Thursday, March 29, 2012

BOOTHE/CONTENDER DEPART FOR SEA TRIALS

KEN BOOTHE SR. and barge LAKES CONTENDER departed Erie at 0900 this morning on sea trials, after being delayed a day. The duo was still out on trials at 2100. After returning to port, the duo will undergo final fitting out before christening at Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair on April 10. I will post more photos Saturday.

BOOTHE/LAKES CONTENDER outbound.


Stern view.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

BOOTHE/CONTENDER TO BEGIN SEA TRIALS

KEN BOOTHE SR. and barge LAKES CONTENDER will be getting underway for the first time together sometime on Thursday morning, heading out for sea trials. Trials were supposed to begin today but conditions were deemed too windy for the vessel to back away from the dock and around the MANITOWOC. Watch for updates throughout the day.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

TWO DEPART LAYUP

PRESQUE ISLE departed winter layup last night at 2100, turning in Presque Isle Bay and departing Erie for Two Harbors.

EDGAR B. SPEER departed this morning at 0730, also bound for Two Harbors to load iron ore. SPEER saluted onlookers on the pier while passing through the channel.

Though SPEER and PRESQUE ISLE have departed, work continues at Donjon on the CLEVELAND ROCKS, CALUMET, MANITOWOC and KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER. CALUMET reportedly will be in drydock between three and four weeks.

At some point, Port City Tug's tug BRADSHAW McKEE will arrive in Erie to pick up the barge CLEVELAND ROCKS. The CLEVELAND ROCKS is the second barge to undergo modifications at Erie's shipyard to fit that tug; as SUSAN W. HANNAH the tug was paired with the barge MEDUSA CONQUEST which underwent modifications at Erie Marine Enterprises in 1992. Those modifications were not successful, resulting in a lawsuit against Erie Marine and the barge modifications to the CONQUEST being completed at Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay.

Below are photos of the SPEER's departure, and of the moves at Donjon last Tuesday.




SPEER passing the APALACHEE and MANITOU while departing the Old Ore Dock.


Turning at the Mountfort Terminal.


Outbound.


Close up.


Close up of the cabin. Notice the light underneath the radar is on, activated when saluting.


Stern view.


Outbound. The SPEER has spent the past three winters in Erie.


MANITOU standing by to pick up the stern towline on the CALUMET.


APALACHEE pulls the CALUMET away from the shipyard.


Turning.


Pulling away from the shipyard.


Anchoring the vessel in the harbor.


APALACHEE and MANITOU head back to the shipyard.


Close up.


Another view.


APALACHEE standing by.


Pulling the MANITOWOC, freshly painted, out of drydock. MANITOWOC had hundreds of feet worth of steel plating replaced inside, necessitating a six-week stay in drydock.


Anchored in the bay.


MANITOWOC waiting in the bay.


APALACHEE starts to move the CALUMET.

Friday, March 23, 2012

PI, SPEER DEPARTURES SET

PRESQUE ISLE should depart sometime late tonight, likely after midnight.

EDGAR B. SPEER is due to sail at 0700 Saturday morning.

I will post photos of all of the week's activity sometime tomorrow.

Departure Delayed

PRESQUE ISLE will not be departing until later tonight or tomorrow morning and EDGAR B. SPEER will not depart until Saturday.

I will update as I know more.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Departure Times

PRESQUE ISLE will depart during the morning tomorrow. EDGAR B. SPEER may be delayed until Saturday. I will update as I learn more.

SPEER, PRESQUE ISLE TO DEPART FRIDAY

PRESQUE ISLE and EDGAR B. SPEER are both scheduled for departure Friday.

I will post when I know the vessels' departure times.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

MANITOWOC to Float, CALUMET to be drydocked; SPEER and PRESQUE ISLE Depart Friday

MANITOWOC is scheduled to be floated from drydock at Donjon later this morning and CALUMET will be moved into drydock.

EDGAR B. SPEER and PRESQUE ISLE will depart layup on Friday.

Friday, March 9, 2012

NIAGARA Drydocked at Cleveland

U.S. Brig NIAGARA was drydocked at Great Lakes Shipyard in Cleveland on Monday to repair wood rot in the bow of the Brig. The NIAGARA was placed onto the Shipyard's floating drydock, FAVORITE, on Monday afternoon and is expected to be there through the end of the month.




Standing by in the Old River of the Cuyahoga River awaiting the drydock's preparation on March 5.


Flooding the drydock.


Moving into drydock.


In position and beginning to pump out the drydock.


On the drydock March 6.


Close up of the plywood-covered bow.


Later that day, the plywood has come off.


Close up.


Friday, March 9, 2012 on drydock.


Another view of the NIAGARA on drydock this morning.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Brig NIAGARA Arrives in Cleveland

U.S. Brig NIAGARA arrived at Great Lakes Shipyard in Cleveland at 1630 this afternoon, docking across the river from the facility to await dock space. The NIAGARA will move across the river tomorrow after DOROTHY ANN/PATHFINDER depart the shipyard's facility and will be drydocked Monday morning.





NIAGARA arriving.


Passing McKeil Marine's tug JOHN SPENCE, in layup at Great Lakes Shipyard.


Turning. NIAGARA will moor next to the green barge at Cargill Salt.


Proceeding into dock.