Seaway Traffic (G3 MARQUIS, ALGOMA CONVEYOR, ALGOMA EQUINOX, HELENA G)

Bass boats racing across the water again in the morning...
Approximately 7.24 AM
The exact same time as yesterday...

Very calm and glassy to start the day....

Wind was supposed to be gently out of the south all day, but towards the end of the day it seemed to shift to be coming from the east.

Water level was still way down, just slightly higher than it was yesterday.

Saw a loon in the morning...
It ducked under before I could get a snapshot.

Later on, watched an Osprey pluck a 2 pound bass from the shallows, after failing on its' first attempt.

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Just happened to notice the G3 MARQUIS is from "WINNIPEG".
Find it amusing because I'm not sure there's a way for this vessel (made in China) to actually reach Manitoba.

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The Marquis blasted several warning horns somewhere near Crysler Marina.
Fishing enthusiasts? Other pleasurecraft? Though the binoculars, the only thing I could see was a sailboat.



Surprise ship of the day was the ALGOMA CONVEYOR...

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Seems like I just saw her the other day (turns out that it was YESTERDAY - so many ships, it becomes a bit of a blur), possibly headed downriver. She wasn't on the list of vessels with an ETA at Eisenhower or Iroquois as of 4.00am when I checked before heading out. Possibly finished unloading near the Quebec border?

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From "1:29" to "1:52" when the ALGOMA CONVEYOR approached was able to appreciate her in her full glory. That's "only" 22 minutes! Keeping in mind they actually disappear behind the islands for several minutes.



Another timeframe comparison with the EQUINOX, first spotted on the horizon at 4:14, came within range at 4:40. That's "only" 25 minutes. Should take note how long they "disappear" behind Bradford point. The fact that a ship can be "invisible" for 3 whole minutes is enough time to be convinced that there isn't one on the way.

ALGOMA EQUINOX upbound

After seeing the shiny new paint jobs on the MARQUIS and CONVEYOR, the EQUINOX is looking pretty dull and rusty... Being the apparent "flagship" of the Equinox class, I pictured her to be a shiny example. Photos turned out cool though, looks like she has character. Just wish the name painted on the hull wasn't so rusty...





HELENA G making her way downriver shorty afterwards.

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Decent enough lighting for some intriguing snapshots (although it's hard to beat the one already in my collection from a few weeks ago, possibly when she was on her trip upriver).

Seaway Traffic (SPRUCEGLEN, MANDARIN, JULIE C, EVERLAST & NORMAN McLEOD, ALGOMA CONVEYOR, STRANDJA)

At sunrise a few Osprey arrived but decided not to stay.
They start fishing before the professional anglers do.
Saw them fishing periodically, often near the "shallows".

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Oldschool ship watching, with absolutely no schedule or idea of what's coming down the pipe (aka the channel)

Missed the downbound FEDERAL CHURCHILL and the upbound CSL ASSINIBOINE.
Both vessels transiting the system in the dark.


Checked everything I could see towards the western horizon...
Walked towards the east and back, and SPRUCEGLEN managed to surprise me from the west... Perhaps she was hidden behind an island when I scouted upriver? Or possibly snug against the shoreline...

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Next vessel was the upbound MANDARIN, of Canadian Forest Navigation (CanForNav).

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Saltwater crane ship JULIE C alerted me to her presence by blasting 5 short for "danger" as she was passing near Ault Island... Possibly one of the many fishermen competing in the Bass tournament (Aug 16-21).

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Tugboat EVERLAST went downriver, appearing to anchor just off Ault Island.

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Found an intact Canada Goose egg (unhatched) in the remnants of a nest, inland.

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Suddenly the ALGOMA CONVEYOR appeared, heading downriver. Possibly some of my best photos of the trip, just because of the ideal lighting at the time.

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Finally, saltie STRANDJA was downbound.

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Seaway Traffic (SUSANA S, CANADIAN EMPRESS, RT HON PAUL J MARTIN, ALGOMA HANSA)

Calm and cloudy to start the day...

Shortly after arriving at the water saw foreign tanker SUSANA S

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Lowest water level that I've seen this year.

CANADIAN EMPRESS

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RT HON PAUL J. MARTIN

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Bass Boats racing to the finish line as the PAUL MARTIN continues downriver.

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ALGOMA HANSA

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Possibly around midnight there was a loud vessel downbound that barely had any lights at all... For some reason, I assumed it was a barge. (AMY LYN D & BIG 546 weres were downbound around 11pm)

Saw another mystery ship, upbound. Sounded like it had an oldschool engine...
Also had a self-unloading boom, Possibly around 2AM.
(This would be the CSL ASSINIBOINE)

Such little wind.

Another "perfect" day by the river.

Waiting in the Weeds...

Glassy calm, exploring ruins of the Lost Villages.

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Northern Pike hiding in the weeds, possibly digesting.
The fish stayed motionless, enabling me to make a few passes.

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Seaway Traffic (WHITEFISH BAY, FEDERAL BEAUFORT, ISABELLE G)

This is why I get up at 4am...

