WVD.
I spent part of a quiet T’day thinking about doing a 2023 calendar, and difficult as it always is to winnow the choices down to 12 or so shots, I’m doing a calendar. Price will likely be $20 again. Sorry to bring up buying on this Black Friday.
Going back through the 2022 photos reminded me of the highs and lows of my personal year. I also looked again at some gallivant photos I’ve never posted on the blog. Today seems a good although dark, rainy day to open the line locker.
Any guesses on this roadside attraction? It’s a 3/8 size replica measuring 63′ x 13.’ I’ll let you do the math. Answers below. Doesn’t the design suggest a Zumwalt class destroyer?
I took the photo in April 2022.
Here’s another roadside attraction. Maybe I could do some road photos 2022 posts. Any ideas about this similar replica vessel, this one appropriately on terra firma, or terra mudda?
There’s a clue in this photo.
So before moving to the next sets, here’s some ID: both are replica from the Confederate Navy and both are located in North Carolina, whose flag you see above. The first is CSS Albemarle, moored in the Roanoke River in Plymouth NC. The actual vessel–158′ x 35′ — was commissioned in April 1864, and sunk in October of the same year. More here.
The second vessel is CSS Neuse II, a replica of a 152′ x 34′ steam-powered ironclad ram. Also launched in April 1864, the underpowered and “overdrafted” warship bogged down and never left the immediate area of Kinston NC, where she was built. Finally, in March 1865, her crew burnt the vessel in the river to prevent its capture by Union land forces. More here.
Previous US Civil War vessels I’ve mentioned on this blog are USS Cairo and CSS Hunley. Any suggestions for other Civil War navies sites to visit?
The fine print on the vessel below says University of Maryland; it’s their RV Rachel Carson down in Solomons MD.
I took the Carson photo from the decks of skipjack Dee of St Mary’s, a delightful cruise under sail as part of a friend’s even-more-delightful wedding.
I’m not allowed to say much about the next set, but I have the privilege to see this tricky maneuvering up close.
Note that this vessel, currently underway between Indonesia and South Korea, is assisted by four tugboats.
Thanks so much for the hospitality. You know who you are. Again, sorry I’m not permitted to say much more or publish my article. If you have any questions or comments about this last set, email or telephone me.
All photos, any errors, WVD, who’s thinking of doing a freighter cruise soon, with a destination in eastern or southeastern Asia. does anyone have suggestions? I’ve not yet contacted these folks.
Here was the first redux for the Delaware.
Handy Three appeared on this blog almost a decade ago in a different livery and in a different port.
Of course, she’s been a Moran tugboat for a half dozen years already.
In the background above, that’s the 1968-commissioned, 2007-decommissioned USS John F. Kennedy.
Several hundred yards away from Handy Three, Hunter D. I’d never seen this boat previously although for some time a few years ago I’d see her AIS “ghost signals” all over the sixth boro.
She’s still in Harley livery even though on paper she wears a lion.
All photos, WVD.
A relative’s big birthday brought me to Philly for the first time in a long while and afforded a few minutes to look around. Name that carrier? I once walked its decks as a visitor more than three decades ago, and have a friend who served aboard . . . as a journalist in the USN.
On an earlier trip of the Delaware, I recall seeing that faded reddish, peeling gray on Arthur W. Radford (DD968) before it was reefed.
Got the name?
But wait, there’s more . . . including one that should not be there.
I’d heard that Powhatan-class Apache had just been decommissioned and towed there last week, and this was the vessel I wanted to check on. The link in that previous sentence I posted a decade ago, after walking her decks. Recognize the larger vessel to Apache‘s port?
I wonder where Apache‘ll end up, now that her replacement(s) are under construction.
The one below would not have been there if a tow last month has gone without issues, as seen here but you have to scroll. I wonder when she’ll attempt her final journey next.
Yup, it’s ex-USS Yorktown (CG-48), and the carrier is the JFK, another fading Kennedy.
All photos, WVD, who really needs to get to Delaware River ports more often.
Another TBR is in the books. Where else can you see very upclose and personal some much-loved boats. I can and might do a post on each of these boats, but for now, just a survey.
