port of Manitowoc shipment

[Steamboater66]

As of 2200h EST Wednesday, Dec. 1, the Ocean Tower with the Big Blue crane is running about 20 miles off of and abreast of Delaware Bay. Atmosphere and seas are calm.
NWS Thursday marine forecast is for a calm start of day. Winds will pick up into the evening to around 20-30knots with gusts to 40 knots. Seas will likely run 4-8 feet. On Friday the windy conditions will continue from the S and SW.

[Guest]

Ocean Tower with Big Blue crane astern departed New York Tues. Dec. 16 evening.
Wed. Morning Dec. 16 at1100h EST the tow is moving south about 20 km offshore about 60-70 km north of Atlantic City. Sailing conditions are calm.

Thanks for the update

[Steamboater66]

Ocean Tower with Big Blue crane astern departed New York Tues. Dec. 16 evening.
Wed. Morning Dec. 16 at1100h EST the tow is moving south about 20 km offshore about 60-70 km north of Atlantic City. Sailing conditions are calm.

[Steamboater66]

Just opened the board. Went to the thread “Manitowoc Shipment” where I have been posting almost daily reports on the tow of the Big Blue from Manitowoc to Puget Sound. User rcrvrp came up first; wondering if anyone knows of any other places on the web have content on the BIG BLUE and Ocean Tower adventure.In all my efforts I scour the www daily looking for more on this amazing important voyage. Other than what is here on B’nerd; I have to say that there appears to be next to nothing. I’m surprised there wasn’t major media coverage at some level about the NYC arrival!
If anyone who sees this and knows of other coverage; please share your experience.
This voyage is a history- maker for Kone,for the marine industry, and for shipping. It will be a phenomenal achievement to do this and achieve success for Dann towing, Kone Crane, and especially for all the guys on the tug!

[rcrvrp]

The big Blue Crane 30 tow is entering NY Harbor Sunday morning. Does any body on here have a clue where they’re going to put her. Any ideas how long she will be in Port at NY.? I’ve been tracking her and posting on here since she sailed from Manitowoc Nov. 18. Be nice if they’d talk to us, eh?

Is there another website anyone knows of where people are following this and perhaps have some first hand knowledge of the route and plan for this voyage?

[Steamboater66]

The big Blue Crane 30 tow is entering NY Harbor Sunday morning. Does any body on here have a clue where they’re going to put her. Any ideas how long she will be in Port at NY.? I’ve been tracking her and posting on here since she sailed from Manitowoc Nov. 18. Be nice if they’d talk to us, eh?

[Steamboater66]

I am reporting at 0010 EST Sunday Dec. 14/25...
Ocean Tower and big Crane 30 have been on the move persistently since leaving Manitowoc WI Nov.18 on the delivery tow of this crane to Puget Sound, Washington.
Tonight is a landmark for the crew of Ocean Tower. As I write this; they have made their way from the Atlantic wind storms of the last 4 days into Long Island Sound. As of midnight the crossing of Eastchester Bay was completed. They are now entering the East River, just short hours before a well earned rest in New York.

[Steamboater66]

At 1950h Dec.13/25 Ocean Tower with Crane 70 are at rest in Long Island Sound as they were at mid afternoon.
Wind is down to20-25 knots and is forecast to continue like that into Son. Dec. 14.

[Guest]

Why are they going to NYC?

[Steamboater66]

Last report I posted was late evening on Thurs. Dec.11 and had the Ocean Tower and Crane 30 holding a position off of Plymouth MA with zig zags and no southern distance gained due to gale force winds and strong seas.
Fri. morning Dec. 12 looked at the track on shipinfo.net and the tow was in the same holding location as Thurs. night.
By Fri. 1800h EST they had come right in to pick up the entrance to Cape Cod Canal...presumably to shelter from the mix of west and southwest gale winds on the open water.
That canal emptied back out into Cape Cod Bay where my check of map a few minutes ago about 2340h EST has them running in a southeasterly straight ahead direction south of the Martha’s Vineyard scattered islands.
NWS still has wind warnings of 20-25 knots and small craft advisories up for the region into the day today, Sat. Dec.13. Narragansett Bay and Long Island Sound come up next. Winds may heighten again Sunday.

