Tug VICTORIOUS & Barge JOHN. J. CARRACK

While waiting for a certain downbound to make its way into Lake St. Frances, another ship caught my eye. However as it got closer I could see that it wasn't one vessel but two - the barge JOHN J. CARRACK being pushed by its tug VICTORIOUS. I supposed if I actually lived along the St. Lawrence Seaway, I wouldn't have been so surprised with the current appearance of a 'tug & barge' compared to what I recall from when I was growing up along the Welland Canal. Then, the barge was short and squatty, and the bow was angled-in from port to starboard like that pink eraser you may have had back when you were in public school. The barge was also narrow and didn't draw much water because along with its tug which appeared only high enough for the wheelhouse to see the deck of the barge, primary did its business through New York State via the Erie Barge Canal.

On this day, the CARRACK had a ship like bow which would allow it to handle much better in bad weather and the superstructure of its tug VICTORIOUS sat high and above the barge deck with an excellent view of what's ahead. Built on China, both the tug & barge are owned McAsphalt Marine Transportation of Toronto and hauls semi-liquid asphalt and heavy fuels on the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway and East Coast waterways. Don't be alarmed - it was my camera's zoom lens that might suggest that the tug and barge may be passing the self-unloader ALGOSOO a little too close for comfort. Regardless, nice shot just the same.