WITTE 1402 Emerges from Drydock; ANDRIE and A-397 Enter; PRESQUE ISLE, CALLAWAY Update

At 0830 on a blustery, snowy morning typical of a January in Erie, Lakeshore Towing tugs FLATTOP and DON HENRY entered the flooded drydock at Erie Shipbuilding to move a new barge from the drydock. About 15 minutes later the duo slowly moved from drydock with the WITTE 1402 in tow. The last of the first six deck barges being constructed by Erie Shipbuilding was moved, unfinished, slowly into Presque Isle Bay and turned to line up for the West Slip.

A few tense moments followed as the barge was slowly moved past the KAREN ANDRIE and A-397; however the crews on FLATTOP and DON HENRY skillfully manouevered past the ANDRIE and docked the barge alongside the deck barge SUE B.

Another job successfully completed, Lakeshore Towing stood by and assisted while the KAREN ANDRIE and A-397 moved into drydock. The A-397 is in for its five-year drydocking survey and the KAREN ANDRIE is moored south of the barge in the drydock for minor repairs.

Lakeshore Towing tomorrow will be moving the cofferdam for the PRESQUE ISLE to the Mountfort Terminal. Current ETA for the PRESQUE ISLE is 0500 on Friday, with the CASON J. CALLAWAY expected for layup at 0600. Hopefully these times will get pushed back a couple of hours until daylight.

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Click here to watch the 50 MB, large version of a video of the tow.
Click here for the smaller, 20 MB version.


KAREN ANDRIE at dock this morning.


FLATTOP, DON HENRY and the WITTE 1402 in Presque Isle Bay.


Turning the barge.


Approaching the West Slip.


In the West Slip.


FLATTOP.


Stern view of the tow.


Approaching the SUE B.


Alongside the Port Albany Ventures barge SUE B.


FLATTOP and DON HENRY keep WITTE 1402 in place.


ANDRIE and barge A-397 in drydock.


KAREN ANDRIE.