Joe Block, down the Seaway

[guest]

wlbblw's estimate from other day as to Joe Block's arrival Port Colborne looks to be bang on!

Detroit roughly just after 6 AM today....plus 17 hours from Boatnerd chart based on 15 mph however she runs approx 13 mph (11 knots) on lake.....therefore should be off Port Colborne approx 1 or 2 am Tuesday assuming no delay (weather, traffic) etc

[wlbblw]

Leaving the head of the lakes, typical travel time to Buffalo is 3 days. If theres' no delay, she'l be off Port Colborne Monday night/Tuesday morning.

[Denny]

At 11:02 a.m. on November 26, the Block was downbound and also passing the tip of the Keewenaw Peninsula enroute to Quebec to unload Taconite Pellets from Superior. Sorry I am not very good as far as the mathematics and that is where the boatnerds come in as far as trying to get ETAs for her at the Soo Locks and other locales. Hope that this helps as far as trying to track her. Good Luck All.

[Guest]

For "estimated" travel times click on Facts and Figures on Boat Nerd Home Page....then scroll down list to "Table - Travel Times Between Major Ports"......shows 25 hours Duluth to Soo and 65 hours Duluth to Port Colborne....etc. Also lists assumptions lake speed etc. Pretty good reference tool. A quick calc would put her at Pt Colborne (1828 on the 25th plus 65 hours or approx 11:30 on Monday the 28th). So assuming no stoppage for Seaway check once into Port Colborne may be opportunity of viewing daylight in lock 7 and possible flight locks on Monday however I assume will need Seaway check and pilot....Captain Treece was on Ryerson for a number of trips through the canal a few years back but even if on Block now and not Sykes believe may still need canal pilot etc.

[Denny]

Sorry Rob as I can't help you and don't know of an ETA for the Welland Canal on her. However, this much I can give out and know as she left from Superior at 1728 C.S.T. on November 25 enroute to Quebec City with an ETA there of 0500 on December 2nd and this of course as we all know is subject to change due to any type of weather conditions and traffic. So mathematically if anyone can try and calculate her departure from Superior at 1728 hours in Central Time or at 1828 Eastern Time, then perhaps maybe there is someone that might have an ETA for the Soo Locks and other locales such as the Welland and other places. Sorry I couldn't be more of help but, I hope that the information that I gave does help.

[Rob W]

Does anyone have a welland canal ETA? TIA

Rob W

[Denny]

Besides having the Block making her first ever visit next week as far as traveling through the Seaway with Ore for Quebec City from Superior, now all we need is for Captain Eric Treece of the Sykes someday and time to make a trip of their own with the Sykes down that way! Not sure but, I suppose at one point the Sykes made a trip through the Seaway in their early days before she was later converted to a self-unloader. Now that would be worth seeing as far as the Sykes making a trip down the Seaway! Well the Seaway closes down in about a month give or take and time is ticking and running out so, if the Sykes is gonna do it this year they had better get going and do it soon. Would love to see her down here!

[Guest]

In connection with the previous poster noting the Joseph L. Block in the Detroit River during the 1970s. This would most likely been its trip to Ashtabula on October 12, 1976 with a load of taconite. From what I read recently in the book The Inland Steel Fleet that came out earlier this year, this voyage was part of a three-ship record ore delivery to the Pinney Dock that day. The other ships involved were the Wilfred Sykes and James R. Barker. Interestingly, this rare trip took place only 2 months after the Block first entered service.

[Volunteer Moderator]

Yesterday someone submitted a post with an external link that did not function. While trying to find a link that worked, I accidentally deleted the post.

The gist of the post was that Cliffs still intends to use the Escanaba dock for the foreseeable future. I did find this newspaper article from back in March that mentions this, at least for 2016. http://content.dailypress.net/?p=572077 ... docks.html If anyone has seen more recent information (from Cliffs or in the media) regarding the future of either the Escanaba or Marquette docks, please post a link. Thanks.

