R/V MUSKY II Stops in Port

U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center's research vessel MUSKY II, based out of Sandusky, spent several days at Wolverine Marina earlier this week. MUSKY II is on a fishing research cruise of Lake Erie; this cruise is one of the last MUSKY II will make for the USGS. MUSKY II and her fleetmate KAHO, both of which date from the 1960s, were supposed to be replaced with the MUSKIE and KAHO, launched last year at Great Lakes Shipyard in Cleveland.

MUSKIE and KAHO were supposed to replace the older vessels last September or October; however, numerous problems with Great Lakes Shipyard's workmanship has kept each $4 million vessel at Great Lakes Shipyard for repairs since that time. Hopefully MUSKIE will make her debut on Lake Erie sometime this summer, and perhaps will be seen in Erie later this season.

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MUSKY II in Presque Isle Bay on Wednesday.


MUSKIE, replacement for MUSKY II (MUSKY II is a mis-spelling of the word "Muskie" that was never corrected) departing Cleveland under the NS 1 railroad bridge for sea trials on August 30, 2011. Photo taken on the Great Lakes Towing tug ILLINOIS.


Stern view of the MUSKIE.

JOSEPH H. THOMPSON/JR. ARRIVE FOR DRYDOCKING

JOSEPH H. THOMPSON/JOSEPH H. THOMPSON JR. arrived in Erie this morning at 0630 for drydocking at Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair. The duo turned in Presque Isle Bay, and after pumping ballast water, entered the drydock stern first beginning at 0800 this morning. By 1000 the tug and barge were in drydock. The duo is in for its five-year survey and should be in drydock for a couple of weeks.

THOMPSON's last five-year survey was done six years ago at Erie Shipbuilding; the survey coincided with a major repowering and other work on the THOMPSON JR., which included widening the tug's pilothouse by six feet.

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THOMPSON inbound this morning.


Another view.


JOSEPH H. THOMPSON JR. provides the power for the barge.


Stern view.


Headed into Presque Isle Bay.

St. JOHN, FARRELL 256 REMOVED FROM DRYDOCK; THOMPSON DUE

DOROTHY ANN/PATHFINDER departed Erie at 1030 this morning, bound for Marblehead to load stone.

Lakeshore Towing tugs FLATTOP and DON HENRY removed J.S. St. JOHN from drydock this evening at 1900 and docked the St. JOHN at the Old Ore Dock. An hour later, the tugs removed crane barge FARRELL 256 from drydock and put the barge at the West Slip.

JOSEPH H. THOMPSON/THOMPSON JR. will arrive in Erie in the morning and will be drydocked in the late morning for its five-year survey. The duo is sailing on an extension of its five-year survey; the last one was done in Erie at the former Erie Shipbuilding when the THOMPSON JR. was repowered in 2006.

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DOROTHY ANN/PATHFINDER outbound.


Close up.


Stern view.


FLATTOP and DON HENRY moving St. JOHN out of Donjon this evening, with towboat TITAN standing by.


Turning for the Old Ore Dock.


Docking the St. JOHN.


TITAN pushes.


Moving the FARRELL 256.


Inbound the West Slip.


Close up of FARRELL 256.


Stern view.


Docking.

St. JOHN, FARRELL TO BE REMOVED FROM DRYDOCK

J.S. St. JOHN and FARRELL 256 are to be removed from drydock beginning at around 1830 this evening.

DOROTHY ANN/PATHFINDER IN PORT

DOROTHY ANN/PATHFINDER are currently in port unloading at the Old Ore Dock. The duo should be departing within the next couple of hours.

St. JOHN to Depart Drydock; THOMPSON Due

J.S. St. JOHN will be removed from drydock at Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair sometime tomorrow afternoon.

JOSEPH H. THOMPSON/THOMPSON JR. are due in Ashtabula at 1900 on Monday evening, and after unloading ore will head for Erie. The duo will be drydocked Tuesday morning.

BRADSHAW McKEE/CLEVELAND ROCKS Depart; THOMPSON DUE

BRADSHAW M^cKEE and barge CLEVELAND ROCKS shifted to the north face of Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair this morning at around 1030 hours. M^cKEE/CLEVELAND ROCKS departed Erie this afternoon at 1330 bound for Marblehead, Ohio to load stone. The pair is currently making a speed of 7.6 knots abeam of Fairport Harbor, Ohio.

J.S. St. JOHN will be moved from drydock sometime on Monday. Tuesday or Wednesday JOSEPH H. THOMPSON/JOSEPH H. THOMPSON JR. will be arriving for drydocking.

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BRADSHAW M^cKEE backing away from Donjon at 1030 this morning.


Turning.


A flyover as the ROCKS docks.


Outbound this afternoon.


Close up.


BRADSHAW M^cKEE in the notch.


Stern view.


Clearing the Piers.

