First Boat at the Soo Contest

[Guest]

Engineers' Day at the Soo Locks is held between 9 am-4pm and this year it's on June 30. Are you asking people to guess what the first arrival will be during that specific time frame, or anytime on June 30?

[Guest]

Great idea Denny ! I'll collect all entries and post the winner the day after the contest is closed. BTW - I usually win all contests which I enter.

[Denny]

Okay Pazzo I got it this time around. I say let's start a contest here and now for all boatnerds. Let's put a deadline to have your picks and entries in by June 1, 2017 and No Later! What is the contest you say and ask folks? What ship will be the first boat at the Soo for Engineer's Day 2017 and try to guess its exact time that it will arrive at the Soo Locks on Engineer's Day. It is similar to what is done for the First Ship Contest held every year in Duluth to where a person picks the first Salty arrival along with the date and time they think it will arrive. So bottom line, let's have a contest to see who can guess what ship will be at the Soo Locks on Engineers Day in 2017 and the exact time of arrival. I say the person with the closest guess maybe can get some sort of a souvenir perhaps a signed copy of the KYS book from Roger or some other souvenir. Again the deadline for entries should be June 1, 2017 and No Later than that. Engineer's Day is on June 30, 2017 this as far as I know.

[Pazzo]

If you sporting fellows would like a really even challenge, why not create a first lay up contest to begin in say, May, when all of the active vessels for the season should be sailing? Talk about a blind guess!

[Denny]

The only sad thing about the Cort being the first ship of 2017 at the Soo Locks is that I will probably never ever make it up to the Soo to see her again! Have not made it to the Soo since 2010 and ironically that was also the last time I saw the Cort at the Soo as well. It's getting harder and more difficult now for me to make it up to the Soo with ongoing health issues and I have never ever driven up to the Soo. Also, it is harder as well for my Mom to make that long drive up north and back as well. At least I will always have photos and memories of the Cort from the times that I did get to see her at the Soo. Now, if only I can find her whisle on one of my tapes from my years of going up there! I know I can find it on the internet somehow and on different sounding websites.

[Guest]

MarineTraffic has the Clarke arriving at the Soo at 11:23 am UTC and the Cort arrived at 11:30 am UTC according to them the Clarke was first to arrive

[MattJ]

I was hoping maybe Roger would jump in and offer a free Know Your Ships. Just kidding anyway yes I am up to your challenge for next year Denny!I was watching boatnerd AIS all day. Let me know when you make it up to Port Huron would like to run into you. I Live in Sarnia!All the best

[Denny]

Well Matt I guess you could say then that you got the win and the award and prize for guessing the first boat at the Soo this year for the start! Your pick of the Cort was right on as it appears likely now that she will indeed be the first one at the Soo. I was going on the assumption from the Door County Maritime website on their list of vessel fit-outs, that the Gott would have left on March 23rd and it never happened! Oh well, you got me this year Matt and I give you kudos and credit but there is always next year so look out as in 2018 I will be more prepared and ready for the first boat then.

[Pat]

Since the Clarke is tied up at the South Pier, the Cort must be the first going through.

[Odysseus]

As of this morning, 9am CST, the Cort is 22 nautical miles out and the Clarke is 33. Cort is moving at 8 Knts. and the Clarke at 13. The Clarke has the Mackinaw and Morro Bay as escorts. Cort has the Mobile Bay.

If you do the math, Clarke beats the Cort by 15 minutes at current rates of travel. It could go either way yet!

When I arrived at my motel, the owner greeted me and told me at 1030 that it had already been decided the Cort would be the first boat through.

[Duluth Guest]

As of this morning, 9am CST, the Cort is 22 nautical miles out and the Clarke is 33. Cort is moving at 8 Knts. and the Clarke at 13. The Clarke has the Mackinaw and Morro Bay as escorts. Cort has the Mobile Bay.

If you do the math, Clarke beats the Cort by 15 minutes at current rates of travel. It could go either way yet!

[MattJ]

Haha Denny I see my post from earlier went up just now. I meant to say 13:30 or 1:30 I had a momentary lapse in the 24 hr clock and put 15:30

[MattJ]

Throwing out a time Denny 15:30 Cort tied up below sault lock

[Guest]

Looks like Clarke will pass the Blough and the race is between the Cort and Clarke!

[MattJ]

Cort left Milwaukee this morning.

[Guest]

Edgar B. Speer has left Toledo

[Guest]

Gott upbound, Blough downbound.

Manitoulin will leave Thursday for Thunder Bay.

I already have 2 2017 KYS with one signed. I'm sure many other boatnerds pre-order and are receiving them this week.

[Denny]

Duluth Shipping News now has updated their website and Holy Cow boatnerds take a look at all that traffic would you as far as stuff that is headed for the Twin Ports and the Northshore Ports that is of Lake Superior. I would say the Soo should be very busy come this weekend. Get your cameras and scanners ready and let the season begin one and all! Bring on the boats and bring on Spring and some sunshine and warmer temps as this nerd is ready to get started. BTW, just got my 2017 copies of the KYS book today in the mail and thanks Roger for sending them. It is also by tradition no offense to Roger that for 24 years and counting I make a run to St. Clair, Michigan and pick up a copy there as well. Never once have I ever missed a year of not getting at least one copy out there and hope to make it 25 years next month. I got a special new T-shirt with my favorite PRT pic I took in 2013 on a special made up shirt commemorating my 25th year in 2017 on the river!

[Guest]

Blough is breaking in an engine, so they will be motoring at reduced speed. Burns Harbor will probably beat them to the Soo.

[Denny]

Don't worry Matt as I haven't forgotten about those two but, I say that at least one will probably head to Marquette first and load for Essar Algoma Steel first. Probably end up being the Michipicoten as usual doing the Marquette to Essar Algoma steel runs for a while. The Manitoulin will probably end up departing Essar and heading up for a cargo someplace? I have to say maybe Thunder Bay or possibly a Lake Superior ore port and then maybe taking it down the Seaway but, I am only guessing here on all of this scuttlebutt.