• Thursday-What'sUP September 22 - 04:37 pm

It seems like there has been more than normal freighter traffic around here lately, but that might just be that I've been around Lake Superior a bit more in the past few weeks, so I'm seeing more boats sailing by. Not to mention the last three weeks receiving freighter photos from three different photographers, all with a different story to tell. I'm going to let Rod Burdick tell his own story to accompany his photos today, as he did a much better job than I could ever do.

Summer has flown by, so I thought I'd send along some shipping images from Marquette to let everyone know what's been happening here.
The most significant news from a busy summer at the Upper Harbor ore dock involves ore being shipped to Quebec City, Quebec, in 730 foot St. Lawrence Seaway size Canadian lakers. In Quebec City, the
unloaded ore from Marquette is eventually loaded back into salt water vessels for shipment overseas.

Cliffs global market now includes Marquette Range ore. Five different Canadian lakers, operated by Algoma Central Marine have loaded ore during the summer. They are as follows:

1 - John B. Aird, stern view from Presque Isle Park
2 - Capt. Henry Jackman arriving at the ore dock near sunset
3 - Algowood loading ore
4 - Algosoo waiting to load ore at sunrise
5 - Algocape, a laker without a self-unloader, viewed from the lakeshore

Life is like a car--the slower you go, the longer you last...But time to wake up! Good morning.

Thanks for the interesting story, Rod.

Wasn't John Aird a state policeman? Maybe spelled differently, I don't know. I know he and my dad were friends.

Anyway, love seeing freighter pictures, as always!!

Never get tired of pictures such as these freighters! Good to hear their traffic is up too!

Wonderful photos today! Two of my favorite things to do while in the UP ... watch vessels at the Upper Harbor in Marquette ... and visit Presque Isle Park. ;-)

(Posting this again...they are getting donations because of this! How incredible...near or far...we need our Pasty Peeps help with this! Thank you!)

HI all;

I wanted to let people know that there is a Friends of the Poor walk on Friday, Sept. 23, from 3-5 p.m., starting in Agassiz Park and going through Calumet. There will be a booth near the "Farmer's Market"....with refreshments. We are encouraging people to either consider walking and getting pledges, or contributing in any small way.
Our little conference makes home visits to area people that are struggling to pay some of their essential bills, such as heat, power, water, medical, food. We don't have a store, but do everything through volunteer service.

All monies received stays in our local conference. If you care to sponsor one of the walkers in this walk, that would be great. If you can't at this time, keep in mind that we are here, if you know people that may need some help.

Our address is:

Sts. Martha and Mary St. Vincent de Paul
P.O.B. 546
Calumet, MI 49913

For people needing help, call: 337-6424

We do have an email address: stsmmsvdp@att.net

Thanks Much.

rod... how does the algocape get unloaded once in quebec ? hulett unloaders ? these were common until the advent of the self-unloading.

search the youtube website for "hulett ore unloader " ( the pasty site will not allow me to paste in the URL that would take you directly to the youtube page )

the huletts were great mechanical devices that operated for nearly 80 years. the operators rode in the vertical arm just above the clamshell bucket. the images in the video were taken at cleveland, ohio.

And Deb...you are right...he was a State Trooper, and wasn't he a big "character" in that book "The Sweater Letters"?

Deb. Yes John was State Trooper here in Calumet. He was a really good person.

I know that shipping traffic was pretty low last week due to the strong winds and high seas. A friend who was supposed to be checking on some research moorings (postponed due to weather) said a lot of the lakers were holed up at Whitefish Bay to avoid it. They started rolling back into Duluth on Sunday, so I imagine they made it into Marquette a little sooner than that.

Thanks for clarifying the name B AIRD, I thought a letter fell off on the side of the boat.
Even wonder why there is no graffiti on ships?

Nice photos, Rod. I've been lucky enough to have seen all of those, except the Algosoo, at one time or another. Mostly on Lake Huron around Mackinaw City.

Alex, my guess is that it's hard to swim with a paint can in one's hand, and it's not possible to spraypaint through plexiglass. ;)

Super photos...and to think I used to ride side by side with the 1,000 footers with my little 15 boat with 70 hp Johnson motor on the St. Clair River. Fabulous environ. These ships came from all over the world on that river. Thanks for these pics!

Great series of pictures by Rob again. I have a few shots of ships in Marquette but nothing to compare to these today.
While I sailed on all 5 great lakes I was able to get into 44 different ports and we unloaded both by self-unloader and Hulletts in the lower lake ports.
While aboard the CRISPIN OGLEBAY we would often dive/swim off the fantail especially in Grand Haven and Toronto.
I did sail with a Capt Koski and Chief Engineer Makkinen from Yooper land and would assume they still have relatives in the area.

I like those Great Lakes freighters with the pilothouse at the bow.

As most folks that have spent any time in da UP, I too have spent some time watching the ore boats and other Great Lakes freighters, certainly near Marquette, but mostly passing the Keweenaw.

But on Saturday 9/10, after E. Neil Harri (Ilmayksi) posted the link to the boatnerd's Vessel Passage Maps, I spent quite a while studying the vessels that were moving on Superior at that rather late hour.

To my great surprise, there were no less than ten of 'em between the tip of the Keweenaw and Duluth (including one at Thunder bay); another five between Whitefish Point and the Huron Islands; and at least seven on the St. Mary's River and between Whitefish Bay and Lake Huron. I guess I never really appreciated the volume of shipping on ol' Superior! Wow!

That's a great map, by the way. It's just a wee nuisance the way it persists in popping up a vessel's data tag if your cursor just crosses over a vessel marker; I'd far prefer if it would just allow me to click on a particular vessel marker if I want to see that info!

That is a cool map. I wonder if the ships are tracked by satellite or are there a bunch of spotters with binoculars floating around in rowboats.

If you look at the lower right side of the map, there is a small menu of items. If you remove the check mark from the "popup window on mouse over", those boxes won't pop up.

Gordon Schmitt (Gordy):
"If you look at the lower right side of the map, there is a small menu of items. If you remove the check mark from the "popup window on mouse over", those boxes won't pop up."

Excellent, thanks for the tip!

Rowdy made me aware of the Boatnerd site. He also found out how they are tracked. There are wifi internet antennas located around the lake.
For instance, There is one on Mt Horace Greely, The old radar base.They must read their GPS systems.