WHITEFISH BAY with sea smoke and Sea Gulls

FEDERAL BEAUFORT downbound

Thought I heard a ship's horn salute, so I looked downriver to see an upbound saltie meeting the downbound FEDERAL BEAUFORT.

Vessels Meeting

The upbound ship was ISABELLE G
Lighting still not in my favor, but It still gets added it to my collection.

ISABELLE G upbound

Seaway Traffic (LAGERTHA, ALGOMA STRONGFIELD, CSL LAURENTIEN)

Early morning vessel passages that I missed included the ALGOMA EQUINOX and MAXIMA.

Really wanted to see the unique-looking saltwater ship with the forward pilothouse of MAXIMA. Hopefully our paths will cross during daylight hours.

Three more ships to be seen today, managed to catch 'em all.
Lots of glare and summer haze...

Glassy calm water, even in the shipping channel

First ship I caught was the 2009-built tanker LAGERTHA, downbound in the early morning.
Internationally, there are a dozen vessels named "LAGERTHA". This particular ship is registered under the flag of Malta. Apparently "Lagertha" is a legendary viking shield-maiden.

LEGERTHA, downbound

The ALGOMA STRONGFIELD caught me by surprise, so I didn't quite get the shot I wanted.

ALGOMA STRONGFIELD, downbound

Next up would be CSL LAURENTIEN (ex LOUIS R. DESMARAIS)
The last time one of these "rebuilt" CSL ships lumbered by, I could hear the "chug" of the engine from 5km away... Today the LAURENTIEN was audible from a much shorter distance, probably because of the wind going in the opposite direction.

The 1977-built CSL LAURENTIEN upbound

It's always a nice sight to see a vessel from 1977.
Ships from that era are becoming few and far between.



Happened to catch a train on the drive home...

One person's graffiti is another person's art

Ever-fascinated with brightly colored things that move.

CSL LAURENTIEN

CSL LAURENTIEN upbound on August 14, 2022

Built in 1977 as LOUIS R. DESMARAIS at Collingwood. During the winter of 2000-01 the vessel was lengthened at Port Weller Drydocks. She received a forebody replacement, and was the third vessel (of four) to be lengthened to the new "Seaway Max" size as part of CSL's "Fleet Renewal Program". Returned to service the following season as "CSL LAURENTIEN".

Seaway Traffic (ALGOMA HANSA, NACC ARGONAUT, THUNDER BAY, ALGOMA HARVESTER, FEDERAL LEDA, CCGS GRIFFON)

Starting a day at the River with a ship is never a bad thing...
No colors on the hull, but the silhouette looks neat.

At the River shortly after sunrise

ALGOMA HANSA upbound

Minutes later, the next ship would materialize...

NACC ARGONAUT downbound

Glad I checked the AIS map before I headed out, to notice that CSL's THUNDER BAY appeared to be anchored just off Ault Island. Not sure quite why she was there, but she eventually made her way upriver.

Kinda surprised me, because suddenly could see something huge through the trees and a huge wake of water being pushed by the bow.

THUNDER BAY upbound

ALGOMA HARVESTER finally appeared on the horizon, followed by FEDERAL LEDA

ALGOMA HARVESTER approaches,
with FEDERAL LEDA in the distant background

Before she got to the island, the FEDERAL LEDA appeared, probably 45 minutes behind her.


While awaiting the HARVESTER, seconds after I shut off my camera -  a Bald Eagle swooped right in front of me... Under ideal lighting, that would have been a great snapshot.

ALGOMA HARVESTER downbound

Lighting was still good catch the LEDA.

FEDERAL LEDA downbound

Surprise vessel of the day, downbound Coast Guard vessel GRIFFON. The 1970-built GRIFFON had the loudest ship engine I've heard all day.

CCGS GRIFFON downbound

Seaway Traffic (IRDYA, JANIS, FAGELGRACHT, HINCH SPIRIT, ATLANTIC SPIRIT)

Another day where I get to see a couple of ships passing...

Downbound Polsteam vessel IRYDA meets the upbound JANIS destined for Oswego.

Also got to see FAGELGRACHT on her return trip downbound...
Riding high in the water, she looks so tall and narrow.
(Apparently her beam is 19 meters or 62.3 feet)

FAGELGRACHT downbound

Just happened to have seen FAGELGRACHT upbound a couple weeks ago.
She ended up in Duluth, Superior as I just happened to catch her arriving to a beautiful sunrise on the Duluth Harbor Cam.





Next vessel was HINCH SPIRIT travelling upbound, with FAGELGRACHT slowly disappearing in the background.

HINCH SPIRIT upbound

Got to see another McKiel vessel, with the ATLANTIC SPIRIT downbound.

ATLANTIC SPIRIT downbound

Caught her upbound three days ago.

Overall, visibility was good.
Looking 15-20 miles downriver with islands in the background...
Sunlight just happens to pick up the red paint on the channel markers.

Spectacular view looking downriver