Joseph L Block, Great Lakes Trader/Joyce VanEnkevort, American Mariner

Got to Escanaba this Thursday in time to see three ships and get a great ship fix after a very long winter without any.  The Joseph L Block loaded pellets, then departed.  The Great Lakes Trader/ Joyce VanEnkevort arrived after struggling through the ice, followed by the American Mariner who had also been struggling and needed the assistance of the tug Erika Kobasic to get free.  There were ice shanties very near the shipping lane.  Sunny, but very windy and very, very cold, but, hey, ships!!

Ships and boats galore

Wow, finally seeing a few ships.  The Mesabi Miner was in last night.  The tugs Billmaier and Hammond Bay are working with the F. Schwartz crane to add rocks to the lower harbor breakwall.  The Keweenaw Star is doing cruises (took the Blues Cruise last night, beautiful night!) as part of Maritime Month.  Today the Canadian Leader and Michipicoten arrived at the ore dock and the Joyce VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader brought stone to the lower harbor Shiras Dock.  Finally getting a ship fix!!  Will see how many pics this blog will post....

Hope the comments section is working.  It had a filter on it which I removed.  Now, just stay nice and I won't have to put it back on.  :o)

Great Lakes Trader

The Lee A Tregurtha brought coal to the WE Power plant, but left before we could get in to get any pictures.  Then the Joyce VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader brought stone to the Shiras Dock (the mines use the stone to make pellets).  We caught her just as she was leaving, a rather misty picture.  Tried to upload a picture, but blogger took a looooooong time and didn't do it.  Sorry...

Escanaba shipping to resume

The ore dock in Escanaba is set to begin loading the Great Lakes Trader/Joyce VanEnkevort barge/tug combo which wintered there.  The loading should be this weekend.  In addition, the Joseph L. Block, which briefly! laid up in Sturgeon Bay will be arriving during the week to also load.  A very short rest for crew.  The USCG Mackinaw is reportedly breaking ice.

The pic is of the GLT in Esky waiting on a load on January 21 this year, with the Burns Harbor waiting in the background.