"White Hurricane"
November 7 to 10, 1913
"a blizzard with hurricane force winds"
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lakes_Storm_of_1913
The storm destroyed 19 ships, and stranded 19 others.
Ships that sank with their entire crew killed during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913:
ISAAC M. SCOTT (located 1976)
CHARLES S. PRICE (located 1913)
JOHN A. MCGEAN (located 1985)
ARGUS (located 1972)
HYDRUS (located 2015)
HENRY B. SMITH (located 2013)
JAMES CARRUTHERS
REGINA (located 1986)
WEXFORD (located 2000)
LEAFIELD
PLYMOUTH
LV-82 BUFFALO (located 1914)
The wrecks of three vessels have yet to be located; their exact location is unknown.
JAMES CARRTHERS (Lake Huron)
LEAFIELD (Lake Superior)
PLYMOUTH (Lake Michigan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBYOnvIFc8Y
The nasty November weather can also be attributed to a pair of other Great Lakes Shipwrecks:
CARL D. BRADLEY, lost on Lake Michigan November 18th, 1958.
And of course the EDMUND FITZGERALD lost on Lake Superior on November 10th, 1975.
Nov 7, 2022
Great Lakes Storm of 1913
Seaway Traffic (BRANT, ALGOMA TRANSPORT)
ALGOMA TRANSPORT was anchored at Wilson Hill.
ALGOMA HARVESTER and AZORESBORG (both expected downbound) have been delayed.
The only vessel on the move was saltie BRANT.
Got to the river, no sign of any ships...
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| Fall day at the river, even the water looks cold... |
Scanned upriver with the binoculars, and nothing.
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| Love the blue green color... |
A fairly windy day, winds gusting from 30-40km.
The water was moving fast - But no white caps when I arrived.
A shift in the wind, and the water would get choppier from time to time.
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| Jagged little ripples... |
Less than ten minutes later, finally caught a glimpse of BRANT weaving through the islands.
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| BRANT passing the Murphy Islands |
When she got close, could hear the loud rumble of that engine!
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| Big green saltie |
Just love this angle and the view upriver.
A bit of grit with lots of atmosphere.
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| The mighty St. Lawrence River... |
BRANT disappearing off the horizon, and the JACKMAN still anchored at Prescott.
Decided to head downriver and check on ALGOMA TRANSPORT.
The ALGOMA TRANSPORT was still at the anchorage when I got there...
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| Vessel at anchor... |
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| Minutes later she began to move, heading into the channel. |
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| ALGOMA TRANSPORT traveling upriver past the yellow anchorage buoy. |
Passing the big marker at Weaver Shoal.
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| The 1978 built ALGOMA TRANSPORT (former CANADIAN TRANSPORT of the now-defunct Upper Lakes Shipping Fleet) |
The ALGOMA TRANSPORT was originally expected to transit this part of the river in the morning...
Worked out in my favor, with another chance to see of one of the oldest vessels on the Seaway.
Regrettably, I elected not to follow the ship upriver for a closer look.
One of my digital devices was still running on "fast time" - Incorrectly assumed the sun would be setting within the hour, and still had things to do. (Had assumed that all these toys updated themselves automatically...)
In reality, there were nearly two hours of sunlight left.
There would have been plenty of time.
Lesson learned for next time...
The JACKMAN had been scheduled to transit the Iroquois Lock in the early afternoon, but she anchored in Prescott. By 6pm the JACKMAN was on the move, continuing downriver towards Iroquois.
Seaway Early AM Traffic...
6AM
The following vessels are expected to travel downbound on the Seaway.
They have yet to transit the Welland Canal:
ALGOSCOTIA currently moored on Lake Erie. Will eventually be traveling downriver to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
CSL ASSINIBOINE is on Lake Erie, approaching the Welland Canal, destined for Quebec City.
EVANS SPIRIT is on Lake Erie, traveling at 13.3 knots destined for Port Cartier, Quebec.
KAMINISTIQUA is traveling on Lake Huron, destined for Port Cartier, Quebec.
Nov 6, 2022
Seaway Early AM Traffic...
November 6
4:58AM
G3 MARQUIS remains at Johnstown
ALGOMA CONVEYOR has crossed Lake Ontario, downbound passing the town of Cardinal.
OSOGOVO has cleared the Eisenhower Lock, upbound and entering the Wiley-Dondero Canal.
AIS destination possibly out-dated, listed as CA MTR (Montreal?).
BLAIR MCKEIL has cleared the Snell Lock, approaching Eisenhower and is also upbound destined for Johnstown.
Saltie GARDNO is approaching the Snell Lock, upbound destined for Port Weller.
PAUL A DESGAGNES is exiting the system upbound, heading out onto Lake Ontario.
November 6
9:15AM
FEDERAL RIDEAU is on Lake Ontario, travelling at 12.9 knots downbound and heading east for the Seaway, ultimately destined for Dublin, Ireland (anticipated arrival there on November 16, 2022).
ALGOMA HARVESTER is in the Welland Canal, destination Port Cartier, Quebec.
FEDERAL SHIMANTO is on Lake Erie, slowing to 1.1 knots as she approaches the Welland Canal, destined for
Montreal.
AZORESBORG is also approaching the Welland Canal, destination Montreal.
CAPTAIN HENRY JACKMAN, downbound and destined for Bay Comeau, Quebec. Still on Lake Erie heading into the Welland Canal.
JOHN D. LEITCH heading east, downbound and destined for OGDENSBERG is on the western end Lake Ontario travelling at 10.7 knots.
LEITCH is passing the westbound ALGOMA DISCOVERY travelling upbound, past the halfway point across Lake ONTARIO
PAUL A DESGAGNES is also travelling west, halfway across Lake Ontario
Previously upbound salties JUNO, MAMRY and MOTTLER have reached the Toronto area, all three vessels currently moored.
