• Wednesday-What'sUP June 24 - 03:55 pm

Danielle Adams is definitely fascinated by freighters and because of that, she has made some friends in places that can help her get close up and personal with the unloading the cargo of these big boats. Recently the Joyce L Van Enkevort/Great Lakes Trader combination tug/barge were at the Lower Harbor dock in Marquette and since Danielle knows one of the guys who works on them, he took her through the gates of the south power plant so she could get some close up photos.

She was able to be right there on the dock, watching the stone dropping from the shoot making the pile on the pile larger and larger. It sure is great that Danielle enjoys sharing her adventures with those of us that don't have the connections at the docks that she does.

Love Danielle's pictures! Thanks for your
interest in these boats, Danielle!

Thanks, Danielle, for sharing your adventure.
Those tug/barge combinations are fascinating but I don't think I'd want to sail on one of those tugs on the Big Lake! :-/

That is a one long wessel, as Chekov would say.

Very cool pictures! I love the big freighters, as most people do. Nice to have an 'inside track' to snap a few awesome photos.

Hi
The first time I saw what appeared to be a freighter without an engine, powered by a tug, I called it a zombie ship---dead, to it's former life as a ship, but still moving.

From an engineering viewpoint, very impressive and efficient. From an esthetics viewpoint, really really ugly. Much prefer the straight deckers. But thanks for the pictures and good to see the traffic on the lakes.

My first reaction was that the Joyce L Van
Enkevort would be under powered but looks are
deceiving. She actually has more HP and higher
top speed than most Lakers of comparable hauling
ability.

I'm used to watching the tugs on the Mississippi
River. Here they're called tow boats even though
they push. Most only have one half the power of
the Joyce L Van Enkevort, although there are some
big ones south of St Louis that are about the
same. No tall bridge tower though.

Thanks :)

It was a boatnerds dream to get through the gates and not be
asked why I'm taking photos! The guard working the gate was
really cool and down to earth. He thought it was neat that I
have a vested interest/devotion to the boats.