Great lake boats, a good video

[MossRoad]

I was under the impression that Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are at the same level always. So wouldn't lake Huron be having high levels as well? How about Superior. As it it higher than Michigan and Huron (hence the need for the locks), anything draining into Superior will find its way to Michigan and Huron. So record precipitation in lower Ontario will eventually effect 1400 miles of coastline in Lake Michigan and another 1850 miles in Huron. And that almost doubles if you include the coastlines of the islands in both lakes....

That's a lot of coastline.

 

[Rara Avis]

We live on the south shore of Lake Superior and enjoy the work boats and have friends who work on them etc, etc. In fact I love most machines like these working boats. Here is a nice video a fellow made of shipping on the St Marys and along north shore of Lake Michigan. We call that lake "the southern, shallow pond". Maybe some people here like this stuff?

Shipping on the Great Lakes... A Bird's Eye View, Summer 215, Part 1 - YouTube

You need to have a home like Benson Ford Shiphouse...


Backstory below...
Benson Ford

 

[ArlyA]

Moss, you are correct and I'm uncertain why just lake Michigan was mentioned. Lake Superior is about 20ft higher than Michigan and Huron.

I was under the impression that Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are at the same level always. So wouldn't lake Huron be having high levels as well? How about Superior. As it it higher than Michigan and Huron (hence the need for the locks), anything draining into Superior will find its way to Michigan and Huron. So record precipitation in lower Ontario will eventually effect 1400 miles of coastline in Lake Michigan and another 1850 miles in Huron. And that almost doubles if you include the coastlines of the islands in both lakes....

That's a lot of coastline.

 

[ArlyA]

We send to much $$$ keeping this darn place up. Now you want us in that boat like thing?? :laughing:

You need to have a home like Benson Ford Shiphouse...
View attachment 519097
View attachment 519098
Backstory below...
Benson Ford

 

[sailfast]

We send to much $$$ keeping this darn place up. Now you want us in that boat like thing?? :laughing:

Been inside that thing. Condensation is a huge problem nearly year round, it is entirely impractical.

 

[ArlyA]

From Boatnerd.com This is happening because the lakes are so darn full.

Edwin H. Gott breaks recent Soo Locks tonnage record

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9/9 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Another record has been shattered. The Edwin H. Gott, with a load of 73,940 tons of iron ore, broke the all-time record for a single passage at the Soo Locks on Sept. 6th. The previous record was set in July by her fleetmate Edgar B. Speer with 73,875 tons.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District

 

[ArlyA]

Now the American Integrity has broken the tonnage record with nearly 30 feet of draft. That's some water! All shipping numbers on the lakes will be up this summer. Exception might be coal is down some. Below was taken off of Boatnerd

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American Integrity breaks Soo Locks iron ore record

9/26 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 2017 is a year for smashing records at the Soo Locks. Sunday the American Integrity broke the all-time record for the largest load through the locks with 75,095 tons of iron ore, beating the record held for the last two weeks by the Edwin H. Gott. She was loaded to a draft of 29'7" on her way to Indiana Harbor.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District

 

[MossRoad]

You just don't think of Indiana being a destination for large ships....

 

[ArlyA]

From Boatnerd. Our shipping friend told us that many iron pellets are going to steel makers in other nations. The below posting confirms that.

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Another strong month for iron ore shipments

9/30 - Duluth, Minn. Taconite shipping had another great month in August thanks to global trade and a robust regional economy.

"U.S. iron ore exports to Asia continue at a brisk pace," Bruce Burrows, president of the Chamber of Marine Commerce, said in a statement. "Given current North American economic conditions, we're optimistic that Seaway cargo levels will top last year's performance."

Iron ore shipments are well above their five-year average and are on pace to match if not beat highs not seen since 2012. The Twin Ports contributed 2.2 million tons of ore in August, according to data from the Lake Carriers' Association, with Two Harbors shipping 1.9 million tons and Silver Bay sending about 915,000 tons.

Across the Great Lakes, iron ore shipments were up 10.1 percent over August 2016. Year to date shipments stand at 36.8 million tons at all ports along the St. Lawrence Seaway.

U.S. Steel restarting its Keetac plant and shipping to unspecified third-party customers, some on the other side of the world has helped pull the iron trade out of the slump it had in the past few years.

Other commodities have trended up as well, with coal having a slight resurgence from last year's low and limestone jumping above average for August.

Total shipments so far this year, according to the Lake Carriers' Association, are just off the five-year average at 50.4 million tons.

Duluth News Tribune

 

[ArlyA]

Re: Great lake boats, the Alder photos

I was heading to work this morning and found that the bridge the crosses the canal to Hancock MI was up. We reside in Houghton which is across a canal. Apparently the Alder was lifting buoys out and I sat there for some time and got a few photos. You can see some buoys laying on his deck.

Just a few fall boat photos from our humble little part of da great lakes.... Hope you like them.