Carlz Boats: Bulk Carrier BLACKY

Carlz Boats: Bulk Carrier BLACKY: Boxing Day is an extra day off after Christmas Day, where many Canadian herd themselves to shopping malls and big stores for super dea...

Bulk Carrier BLACKY (Revisited)

Boxing Day is an extra day off after Christmas Day, where many Canadians herd 👥🐮 themselves into shopping malls and big 📦 box stores for super deals or 'bargoons'. However if you're a boat-lubber and there's only a few days left before the Seaway closes for the season, you may instead boot 🚙 it down to the St. Lawrence to see remaining salties exit the Great Lakes for warmer or trans Atlantic destinations, and lakers completing transits and discharges before laying up for the winter. Though it was only -11C and -18C in the wind, the drive was quite worthwhile as we saw four different types of ships motoring like a bat 🦇 out of hell 👿, two going in each direction. Snapped 📷 here is the 607' bulk carrier BLACKY heading downbound on her way to the Eisenhower Lock, near Massena, NY.

You might even say we were "lucky 🍀 ducks 🦆 " to come across what many would suggest is a 'very politically-incorrect' name while actually it's a name of a duck, just like all the other water fowl named green hulled salties that trade the Great Lakes under the Canadian Forest Navigation (CanForNav) banner. Owned by Navarone Marine Enterprises of Athens, Greece 🇬🇷  the "down"- bound BLACKY was built in 2008 in China, and flies the flag of Cyprus 🇨🇾.
Just like her duck boat fleetmate, SHOVELLER (http://carlzboats.blogspot.ca/2012/08/bulk-carrier-shoveler.html), the BLACKY frequents Toronto's Redpath pier with sugar from Brazil then usually flocks off to the Lakehead to pick up a load grain.
With my wife Janice and our dog Tanner shivering on the Morrisburg, Ontario dock, the BLACKY passes by in the background on her way to the sunny 🌞 and hot 🌴climates of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Can We Come Too?? 😁

Carlz Boats: Bulk Carrier HELOISE

Carlz Boats: Bulk Carrier HELOISE: On our way back from a weekend in Toronto, we found the 611' Panamanian bulk carrier HELOISE  just above Prescott, ON making good tim...

Bulk Carrier HELOISE

On our way back from a weekend in Toronto on December 9th, we found the 611' Panamanian flagged bulk carrier HELOISE, which means "famous warrior", above Prescott, Ontario making good time downbound on her way to Trois-Riviere, Quebec. Within minutes, she met another bulk carrier, the Algoma Central  owned 730' ALGOMA SPIRIT heading upbound to Hamilton.

Then, no sooner had the HELOISE battled the wake of the SPIRIT, the 479' tanker SHAMROCK JUPITER also registered in Panama speedily met across from Ogdensburg, also on her way to Hamilton. Later in the afternoon we came across the HELOISE again near Cardinal this time meeting another Panamanian flagged vessel, the 479' tanker NORTH CONTENDER sitting high and making her way to Sarnia to pick a load of petroleum products.

The end of this year's navigation season for the St. Lawrence Seaway is coming soon hence every minute is so important as salties and lakers hurry to exchange their cargoes for another, and then get out of the Great Lakes and canal systems before the ice arrives. As of this morning, all three salties have cleared the seaway and are well on their way to ports beyond. Continued safe passage to all until we meet again.

Update - April 26, 2020

The HELOISE was once again rushing to get herself out of the Great Lakes and Seaway before the system closed for the shipping season when I snapped her at Loyalist Park near Mariatown on December 26, 2014. When returning to the Great Lakes the following year, she's be flying the flag of Liberia and named CAPE which  barely covered her previous name in Jeff Cameron's photo of her on the Welland Canal on April 18, 2016. An odd name for sure when called just "CAPE" because most of us would think it was named after a large point extended into the water like Cape Spear or Cape Vincent. In this case though as suggested by Great Lakes ships expert Isaac Pennock, she is named after the Cape Teal which is a duck, or a bird that all bulk carriers owned or chartered to Montreal based Canfornav are named after. A no brainer except all of there other ships are green hulled. Make things complicated for us or what? Regardless of whatever she's called, it good to see she's till operating and currently downbound on Lake Ontario. After all it's not the name that makes the ship, or is it?

