" Sea Stories" The Judy.

[captrmetz]

Guest -Not very often, I only carried a man & his wife and the man worked in the grain trade from Thunder Bay. And then I carried Mrs. Heimbecker and her girl friends for a trip to the Seaway and back aboard the Mapleglen. A small story... Miss Heimbecker and all the girls were in the wheelhouse as I was making the Iroquois Lock with a wind & currant pushing me, it is one of the hardest locks to make. The girls were all talking at once to the wheelsmen I gave the wheelsman a order " Come to port on the end of the wall" but because of all the girls talking he did not hear the order, so I repeated the order and he still did not hear me, so I stood up and said to the girls to leave the wheelhouse at once ! Mrs. Heimbecker told her husband that I ordered her and the girls out of the wheelhouse. In the spring we had our company meeting and Mr. Heimbecker said, " Captain Metz I hear you ordered my Wife out of the wheelhouse ?" I thought Oh Boy here it comes" Yes they were interfering with the safe navigation of the ship ! " Good Man" he said at least some one stood up to her ! I really think he actually enjoyed it.

Guest - Painting the strip on the ship took time and paint and it cost money. At spring fit out everybody is in a hurry to get the ship underway and they did away with painting the strip. We used to paint SOO RIVER COMPANY on both sides of the hull and that took a lot of time and money. CANADA STEAMSHIP LINES used to be painted on their ship's now CSL.

[Guest]

Capt Metz did any Soo River ships carry passengers?

[Guest]

That sure was a nice paint scheme any reason why P&H never kept it that white stripe on the bow sure looked good!

[captrmetz]

Hi Hermie,
Thank you for sending the pictures of the Judy. I will add them to my collection. The Judy is still on display at Port Burwell. I took pictures and I e-mailed the sponsors to see if they needed any pictures or information of the Judy but I never heard back from them. I don't know what happened to the steam whistle, but I do have the brass steam whistle blower at home. I removed it just before she went to scrap. It takes people like you and Bob Campbell to go out of their way and expense to take pictures of these ships so we can remember the past.

[Hermie Phillips]

Hey Cap. Thought I would share a few photos I took of the Judy down bound at Neebish Island and in the Rock Cut on that July 1982 afternoon. Sorry that the quality is a bit bad. I have a cheap scanner. A group of us were staying at what was then Nicolet Campground and had heard you were turning around at Nine Mile point. (I still have that audio recording!) So we ran down to Neebish to catch you. Thanks for the story. It sure brings back some great memories from the good ole days. Do you, or anyone else on here, know if the Judys pilot house is still in Port Burwell, Ont.? What became of her beautiful steam whistles? I sure hope they were saved. Thanks again for the story. Have a great summer.. Herm Phillips

[captrmetz]

Odysseus - Yes, I understand how you feel. I guess I was lucky I always had a interest in boats and planes. I tried working in a paper mill and I hated it, it was my boss who told me I should go sailing. Can you imagine that ? And throughout my 33 years I loved every minute of sailing. Thank you for your kind words and my new " Sea Stories Book" should be out this year I hope. I will let you know when. Capt. R Metz

Ray - I found some more pictures of the Robert C. Stanley on that story I wrote. Enjoy.

Guest - If I remember correctly on the old H.C. Heimbecker her speed was 10 ktn. and on the Oakglen (2) her speed was 14 ktn.
Heimbecker = 26 hrs Thunder Bay to the Soo.
Oakglen = 20 hrs, " "

[Odysseus]

Captain. Thank you so very much for the experiences you've shared in all the stories you've offer over the years. I know you will be taking a break from offering these during the regular sailing season while you enjoy time at your cabin. Please understand I've thoroughly enjoyed everything you've shared and have lived vicariously though your stories on how I wished I could have spent time on the lakes as you did. Wishing you the very best, wishing I could get my hands on your book, and hoping you have a delightful summer at your cabin. May you be richly blessed.

[ML]

Dad was skipper on her in '69...........

[Ray]

Loved that picture of the Robert C. Stanley. For whatever reason we used to see the Robert C. Stanley almost every time we went to Duluth when I was a kid - almost as often as we saw the Incan Superior, always been a favorite boat.

But I have to say that the first thing that popped to mind with the angle of that photo was the unfortunate guy in a canoe in "Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes". :) :)

[Guest]

Capt what was the speed difference between the older soo river boats and the new maple and oak, what was the difference in time from TBay and the Sault?

