Boatnerd Discussion Forum

In looking at my old Lake Log Chips I found that I reported the Middletown, and fleet mate Joseph H. Frantz, delivering stone to Harsens Island in early June of 1988. With no definitive date cited, the Frantz may have actually been in there during late May of that season. I definitely remember the Middletown unloading there as I ran up to Algonac from Marine City on my lunch break that day. It was a clear blue sunny day, but I had forgotten my camera that morning as I left home after hearing the vessel reporting its intention to go to Harsens Island. By time I got out of work, the Middletown was gone. I do remember a picture of an ASC river class vessel unloading at that location appearing on the front page of the local paper Courier Journal (or possibly The Voice) around the same time period. I know I cut the photo out, I will go through my records and see if I have it.

While living in Algonac between the early 1980s and early 1990s there were a few times that ships unloaded at a dock near the Harsen's Island ferry dock. I remember one of US Steel's self-unloaders (Myron C. Taylor I believe) going in there during the early 80s. I know an ASC (Buffalo or Sam Laud if memory serves me right) unloaded there in the latter part of the 1980s. The last time I saw a boat there was Columbia's Middletown, which unloaded stone during either the late years of the 1980s or early years of the 1990s. I believe I sent the information on the Middletown's visit to Lake Log Chips. I will look and see if I can narrow down a date.

She unloaded onto a stone pile on Harsen's Island. Never seen that before but I don't think it's the first time.

We had a rare sight today with the Calumet in the North Channel which for big ships is highly unusual. It won't let me post pictures, but does anyone know why she was there? She had her boom out and I assumed she was carrying stone.