Volunteer Moderator

[Guest]

The joe block was built to haul from escanaba to Gary, with the esky ore dock future in doubt, they need to find other sources of revenue to keep the boat in service

I don't think the future of Escanaba has anything to do with the Block's trip to QC. When/if Escanaba closes, the Block will simply deliver ore to IH from another port, likely Duluth/Superior or TH.

BTW, the Block was built to serve the former Inland Steel mill in Indiana Harbor.

[Denny]

Okay boatnerds after doing some exhausting research today and more than I care to admit and time spent on it as well, I found the missing link and information that I was looking for as far as my question of When was the last time the Block was down here on both the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers? First off to clarify part of my original post, I made a goof and an error when I should have asked the question "Since 1998 to the present year 2016 when was the last time that the Block was down this way?" To answer that question I can do it myself as I have the information right here in front of me and at hand! The last time she was down here was on 12/20/14 when she delivered Taconite to Cleveland I think it was? She came down the St. Clair River at dark in the evening hours somewhere between 8-9 p.m. at that time at least. Prior to her visit in 2014 I think the last time may have been in 1998 and again it is from the years 1998 to 2016 that I am looking for on the Block as far as when she transited through the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers and Not before 1998! Wish I could see her next week but, "No Way am I going out in the pouring rain and getting wet and chills and also risk getting sick!" Also, I don't need to get my expensive gear all wet and ruined either. Besides, why waste my time going after her when somebody from boatnerd will have photos anyway of her? Thanks for answering my questions all.

[Guest]

The joe block was built to haul from escanaba to Gary, with the esky ore dock future in doubt, they need to find other sources of revenue to keep the boat in service

[garbear]

I knew my memory was going, but I didn't realize it was completely gone. Couldn't have seen the Block in 74-75 seeing it wasn't launched until '76. It was probably late '76 or '77 when I saw her on the Detroit River.

[garbear]

[quote="DennyHoly Smokes and Wow among Wow as that is amazing that the Joseph L. Block is headed down the Seaway in what obviously would be her first ever visit I do believe in her history since she goes mostly to Lake Michigan ports! Yes, I do know that she has been down the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers in the past but I don't believe she has ever traveled though to the Seaway? Also, I have a question of my own for all you boatnerds on the Block. I saw her in 1998 on one of her rare trips down the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers at that time. Unfortunately my memory is not as good as it used to be although I am still young yet LOL! My question and point is other than the 1998 trips down here, what other time did she make any voyages down here and I know it wasn't too long ago that she did it and it was late in the season like this as well. If you have any information on that, it would be appreciated. Thank You.[/quote]

I took some photos of her when I was on the Clarke around 74-75. We were down bound in the Detroit River below Detroit, probably around Wyandotte and she was upbound.

[Guest]

Well Dennys your memory isn't failing you as she did indeed make a late season voyage and visit to Cleveland last year with a cargo of iron ore. I remember she went to anchor off of Cleveland for 24 hours that time waiting on "winds and weather" before unloading at Cleveland Bulk Terminal.

You have a happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your football my friend!

[Denny]

Holy Smokes and Wow among Wow as that is amazing that the Joseph L. Block is headed down the Seaway in what obviously would be her first ever visit I do believe in her history since she goes mostly to Lake Michigan ports! Yes, I do know that she has been down the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers in the past but I don't believe she has ever traveled though to the Seaway? Also, I have a question of my own for all you boatnerds on the Block. I saw her in 1998 on one of her rare trips down the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers at that time. Unfortunately my memory is not as good as it used to be although I am still young yet LOL! My question and point is other than the 1998 trips down here, what other time did she make any voyages down here and I know it wasn't too long ago that she did it and it was late in the season like this as well. If you have any information on that, it would be appreciated. Thank You.

[Guest]

The Joseph L. Block is headed to Superior to load for Quebec City.
It could be a trade load from American Steamship. Great to see some American vessels back in the Seaway trade. Canadians seem to be quite busy with grain cargoes.