Seaway Traffic (HARBOUR FEATURE, BBC ARKHANGELSK, KAMINISTIQUA)

A regular vessel on the Seaway, the red tanker HARBOUR FEATURE is downbound,

BBC ARKHANGELSK upbound

Caught the KAMINISTIQUA before the end of the day.

A red ship, a blue ship, and a classic ship.
Plus, two stops at the train tracks.
Enjoying a simple life, and a "perfect day".

Seaway Traffic (HEERENGRACHT, BRANT, ALGOMA CONVEYOR, IVER BRIGHT)

HEERENGRACHT of Amsterdam, upbound.
Shipping containers visible on the deck... As well as yachts and (at least) one sailboat.

 

The sunlight did not allow me to properly capture the green hulled BRANT.
Still got the crashing waves and bright red buoy.

An hour and a half later, the sun was at the perfect angle to capture the blue hull of the ALGOMA CONVEYOR.
It was just the second time I'd seen this ship (have since seen her several times this season).

Tanker IVER BRIGHT downbound a few hours later.

A note to my future self, for capturing the best colors on the hull of a passing ship, the angle was best nearing 4pm on this date.

Red-winged Blackbird, preparing to land.

Presumably a Canada Goose nest.

FEDERAL ASAHI

 

FEDERAL CHAMPLAIN

FEDERAL CHAMPLAIN downbound on the St. Lawrence River

SOPHIA

SOPHIA is downbound for Montreal after clearing the Iroquois Lock

Got to the river just in time to catch a bright red ship on a dull grey day.

SOPHIA had just cleared the Iroquois Locks.

Didn't have time to wait for next ship, but was able to catch a glimpse of the upbound ALGOMA SAULT at a distance.

CHESTNUT

CHESTNUT upbound on the St. Lawrence River, approaching Ogden Island

Got to catch my first ship of the new season...

FedNav's NUNAVIK and the Northwest Passage

After reading about the fabled "Northwest Passage" in the Canadian Arctic, the weather here in the southern part of the country seems downright tropical.

In 2014, FedNav vessel NUNAVIK became one of the first modern vessels to successfully navigate the passage.

A load of nickel concentrate was delivered to northern China. (the last commercial vessel being the ice-breaking tug KALVIK in 1986)

Found it interesting to read NUNAVIK's LOG BOOK.
https://www.fednav.com/en/voyage-nunavik

Two members of the crew share their journal entries;
Gary Bishop, Chief Engineer, MV NUNAVIK
Tim Keane, Senior Manager, Arctic Operations and Projects.






A fascinating journey, which even briefly mentions the recently discovered wreck(s) of the Franklin Expedition (lost for over 100 years).

Sir John Franklin was knighted after successfully mapping a large portion of previously uncharted Arctic coastline... He would set out with another expedition in 1845, never to be seen alive again.

Franklin was in command of two Royal Navy vessels, The HMS EREBUS and HMS TERROR. These two warships found themselves trapped in ice, and remained missing until their respective discoveries in 2014 and 2016.

The Lost Franklin Expedition (20:17)
by Maritime Horrors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfRSVIDbSdw


History Buffs: The Terror (34:53)
by History Buffs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTgmCf82s3U


The Mystery of the Lost Franklin Expedition (25:38)
by LateNightStories
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw7KbZNZzkE


Arctic Tomb (Franklin expedition documentary) (107:25)
by Willian Greenwell (History Channel)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j94t4tN1w0


Article detailing the brief history of the Erebus and Terror:
https://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/History/antarctic_ships/erebus_terror_Franklin.php

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