Nov 5, 2022
Seaway Evening Traffic...
November 5
8:32PM
ALGOMA DISCOVERY is upbound between Iroquois and Prescott, destined for Thunder Bay
PAUL A DESGAGNES is destined for Oakville, upbound transiting the Iroquois Lock
OSOGOVO of the Navi-Bulgar fleet is making another trip upbound on the Seaway at daybreak.
ALGOMA CONVEYOR has almost finished crossing Lake Ontario, making another trip downbound trip to Quebec City, and should appear on the Seaway during the daytime.
BLAIR MCKEIL is upbound
Saltie GARDNO is upbound
FEDERAL SHIMANTO is downbound
CAPTAIN HENRY JACKMAN is anchored on Lake Erie. Will cross Lake Ontario, destined for Baie Comeau, Quebec.
ALGOMA TRANSPORT will also be returning upriver. Still moored in Quebec City, destined for Port Colborne.
JOHN D. LEITCH is downbound and destined for Ogdensberg.
MANITOULIN is eastbound on Lake Ontario destined for Port Cartier, Quebec.
Seaway Evening & Early AM Passages...
Elected to stay off the river today, with a combination of high wind and few vessels to see - Most of them will transit in the dark.
Evening Passages November 4, 2022:
RADCLIFFE R. LATIMER, ALGOSEA, ALGOMA NIAGARA all downbound
Early AM Passages November 5, 2022:
SPRUCEGLEN and HARBOUR EXPRESS are downbound, while green-hulled saltwater vessel MOTTLER is upbound.
TIM S. DOOL was the only vessel scheduled during daylight hours - And the downbound vessel has since been delayed until late afternoon.
Tanker SUSANA S is also expected downbound in the late morning.
ALGOMA DISCOVERY is now upbound, set to arrive before nightfall.
Nov 4, 2022
Seaway Traffic (ALGONORTH, FEDERAL KUSHIRO, MAMRY, BBC KWIATKOWSKI, CSL WELLAND)
Didn't expect to see ALGONORTH today...
Many times, she's been at the anchorage when I check the AIS map, only to disappear upriver by the time I arrive. Managed to catch the red tanker returning upriver after she departed the anchorage at Wilson Hill.
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| ALGONORTH at sunrise |
Despite being a frequent Seaway vessel, I simply did not have any
memorable photos of ALGONORTH in my collection. Managed to snag a couple
of them today just because I was on the water before sunrise.
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| ALGONORTH along side Canadian Geese |
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| Her profile... |
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| Stern quarter... |
Was just out there having fun - assumed she's already passed by, but was thrilled to catch her.
It\s the second consecutive morning where my favorite photos are of the very first ship.
From relaxed and calm, to frantic and choppy...
The winds have picked up just a few hours later when FEDERAL KUSHIRO was spotted on the horizon.
White caps on a windy day as FEDERAL KUSHIRO is downbound on the St. Lawrence River.
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| FEDERAL KUSHIRO approaches |
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| Profile view of FEDERAL KUSHIRO. Her sisterships include FEDERAL YOSHINO and FEDERAL SHIMANTO. |
Heading down the St. Lawrence River and eventually the Atlantic Ocean
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| FEDERAL KUSHIRO downbound |
Actually my first time seeing 2005-built FEDERAL KUSHIRO - But her profile and "K" name caused me to confuse her with the 2004-built FEDERAL KATSURA (which I had coincidentally saw upbound last week).
The downbound FEDERAL KUSHIRO meets the upbound Polsteam vessel MAMRY
just west of Cat Island Shoal.
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| Vessels meeting in the distance |
MAMRY makes her first Seaway appearance of 2022 with a spiffy new paint job.
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| Capturing some of the bright blue paint... |
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| Her old paint scheme |
Coincidentally, MAMRY was also upbound on November 4 of last year (returning downbound on November 20).
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| MAMRY upbound November 4, 2022 |
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| Her silhouette from the beach |
BBC KWIATKOWSKI
Not completely sure how to pronounce this one
Haven't seen as many of these blue BBC crane ships this season compared to last...
Of course, that's just in what I've seen.
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| My favorite channel... The Seaway. |
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| Upbound with a cargo of wind turbine blades |
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| Always fascinated by the ocean-going crane vessels |
I still find the tall, thin superstructure to be remarkably narrow from this angle.
Must examine my photos of other BBC vessels...
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| Broadside view of the crane ship |
Wasn't sure if I'd see CSL WELLAND
Just about to leave when I spotted the superstructure through the trees...
(bit of a deja-vu from yesterday morning when I spotted her sistership...)
Returned to the River's edge to appreciate the awesomeness of a vessel just before sunset.
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| The setting sun casts pretty colors on the WELLAND |
The forward part of the CSL WELLAND superstructure features a "colossal mural" to capture the spirit of the Canada Games 2022, taking place in the Niagara region.
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| Decent side view of the vessel |
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| The 2015-built CSL WELLAND |
Another "perfect" day by the river.
ALGONORTH
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| ALGONORTH upbound on November 4, 2022 |
This is why I get up at 4AM...
To watch the world wake up is always a bit surreal.
By the river, it's downright magical.
The pink of the sky, the blue of the water...
And the red hull of ALGONORTH just minutes after sunrise.
Seaway Early AM Passages
ALGONORTH is anchored at Wilson Hill, just off Ault Island.
G3 MARQUIS is approaching the anchored ALGONORTH, with G3 MARQUIS headed for Johnstown where she'll wait at the Prescott anchorage.
MIENA DESGAGNES would also spend the day at Johnstown. Transiting upriver in the early morning hours, and returning back downriver before midnight.