Hey to see more Great Lakes and ocean-going vessel photos, be sure to check out this great website: http://www.greatlakesships.ca. You'll be glad you did.

Carlz Boats: Ore Carrier STEELTON

Carlz Boats: Ore Carrier STEELTON: Everyday we see motorists going too fast, running a red light and carrying on without incident. Other times a collision occurs and som...

Carlz Boats: HMCS CAPE SCOTT

Carlz Boats: HMCS CAPE SCOTT: It was the summer of '69. Sorry, no six string bought at a '5 & Dime', but I was standing along the rail of the high masted Argentine sai...

Carlz Boats: Straight Deck Laker MANITOBA

Carlz Boats: Straight Deck Laker MANITOBA: There was all kinds of activity last Sunday along the Seaway as lakers and salties hurried along to the next port to discharge or pick u...

Classic Straight-decker MANITOBA (Revised)

There was all kinds of activity last Sunday along the Seaway as lakers and salties hurried along to the next port to discharge or pick up another load before the Seaway closes officially for the season at the end of the month. Topping up her holds at the huge grain elevator at the Port of Johnstown Terminal near Prescott before heading further down river was the 607'9" classic straight-decker MANITOBA. Currently owned by Lower Lakes Towing of Port Dover, the MANITOBA went into service in 1966 as the MANTADOC and was owned then by N.M. Paterson & Sons of Thunder Bay, Ontario. When CSL took over ownership of her on 2002, she was renamed TEAKGLEN, and then her name was changed again to MARITIME TRADER in 2005 when she was purchased by Voyager Marine of Ridgeville, Ontario. Regardless of her many names, she has remained a useful carrier of dry cargo like grain and canola seed for over 46 years and counting.

Speaking of grain elevators, during the summer of 1971, I worked at the Government Elevator in Port Colborne (shown down below) which is located next to the then Maple Leaf Mill at the southern entrance to the Welland Canal. Port Colborne's is a large facility but probably half the size of the Johnstown terminal which has been a massive landmark along the St. Lawrence since 1932.  

During that hot summer, we mostly emptied boxcars laden with grain onto a hopper that sent it to the silos located somewhere in the building. A simple process would be to devise a system that would allow the boxcar to be partially tilted on one side for a quick empty, but instead, once the spillage was completed after the huge steel door was rolled away, other workers like myself entered the boxcar from the roof hatch and with huge shovels in hand commenced tossing the grain into an auger that was jammed into place to speed up the discharge process. Once there was enough head room, an electric shovel was brought into the mix which worked great to push the grain forward but was a real hassle to drag behind you while trudging through the loose and shifting grain beneath your feet. 

On one occasion, a straight-decker like the MANITOBA, only much smaller docked at the elevator and after the unloading arm (which consisted of several steel bucket to lift or 'elevate' the cargo into the silos), and a bulldozer was lowered in the hold, we then climbed down to do our thing only on a much larger scale. It was especially hard and hot work that day, and after getting home, I recall rewarding myself for my efforts with a few barley sandwiches. Yes, I believe they were "Carlsbergs" c):-D

Carlz Boats: Self Unloader ALGOSOO

Carlz Boats: Self Unloader ALGOSOO: It was on one of those hot and hazy days last summer when we snapped these pics of the 730' self unloader ALGOSOO making good time pu...

Self Unloader ALGOSOO

It was on one of those hot and hazy days last summer when we snapped these pics of the 730' self unloader ALGOSOO making good time pushing water out on Lac St. Frances on her way upbound to Snell Lock. Built by Collingwood Shipyards and launched in 1974, the ALGOSOO was the last traditional straight deck style built on the Great Lakes and instead of having her self unloader equipment and boom situated immediately behind the ship wheelhouse like most straight deck self unloaders, the SOO's are located near her aft accommodations quarters. Good luck trying to grab a few extra Zzzz's while unloading such cargoes as coal, coke, aggregates, slang, iron ore, salt, fertilizers, sand and even grain products.

From Skip Gillham's and Alfred Sagon-King's book: "CANADIAN FLEETS Along The Seaway"

Port Colborne's fire department had to come aboard the ALGOSOO in 1986 and 1998 to extinguish fires that caused extensive damage to her self unloader conveyor belts on both occasions. No need for any fire crews last summer as she went smokin' by us near Lancaster, Ontario.

