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.

Shoals on the St. Lawrence (Marking Long Sault to Ingleside)

Rocks in the middle of the river,
southeast of Long Sault Parkway

A number of shoals exist on the St. Lawrence River, making the waterway particularly challenging to navigate.

Seems as if someone has placed approximately 20 of these orange markers from Long Sault to Ingleside.

Each has an orange triangle with a black stencilled number. The digits begin in the east and progress west.

Huge rock pile, evidence of something man-made...

The first shoal I noticed was southeast of the Long Sault Parkway, approximately one kilometer south of Moulinette Island, Long Sault.

I've dubbed it "Sheek Island Shoal". Old maps seem to indicate that this was once part of Sheek Island.

I now believe this huge pile of rocks to be the remains of the "Sheek Island Dam" that would have been located in this area.












I'll have to re-visit the Long Sault Parkway to confirm, but the next marker  may be just off Royal Baker Island where a section of Old Highway 2 emerges as a hazard.

South of Farran Park Campground

Some of these orange markers indicate treacherous rocks that can be hidden below the water...

Other markers appear to be placed on small islands.

Bredin Island

Marker number 15 at Bredin Island, just south of Ingleside.

Marker 17, just north of Old Highway 2

Another exists southwest of the Parkway, near another section of Old Highway 2.

Huge rocks are dangerously close to the surface, often emerging when water levels are low. This is marker number 17.

Possible location of farm buildings and dwellings from the lost hamlet of Woodlands?

Standing on the unnamed island south of Farran Park

Directly south of the Farran Campground is an unamed island, that everybody and their dog visits in the summertime (literally).

Marker number 19 can be found here.

Looking north towards Farran Park Campground

The wooden markers are still relatively solid, some of them managing to survive for over a decade now.

It's neat to find them as part of this scavenger hunt - But sadly, some of them may not exist anymore...

Ice flowing downriver in the springtime is strong enough to move concrete blocks - A wooden sign post can only last so long.

During this leg of the "scavenger hunt", markers 16 and 18 appear to be MIA.

Remains of Farran's Point

The markers conclude somewhere around the ruins of Farran's Point (with marker number 20), west of Farran Park Campground (southwest of Ingleside).



Not sure if these orange signs were part of a documentation or study, but I've always been curious.

It's only in one small section of the river, and they don't seem to be "official" (not installed by the government, Hydro or Seaway).

Hazard marker number 20, Farran's Point
Standing on Old Highway 2, looking towards the re-located County Road 2

The sign post of marker number 20 at Farran's Point has been broken.

Seems fellow explorers have propped it back up with rocks.

It may very well float away in the spring of 2022.

Mallard Ducks

Always see ducks on the river in the fall, have noticed even more Mallards this year...

Appears to be three males and one female in this group.

To The Point! (Farran's Point)

Venturing out to the ruins of Farran's Point in late November to see what I could see.

It's been a couple years since I explored these ruins just southeast of Ingleside.

Had been hoping to take another tour this fall, and got a nice break in the weather for a quick afternoon trip.
















The remains of huge tree stumps on either side of the old road.

Over six decades of weather and flowing water has smoothed and rounded the stumps,
but I still find it incredible that they're still here.

I feel the water level is higher than normal for this time of year...

A few years ago, practically everything was exposed - more than I had ever seen. Could even walk the old streets.

On this fall day some of the stuff that was exposed in late summer is now hidden underwater.














One of the biggest stretches of high ground of Farran's Point.

Ice forming inside of the point still hasn't melted by late afternoon.

This section is protected on the outside by the old highway - which is eroding further with each passing year.





















Looking down the old road, with Farran Park Campground straight up ahead on shore.































Broken pieces of old red brick, from buildings long gone...






















The highest ground in the old Farran's Point is solid enough to support a couple of trees.



























A good look at Farran's Point and the broken Old Highway 2.

In the distant background, visible buildings along the modern County Road 2.





















The shadows play a dramatic contrast here on the cracked edge of old highway.

As pieces of the road continue to break off into the river, more fresh black asphalt is exposed.



















Tree stump just barely visible above the water line.

Straight ahead on dry land, what looks like an orange island is where Farran Point Road emerges from the water and meets the bike path (former CN Railway bed) and proceeds towards the current County Road 2.



















Looking back at Farran's Point from the modern day Farran Park Campground.



























Plaque located at Farran Park, indicating that the village of Farran's Point was "located one half mile southwest of here".




















Pieces of the same red brick half a mile away...

Presumably moved by the spring ice, all the way from Farran's Point to the edge of Farran Campground.





























Sun setting over Farran Campground (and what's left of Farran's Point).






















Return trip was beautiful on the water.

Spotted some large white buoyant objects ahead, which turned out to be a pair of waterfowl...

Could not get close enough to them to discern if they were geese or swans...

They were fairly big - seemed too big to be geese. Through the binoculars, I'm sure I spotted some orange and black, so I'm leaning towards them being swans...