• Friday-What'sUP March 29 - 04:51 pm

Today we have a plethora of photos that will feed the "boatnerd" in all of us. Three different contributors supply the photos and since we have had none in the past two months, I figured you all deserved the treat of all of them that I had received, so here goes...

The first two photos come to us from a new contributor, Keith Baker, who is actually a wheelsman on the SS Cason J. Callaway. What a treat to have photos from right on board the vessel as it is underway. Well, maybe not exactly "underway", as they were stuck in the ice near Whitefish Bay in these photos. You can see in his second shot, the track that was opened for them, but which had closed up already. They ended up having the US Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw right off their bow, to break them free. So even though the shipping season is open, it's certainly not easy-going for the boats on Lake Superior just yet.
Thanks for the glimpse of being on board the Callaway, Keith!

The next set of four photos are from one of our "regular" boat watcher/contributors, Rod Burdick. He captured the first ore boat of the season in Marquette Upper Harbor, the Manitowoc, as she was stuck in heavy ice. Rod said the vessel went backward and forward repeatedly, to free herself. Neat to see both perspectives of being stuck in the ice...from the shoreline and from onboard.
Rod's next two photos are of the US Coast Guard Cutter, Biscayne Bay, secured at Mattson Lower Harbor Park after ice breaking operations on Lake Superior.
And the last shot from Rod, is the 1,000 foot Mesabi Miner, arriving in the Upper Harbor with a load of coal.

The final photo is from Mike Schneider, another regular contributor of freighter and numerous other great photos. Mike was able to snap a shot of the same boat as in Rod's last photo, the Mesabi Miner, as she was tied up at Marquette's Upper Harbor ore dock. If you look closely, those little black shapes between the camera and the freighter, are actually people out there in their boats, fishing. I'm guessing you have to dress pretty warm to be out on the water this time of year.

Again, thanks to Keith, Rod and Mike, for fulfilling our need for a "freighter fix"!

great pictures today.;O)

Fantastic...especially the first photo.

Awesome, awesome pictures! Love them! Welcome Keith! I sure hope you send more pictures aboard! And as always Rod and Mike, your pictures are always a treat for me as well! Again, great pictures today for my laker fix!

Thank you Keith, Rod, and Mike. Being an old boatnerd, it's always refreshing to see the 'boats' on the move once again!

Great seeing these freighters out there! Welcome, spring.....any time now :-)

Great photos! Thanks to all photographers.

Hey, Keith, hope you get a chance to get the Callaway down toward Muskegon sometime soon. I start to go crazy waiting to see the first lake boat after the Sault opens.

W O W Look At that ice....and those pictures big thanks to keith,rod and mike ..certainly looks like keith has his hands full with all that ice to contend with..wow.since were on the subject of freighters were do they dock in the off season???doe:s any one know

Really cool pictures!

The Cason J Calloway spent winter at Bay
Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay along with the Paul R
Tregurtha, Phillip R Clarke, Hon. James Oberstar,
Edgar P Speer, Walter J McCarthy, James R Barker,
Joseph L Block, Wilfred Sykes, and the Buffalo.

Welcome to the PastyCam Keith!! What a treat it will be to have a new perspective of shipping on the Great Lakes from you.

Love these photos! Can't wait to feel the lake breeze in my hair as we chase freighters on the Isle Royale Queen this summer!

Great pictures! Always loved seeing all the boat pictures on here from Rod, Mike and many others and love Keith's pictures. Check out Keith's site for lots of great pictures and videos. It's especially interesting seeing pictures of the inside of the boats.

Also, "like" Keith's FaceBook page for more awesome pictures! Almost as good as sailing along with Keith!

Welcome aboard, Keith!! Fantastic photos, guys!

I agree with all of the above, Keith...great photos! My favorite freighter is Callaway's sister ship, Roger Blough...magnificent boat!

Amazing photos today!!!!

Great photos guys! That first one is a real attention grabber! Hey, Keith, if you ever need someone to hold the wheel or as your backup camera dude, let me know! That would be awesome.