• Monday-What'sUP October 15 - 12:46 pm

Henry Sakari was in the right place at the right time once again, so he was able to snap some photos of the John D. Leitch arriving on the Portage Canal this past week. That makes two freighters passing through between Houghton and Hancock in less than a month. Such excitement for the "boat nerd" in all of us.

Henry was just coming back to work after lunch and was greeted by this 730 foot boat, which was carrying the winter load of salt for the Keweenaw area. Quite the imposing site as it gets closer and closer, according to Henry. I can just imagine how big it looks in person and passing by on the narrow Portage Canal.

Thanks for capturing and sharing this with us all, Henry!

Now that is a BIG boat!!! I really enjoyed the photos today! I do not particularly enjoy
sitting in traffic waiting for the bridge to go up and down to let the big boats pass by.......but then again--it gives one time to relax and enjoy the scenery a bit.

Looks like Johnny could use a paint job ! Nice photos!

Always so cool to see them!

Hello
My mom & I were at our cabin near Cheboygan last weekend, which has Lake Huron frontage. We saw more ship traffic than we'd seen in the summer, including an Algoma ship heading up towards the Mackinac Bridge. It looked to us like the ship traffic was closer to our ahore and farther from Bois Blanc and Poe reef. Maybe something to do with lower water levels?

Speaking of the Mackinac Bridge, we did a very brief color tour of the eastern UP.

The John D. Leitch's super structure has always reminded me of an apartment building.
Thanks for the views, Henry.

Not the nicest looking freighter on the lakes but the delivery of salt will sure make for easier driving this winter.

Wow, two ships in a months time, not like in "olden days" when they were almost a daily occurance in the Portage and Torch Lakes.

You're right, Eddyfitz ~ a big change has transpired just since I became a Boatnerd 13 years ago. So sad.

Now I know where the term RUST BUCKET comes from. Hauling salt as a cargo is really hard on the ship. Or is it BOAT? I defenitely not a nautical person.

James, I'm not quite sure when the term "boatnerd" originated ~ it already existed when I 'arrived on the scene'. We all recognize that they are ships but someone once said that "Shipnerd" didn't have a 'ring' to it.;>

Thanks for showing us the freighter on the Portage carrying salt for the Keweenaw's winter. Was this all of the salt for this year? I think last year, or at least one recent year, the salt came in on two different freighters?