Seaway Traffic (CCGS GABARUS BAY, CCGS ILE SAINT OURS, ATLANTIC HURON, CSL WELLAND, ALGOMA SAULT, CSL WELLAND, ALGOMA EQUINOX, FULDABORG)

(FEDERAL MONTREAL was unloading cargo at Johnstown)

Soon after hitting the water, caught a glimpse of a Coast Guard ship that I'd never seen before...


CCGS GABARUS BAY

Brand new vessel CCGS GABARUS BAY
downbound on her delivery trip to Saint John's, Newfoundland.

Read somewhere that GABARUS BAY was a "rescue lifeboat".




CCGS ILE SAINT OURS

Following closely astern was the more familiar vessel CCGS ILE SAINT OURS.

The ILE SAINT OURS was working the navigational aids, and seemed to head towards Ault Island. Couldn't tell if she was doing work there or just waiting at the anchorage before proceeding downriver.



ATLANTIC HURON
Destined for the salt dock at Morrisburg, managed to catch a glimpse of ATLANTIC HURON.
Saw the bow.... Then she disappeared from view.

High water levels combined with low wind enabled the downbound ship to dock without

A few hours later, I heard a salute...
Possibly CSL WELLAND blowing her horn while passing the salt dock where fleetmate ATLANTIC HURON was unloading.




ALGOMA SAULT
The first ship I'd get to see up close that day was the ALGOMA SAULT.

The 2018-built ALGOMA SAULT returning from Cote St. Catherines, Quebec....
En route to Indiana Harbour, USA. (Anticipated arrival there December 3)

Waves crashing ashore.

Got to see the upbound ALGOMA SAULT meet the downbound CSL WELLAND.

Another SeawayMax Meeting...

CSL WELLAND
Actually saw the CSL WELLAND downbound on my previous trip (Nov 15).
The vessel had returned upriver on November 19th, making another downbound trip today (Nov 29)

The 2014-built CSL WELLAND

The WELLAND sporting her new mural

CSL WELLAND downbound for Montreal.

ALGOMA EQUINOX

The 2013-built ALGOMA EQUINOX

Yet another encounter with the EQUINOX - And a few more neat pictures for my collection. Had just enough lighting to make it work.

The broad side...

Closeup of the bow.

Such a pretty boat - I mean ship!

For the second time that day, got to see a pair of ships meeting...

The upbound ALGOMA EQUINOX meeting the downbound FULDABORG.

The mighty EQUINOX is heading back upriver to the Great Lakes, while the smaller FULDABORG is returning downbound to cross the ocean.



FULDABORG

FULDABORG is downbound

Another encounter with a Wagenborg saltwater cargo ship... Seen many of them so far this year - But hadn't seen this one before.

FULDABORG, destined for Liverpool, United Kingdom.
They also made a stop at Montreal.

With darkness looming, was able to make it to the salt dock in time to catch a glimpse of ATLANTIC HURON before nightfall...

ATLANTIC HURON unloading salt.

Self-unloading boom in action.

Less than 12 hours later, ATLANTIC HURON had finished discharging her cargo and was on her way back upriver returning to the Great Lakes.

Seaway Traffic (CSL WELLAND, FEDERAL CARIBOU, ILE SAINT OURS, ALGOMA DISCOVERY, BBC SONG, GAIA DESGAGNES)

Halfway through the month - and I hadn't seen the same ship twice.
While it's neat to see a vessel making a return trip, it's more exciting to see something you've never seen before.

Saw a couple of familiar vessels today - plus a handful of "new" ones.


CSL WELLAND
First ship of the day...

Closer than I've ever been to the WELLAND to see the big colorful mural painted on her...
During daylight hours, anyway...

Can even see the NIAGARA 2022 logo.
One of the runners is a skeleton?

There's something about the square, boxy stern...
Practical, no doubt. But lacking the intriguing curves and contours of last century's lakers...

Upbound FEDERAL CARIBOU meets the downbound CSL WELLAND.

Watching the ships about to meet, I heard a noise coming from behind...

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship ILE SAINT OURS

ILE SAINT OURS downbound closely behind the WELLAND.

This little boat generated surprisingly big waves!

Three vessels in the frame - although you can barely see the tiny Coast Guard vessel.

The 2016-built FEDERAL CARIBOU upbound for Picton

The vessel appears to be traveling light.
Several crew could be seen along the railing, enjoying the relatively nice mid-November morning.

FEDERAL CARIBOU upbound

ALGOMA DISCOVERY
(formerly MALINSKA, DAVIKEN)

My first encounter with THE 1987-BUILT ALGOMA DISCOVERY, sistership to ALGOMA GUARDIAN.

The DISCOVERY has a yellow foremast (while the GUARDIAN sports a white foremast).

