Seaway Traffic (ISOLDA, SPRUCEGLEN, CSL LAURENTIEN, ALGOMA STRONGFIELD, GRIFFON)

Seem to remember this day being chilly, damp and miserable...

Cloudy when I got to the water. Yet, could have sworn that I woke up to a starry sky - As well as a possible Taurid meteor in the early AM.

Then again, three days in a row at the river can easily blur together. I just know it slowly cleared by late afternoon.


I like the name "ISOLDA".
Apparently, it means "beautiful" or "fair".

Found this day to be anything but.
The warm temperature was negated by the steady wind off the water.


At least there was a ship to watch at first light.
Photos didn't turn out so well, but watching the silhouette of the vessel emerge from the horizon at first light was the best part of this otherwise dreary morning.

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The upbound ISOLDA passes by another vessel that was anchored off Ault Island (possibly a tug & barge). The mystery ship departed and headed downriver mid-morning.

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The 1999-built ISOLDA

At first, the blue paint on the POLSTEAM vessels threw me off...
But it's starting to grow on me.

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Next vessel would be SPRUCEGLEN
The skies were just starting to clear, so I manage to catch a bit of color.
The shape of the stern is particularly interesting.

Look at the profile and lines of this 1983-built vessel.

Before the SPRUCEGLEN disappeared off the horizon, she met the upbound NACC QUEBEC.

Vessels meeting near Bradford Islands

NACC QUEBEC upbound

First time I've seen NACC QUEBEC this year. She's only transited the Seaway a few times in 2022.
Last season, I saw this little ship more times than I can count.

Huge stack...

NACC QUEBEC has a very uniquely shape to her smokestack - Which used to be blue in color.
Another ship sporting new paint since last year.





CSL LAURENTIEN
Hear that engine!

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Re-built with a new bow, she's still a "classic" as far as I'm concerned.

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 Vessel turns the other way, with enough sunlight on the hull to catch some color.

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The CSL LAURENTIEN is the third "sister" to have transited the Seaway System in the past 24 hours...
(The CSL ASSINIBOINE was upbound today in the early AM, with RT HON PAUL J MARTIN downbound yesterday afternoon).
Haven't seen CSL NIAGARA yet this year - She's only transited the system once, with a round trip in early April 2022.





ALGOMA STRONGFIELD
Did NOT hear that engine!
The quiet modern-age vessel nearly got past me before I was ready.

The 2017-built ALGOMA STRONGFIELD

ALGOMA STRONGFIELD

Just love the name if this ship!

While the hull was under construction, the "CWB STRONGFIELD" was purchased by Algoma and they named her "ALGOMA STRONGFIELD". Curious to get a better look at the superstructure to see if I could notice any details that set her apart from her Equinox-Class fleetmates...



Surprise ship of the day - CCGS GRIFFON
Can definitely hear this engine!

CCGS GRIFFON downbound

Great variety of ships today, capping it off with the "Surprise Ship of the Day"... The CCGS GRIFFON.
Undoubtely the oldest vessel in the channel today.



Went to the Iroquois Lock in hopes of catching the downbound BAIE ST PAUL.
No sign of the ship, so decided to call it a day.
She'd arrive approximately 20 minutes after sunset.


The skies had completely cleared by late afternoon.
Just had to stop at the old pre-Seaway canal at Iroquois

The old canal on the left, the modern Seaway channel on right.

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Copeland Cut (Wiley-Donero Canal)

Relatively familiar with the section of St. Lawrence River between the Eisenhower and Iroquois Locks, yet had never heard of the "Copeland Cut" portion of the Seaway Channel.

The Wiley Dondero Canal
Bypassing the old system of locks and canals
between Farran's Point and Cornwall.

Not visible from the Canadian side, the "Copeland Cut" is located in the "Wiley Dondero Canal".

Saltwater vessel BBC OREGON
heading down the Wiley-Dondero Canal

This straight cut between "Cat Island Shoal" and Eisenhower Lock became the modern-day shipping channel in 1959 with the flooding of the Seaway.

The report mentions "Copeland Cut" as "avoid-meeting area".

Originally stumbled upon "Copeland Cut" while reading about the collision between two familiar vessels: CAPT. HENRY JACKMAN (1) and QUEBECOIS (December 17, 2008).

The actual incident between these two vessels occurred in the Beauharnois Canal in Quebec.

