CALLAWAY Departs, Doesn't Get Far; PRESQUE ISLE to Depart Saturday

CASON J. CALLAWAY, after a three-hour delay from her original planned departure time, departed Erie at 1830 this afternoon bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota to load taconite. The crew of the CALLAWAY had spent most of Friday completing last minute fit-out tasks before departing the Old Ore Dock and proceeding slowly past fleetmate PRESQUE ISLE. The vessels exchanged three long and two short whistle blasts - a master's salute - as CALLAWAY picked up speed to get a run for the ice outside Erie harbor.

The CALLAWAY's captain, having been in contact throughout the day with the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker GRIFFON, intended on heading east to Long Point to find a track of open water before turning west for Southeast Shoal and the Detroit River. As of 1845, ice permitting the crew hoped to reach Long Point in 2.5 hours, Southeast Shoal at 0700 Saturday, and run up through the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers during daylight Saturday.

At around 1850, the CALLAWAY told the PRESQUE ISLE that they were making good time and encountering no problems with the ice as they reached a speed of 9 miles per hour. This changed quickly when the vessel hit a windrow of ice, and the vessel came to a halt by 1930 hours in a position of 42' 11.6 N, 80' 02.1 W, about two miles east of the Erie harbor entrance. The vessel has called the GRIFFON for help. The GRIFFON is currently en route to try and break the CALLAWAY free.

CALLAWAY'S departure drew a large crowd to the South Pier this afternoon, including a photographer from the Erie Times-News.

Meanwhile, PRESQUE ISLE is planning to depart tomorrow at noon for Two Harbors.

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CALLAWAY at dock at 1645 hours. The vessel did not have to shift forward to take on ballast, as the PHILIP R. CLARKE did last March, thanks to dredging performed in December by Lakeshore Towing.


Coming around the PRESQUE ISLE.


Turning into the channel.


Passing her fleetmate PRESQUE ISLE.


Outbound.


Another view.


CALLAWAY picks up speed on its way out.


Churning water as the 1953-built steamer picks up speed.


Heading for the lake.


Into open water as ice looms ahead, underway for the new season.


Janet Campbell of the Erie Times-News photographs the outbound CALLAWAY.

Layup Update

Work continues on the MICHIPICOTEN, KAREN ANDRIE/A-397, PRESQUE ISLE and CASON J. CALLAWAY. Today's Erie Times News reports that the MICHIPICOTEN will be going into drydock later this winter. I'm not sure at this time what she'll be going in for; I will try and find out. The vessel reportedly had its five-year survey in December at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

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CALLAWAY in layup Saturday afternoon.


MICHIPICOTEN.

KAREN ANDRIE Due; Dredging Work Continues; Letter to Editor of Erie Times-News Critical of Biofuel Shipment

KAREN ANDRIE and barge A-397 are due in Erie tomorrow at 0800.

Phase II of the dredging of the Old Ore Dock continued on Sunday; however, today's work was made easier by temperatures reaching above 50 degrees that melted much of the ice that Lakeshore Towing's crews battled on Saturday. Crews will continue working seven days per week until finished with the dredging work.

A letter to the editor of the Erie Times News in today's newspaper is critical of the fact that there were no environmental studies done on the impact of a potential spill before the shipment of biofuel through the port last month. This is the response I wrote to the paper today:

I’m writing in response to Tom Hintenberger’s letter questioning the shipment of biofuel through the port of Erie. I watched the loading process daily as it occurred, and can say with certainty that every precaution possible was taken to guard against a spill. Local marine contractor Lakeshore Towing was hired to deploy an oil boom around the tanker Clipper Tobago and provide pollution control in the event of a spill.

The Erie Times-News reported on preliminary discussions regarding the shipment of biofuel through the port of Erie on September 4, 2007. More than three months passed before this shipment was loaded, which would have been ample time for anyone who had a problem with the plans to protest. No one did.

Shipping by rail would have been more dangerous for the environment than shipment via water, as railroad derailments resulting in spills are far more common than waterborne oil spills. And as the biofuel was headed for Europe, it would have been necessary to load the cargo aboard a ship eventually. Lake Erie Biofuels should be applauded for choosing to provide the work to the local port, rather than ship the product via rail to a port on the Eastern Seaboard.

Lake Erie Biofuels and similar companies are the future of well-paying industrial jobs in Erie and should be praised, not criticized, for keeping as much work as possible in the hands of local companies.

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DON HENRY stands by as FLATTOP returns barge 401 to the Old Ore Dock on Sunday afternoon.


