Not much was happening on West Street in Port Colborne, Ontario when I took this photo back in 1974. The downbound bulk carrier NORTHERN VENTURE was slowly making her way in off Lake Erie and sitting on the wall was a cluster of Minor Brothers fish tugs, the laid up sandsucker, CHARLES DICK, and an old American laker that was waiting for her time to be towed to a downbound destination to be scrapped. For over 50 years since being built in 1922, the self unloading sandsucker CHARLES DICK enjoyed what it did best, suck sand from the bottom of Lake Erie, a lake known for its shallow depths and abundance of sand. As a kid, I remember seeing the DICK coming in off the lake so low in the water that I was certain it was about to sink right then and there. Later I would see her discarding her valuable cargo at the cement plant dock near Bridge #20, the train lift bridge which has been gone for several years.
One day in 1973 while working for the Leamington Post and living on the lake, I was happy to see the CHARLES DICK tied up to the Leamington dock, and soon I completed this a pen & ink/watercolour painting of my unexpected visitor. If I recall, due to beach erosion and other issues, Lake Erie sandsucking became prohibited which shortly left the DICK laid up and idle on the West Street wall in Port Colborne. In 1976, the CHARLES DICK was towed through the Welland Canal's Lock 8 in Port Colborne and left at Ramey's Bend where it was scrapped in 1977. Time changes and eras end for us all.
BTW, to view thousands of Great Lakes ship photos both modern and vintage, be sure to checkout http://www.greatlakesships.ca or http://www.oceanships.ca for photos of ships from elsewhere around the world. You'll be Glad You Did!!
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| In ballast and the upbound CHARLES DICK approaches the Welland Canal's Lock 2 in St. Catharines on August 2, 1970. Photo by Ron Ruck, from Late Ron Ruck Collection, courtesy of Brad Jolliffe, Cambridge, Ontario |
Thanks for the memories my dad was Chief on the Old Dick in the 60's. I spent a few weeks each summer on her. I thank you.
ReplyDeleteNo problem, Joe. I really appreciate your comment and I'm glad you like my post. Wow, what an experience that must have been for you, to spend some of your summers on the olld Charles Dick. That was one working ship so I bet your dad had a few chores for you back then. I'm sure she bounced around pretty good out on Lake Erie too? Anyhow, take care and all the best to you, Carl
DeleteActually it was all fun & games for little Joey. I spent all my time in the Wheelhouse or with the Operators (the guys who loaded & unloaded). A long time ago. Thanks
DeleteI am so glad it was "all fun & games for little Joey" instead of being put to work. That must of been so memorable. WOW!
DeleteIt was cool for sure. While she loaded off Pt. Peele Capt. John Leonard would take me with him in the outboard and I'd get to play on the beach. My last summer was between gd's 7-8 (1970). I've always told people I had some pretty good summers back then.
DeleteMy Dad Leaonard Whincop worked the Charles Dick we use to run up the Welland Canal in order to see him. I remember my Dad carrying me up the rope ladder up the side. Spent a lot of time in the galley so with the cook. My Dad had fond memories of Captain John Leonard. Spent many happy times running the sand piles waiting from my Dad to dock for our visit. Cindy Whincop Meloche
ReplyDeleteWow. Thanks for sharing this with me. Seems like we had a lot of fun with our dads back then, eh? I lost mine 23 years ago but I still remember riding bridge 21 or walking lock 8 with him like it was yesterday. Take care, Carl
DeleteCaptain T. G. Weston was the skipper of the CHARLES DICK from 1926-1932 and again in 1934. He is also the captain of te Laker SS WEST TEXAS that I am now completing my resech on – which has been a 2-year project. Captain T. G. Weston worked for AGWIlines, and more specifically, their subsidiery Southern Steamship Company based in Philadelphia, PA. startng sometime in the late 1930s. He was first assigned as captain on their steamer SS WICHITA FALLS (laid down as UNION LIBERTY, April 1920), which has one of the six ships in their fleet that were all Lakers. I am doing research on the SS WEST TEXAS (laid down as LAKE FLAG, April 1920), and T. G. Weston was the captain of the SS WEST TEXAS from March 19, 1942 – April 20, 1942 and from May 13, 1942 – July 1, 1942. He captained the ship on the regular route from Philadelphia to Houston and back twice a week. He then was captain of the SS WEST TEXAS during the first part of WW2 when the US War Department procured the ship for the war effort. He was in US Army transport convoys to and from the Gulf coast states and Cuba from March 1942 – April 1942. I acquired the official SS WEST TEXAS Log Books from the US National Archives with Captain T. G. Weston’s handwritten notes and his signature in all of the Logs. My name is Michael Goldsby, PhD (936) 524-1291 goldsby1958@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post! I spent a short time on the SS Charles Dick and had the opportunity to share some Canadian whiskey with Capt. John Leonard. I'm thinking it was 1963 or 1964, and I was a deckhand on the M/V Goodtime II, an excursion boat operating out of Cleveland. Our Capt. John Vitatoe was a good friend of Leonard and had a couple of us drive a badly needed part to the Dick while she was in Detroit. I will never forget the constant movement of the steam engine while sitting at the dock unloading sand.
ReplyDeletemy father, William (Bill) Ellicott was the shore captain of the Charles Dick from 69 to 73. He passed away today at age 87 and its been a wonderful journey revisiting his time with the Charles Dick.
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