Lake Loop 7: West Across the Top

American Integrity is one of 13 ore boats on the Great Lakes called the “thousand-footers,” whose length ranges from 1000′ to 1013′.  They represent the most recent upgrade in ore boat capacity.

She was launched in 1977.  The newest 1000-footer was Paul R. Tregurtha, launched in 1981.  As the fleet ages, are there discussions of building the next 1000-footer or another upgrade in capacity?  Maybe the next large investment should be in a super lock at the Soo.

Calumet, a boat I’ve crossed paths with an uncanny number of times recently, headed south after negotiating the Straits.

On the hard in St. Ignace, it’s an unidentified blue trap net boat and fish tug Richard E. 

I had to get a photo of this log truck northbound on the Mac.

A few miles west of the Bridge is St. Helena Light. 

Burns Harbor left White Shoal Light behind as

it headed for the Bridge and then Lake Superior.

 

Lansing Shoals Light is about halfway between the Bridge and the Garden Peninsula.

Closing out this post is Seul Choix (pronounced “say shwah”) Light.  This light appeared–with the gentleman who paints it and othersr–in this post from last December. 

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

 

Go West 14

And the trip goes on . . . here heading for the Straits, where it seems there are underwater sights I missed.

Meanwhile, on the surface of the top of Lakes Huron and Michigan, there are plenty of things to look at, like this old ChrisCraft and

1944 fish tug Richard E. 

After we pass White Shoal light, we encounter traffic

like Karen Andrie and

“maritimer” Mississagi.

From morning to night, there were small boats fishing and larger

ones –like this unidentified Algoma Central Corporation dry bulker–

x

until day ends over Wisconsin.

 

All photos by Will Van Dorp.