Self Unloader CSL NIAGARA

Oh look!! A ship is entering the Iroquois Lock. Back in the early 2000's, it was shear luck for me to see anything at this lock but on April 17, 2006 I actually got to see the upbound CSL NIAGARA slowly transit the St. Lawrence Seaway lock. If there was such then, I wasn't aware of a Seaway website that outlined ship locations by lock like today or a MarineTraffic app for the analog cell phone that I lugged around back then. If there wasn't a ship in the lock, at least you could rely on the owner's of the Lockview gift and snack bar there, to post ship arrivals on a big blackboard in their parking lot. Yes, those were the days my friend and thank goodness they ended.

When launched in 1972 at Collingwood Shipyards, she was 730' long and bore the name J.W. MCGIFFIN. Soon after the Seaway allowed shipowners to modify their ship size specifications thereby increasing their maximum load capacities, the MCGIFFIN  entered Port Weller Dry Docks where her forebody was removed and replaced with a new section which increased her length to 739'10" and width of 78', or two feet narrower than a Seaway lock's maximum width. After all upgrading was completed in 1999, the rebuilt self unloader re-entered service with her current name, CSL NIAGARA.

Well, probably not but it had to be the longest 30 minutes of my life back then, watching the CSL NIAGARA pass through Iroquois Lock.

Does life get any better?
Oh YAA c);-b