Carlz Boats: Oil Tanker STELLA POLARIS

Carlz Boats: Oil Tanker STELLA POLARIS: Despite the bold warning on her superstructure, the small but efficient high-heat tanker STELLA POLARIS was smokin'  up the St. Lawre...

Oil Tanker STELLA POLARIS

Despite the bold warning on her superstructure, the small but efficient high-heat tanker STELLA POLARIS was smokin' up the St. Lawrence as she past us by near Prescott, Ontario last weekend. Owned by Tarbit Tankers BV of the Netherlands, the 394' STELLA POLARIS was built 1999 and can carry coal tar, pitch and petroleum products up to 250°C all over the world. The STELLA, which is based in Rotterdam, was really pushing water on her way to Hamilton, Ontario when we snapped these photos.

Carlz Boats: Cargo Ship HHL AMAZON

Carlz Boats: Cargo Ship HHL AMAZON: You really can't complain about a Canadian summer, because before you know it the tale-tell signs of winter are right in your face. Like ...

Cargo Ship HHL AMAZON

You really can't complain about a Canadian summer, because before you know it the tale-tell signs of winter are right in your face. Like earlier this week, it was +12C, while today it's -1C but feels like -8 in the wind. Simple solution: STAY OUT OF THE WIND!!

Regardless it was pleasant Labour Day weekend when the heavy-lift cargo ship HHL AMAZON passed us near Mariatown along the St. Lawrence making her way down-bound to Eisenhower Lock. Whether it was an illusion or not, her bow seemed low in the water. The 453' AMAZON is one of 14 multi-purpose dry cargo ships that have been seen recently in these parts carrying wind turbines (http://carlzboats.blogspot.ca/2014/08/heavy-lift-cargo-ship-hhl-congo.html). Whether below or above on her decks, she can also carry up to 673 containers. Though owned by Germany's  Hansa Heavy Lift, the AMAZON flies the flag of Liberia and when built in China in 2007, she was named BELUGA FAIRY where she regularly visited various Australian port.

Carlz Boats: RO/RO TAIKO

Carlz Boats: RO/RO TAIKO: During our recent visit to Western Australia, a unique looking ship caught my eye along the North Quay deep in Fremantle's Inner Harbour...

Roll On/Roll Off Cargo Ship TAIKO (Revisited)

During our recent visit to Western Australia, a unique looking ship caught my eye along the North Quay deep in Fremantle's Inner Harbour. She was the 'Roll On/Roll Off' cargo ship TAIKO and when launched in 1984 as the BARBER HECTOR, she not only had RO/RO capability, but also carried containers on her upper deck. In 1988, she was purchased by Wallenius Wilhelmsen and a huge garage with two hoist-able decks was built in front of her superstructure which allowed her to solely carry cars along with heavy machinery for the mining, construction and farming industries. 

The 861'x106' TAIKO was built at Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea where they crush old Hyundai Excell and Pony cars and make them into ships. I could be wrong about that. Regardless, she currently flies the flag of Norway and her home port is Tonsberg, Norway.

Also catching my eye during our walkabout at Fremantle's Victoria Quay was the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier IPANEMA with her hatches open and this poor swimmer who only scantily clad in a bikini was frozen stiff. It was all this Canadian 🍁 could do to warm her up and take the chill off. Sometimes you do what you have to do, if you know what I mean.

So the song "Girl From Ipanema" is about a ship. c):-o I did not know that.

Carlz Boats: Bulk Carrier FEDERAL SHIMANTO

Carlz Boats: Bulk Carrier FEDERAL SHIMANTO: For some, it's a joyous time of year as clocks 'fall-back' and everyone gets an extra hour of sleep. Good deal providing the human alarm ...

Bulk Carrier FEDERAL SHIMANTO

For some, it's a joyous time of year as clocks 'fall-back' and everyone gets an extra hour of sleep. Good deal providing the human alarm clock gets the same memo, otherwise when it's time to empty out the ballast, it'll happen when it happens, time change or not.

