Seaway Traffic (BLAIR MCKEIL, SEDNA DESGAGNES, ALGOMA STRONGFIELD)

 

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More ruins of the "Atlantis of Ontario".
Cement structures alongside the remnants of the old railway, partially submerged.

Lake St. Lawrence

Seaway Traffic (HAMBURG, TIM S. DOOL, ALGOMA EQUINOX, NORTHERN SPIRIT)

Missed FEDERAL HUNTER and SARAH DESGAGNES that both traveled downriver in the dark, early morning hours.

Alarm set for 3.45.
Was in a deep sleep, dreaming when the alarm went off.

Got up early so I'd have more time to relax and spend a lazy day by the river...
Just warm enough that I didn't have to keep moving to stay comfortable.

Glassy water to start the day...

Sometime around 11am, the white structure of a vessel appears behind the islands...
Then appears to be going the other way.
Have yet again observed a "zig-zag" in the channel.



Her arrival was approximately 35 minutes from first spotting her - BEFORE she made the first of two "zig-zags" in the channel.


A particularly warm fall day, with many passengers outside the ship along the railing, taking in the sights. Personally found it rather cold out there in the wind - And that's not standing up high on the top deck of a ship! Spectacular view nonetheless.

HAMBURG on a spectacular fall day

Captured the flag...
Bahamas red ensign

As HAMBURG banks around the shoal, can finally see her in full color.

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The "Ship of the Day" was undoubtedly the TIM S. DOOL.
Built in 1967, Saint John, New Brunswick.
Formerly SENEVILLE (and later ALGOVILLE from 1994 - 2008).
A classic laker - And just the second vessel be built with a single superstructure, with all cabins and pilothouse aft.

TIM S. DOOL approaches

In 1996, the vessel was widened by approximately 3 feet.

Former fleetmate ALGOISLE (SILVER ISLE from 1963-1994) was the first modern laker with this design. Just happens that another former Algoma vessel (ALGOSOO) can be noted as the last ship to be constructed with a forward pilothouse.


TIM S DOOL

TIM S. DOOL

Haven't seen this vessel in a long time - at least, not during daylight.
Just glad the sunlight was at a decent angle to capture this 1967 built vessel, possibly the oldest vessel in the Algoma fleet.




Waiting for the EQUINOX to arrive, and finally spotted her between the islands, with TIM S. DOOL behind her, heading the other way.


Finally caught an example of two vessels at the "zig-zag" point.
Glare of the sunlight makes it difficult to see in the photo.

Watching them from the shore, they seem to travel straight down the river... But when you're out there looking down the channel, it's amazing how many "zig-zag" points there are. It can makes it look like the ship is going the other way.
This has often thrown me off when trying to determine a vessels' direction.

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The distant ship is the upbound TIM S DOOL.
Fleetmate ALGOMA EQUINOX is heading downbound.
Both vessels appear to be heading towards the right...
They will each "zag" one more time.

ALGOMA EQUINOX approaches

Plenty of EQUINOX photos in my collection - But none of them lit up with sunlight like this one.

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Surprise ship of the day: NORTHERN SPIRIT
Figured she wouldn't reach me until nightfall.

NORTHERN SPIRIT downbound

NORTHERN SPIRIT passes the Murphy Islands

Finally turned sideways for the best light.

Catching the last vessel before sunset

ANOTHER "perfect" day by the river.
(with island rhythms while watching the final ship)

Evening transits all downbound, with ROERBORG, ALGOMA HARVESTER and KAMINISTIQUA before midnight.

There Be Anchorage... (PAUL MARTIN, WICKY SPIRIT, SUNDA)

Just happened to choose Ault Island as a vantage point to catch the upbound Canada Steamship Lines vessel RT. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN (aka H.M. GRIFFITH).

Shortly after arriving at the water, I could hear the faint sound of engines that I presumed could only belong to the 1973-built carrier (which has since been lengthened and re-named in 2000).











Much to my surprise, the vessel slowed to a crawl...

Eventually she started drifting backwards, then I heard the awesome clanking of the anchor chain as the ship pulled into what one Islander referred to as "their parking spot".















Could have sworn that I saw another vessel on the horizon upriver...

After seeming to disappear behind the trees, another ship emerged - The WICKY SPIRIT had just finished navigating around Goose Neck Island Shoal, and was now heading towards me (and the anchored PAUL MARTIN).












WICKY SPIRIT downbound on the St. Lawrence River.






















The tiny McKeil ship is dwarfed by the "SeawayMax" CSL vessel.





















Standing on the shore, something seemed to be moving towards me. At first I thought it was just a stick drifting, but it was definitely alive.

Could not tell if it was the fins of a fish, a bird or a beaver... I snapped several shots before it disappeared. Looking at the photos afterwards, it appears the creature was a Mink.













Further upriver, another majestic view from Mariatown. The visibility was actually quite good, even being able to see the Iroquois Lock vessel "traffic light" outside the entrance to the lock itself.

Note to self, vessels between this spot and the Iroquois Locks will disappear from sight as the channel zig-zags behind the next point upriver.















Expecting to see one more downbound vessel, headed upriver until I encountered the green-hulled SUNDA just a few kilometers from the Iroquois Locks.

The Old Highway 2 runs along Lakeshore Drive, sometimes making a brief appearance on land before disappearing beneath the water. This small patch of Old Highway 2 becomes a popular resting place for waterfowl.











Good visibility but relatively poor lighting, most of the snapshots did not reveal the cool-looking green paint on this vessel.

Seen a number of these Liberian-flagged vessels transiting the Seaway.

Owned by NAVARONE MARINE ENTERPRISE, most of the ships have cool-sounding names, consisting of a single word.

A better look at the green paint from Duncan Park.

Went to Upper Canada Village (just west of Ault Island) in the hopes of catching the ALGOMA INNOVATOR (destined for Gooderich). No such luck, as the vessel was delayed, and wouldn't be there until dark.




The port side anchor of the SUNDA was hanging from its' chain as she pulled right in behind the PAUL MARTIN before dropping her anchor. A rare treat to see two ships being anchored off the Island...
































































I half expected the upbound ALGOMA HANSA to also take up temporary residence here... The HANSA has been known to frequently stop at this location for crew rest. Checking the tracker after I got home, the ALGOMA HANSA (destined for Nanticoke) would continue upriver to transit the Iroquois Locks, followed by the PAUL MARTIN (destined for Superior).

Twelve hours later, it appears as if all three vessels (HANSA, PAUL MARTIN and the INNOVATOR) had cleared the Seaway System to the Gulf St. Lawrence, and entering Lake Ontario. The OAKGLEN (destined for Toronto) was trailing behind, passing through Brockville.