FLATTOP shifts to the 501.


A few minutes later, FLATTOP and DON HENRY take loaded barge 501 outbound. As there is no visibility over the barge from the pilothouse of FLATTOP, the crew on the tug relies on the lookout on the bow, GPS, and DON HENRY to stay on course..

And below, click to watch a video of today's action. I hope to incorporate video more and more into the Erie Shipping News in the coming year (Right click on it, click "Save Target as" and save to your computer for best viewing):
Large Version (34 MB)
Small Version (16 MB)

Harbor Activity Returns to Normal

The high winds that plagued the area on Sunday and Monday have died down and activity in the harbor has returned to normal. The HOLLYHOCK departed at 0900 this morning for Ashtabula, Ohio. The Erie Times News has an article on Page 1 about the cutter's visit to Erie today.

Lakeshore Towing has resumed dredging at the Old Ore Dock, making four trips today.

Loading continues on the CLIPPER TOBAGO at the Mountfort Terminal.

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CLIPPER TOBAGO loading this morning.


Another view of the TOBAGO.

Sand load expected Tuesday

Today's Erie Times News reports that the Lower Lakes Towing vessel carrying 16,000 tons of sand will be arriving on Tuesday.

This is a month later than the original estimate which had the first load arriving in mid-August. I will update when I learn a better ETA for the vessel.

Erie Shipbuilding Job Opening; Historical Arrivals

Erie Shipbuilding has an ad in today's Erie Times-News seeking a Project Planner/Scheduler. According to the ad the position's duties will include the complete scheduling of labor and materials for all ongoing projects and proposals. The candidate needs to be proficient in Microsoft Project software and have a knowledge of Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel, along with having excellent written and oral communication skills. The ad states that salary will commensurate with skill and experience level, and that shipyard experience is a plus, although not required. Interested candidates should send resumes to:

Erie Shipbuilding LLC
Attn: Ken Boothe Jr.
220 East Bayfront Parkway
Erie, Pa 16507

Historical arrivals in the port on this date:

2006: WOLVERINE arrives with stone from Cedarville for the Mounfort Terminal and Old Ore Dock.

2003: AMERICAN REPUBLIC unloads stone from Calcite at the Mounfort Terminal.

1959: BEN E. TATE arrives with stone from Calcite.

NINA Article in today's Times-News

A front page article in today's Erie Times-News features the NINA. Also, a mention in the entertainment section notes that the starring ship of CBS's new reality series is PICTON CASTLE, which stopped in Erie last August, not July as the article says.

Erie Shipbuilding Prospects Looking Up

Things are looking up for Erie Shipbuilding. Construction for the new dumpscow continues and is due to wrap up in late June or early July, pending American Bureau of Shipping approval. At the same time, six 165 foot deck barges for the same operator are due to be delivered in June, July, August, and possibly September, depending on how well construction progresses.

The company is preparing to begin construction on the new 840-foot tug/barge unit that will be a sister to the JOYCE L. VANENKEVORT/GREAT LAKES TRADER, according to Saturday's Erie Times-News.

Meanwhile, at Friday's Port Authority meeting, the Authority board approved construction of a new $300,000 to $400,000 building at the north end of the yard's fabrication shop. The building will house part of an assembly line process. The building should be completed within 3 to 4 months.

Things are truly looking up for a yard that just two short years ago had absolutely no prospects for ever doing anything again, as Metro Machine had abandoned the yard.

Ferry News

The double-ended ferry NINDAWAYMA, laid up and rotting in Montreal, was recently sold to Upper Lakes Group. The former ONTARIO No. 1 was used in Georgian Bay between the ports of Tobermory and South Baymouth, Ontario. She assisted the ferry CHI-CHEEMAUN on this route, until it was proved that there was no need for two of them. Since then she's been rotting in layup in various Canadian ports.

All the information I'm getting indicates that she will be refitted and returned to service on the proposed truck-ferry route between Erie and Nanticoke. The Port Authority is working in conjunction with Upper Lakes to get this off the ground, and all proposals had called for this service to start in 2008. Now it actually looks like this might happen. In the past it had all seemed to be a pie-in-the-sky dream.

In other news, officials of Norfolk County, Ontario, report in today's Erie Times-News that the proposed Erie to Port Dover fast-ferry is almost completely up to the Erie Port Authority. Although a 49-passenger ferry will start running between the two ports either this year or in 2008, the 46-car, 200 passenger ferry that the Erie Port Authority wants would cost $20 million and is still years away, according to the article.