The other big downside of standard time is it gets dark really early. There was actually a fair bit of light at 4PM when we passed Brockville on the 401 heading east to Iroquois Lock to get a glimpse of the down bound bulk carrier FEDERAL SHIMANTO. According to the Seaway website, her original ETA at Iroquois was 5:20 which was changed to 4:50 before we knew it. I guess that's why they call it 'Estimated Time of Arrival' because it'll get there when it gets there, just like emptying out your ballast at the 'fall-back' or 'spring-forward' time of the year. The sun was just setting when we arrived at the lock but when the FEDERAL SHIMANTO got there it was dark, and it was really dark 10 minutes later as she made her way out and on towards Eisenhower Lock. It could have been worse. It could be dark and SNOWING!!

Meanwhile, the 624' FEDERAL SHIMANTO was high in the water and making her way to Puerto Rico in the Caribbean where at that time of day, it was also dark but HOT!!. Built in Japan in 2001, she is owned by Fednav Ltd. which is based in Montreal and is Canada's largest ocean-going dry-bulk shipowner and charter group. According to their website,  Fednav owns or charters 61 ships that are registered all over the world, like the FEDERAL SHIMANTO which flies the flag of the Marshall Island, which at that time of day, it would have been quite sunny and HOT, HOT HOT!!.

Carlz Boats: Tug & Barge EVERLAST & NORMAN McLEOD

Carlz Boats: Tug & Barge EVERLAST & NORMAN McLEOD: It's autumn and with the Seaway's navigation season coming to a close near the end of December, a problem free passage this time of year ...

Tug & Barge EVERLAST & NORMAN McLEOD

It's autumn and with the Seaway's navigation season coming to a close near the end of December, a problem free passage this time of year is so important. Here, the McAsphalt tug EVERLAST pushes her empty barge, NORMAN McLEOD against the steady river current near Cardinal, Ontario on her way to the Toronto area terminal for another load of semi-liquid asphalt destined for Halifax or some other Atlantic Canada port. You'll notice the McLEOD's bow looks like the standard bevel design as opposed to her sister, the JOHN J. CARRACK (http://carlzboats.blogspot.ca/2012/07/tug-victorious-barge-john-j-carrack.html) which has a ship-like bow which generally offers less resistance when working deep sea. 

Meanwhile, just a head of the EVERLAST & McLEOD, the tall ship EMPIRE SANDY (http://carlzboats.blogspot.ca/2012/08/tall-ship-empire-sandy.html) is also returning to Toronto, her home port after completing scenic cruises along the lower St. Lawrence River east of Montreal. As winter approaches, tree leaves along the St. Lawrence Valley start to change their colours to beautiful hues of red, orange and yellow in mid September which annually attracts cruise ships of all kinds, including the EMPIRE SANDY. While slowly passing by, hundreds of visitors from the upper Great Lakes and eastern seaboard are given a breathe taking and panoramic view of Mother Nature doing her thing.  Taking it all in on the SANDY with her sails fully engulfed in a comfortable breeze, could make a great experience even more enjoyable. Got to try it sometime.

Carlz Boats: Submarine HMAS OVENS (S70)

Carlz Boats: Submarine HMAS OVENS (S70): Oh look, another Oberon-class submarine museum. This is the second that's caught my eye. The first was HMCS ONONDAGA (S72) perched al...

Oberon-class Submarine HMAS OVENS (S70)

Oh look, another Oberon-class submarine museum and this time she's Royal Australian Navy's HMAS OVENS (S70) parked high and dry at on Fremantle's historic WWII submarine slipway next to the Western Australia Maritime Museum. Like Canada's former Oberons the OVENS was built in Scotland. She was commissioned in April 1969 and served in the RAN until 1995. This is the second Oberon-class submarine museum that's caught my eye. The first was HMCS ONONDAGA (S72) perched along the St. Lawrence near Rimouski, Quebec. Read all about her, here: http://carlzboats.blogspot.ca/2012/08/hmcs-onondaga-s73_30.html or NOT c);-b

By the way, there's no truth to the rumour that her name refers what it's like to serve on a submarine without air conditioning as the 'OVENS' was actually named after Australian explorer, John Ovens. Though not a real museum, on display near the OVENS is the preserved bow section of another Oberon submarine, HMAS OXLEY (S57), where you may get a 'right in your face' look at the mouths of the six torpedo tubes along with the modified bow sonar dome. Apparently the fin of the OXLEY is also on display at the nearby naval base, HMAS STIRLING which is pretty much a restricted area ever since US nuclear-powered boomers started making shore visit.

