SPEER, PRESQUE ISLE Depart

After just over two months of work in port, both EDGAR B. SPEER and PRESQUE ISLE departed Erie today. After several delays, SPEER ended up departing before the PRESQUE ISLE at around 1300, bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota to load iron ore.

SPEER saluted the crowd of about 100 people, including representatives of WICU-TV, WJET-TV, and the Erie Times News, gathered on hand to watch the departure.

Around 1345 PRESQUE ISLE departed the Mountfort Terminal, and exchanged salutes with a number of motor vehicles on the dock. The PRESQUE ISLE turned in Presque Isle Bay and departed outbound, also saluting the dwindling number of onlookers as it departed the port to begin another season. The PRESQUE ISLE is bound for Duluth to load iron ore.

I will post video of these departures tomorrow or Sunday.

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EDGAR B. SPEER testing its unloading boom prior to departure.


PRESQUE ISLE at the Mountfort Terminal this morning.


EDGAR B. SPEER in Presque Isle Bay.


Turning for the channel.


Passing its fleetmate PRESQUE ISLE, which is about 30 minutes from leaving the Mountfort Terminal at this point.


Outbound.


Closeup.


Stern view.


At the end of the channel.


Another view.


Passing the lighthouse.


Next destination: Two Harbors, Minnesota.


Local motor yacht ENDLESS ENDEAVOUR inbound from the lake. The yacht's owner reports windrows of five to six feet of ice in the lake.


PRESQUE ISLE departing the Mountfort Terminal.


Turning into the bay.


Turn almost complete.


Lining up for the channel.


Approaching the piers.


In the channel.


Stern view.


Next destination: Duluth.


See you next winter, if not sooner.

SPEER, PRESQUE ISLE Set to Depart

NEAH BAY remained in port today and will likely depart tomorrow with the PRESQUE ISLE, currently scheduled to leave, bound for Duluth to load iron ore, around 0800. EDGAR B. SPEER, bound for Two Harbors to load iron ore, is scheduled to leave between 1100 and 1200.

PRESQUE ISLE Departs

After more than two days in port, PRESQUE ISLE departed Erie at around 1845 today, backing away from the Mountfort Terminal, through the channel and departing upbound for Duluth, Minnesota.

At around 1900 today Lakeshore Towing finished pumping the cofferdam dry and in the rain tug FLATTOP and towboat DON HENRY moved it to Erie Shipbuilding, where it will be lifted from the water on Monday morning.


At dock at 1450 this afternoon.


Cofferdam being lowered to the bottom of the bay.


On the bottom.


Floating free of the PRESQUE ISLE.


PRESQUE ISLE prepares to depart.


Starting to move from the dock.


Stern on


Cofferdam being pumped out.


Backing.


Another view.


Close up of the tug.


Bow view.


Backing through the channel.


Passing the lighthouse.


In the channel.

BOLAND, BUSCH Photos

The JOHN J. BOLAND docked at the Mounfort Terminal at 1800 this afternoon to unload a cargo of type 2A and type 57 limestone from Cedarville, docking just ahead of the J. S. St. JOHN. About three hours earlier the GREGORY J. BUSCH and barge STC 2004 silently worked in to the Mounfort Terminal to wait weather. The BUSCH and her barge were bound from Buffalo, where they had unloaded a cargo of windmill components from Duluth, to Saginaw and were delayed by high winds on Lake Erie. Judging by the forecast they may be here a day or more. The BOLAND unloaded at the Mounfort Terminal until 2300 before shifting to the Old Ore Dock to finish unloading.


















15 second time exposure shows the Boland unloading at 2201 this evening. The J. S. St. JOHN can be seen behind her and the starboard side of the BUSCH just off the starboard bow.