HOLLYHOCK ARRIVES FOR BUOYS; CLIPPER TOBAGO LOADS

US Coast Guard Cutter HOLLYHOCK (WLB-214) arrived in Erie at 1445 hours this afternoon and secured at Coast Guard Station Erie to load the winter markers that have been stored at the station since May 4. Over the next two days the crew of the HOLLYHOCK will use the ship's crane and lift each of the lighted summer buoys from its station in Erie harbor and replace them with the unlighted winter markers. This will prevent any ice build ups from causing severe damage to the lighted summer buoys. With snowy, cold weather expected over the next few days this will be a cold job for the crew.

When complete, the HOLLYHOCK will offload the summer buoys onto the pier at Coast Guard Station Erie, where they will remain until HOLLYHOCK returns sometime after May 1 to return them to the water. Any buoys that are currently found in need of repair will be taken to HOLLYHOCK's home base in Port Huron, Michigan and repaired over the coming months.

Crews at the Mountfort Terminal remained hard at work this afternoon loading the CLIPPER TOBAGO with biodiesel. As of 1500 six of the twelve railcars on the dock had been offloaded into the tanker. I'm not sure if they will be working on Sunday, but on Monday more railcars will be delivered to the Mountfort Terminal to continue loading the TOBAGO.

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HOLLYHOCK inbound.


Close up.


These buoys on the deck of the HOLLYHOCK have already been removed from other waterways and are in need of repair for the winter.


The newest member of Station Erie's fleet, 33133, which arrived late October, is shown while inbound Erie.


Stern view of the HOLLYHOCK.


HOLLYHOCK manouevering to dock as 33133 passes.


HOLLYHOCK secured alongside the Coast Guard Station, ready to begin loading.


CLIPPER TOBAGO loads.


Another view of the TOBAGO.