Meanwhile, the next Oberon museum will be located at the  Elgin Military Museum in Port Burwell, ON and you're planning to be in the area on Wednesday, November14^th, can you send me a photo or 5 of the Landing Day of HMCS OJIBWA.  Starting at dawn, the OJIBWA will be carefully driven off her barge and lowered on to her permanent foundations at the museum. COOL!! For more information, contact the Museum by email at media@projectojibwa.ca or by phone at 1-519-633-7641 for more details. Wish I could be there.

Carlz Boats: Tall Ship USS NIAGARA

Carlz Boats: Tall Ship USS NIAGARA: 'Don't give up the ship' was on the battle flag that Oliver Hazard Perry carried with him when he transferred command from the LAWRENCE t...

Tall Ship USS NIAGARA

'Don't give up the ship' was on the battle flag that Oliver Hazard Perry carried with him when he transferred command from the LAWRENCE to the NIAGARA during the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813. The owners of HMS BOUNTY, gave up the ship when they let her put out to sea even though it was known an unpredictable hurricane was heading northern up the Atlantic seaboard. What was so important in St. Petes, Florida to risk it all and the ships crew. Famous movie star ship or not, the sea turned cruel and so unforgiving as the three masted, 180' BOUNTY which was built at the same shipyard as BLUENOSE II in Lunenburg NS, floundered with no where to go but down, and down she went on October 30. We are all saddened to hear her captain remains missing and a crew member had died, but joyed that the remainder survived thanks to the quick response and actions of the US Coast Guard. She was a replica of the original British ship and appeared in the 1962 movie 'Mutiny on the Bounty'. More recently she was featured in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' starring Johnny Depp. I guess the good news is another Bounty replica is still afloat. HMAV BOUNTY was built in New Zealand in 1979 for the movie 'The Bounty' however in 2007, she was sold to HKR International and is now a tourist attaraction in Hong Kong and her new name is 濟民號. Perhaps one of my blog readers in China could let us know the English translation of her name.

Meanwhile, a tall ship that's not a replica, but actually the 'Real McCoy', is the brig USS NIAGARA. Built in 1813 near Erie, PA, the NIAGARA was a significant participant in the Battle of Lake Erie later that year but after the War of 1812 she was sunk near Presque Isle, PA for preservation. The NIAGARA was raised in 1836 for use as a merchant vessel, but was later sunk again because her hold was too small. In celebration for the centennial of the Battle of Lake Erie, NIAGARA was raised in 1913, re-built and then towed to various Great Lake ports and put on display. In 1917 ownership was transferred to the City of Erie where it remained docked. Deterioration and dry rot took over and it wasn't until the the early 60's before she was given a full refit with new rigging and cannons so that she could look presentable for the Battle of Lake Erie sesquicentennial in 1963. Today, her homeport remains Erie, PA and public tours are available when she's in port at the Erie Maritime Museum. When she's not, she's probably teaching young and old the exciting experience of sailing a tall ship on the Great Lakes or visiting nearby ports and festivals, like when I snapped her at this year's Canal Days in Port Colborne.

Carlz Boats: Livestock Carrier OCEAN DROVER

Carlz Boats: Livestock Carrier OCEAN DROVER: As we crossed over Victoria Bridge in Fremantle, Western Australia, my wife said 'hey look, there's a cruise ship'. And I said 'no, I thi...

Livestock Carrier OCEAN DROVER

As we crossed over Victoria Bridge in Fremantle, Western Australia, my wife said 'hey look, there's a cruise ship'. And I said 'no, I think its a car-carrier'. As we got a closer look from the opposite wharf, we could see that the OCEAN DROVER was neither and wondered what is she? I then said, 'you know, I think I saw a ship like this on the  'Mighty Ships' and it was hauling cattle'. Sure enough, this was her, only then her name was BECRUX and she is the largest custom-built livestock carrier in the world. Built for Italy's 'Siba Ships' in 2002 by Uljanik Plovidba in Pula, Croatia, the OCEAN DROVER can carry 20,000 heads of cattle or 60,000 sheep from Australia to destinations all over Asia and the Middle East. Purchased in 2009 by Wellard Rural Exports, the 591' DROVER currently flies the flag of Singapore and if you search for Fremantle, Australia on Google Earth and zoom in on North Quay, you will see truckloads of cattle (or sheep) being loaded onto the OCEAN DROVER. COOL!! c):-o Or you can download the season one episode on the BECRUX on the Discovery Channels website. It's your dime. c):-D

