KAREN ANDRIE and A-397, along with FLATTOP and DON HENRY slowly made their way into the channel, and around 1250 hours this afternoon the two tugs moved in as the ANDRIE approached the North Pier to set the barge alongside. ANDRIE intended to tow the barge on the open lake, and decided to switch to pull mode in Erie harbor. As the barge A-397 does not have a bow thruster, FLATTOP and DON HENRY were on hand to push the barge alongside the North Pier and held it there as ANDRIE unhooked from the barge and shifted around to the bow. Having taken up a tow line on the barge, KAREN ANDRIE and A-397 departed at 1400 this afternoon for Toledo, Ohio.
I erred in mentioning yesterday that both the ANDRIE and A-397 had received a new coupler system this winter while in drydock. Only the tug KAREN ANDRIE received the JAK coupler system. This occured so that the ANDRIE can be mated with a new barge that Andrie has on order for delivery this November from a shipyard in Mississippi. When this occurs, barge A-397 will be transfered to tug BARBARA ANDRIE, and BARBARA ANDRIE's barge, A-390, will likely be scrapped.
MICHIPICOTEN is now the last remaining member of Erie's layup fleet. Today the vessel was conducting fire and boat drills in preparation for her departure, which will likely be sometime before the end of the week.
Lakeshore Towing continued to dredge at East Avenue today. The company has another day or two worth of work there, two days of dredging work in the East Canal Basin and will then be working at Shades Beach in Harborcreek for about two weeks.
As I was about 90% finished with this entry at 2005 hours this evening, MANISTEE gave a 15-minute security call inbound for the Mountfort Terminal with salt for Fairport Harbor. The vessel was tying up by 2100 and should be unloaded by around 0300.
Lakeshore Towing Service's towboat TITAN is outbound the piers ahead of the A-397 and ANDRIE.
ANDRIE, assisted by FLATTOP enters the channel.
The flotilla of tugs and a barge.
Closer view of the convoy.
FLATTOP alongside the stern of the A-397.
DON HENRY pulls ahead of the A-397.
DON HENRY.
A-397.
KAREN ANDRIE and FLATTOP.
KAREN ANDRIE.
FLATTOP pushes on the A-397 to bring it closer to the North Pier.
DON HENRY joins the fun.
TITAN passes the ANDRIE and FLATTOP.
Tug KAREN ANDRIE begins to back out of the barge.
Out of the barge.
KAREN ANDRIE manouevers around the barge.
Coming ahead.
Side view. Note the door below the pilot house is open and can
KAREN ANDRIE comes alongside the barge.
ANDRIE takes the tow line.
ANDRIE and A-397 preparing to leave.
Pulling away from the pier.
ANDRIE...
A-397.
Stern view of the KAREN ANDRIE.
Stern view of the barge.
Outbound.
FLATTOP and DON HENRY depart the South Pier bound for East Avenue.
FLATTOP.
Stern view with Lake Erie Biofuels in the background.
MANISTEE inbound.
Framed by the lighthouse and a buoy.
Close up.
Stern view.
Docking.
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