Ice Update

CSL LAURENTIEN, with escort from NEAH BAY, arrived in Conneaut last Friday to load taconite pellets for U.S. Steel in Nanticoke. The vessel departed today, and with escort from Canadian medium icebreaker DES GROSSEILLIERS, brought onto the lakes from the St. Lawrence River to assist with Icebreaking, is currently arriving in Nanticoke. DES GROSSEILLIERS will then assist ALGOEAST westbound out of Nanticoke.

Yesterday morning a convoy of four vessels, three of them icebound in the Welland Canal since last Friday awaiting a slight thaw before proceeding, got underway with assistance from DES GROSSEILLIERS. ALGOMA ENTERPRISE, ALGOMA EQUINOX, SEA EAGLE II/ST. MARYS CEMENT II, and BAIE COMEAU were westbound off of Erie at 1800 and arrived in the Detroit River around midday today.

Ice continues to be a problem in Lake Superior, where, a week after the opening of the Soo Locks, the only vessel to lock through thus far has been the PIERRE RADISSON, a Canadian icebreaker also brought in from the St. Lawrence River to assist. Several vessels, including EDWIN H. GOTT, which left Erie March 23, remain below Detour awaiting assistance to head upbound. USCGC MACKINAW, assisting CASON J. CALLAWAY and JOHN G. MUNSON, which left Two Harbors, Minnesota on March 26, will probably reach the Soo within the next couple of days and be the first commercial passages when they lock downbound.

It has been many years since ice this bad has been seen on the Great Lakes.

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CSL LAURENTIEN beset outside of Conneaut harbor on Friday.


Entering the piers.


NEAH BAY heads up the lake. She was tasked with flood relief in Ashtabula and Fairport Harbor that day.


LAURENTIEN approaches the P&C Slip.


Alongside.


DES GROSEILLIERS leading ALGOMA ENTERPRISE westbound off of Erie late this afternoon.


ALGOMA EQUINOX follows behind ENTERPRISE.


Left to right: ALGOMA EQUINOX, SEA EAGLE II/ST. MARYS CEMENT II, and BAIE COMEAU.


The sun sets over the convoy.

Icebreaking Operations Resume

Icebreaking operations resumed at 0730 this morning. At this time NEAH BAY and CSL LAURENTIEN are about six miles northwest of Presque Isle at this time. The duo has requested CCGS GRIFFON, eastbound off of Ashtabula for Port Colborne, pass within a few miles of them and break open a track that the duo can follow to Conneaut.

CSL LAURENTIEN DEPARTS

After spending the night in Erie at Dobbin's Landing, USCGC NEAH BAY departed Erie this morning at 0900 to prepare a track for CSL LAURENTIEN.

CSL LAURENTIEN's crew spent the morning going through safety meetings and a fire and boat drill. The vessel finally backed away from the West Slip at Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair at 1300 and departed for Conneaut, Ohio, where the ship will load taconite pellets for Quebec City, where they will be shipped overseas. It is entirely possible that LAURENTIEN will be the first downbound transit of the Welland Canal, which opens March 28.

Ice conditions were reported by NEAH BAY to be a "smorgasbord" with open water giving way to high windrows within mere feet. LAURENTIEN got as far as Beach 9 before getting stuck in the ice this afternoon around 1400. After several hours of breaking work by the NEAH BAY, the vessel has pushed a few miles further; the crew spent some time searching for the track made by EDWIN H. GOTT's departure on Sunday but winds over the past few days have filled the track with windrowed ice.

To maintain proper crew rest, NEAH BAY's crew only operates in ice for twelve hours per day and will be stopping for the night at 1930 hours; icebreaking operations will resume after daylight on Thursday.

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NEAH BAY outbound Erie at 0900.


Another view.


Stern view of NEAH BAY.


Into the ice.


Work being done by Chivers Construction on the west wall of the West Slip.


LAURENTIEN ballasted to 13' forward and 23' aft.


Backing away from the dock shortly after 1300.


Turning to head outbound.


Coming around the Mountfort Terminal.


LAURENTIEN in line for the channel.


Close up.


Stern view.


Passing the lighthouse.


Outbound.


LAURENTIEN heads into the ice field.


CSL LAURENTIEN beset in the ice as NEAH BAY makes a pass.


Another view of the beset LAURENTIEN.

LAURENTIEN TO DEPART

CSL LAURENTIEN is presently scheduled to depart Erie at 1000 Wednesday.

LAURENTIEN, GOTT TO DEPART SATURDAY

In a sure sign of spring, CSL LAURENTIEN and EDWIN H. GOTT are both expected to depart Erie sometime on Saturday.

Watch Erie Shipping News for updates.