PIERSON Inbound with Sand

ROBERT S. PIERSON just gave a 30 minute security call inbound Erie, heading for the North Pier with a load of sand from Thessalon, Ontario for beach replenishment. When unloading is complete the PIERSON will head to Cleveland to load salt.

PIERSON DUE

ROBERT S. PIERSON is expected in Erie at 2300 tonight.

PRESQUE ISLE SAILS

PRESQUE ISLE departed Erie at 1400 this afternoon bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota. PRESQUE ISLE's shaft seal repairs were completed overnight and into this morning and the cofferdam was floated out around 1300 this afternoon.

KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER are currently fueling in Detroit before heading to Silver Bay, Minnesota. The addition of the BOOTHE/CONTENDER means that ADAM E. CORNELIUS won't sail this season, and very likely will not sail again for American Steamship Company.

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Lakeshore Towing moving the cofferdam this afternoon.


Another view.


Heading into Presque Isle Bay to turn around.


Turned.


Outbound.


A wave from the pilothouse.


Tug PRESQUE ISLE.


Stern view.


Outbound for Two Harbors.

KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER Depart on Maiden Voyage; PRESQUE ISLE Update

KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER departed Erie at 0100 this morning on their maiden voyage, bound for Silver Bay, Minnesota to load iron ore pellets.

The cofferdam is currently being removed from the PRESQUE ISLE, and PRESQUE ISLE should be ready to sail sometime this afternoon.

BRADSHAW MCKEE ARRIVES; LAKES CONTENDER TO SAIL AT MIDNIGHT

BRADSHAW M^cKEE arrived in Erie at 1400 today and docked behind the barge CLEVELAND ROCKS at the shipyard. The pair will sail in several days.

Not breaking the superstition against sailing on a Friday due to bad luck, the KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER is currently scheduled to depart for Silver Bay, Minnesota on its maiden voyage at 0001 Saturday morning.

Divers from Lakeshore Towing are scheduled to remove the cofferdam on PRESQUE ISLE beginning at 0700 on Saturday morning. If her past visits are any indication, PRESQUE ISLE should leave sometime after noon on Saturday.

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U.S. Brig NIAGARA outbound shortly before BRADSHAW M^cKEE's arrival this afternoon.


VICTORIAN PRINCESS, U.S. Brig NIAGARA and BRADSHAW M^cKEE's arrival this afternoon.


BRADSHAW M^cKEE inbound.


Side view.


Stern view of BRADSHAW M^cKEE.


Turning for the West Slip.


BRADSHAW M^cKEE is 121' long and makes 4,350 bhp.


PRESQUE ISLE can be seen in the distance of this photo.


Docking at Donjon.

BRADSHAW McKEE Update

BRADSHAW M^cKEE is currently eastbound off Euclid, Ohio, running at a speed of 10 knots. The tug's ETA is sometime around 1400 today.

BRADSHAW McKEE Update; Harbor News and Notes

BRADSHAW M^cKEE and MANITOU secured VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER in Toledo and M^cKEE has now departed for Erie. If M^cKEE makes the same speed of about 10 knots that she did up Lake Michigan and down Lake Huron to pick up the KUBER, her ETA for Erie to pick up the CLEVELAND ROCKS is about 1100 tomorrow.

Final preparations are being made for KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER to sail this weekend. Her first trip is scheduled to be to Silver Bay, Minnesota to load ore. Over the past two days the crew has been testing the unloading boom on the barge. The unloading boom is reported to be 286' long, which would make it the longest on the Great Lakes.

The new shaft seal for PRESQUE ISLE is being flown in from Germany and should arrive tomorrow. If repairs go as planned the cofferdam will be floated out and PRESQUE ISLE will depart Saturday.

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KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER and CLEVELAND ROCKS showing the reflection of a calm morning at 0745 this morning.


LAKES CONTENDER with the unloading boom raised this afternoon.

BRADSHAW McKEE Update

BRADSHAW M^cKEE is currently in Monroe, waiting for the JAMES L. KUBER to unload before assisting the vessel to Toledo. M^cKEE's new ETA for Erie is sometime overnight tonight.

BRADSHAW McKEE Update

BRADSHAW M^cKEE, MANITOU and VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER are currently downbound in Lake St. Clair on their way to Monroe, Michigan. Provided the M^cKEE leaves as soon as she docks the KUBER in Monroe, the tug should arrive in Erie sometime tomorrow after daylight.

I will update as I learn more.

Cofferdam Sunk on PRESQUE ISLE; BRADSHAW McKEE Update

The cofferdam was sunk on the port propeller of the PRESQUE ISLE this morning. The PRESQUE ISLE will be in port several days for repairs.

BRADSHAW M^cKEE is currently downbound in Lake Huron, escorting VICTORY/JAMES L. KUBER, along with tug MANITOU. Judging by the speed of the convoy, which is reportedly on its way to Monroe, Michigan, the M^cKEE should arrive in Erie sometime Thursday.

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PRESQUE ISLE at dock this afternoon.