Shoofly . . . complete name is Shoofly Pie. If you want actual detail, click here and scroll; you’ll see some profile of each of these boats (and others). All I’ll say about Shoofly is that she’s a WW2 naval vessel evolved into a rat rod (We need a new term for this category.) vessel. It has also likely sailed the greatest number of places, freshwater and salt. I’ve photographed this boat before, but somehow, it’s never made it onto this blog. Some explanation follows.
I frame this as a comparison of push knees on Edna A and J. Arnold Witte.
How about this as a frame– l to r, Nathan G, Margot, Benjamin Elliot, and Edna A. — involving two-thirds of the NYS Marine Highway boats participating in the event. Then another set of NYS Marine was not present . . . working . . . .
CMT Otter . . . represented Coeymans. I learned some modification history of this boat last weekend. It was once Delta Ram and looked like this.
This vessel is the fourth in the series of Atlantic Hunter boats. I had photos of Atlantic Hunter IV (under a different name last year) but those photos like those of Shoofly . . . disappeared.
My Pal Sal is not the latest government boat purchased by NYS Canals, although you might suspect otherwise. To stray down a tangent though; Sal has a song named for her; we really need a popular ditty about canal tugboats . . . any or all of them. Lobby your favorite songwriter or channel your own inner songwriter muse.
W. O. Decker looked spectacular! Last time I saw her some details were not the same.
Joncaire is several years into her new livery; she used to be the red of NYPA Niagara River boom maintenance fleet, as seen here (scroll).
Here’s the view from the 4th Street Bridge, and
here from the 2nd Street Bridge.
All photos yesterday, WVD, who got out there before many people were crowding the bulkhead.
I missed a lot of folks who were there because I stayed in the welcome center most of the time, listening to the talks.
Moving through the anchorage in Gloucester during the schooner festival, I expected to see a variety of sailing craft, although not one like this.
Polaris is a Viking replica fishing vessel, built in Anacortes WA to a design at least a thousand years old.
Downeast craftsmanship is evident in Tellina, although I know nothing more about the boat.
Ditto Bluefish.
It appears that pilot vessel Eastern Point was serving as a photographers’ launch. Note the distinctive clock tower of Gloucester City Hall in the distance.
Another classic was out watching the schooners and sometimes stealing part of the show . . . The Curator.
One of the joys I experience especially from Cape Ann and continuing downeast comes from the lobster boat design . . . as in Black Sheep and
Life is Good.
Some of the boats were beauties a sailin’
but also beauties just at the dock like Lewis H. Story and
Isabella, both handiwork of H. A. Burnham yard.
I last spent much time on Cape Ann quite some time ago, as in here, here, and here. And I last saw Ardelle in the Boothbays. I can still do a whole post on Ardelle.
All photos, WVD.
I’m calling this the last batch, although there are dozens of photos I’ve not posted. I’ll do the same as yesterday and number the shots, commenting on some. I didn’t have access to my VHF, so whatever announcements were made, I didn’t hear them. However, photo 1 shows the boats jockeying for the best position when the race signal was given.
1.
2. Once it was given, schooner Brilliant flew that bulging sail (a spinnaker or an oversized jib or a golly wobbler? ) and raced ahead.
3. The race was on.
4. Brilliant was way out front racing downwind. It appears the jib has not been raised.
5. It soon became apparent that for some reason, there was a problem and the race was off. Secondhand information said that incorrect instructions had been given, so the race needed to be restarted. That meant getting all the boats back to the start line. For power boats, returning to the starting point is direct and easy, but for sailing vessels,
6. … herding cat fish comes to mind.
7.
8. I believe this was part of the line up, and the race was restarted.
9. Below, the two nearer boats are in the lead; the three a bit farther off and sailing to the right have yet to round the the inflatable buoy.
10. Here was the most exciting duel of the afternoon; l to r, When and If and Narwhal. In photo 10, Narwhal was trailing but moving to overtake When and If.
11. And here, Narwhal makes the move and races to the winning time. The two schooners on either side have still not rounded the buoy.
12. Click here for the 2022 race results.
All photos, WVD, Thanks to Artemis for the ride.
tugster: a waterblog 
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