Sault Boat Watcher

Asian Carp in the St. Marys River-Let's Hope Not!

2011-09-16T19:57:00.001-04:00

These photos were taken at the Masters Walleye Circuit Tournament held in Sault Ste. Marie on August 26-27th this summer. My husband and I had a great time volunteering at the tournament.

I had a very interesting meeting with Dr. Dan O'Keefe who is pictured in the 2nd photo holding an Asian Carp that is used for display. (It didn't come out of the St. Marys River)

Dan is with the Michigan Sea Grant SW District Extension Educator. Dr. O'Keefe explained many things about the Asian carp to me. To summarize what he said, Asian carp may indeed make their way to the St. Marys River but he predicts they won't thrive because of the cold temperatures. He thinks if they do reach the St. Marys River, they will never reach the numbers found in the Illinois River.

Dr. O'Keefe produces an interesting newsletter called West Michigan Angler News. You can link through here to read the newsletter.

The Grand Rapids Press ran an article today about an upcoming first Asian Carp regional coordinating Committee meeting to be held in Michigan. The meeting will be held Sept. 23 at Saginaw Valley Community College.

"Some Asian carp may grow to 4 feet in length and weigh up to 100 pounds. The fish could crowd out and deprive other species in the foot chain, critics fear. Silver carp, a variety of Asian carp, are known to jump as much as 10 feet out of the water at the sound of boat engines.

Committee members will detail strategies authorities have taken to monitor and harvest Asian carp, barriers constructed to prevent their movement into the lakes and biological controls, among other priorities."

The meeting will be webcast at https://www.mymeetings.com/tetratech/join. The conference number is: PG4559418 and the passcode is ASIAN CARP. To listen in to the meeting, dial 888-603-8914. For information, log onto http://asiancarp.org.

What do you think? Are you filling to get involved to prevent the ecological disaster of Asian carp coming to our precious waterway?

The Last Blooms of Summer

2011-09-02T07:58:00.001-04:00

My hydrangea tree in full glory-Sept. 1, 2011

Every season has its glory. I can never decide which season I like the best. Right now I'm thinking that it is fall. There is something comforting about fall. Maybe it is because I've been a teacher for so many years and fall always reprsenting the known. We are back in a schedule. I know what every day is going to bring-at least schedule-wise. No more lazy days of summer with spur of the moment decisions to take off to go swimming or berry picking.

But last summer is glory days for my hydrangea tree here at the cabin. My hydrangea tree was planted by my grandmother decades ago. We bought the cabin from her in 1999 and I've enjoyed it every summer. Even though it was broken off at the root by a fallen tree one time. But that's another story. The tree returned in full glory the following summer.

We are also having a large bloom of purple loosestrife here on the St. Marys River. This plant is dangerous and an invasive species. I spoke with some authorities this summer on how to eliminate it and I will share that in a later post. But there isn't much we can do about it as land owners.

Purple loosestrife on the St. Marys River

Our cabin invites us to relax and enjoy the views.


Relaxing with the neighbor as summer draws to a close.

We have had some of our busiest shipping days of the season this week. I only record the boats that I see, so it may be that I am home more this last week getting ready to move south and return to work soon. But on Tuesday, August 30, 2011, we had 19 boats pass by the cabin.

Congestion at The Locks

2011-08-27T18:35:00.000-04:00

This afternoon the Burns Harbor was sliding by heading up to The Locks. I noticed that she was proceeding very slowly. So I checked the computer to see if there was another boat in the Poe Lock. Actually there were 2 thousand-foot boats at the Locks. So the Burns Harbor was the 4th footer waiting at one time for passage through the Locks. Also at The Locks was the Stewart J. Cort, the Walter J. McCarthy and I can't remember the 4th one. That's what I get for not writing it down.

In the afternoon, my husband and I were volunteering at the Masters Walleye Circuit Tournament in the Soo. He helped stage trucks and boats for weigh-in and I took pictures of each team with their fish.

After the tournament was done, we stopped by Clyde's Hamburgers for a delicious burger and malts. Actually Tom likes the root beer shakes. Clydes seem to be the only place he has ever had one.

While we were sitting there, we were treated to see the American Century. She saluted the crowd on Rotary Island which made the sighting extra fun.

The American Century was formerly the Columbia Star. Build in 1980, she became the Century in 2006.

The Edgar B. Speer and the James R. Barker, both 1,000 footers, are both in the river system. The Speer is just north of Neebish Island and will be here in a few minutes. The Barker is approaching the Locks out of Superior. It may be dark before she comes by here.

Polar Bear in the St. Marys River

2011-08-24T16:20:00.000-04:00

Yes, it is true, dear reader, that a polar bear found its way into the St. Marys River located here in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

But it may not be exactly what you are thinking. It can be cold and snowy up here but it is not cold and snowy enough to support polar bear life. We have no glacier ice sheets or no groups of seals on which polar bears like to feed.

But a recent news item out of Ottawa County is southwestern Michigan tells the story. Wood TV in Grand Rapids ran the story today.

In 2000, big game hunter, Rodger DeVries, of Georgetown Township near Grand Rapids, Michigan returned from a successful polar bear hunt in northern Canada.

DeVries apparently knew the laws of the United States would not allow him to bring his prize polar bear into Michigan because he had not been hunting with a US approved hunting guide. Apparently the US laws are stricter than Canadian laws on this point. So DeVries had to be creative about getting his game home.

So DeVries and his grandsons brought the bear and skull (no explanation why they were separate) to St. Joseph's Island and transported it across the St. Marys River is his personal boat. They landed in Raber Bay and took the contraband down state.

DeVries pleaded guilty today to illegally bringing a trophy mount across the US border. He will be sentenced on Sept. 8. He can receive up to a year in jail and a $100,000 fine.

"Defense lawyer Terry Tobias described DeVries as an "avid hunter" who has acknowledged his mistake in not getting proper U.S. permission, the Grand Rapids Press reports. He obtained permits from the Canadian government, including an export permit, and complied with Indian and province laws."

I've heard for years that the St. Marys River was used during Prohibition to smuggle alcohol into the US but this is the first time I've heard of a polar bear.

I was out yesterday morning for a run and noticed a US Border Patrol truck driving slowly down Scenic Drive 2 times. We have a quiet road but maybe there is more going on than I thought!

Rock Cut-A Great Boatwatching Site

2011-08-23T08:17:00.000-04:00

We have had another week with guests from out of town. It is always fun to see them become boat watchers. When they first arrive, they are surprised to see such big boats right out front of our cabin. As we begin to explain about the boats-that each one has an interesting name & that they all look different. They are different colors, carry different cargoes, and are different lengths. I can begin to see a new 'boatnerd' begin to sprout. By the time they leave, the are true 'boatnerds'-watching and asking about each ship.

We always take them to other locations to get a closer look at the boats. Usually that means Clydes Drive-in or the Locks.

But this week, we headed south from our cabin to the Rock Cut. The Rock Cut is just south of Barbeau, a small community located at 15 Mile Road and Scenic Drive.

The Rock Cut is the down bound channel on the east side of Neebish Island. It was literally cut out of rock. My grandfather always talked about working on the cut and I believe that was around the 1920's. I'll have to look into that!

The weather has been picture perfect this past week. The day time temperatures have been moderate and the evenings very cool-in the 50's. That makes great sleeping weather. We have been treated to a full moon this past week. The moon has been rising over Sugar Island around 10 pm in its orange glory.

These last shot was taken at Lake Superior State University. I attended the 65th Class Reunion of the Sault High School Class of 1946. I went with my father. This is a beautiful spot to catch a view of the International Bridge and the east side of Sault Ste. Marie.

Entertaining Visitors

2011-08-17T08:17:00.000-04:00

We always take our guests to the Locks. We have been fortunate this summer to watch many boats there.

The Soo Locks Visitors Center has great displays about the Locks, the Great Lakes and shipping in general.

Rotary Park is a double bonus because we can get lunch at Clyde's Drive-in and take it to a picnic table and enjoy the boats.

We have been entertaining several groups of guests at our cabin on the St. Marys River this past week. It is always an easy job because the St. Marys River, the Locks, and the freighters do all the work for us. We just take them around town and show them the sights.

Last week, my friend said, "There's a big boat." She was referring to the Canadian Olympic. Her husband explained to her that the boat was not a 1,000 footer so it wasn't a big one. She replied, "They're all big ones!" And she is right.

August Brings A Cool Down

2011-08-10T10:37:00.000-04:00

I've written about the strike that hit American Steamship Company but I'm happy to report that the two parties found a way to return everyone to work while still working on resolution. So we're back in business.

Business in August means savoring the last weeks of summer. For me that means gardening, hosting lots of company and boat watching.

Boat watching has been great this week. Lots of traffic but no surprises. Yesterday we saw the Manitoba. That was the first time I have observed the Manitoba this year.

The goal of my gardening has been to have flower beds that resist weeds. Every year when we arrive, the weeds have had a head start in our gardens and I spend the first weeks weeding. So I'm trying several approaches.

My weeding theories:

My sweet pea bed: I haven't been weeding it very much

One of my sea walls beds: I put down landscape fabric and covered it with river pebbles

My hosta bed grows so thick that very few weeds even try to grow.

A couple of beds must be weeded by traditional methods.

I'm trying to establish some perennials that will come up in the spring before we arrive at the cabin and choke out the weeds.

Do you notice the Kaye E. Barker in the background?

My husband tried a new method-drive over the flower bed with the truck. Yes, that was an effective means of weed control.

Any suggestions, dear reader, to help me? Remember, we usually don't arrive here until the beginning of June and most weeds are choking out my flower beds by then.

Edwin H. Gott Salutes the Calloway

2011-08-03T21:17:00.000-04:00

We have been undertaking a huge project at our house of moving a small metal barn to farther back on our property. It sat right where we want to put a new garage. We have been talking about this move for 13 years and we (my husband) and our neighbor tackled the job this week.

While on break at noon, we were treated to a nice show with the Edwin H. Gott and the Cason J. Calloway. They passed in the river. The Gott sounded one long and 2 short. The Calloway didn't return the salute which surprised me. But we enjoyed the meetings of these two ships.

And we finished the move today.

Land of the Midnight Sun

2011-07-31T21:41:00.001-04:00

We have our morning coffee looking out on the river. This morning we were treated to a visit from 2 pair of sandhill cranes. They came right up into our yard and seemed to be feasting on the abundance of insects in the grass. They were very quiet and could have come and gone unnoticed. In the above picture, you can just see them scooting over to the neighbor's yard after they had finished up at our place.

The next three pictures show the St. Marys River this evening. They were taken about 9 PM. I call this area the Land of the Midnight Sun because the days are much longer here than our place near Grand Rapids. The Soo has about 20 more minutes of daylight in the morning and in the evening because we are closer to the Arctic Circle. When we first arrive here in June, the first sign of the sun peeking over Sugar Island occurs shortly after 4 AM. But now the night has lengthened and this morning it was about 5 AM before the gray was breaking over Sugar Island.

Boat traffic has been moderately heavy today. I''m just watching the Manitowoc heading up and passed the Kaministiqua who was heading down. Both are a light gray color and they saluted each other with 1 long and 2 short. They both sail for divisions of Upper Lakes Towing Ltd.

Other boats sighted today include:

Great Republic John D. Leitch Indiana Harbor
Captain Henry Jackman Algoway Stewart J. Cort

Edwin H. Gott Algosteel Kaye E. Barker

Burns Harbor Joyce L. Van Enkevort

Picture Perfect Day

2011-07-30T19:13:00.002-04:00

Federal Weser-I just got a glance as she headed down the river.

My boat watching equipment

Looking north at the St. Marys River

Looking east at Sugar Island

Our wonderful cabin on the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Saturday, July 30, has proven to be a picture perfect day here on the St. Marys River. The humidity is low with a dew point in the mid-50's. There is a breeze coming off the river that has kept the temperature down. It is in the high 80's but feels great. Seating in the front yard is so relaxing. With a cup of iced tea, we are storing warm memories for the cold winter.

We had a moderate day of boat traffic today. Weekends on the St. Marys River are always quiet. And it was quiet with commercial traffic as well. Here are the boats I've observed today.

Hon. James L. Oberstar-she was heading down at 4 am and was a beautiful sight all lit up. I've heard her called J Lo by Cathy from DeTour. Very funny!
John G. Munson-heading up
Algowood-down
Kaye E. Barker-up
Alizzan-up-a small boat possibly a pleasure craft. With the new AIS, I can see those too
Algocape-down
Mesabi Miner-I observed the top of the bridge from 7 Mile Road and Ridge Road-a full two miles from the river. A pretty sight to see it moving silently through the trees
American Mariner-up
Federal Weser-down

July 28 is busy day on the St. Marys River

2011-07-29T07:44:00.002-04:00

Bad news-I was laid low yesterday by some kind of stomach bug.

