Michipicoten

The Michipicoten arrived at Marquette today about 4, quickly loaded and was on her way out by 7.  Three hours is a quick load, especially now that the lake is higher and she can take on more ore.  The new doors on the ore pockets has to aid in the faster loads.

Commenting

I'm still new at this blogging stuff, and wondered why no one posted a comment.  Learned that they get sent to my e-mail, but today is the first I received that.  Keep on trying and I'll try to get the kinks out.  :o)    I have learned that if you click on the title first, it will allow you to go to a comment section.  It does still filter, though, and won't post until I log on and look at it, it seems.  Anyway, keep trying, and thanks.

Man Over Video, Indiana Harbor

Here is a video I took while on the Chief Shingwauk of the Indiana Harbor dropping a man overboard to "walk" the lines and tie the ship up while it's in the locks.   The ship is moving.

Finally!

Okay, I must apologize for those of you who read this (but no one posts.....is there a problem?...do I have to add something to this blog to get responses?  just wondering) for being so lax in blogging.  This past month has been filled with Gwinn Centennial events, and I was just, frankly, too tired to do more than briefly check e-mail.   Those of you who know me can e-mail me directly, and I'll try to see how to allow postings.

Did get to see the John J Munson and Michipicoten today.  It was a beautiful day after the fog in Marquette lifted.

Soo and all

It's been a busy time, so haven't done any posting.  Actually have a few hundred pictures that I need to organize and post on boatnerd or pasty.com or somewhere.  :o)  Will try to add a Speer salute here.  

Manitowoc

The Manitowoc made one of what may be repeat trips between Marquette and Algoma Steel at the Soo.  Fortunately the sun came out for some of the pictures.  Part of the day was cold and drizzly.  No global warming here!

Adding a pic of the loading chutes.  With the automatic doors the chutes are constantly moving up and down.  Makes for a fast load.

Charles M Beeghly

Spent the morning watching the race (5, 10 and 25K) for Youth For Christ (our daughter raced in that), then went to catch the Charles M Beeghly unloading coal in Marquette's upper harbor.  The Beeghly was going to take on ore after she unloaded coal.  The Saginaw was also expected this evening, but we didn't stay around to wait for her.  Seeing fewer ships because of gas prices, just don't want to make that drive too often.   Attaching a pic of the Beeghly taken today, and a pic of the first "man over" from the Kaye E Barker taken in 2006.  

BBC Elbe and windmill sections

We went to Appleton, Wisconsin for a weekend of minor league baseball and ended up getting about three innings of baseball followed by the most spectacular light show put on by God!  Better than the fireworks they had planned for after the game, I'm sure.  We were safe under the roof, and saw lightning cross the sky from cloud to cloud.    Wow!

On the way home Sunday we caught the BBC Elbe unloading windmill sections at Menominee, Michigan.  You can see part of the old ferry Viking there.  The William Donner is still rusting away on the Marinette, Wisconsin, side being used as a crane barge.  Sad sight, indeed.

Dorothy Anne/ Pathfinder

Okay, back to what I look for in pics.... :o)

Managed to catch the tug Dorothy Anne and her barge Pathfinder at both the Shiras dock and the upper harbor ore dock yesterday.  We used to be able to drive right in and under the boom to take pictures from the other side.  Now the fence is closed with a guard on duty when a ship is in.  

Still need to organize pics from Port Huron and post on the Boatnerd Public Gallery (too many to post here).  Life will slow down, one of these days!  Still, beautiful weather, birds, ships.....

Have been too busy to post lately, but will try to get to it and share some ship pics soon.

Myakka State Park

Well, enjoyed a cooler day visiting Myakka State Park not far from Sarasota.  The airboat tour is worth the money.  Walked around (carefully) and enjoyed the view, including the canopy trail, truly amazing.  Now we're on our way north, should be in Port Huron tonight and enjoying ship traffic.  Had a great time with family in Florida, but glad for cooler weather now.  Yooper blood coagulates in the heat, I think.  

Pics are of the top of the palm canopy, the tower to climb to get there, and one of the many gators you see on the airboat tour.

Tampa

Well, a tug and barge is the closest thing to a ship I've seen....and lots and lots of palm trees.  Went to a neat Zoo in Tampa and to the Spaghetti Warehouse.  HOT, oh, so hot.  :o)

Florida!

It was 93 degrees when we arrived in  Florida yesterday, in the 80's today.  Yikes!  Still beautiful, though, lots of flowers.  Area is a little dry, and many flowering plants are looking parched.  Took a walk this morning, and decided we have to walk earlier in the day.  It gets hot and humid in a hurry.  Still, spending time with family is good.  Haven't decided what places we'll go, but plan to just relax and enjoy this time.  We may be retired, but we feel young down here!  :o)  Having trouble sending mail, though.  Can receive, but not send very well.

Georgia

Farther south.  Will be in Florida tomorrow.  Great traveling weather, although getting a little warm now (in the 80's here).  Kentucky was horse country, although Georgia has their share.  They're also into peaches and pecans, but this isn't the season for them.  (Poo!)  Miss seeing the boats.  Good thing boatnerd has lots of pictures.  Lovely, lovely accents.  Also interesting food choices, too.  Hope to find grits tomorrow.  :o)

Lots and lots of beautiful hills.  Glad it isn't winter!  Wish Kentucky had some scenic turn-offs on the interstate.  Saw many police cars in  Georgia, very few any other state so far.  None after us, and the traffic was going at a good clip!

