by captrmetz » April 14, 2018, 3:24 pm
In April 1984 I was first mate of the Oakglen (1). On April 16 that year we loaded and departed Thunder Bay for a seaway port. The trip across Lake Superior went without incident although we got word that there was an ice blockade on the St. Clair River due to the ice jam-packed on both ends of the river.
On April 17th we anchored 10 miles north of Sarnia along with other ships already at anchor. There were U.S. and Canadian ice breakers working to clear the ice but to no avail. Finally on April 19th some ships started to make up small convoys going down-bound, but only ships that had high H.P. engines so that left us still at anchor because we only had 2200 HP.
On April 20th we finally got the order to start down-bound. It was good going until the Blue Water Bridge when the ice got thicker and our speed was slowed. When we were above Roberts Landing we stopped dead in the ice. Although the Skipper kept the engines going full speed, we spent two more days stuck in ice and did not move one foot even with the skipper keeping the engines going at full ahead.
At one time when the skipper was sleeping in his chair at the front window I called the Chief and said stop the engines and his answer was 'about time we are running low on fuel'. The "Stop Engine" rang on the chad-burn waking the skipper and he said who stopped the engines? I told him it was me and he got mad saying 'I am the Captain on this ship, not you,' but I talked right back to him because I had been Captain and sailed 4 years until the Soo River Co. went bankrupt then I was back to first mate. I told him it was a waste of fuel keeping the engines at full speed because we were not moving. He madly rang up full ahead. When the Chief called and said we will not make it to the Port Colborne fuel dock if you continue to run the engines while we are struck in ice. He got over his 'mad' and once again we were buddies.
On April 24th we got to the piers at Port Colborne and the engines were running on fumes and the cook was out of stores and making sandwiches for the crew to eat. It was a long hard trip but it was over with. I hear tell that there were a 100 ships stuck in the ice at both ends of the St. Clair River.
- Attachments
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- Oakglen made fast by think ice Robert Landing St. Clair River.
Photo by G. Driftmyer
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- The U.S.C.G. Mackinaw assisting
Metz Photo
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- U.S.C.G. Bristles, Canadian DeGenuay and the Mighty Mac. breaking ice or the stuck Oakglen. Metz Photo
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- Oakglen on the move American Republic up bound. Photo by R. Wichlund
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- Ice Breakers Neaha Bay and Bristles.
Metz photo
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- Oakglen and getting U.S.C.G. assistance.
- ice 1.jpg (29.76 KiB) Viewed 3102 times
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- Ships stuck in thick ice.
Unknown Photo - ice 4.jpg (31.66 KiB) Viewed 3102 times
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- Convoy of ship St. Clare River 1984
Unknown Photo
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- Ships at anchor off Sarnia.
Metz Photo
In April 1984 I was first mate of the Oakglen (1). On April 16 that year we loaded and departed Thunder Bay for a seaway port. The trip across Lake Superior went without incident although we got word that there was an ice blockade on the St. Clair River due to the ice jam-packed on both ends of the river.
On April 17th we anchored 10 miles north of Sarnia along with other ships already at anchor. There were U.S. and Canadian ice breakers working to clear the ice but to no avail. Finally on April 19th some ships started to make up small convoys going down-bound, but only ships that had high H.P. engines so that left us still at anchor because we only had 2200 HP.
On April 20th we finally got the order to start down-bound. It was good going until the Blue Water Bridge when the ice got thicker and our speed was slowed. When we were above Roberts Landing we stopped dead in the ice. Although the Skipper kept the engines going full speed, we spent two more days stuck in ice and did not move one foot even with the skipper keeping the engines going at full ahead.
At one time when the skipper was sleeping in his chair at the front window I called the Chief and said stop the engines and his answer was 'about time we are running low on fuel'. The "Stop Engine" rang on the chad-burn waking the skipper and he said who stopped the engines? I told him it was me and he got mad saying 'I am the Captain on this ship, not you,' but I talked right back to him because I had been Captain and sailed 4 years until the Soo River Co. went bankrupt then I was back to first mate. I told him it was a waste of fuel keeping the engines at full speed because we were not moving. He madly rang up full ahead. When the Chief called and said we will not make it to the Port Colborne fuel dock if you continue to run the engines while we are struck in ice. He got over his 'mad' and once again we were buddies.
On April 24th we got to the piers at Port Colborne and the engines were running on fumes and the cook was out of stores and making sandwiches for the crew to eat. It was a long hard trip but it was over with. I hear tell that there were a 100 ships stuck in the ice at both ends of the St. Clair River.