Good news-I was able to watch boats all day long and into the night. It was a busy day for freighters.   Here's what I saw with the approximate times they passed our cabin.

Algosar           Up              7 AM
Mesabi Miner       Down     7:15 AM
Lee A. Tregurtha    Down
Victory & James L. Kuper Down
Canadian Enterprise   Up
Edwin H. Gott             Up
Anglian Lady             Up
Great Republic          Down
Algoway                   Up
Algoma Discovery    Up
Frontenac      Down       5 PM
Saginaw   Up    5 PM
Steward J. Cort     Up    9 PM
American Century   Down 11 PM
Arthur M. Anderson Down    4 AM

What a great day for boat watching. The weather was in the low 80's but very muggy. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to assist on the project for the day which was removing tree tops that had blown over in the freak wind storm from May. We have removed the 6 trees that were blown down but there were two trees that had broken off at the top and they were balancing precariously across the driveway. My husband and our neighbor completed the project.

Herbert C. Jackson in the Fog

2011-07-19T10:56:00.000-04:00

When we woke this morning, we were treated to having a boat closer than normal. The Herbert C. Jackson was anchored in the anchorage area because of the dense fog. I don't know how long she had been there but we enjoyed a closer look than normal. One of my friends suggested that I invite the captain in for coffee. We were drinking our morning coffee and I think that maybe he was too. So I can say I had coffee with the captain this morning!

When a ship is anchored, they always face into the current. When the fog had lifted the Jackson had to turn around because they were actually headed downbound. We were treated to watch them raise the anchor and turn around. The St. Marys River doesn't appear that wide but there is plenty of room for the maneuvers.

Here's the pictures of the process.

Now she is underway and heading for her next stop.

Blue Heron

2011-07-16T19:06:00.000-04:00

I am watching the Blue Heron pass by heading down the St. Marys River right now. The Blue Heron is a research vessel from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. I linked you to the University's web site for more information.

The Blue Heron is 87 feet long and was originally used as a fishing vessel.

On a beautiful day, it was a nice site to see on the river.

US Coast Guard Mackinaw

2011-07-13T21:19:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday our family visited Mackinaw City. We toured the United States Coast Guard Icebreaker Mackinaw which is permanently docked there. This is the retired vessel which has been replaced by a newer version with the same name. She was decommissioned in 2006 and and the new Mackinaw is a smaller, multi-use vessel. It was a very interesting visit. The ship is much bigger than I anticipated with a crew of 75-half of which are operators and half are engineers. The Mackinaw was build during WW II at a cost of $10 million dollars.

The Mackinaw certainly moved many boats during her 62 years on the Great Lakes.

This is the hallway leading to the sleeping quarters. I think the Mackinaw was more spacious than the Air Craft Carrier Midway which we visited in San Diego two years ago.

The picture below shows the female sleeping quarters.

Looking over the bow of the ship, you can see the marina at Mackinaw City and also get an idea of the enormous size of the Mackinaw.

The hull of the boat is 1 5/8 inches thick to allow it to break out the spring pathway for Great Lakes shipping.

It was a worthwhile visit. The admission price is $11 for adults & $6 for children. It is a self-guided tour with several stops for videos and explanations from the 'crew'. We completed our visit in about an hour. There are many steps in the tour and I don't think the boat is handicap-accessible.

Fourth of July Weekend

2011-07-02T21:26:00.000-04:00

The 4th of July weekend is very busy in the Soo. I went in to Walmart yesterday and gave up shopping after about a half hour. It was incredibly busy. The traffic on the I-75 Business Spur was difficult. If you have been in the Soo this summer, you know how much road construction there is. On Wednesday three of the major roads were closed or held up for construction. Ashmun Street from 12th Ave to Easterday is closed until late fall. Portage Avenue is closed at Johnston Street. M-129 was being resurfaced this week but one lane traffic was being allowed. It makes for a difficult time to get around town if you don't know the back streets.

Life on the St. Marys River, however, has been very quiet. The boat traffic is sporadic and there hasn't been many pleasure craft. This evening we've been treated to seeing many of the tugs heading down stream after participating in the tug boat races.

Right now I'm watching the American Integrity, a 1,000 footer, coming quietly down the river with the setting sun reflecting off the entire length. It is a very peaceful way to end the day.

We also saw the Cuyahoga, Presque Isle and Indiana Harbor earlier this afternoon.

The Soo is a boat watcher's paradise. On Wednesday evening, there is always a music concert in the Soo Locks Park. Music in the Park is a treat not only for the music but also for the great opportunity to watch the big freighters. Last week, we were treated to the music of the Pub Runners and I also got to watch the Burns Harbor lock through during the concert.

River Report

2011-06-30T07:47:00.000-04:00

I found a new place for boatwatching in the Soo. Last night we visited my aunt who lives in West Pier Apartments. While we enjoying a cup of tea, we saw the Robert S. Pierson leaving the Locks. It was a cold and windy night with whitecaps in the Locks approach.

View from West Pier Apartments of the Locks approach

State of Michigan Conducts Spring Training in the St. Marys River

2011-06-11T12:07:00.000-04:00

State of Michigan

May 2008 by Brenda Benedict

Duluth, Minnesota

This week we have been watching the State of Michigan make her way up and down the St. Marys River. I investigated the college web site and found that the Great Lakes Maritime Academy is conducting a spring training cruise for their cadets to teach them navigation of the St. Marys River.

I first saw the vessel while visiting Duluth with my son. The State of Michigan is a training vessel for Great Lakes Maritime Academy.

Great Lakes Maritime Academy is a division of Northwestern Michigan College located in Traverse City Michigan. The Academy trains young men and women for a career 'on the water' as stated on their web site.

The cadets are now conducting a sea project that is required for graduation.
You can follow the State of Michigan through a blog written by the cadets at State of Michigan blog.
Although there haven't been any posts this week, I imagine the cadets are busy learning how to navigate the river.
The following information was taken from their website.

About the Great Lakes Maritime Academy: Located at Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Campus, the Academy educates and trains deck and engineering officers for the commercial shipping industry. Through a partnership with Ferris State University, cadets simultaneously earn their maritime credentials and a bachelor's degree in business administration. Post-graduation, cadets enjoy 100 percent employment.

Ship State of Michigan to return to TC

TRAVERSE CITY -- The T/S State of Michigan is expected to return to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy pier Friday morning, June 3, marking the midway point of the 2011 spring training cruise.

The ship left Traverse City on May 17 with a complement of 53 cadets and 10 faculty/ crewmembers onboard. It will remain in Traverse City through Monday in order to restock the vessel for the remaining three weeks of the cruise. The cruise will conclude on June 26.

The annual spring training cruise is one of three sea projects every Maritime cadet must complete and is an integral part of the training provided to cadets in both the deck and engineering programs. The cadets will complete their remaining sea projects on U. S. flag commercial vessels. The itinerary is designed so that all cadets in the Deck Officer program will be eligible to sit for their Great Lakes Pilotage Endorsement when they sit for their Coast Guard Merchant Marine Officer's license prior to graduation.

Busy Day on the St. Marys River

2011-06-07T21:17:00.000-04:00

I stayed home all day today working in my flower beds. The weeds always get a head start before we move up here for the summer, so I'm doing part of the beds every day.

A strong thunderstorm blew through about dinner time. We didn't get hail here but down in DeTour there was hail. The air is cool with low humidity tonight. We'll be closing the windows tonight and it will be a great night for sleeping.

So being at home allowed me to watch the boats all day. And it was a busy day. I spotted 17 boats during the day and into the evening. I know I don't see every boat that passes but even so 17 makes for a good day.

Here's the list of what I spotted so far today:

Lee A. Tregurtha

CSL Assiniboine

Kaye E. Barker

PML 9000

PML barge

Burns Harbor

American Spirit

Algoma Navigator

Canadian Olympic

Federal Power

Walter J. McCarty Jr.

Edwin H. Gott

Ojibway

American Integrity

Walter J. McCarty Jr.

Indiana Harbor

Grande Mariner

Michiganborg

Lamprey Release into the St. Marys River

2011-06-03T11:17:00.000-04:00

Last night we were having a leisurely late dinner at Clyde's Drive-in. After a day of working in the yard, it sounded like a fun way to end our day. Just as we finished eating a tank truck pulled in and backed down a ramp to the river. The young man was very open to our questions and even let me climb up on the truck to take pictures of the tanks full of lamprey.

He offered to let me hold one and I passed on the offer but now I'm sorry that I didn't hold it because I'll probably never have an opportunity to do that again.

The lamprey are sterilized males who are released into the water for population control. At this phase in the lampreys' life they spawn and then die. They do not seek out fish to attach themselves to.

If you look closely in these photos, you can see the lamprey swimming away from the hose. Lamprey are very fast swimmers which is how they catch other fish to attach to. The young man, (I didn't get his name) explained that lamprey are actually a species of fish.

You can read about the lamprey problem in the St. Marys River at several web sites.

Lamprey Control in the St. Marys River

Lamprey Control Fact Sheet

Here is an explanation of the program that we saw in action last night.

STERILE-MALE-RELEASE-TECHNIQUE:
SUPPRESSING LONG-TERM SPAWNING
SUCCESS. Male sea lampreys are trapped, sterilized,
and released into the St. Marys River. The
sterilized males compete as aggressively as normal
males, wasting the spawning potential of female sea
lampreys. The sterile-male-release-technique reduces
sea lamprey spawning success over the long-term.

A Day for 1,000 footers

2011-06-02T18:36:00.001-04:00

According to my research there are 13 footers, or 1,000 foot, boats on the Great Lakes. I got my information from Know Your Ships. Know Your Ships is the bible for boat watchers. I've been using it since I was a young girl watching the boats from the same spot I do now. It was my grandparent's place when I was small. A new edition is published every year with the latest information on the boats that sail the Great Lakes.

It was a wonderful day for boat watching. We had temperatures in the low 60's with a dew point at 37. I could work in the yard while watching the boats and enjoy both activities.

There were six 1,000 foot boats that passed by today. This afternoon, two vessels from the Interlake Steamship Co. passed out front. The Mesabi Miner was up bound and the James R. Barker was down bound. They sounded a salute of one long and two short blasts. I recorded the second salute. I hope you enjoy the pictures of the James R. Barker and the Mesabi Miner.

I also saw the following boats today:

Walter J. McCarty Jr.

Edwin H. Gott

Quebecois

Sedna Desgagnes

Burns Harbor

Indiana Harbor

Back at My Post

2011-06-02T09:56:00.000-04:00

Canadian Enterprise heading down bound on June 1, 2011

My husband and I arrived back at our cabin on the St. Marys River on Monday. When we drove down the driveway we were greeted with the effects of a wind storm earlier in the spring. We had received calls from the neighbors telling us that there were trees down but we weren't prepared for what we saw. There was a tree across the driveway and several more in the yard including one on our neighbor's garage.

So our first few days at the cabin will be tree removal and clean-up. But I've had some time for boat watching. This morning, the Edwin H. Gott and the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. passed each other in view from my recliner while drinking my morning coffee. That is the way summer is supposed to be.

What's New in the Sault

2011-05-03T15:05:00.000-04:00

We arrived in the Sault last night. There is a quiet busyness here as things are starting to spring to life. I took a walk around town and saw several new businesses. The above picture is Soo Brewing Company which opened recently to rave reviews. I've heard lots of good things about it and I'm looking forward to visiting there this summer when we officially move up here.

This is a new building on the west end of Portage Street. There were no signs or indication who owns the building. Readers, does anyone know what this building is? It is large and sits acjacent to the Corp of Engineers Visitor Parking Lot.

I stopped by the Locks and watched the American Spirit and the tug Missouri lock down. There is lots of activity in the Locks Park. You can see in this picture that the observation deck has been enlarged. I hope it will be completed soon for the summer season.

A new book store! Great news. I didn't have time to stop here but Island Books and Gifts is located in the old 1st National Bank/Traverse Bay Woolen and most recently the St. Vincent Thrift shop building. I hope they feature lots of local books!

If you've found any other new things in the Sault this spring, let me know so I can enjoy too.

Shipping Season to Begin

2011-03-24T22:39:00.003-04:00

It is a happy day for all of us 'boatnerds'. The shipping season will officially begin tonight at midnight. The Paul R. Tregurtha will go through The Locks as she sails up into Lake Superior. There are wonderful pictures on Facebook "I Love the Sault". I will try to post them later today.

The Cabin in February

2011-02-21T19:09:00.003-05:00

My grandchildren spent the weekend with my husband and I this past week. I have four grandchildren who are an absolute delight. All of them love coming to the cabin and watching the boats but the 8 year old boy is my up and coming 'boatnerd'. He came with me to the watch the passage of the first ship of the season for 2010 and stood out in the cold to welcome the Lee A. Tregurtha through the Locks.

