Friday, May 28, 2010

CUYAHOGA Arrives and Departs

CUYAHOGA arrived in Erie this morning at 0130 and docked at the North Pier to unload sand from Thessalon, Ontario. This is the third load of sand for beach replenishment. The vessel spent the night unloading, and after clearance from U.S. Customs, departed at 0730 bound for Cleveland to load salt.




CUYAHOGA unloads as the first rays of light cross the sky at 0545.


Stern view.


An hour later and the unload is almost complete.


Close up of the unloading boom.


J.S. ST. JOHN outbound, passing the CUYAHOGA at 0700.


Outbound.


Passing the lighthouse.


CUYAHOGA departing at 0730.


CUYAHOGA departing at 0730.


At 0742 the CUYAHOGA picks up speed at Buoys 3 and 4.


Turning at Buoys 1 and 2.


Picking up speed, powering through the turn.


Turning to head westbound.


CUYAHOGA's bow cuts through the unusually-calm Lake Erie waters.


Outbound.


CUYAHOGA pours on the power and heads for its next cargo in Cleveland.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Donjon Shipbuilding Update

Donjon Shipbuilding today placed the crew's cabins on the new tug under construction. The engines are in and rudders remain to be fitted, but in the near future the tug, tentatively named CLYDE VANENKEVORT will be floated out of drydock and completed alongside the pier at the yard, according to sources within the yard.

CUYAHOGA is due at 0130 Friday morning.

CUYAHOGA DUE

CUYAHOGA, with sand from Thessalon, is due in Erie at 0030 on Friday. This is the third sand load of the season and the first one not delivered aboard MISSISSAGI.

Monday, May 24, 2010

FEDERAL POWER Due

Erie will see its first foreign-flagged visitor of the 2010 season on June 17, when FEDERAL POWER arrives with project cargo from Antwerp, Belgium. This visit is part of Fednav's FALLine (Federal Atlantic Lakes Line) service, which will see the vessel also visit the ports of Sorel, PQ, Hamilton, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan.

The 145-meter (475.7 foot) long vessel is registered in Limassol, Cyprus, and was built in 2000. More information on the FEDERAL POWER can be found at Fednav's website.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Videos: RONALD J. DAHLKE, JOSEPH H. THOMPSON

Below are videos of the RONALD J. DAHLKE's arrival at 1045 hours yesterday, and the JOSEPH H. THOMPSON's arrival at 1700.





Thursday, May 20, 2010

RONALD J. DAHLKE Arrives, Departs; THOMPSON in Port

Andrie's 65-foot long, 1903-built tug RONALD J. DAHLKE, pushing a jack-up barge, arrived in Erie at 1045 this morning and docked on the west side of Dobbin's Landing. The duo on a voyage from Muskegon, Michigan to Rochester, New York and stopped in Erie for fuel.

DAHLKE completed fueling at around 1530 this afternoon and departed for Rochester. The tow is making about seven knots, which will put the ship at the Welland Canal at about 0100 in the morning.

Shortly after the RONALD J. DAHLKE departed, JOSEPH H. THOMPSON arrived in Erie with stone from Calcite and docked at the Old Ore Dock. THOMPSON should depart sometime tonight.

I will post video of both arrivals sometime tomorrow.




RONALD J. DAHLKE pushes the barge inbound.


Another view.


Close up of the barge.


Close up of the RONALD J. DAHLKE, with its pilothouse raised. This allows the captain and crew to see over the barge.


Stern view.


Stern view.


Into Presque Isle Bay.


In Presque Isle Bay approaching West Dobbin's Landing.


Docking. When the tug docked it put down the two spuds (the poles on the sides of the barge) to secure it to the bottom of the bay, along with putting one line out.


At dock with the pilothouse up.


A moment later the pilothouse is down.


The first thing done when the barge docked was the pumping out of the barge's portable toilet. The entire process took less than five minutes.