TSBC report: http://tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/marine/2008/m08c0081/m08c0081.html

"Crosscurrents in the Copeland Cut Reach of the Wiley-Dondero Canal make navigation difficult during periods of high flow with accompanying low water levels.

The problem area is located in Lake St. Lawrence approximately 3 miles west of Eisenhower Lock . "

https://hdl.handle.net/11681/10668

The area is also mentioned in the Government of Canada Sailing Guide from Montreal to Kingston.

"Currents, Wiley-Dondero Canal – Crosscurrents with velocities to 2 knots have been reported in the WileyDondero Canal. These currents set NE along the lower end of the Long Sault Islands and ESE at the upper end of the islands."
https://www.charts.gc.ca/documents/publications/download/SD/CEN301Eng.pdf

River Therapy... (CAPT. HENRY JACKMAN, IVER AMBITION)

What a difference a day makes... Yesterday, this spot was frigid and cold. Today, it was calm and welcoming.

Another contrast was that yesterday I was there to see the oldest vessel in operation...

Today, I was there to check out one of the newest Seaway vessels from 2021...

The blue-hulled CAPTAIN HENRY JACKMAN was nowhere to be seen, but I saw a little red ship disappear around the corner...







Caught up with the red-hulled IVER AMBITION just downriver from the Iroquois Locks.



















Tanker IVER AMBITION is about to enter the Iroquois Locks, while the straight-deck bulk carrier CAPTAIN HENRY JACKMAN is on the way out.

The CAPTAIN HENRY JACKMAN downbound, passing Iroquois Beach.

A great, underrated little spot. Gotta do some more exploring around here.
















Plaque at Iroquois Beach showing the old waterfront before the flooding of the Seaway. The entrance to the old canal (now a marina) is easily visible from the beach.
















The waterfowl are more afraid of humans on foot than the 740 foot vessel approaching.
















A spectacular sight, on an unusually calm St. Lawrence River.

One of the longest vessel names takes up quite a bit of space on the hull.

The bridge seems to stick out unusually far on the straight-deck ALGOMA ships... (First noticed this feature on the ALGOMA STRONGFIELD)

Possibly an optical illusion as the bridge is more visible due to the fact that the ship doesn't have the self-unloading aparatus.

Also noticed what appeared to be a reel of shiny cable above the stern anchor.
Likely the windlass for pulling the anchor chain.

"The Greek scientist Archimedes was the inventor of the windlass."
-Wikipedia

Water Owl...

While I tend to be most interested in locations accessed by boat, the old Galop Canal in Cardinal is one of my favorite places to visit on dry land.

Truly a enchanting plance, there weren't many souls to be found at Lock 27 despite the fact that it was double digit temperatures in mid-November.

The original canal opened in 1846, and was in operation until the completion of the Seaway in 1959.








Looking up the old canal about an hour before the sunset.
















Always amazed at how crystal clear the water always seems to be here... Can see right to the bottom.


















The calmness here is surreal... Like something from a painting.























The water is calm and still but ever flowing, as the rounded corners of the wall spin off perfect little whirlpools.





















With the active Seaway channel in the background, Looking at the configuration of the old locks, part of the canal seemed to lead nowhere... I found an explanation here:

"I learned that this was the site of both Lock 27 and Lock 28. Lock 28 is now filled in with earth." -https://ottawadivers.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/weehawk-lock-27-drift/

The page also has a couple of overhead shots, from before and after the Seaway was floodded.

With the modern-day Seaway channel visible in the background, looking over Lock 27 - to the possible location of where Lock 28 was filled in? I'll have to check it out next time, but even the grass seems to have a different color/texture.





Bollards from the old lock still line either side of the canal.

The greenish tint suggests that they're made of copper?
I bet they're nearly as solid today as they were 100 years ago.
















Surprise of the day... A Snowy Owl resting on the side bank of the old canal. I always thought these guys didn't show up here until the weather up north gets really brutal...
















The unexpected owl sighting was enough of a distraction for the ALGOMA SAULT to quietly sneak up the river and almost past me.

I had to follow the ship all the way up to The CONESTOGA to get a decent snapshot. Cardinal's famous sunken ship can be seen sticking out of the water.

Even managed to capture a pair of Mallard Ducks in the shot.

It's just the second time I've seen the SAULT this year. She passes by a few times a month, I just haven't been there. Just so happens that the last time I was up this way, she was upbound on this very same stretch of river.