Yesterday he said to me, "What do you think is happening at the cabin right now?" I couldn't help but feel lonesome for the cabin. I know it is empty, cold and just waiting for our family to come back, open it up and begin our summer fun time. The flowers are probably covered in snow. There is probably some sweet pea vines still on the frame although they aren't the beautiful colors of summer but a brown, limp vine of winter.

This is the time of year to start planning our gardens for next summer. I also want to think about what I will need for the kids to play with this summer. We bring each grandchild up for their own special time there and they also come with their parents for a week-long visit. I get crafts, kites and anything fun I can secure. I'm thinking this summer we should have some toys for water fun. I'm thinking of a water trampoline. Anyone out there know a good source or have any other ideas of good play equipment for the St. Mary's River.

The Cabin in December

2010-12-12T20:04:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we made a trip to the Soo. We were there to help my mom host the Annual David Mitchell Family Christmas dinner. This annual event has been held for at least 80 years and probably more. That is how many years my mother has attended. I have attended since I was born too but rarely make it to the dinner now that there is a 350 mile drive involved. Especially with the early December date. Road conditions can be very iffy this time of year.

Although our cabin was closed for the season in Sept., we made a visit to pick up my Clavinova for use at the dinner. A Clavinova is a electronic piano and I used it to accompany the Mitchells as we sang Christmas carols.

It was difficult to just stop by the cabin. We couldn't drive in the drive-in because of snow. We used the neighbor's driveway and trooped across several yards. It made us wish we could spend the winter there because it was so beautiful.

It was a beautiful sunny day. You can see there are no geese around anywhere!

Labor Day in the Sault

2010-09-06T07:26:00.002-04:00

Yesterday started with a beautiful sunrise. A peaceful morning on the river and a great memory to keep up throughout the winter. A beautiful sunrise is a fleeting moment and it didn't take long for the sun to wash out the pinks in our picture. There are no geese or seagulls here now. Just a mother duck with her 10 ducklings who are now about the same size as her.

The boat traffic kept me busy on Sunday. They were making up the lost time from the wind storm of Friday and Saturday. Many boats were anchored at Whitefish Point and near the Straits. We saw the following boats on Sunday and I'm sure there were more.
>
CSL Niagara
Cason J. Calloway
Algoway
Algosar
Canadian Provider
St. Clair
Canadian Progress
American Mariner
Canadian Transport
Flinterrebecca

My hydrangea tree has outdone itself this year. I never get tired of this tree that was planted 50 years ago by my grandmother.

At sunset last night, we were again treated to a Mother Nature show. Plus in this picture you can see two boats on the river. I believe it is the St. Clair going down and the Canadian Transport coming up.

Enjoy you Labor (Labour) Day. It's back to work for me on Wednesday.

The Kaministqua is out front right now heading up the river.

First Fall-Like Storm

2010-09-04T07:27:00.004-04:00

We traveled up to the Soo on Thursday evening. Our plan was to avoid the heavy traffic of the weekend and it worked well. As we were coming close to Gaylord on Alba Road, we spotted this beautiful rainbow. I wonder if the farmer who works this big farm noticed found the pot of gold that must have been in his field. This is a u-pick strawberry farm that always looks so well-maintained to me. So I guess this field is a pot of gold for the owner.

The weather has been really interesting since we got here. We arrived in a very heavy rainstorm on Thursday night. The rain continued off and on all during the night. Our yard is too wet to mow which it really needs. There is standing water all around.

Yesterday we did get to see some boats. Thursday night and Friday morning there were 3 thousand footers. The Edgar B. Speer was out front when we arrived. The Indiana Harbor passed during the night and then the American Spirit was headed up Friday morning.

As we headed to town, we saw the Roger Blough getting supplies from the supply boat before heading down the river.

Friday morning was beautiful sunshine but later in the afternoon the rain returned and soaked everything again. Last night we were going to my brother's and saw this beautiful sunset. We were traveling west on 7 Mile Road near Nicolet Road.

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for today calling this the first fall-like storm of the season. That is a very accurate description of what it feels like this morning. The northwest wind is blowing at 15 mph with gusts up in the 40's. This picture below shows how the wind has pushed out the water. Yesterday that small boat was sitting in the water and today it isn't. The temperature is 47 right now.
There haven't been any boats by since last night. It seems most of them are taking shelter and staying out of Superior because of the winds. I learned on Facebook that the power was out in part of the Soo last night but so far we have been fine here. I'm loving the weather because I don't usually get to experience fall storms because after Labor Day I have to return to southern Michigan and go back to work. So this year I'm still here. But it probably won't be so nice when I go to the Chippewa County Fair in a hour to see our friends show their Belgium horses.

Paul R. Tregurtha

2010-08-21T07:51:00.003-04:00

Yesterday our job was to get our yard in shape before the rains came. A benefit of working in the yard here is that I can do some serious boat watching. The Paul R. Tregurtha came down and provided a great backdrop for my work.

My flowers are in full glory right now. Because we are back and forth between our place downstate, sometimes they don't do so well. We have had abundant rain this year and I have a kind neighbor who steps in and waters the flowers when needed if we're not around.

Yesterday we also saw these ships:

St. Clair

Algomarine

Buffalo

Presque Isle

Joseph L. Block

Paul R. Tregurtha

Canadian Enterprise

Quebecois

The rains did arrive last night. That was the second heavy rain we've had in that many days. Our yard is absolutely soggy and we won't be able to work in the yard today. There are puddles of standing water scattered all around.

We have to head downstate tomorrow. Although I am retired, I have re-entered the world of education. I am an instructional coach. In this position, I work in schools, directly with the teachers to increase student achievement. In essence, I help teachers find methods that will help the students do better. I am going to be working in two school districts, Hopkins Public Schools and Byron Center Public Schools.

I am happy to have lots of work but it puts our plans to spend many winter months here at the cabin on hold for one more year.

I will continue writing this blog when I have something to say about the river. You can read about my personal life at www.brendabenedict.com. I blog there about the daily events in our lives.

For right now, we're leaving for just about 10 days and we'll be back for the Labor Day weekend. We don't want to miss the Chippewa County Fair at Kinross.

Sunrise, Sunsets & Rainbows

2010-08-17T10:47:00.004-04:00

I took the picture above about a week ago as the sun was rising over Sugar Island. It is always such a peaceful time here. When I'm in working mode, I don't have time to enjoy this time of day.

I took this picture last night as we crossed the Mackinac Bridge. It was just after a heavy rain shower. There was a 360 degree beautiful view.

Looking off the Bridge to the east we could see a rainbow ending at Mackinac Island.

I can tell that summer is starting to end for us. The sunrises are coming later. No more sun peeking over Sugar Island at 4:30 AM. But the cool evening certainly felt great last night.

Cozy Corners in Barbeau

2010-08-05T17:46:00.004-04:00

This beautiful river is the Charlotte River which follows into the St. Marys River at Dunbar. There is a lovely township park there. We passed this on our way to Barbeau. We were going there to try Cozy Corners for lunch this week.

Barbeau is at the corner of Scenic Drive and 15 Mile Road. You can take Riverside Drive to 15 Mile and drive east to the St. Marys River. You will also find Cozy Corner. Cozy Corners has had several owners. In the past we weren't too pleased with the service although the decor has always been stunning with a great view of the St. Marys River.

We decided to give the new owners a try this week and it was great. Our server was attentive and prompt. The food was good. They were out of whitefish which was a major disappointment. But Tom got perch for the same price which soothed his disappointment. I had a patty melt which was very good too.

The amazing change was the addition of animals that the new owner had secured in big game safaris. It is worth the drive just to see the 30+ mounts throughout the restaurant.

If you try this or any restaurant in the area, let me know and I can share your comments with my readers. Thanks

Emma C. Nason Home

2010-08-04T08:14:00.002-04:00

Emma C. Nason Home
A Childrens home in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

The Emma C. Nason Home was home to our family from 1966 - 1972. During that time my parents took the job of directors of "The Home" and our entire family moved in there.

The Emma C. Nason Home has a wonderful history in the Soo. Emma C. Nason was a woman who moved to the Soo in the early 1900's from New York. Her goal was to start a home for wayward sailors. I'm sure there were many of them in the Soo during that time. Nason's vision for this home must have changed over time and she actually established a home for unwed mothers on Ridge Street.

So when the city leaders started a children's home, they named it the Emma C. Nason Home in her honor.

We lived there and have great memories of the children whose lives brought them there. The children at the beginning were mainly orphans or motherless children but over the years as medical care improved, the main clientele became children who had been removed from their homes because of neglect or abuse. Most of these cases came from downstate mainly from Saginaw and Calhoun counties.

Please share any memories that you have of the Emma C. Nason home. I'll share more in the future.

Dix Sept

2010-08-03T14:14:00.007-04:00

Last Sunday the Dix Sept passed our cabin. I found this picture of the boat on their website. The Dix Sept is a privately owned vessel that is making several trips to Mackinac Island this summer. Of course, I wanted to find out more about this interestingly-named vessel and with the help of Google, I found out her story. I then emailed the owner and received a very nice response.

Brenda,

Hi. We purchased Dix-Sept in November of 2009 in Dana Point, CA. Dix-Sept is a 55' Nordhavn. I, together with a crew of sometimes two, and sometimes three others, brought the boat from Dana Point beginning on January 8th. We came through the Panama Canal, up the eastern seaboard, through the Canso Canal, across the Gulf of St. Lawrence, down the St. Lawrence River and Seaway, through four of the five Great Lakes, and ended in Bayfield, WI, our home port for this summer and next. We were the first pleasure boat in 2010 to come through the St. Lawrence Seaway.

In the spring of 2012 we will take Dix-Sept to the Med for three years or so.

This summer we are making three trips from Bayfield to Mackinac Island. The trip you saw us on was number two. My wife's brother, and our sister-in-law and nephew were on the trip. In two more weeks we will be making trip number three with my wife's other brother and his fiance, and two more friends.

We are semi-retired. We own a company, American Christian Tours, that takes students on class trips. I am also an active duty lead paramedic for the city of River Falls, WI. Can't golf or fish worth a darn, and didn't want to learn to knit, so went back to "paramedic" school. I was in EMS during college.

We have two sons, both adults. Both sons and our daughter-in-law were on the first Mackinac trip.

The Locks at Night

2010-08-01T21:10:00.003-04:00

Last night we went up to the Locks for the Lantern Light Walking Tour. Our hosts, Jim and Mary, have Twilight Walking Tours that meet at the main gate of the Locks. You can see their schedule at Twilight Walking Tours. They don't charge for the tour and just have a suggested tip of $5. I felt it was a bargain for the 1 1/2 tour along Portage Avenue. They shared several 'ghost' stories of local businesses but also told about Soo history, Irish folk stories and even some Herman Melville, which by the way is his birthday today.

When we finished the tour at 10:30, we were treated to some good boat watching. There were two boats in the Locks, Canadian Progress and Kaye E. Barker. It was a warm evening and there were quite a few people there to watch along with us.

Kaye E. Barker in the background

Kiyi-Updated

2010-07-29T17:00:00.002-04:00

Kiyi, a research vessel for the Great Lakes Science Center just headed down river at noon on 7/29. The work of the Kiyi is described as research in Lake Superior. The vessel and crew conduct fish research including stock assessment, fisheries research and habitat monitoring especially on the lake trout population. Click on either Kiyi for additional information of the work of the Kiyi.

I just received the following note from the captain of the Kiyi, Joe Walters. He explains that the Kiyi is on her way to Cleveland for some work. She will return to Lake Superior in late August so we'll be seeing her again.

Hello Brenda!

I'm Joe Walters, the Captain of Research Vessel KIYI. Mike McCann forwarded your email to me.

Let's see if I can put things in a nutshell for you.

KIYI was built in 1999 at Patti Shipyard in Pensacola, Fl to replace the aging 57 ft SISCOWET, which had been in service for over 50 years.

KIYI is 107 ft long, 27 ft wide and draws 9 ft. She is the largest of the five research vessels operated by the US Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center in Ann Arbor, MI. We do fish assessments in Lake Superior. That means we essentially do population checks of fish by trawling and hydroacoustic survey. That's a fancy name for a very high end fishfinder that can actually count individual specimens.

We are on our way to Cleveland to get some work done in a shipyard. Namely, we're getting a new anchor system installed. We should be headed back to Lake Superior sometime in late August.

I guess that's a start. If you have any more questions please don't hesitate to email me. I'd be happy to tell you all I can!

Joe Walters
Marine Operations Specialist
Captain, R/V KIYI
U. S. Geological Survey
Lake Superior Biological Station
2800 Lakeshore Drive East
Ashland, Wisconsin 54806
715-682-6163 office
715-492-8676 cell
jwalters@usgs.gov

Benedicts versus Canada Geese

2010-07-29T09:51:00.002-04:00

If you have visited us here at the Cabin, you know that Tom has an ongoing battle with the Canada geese. Every year, we watch the geese go through the same cycle of raising their young.

