Sunday, May 31, 2009

PRESQUE ISLE Arrives for Repairs

PRESQUE ISLE arrived in Erie this morning at 0900 and docked at the Mountfort Terminal. The vessel is in for repairs to an ever-troublesome shaft seal and will have the cofferdam installed soon. Reportedly, PRESQUE ISLE will be here about two weeks.

Video of the PRESQUE ISLE's arrival will be posted tomorrow.




PRESQUE ISLE inbound this morning.


Another view.


Stern view.


Slowing to dock.


With the cofferdam secured at the Mountfort Terminal.


PRESQUE ISLE moves in toward the dock.


Docking.

PRESQUE ISLE DUE FOR REPAIRS

PRESQUE ISLE is due in Erie at 1100 today for repairs.

Friday, May 29, 2009

APALACHEE Arrives

APALACHEE arrived in Erie this afternoon at around 1500 hours, turned off the Mountfort Terminal and docked at Coast Guard Station Erie. The tug will remain in port overnight. APALACHEE, as I wrote yesterday, is on its way to Cleveland where it will dock on Whiskey Island on the west end of Cleveland's harbor at the former Coast Guard Station. There the 1943, Brooklyn-built tug will become a floating marine museum.




APALACHEE inbound.


Another view.


Stern view.


APALACHEE docks at the North Pier.


Secured at dock.


Bow view.


Since my post earlier this month, the phone number on this sign has been painted out.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Tug APALACHEE Headed to Erie

On its way to Cleveland, where it will be made into a museum, former U.S. Coast Guard tug APALACHEE will be arriving in Erie sometime tomorrow. The tug passed through the Welland Canal today and has stopped at Port Colborne, Ontario for the night before proceeding to Erie. The tug was previously based as a museum in Oswego, New York. More information on APALACHEE can be found here.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

CALUMET Visits

CALUMET arrived in Erie at around 0300 today and docked at the Old Ore Dock to unload stone from Cedarville, Michigan. The vessel departed at around 0915 this morning bound for Sandusky, Ohio to load coal.


CALUMET departing the Old Ore Dock.


Another view.


Bow view.


Stern view.


NIAGARA follows CALUMET outbound.


Crew on the rigging.


NIAGARA outbound as CALUMET turns to head up the lake to Sandusky.

Monday, May 25, 2009

CALUMET DUE

CALUMET, with stone from Cedarville, is due in Erie at 0200 Tuesday morning. This is the CALUMET's second visit to the port this season.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Local Dinner Cruiser Breaks Down

This evening local dinner cruiser VICTORIAN PRINCESS suffered a breakdown while crusing off Gull Point in Lake Erie, requiring the vessel to go to anchor and await a tow. Lakeshore Towing's tug DON HENRY is at this time picking up the tow and taking the vessel back to its dock at the east side of Dobbin's Landing. At that time tug FLATTOP will assist in getting the vessel docked.




VICTORIAN PRINCESS in the East Canal Basin on February 24, 2008.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

MANISTEE Returns

MANISTEE arrived in port at 0230 hours today, and for the second time in 36 hours turned in Presque Isle Bay and docked at the Mountfort Terminal to unload salt from Fairport Harbor. The MANISTEE departed this morning at around 0840.

Elsewhere in the harbor, Lakeshore Towing Services continued work today on the demolition of Pier C at Perry's Landing Marina. The demolition of the old pier is nearly complete and the new pier will be going in shortly.




MANISTEE finishes unloading this morning.


Swinging in the unloading boom, the MANISTEE prepares to cast off and depart.


Dock boss releases the MANISTEE's bow wire.


Lining up for the channel.


Outbound.


Stern view.




Crews from Lakeshore Towing at work at Perry's Landing Marina.


Towboat DON HENRY backs into position to tow several finger piers away.


The remnants of slips 27, 29, and 31. These slips are being hauled to Erie Shipbuilding, lifted out and being loaded as scrap there.


