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.

KAMINISTIQUA ETA

KAMINISTIQUA should be in Erie at around 0830 this morning. The vessel is currently eastbound between Conneaut and Ashtabula.

GOTT Arrives; KAMINISTIQUA Due

EDWIN H. GOTT entered the channel this morning at 0800 after waiting for daylight outside of Erie harbor. The GOTT entered the harbor and spent about the next four hours battling through the ice to turn and back into the Old Ore Dock for winter layup. GOTT secured at the Old Ore Dock at 1245 this afternoon.

GOTT is spending it's second consecutive winter in Erie for cargo hold repairs and general steel work.

KAMINISTIQUA is due in Erie shortly after daylight on Wednesday for drydocking at Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair.

I will post photos tomorrow; I am having problems uploading them this evening.

GOTT, KAMINISTIQUA, OJIBWAY Due for Layup

EDWIN H. GOTT will be arriving in Erie in the morning after daylight for layup at the Old Ore Dock.

KAMINISTIQUA, due for drydocking, will be placed into drydock on Wednesday morning with assistance from a tug from Great Lakes Towing.

OJIBWAY is waiting for KAMINISTIQUA to depart Windsor so that the vessel can unload its cargo of canola before proceeding to Erie for layup.

Plans have changed and ROGER BLOUGH, which was supposed to get one more load to Conneaut before layup, will be spending the winter in Milwaukee instead. Ice prevented the ship from getting back to Lake Superior for this load, and after discharging her current cargo in Gary, Indiana the BLOUGH will proceed to Milwaukee for layup.

GOTT DUE

EDWIN H. GOTT is expected to arrive Erie at 0500 on Tuesday for winter layup and will be the first of this season's winter layups to arrive.

KAMINISTIQUA Update

KAMINISTIQUA is currently unloading in Windsor and is next due in Erie early this week for drydocking. I will update when I learn more.

KAMINISTIQUA Update

KAMINISTIQUA is currently anchored above the St. Clair River, loaded with a cargo of canola for Windsor. After unloading the vessel will head to Erie and go into the drydock at Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair. KAMINISTIQUA likely will not arrive until Friday or Saturday at the earliest.

Watch Erie Shipping News for updates.

OJIBWAY, KAMINISTIQUA TO LAYUP AT SHIPYARD

Word from the lakes has Lower Lakes Towing sending two of their vessels to Erie for layup at Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair later this month or early in January.

KAMINISTIQUA will be at Donjon for her five year survey, and OJIBWAY will be here for unspecified repairs. Neither vessel has wintered at Erie before.

These are in addition to EDWIN H. GOTT and ROGER BLOUGH, which will winter in Erie at Erie Sand & Gravel's docks.

MANISTEE Arrives

MANISTEE arrived in Erie at 0500 this morning, turned in the harbor and docked at the Mountfort Terminal at around 0630. The vessel spent the morning unloading salt from Fairport Harbor and departed at 1220 hours this afternoon.

MANISTEE DUE

MANISTEE, loaded with salt from Fairport, is expected in Erie tonight around 2330.

ROGER BLOUGH VISITS

In a preview of winter layup, ROGER BLOUGH arrived in Erie this morning at 0245, in ballast from Conneaut, and docked at the Mountfort Terminal to undergo repairs. BLOUGH had a couple of small leaks that needed repairs. The vessel departed today at 1400 bound for Lake Superior and another ore cargo.

Surprisingly this year, PRESQUE ISLE will not be spending the winter in Erie. BLOUGH and EDWIN H. GOTT are reported to be the two vessels spending the winter here from Great Lakes Fleet.

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BLOUGH at the Mountfort Terminal this morning.

Another view of the 858' long BLOUGH.


J.S. St. JOHN inbound. This is one of the latest trips the vessel has made in recent memory.


Stern view.


St. JOHN approaches the Old Ore Dock.


Mooring.


BLOUGH starts to move away from the Mountfort Terminal around 1345 this afternoon.


Moving away from the dock.


BLOUGH lines up for the channel.


Close up.


Stern view.


Passing the lighthouse.


Outbound.

BLOUGH IN PORT

ROGER BLOUGH arrived at 0245 and went to the Mountfort Terminal.

ROGER BLOUGH DUE

ROGER BLOUGH is expected in Erie tonight or early in the morning for repairs. The repairs are only expected to take a few hours and the ship will be back underway in the afternoon.

Watch Erie Shipping News for updates.

ALGORAIL Visits

ALGORAIL arrived off of Erie this morning around 1030 with her second load of salt from Windsor delivered to the port this season. The ship turned outside of Buoys 1 & 2 and backed into the harbor to dock at the Mountfort Terminal.

After unloading, the 1967-built ALGORAIL departed at 1700 this afternoon bound for Windsor to load another salt cargo.

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ALGORAIL backing into Erie at Buoys 3&4.


Another view.


In the channel.


Bow view.


ALGORAIL turns toward the dock.


Another view.


ALGORAIL moves toward the dock.


Starboard side view.


Backing into position.


Docking at Mountfort Terminal.


Finished unloading and ready to depart.


Moving away from the dock.


Outbound.


Close up.


Stern view.