The geese like to bring their young up onto our beach area for feeding. We could probably live with that but if we don't chase them off, they come right up into our yard and all around the cabin. We would be willing to share our lawn with them but they leave disgusting 'calling cards' all over which we don't want to step in. So Tom has found it best to keep them completely away.

Now that the babies are almost full-grown, the geese are also much more bold. They don't leave at the first sight of a human like they did when they had babies but have to be chased to the water's edge.

I will tell you that no geese are harmed in this battle. And the geese seem to have learned several things. First, come very early in the morning when no one is awake. They come floating down the river and slowly make their way on shore. They typically start around 5 am. Some days one of us is up but often we are not. This is the Cabin where relaxing is treasured. We don't use alarms or have any routines. Every day is different.

Secondly, the geese seem to recognize Tom. As soon as he comes into the front yard, they start to leave. Now they don't do that for me. But Tom uses loud noise makers to frighten them and they don't like it. Also, Tom is relentless. He doesn't give up until the geese are floating out of sight. I don't have the patience or time to spend out there glaring at them.

So if any of you know any methods we could use, please let us know. Once we've conquered that problem, we could move on to the problem of sea gulls that raise their young on a small island out front. Thankfully, they have moved on now but for June and most of July we listen to their squawking 24 hours a day. Thanks.

2009 Compared to 2010

2010-07-28T08:45:00.004-04:00

There are many economic experts who analyze numbers to make predictions about trends and the upcoming future of any industry. I'm sure Great Lakes shipping has its own set of pundits. But I'm going to step out on a limb and make my own observation and prediction.

My observation isn't based on economic indicators or anything from Wall Street. Rather, my indicators are the ships that are passing by our cabin here on the St. Marys River.

I am a compulsive person when it comes to boat watching. Since I was a child, I have kept a record of the boats I see. Back in the 1950's and 1960's all I had to use was a notebook, a Know Your Ships book and my eyes. I couldn't identify individual ships but only shipping company based on the smokestack. My grandfather wouldn't let me use his binoculars for fear that I would break them.

When my husband & I purchased my grandparent's cabin in 1998, the first thing I did was buy a pair of binoculars with the money I inherited. Since that time, I've gotten a telescope for better boat watching. I keep my log on an Excel spreadsheet and we've also gotten a scanner.

So I'm using my boatwatching list to make an observation on Great Lakes shipping. I picked a day- July 26 and I compared the 2009 number of ships to 2010. I can say based on these facts that shipping in on the increase.

Ships passing the Cabin
2009- 7 boats
2010- 16 boats

So the Wall Street experts might be saying that our economic future is very uncertain. But things are looking up here. At least for the joy of boatwatching!

Sixteen Boats Today

2010-07-26T21:24:00.003-04:00

The July full moon coming up over the river last night

The Beluga Fidelity

McKee Brothers upbound this morning

The geese are hard to scare off this time of year. Their babies are all grown up.

Today has been a busy day on the St. Marys River. We were just relaxing today after a very busy six weeks of company and moving. So I had lots of time to watch all the comings and goings. This has been a perfect summer day with lots of activity in the river. Here's the list of what I saw.

James R. Barker

Mesabi Miner

Edwin H. Gott

Great Lakes Trader

Joseph L. Block

McKee Sons

Walter J. McCarty Jr.

Beluga Fidelity

Peter R. Cresswell

Spruceglen

Zeus

Sam Laud

Pineglen

Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin

Pineglen

Montrealais

Beautiful Times on the River

2010-07-26T07:29:00.005-04:00

July has been an outstanding month here on the St. Marys River in Upper Michigan. Warm temperatures and gentle breezes have greeted almost every morning. My days were filled with grandkids who each had their own visit. The youngest two came together because it was the first time either had left their parents for a week. I took them to the Boatnerd Picnic-Day 2 and they had fun hearing all the talk of boats.

We have had company for 5 weeks straight. There has been a lot of coming and going and we've loved every one. Here my youngest son and his wife enjoy the river in a moment of quiet. We had about twenty ladies over for an afternoon tea that day. The kids were getting a few quiet moments after helping setting up and serving the friends of my mom.

Several tall ships have passed going to the Tall Ships Festival in Duluth. This is the Niagara when she was tied at the Carbide Dock. The crew was busy getting the tanks pumped out and then dressing up for a walk into town. The crew was very young and they seemed to be looking for a good time. You can read more about them at Duluth Prepares for tall ships festival.
The July full moon came up at sunset last night and gave us some stunning vistas for about an hour. The reflection of the moon on the water looked like a path for walking across the river.

Enjoying More of the Upper Peninsula

2010-07-12T21:40:00.002-04:00

My friend and I are making a trip across the Upper Peninsula. She is calling on clients for part of the day and the rest of the day, we are sight-seeing. Today we saw Bay Mills, Whitefish Point, Taquamenon Falls and ended up in Munising.

Cathy, As we were approaching Newberry, I told Bonnie, "I have to look for Clementz' North Country Campground. I know it's north of Newberry." Just then, we saw it and waved to you. Such a beautiful area.

Everything we saw along Lake Superior was awesome. What a gorgeous state!

We saw this 1,000 foot freighter at Whitefish Point but couldn't identify it. Any ideas?

July 1

2010-07-02T14:45:00.003-04:00

I took 2 of my grandkids to the Boatnerd Picnic-Day 2. We were traveling from down state on Thursday when the Boatnerds had their annual picnic but they decided to hold a second day which allowed us to take part. The kids loved seeing the model boat as well as these life rings from boats they watched earlier in the day-the Sam Laud.

We held our own family bonfire and fireworks last night. There were 16 of us who started with a fish dinner at Wilcox's out past Brimley. 14 of us came back to the cabin for our annual celebration for the 4th of July.

Do you notice the wide grassy area. That was river bottom at one time. I can remember a time 30 years ago and 50 years ago when the edge of the river was up by the rocks you see in the above photo. It gives us more space but is lots more to mow. The geese also love these areas as well.

We enjoyed watching the Walter J. McCarty Jr. go down the river just before dark. The sun was reflecting off her gave her a bright glow.

Life on the river has become much busier. Everyone seems to have out-of-town guests for this holiday weekend. The 4th is extra special at our house because it is also my husband's birthday.

First Swim of the Season

2010-06-27T08:15:00.002-04:00

Two of my grandchildren are here for a special time with Grandpa & Grandma. Yesterday the sun finally picked out from the clouds and it warmed up quickly. It wasn't long before they were politely asking if there was any chance of being able to go into the water. I told them it would probably be very cold but they were welcome to try.

I went out to test the temperature of the water with them and it was very warm. The water remains shallow for quite a ways out and it was lovely.

They were having great fun in the water when they discovered that it was fun to cover themselves with mud and then run out and rinse off. I have pictures of their dad doing the same thing thirty years ago. Fun never gets old!

Engineer's Day at the Locks.

2010-06-25T15:40:00.004-04:00

What news from the Soo do you think made the newspaper in Chicago today? It wasn't the Asian Carp story this time. No, it was the story of Engineer's Day at the Locks. The Chicago Tribune ran a story about our big event.

There were many boats that passed during the day. We saw the following but missed several because of the rain.

Phillip R. Clarke

Joseph Thompson

Charles M. Beeghley

Sam Laud

Edwin H. Gott

Peter R. Cresswell

The mayflies have appeared on our screens this morning. I'll have to check the dates from previous years because this seems a bit early for the hatch.

The rain has caused our 'beach' out front to be soggy and the water level is up from last month.

Today is promised to be warm and sunny. I have two young grandchildren staying with us. They are 6 & 8 years old and they're looking forward to going in the water when it warms up. Today might be that day!

Rainy Morning

2010-06-06T08:18:00.003-04:00

It is a very wet morning here this morning. It started raining around midnight and has continued all night. But no severe weather here. The rain is badly needed after a very dry spring so we're enjoying the sound of the rain on the roof.

Yesterday was a busy day of boat traffic. This morning has had a number of boats too . This is the list of boats that I saw on Saturday.

Indiana Harbor

Steward J. Cort

Arthur M. Anderson

J W Shelley

Alpena

Algowood

Lee A. Tregurtha

Pineglen

Saguenay

Algosar

Frontenac

Edgar B. Speer

Tuscarora

Drechtborg

Mohawk -tug

Salute from the Algolake

2010-06-05T06:27:00.003-04:00

The Algolake

I took this picture yesterday as the Algolake passed by.

The Algolake is a 730 foot self-unloading bulk carrier that regularly passes by here. But she has a unique distinction. The Algolake has her own Facebook page. I really have enjoyed Facebook as a way to keep connected with family and friends but now I can get an inside look at life on a Great Lakes freighter as well. It is easy to access the page by searching for 'M.v. Algolake' on Facebook.

The pictures posted by the Algolake crew are amazing. There are pictures and videos to view.

Yesterday as I saw that the Algolake was rounding the north end of Neebish Island, I sent them a message on Facebook telling them that they were going to be passing us. They sent back a message that they would be looking for me. So when they passed we both took pictures of each other.

The highlight was that they sounded a salute-one long and two short-for me. There was another vessel coming down and I thought they were saluting the Kaminisqua but Brian on the Algolake sent a message that the salute was for me.

I will be watching for the Algolake's return voyage. What great fun to interact with the people who are working those great boats.

These are the pictures the Algolake took of our cabin from the boat. I'm the person in the red shirt on the shore. The white boat on the right is the Kaminisqua which was heading down bound at the time.

Our place is the little red cabin on the left.

Low Water Problems

2010-06-04T07:26:00.002-04:00

The news media is reporting that the Great Lakes' water level is dangerously low. I can attest to that just by looking out front at the St. Marys River. As I was taking the picture of the Atlantic Huron this morning, I noticed how far out the edge of the river is. This close-up picture shows just how bad it is.

This flower bed is actually a sea wall that was build in the 1950's to keep the water from washing out the yard. In the 70's the water was up to the sea wall again but it hasn't been since then.
This quote is from boatnerd.com

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported this month that in April, the biggest of the Great Lakes lost about three centimeters during a time when spring runoff usually swells the lake by as much as eight centimeters.

The Corps said that was only the fourth time Lake Superior declined in April in the past 110 years and was the lowest level since 1907. The levels are also low in lakes Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario -- as much as 25 centimeters lower in some places."

This low water level has great implications for Great Lakes shipping. How has the low water level affected you or what have you noticed? Thanks for sharing, Brenda

Summer Time When the Living is Easy

2010-06-03T15:47:00.004-04:00

Today is a perfect summer day on the St. Marys River. The temperature is in the mid-70's with an easy breeze off the water. The humidity is low and the morning clouds have moved on and left us with a few fluffy cumulus clouds. Here are a some pictures from the last few days. The picture above and below is the Pineglen as it passes by the Sugar Island ferry. We had dinner at Clyde's and pulled over to eat and watch boats. We were rewarded with the Pineglen. Clyde's won't be on our agenda very many times this summer. Both Tom & I are working hard to shed some pounds and although Clyde's food is delicious, I can't imagine how much fat and calories it contains.

Yesterday morning as we sat sipping our coffee and enjoying the sun as it made diamonds on the water, a young deer came down the beach. She was looking for a passage further along but seemed confused what to do about our neighbor's dock. That gave us plenty of time to enjoy watching her (or him). She finally waded into the water and went out around the dock. With the low water, she hardly got wet.

Today we have had lots of boats going by. Two times a 1,000 footer was overtaken by a smaller boat that was moving faster. I caught one with the camera. This is the American Integrity with the Sam Laud coming around her on the left. They are heading down the river. Earlier a similar overtaking occured with the Paul R. Tregurtha and the Robert S. Pierson.

We are still busy trying to get the yard and flower gardens back in shape. The weeds always have a head start on us. It would really help if we could arrive around the first of May but so far our schedule hasn't allowed that. Does anyone have any suggestions of plants that will come up on their own and be big enough to keep the weeds down? The hostas work great in the shade but I haven't got anything in the sunny areas that seems to so the trick. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Sunday, May 30

2010-05-30T21:18:00.002-04:00

We finally moved up to the Soo on Friday. Every year so many things seem to hold us back and this year was no exception. It was so good to arrive and find things in good shape. It is always a question if the well is going to be working and the if the water heater is actually going to start. One year we did burn out the elements by hooking up the power before there was water in the water heater. That isn't a good idea.

The big question is always have is if there is going to be damage from little friends like mice, chipmunks and squirrels. This year is was minimal or at least what I have noticed so far.

We haven't been able to get our internet/cable/phone hooked up yet. It looks like it will happen on Wednesday so I'll be able to tweet, facebook and blog again to my heart's content.

Here are a few pictures I took this morning. I'm sitting at my brother's right now watching the NASCAR race and thanks to his wireless, I'm on-line for the time being. It is great.

