Maritime Tugboats

Regionally speaking, Andrew, along with 

Roderick and Nancy, could be said to sail in maritime waters.

In the maritime province of Nova Scotia, though, I caught up with Atlantic Towing Limited tugboats Atlantic Oak,

Atlantic Cedar, 

Atlantic Fir, and 

 

Atlantic Elm.  Given their extensive fleet, it seems I need to make my way back here.  Other than returning in October, I’m not sure when that will happen, but now it’s a goal.  

Seeing the Canso Strait, first hand and after being introduced to it by my friend Jack Ronalds,  satisfied a curiosity.

Behold Spitzer Bedford, Spitzer Montreal, and Point Chebucto.

All photos, any errors, WVD.

LL Halifax to Charlottetown

Departing Halifax, we passed CMA CGM Osiris, no doubt making the sixth boro its next stop. 

Heading NE from Halifax, we had fabulous weather following the NS coastline and seeing fish boats like this one, Chief Stephen J. Gleade Sr., if I’ve read that right. 

Turning in at the point in Canso, we meet Strait Falcon.

CCGC Kopit Hopson was anchored off the shore.  Check out this information about this vessel’s name. 

Seaways Colorado is moored at Point Tupper, 

where Svitzer Bedford, Montreal, and Chebucto stand by. 

Rt. Hon. Paul E. Martin loads where Alice used to.

It was fantastic to see my friend Jack Ronalds, photographer who casts a long shadow,  doing what he does, photographing passing vessels.  See Jack’s previous contributions to this blog here. 

Strait Raven tows a work barge away from the causeway.

Before sunrise, pilot boat JRG delivered a pilot.

Later, when we tied up, she was at the dock, accompanied by 

Mr. Ben, a Coastal Stevedoring vessel.

All photos, any errors, WVD, who’s Great Lakes bound.

 

To Bayway, from Point Tupper

You saw a different version of this photo last week, NS Leader being assisted into Bayway.  This begs the question . . .  from where did NS Leader come?  Where did it take on the cargo discharged at Bayway?

The answer for NS Leader and lots more crude tankers is Point Tupper NS, where there’s a NuStar Terminal.  Maybe you’ve seen that on AIS.

Sailing a tanker from there looks a lot like here, although the Strait of Canso is quite a bit deeper than the Kills.  That’s Eagle Varna, a VLCC,  at the dock.  Smaller Eagle tankers (AET) used to call in the sixth boro, as in here and here, although I don’t recall seeing them recently.

Here Point Chebucto and Point Valiant assist Suezmax tanker Eagle San Antonio.

Here London Spirit departs the dock

with Point Chebucto and Svitzer Montreal to port and Svitzer Bedford to starboard.  NYK “Spirit” tankers used to call regularly in the sixth boro as in here,  here and here, and maybe they still do.

Stena Weco tankers call in the sixth boro frequently as well:  Stena Concert, Stena Contest . . .  come to mind.

Here Switzer Bedford and Point Chebucto assist Stena Conquest

out to sea via the Strait.  Svitzer Canada is a towing branch of Maersk with a network of hundreds of boats.

Many thanks to Jack Ronalds for these photos.  More of Jack’s photos soon.  If you want to see some of them right now, click here  for his Marine Traffic snaps and here for his general photos, not limited to maritime shots.

Once US citizens are again welcome in Canada, I hope to make many trips, including one up his way.