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

 

Round Island Passage Farewell

Departure time meant we couldn’t watch Paul R. Tregurtha transit the passage on this brilliant day, but that’s life.

On our way out, Corsair passed one more time with a load of hay . . .

 

My references here are inadequate to say whether Mackinac Islander, laid up here, was built in the same yard as Corsair.

As we turn south, Poe Reef Light blinks a farewell

and we see sunset rays off to the north behind us, begging not to be forgotten.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

 

Road Fotos 39

How fortunate to catch Paul R. Tregurtha on her first upbound trip through the Soo!   She’s the last product of the shipyards in Lorain OH, which was the first stop on this gallivant.

Just ahead of Tregurtha was James R. Barker, another product of Lorain, here waiting to enter the locks.

An impulse stop in Sault Ste Marie ON was the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, a great stop.

To get from Manitoulin Island to the Bruce Peninsula, we boarded “the big canoe,” aka Chi-Cheemaun, a replacement for SS Norgoma, featured here a few days ago.  Chi-Cheemaun is a product of Collinwood ON shipyards, about which I’ll comment later.

Tobermory has erected a plaque to Le Griffon, the will-0-wisp of the Great Lakes, the first full-sized sailing ship built on the Lakes above Niagara.  She disappeared on the return from her first voyage, one of the many vessels lost on the Lakes without a trace.

Is it true that Dawn Light, docked here in Tobermory, was built in 1891?    !!  Here’s the suggestion and history.

Georgian Bay . . .  and here’s a cairn built in honor of those past.

Just east of Georgian Bay in Gordon Lightfoot country, there are lots of apple orchards.  Are there any Lightfoot songs referring to them or to farming there?

 

Here is part of the area that used to be Collingwood Shipyards, now living and shopping space.  At least they painted a mural of a laker on the supermarket wall.

Itinerary and all photos by Will Van Dorp, who offers this poem in respect for this day..