Canadian Transport in the morning sun near 3 Mile Road on Riverside Drive.

The American Spirit waiting for clearance to enter the Locks. Of course we have to drive by the Locks before going to church.

We are anxious to get out to our favorite restaurants like Clydes very soon. I'll keep you informed.

Brenda

Facebook

2010-05-16T20:32:00.002-04:00

If you are reading this blog, you may be interested in reading more about the Sault area on Facebook. There are a couple of pages that I really enjoy and thought you might too.

The first is "I Love Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan". People post about their memories of the Soo and others post great photos of the Soo-past and present.

The second page is Mv Algolake. This page gives you a great view of life on the Great Lakes freighter Algolake. I have really gotten a flavor for what life on board a freighter is like with this site.

Both pages are worth looking at often. If you have any questions about Facebook, I'd be glad to try to answer them for you.

Lots of Trouble in Great Lakes

2010-04-25T17:44:00.006-04:00

This photo of the Algobay after her grounding was taken by Bill, my boat watching friend from the Soo. Thanks for the great shot Bill.

I found this picture of the St. Marys River system was taken by NASA. I hope they don't mind if I use it. I'm sure I'll hear from them if they don't like it. I have heard from the United States Coast Guard when I used one of their pictures. They didn't mind as long as I credited them with the photo.

This past two weeks I have heard about several unfortunate incidents in the Great Lakes shipping system. There have been four groundings and one helicopter crash. There was no loss of life in any of the accidents which is really amazing.

The most spectacular was the crash of a United States Coast Guard helicopter near Port Huron. The helicopter was conducting hoist practice when it crashed into 50 feet of water. The crew of three was able to escape without harm. The helicopter was later recovered and loaded on a platform and taken to a hangar for analysis. Both the black box and the main rotor blades were recovered which will aid in determining the cause of the accident.

We have watched the Coast Guard practice hoisting victims from the water in front of our cabin and it is fascinating to watch. The Coast Guard conducted the practice with supporting law enforcement from the community manning the boats on the water and helping to load the 'victims' for transport to the helicopter. The Chippewa County Sheriff, Tribal Police and State police were all involved.

Besides the crash, there have been four ships that ran aground in the river so far this spring. This includes the Algobay on April 13, a saltie, the Iryda on April 16 and the Joseph L. Block on April 19. All three ships have gone for repairs.

Deadly Voyage

2010-04-19T06:42:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while I read a book that so moves me that I cannot stop thinking about it. I want to talk about it to all my friends and process the story together. Deadly Voyage is such a book. I began reading Deadly Voyage last week in our car as my husband and I made our way home from a Spring Break road trip. After I was into the second chapter, I told my husband, "You are going to want to hear this story." For the rest of the day, I read out loud the book. There were times we wanted more of the story and at certain points, we had to stop to talk together about the story.

Deadly Voyage, written by Andrew Kantar, tells the story of the Daniel J. Morrell, a Great Lakes freighter. The Daniel J. Morrell sunk in Lake Huron in a hurricane force storm in November 1966. The story is eerily similar to the shipwreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald which occurred 9 years later but the Morrell story has something the Fitzgerald doesn't have-a survivor to tell us what actually happened. We hear how the crew was alerted of the danger, the personalities of the sailors, even what they talked about as they waited for the ship, now broken in two pieces, to go down.

Dennis Hale, the sole survivor of the Morrell tragedy, floated for 38 hours on a life raft with 3 of his shipmates. None of them were able to survivor the bitter cold and high winds that buffeted them until they washed up on the shore of Lake Huron. Hale was eventually discovered by the Coast Guard and he was near death from hypothermia. He tells how he survived including a visit with his mother who had died when he was born and an appearance of a stranger who warned him to stop sucking on ice on his jacket which he was doing for water. Hale later learned that that could have cost him his life by lowering his body temperature.

Andrew Kantar has written a moving, human account of this story. He presents the facts with writing that engages and keeps your interest. After I finished reading the first chapter to Tom, I asked, "Do you want to hear more?" His response, "Of course." That's a high recommendation from him.

I can recommend Deadly Voyage too. It is a piece of Great Lakes history but it is also a look at the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of great danger and tragedy. You can purchase the book at Amazon.com.

Sixty Years of Opening the Cabin

2010-04-17T14:31:00.006-04:00

Brenda, Kathy & Tory Erickson 1954

This May will mark the 60th anniversary for the building of our cabin. My grandparents built it on the St. Marys River on some undeveloped pasture land that they bought from my grandmother's sister's family. My grandparents, the Ericksons, were the first to build on what is called Loma Beach between 6 Mile and 7 Mile Roads. There was no electricity there at that time. In fact, there weren't even roads into the place. The above picture was taken in 1954. I am on the left, my sister in the high chair and my grandmother is on the right. The high chair is still in use at the cabin. Babies were always tied into that high chair with a diaper.

So our family has been opening the cabin in the spring for 60 years. There were a few years in there that someone lived there all winter long. My parents and us children did that several winters but for the most part, the cabin was closed down each winter.

Opening the cabin is a highlight for me as I'm sure it was for my grandparents. It is a signal that summer is coming with the wonderful times relaxing at the cabin.

This May is also my 60th birthday. I think we should have some celebrations for both 60th birthdays! I'll keep you informed.

Deadly Voyage

2010-04-16T18:10:00.004-04:00

Andrew Kantar fielded questions from the audience.

Dennis Hale with the life jacket he was wearing when rescued by the US Coast Guard

Dennis Hale is a survivor. In fact, he is the sole survivor of a Great Lakes shipwreck that occured in 1966. There were 29 men on the Daniel J. Morrel when she encountered hurricane force conditions in November 1966. The storm caused the Morrel to break into 2 pieces. Hale and three shipmates made it to a life raft after being thrown off the boat but after 38 hours adrift, Hale was the only one still alive when they were found by the Coast Guard. I'll write more of this horrific story in the next few days.

The story has been described in a book by Dr. Andrew Kantar called Deadly Voyage. I heard Hale and Kantar speak last night at the Big Rapids Community Library. They will be speaking again on May 6 & May 8 at other Mecosta County Libraries. It was worth the hour drive for me to meet these men and hear a first hand report of the sinking of the Morrel.

I will write a more detailed review of Deadly Voyage in the next few days but I can say it is an excellent accounting of the wreck and its effect of the families of the seamen. I would recommend Deadly Voyage to anyone interested in reading of this Great Lakes tragedy but also as a story of the resiliency of the human spirit.

This video clip shows Dennis Hale answering questions about the wreck. He states the the Morrel should have been at the Soo if she had not be wrecked.

Amazing Rivers

2010-04-02T10:33:00.004-04:00

Maybe it is because I grew up on the shore of the St. Marys River but I am fascinated with rivers-every kind and location. I've been studying rivers this winter and found that they come in every shape and size. The definition of a river is very general-a flow of water over land that follows a channel-is the best I've seen. There are no rules about size, length to make a river. How interesting.

We left our home near Grand Rapids, Michigan on Wednesday and I've kept track of the different rivers we've crossed. My list is up to 16 now and I'm sure there were a few that I missed. The most interesting to me were the Tippecanoe and Wabash in Indiana which played a major role in our history. But I believe all rivers play a role in history. I think if you want to study the history of the development of the US, just look at the rivers.

Anyway, yesterday we crossed the largest river in the US, the Mississippi River. These pictures are from that crossing. You can see Mississippi River transportation is much different that Great Lakes transportation.

I'm hoping to put together a collection of photos from rivers in Michigan. There are over 300 of them. If you have a photos of Michigan rivers that you are willing to share with me, I would be most appreciative and would definitely give you credit.

Changes to the "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"

2010-03-28T18:17:00.007-04:00

A recent piece in the Chicago Sun-times states that Gordon Lightfoot is going to change the lyrics of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". The change will be made because new research has determined that the Fitz was sunk by a rouge wave. What do you think? Can you handle a change after all the years of singing the haunting melody. Actually just a few words will be changed but we old folks may not transition to such a change.

Ads on my blog

2010-03-26T08:37:00.003-04:00

Dear readers, As I checked in this morning, I was surprised to see ads placed on my blog by Google. I did not give them permission to do that. I have gone to my settings and checked 'remove ads' but that doesn't help.

I apologize for the ads and I'm doing my best to remove them. If any of you have any information about this, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks, Brenda

Sault Star Recognizes Boatnerds

2010-03-22T17:02:00.004-04:00

Through a tweet that I posted last week, I was contacted by the Sault Star to talk about boatwatching. The article appeared today. You can read it at Boat watching begins early. Enjoy!

Boat watching' begins early

SHIPPING SEASON: Sault locks open ahead of schedule

Posted By LINDA RICHARDSON, THE SAULT STAR

Posted 4 days ago

There was no way Brenda Benedict, a self-confessed "boat nerd,'' was going to miss the annual rite of spring that signals the opening of the shipping season.

The Grand Rapids, Mich., area resident was among more than 30 people gathered at the Soo Locks early Sunday morning to watch the first vessel lock through the canal system.

A retired school teacher, who grew up in the Michigan Sault and still has family there, Benedict never had an opportunity in the past to view the launching of the commercial navigation season.

But this year, thanks to a decision by the U.S. Corps of Engineers to open the system four days earlier than usual, Benedict, who was in town to celebrate her mother's 80th birthday, was able to be there.

The early opening was in response to a request from shipping companies to replenish low coal and iron ore inventories.

Although the air was "very cold'' at 7 a.m., for Benedict, who also had her four grandchildren with her, "it was a beautiful morning.''

The Lee A. Tregurtha, an 826-foot self-unloader, which had arrived Saturday night, was tied up at the pier east of the Poe Lock waiting for the 7 a.m. opening.

At 7:05 a.m., the freighter sounded its whistle and began the process of locking upbound to continue its voyage along the St. Mary's River and across Lake Superior to Two Harbors, Minn.

And from what the Michigan Sault United States Coast Guard sector was saying Sunday morning, the Tregurtha shouldn't have any problems reaching its destination.

Ice in the waterways above the locks is melting plate ice that is no hindrance to navigation, a spokesman said.

Whitefish Bay is "almost open,'' vessel traffic management specialist Ken Curry said.

2010 Shipping Season Begins

2010-03-21T18:15:00.007-04:00

Spring arrived this weekend and one of the best parts of Spring is the beginning of the shipping season. We were able to be in the Soo for the big event. Saturday evening we went down to the Carbide dock to witness the ship which was going to open the Locks-the Lee A. Tregurtha. She arrived just as the sun was setting on a beautiful day. It was cool and windy but just right for boatwatching. She tied up to the pier just outside the Locks for the welcome by city officials.

My son and his family were in town with me. This picture is 3 generations of boat watchers.

Here's the Lee A. Tregurtha as she approaches the Locks.

I met a fellow boat watcher watching the first boat.

Sunday morning we arrived at the Locks Park at 6:50 AM. The temperature was 16 degrees but veteran boat watchers told us we were lucky there wasn't snow and ice like there is some years. We lined the steps of the observation deck because the windows were frost covered. Here my grandchildren are trying to keep warm.

The sun was coming up in the east when the Lee A. Tregurtha sounded her whistle, revved her engines and slowly slid into the Locks.

It was really worth the long drive (to me, of course I didn't do the driving). I would like to see more of a celebration next year. Linda Hoath of the Sault Convention and Visitors Bureau is looking for ideas to make this day more special in the future. So if you have any ideas, let me know and I'll pass them on.

I received these photos from a fellow boatwatcher this morning. They are beautiful. This note was with the pictures:

Took these pictures this morning (03/21/10) Sunrise on the River down at Misson Point, Sugar Island Ferry at Sunrise, Lee A Tregurtha coming under the International Bridge at Sunrise (First Up Bound Boat of the Season), Roger Blough (Second Boat Up Bound) off Misson Point, Edwin Gott (Up Bound at Misson Point). Missed the James R Barker (First Boat of the Season Down Bound though the Soo Locks).

Opening of the Soo Locks

2010-03-13T08:28:00.002-05:00

Spring is coming and I know that is true because the shipping season is going to begin in the St. Marys River next week. That's right-due to lack of ice in the river and requests from the shipping companies, the Corps of Engineers is opening the Locks 4 days early.

Next Sunday, March 21, at 7 AM. the Locks will officially open. Due to a previously scheduled trip to the Sault, I will be there. I just hope there is a boat ready to enter the Locks so we can celebrate the return of boatwatching-one of the most fun hobbies. It really doesn't require any work and is very relaxing.

I hope to see some of you boatnerds at the opening. Let me know if you are coming.

The Sault in February

2010-02-27T08:25:00.005-05:00

We had a great trip to the Sault two weeks ago. There just isn't that much snow this year. We traveled around and took a few pictures of the St. Marys River to share with you. This passenger train was in the train yard by the International Bridge Plaza. Wouldn't it be good if passenger train service became available?

