mccollochd wrote:Photo #108 from July 11 of the AmShip Yard in Lorain. The 1,000 footer under construction is the James Barker. In front of the Barker is the Walter Sterling (now Lee Tregurtha). At the time she was in Am Ship for lengthening from 730 to 806 feet.
I agree! The Sterling was at Amship over the 1975-76 winter layup for lengthening and the James R. Barker made its maiden voyage on August 8, 1976. Its interesting how easily the bow of the Sterling could be, at first glance, initially mistaken for that of the Cliffs Victory from this angle.
Photo #108 from July 11 of the AmShip Yard in Lorain. The 1,000 footer under construction is the James Barker. In front of the Barker is the Walter Sterling (now Lee Tregurtha). At the time she was in Am Ship for lengthening from 730 to 806 feet.
I was just looking at Google Earth and it was probably loading where the Great Republic and other self-unloaders discharge their coal for Tondu. I think the spot near there that looks like concrete is where the old Manistee Drop Forge was located.
Also, thank you Mr. Lafferty for the positive comments on my photos. Please post some of your slides from Ludington. Never got down to Ludington much before the mid 70's. My sister was p.r. director at West Shore Community College and she lived in Ludington. Would drive down to Ludington when I was home on vacation.
William Lafferty wrote:These photographs are great, especially the Ludington shots. That self-unloaders were able to get into that tiny bayou and unload at Abrahamson-Neirheim still amazes me. I have hundreds of slides from the 60s. Maybe I should get them out.
The unknown Russian vessel is clearly a "Pioner" class freighter built by Neptun at Vostock. I'm pretty sure it is the Tolya Komar that came into the lakes in 1972. It may still be around as Mareg II, owned by a firm on the Isle of Man and flagged under the Russian Federation, but Lloyds has not tracked it in several years.
Are you certain that is Manistee, though? There was a constant string of Russian vessels in the 1970s and 1980s into Ludington to load magnetite at Harbison-Walker at a dock on Pere Marquette Lake on the west end of the Dow Chemical property. I don't know why a Russian freighter would call at Manistee.
It was Manistee. I took the photo on the hill in Filer City. Think just above the old Drop Forge. I think they were loading some bulk product from Martin Marietta. They were using a crane with a clamshell bucket to load it. I remember it was a very dusty cargo.
Not a great memory anymore, but it was in Manistee.
These photographs are great, especially the Ludington shots. That self-unloaders were able to get into that tiny bayou and unload at Abrahamson-Neirheim still amazes me. I have hundreds of slides from the 60s. Maybe I should get them out.
The unknown Russian vessel is clearly a "Pioner" class freighter built by Neptun at Vostock. I'm pretty sure it is the Tolya Komar that came into the lakes in 1972. It may still be around as Mareg II, owned by a firm on the Isle of Man and flagged under the Russian Federation, but Lloyds has not tracked it in several years.
Are you certain that is Manistee, though? There was a constant string of Russian vessels in the 1970s and 1980s into Ludington to load magnetite at Harbison-Walker at a dock on Pere Marquette Lake on the west end of the Dow Chemical property. I don't know why a Russian freighter would call at Manistee.
Bookworm wrote:Wow! Most of the photos you've posted are of vessels I've only read about. Of course, my following the boats started in 2003, so there's a lot of catching-up to do! You sure have a treasure trove of Great Lakes maritime history, Garbear. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks,Dawn, I appreciate your post. I also want to thank you again for the the photos you post. I look forward to seeing all your photos. Thanks again from the guy who could be George Clooney's twin.
Wow! Most of the photos you've posted are of vessels I've only read about. Of course, my following the boats started in 2003, so there's a lot of catching-up to do! You sure have a treasure trove of Great Lakes maritime history, Garbear. Thanks for sharing.
Guest wrote:In regards to November 10/11, 1975, storm warnings were issued for all of Lake Superior, the north-half of Lakes Michigan and Huron during November 10, 1975, until downgraded for Lake Superior west in the early of November 10.
The Soo Locks were closed around 3:00 pm due to the water levels rising in the St. Marys river, waves sweeping over the lock gates at the Soo, and Portage Avenue being flooded.
The strongest winds were recorded below the locks. in the lower St. Marys river and Straits of Mackinaw.
The locks were open on the evening of the 10th. I had water up to my ankles walking along the Poe lock wall as we were getting ready to lock thru.
In regards to November 10/11, 1975, storm warnings were issued for all of Lake Superior, the north-half of Lakes Michigan and Huron during November 10, 1975, until downgraded for Lake Superior west in the early of November 10.
The Soo Locks were closed around 3:00 pm due to the water levels rising in the St. Marys river, waves sweeping over the lock gates at the Soo, and Portage Avenue being flooded.
The strongest winds were recorded below the locks. in the lower St. Marys river and Straits of Mackinaw.
I really like your photos of the Canadian Century at Lambton Generating. I remember it unloading there on several occasions, in addition to the several other callers to the dock over the years.
[quote="Guest"]What's the story behind that continuous bucket unloader?
Loving the photos from what is now a golden age of shipping, garbear. Amazing how many of those boats that were new then are gone now.[/quote
I wish I could remember the details on the unloader. It seems like the name of the company that manufactured it was Paesco or something along those lines. I watched for quite awhile and it never really did much. I think we had a load of "red ore" and it was too dense for the buckets to dig into it. I don't know if the eventual plan was to build them on a larger scale to replace the hullets, but we know the self-unloader replaced them.
Guest wrote:What's the story behind that continuous bucket unloader?
Loving the photos from what is now a golden age of shipping, garbear. Amazing how many of those boats that were new then are gone now.
Although I was quite young during the 1970s and only visited the Port Huron area sporadically until my family moved there in 1979 I have fond memories of Great Lakes shipping during this era. Reaching my teenage years in the early 1980s I always felt cheated somehow by the rapid changes to the shipping industry during that decade that decimated the number of ships on the lakes. Looking back upon my youth now some 40 years later, however, I feel very fortunate to have lived during those decades. Thank you Garbear for helping keep those memories alive.