Meanwhile, you've got to hand it to the Fremantle Port Authority for doing an excellent job to make visitors feel welcome. Most ports are fenced off with few vantage points to take pictures or even look at docked ship. Everything here is clean, maintained and there's public art everywhere. Just like this sculpture who allowed me to get photographed with on the Art & Culture Trail entitled 'Southern Crossings', depicts all who have disembarked from ships in Fremantle. I came by plane and felt right at home.

Carlz Boats: Container Ship MOL EMINENCE

Carlz Boats: Container Ship MOL EMINENCE: While a couple of huge tankers sit anchored high in the water and waiting for a berth at the BP Oil Kwinana refinery at Fremantle's Outer...

Container Ship MOL EMINENCE (Revisited)

While a couple of huge tankers sat anchored high in the water and waiting for a berth at the BP Oil Kwinana refinery at Fremantle's Outer Harbour, the 965' x 105' MOL EMINENCE from Hong Kong exchanges containers at the Inner Harbour's North Quay. If you thought the earlier featured SWAN RIVER BRIDGE (photo below) was big, "Boy Are Your WRONG!", because his EMINENCE here which was built in 2009 in South Korea can carry up to 4,658-20 foot containers compared to the SWAN's 1,708 which is still a lot more than you'll see on any ship traversing the Great Lakes.

Meanwhile, I don't understand all the negative hoopla dingo dogs are getting down there in Australia. This one I found waiting to be petted near the E Shed Market in Fremantle was very well behaved, a little stiff mind you, but he didn't eat a single baby while we were in the area. I've always said be kind to animals and they'll be kind to you. Especially the ones that aren't a little stiff and stuck to the ground, like Dingo here. Hey, watch for more ships and possibly valuable tidbits of information on our visit to Fremantle Harbour coming soon to Carlz Boats. I know you can hardly wait. Right?

http://carlzboats.blogspot.ca/2012/10/container-ship-swan-river-bridge.html

Carlz Boats: Self Unloader PETER R. CRESSWELL

Carlz Boats: Self Unloader PETER R. CRESSWELL: Hey, look what the PETER R. CRESSWELL dropped off at the Rideau Bulk Terminal near Morrisburg on Thanksgiving evening last Monday. Is ...

Self Unloader PETER R. CRESSWELL

Hey, look what the PETER R. CRESSWELL dropped off at the Rideaubulk Terminal near Morrisburg on Thanksgiving evening last Monday. Is that a boatload of snow? Not Quite!! Actually it's a whole lot of road salt which is the product most used in Canada to melt the snow that falls on our roadways during our long and cold winters. Well, maybe not last year, but that could change. However, according to the Feds, more than 6.8 million tonnes of road salt was sold for deicing in 2003. To maintain its 12,000 lane-kilometres of roads and 2,000 kilometres of sidewalks during the winter, the City of Ottawa uses an average of 175,000 tonnes of road salt every year, which is probably where most of the CRESSWELL's precious cargo is going, or not. FYI: Most of Ontario's road salt is produced in Goderich, Ontario which has the largest rock salt mine in the world. The mine is 1,750 feet below the surface and extends 7 square kilometres under Lake Huron. 

Meanwhile, my doc says I have to watch my sodium chloride, so let's go back to talking about boats like the 730' CRESSWELL which when launched in 1982, her name was ALGOWEST and was built as a gearless bulk carrier to primarily carry grain from the Lakehead (Thunder Bay, that is) to St. Lawrence River ports for furtherance to overseas markets. In the late 90's when the grain trade declined significantly, the ALGOWEST was converted into a self unloader. Eight month and $20 million later, and re-named PETER R. CRESSWELL, after the former President and CEO of Algoma Marine, she became better equipped to carry such cargoes as coal, iron ore, stone and of course, road salt. 