Things are very quiet at the Locks-at least on the outside. Did you see the Dirty Jobs feature on the Locks in the winter. It was amazing -showing what goes on to keep the Locks clean and free of debris. You can see some short clips at Dirty Jobs.

The only sign of shipping was this barge PML 9000 moored at the Carbide Dock. Didn't see any activity around it.

It is a sad sight at Clydes to see it all closed up. Can't wait until summer.

The Sugar Islander is keeping her appointed times.

Here's the driveway to our cabin. We weren't able to get in but it won't be long now until we're back.

March starts Monday and after that it is just a few short weeks until March 25 and shipping resumes. Any of you going to be there to see the first ship?

Full Moon Over the River

2010-01-30T07:26:00.004-05:00

These outstanding pictures were taken on January 29, 2010 as the full moon was rising over the St. Marys River. My Facebook friend, Cathy, took them last night and graciously shared them with us.

The January full moon is called the Wolf Moon by Native American tradition and it is very fitting. The moon is the largest and brightest of the year. It is 30% brighter and 14% larger than any other full moon of the year. What a spectacular occurrence.

The July full moon is always wonderful as it comes up over Sugar Island and sends moonbeams across the river. But I'm sure this January moon is something to behold. I hope that maybe January 2011, I'll be there to see it. It will be January 19, 2011. Let's meet in the Sault!

Prospects look good for 2010 Shipping Season

2010-01-09T10:47:00.004-05:00

The shipping season for 2009 hit a level of ore shipments that was record-breaking but not in a good way. The tons of ore shipped was the same as that of 1938. That can't be good. You can read about it in this article from Superior Telegraph: Ore Shipments at Great Depression Levels.

But the good news in the article is that the 2010 shipping season is already looking up because steel mills are ramping up production and the mines in Minnesota are calling workers back from layoff.

That's great news for boat watchers on the St. Marys River this year. The shipping season is just drawing to a close this week. The Soo Locks will be closing on Jan. 15. From the pictures I'm seeing, it looks like ice is forming quickly. They've had some really cold mornings according to my parents.

There have been some great pictures from boatnerds on the Internet of boats in the ice. Today I posted two taken by Cathy K. near DeTour of the Lee A. Tregurtha, a boat with an illustrious history including service in WWII for which she received 2 battle stars. You can read a more detailed history at http://www.boatnerd.com/ and put the name Lee A. Tregurtha in the search box.

Since being converted to an ore carrier, she has sailed the waters of the Great Lakes under several names. Lee A. Tregurtha became her name in 1989. Mrs.Dorothy Lee Anderson Tregurtha was the wife of Paul R. Tregurtha, the owner of Interlake Steamship Co. at that time.

Winter River Pictures

2010-01-04T07:52:00.004-05:00

Cathy K. is a Facebook friend of mine. She takes great pictures of the St. Marys River and the boats. She has graciously allowed me to post these pictures so all of you can enjoy them. Cathy says that she takes to the pictures to show "how the ice and snow change everything about the boats ...how they navigate, their lacy ice shirts and their ice clogged 'noses'. Great description Cathy. Thank you for sharing with us.

This is the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. She's a 1,000 footer owned by the American Steamship Company. You can read about her at Walter J. McCarthy Jr.

The Charles M. Beeghly is a 806 foot vessel owned by the Interlake Steamship Co. We frequently saw both ships this summer. But what a difference there is for these ice covered vessels.

The shipping season is drawing to a close and the Soo Locks will be shut down on January 15. But that means that spring is just a few months away. My grandson is talking about going to the Soo to see the first boat of the season. I can't say no to a request like that.

Watching St. Marys River Water Levels

2009-12-11T07:44:00.002-05:00

This week we had a very scary incident on the St. Marys River. Thanks to boatnerd.com for the updates. I don't know who is writing those updates but I really appreciated the information.

The Edwin H. Gott, a 1,000 footer, went aground just south of Neebish Island. It took 4 tugs to free her but it looks to me like the water level in the St. Marys River was a help too.

The water level of the river can raise and lower frequently during the course. From living on the river, I have seen a correlation between the wind direction and sometimes the atmospheric pressure and the water level.

The few inches that the depth fluctuates is not an issue in most of the river but in the Rock Cut it is definitely important. It is not unusual for a ship to be waiting up from the Rock Cut because the water is too low. You can hear the ship's captain on the scanner asking for the water level in the Rock Cut.

You can follow the level in the Rock Cut on-line. The National Weather Service provides a Water Level Monitoring Station. There is a list of locations on the left. Scroll down to Rock Cut, MI and clip on the number to the left of it. The first chart is water level.

To read the chart, observe the red line. When it is above 0, the water is above datum. Datum is where the level needs to be for safe shipping. I'm sure an engineer could give a better explanation for datum, but that's the bottom line.

There is other information available there too such as wind direction and air pressure.

Early Wednesday morning the water level dipped 11 inches. That may have had something to do with the grounding of the Gott. The Gott wasn't freed until the water level raised.

Very interesting for you river watchers.

Edwin H. Gott is Aground

2009-12-09T18:21:00.004-05:00

The blizzard that is hitting Michigan right now seems to have caused havoc on the St. Marys River. The latest I've heard from my Facebook friends is the the Edwin H. Gott is aground just below Neebish Island. It appears that two tugs are coming along her to aid.

As I get more information I will post it.

Shoveling Sand or Snow?

2009-11-21T09:34:00.003-05:00

What would you rather shovel-sand or snow? This is the question that comes to mind after reading yooperyarns.com account of clean-up from the recent storm in North Carolina.

Cathy Clementz and her husband are owners of North Country Campground near Newberry. Cathy writes about their life there at Yooper Yarns. Her humorous writing style makes her blog one that I look forward to reading every day.

Cathy and Dan are on a new adventure this winter. They closed up North Country and took their 5th wheel to North Carolina to work at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. They were there last week for the big storm that hit the coast. Cathy's account of the damage to the nearby Atlantic coast is amazing. Here is an excerpt from Yooper Yarns.

Our snow drops from the sky, the wind howls from the north and west (normally) and we know that our snow storms aren’t usually going to occur till November through April. For these people, sand is there all the time, as is the force of the ocean and the Nor’easters that push it inland. I can’t recall any time where the snow storms have changed the face of the earth, but these dunes are GONE. The landscape is flattened.

The pictures show the extent of the damage. I'm looking forward to hearing more from Cathy as she and Dan continue on their adventure. I'm living vicariously through her writing.

Asian Carp in the St. Marys River Update

2009-11-21T06:49:00.009-05:00

Yesterday's post brought up the idea of Asian carp entering the Great Lakes system. I had an interesting post which you might want to read from a follower in France. I used Google Translate and posted the comment in English in case you don't read French. Thanks to Mr. Beamish's French class at Sault High, I could read most of it.

Last night I was watching our local weather and there was a segment on Asian carp. Thanks to my broken ankle, I'm sitting and watching TV news. Our local anchorman was interviewing Dr. Dan O'Keefe from the Michigan Sea Grant organization. I had never heard of this organization but they are involved in 'promoting understanding and intelligent use of the Great Lakes".

I emailed Dr. O'Keefe about the Asian carp problem and the chances of Asian carp reaching the St. Marys River. His response was:

As for the St. Marys, it is probably too cold for successful reproduction of either Asian carp species - but they could still potentially enter the St. Marys from other areas if breeding populations do become established in other rivers.

The words 'could still potentially' strikes fear in me.

The rest of Dr. O'Keefe's explanation follows:

Hi Brenda,

It is hard to say how long it will be before Asian carp are documented in Lake Michigan. The bighead carp has already been documented in Lake Erie, but has not established a reproducing population. Silver carp have not been documented in any of the Great Lakes, but are now (along with bigheads) within 7 miles of Lake Michigan with nothing but a navigational lock between them and the Great Lakes. The sample that verified their presence at that location was taken between Sept. 23 and Oct. 1, so it is possible that they have moved closer already.

Here's an article from the Freep.com site. Varocious carp could quickly take over Great Lakes. It has some good basic info about the carp.

The Wall Street Journal also did an article on the carp today. Asian Carp could hurt boating, fishing industry in Great Lakes.

The New York Times is also featuring an article. Varacious Eater may be nearing Lake Michigan.

Great Lakes in the News or Time to Read the News

2009-11-18T08:41:00.005-05:00

My life has taken quite a 'turn' this week. The turn was in my ankle. I was out running very early Monday morning as usual. I've been running several times a week with my sister-in-law for the past 17 years. We run outside year round in the dark. Whenever we're asked how we manage, we just say, "It's never been a problem for us." Well on Monday the dark became a problem. I stepped in a pothole and twisted my ankle.

I went to work Monday although it was sore, the pain wasn't too bad. But on Tuesday as I worked most of the day, the swelling continued and my co-workers encouraged me to get it checked out by the doctor.

I did that and found out my ankle was fractured and now I'm off my feet. I returned to work yesterday but because I work in a school and have to visit many classrooms, by the end of the day I was exhausted and very sore-mostly my arms and shoulders from walking on crutches.

So I'm off my feet today and I'll see an orthopedic doctor and find out how long I have to be on crutches and what my limitations are going to be.

But the good news is that now I have time to read the news.

The fish kill in Chicago is getting lots of attention. It is being done to keep the Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. You can read about it at this link. Corp to Kill Every Fish in Canal. It is to our best interest in the St. Marys River to keep the Asian carp out. We have had so many challenges to the environment here and this would be a serious threat.

I try not to be political in my blog but what are your feeling about the environmental impacts in the Great Lakes. Do you have any favorite blogs that you read?

St. Marys River Rescue

2009-11-05T17:38:00.003-05:00

Alonzo Knowles and Maisey

There was a remarkable rescue last Friday from the St. Marys River in Munuscong Bay. Three friends from downstate were duck hunting on the river and ended up fighting for their lives. The Evening News stated it,

"At the beginning of their hunt the weather was warm but very windy — out of the south at 30-plus mph. On their journey from Barbeau to Sand Island, they experienced 2 to 3 foot waves, which Knowles said aren’t uncommon on the bay and their boat handled it well.
“But our trip back was entirely different,” Knowles said.

On the trip back, their boat was swamped and the men were in the water, clinging to their overturned boat. One of the men was able to use his cell phone to call for help but the phone quickly died. They then waited in the 46 degree water as hypothermia began setting in. About an hour into the ordeal, their dog, Maisey, slipped off the bottom of the boat.

The men were rescued by Chippewa County Sheriff and Michigan State Police personnel.

One of the men described the event, “Shaking uncontrollably from the onset of hypothermia on the bottom of our boat, much of the ride back to shore was a blur to me. We were greeted by an ambulance with warm blankets open arms and smiling faces."

The focus then came on Maisey, the 18 month old lab. "On Sunday morning, after 36 hours in the marsh, Maisey and Knowles were reunited. They found her after driving down several miles of flooded two tracks off of 18 Mile Road.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!,” Knowles said. “Never could I have imagined an outcome like this. I can’t begin to express how thankful we all are for your combined efforts."

I am reminded of a trip Tom and I had from St. Joseph Island back to the cabin on our waverunners. Our trip over had been fine but the return trip was very scary as the wind had picked up and it was all I could do to hold on to the handlebars while being whipped around by waves that were crashing over my head. The St. Marys River is a large body of water with potential for quickly forming storms.

Read about it in the Soo Evening News.
Munuscong Bay Rescue

This comment was left on the news story in the Evening News by one of those involved.

A heartfelt Thank-you to all involved. From all the first responders, the 911 dispatcher for hanging in their with us, the Ambulance personel, The fine folks of Barbeau and the surrounding area.......... You All Rock !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I speak for my friends that were with me as well as myself , when I say Thank-you for all that you did for us over the weekend and on that illfated night. Best Regards to you all, Alonzo Knowles Traverse City

You Know You're a Boatnerd When

2009-10-28T18:20:00.002-04:00

You know you're a boatnerd when your friends take pictures of boats just for you. My friend Bonnie was calling on clients in northern Michigan this weekend and send me these photos with this message:

Took this just for you! Off the harbor just north of Rogers City.

Can’t see the name of her though…

OK, readers, now I'm challenging you to identify this freighter for me. I know you can do it.

Pictures from Bill K.

2009-10-27T05:47:00.003-04:00

Boatwatcher Bill Keetley sent me this message and pictures this week. I'll post a few of the pictures now and more to come. Thanks Bill for the beautiful pictures. I'll post the rest later this week.

I took these down at the river last week. The Frontenac was headed down the river past Mission Point and the Drummond Islander III was behind her. The Robert Pierson was up bound and the 3 met just before the rock cut.
My favorite Picture is the one of the guy fishing on the riverbank with the boats in the background. The salty is the Jumbo Vision.