[Paul A]

Thanks for a Winter of great stories Capt. Metz. I think the Q&A this year was especially interesting.
I hope you have a grand Summer!

Paul

[captrmetz]

RCRVRD - Boy my life started over half a half century ago sailing the lakes and my radar is out of tune as far as dates go but here goes.!

I saw my first ship upbound on Lake Superior while boating to Isle Royale and when we got alongside of the ship and the mate walked out of the pilot house door with a coffee in his hand and waved to us, at that moment I said out loud, "That is the job for me" I remember the day was beautiful with calm seas and a clear sky, the other guys thought I was just talking. But that scene did something to me.

I knew a guy who had sailed before so I asked him how do I get a job sailing and he told me to go to Duluth to talk to Mike at the Lake Carriers Assoc. Mike got me my first job as deckhand on the Thomas Wilson in 1963 and I retired in 1999 as Captain.

I loved sailing and I thought if I have to be out here I want to make the most money I can and I got enough time in to write for my AB card when I got that the captain put me as deck watch, then a watchmen retired and they put me AB watchmen, I asked the skipper permission to learn how to wheel and when I got good at wheeling the ship I got a wheelsman job. I sailed for a few years then I got a skipper job on a tug boat after I wrote for my license. I was skipper on that tug for seven years towing barges across Lake Superior. I went back on the lakes and wrote for my First Class Pilot License but time's were tough and I could not get a skipper's job.

Then I moved to Canada because my Dad was Canadian said I could get a job on a Canadian ship, so my Dad sponsored me and I moved to Thunder Bay and got a wheeling job on the S/S Georgian Bay. Canada would not accept my U.S. license so I had to go back to Nav. school and wrote for my 2nd mates, when I had enough time I wrote for my First Mate License and still wanted to make the most money so I wrote for my Masters which I received in 1979.

My first mates job was on the M/V Incan Superior and I think I sailed for them around 8 years. My second job was with Soo River Co as 1st mate till I made so many trips up & down the seaway until I knew the rivers then I went 2nd captain for awhile then I got my own ship to sail as captain.

My first ship was the H.C. Heimbecker, then Soo River Trader, and Judith M. Pierson. When Soo River sold out to P&H Shipping they scrapped a few old ship so I went relieving skipper on all their ships till my retirement in 1999.

I made my money and never want to go back sailing ever again. Sailing like I knew it is gone forever. But I still think if a fellow could follow my footsteps he could do it today.

Guest - The E.J. Newberry was a good ship, handled very well and small enough to get into these small ports. I think she still had her original pilot house. I never had any trouble with her.

Again I would like to say Thank You for all of your kind remarks ....

[Guest]

paint dosnt earn revenue and the bottom line is the bottom line

And I'm sure that they don't cut the grass or wash the windows at the corporate headquarters.

[ivan]

paint dosnt earn revenue and the bottom line is the bottom line

[Colt Dr]

Captain Metz,

I so very much enjoy your sea stories. I've been reading these boards since back near 1999 or so, and I've enjoyed your writing more than anything else I've ever read on here. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with all of us. And I hope you have a wonderful summer up in Eagle Harbor.

Best,

Colt Edin

[Old sailer]

Capt to bad Mr Pearson wasn't over at Algoma maybe he could talk them into some paint.

[RCRVRP]

Thank you for the stories, I love to read them.
Could you put a bio of yourself here?
A short story of how you started working on the lake boats, a story line of how you went up in the ranks and then on what boats and when you served as captain.
A compilation of your career on the lakes, so to speak. It would help me put the parts of the puzzle of your stories into context.
And also could if it be done that way today and would you want to be a captain in todays shipping environment?
Thanks, RCRVRP.

[Guest]

What was the Newberry like Capt I always thought she was the nicest looking of the old Soo river 600 fters was her pilot house original or had it been replaced at some point to it always seemed a bit bigger

[BigRiver]

I have just loved your stories/photos over the winter. Thank you so much. Have a great summer. We'll look for you back next winter! – Roger LeLievre ¶ Know Your Ships

[A J]

Captain, we surely enjoy your stories and appreciate the answers to our questions! You give us insight into the bygone era of old straight deck steamboats, such as the Judy and others. Have safe travels and a good summer at your cabin!

Thank you,

Alex