Erie Shipbuilding Media Mention

Erie Shipbuilding LLC is mentioned in the Ed Mathews column in today's Erie Times-News. The mention is about the 245-foot scow, Hull 101, that the yard is building. It also mentions that the company has contracts for six more barges. I'm guessing these are the $1,000,000 deck barges for the same firm as the scow, but I'm not sure. I'll have to find out.


Hull 101 under construction at Erie Shipbuilding.

Emmett J. Carey

I almost forgot to mention this obituary from last Sunday's paper:

Emmett J. Carey, age 82, a resident of Erie died peacefully Saturday, March 3, 2007 following a brief illness. He was born in Erie on July 24, 1924, the son of the late John and Marion Bard Carey. Emmett was a 1942 graduate of Academy High School and served with the U.S. Army during WW II. He was President of Erie Builders Concrete Co. until retiring to Port St. Lucie, Fla. where he enjoyed working part-time at the Martin County Golf Course. He was a board member of Mutual Savings & Loan and a past member of the Kahkwa Club, Aviation Club, Erie Maennerchoir Club, and the East Erie Turners. Besides his parents, Emmett was preceded in death by a daughter, Marla J. Carey and a brother James Carey. Emmett is survived by his wife Mary McEnery Carey; a son, Richard J. Carey and his wife Maureen Barber-Carey and a daughter, Sheila A. Layden and her husband Rich, all of Erie. He is the brother of Richard C. Carey and his wife Elaine of Erie and the grandfather of Shelby Scott, Ryan Carey, and Andrea Layden. Friends are invited to call at the John J. Quinn Funeral Home, West 9th & Liberty St. Monday afternoon from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. and are invited to attend Funeral Services there Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. Private burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Dr. Gertrude A. Barber National Institute, 100 barber Pl., Erie, PA 16507 or to a charity of one’s choice. Sign the guestbook at www.GoErie.com/obits.

Mr. Carey is mentioned here because he is the namesake of a sand dredge formerly based out of Erie. The 1948-built, 112 foot long sand dredge was built in Saginaw, Michigan, in 1948, as BEATRICE OTTINGER. It was converted to a sand dredge and lengthened to 112 feet, from its original length of 68 feet, in the winter of 1952-53. After being purchased by National Sand and Gravel of Lorain, Ohio in 1963, the dredge was given the name JAMES B. LYONS. Reportedly under this name she capsided 8 miles northwest of Lorain on May 2, 1965. No lives were lost and the LYONS was towed to Lorain for repairs. In 1988, Presque Isle Sand & Gravel of Erie purchased the vessel and renamed it EMMETT J. CAREY, and ownership of the vessel changed hands to Osborne Materials of Fairport Harbor, Ohio, in 1990. The CAREY still retains this name, and also Erie as its hailing port, and has not run in several years.

EMMETT J. CAREY at Fairport Harbor, October 7, 2006.

PILGRIM

Page 4A of today's Erie Times-News features a photo of the PILGRIM as she rests now. The tug is still in this position and likely will remain underwater until the bay thaws, so she may be there a while.

Times-News article about Erie Shipbuilding

The Erie Times-News contains an article on Erie Shipbuilding today and breaks the story I had reported on January 8 about the new scow the company is building. The article states that the same company is interested in building six $1 million deck barges, and is working on getting the financing to begin construction on an 840 foot sister tug/barge to the JOYCE L. VANENKEVORT/GREAT LAKES TRADER.

Sand money could mean good news for port of Erie; Miscellaneous News

An article in today's Erie Times-News reports that Phil English's office is working to ensure that federal money will be available to ensure that Presque Isle State Park receives its full federal funding of about $620,000 for sand replenishment from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The park has about 16,000 tons of sand stockpiled at the North Pier that was delivered on October 22 by Lower Lakes Towing's CUYAHOGA. Lower Lakes Towing uses their fleet of self unloaders to deliver the sand from Thessalon, Ontario, so the availability of federal funding should ensure that more of their ships visit Erie in 2007.

This blog is also featured in the Erie Times-News today. Thanks Kara for the article.

And thanks to Dennis at Erie Blogs for the mention of the article as well.

I suppose this is a good time to again mention that I'm interested in hearing from anyone who may have photos of vessels in Erie, anyone from Erie who may have sailed on the Great Lakes, or anyone who may have worked at any of the docks along Erie's waterfront or has relatives that may have done so. I'm interested in any historical information they can provide about Erie's commercial shipping history.