October 13 at the Locks

2009-10-13T10:53:00.003-04:00

My sister-in-law Linda just sent me these pictures that she took this morning at the Locks. For those of us not at the Soo, they are a treat to see. This is the American Century locking through this morning. Thanks Linda!

Cabin Close-up

2009-10-12T06:20:00.002-04:00

Our plans for the fall were to return to our home near Grand Rapids to finish a contact I had which finished Sept. 30. We were then going to return to the cabin in October and have a leisurely fall. But things didn't work out that way. Our home sold after having been for sale for months and our move-out date is Oct. 23. So our month has been full of downsizing after 20 years in this house and raising 4 children here. But each step of the way has gone well.

This past weekend, we headed north to bring a load of furniture from our house to the cabin and then to close up for the season. But even those plans got changed. We brought our 7 year old grandson who is really a great worker and he wanted to come and help. I joked that we are training him for close-up in 20 years when we don't feel like doing it.

Friday night we went to bed and at 1 AM, Jack woke me up to tell me there was a boat passing in the river. What a treat! Yes, he is a boatnerd in training. It got me thinking about how we can provide activities for children to develop a love for the boats in them. That is a subject I'd like to spend more time thinking about. Do you readers have any ideas?

Unfortunately, that wasn't the only time Jack woke me up Friday night. He came down with a flu and spent the rest of the weekend on the couch. We cut our trip short and returned home yesterday so that Jack could be with his mom and dad.

Here are some pictures from the weekend. The first two pictures were taken by Bill Keetley. You see the Drummond Islander III which is doing the Sugar Island run while the Sugar Islander is in dry dock for some repairs.

The colors were fantastic around the Gaylord area and on Scenic Drive near the Soo. Sugar Island was in full glory.

Saturday & Sunday we were treated to snow flurries. Yes, there was snow.

We saw several ships Sat. and Sun. Sun we saw the Edwin H. Gott, Algosoo and our last ship of the season was the Paul R. Trugurtha. Those memories have to keep us until next spring.

We will be returning early next year because I know our life will have settled down by then-at least I hope so.

Memories of Summer

2009-10-04T07:31:00.004-04:00

Bill Keetley keeps close tab on the goings-on at the Soo. He sent me some photos of boats before we headed downstate but in the busyness of this month, I hadn't gotten them posted. So here they are. It is fun to look at boat pictures anytime. Thanks for sending them Bill.

We're hoping to be in the Soo later this week. We will be moving a trailer load of stuff from our house here. We sold our home here in Caledonia and will be bringing lots of furniture and 'stuff' up to the Cabin. We hope to be spending lots more time in the Soo but won't be living there in the winter until we get our cabin winterized a bit more.

I Can't Believe My Pathway

2009-09-30T06:19:00.002-04:00

I know I haven't been posting for the past few weeks because things have been crazy in my life. I'll give you a quick update.

My Job I work in schools as a consultant helping teachers improve their teaching. The current grant I work under expires on Sept. 30 (today) so I have been working every day this month. Not what a retired person wants to do! I'm looking forward to a day off tomorrow but this weekend we are having a garage sale-see next section to see why we are downsizing.

Our House Our house sold recently after having been for sale for months. We had hoped to make our cabin our permanent home but didn't get it done this summer, so we have been looking for a place to rent down here. We found a condo on Monday and will be moving into it the end of October. It should work well because we will be close to our grandkids.

Last week my mother had some medical problems and came down to the hospital here for treatment. She had several issues which they were able to resolve with medication. We took her back home last Friday and got to spend the night at our beloved cabin. Those pictures were taken then.

I hope to be keeping up on the posting now. Bill Keetley sent me some lovely pictures which I never did get posted and now I can't locate, although I know they're on my computer. Bill, if you could resend them, I promise I'll post them tomorrow.

Thanks, Brenda

September Foggy Morning and January Blizzards

2009-09-04T08:01:00.002-04:00

We had a beautiful sunrise this morning with just a few wisps of fog. It is quiet this morning with no boat traffic and no gun shots from the goose hunters. But not so yesterday. Lots of gun shots and lots of fog. We were completely socked in for several hours. The US Coast Guard closed the river to commercial traffic which made for a busy time once the fog lifted.

I had a friend who said a foggy morning in September means a blizzard in January. I don't know if there is any truth to that because I could never remember how many foggy mornings there had been in Sept. once we got to January. I even tried to write it down one year but that didn't help.

This week we had a busy on Tuesday with 12 ships observed here. Wednesday was limited to two ships and Thursday it picked up again with 9 ships again. The Lake Guardian, the EPA Research vessel was one of the down bounders yesterday. I wonder what research they are doing here.

Buckthorn Hard at Work-New Info

2009-09-01T15:11:00.005-04:00

The US Coast Guard vessel, Buckthorn, is hard at work today in the St. Marys River. It looks like she is taking care of buoy maintenance but that's just an observation.

This is an addition after I had time to sit in the front yard and watch closely what was going on aboard the Buckthorn. It appeared to be disaster training. For a while they were throwing life rings out from the boat. "Man overboard". Later they were having a fire drill. A light was flashing and I could hear a loud voice calling, "fire, fire". Very interesting. They were out there a couple of hours.

The river is quiet today but there has been a fair amount of shipping traffic. The John G. Munson just went up. Earlier today, I saw the Indiana Harbor and the H. Lee White going up also.

The Joseph L. Block was down bound this morning and she is a good looking boat.

We arrived home yesterday from a quick trip downstate just in time to see the Beeghly headed down and the Federal Hudson heading to the Soo.

Today is a picture-perfect day on the river. Low wind and humidity with temps in the low 70's. No clouds in the sky makes for a very blue river.

I received a nice note from a reader who has memories of boat watching that I want to share with you. So many people have great memories of time spend on the St. Marys River as a child. Please share with us if your would.

My grandparents bought a cabin on the west side of Sugar Island (facing Lake Nicolet) in the early 90's. My family would come up every summer for a week or so. My two brothers and I had a blast every year watching the boats and enjoying all the water activities that the Sugar Island/Sault Ste Marie area had to offer. My Grandpa worked on the freighters from the age of 16 and was able to name them all on sight and would often get a salute from the some of the captains. Sadly, my Grandmother passed away in 2001 and that, along with the demands of growing up and work life meant that we stopped our yearly trips. Just last weekend, though, my brother and I were able to make it up to the Sault for the first time in 6 years and it was great to be there again. Thanks so much for your great blog. I'm sure all of your family members will have great lifelong memories of the Soo.

Thanks for sharing your memories and glad you enjoyed a recent trip here too.

Mother Boat & Baby Boat

2009-08-30T15:32:00.002-04:00

Last Thursday around noon, I saw two boats coming down the St. Marys River and it looked to me like a mother boat and her baby. It was actually the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. and a tug and barge. But it was a cute sight. I'm sure that the tug didn't feel like her mother was behind her with that 1,000 footer bearing down on her.

Cormorant Control

2009-08-29T10:05:00.004-04:00

We sat at Mission Point this summer and watched cormorants dive into the deep water of the channel repeatedly. We have read and heard about the problem cormorants have been causing to the fish population around the Great Lakes.

I read an article today Government killing once-endangered cormorant that explains the history of the cormorant population which have gone from near extinction to over population in a short time. The government is now trying to find ways to reduce the numbers of birds but no one is sure if their methods are successful yet. They may only be causing the birds to move to other locations.

I'd like to hear from my readers about cormorant problems and if you are still experiencing them.

We certainly have had problems with Canada geese and sea gulls here on the St. Marys River. I am sure that their presence has added some pollution to our stretch of the river.

Any thoughts on this?

Back on the River

2009-08-27T08:19:00.003-04:00

The Calloway just went up. I took this picture last year.

Tom & I arrived back at the Cabin last night and found things in good order. Our kind neighbors kept the grass cut. That is how things work in our neighborhood. The people next door have very similar lifestyles to us. They are retired with a home here and one down state with lots of travel between. Our neighbor's mother is also in an assisted living home just like Tom's mother and that means we like to see our mother's often too so there is lots of travel downstate and back. Whoever cuts the grass tries to do both yards if possible. It works great for both of us.

Last night was so cool that we finally lit our furnace and I'm glad we did. We had gotten through the entire summer without the furnace with the thought that it was going to warm up soon. We used an electric heater many mornings but we gave up last night with the temperature forecast to be in the low 40's. It actually only got to 47 degrees but I was so happy to have it warm in here this morning.

I woke up around 3 AM and couldn't sleep but I could just enjoy the beauty of the St. Marys River at night and sat and watched the clear night and many blinking lights on the river. The stars were out in full force and there was a boat coming up the river which made a wonderful picture because it was fully lit up.

This morning the Cason J. Calloway just went up stream, sounding a salute out front a bit up from us. I've heard the Calloway do that before so there must be someone living there that the crew knows. I would love to get a boat to sound a salute for me. I'm now friends with several crew members on Facebook and absolutely love the pictures and videos they post. I'm seeing what sights they see from the ship as they travel the Great Lakes.

My small vegetable garden has been sorely neglected so that is the order for the day once the dew burns off and it warms up a bit. There might even be some veggies out there to harvest for a great dinner.

Where Have I Been?

2009-08-21T06:54:00.004-04:00

I know that I have been terribly negligent about posting this past week and I felt that I owed my faithful and not so faithful readers an explanation.

Believe me, I've been having fun. I had an opportunity to do something that I had only dreamed of doing. So here it is.

Great Lakes shipping is one of my hobbies but I have several others. For the past year and a half I have been writing a weekly column for a NASCAR web site. I became a NASCAR fan after my oldest daughter moved to Concord, North Carolina for a teaching job. Concord is right in the middle of NASCAR country and visiting there we got hooked on the spectacle of NASCAR. After I retired my teaching, I found an opportunity to write the column and I've been doing it faithfully whether I had something important to say or not. You can read my past columns at Brenda Benedict Columns.

NASCAR recently opened up their definition of the media to include web-sites which had been excluded in the past. This was partly due to the economic downturn for newspapers and also an acknowledgment of the popularity and legitimacy of the internet in news reporting.

The website that I write for is Insider Racing News and it was one of the 29 sites chosen by NASCAR to obtain media rights at races. So my editor suggested that I represent IRN at the race at Michigan International Speedway and I jumped at the chance. So last weekend, I traveled to Brooklyn, Michigan near Jackson and got to live the live of a sports reporter for the weekend. I loved every minute of it. I was rubbing shoulders with reporters from ESPN, USA Today, NASCAR.com and Scene Daily. I basically sat back and learned how the system operated. The media is heavily weighed with males and there were not many gray haired grandma's there so I stuck out. I didn't care. I got to see everything close up and then write about it. My idea of a good time.

I attended the driver press conferences. Here, Tony Stewart is answering questions which ranged from technical to really weird and he maintained his composure during all of it. Some of the drivers weren't so diplomatic.

My credentials included a 'hot pass' which means I had full access to the garages. Here Kasey Kahne's engine is being replaced prior to qualifying. It was a quick and smooth process with lots of workers who each had their job and did it efficiently and quickly.
Michael Waltrip's team is making adjustments to his car during practice. I had to be very aware of race cars and my main job was staying out of their way.

The opening ceremonies and especially the flyover were wonderful up close.

Watching the race from the press box may have spoiled me for future races in my living room. I could see the whole track and wasn't depending on the TV to show me one section of the track at a time. The room was air-conditioned with snacks provided. The best part for me was that race data was everywhere and I was constantly aware of what was happening every lap. NASCAR PR kept bringing us updates of what was happening in the race. I loved that. But nothing can be better than a recliner to watch the race from and taking a nap during those laps when the drone of the cars puts me to sleep.
Are any of you NASCAR fans? Let me know who your favorite drivers are. I'd love to hear about it.

This week I've been working as a consultant and literacy coach in Grand Rapids Public Schools which I've been doing on a contract for the past year. My contract expires on Sept. 30 and I don't know what the future will hold. I may be a full-time resident on the St. Mary's River and that can only be good!

Spectacular Sunrise

2009-08-12T07:15:00.004-04:00

We had a spectacular sunrise over Sugar Island this morning. The sun is coming up later now and so I get to see it more often. In June, the day was breaking between 5 and 5:30 AM and that was just a bit too early for life here at the Cabin. Back home, when I'm working, I'm up and out to run or walk by that time. I have my walking friends and my running buddy and so I get out most days of the week. But the sun is making her appearance around 6 AM now so I am getting to enjoy it.

My bedroom faces the river so the first thing I saw this morning, after my eyes focused, was the sun above the Edwin H Gott as she silently slipped up the St. Marys River which was as smooth as glass. There were a few wisps of fogs sitting on the water. This makes one of those mornings I would like to hang on to all year but with everything in nature, it is fleeting and gone in a few short minutes.

