Thursday, June 25, 2009

Back at the Cabin

Many thanks to Bill K. for keeping us up-to-date on the boats this week. I'm back in a town for a few days and then I'm back on the road again. My summer seems to be working out like that.

As I toured the Copper County, I realize how important the Soo Locks were to the development of the mining industry up there. Each museum or historical spot that we stopped at, talked about how the mining industry was able to grow because of easier transportation of their goods due to the opening of the Soo Locks in 1855.

My husband and daughter keep watching for boats. Today they saw the American Century down and the Cason J. Calloway and John J. Boland up.

Since I've been home there has been the Canadian Progress and John B. Aird are both out front right going down.

Tomorrow is Engineer's Day at the Locks. It is a great day to get a close up view of the workings of the Locks and also a close-up view of the government buildings. They don't make them like that anymore.

4 comments:

Bill K. said...

Welcome home. Spent the day over at the Boat Nerd picnic. Nice bunch of people. Watched the Carson J Callaway down bound. Also saw the David Boyd a work tug for the Corp of Engineerss up bound. Saw the Charles M. Beeghly up bound around 3:30 PM. I would also like to pass along that the Locks Webcam have been reprogrammed and are functioning as they are suppose to. I watched 2 boats lock down bound at 9:15 tonight.
Glad to have you home safely.

Bill K. said...

wanted to add one other thing to the Boat Nerd picnic. The Beeghly gave a Captains Salute to the Boat Nerds as they lined the river bank. It can send a shiver up your spine. It was really a fun day

Bill K. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bill K. said...

for all you fans of the Boats...I found a great picture of the old William H Donner. The picture was taken shortly after she was converted to a Crane Boat. Really a beautiful boat in her day. She hasn't been on the river since the early 80's. She is tied up and being used for storage. She will probably end up like the old E M Ford (Presque Isle) which has been across the St Mary's River on the Canadian side since November, tied up to the Purvis Docks and being stripped and then sent for salvage.
I saw the Dutch Boat Maxima go though the locks up bound with a load of windmill parts. She is a pretty boat. They have her painted red and yellow upper structure and a grey hull.
Also spotted the AlgoCape down bound at the same time. The Boat Nerd group is still in town and having a good time. Glad to have them here.