Yes, that is a bulldozer in top of one of those piles of road salt, and how's it going to get down? Probably the same way it got up there, very carefully!!

Carlz Boats: Container Ship SWAN RIVER BRIDGE

Carlz Boats: Container Ship SWAN RIVER BRIDGE: If you're a true boat-lubber and visiting Western Australia, you will definitely want to check out Fremantle Harbour.  Fremantle is the o...

Container Ship SWAN RIVER BRIDGE

If you're a true boat-lubber and visiting Western Australia, you will definitely want to check out Fremantle Harbour.  Fremantle is the ocean port for the state capital, Perth, and last year 74% of Western Australia's seaborne imports and 10% of its seaborne exports passed through Fremantle Harbour. In other words, lots of ships loading, or unloading, or waiting off shore like the bulk carrier below, for dock-space in either Fremantle's Inner or Outer harbours.
A key vantage point is on Victoria Quay where I snapped the SWAN RIVER BRIDGE actively exchanging containers along the North Quay. This 564'x92' container ship flies the flag of Singapore, can carry up to 1708 twenty foot equivalent containers (TEC) and was built in Imabari, Japan for Kawasaki Australia's 'K' Lines in 2010.  What was especially surprising for a couple of visiting Canadians, other than her size, was the name because as any local can tell you, the Swan River flows through Perth and Fremantle Harbour before emptying into the Indian Ocean and since there are only 4 bridges that crossover the Western Australia river, the question is, which bridge is the SWAN RIVER BRIDGE named after? Sorry, cantilever anything more from me on this post, mate. c);-b

Carlz Boats: Fireboat EDWARD M. COTTER

Carlz Boats: Fireboat EDWARD M. COTTERS: An always welcomed participant at Canal Days in  Port Colborne  and a ship that has truly earned the right to be there is  Buffalo, NY...

Fireboat EDWARD M. COTTER

An always welcomed participant at Canal Days in Port Colborne and a ship that has truly earned the right to be there, is Buffalo, New York Fire Department's famous fireboat, the 118' EDWARD M. COTTER. If there ever was a boat that should be featured on the History Channel's "Hero Ships", it's the built in 1900 EDWARD M. COTTER and let me tell you why. I was 8 years old on the evening of October 6, 1960 and had just returned home from polishing a mess of Macintosh apples (the fruit, that is) in preparation of the next day's cub scouts' "Apple Day". In Port Colborne then, when a fire occurred, a loud siren would blow from the tall International Nickel Company's smoke stack to summon the volunteer fire fighters. I still recall the shreaking fire whistle that blew several times that night followed by ongoing sirens because as it turned out, the Maple Leaf flour mill located at the south entrance to the Welland Canal had exploded and was on fire.
At the time, the Maple Leaf Mill was the largest flour mill in the British Empire producing over one million tonnes of flour daily but like I said, I was only 8 years old and big fire or not, I had to go to bed. As I slept though, the mill continued to burn and apparently the glow from the raging flames could be seen for miles. Despite every effort by Port Colborne's volunteer firefighters and those from nearby communities responding to the request for aid, even more help was desperately needed. Hence an historic and unprecedented event occurred when the call from the Port Colborne's Fire Department went out requesting that the Buffalo Fire Department send it's fireboat, EDWARD M. COTTER. At approximately 8:30 pm, with no radar of her own to help her navigate, EDWARD M. COTTER began her dangerous trek across the often treacherous waters of Lake Erie, escorted by a United States Coast Guard cutter. Apparently two hours after receiving the call, the COTTER arrived and with all her water cannons brought to bear, she fought the fully engulfed eight storey inferno for more than four hours until the blaze was finally extinguished. The estimated eight million dollar fire and explosion destroyed everything except the adjoining grain elevator and warehouse. One person perished and eight were seriously injured, but one can only imagine what may have happened had the COTTER and her brave American firefighting crew on board, hadn't arrived when she did? On that day, the EDWARD M. COTTER became the first fireboat in United States history to cross the international line to fight a fire. 
Like I said, she is truly a 'Hero Ship' and a good friend to anyone who lives or has lived in Port Colborne, Ontario. It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and I want to thank all my family and friends from all over, who have come to my aid in the past and especially this year. Your being there is always greatly appreciated. Meanwhile, take care and SALUTE!!