Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Thanks for all the info. I've looked at that photo off and on for almost 40 years and always wondered where it was coming from. I should have put the question to my fellow "Boatnerds" years ago. Thanks again.

In 1968 I was wheeling on the Drystra we made trips to Duluth and Marquette for Rouge River plant and one trip we went to Fairport OH. and Escaneba MI. Gus Goranson was the Captain

On October 20, 1977 the Dykstra made its first trip through the Welland Canal as a member of the Ford fleet when she passed through to load ore at Pointe Noire, Quebec. (It is possible she may have made a previous passage while sailing for the Great Transportation Company or Wilison Marine as the Richard M. Marshall or Joseph Wood) This passage was reported in the Jan/Feb 1979 issue of the Great Lakes Maritime Institute's Telescope. Therefore it is very possible that the picture you took involved this trip or any subsequent trips that the Dykstra made that did not get reported. It is also interesting to note that the Ford fleet occasionally loaded at Escanaba also. It would be interesting to see the photo.

The Breech was also hauling ore to Hamilton, Ontario near the end of her career for Ford.

I photo'd the John Dykstra as the Benson Ford (2) in the Welland Canal in June, 1984.

I knew the Breech hauled grain to Buffalo. I saw them load here in the Twin Ports a lot during that period. It was that Dykstra on east central Lake Erie in the mid-70s I couldn't figure out.

Ford owned Eveleth Taconite Plant (now Cliffs owned) on the Iron Range. These pellets were sent to the DMIR dock in Duluth, as noted. The mine was (maybe still) called the Thunderbird Mine. Interestingly, the mine is expanding (hopefully) and it will require the State of Minnesota to move a four lane highway in the next couple years.

Ernest R Breech became locked in a trade pattern from Duluth/Superior, to Buffalo from 1984 until Ford sold the fleet in 1987.

I know their usual loading dock when I sailed in the 70s was east of 6 Missabe in Duluth. Could have had a TH to Conneaut load. Don't think I ever saw a Ford boat in TH, but after being away from sailing since '79, probably have forgotten more than I remember.

I remember when I was younger, the Ford boats would load in Two Harbors on occasion. Would those loads from TH have gone to Conneaut maybe?

Where besides the Rouge mill did the Ford boats unload at in the 70s? I was looking at some of my photo albums and I took a photo of the Dykstra westbound on Lake Erie while we were heading to Conneaut. The Dykstra was light. I don't have a date on the photo, but I'd guess 1976. We were definitely east of Cleveland, probably around Fairport at the time. That was the only time I ever saw a Ford straightdecker on that part of the Lake.