Also, the stack markings on the DISCOVERY didn't seem as faded...
The exhaust system looked rustier, however...

Passing my location, the ALGOMA DISCOVERY blew her horn...
No other boats on the water - And no people around for miles...

BBC SONG
Next up, was a little crane ship carrying a big load.

The 2017-built BBC SONG of Madeira, Portugal.
Transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway from China via the Panama Canal

BBC SONG upbound for Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Anticipated Arrival Nov 17, 2022 - Just two days after seeing her here.

First BBC vessel that I've seen to have deck cranes that aren't yellow...
Carrying big black tanks of some sort.

This little ship caused displaced a surprising amount of water as she passed by...

GAIA DESGAGNES

The tanker weaves her way through the islands.

Instead of water being pulled away as the ship passes, GAIA DESGAGNES seemed to push water up on the bank as she motored by... Unsure if it has anything to do with her "inverted" or "negative stem angle" to her bow.

A beautiful vessel

A perfect way to end the day...?

Just happened to spot CCGS ILE SAINT OURS on her return trip upriver, presumably to the Prescott Coast Guard Base.

The "trifecta" of daily ships - One each from CSL, FedNav and Algoma.
Plus, a crane ship, a tanker - and a Cost Guard vessel.

Another "perfect" day at the river.

Seaway Traffic (LEO A. MCARTHUR & JOHN J CARRICK, SEAWAY GUARDIAN, SPRUCEGLEN, ISABELLE G)

Was only expecting to see one ship on the day - SPRUCEGLEN, one of my favorite older ships...
Naturally, fingers crossed that a few more vessels would make it this way.

Based on the lock times, figured I would not see tugboat LEO A MCARTHUR.
Since a tug with a barge travels slower than regular ships, I was able to catch up with the rig.


LEO A. MCARTHUR & JOHN J CARRICK
Heading upriver, and was just able to catch up with the vessel(s)...
If only I had decided to head upriver five minutes sooner...

Engines roaring...

Either way, I'm convinced that LEO A MCARTHUR has the loudest engine on the Seaway...
(second place goes to CCGS GRIFFON)

Watching the waves crash...

Certainly wouldn't want the water to be like this every day - But it can be very meditative and therapeutic.





Around 1PM, spotted SPRUCEGLEN on the horizon.

Ship!

SEAWAY GUARDIAN
The "surprise" vessel of the day.
This vessel was on the list for yesterday, but never showed up.

Rough seas...

Downbound tug & barge.

Was actually checking the status of the upbound SPRUCEGLEN when this tug & barge surprised me.
Almost missed them (the engine was nowhere near as loud as LEO A. MCARTHUR).

Downbound SEAWAY GUARDIAN with an upbound vessel on the horizon...

SPRUCEGLEN

Pretty colors...

Caught SPRUCEGLEN upbound ten days ago (Oct 30).
Somehow, she managed to slip back downriver without me knowing about it...
At least I got to see her return trip in daylight.

The full length

Almost picture perfect...

Observed water being sprayed from the port-side anchor.
Possibly cleaning the anchor and chain?

Checked my photos from last time (when she departed the anchorage), and there it was!

After weighing anchor, cleaning of the anchor and chains would have been in order.
She must have once again found herself anchoring temporarily - Followed by the subsequent washing of the anchor gear.



Can see horizontal lines on the smokestack of SPRUCEGLEN...
Stripes she earned sailing for Misener Transportation.

The stern...

SPRUCEGLEN is the former SELKIRK SETTLER / FEDERAL ST LOUIS / FRASER.
She was the first of three sister ships, KAMINISTIQUA (SASKATCHEWAN PIONEER) being the "newest".

Two sisters remain active, following the retirement of BIRCHGLEN in 2015.
(BIRCHGLEN was the former CANADA MARQUIS / FEDERAL RICHELIEU / MACKENZIE)


Not as pretty as other SPRUCEGLEN images in my collection...
Visibility isn't perfect, but the waves make it interesting.

SPRUCEGLEN sails away...

Will that be all the shipwatching for the day?

Running out of daylight - And realizing that downbound saltie ISABELLE G would not reach me before dark,
I headed upriver to meet her.

ISABELLE G

The anchor - It be shiny!

2004-built ISABELLE G downbound for Port Cartier, Quebec

Nothing like seeing one of these beauties up close.

The mighty superstructure

ISABELLE G sailed as "EIDER" from 2004-2018.
Coincidentally, there is a 2010-built saltwater crane ship named EIDER (of Canadian Forest Navigation) currently in the Seaway System (and was upbound yesterday Nov 9). The vessel currently sailing as EIDER has a blue hull with white deck cranes.

The length of the entire vessel

Trying to capture the flag...
Windy enough - Just couldn't snap a shot of it flying full.

Yet another "perfect" day by the river.