Travelling

Two days of hard driving with a visit to a friend last night has us north of Lexington, KY tonight.  Temp is 68, and sunny...  Will see how far we get tomorrow.  Would like to try to find a high school friend living in Florida on Tuesday before picking Kris up.  Rolling hills, beautiful country (but too many cars/people), and people are beginning to talk funny.  :o)  Y'all....   Hope we get through Atlanta without any traffic tie-ups.

Lee A Tregurtha

The Lee A Tregurtha arrived in Marquette today.  It was bright and sunny out, but very chilly at the waterfront because of the wind.  Still, nice to see LaLa at the dock.

We'll be doing some traveling for a while, and don't know if I'll be able to get my password to work on the laptop, so if you don't see any postings for a while, you'll know why.    Thanks for checking in.

Cold!

We were out of town for four days without the password to post to this blog.  Since we weren't near any ships, either, I wasn't too concerned, but hope to at least keep posting, even without pictures.  

Today was 21 degrees below normal here in the UP!  The sun was shining, but it didn't warm things up much.  At least it wasn't snowing!  Didn't get any ship pictures, but the Michipicoten is making trips to Marquette again.  First of the year for our regular ship.  Escanaba continues to be busy, and may see more interesting ships.  

Dorothy Anne/Pathfinder

On a bright and sunny Wednesday the tug BeeJay and barge were assisting divers searching for the missing prop/pod from the Dorothy Anne.  They did locate it, and hope to recover it some time this week and re-install it on the tug.  The Pathfinder/Dorothy Anne remains tied up at the ore dock.

Algocape, Joseph L Block

Made a trip to Escanaba on a rainy, foggy Tuesday, because we heard the Algocape was coming in for a load.  Found her waiting at the dock while the Joseph L Block finished her load.  Got a few foggy, rainy shots of both at the dock, and then the Block as she was deprting.

Dorothy Anne/Pathfinder, Jackson, Pierson

Yesterday was quite the day!  the Dorothy Anne/Pathfinder dropped stone at Marquette's Shiras dock in the lower harbor, then, while departing the dock, hit something that took a piece from the tug and allowed fuel to leak into the harbor.  The USCoast Guard and the DEQ closed the harbor for a while.  Divers spent a lot of time checking and searching for the missing piece(!!).  The tug/barge remained in the harbor at anchor, but have moved this morning.  They have a load waiting for them at the ore dock.

The Herbert C Jackson loaded ore while all this was going on, and the Robert S. Pierson arrived for a load, too.   The Pierson had to tie up to the south side of the dock (which was loaded for the Pathfinder....companies take different types of ore) until the Jackson was finished, then moved to the north side for her load.  Will see how many pics this blog will let me post...  :o)

Joseph L Block

Went to Escanaba today and caught the Joseph L Block loading.  Lots of rain and mist during the drive, melting what snow we saw.  The tug Olive Moore was not at the dock, so I assume she headed to Escanaba to pick up the Lewis Kuber.  

Robert S. Pierson

Caught the Robert S. Pierson in Marquette today.  A little cloudy, but made for better pics on the north side of the dock.  Too much sun in the afternoon gives too much shadow.  The Pierson left this afternoon, late, for Algoma Steel at Soo, Canada, and is expected to return late tomorrow.  

H C Jackson

On a bright, beautiful, warm and windy Wednesday, the Herbert C. Jackson arrived in Marquette for ore.   Got a few pics.  The Canadian Prospector is expected in Escanaba....but won't be able to make the trip there to get pics.  Can't be in two places at once, but would have liked to try.  LOL

Waves and the James R Barker

Well, had more waves yesterday, with the sun shining this time.  Will try to post a pic.  The Charles M. Beeghly arrived last night for ore, but left this morning before we arrived.  The James R. Barker arrived with coal, and did get a pic of that.  The Kaye E Barker brought coal to the lower harbor Shiras dock after we left Marquette, so missed her, too.  Ah, well, there's a summer full of ships waiting.....I hope.  :o)

Waves!

Strong winds and high waves have kept ships from moving about the big lake the past couple days.  The picture is of waves hitting the upper harbor breakwall in Marquette.

Robert S Pierson

The Herbert C. Jackson left Marquette before we were able to get in to get some pictures.  We did get to see the "new" Robert S. Pierson ("old" Wolverine) arrive, though.  What had started as a nice day became quite chilly as the wind picked up, visible in some of the pictures.  Will try to post again.  Didn't work on the last blog, but maybe today.....

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...

Ships in Marquette

Didn't post most of March, was sick all month.  Yikes!   Did get to see a few ships, though, and made it to opening day at the Soo Locks.  Three ships in Marquette today.  The American Valor, which was doing a slow load (former Armco), the Kaye E Barker, which loaded and left, and the Calumet, which arrived early evening.  

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.

Picture added

I'm going to attempt to post a picture with this blog, one of the many thousands I've taken since my first digital camera.  This one, if it works, is of the Wilfred Sykes coming into Escanaba, Michigan.  My hubby drove the Jeep down onto the ice so I could get this view.