Showing posts with label Edwin H. Gott. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Edwin H. Gott. Show all posts

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Opening Day Woes

The Soo Locks officially opened on Wednesday, March 25, but it has been slow going because of ice.  Here are some photos taken on Wednesday by Debbie Jelen.  As always, Debbie's photos give us a wonderful view of the St. Marys River and the freighters on it.

Edwin H. Gott at Mission Point

The Gott and Blough await passage through the Locks

 A snowy day

 Tied at the east pier

Hammond Bay assists in getting the day going






The following description of the first day is from Boatnerd.com.
 
"The mighty 1,000-footer Edwin H. Gott tried her best to be the first boat to lock through the Soo Locks late Wednesday morning, but in the end she was bested by ice in the lock chamber and had to back out and tie up at the east center pier to wait for conditions to improve. Fleetmate Roger Blough was tied up astern of her. 

Wednesday evening the Corps tug Whitefish Bay was working to clear ice from the Poe Lock wall, while USCG Mobile Bay was cutting track in the upper approaches. By 8:30 p.m., the Gott was making a second run at the lock; this time she was successful and by 9:30 was clearing the lock. 

The Gott initially started going upbound through the locks around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. A welcoming party of community leaders and residents celebrated the Gott and its crew as it passed by during a heavy snow squall. But the excitement was short-lived as ice brought the passage to a crunching halt. 

Also, on Wednesday evening, the downbound John G. Munson and USCG cutter Alder were nearing Whitefish Point. If all goes well, the Munson will be the first downbound passage sometime on Thursday."

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Shipping Season 2015 Opens in a "Flurry"

The Soo Locks opened for the 2015 shipping season officially at 12:01 am on Wednesday, March 25. However the first ship didn't pass the Locks until nearly 12 hours later. The Edwin H. Gott made the first upbound passage and was closely followed by the Roger Blough. The Gott was welcomed by a group of city leaders from Sault Ste. Marie who were treated with a ride into the Locks in the Gott. As you can see from the pictures, the weather for the beginning of the shipping season was very winter-like. 





Looking back at the Roger Blough. 


The view from the Gott's pilot house. 


Entering the Locks. 





Pictures courtesy of Linda Hoath- Sault Visitor and Convention Bureau.