ROGER BLOUGH Departs; Port of Erie wins Seaway 2014 Pacesetter Award

ROGER BLOUGH departed Erie on Friday with icebreaking assistance from NEAH BAY. SAMUEL RISLEY stood by outside of the harbor with intention of escorting the ship up the lake, but was called away. BLOUGH spent two days off of Erie in the ice before getting underway Sunday for Two Harbors, MN, with assistance from SAMUEL RISLEY. The ship followed fleetmate EDWIN H. GOTT up the St. Mary's River and yesterday and was the second vessel to transit the Soo Locks.

Among work performed on the BLOUGH this winter was the rebuilding of the ship's starboard engine.

PRESQUE ISLE and THUNDER BAY should be leaving within the next week or so.

The Erie Western Pennsylvania Port Authority was recently awarded a Pacesetter award by the St. Lawrence Seaway for it's cargo movement in 2014, including the movement of locomotives and transformers through the port.

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NEAH BAY turns for the channel while an ice fisherman scrambles to get out of the way. The fisherman was fishing right in the middle of the channel until the time this photograph was taken.


NEAH BAY inbound.


Passing the lighthouse.


Stern view.


A short time later, after breaking ice in the harbor, NEAH BAY heads out.


Side view.


Stern view.


RISLEY heads in toward the channel. The big Canadian breaker only came as far as the lighthouse.


Turning to port.


Turning to starboard.


Port-side view.


Meanwhile, the lone ice fisherman is still out in the harbor.


RISLEY turns around.


Stopped in the channel.


RISLEY waits patiently for ROGER BLOUGH.


Tug PRESQUE ISLE has been reconnected to the barge.


ROGER BLOUGH comes around.


Turning for the channel.


BLOUGH lines up for the channel.


Another view of the big laker.


BLOUGH passes the PRESQUE ISLE. The last time BLOUGH spent the winter in Erie, she departed under tow for Conneaut to spend most of the 2009 season in layup.


Close up.


A wave from on deck.


Stern view.


Outbound.


Next stop: Two Harbors, Minnesota to load iron ore. BLOUGH is to be the second ship upbound through the Soo Locks, following fleetmate EDWIN H. GOTT.