Yesterday, I observed the Burns Harbor before leaving the cabin for a day in the Soo. I saw the Canadian Olympic entering the Locks while going to Pullar Stadium for the annual Chili Cook-off for the United Way. It was a great time and so wonderful to see a community event so well-supported by many Soo citizens. You wouldn't believe the many different kinds of chili in just three categories-hot, mild and white.

I'm off on a new adventure this morning. We're heading home to Caledonia so I can get ready for this weekend. I'll be attending the NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway as a reporter. I will be representing the website Insider Racing News.com. I've been writing a weekly column for them since February 2008 and I'm really looking forward to this time at the track. I will keep you posted how it goes. I'll also be posting on Facebook under Brenda Hoath Benedict and Twitter under twitter.com/nascarfaithful.

Bill, can you keep us posted about boat traffic for the next week. I'll also be working for three days while we're home. I'm a literacy coach for Grand Rapids Public Schools. This is a part-time job where I assist classroom teachers as they work to build the reading and writing schools of their students. My work has mainly been in three Hispanic elementary schools which I just love. This next year is still up in the air because I'm working under a grant and every year is different.

One last thought this morning. Yesterday Tom and I saw the movie Julie and Julia. I loved it, of course, because it was about blogging. Tom found it a little slow moving (meaning no car chases or killing) but thought it was ok. Have any of you seen it? I'm going out to get Julia Child's book-Mastering the Art of French Cooking as soon as a Barnes and Noble comes into sight!

Alpena in the Fog

2009-08-10T20:09:00.006-04:00

Last Friday morning, one of my Facebook friends, Teresa Parker, from St. Joseph's Island took these wonderful photos of the Alpena as she came up the St. Marys River in the early morning fog. She graciously agreed go let me share them with you.

She took the pictures at Sailors Encampment on St. Joseph's Island. They are very beautiful.

Today was a great boat-watching day after a clunker yesterday. I only saw the Algosoo on Sunday but here is what I spotted today.

Upbound
Saginaw
Tim S. Dool-anchored for a couple of hours out front but moved on around 5 PM
Liamare-Saltie from Netherlands-first time I've seen in here
Walter J. McCarthy Jr.
Canadian Enterprise

Downbound
Edgar B. Speer
Adam E. Cornelius
Alpena

Our temperature almost reached 80 today but it is heading back into the 60's tomorrow. It was a beautiful , calm day on the water. We saw lots of fishing boats and wave runners in spite of the 'Do not touch' order from the Health Dept. because of sewage that was dumped in the river. :(

Trouble in the St. Marys River

2009-08-10T08:13:00.002-04:00

Yesterday a 'no contact' order was issued for our part of the St. Marys River. I don't ever remember this happening before and I don't know the source of the problem. I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

HEALTH ADVISORY ISSUED FOR UPPER PENINSULA RIVER
Hot temperatures this week are going to have many people in the viewing
area heading for the beach.  But there's one area the Chippewa County
Health Department says people need to stay away from.  The lower St.
Mary's River down to Neebish Island is under a "no contact body advisory."
The Health Department issued the advisory early yesterday morning after a
sewage overflow was released into the river.  They say people should avoid
body contact with the water until they announce the situation clears up.

Shipping Down but Not Out

2009-08-07T07:37:00.002-04:00

BusinessNorth.com wrote an interesting article yesterday on the state of the shipping industry, Shipping Down but not Out. We all know that the shipping industry is hurting like our entire state is suffering. Michigan is continually appearing in news articles because we are taking the brunt of this economic downturn.

The shipping industry is showing some improvement mainly in the shipments of grain. The article states.

But there has been signs of improvement. The Duluth-Superior port shipped 3.5 million tons in May and 3.9 million in June. Grain shipments are up 23 percent from record-setting lows last year. Coal shipments are doing much better than the rest of the Great Lakes, down only seven percent compared to 30 percent overall.

I know from personal experience that our economy is down. I have four grown children. Only one of them lives in Michigan. My oldest daughter is a teacher and had to move to North Carolina for a teaching position. The other two children are in business. One moved to Phoenix mostly for the climate and the progressive economy there (at least it was when she moved there). My youngest lives in Minneapolis where he moved for a job.

Fortunately, my grandchildren are all here in Michigan. You might think with kids in Phoenix, Charlotte, NC, and Minneapolis, Tom and I have great travel destinations. And you are right. We do enjoy visiting all three places.

Following Blogs & the Linda Lou

2009-08-05T20:59:00.004-04:00

How many blogs do you follow regularly? I follow many and although I don't read them every day, I do check to see if there is any news I might be interested in. I follow blogs that represent all my interests-Great Lakes Shipping, Michigan tourism, teaching, freelance writing, cupcakes (that is a story in itself), gardening, spiritual writings, NASCAR, blogs of friends and then blogs that are just fun to read. Yooper Yarns is one of the fun blogs.

While reading a blog called The Ship Watcher today, I learned about a ship that I had heard about recently. The Linda Lou is the yacht pictured above and it was recently near Michigan. You can see some more interesting pictures of her on his blog. The name intrigued me because one of my favorite cousins is Linda Lou.

Shipping has been very slow today. Early this morning while drinking my first cup of coffee, Indiana Harbor went up. The Grand Mariner went up around 10 am and down again about 5 pm. It must have been a short stop in the Soo. The Dongeborg, one of the Wagenborg salties, went up this afternoon. It was my first sighting of the boat.

Let me know if you have any blogs to recommend. I'm always up for another good read.

Enjoying Boat Watching

2009-08-05T08:04:00.004-04:00

I was sent a direct tweet from Michael Purvis, a reporter for the Sault Star, and someone I follow on Twitter. He alerted me to an article in a Fort Wayne newspaper/website titled "Boatnerd reveals childhood obession." You might enjoy reading the reporter, Jeff Jones, reactions to a recent visit to the Soo Locks. Jones stated, " There’s something so indescribably tranquil about sitting beside the water, listening to the waves crash against the beach, the cries of seagulls and the quacking of ducks."

It is always fun to see how people enjoy the boats and their wonder and excitement at seeing them for the first time. When we introduce visitors to our cabin to the boats, it usually takes about a day and a half and they are hooked. They are out watching for what is coming up the river and I often see them looking in Know Your Ships for more information on the sighting.

Jeff Jones says that

"Many years ago, before I was 10, my grandparents had a summer cottage at DeTour Village, next to Lake Huron, where the big freighters would pass either to or from the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

While the boats were at a great distance from the cottage, a telescope enabled the grandchildren to zoom in and read each ship’s name. At night, reading the names was impossible, but we could still see ship lights in the darkness."

Many of us started our boat nerd obsession at some place along the river where we watched ships as a child. For many of us it was at our grandparent's cabin. I loved having my grandchildren here last week because I hope to pass on this 'obsession' to them.

I'd like to hear your stories about where your love of boats or the St. Marys River or just the Upper Peninsula began. Please share them with us.

The boat traffic has been light but rather steady. The Clelia II is making her trips right on schedule. Last night, a full moon rose over the river and gave us a spectacular show. I always look forward to the full moons during the summer. The show this year was perfect.

I saw the Lee A. Tregurtha in the Locks last night. Because of the technology of my new phone, I snapped a picture and sent it to Facebook. Are you on Facebook? There are lots of boat watchers and people who are on the boats. The sailors are sharing lots of great pictures from their travels that I am loving. If you need any assistance navigating Facebook, just send me an email at saultboatwatcher@gmail.com.

Thanks, Brenda

Summer Arts Festival

2009-08-03T14:43:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow, Aug. 3rd is the 37th Annual Sault Summer Arts Festival held on Portage Ave. on the grounds of the former Federal Building in the Sault. There are many quality artists from around the Eastern Upper Peninsula and also from down state.

There is also live music during the day. We always like to sit and enjoy the variety of music styles throughout the day.

Our first purchase is always the fresh roasted almonds. There a hit in our family. These pictures were taken at last year's Arts Festival. Hope to see you there!

Where Do the Days Go?

2009-08-01T15:02:00.004-04:00

I had to turn the calendar this morning to August. July is a blur of activities, work and yes, lots of fun. I've enjoying getting to know a new group of 'friends' on Facebook. The boat watching community are some very humorous people and their posts on Facebook are always good for a laugh.

This above photo was taken by my 5 year old granddaughter. Things look different from that vantage point.
Stopped by Clyde's for dinner and boatwatching.

The St. Marys River has kept the kids busy this week. Lots of memories are being made here. They never caught any fish but they did see several jumping which has kept them motivated to stand out in that cold water.

Today's a rainy day so we're in the cabin making cupcakes.
Today there have been several boats including the Gott, Quebecois, Canadian Progress, and the Burns Harbor is just coming into view. I think I just saw a peak of the sun too!

Everything is More Fun with Grandkids

2009-07-29T15:55:00.004-04:00

This picture was taken yesterday at Birch Point near Brimley. I believe the boat is the Herbert C. Jackson. This picture will be on my computer throughout the long winter days when I'm waiting to get back to the Cabin.

Everything is more fun when it's done with grandchildren. That has been the story of my week. My son, his wife, and 4 children are spending the week with us. Our oldest daughter also joined us for 3 days before returning to North Carolina where she teaches biology in South Rowan High School.

This morning, we got up early and colored, played golf ball toss, flew kites, blew big bubbles, went out on the paddle boat and also went swimming all before 11 AM.

The weather was sunny and promised to be a warm day but since noon it clouded over and the temperature has been falling. The kids are now in long sleeves with sweatshirts- once they come out of the water. This afternoon there was water skiing and tubing. They get out of the water, warm up and then head back in.

Ship traffic has been very slow. Clelia II returned to the Soo this morning and is docked at the Carbide dock. We also saw the Pierson go down and the McCarthy going up.

Kurt Paul

2009-07-27T15:52:00.003-04:00

The Kurt Paul came up the river over the weekend and is now docked on the Ontario side. I made a new 'friend' on Twitter and Facebook over the weekend and she sent me this picture taken from her side of the St. Marys River.

Th Kurt Paul is was built this year and is 469 foot cargo carrier. She is owned by a Germany company and is chartered to BBC Chartering. Her flag of registry is Antigua.

Thanks to iamkorrine for sending me the photo.

Summer Happenings

2009-07-25T20:09:00.002-04:00

We've been having an incredibly cool, wet summer here. Last night was a long night with several hours of thunder, lightening and rain. I'm used to that kind of storm down state but not here.

This is the James R. Barker going down the St. Marys River earlier in the week when we had some sunshine.
Friday-The Algolake with my Facebook friend as the captain. That is also our neighbors out on their waverunner.

Saturday -This is the Kurt Paul, a saltie from Germany that is now docked in Sault, Ontario. I don't think I have seen it before. It passed the cabin during the night so I was glad that I got to see it today.

While I was photographing the Kurt Paul, I snapped these pics of the waterfront. We've had a cloudy, rainy day here with several hard storms passing through.

We're expecting a 'boatload' of company starting tomorrow and Monday. It is going to be great fun. My oldest daughter, my second-born and his wife and four kids will all be arriving. I'm hoping for great weather and lots of boats in the river. Is that too much to ask?

Rock Cut Picture & Painting

2009-07-23T22:16:00.002-04:00

Last weekend I attended the 40th wedding anniversary party of some friends. I had been a bridesmaid in their wedding and it was one of the first trips that Tom, my future husband, had made to visit me here in the Sault.

At the party, I was reacquainted with Randy Krause who had also been a bridesmaid in the wedding. I had not seen her since the wedding. We found that we both lived on the St. Marys River not far from each other. Some things have changed in 40 years and we found that we are both on Facebook. When I got home, I sent a friend request which Randy accepted. Randy posted the picture I have above on Monday and gave me permission to share it with my blog friends. But she took it a step further and painted the picture in one day. She is selling the painting for $200 at the Sault Art Festival in a week. If it goes to the gallery, she said it will cost $300.

If you are interested in more information, just email me and I'll send you the contact info.

Point Counterpoint II Meets Canadian Progress

2009-07-23T07:30:00.006-04:00

7:50 AM

Just as the Canadian Progress was ready to proceed up the river after having anchored here since yesterday afternoon, Point Counterpoint II came motoring down the river. I quickly research and found it was a 195 foot self-propelled barge that travels around the world presenting concerts by the American Wind Symphony Orchestra. The vessel is equipped with a hydraulic bandshell and an art gallery with pieces from around the world from locations the vessel has visited. Apparently she is making her last world tour.

The captain of the Canadian Progress was waiting for Point Counterpoint to pass before leaving the anchorage area. His comments were very entertaining. He said, "That is one ugly little thing. A sailor had too much time on his hands with spare parts." That was followed by someone from Point Counterpoint II explaining that they were a self-propelled vessel.

It sounded to me that Point Counterpoint II wasn't getting any respect from the 730 foot lake freighter.

Apparently, even in the world of lake freighters there is a pecking order of respect!