MANITOWOC Due

MANITOWOC, loaded with stone, is expected in Erie at 0830 on Friday.

VICTORY/KUBER Shuttle Sand

After arriving in Erie at 2300 on Saturday and unloading stone at the Mountfort Terminal and Old Ore Dock, VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER moved over to the Mountfort Terminal, and docked at the east end of that pier at 0840 on Sunday. KUBER began to take on a load of sand, previously dredged from the lake bottom, via portable conveyor.

KUBER loaded until about 0930 this morning before moving over to the North Pier to unload sand for beach replenishment. This is the first dry bulk cargo loaded onto a vessel in the port of Erie in many, many years. In the early 1990s the JOSEPH H. THOMPSON loaded coke here; that is believed to be the last cargo loaded from the port of Erie.

I will update with photos later today.

KUBER LOADS SAND

After unloading last night at the Mountfort Terminal and Old Ore Dock, VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER moved over to the Mountfort Terminal this morning and began loading sand via portable conveyors.

I will update with a full report and photos on Monday.

KUBER Inbound

VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER will be inbound Erie at 2300 for the Mounfort Terminal.

VICTORY/KUBER Due

VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER are due in Erie, with stone from Cedarville, at 2045 tonight.

HOLLYHOCK ARRIVES

HOLLYHOCK arrived in Erie at 0930 today, turned in the channel and docked at Coast Guard Station Erie to load buoys. HOLLYHOCK spent the day replacing the buoys in the entrance channel.

---

HOLLYHOCK passing the pierhead lighthouse inbound.


Close up.


Stern view.


Turning.


HOLLYHOCK docking.

HOLLYHOCK INBOUND

USCGC HOLLYHOCK will be inbound Erie in one hour to the Coast Guard station.

KUBER Waits, Departs

VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER arrived in Erie at 0400 on Friday and docked at the Old Ore Dock to unload. The duo moved over to the Mountfort Terminal at 0930, and finished unloading before waiting weather after the approach of yesterday's gale. VICTORY/KUBER departed this afternoon at noon.

I will post photos of the duo on Monday.

OLIVE L. MOORE DEPARTS

After two months in drydock at Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair for engine work and an owner's inspection, OLIVE L. MOORE departed Erie this morning at 0900 bound for Toledo, Ohio. The MOORE will mate up with her barge, LEWIS J. KUBER, in Toledo and begin another season on the Great Lakes.

VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER are still expected in Erie at around 0500 on Friday morning, weather permitting.

---

OLIVE L. MOORE turns enters the channel.


In between the piers.


The raised pilot house on OLIVE L. MOORE was added in 2006 in Escanaba, Michigan before the tug returned to Erie to mate up with LEWIS J. KUBER for the first time. The 1928-built MOORE has been modified numerous times over the years and this will likely be her last configuration.


Racing out the channel.


Stern view.


Outbound for Toledo.

McKEE SONS moved; VICTORY/KUBER to be season opener

A yard crew from Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair moved INVINCIBLE/McKEE SONS back across the West Slip to Donjon at 1530 today. The duo, which spent the winter on the west side due to TECUMSEH's positioning during winter layup.

McKEE SONS will remain in Erie indefinitely until business on the Great Lakes warrants drydocking her and tug INVINCIBLE and completing work needed for the duo to pass a five-year survey.

VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER, with stone from Calcite, will open Erie's season with their arrival in Erie at around 0500 Friday.

---

The starboard anchor on the McKEE SONS is lifted aboard at around 1430 today.


The port anchor is lifted a few minutes later.


McKEE SONS starts to move across the slip.


In the middle of the slip.


Alongside Donjon and bringing the bow wire, which was held on the west side of the slip for control, back aboard.

J.S. St. JOHN Fits Out

J.S. St. JOHN began another season of dredging with its first trip on Monday, and is shown below while inbound on that trip at 1145 hours Monday.

---

J.S. St. JOHN inbound on her first trip on Monday.


Stern view.

KUBER DEPARTS

VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER departed Erie this morning at 0600 bound for Toledo.

DONJON TO BUILD HOPPER BARGES

Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair has been awarded a contract to construct two hopper barges (with an option for a third) for Sterling Equipment of Quincy, MA, according to a report on Marinelink.com. The barges are to be 225' long, 42' wide and 12' deep. The barges are on an ambitious construction schedule and expected to be delivered by the middle to the end of August.

This is good news for Donjon, which lost revenue from the cancelled McKEE SONS drydocking earlier this year.

Sterling, based in Quincy, MA, operates a fleet of 11 tugs and numerous barges and cranes, specializing in rentals to the construction industry on the east coast.

VICTORY Cruises the Bay; Layup Updates

Tug VICTORY backed away from her barge in the graving dock at Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair this afternoon at around 1445 hours and moved to the east side of the dock. VICTORY's crew spent about three hours working on the tug's engines before the tug backed away from the graving dock and turned circles in the bay to test her engines.

VICTORY docked at the West Slip, where she remains, at 1755 this afternoon.

VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER, in for her five-year survey and other repair work, should be departing later this week. OLIVE L. MOORE, which had been in for engine work, should also be departing to return to Toledo later this week. MOORE will pick up her barge, LEWIS J. KUBER, there.

---

VICTORY in the graving dock this afternoon.


Turning in Presque Isle Bay.


Stern view.


VICTORY, finished with trials, turns for the West Slip.


VICTORY approaches the West Slip.


Docking.

TECUMSEH Departs

TECUMSEH departed winter layup at Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair at about 0900 this morning, upbound for Thunder Bay, Ontario.