[Guest]

Thank you so much for tracking this.

[rcrvrp]

What will they do in the open sea when the weather turns on them and they have no place to seek shelter and its too deep to anchor?

[Steamboater66]

It is 2235h EST...NOOA and NWS have put out a warning of “ hazardous conditions”. This includes a warning of gale force winds of 25-35 knots with gusts possible to 45 knots. Seas are running in the range of 8 feet.
Ocean Tower and Crane 30 are likely just trying to hold the position noted in my. preeeding post.

[Steamboater66]

It is 2215 EST. I’ve just come from the map on shipinfo.net
Ocean Tower and Crane 30 came out of Cape Cod Bay sometime in the p.m. hours today. They are in the Atlantic southeast of Plymouth, MA at a distance of 20-25 miles as the crow (seagull) flies and about 3 miles off the coast.Their track line shows some zig-zagging back and forth bot no real movement south eastward. Will be looking at NOOA/ marine for weather and sea conditions.

[Guest]

Thanks for the update Glad your keeping us all updated

[Steamboater66]

As far 1330 EST today, Dec.11;Ocean Tower and Crane 30 out of Manitowoc Nov. 18 bound for Puget Sound are exactly where they were at 00:30 this morning...stopped in Cape Cod Bay abreast Plymouth MA.
NOAA has gale warnings up for the region. Winds are generally 25- 30 knots with gusts to 45 knots. Seas are running
4-8 ft waves. The same conditions are expected for Friday!

[Steamboater66]

At 00:30 EST the ais on shipinfo.net is showing the Ocean Tower Crane 70 appears to have entered Cape Cod Bay and is at a stop almost abreast and a little south of Plymouth MA. This map gives no. Time references...just shows their position. At noon today the tow was at sea a little north of Boston.

[rcrvrp]

Just came off the ais map. It’s 2250h EST. They are just coming abreast of Boston at distance offshore of about 110-120 miles...estimated using the scale at the lower edge of the map.
They’ve put some good mileage behind her today. Back around noon here, they were just coming abreast of Halifax NS.
Just read a reply from a guest to my post. Lucky person....trying to estimate the tow’s time at the Panama Canal...says they can be there to see her. Wow! Pretty cool dream, I’d say!

I will be staying at the Panama City Radisson/Canal Side Dec.16 This is right at the canals Pacific end, you can sit on the patio or your balcony and watch the ships pretty close without even binoculars. This is the end of the canal where the crane will exit into the Pacific, it will enter at Colón on the Caribbean end. This is the end with the new Aqua Clara ,neopanamax, locks and the crime ridden city, Colón, no visitor should go to. If thieves there could figure out a way to steal the crane they would! I'll in country for 5 weeks, only planned to be near the canal a few nights but I could easily,and might, drive back to the canal if I know when the crane is coming. Can you point me to an AIS map for that area and tell me how to identify this particular tug/barge? Thanks, RCRVRP.

[Steamboater66]

Just came off the ais map. It’s 2250h EST. They are just coming abreast of Boston at distance offshore of about 110-120 miles...estimated using the scale at the lower edge of the map.
They’ve put some good mileage behind her today. Back around noon here, they were just coming abreast of Halifax NS.
Just read a reply from a guest to my post. Lucky person....trying to estimate the tow’s time at the Panama Canal...says they can be there to see her. Wow! Pretty cool dream, I’d say!

[rcrvrp]

The Crane 70 tow made it round the northerly most tip of Cape Breton Island overnight Saturday. At 1030 EST Sunday they are sail along the southeast coast of Nova Scotia.

Assuming no further delays in what window of time are they likely to be at the Panama canal? I can be at the canal anytime after Dec.16 and it would be so much fun to see it make the transit.