A fisherman on the North Pier watches the THOMPSON this afternoon.


THOMPSON inbound.


Another view.


In the channel.


Stern view into the channel.


Another view as the THOMPSON enters Presque Isle Bay.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

THOMPSON Due

JOSEPH H. THOMPSON and tug JOSEPH H. THOMPSON JR, with stone from Calcite, are due in Erie at 1630 on Thursday. This is the duo's second visit of the season.

NIAGARA Departs; Tug RONALD J. DAHLKE and Barge Due

U.S. BRIG NIAGARA just departed Erie bound for Port Colborne. Their ETA for Long Point is 1800 and Port Colborne, Ontario is 0900 on Thursday.

Tug RONALD J. DAHLKE and barge A-410 are tentatively expected in Erie tomorrow at noon. I'm not sure yet about the nature of their visit.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

MISSISSAGI Departing

The following images of the MISSISSAGI's departure are taken from the SONS of Lake Erie web camera from the links portion of this blog.




At 1639.


At 1640.


At 1642.


At 1643.

MISSISSAGI Arrives

MISSISSAGI arrived off of Erie's Buoys 1 and 2 today at around 1030 and turned to back into the North Pier with sand from Thessalon, Ontario. The vessel backed all the way through the channel and the crew reported that the ship was close to scraping bottom in several places. MISSISSAGI docked and began unloading at about noon today. The vessel is, as I write this, preparing to depart upbound for Cleveland to load salt.




MISSISSAGI at Buoys 1 and 2.


Bow view.


Backing into the channel.


Another view.


Between the piers.


MISSISSAGI whiile docking at the North Pier.


Lifting the unloading boom.


Swinging the boom out.


Stern view.

Monday, May 17, 2010

MISSISSAGI Due

MISSISSAGI, with sand from Thessalon, Ontario, is expected in Erie at 0830 on Tuesday morning to unload. This is the second sand load of the season and MISSISSAGI's second visit of the year.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Video: JOHN SPENCE and NIAGARA SPIRIT

In this video the tug JOHN SPENCE and barge NIAGARA SPIRIT are shown while upbound in Canada's Welland Canal on April 30, 2010.



Friday, May 14, 2010

Video: SALARIUM in the Welland Canal

In this video Canada Steamship Lines' SALARIUM is shown while downbound in the Welland Canal with a cargo of coal for Sydney, Nova Scotia on April 30, 2010.

The vessel's name, SALARIUM, is Latin for "payment in salt" and honors a salt contract, the fulfillment of which SALARIUM is generally dedicated.



Thursday, May 13, 2010

Videos from the Great Lakes: ALGOSEA

In this video taken April 30, 2010 the ALGOSEA is shown while departing Lock 1 of the Welland Canal downbound. Watch as the Port Weller, Ontario pilot boat MRS. C makes a pilot change to the vessel.




Sunday, May 9, 2010

Videos: CALUMET in Cleveland

One of the more popular features of the Erie Shipping News, according to readers, has been the videos. Therefore, I will be posting my videos from around the Great Lakes here when I am not posting any Erie-related content.

The first are two videos of the CALUMET upbound the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland on April 25.



Thursday, May 6, 2010

THOMPSON Arrives, Departs

JOSEPH H. THOMPSON and tug JOSEPH H. THOMPSON JR. arrived in Erie at 0130 today and docked at the Old Ore Dock to unload stone from Calcite. After a longer unload than the port has seen this season, the THOMPSON left the dock at 1115 and spent the next 45 minutes turning to depart before heading outbound. As of this writing at 2000 the THOMPSON is 20 miles east of Southeast Shoal light in western Lake Erie and bound for Stoneport, Michigan to load.




THOMPSON unloading at 0700 today.


Overhead.


Swinging the boom in.


Backing out of the Old Ore Dock.


Lining up for the channel.


Outbound.


Another view.


Stern view.


Outbound.