Outbound Perry's Landing.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Sunday, May 17, 2009

MANISTEE Unloads Salt

MANISTEE arrived in Erie this afternoon at 1330, turned in Erie harbor and docked at the Mountfort Terminal on its second visit of the season to unload salt. The MANISTEE began unloading at around 1445 and departed this evening at 1845 after a fast unload.

I will post video of the departure tomorrow.




MANISTEE unloading.


Backing away from the dock.


Outbound.


Another view.


Stern view.


Past the lighthouse.


Note the 1-87-PORT-ERIE on the bottom. I assumed this was supposed to be the toll-free number for the Port Authority, as it begins 1-877. However, I called this today and was directed to dial another number at which I could "Connect with exciting local singles." I wonder if the Port Authority is aware of this

Friday, May 15, 2009

J.S. St. JOHN Fits Out; Harbor News and Notes

Local sand dredge J.S. St. JOHN fit out and made its first trip of the season at about 0630 this morning. The vessel was bound for its dredging ground on Lake Erie to dredge sand for Erie Sand & Gravel. This is one of the latest fit-outs in recent history for the St. JOHN.

Canadian Coast Guard Ship SHARK departed Erie this morning after spending the week working out of Erie taking water samples. The vessel had docked at Wolverine Marina during the week.

Lakeshore Towing Services is completing construction of a new, 300-foot long courtesy dock behind the Bayfront Sheraton Hotel. This will allow boaters to moor for dinner at any of the various restaurants/bars on Dobbins' Landing.




New courtesy dock behind the Bayfront Sheraton hotel.


SHARK departing Wolverine Marina at 0800 this morning.


Outbound at 0815.


SHARK departing this morning.


SAM LAUD inbound Erie on Monday, May 11.

Monday, May 11, 2009

SAM LAUD in port

SAM LAUD arrived in Erie this morning at 0700, turned in Presque Isle Bay and docked at the Mountfort Terminal to unload stone from Calcite, Michigan.

A sign of the poor economic conditions, this is only the second load of stone received in the port this season, and the third vessel overall. At this point last season, the port had received eight ships: four with stone, three with salt, and one cargo of machinery. This year's cargoes comprise of two stone loads and a salt load.




LAUD inbound Erie at 0700 today.


Another view.


Stern view.


Entering Presque Isle Bay.


LAUD turns around.


Turning to line up for the Mountfort Terminal.


Docking.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

SAM LAUD DUE

SAM LAUD, with stone from Calcite, is scheduled to be only the third vessel in Erie for the 2009 season when it arrives at 0500 on Monday morning.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

MANISTEE VIDEO

Below are videos taken yesterday of the MANISTEE inbound Erie with salt from Fairport Harbor. When the MANISTEE departed, the vessel was bound for Cleveland to load salt for Chicago.

Also is a video of BIG TONY, Erie's last commercial fisherman, outbound Erie at 0630 yesterday morning.

I am still working on video of the ROGER BLOUGH tow and hope to have it posted tomorrow.







Wednesday, May 6, 2009

MANISTEE Departs

MANISTEE finished unloading as scheduled this afternoon at 1230 and departed Erie bound for Cleveland's Cargill Salt Dock. The vessel was escorted through the channel by USCG 49413, which arrived in Erie yesterday and docked at the Coast Guard Station. It is unknown how long 49413 plans on staying in Erie.




MANISTEE inbound this morning.


Another view.


Stern view.


Turning in Presque Isle Bay.


Another view.


Approaching the Mountfort Terminal.


Coming alongside.


Ready to begin unloading.


Dockside view at 0915. One of the wheelsmen on the ship is climbing the ladder.


Three hours later, the last few tons of salt are off the boom.


Moving away from the Mountfort Terminal.


USCG 49413 outbound.


Stern view.


MANISTEE outbound.


Leading the MANISTEE through the channel.


Picking up speed in the channel.


Clearing the channel.


Stern view.


MANISTEE picks up speed in the lake.


About nine hours to Cleveland.