CSL LAURENTIEN Arrives

CSL LAURENTIEN became the final member of Erie's winter layup fleet this morning upon arrival in port at 0900. LAURENTIEN, which last night had tug NEW YORK out to assist, anchored outside of the harbor for the night before proceeding inbound this morning. LAURENTIEN pushed easily through ice in the West Slip and docked at Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair next to McKEE SONS.

CSL LAURENTIEN is no stranger to spending winters in Erie; as LOUIS R. DESMARAIS, the ship spent the winter of 1996-97 and also 1997-98 in Erie at the then-Metro Machine facility.

Tug NEW YORK departed at around 1230 today on her return trip to Ashtabula.

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CSL LAURENTIEN proceeding inbound this morning. Note the vessel's port anchor lowered to the waterline.


Another view.


CSL LAURENTIEN was rebuilt over the winter of 2000-01 and given a new, Seawaymax forebody that gives the vessel a length overall of 740'.


Stern view.


Turning into Erie harbor.


CSL LAURENTIEN approaches the West Slip.


LAURENTIEN lines up for the slip.


Close up.


Mooring across from McKEE SONS.


Alongside the dock at around 1300 today with the unloading boom raised over the deck.

LAURENTIEN DUE

CSL LAURENTIEN is due tonight. At her current speed the vessel should arrive in Erie at around 2200 for winter layup.

KAMINISTIQUA ARRIVES, DRYDOCKED WITH YANKEE; WITTE 2302 EMERGES; CSLLAURENTIEN DUE

At around 0730 this morning, tugs RHODE ISLAND and NEW YORK arrived in Erie harbor and began breaking ice around Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair. The tugs arrived from Ashtabula to prepare the graving dock for the arrival of KAMINISTIQUA. In order to drydock the vessel, the Great Lakes Towing tugs were required to move a newly built hopper barge, WITTE 2302, from the graving dock, as well as dock the tug YANKEE inside.

KAMINISTIQUA arrived from Windsor at 0930 for winter layup and proceeded into the harbor, where the vessel anchored to await preparation of the drydock.

At around 1100 RHODE ISLAND and NEW YORK entered the graving dock. RHODE ISLAND took WITTE 2302 on the hip and, with assistance from NEW YORK, slowly backed the barge out of the graving dock. The tugs turned the barge and proceeded west to the east side of Dobbins Landing, where the barge was moored alongside WITTE 2301 at noon.

In the meantime, steadily increasing winds were beginning to blow at 30 knots from the west, causing some concern for the captain of KAMINISTIQUA. Tug crews and shipyard crews stopped and conferred before the decision to move the YANKEE was made.

In a skillful, impressive display of ship handling on the part of the tug crews, RHODE ISLAND and NEW YORK took YANKEE in tow at 1330 today, turned the tug in the harbor and moved it into the building at the south end of the graving dock. YANKEE will undergo conversion to an articulated tug this winter.

KAMINISTIQUA was moved despite the high winds at around 1600 today and is now in the graving dock. The tugs, however, did not depart for Ashtabula due to weather and will probably depart on Thursday.

CSL LAURENTIEN is loaded with iron ore for Nanticoke and due there tomorrow. Reportedly the vessel is then bound for Donjon for layup; LAURENTIEN will be the second CSL ship to undergo work in the yard, following FRONTENAC last year.

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EDWIN H. GOTT inbound on Tuesday morning.


Passing the pierhead lighthouse.


Close up.


Stern view.


In the bay ice.


Headed into Presque Isle Bay.


Turning.


Continuing the turn.


About three hours later, GOTT lines up for the dock.


Backing into the dock.


Alongside.


Lifting steel off of YANKEE.


Stern view.


Another view on Tuesday afternoon.


Shortly before 0800 this morning RHODE ISLAND and NEW YORK break ice in the harbor.


RHODE ISLAND breaks a path toward Dobbins Landing.


Alongside the WITTE 2301.


RHODE ISLAND makes another pass through the harbor.


KAMINISTIQUA approaching the piers.


Inbound.


Close up.


Stern view.


Passing the Mountfort Terminal.


Turning to approach the anchorage.


At anchor.


RHODE ISLAND and NEW YORK work the unpainted WITTE 2302 out of drydock.


NEW YORK races around the tow in Presque Isle Bay.


Both tugs along the port side.


Turning the barge.


Approaching WITTE 2301.


NEW YORK pushes the tug RHODE ISLAND and barge up against the WITTE 2301.


Alongside.


NEW YORK approaching YANKEE.


Making up to move the stern of the tug off the dock. This allowed RHODE ISLAND to slide alongside the port side.


Pulling the tug away in 30 knot winds.


NEW YORK makes up to the bow of the tug.


Starting the tow.


In Erie harbor.


Close up of the YANKEE.


In the graving dock.


NEW YORK comes ahead of the tow to spot the tug RHODE ISLAND.


Photo caption.