Boatnerd Discussion Forum

It is 2137h EST Fri. Dec. 26/25
Thanks for the “merry Christmas” from a user following this thread.
I think I neglected to wish Denny and his crew who keep all the facets of this thing on course and heading heading from their wheelhouse and into the ether for we followers to enjoy a very healthy and rewarding completion of the course to and through Christmas or seasonal festivity.
Now....the BIG tow....today they’ve passed from the Straits of Florida and are entering the Yucatan Channel. We can hope the boys (and maybe a lady or two) have been able to take in, appreciate, and even sleep easier than in those early December days coming through the winds and seas back north round Nova Scotia and on down the east coast.
NWS says to me that it should be a grand night of sailing out there...Temperature is around 70 and the sky is clear. Wind is S 10- 15 knots and the sea is running 2-3 feet.Last night off Havana the distance to Colon, Panama was about 837 miles. They’re probably now down to 650 -750 nm. The Blue crane tow has been in operation since leaving Manitowoc WI on Nov. 18.

It is0114h Dec.26/25.
The tow is pretty much as it was located Christmas afternoon. It’s nearing the Yucatan Channel in calm seas with wind about10 knots. Temp is around 70.
Checked distance references... Havana - Colon, Panama is about 830 nm.
Tow left Manitowoc, WI Nov. 18.

Merry Christmas Steamboater 66

It is 1415h EST Thurs. Dec. 25/25...SEASONS GREETINGS to fellow users on this thread!
Hope your day is going as peacefully as it might be for the Ocean Tower crew.They are moving steadily southward.They are SE Key West and NW of Havana heading into the Yucatan Channel.
Temps are 70’s daytime. Seas are running 2-3 feet. Winds are 10-15 knots. Pretty Nice Christmas present weather!
That could change tonight into Friday and beyond as a series of cold fronts are to dip through the region followed by strong winds and stirring seas...Same sort of stuff we saw back north up the east coast.

It is 2242 EST Wed. Dec.24/25
Christmas Eve...The tow is proceeding along time the Florida Keys towards Key West.
The temperature is around 70F, the sea is calm. The wind is less than last night...aroun 10-15 knots.
Thoughts to the crew this Christmas Eve so carefully guiding their cargo!

I am at 0041 EST Wed. Dec.24/25
The tow was near Jacksonville Fla. just near noon Tues. #23 Dec.
Just now they are passing by Jupiter Fla. in calm conditions.

It is 00:45 EST Tues. Dec. 23
My first look today had the Ocean Tower just north of Jacksonville Fla. in placid conditions.
At this time conditions through NWS continue to be placcid with low wind of 5-10 knots. Seas are 2-3 feet.
In answer to your question, Rcrvrp; they’re doing just fine as far as conditions and are probably maxed out at what they think is a reasonable speed for conditions, fuel economy, and making fair time for that load. Unless there is maybe a notable fuel saving or wind advantage maybe; I can’t see them altering their course. In these conditions they probably think they’re in heaven after some of the stuff they dealt with before.

Will they follow the coast of the US,Mexico and Central America all the way to the canal or take a shortcut across the Caribbean past Cuba?

Will they follow the coast of the US,Mexico and Central America all the way to the canal or take a shortcut across the Caribbean past Cuba?

It is 2252h EST
Looked first back around noon. The tow was 60-70. miles at sea just north of Charleston SC.
As of now they are close to 100 miles at sea coming abreast o Savannah GA. I’d say they’re making a good speed considering what they had 2-4 days ago.
NWS forecast is placid almost into Christmas. Nice present for the tug crew!

Is the other blue crane getting ready to leave Manitowoc soon ? The tug starter was breaking ice around the dock where they load them. Did not see any other tug barge units around. This was at noon Sunday 12/21 25

Count me in the nerd club. I appreciate your position posts from the end of the day and check on Marine Traffic mid day. Hope to catch it on the canal webcams.

Steamboater66 wrote: December 19, 2025, 9:57 pm Rcrvrp,your photo brings back good old memories of the Canal Zone. We passed through this engineering masterpiece on cruises 2008-2015 roughly. Saw the renovation- construction. It was awe inspiring!
Good to see you have interest in thr crane tow too. I keep looking for other responses to it. Too nerdy for most to care about I guess.

Guess that makes me a nerd as well Lol

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing

Rcrvrp,your photo brings back good old memories of the Canal Zone. We passed through this engineering masterpiece on cruises 2008-2015 roughly. Saw the renovation- construction. It was awe inspiring!
Good to see you have interest in thr crane tow too. I keep looking for other responses to it. Too nerdy for most to care about I guess.

It is 2135EST Dec.19/25
Just came from ais map on shipinfo.net.
The Ocean Tower and Crane have departed Newport News at some point this afternoon.
The winds and seas have calmed a little.NWS shows winds around 20 knots.Seas 6-8 feet....but gale warnings are showing adjacent to the foregoing. Forecast for Sat. and Sun.appear relatively calm at this point.
Tow is a little under 100 miles south of NN and Chesapeake Bay.Their speed may be roughly 6-8 knots I’m thinking.

This is just outside the entrance to the canal on the pacific side, the crane will exit here. At this point the canal looks like the mouth of a wide river. The first locks are quite aways up the canal. Here are low mountains on one side, Panama City and the Amadour causeway on this side where the picture was taken from . This wide strip ( 1/4 mile?) of land was built with the rock excavated by explosives and steam shovels and hauled here by train.

Steamboater 66 thank you for your continuous reporting!

It is 1037h EST Fri. Dec.19/25.
Last midnight the Ocean Tower-Crane tow were sheltering in Chesapeake Bay in the Norfolk News region. NWS was reporting winds in the 20-30 knots range gusting to40 knots. Seas were 8- 12 feet.
This morning the tow is exactly as reported above. So is the weather. This front/wind system is to continue into Saturday.
Rcrvrp was writing about the planned Panama Canal arrival. You are right, suggesting how hard it is to set a fixed arrival. Passage is based on a “reservation” system. On a tow job like this one; the weather has a big part to play. I imagine they will be slotted in when the PC authority sees fit to do so.

I was at the pacific entrance of the canal the last 2 days watching for it. Saw container ships and a RoRo but no crane. :(
Will be here another 3 weeks, if it comes through and I can get back to the canal I’ll get pictures. The odds of that happening are not great but I’ll try. Traffic through the canal is on a reservation basis but I’d don’t know how long ahead they have to make them. I assume this tow timeline is not nearly as predictable as a regular ocean going ship.