• Friday-What'sUP August 1 - 05:37 pm

Rod Burdick recently sent me these photos, along with some background information on the featured boats, the Canadian Leader and the Algocape. These freighters are known as Canadian bulkers and on this trip into Marquette's Upper Harbor, they were both being loaded with taconite. In the top photo you can see the taconite dust rising as it's loaded in through the hatches of the Canadian Leader. Rod had this to say about these vessels:

"Marquette's ore dock rarely loads straight-deck lakers, as most cargoes are handled by self-unloaders. Straight-Deck lakers were common in Marquette until the shift to self-unloaders in the 1980's. The Canadian Leader and Algocape load taconite for Quebec City on the St. Lawrence Seaway. Quebec City has large unloading bridges to unload straight-deck lakers such as these two. The taconite cargoes being loaded into these two freighters will be eventually loaded into salt water vessels for transshipment overseas."

Programming note:

If you received a "Server Not Found" message earlier when browsing to the Pasty Cam, it was due to a four-state fiber outage overnight that interrupted Internet service to the upper midwest. If you are reading this, service obviously has been restored.

Very interesting thanks Rod!

TGIF!!

Hi
Those are what I call a classic style of laker. I always like seeing them pass in front of our cabin on Lake Huron. I haven't been able to get up there much this summer (yikes! it's August already!), so thanks for giving me a fix.

Thankyou for the laker pictures featured today! How about some more stories from pasty cammers about their true life sailing days aboard these boats! I enjoy these boats so much, made my day!

Morning all and thanks for the pictures at the Marquette ore dock..Is ironic that just yesterday I posted the following on WWW.BOATNERD.COM.
>
I also wrote some of my experiences at the following site... http://www.boatnerd.com/fitz/firstseason.htm

Pardon my entry mistakes or any repeats I may have made. In days of yore it got many young kids like myself out of small town America (Hubbell). In the first year I had visited and went "up town" in 44 ports in the U.S. and Canada.There was no TV at that time so one had to read pocket books and rely on the evening poker game for entertainment. A good experience but not one I would liked to have had for a whole lifetime of raising children as you miss the little league and the ballet recitals

Is is just me or is that boat very high in the water? Are the lake levels still way down?

The boat is high in the water because it's empty, about to start loading. I always enjoy seeing the old straight deckers, not many of them left anymore.

I just heard on the news that the Lake Superior level is 16" above this time last year and within 4" of its all time average. That's quite a difference!

At our dock in Copper Harbor, the lake is up a full 28" from its lowest point last year. Amazing turnaround.

Speaking of Great Lakes shipping, I found this on the CNN web site. Fascinating video of the rescue airlift from the S/S American Valor off Manitou Island, shot and produced by crew member (oiler) Ed Spicuzza.


http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-54591

I was in the Soo last weekend. I was able to get some great shots of another ship without a self unlader..The Ryerson, great to see her back on the lakes after a 9 year layup and near scrapping.. It's the most beautiful boat on the lakes.

Caught it at 6 mile point and again at mission point. I'll try to get them uploaded as soon as AT&T stops messing with my dsl at home ;-)