Self Unloader ALGOMARINE

Before jumping on the QEW and heading back home after a few days in Port Colborne earlier this month, I was able to snap the approaching 730' self unloader ALGOMARINE as she carefully made her way to the west wall which is used to guide ships into Lock 1 (bottom snap) at Port Weller which is the Lake Ontario entrance to the Welland Canal.

The ALGOMARINE, which is beginning to show her age was built in 1968 at the Davie Shipyards in Lauzon, Quebec. Owned by Nipigon Transport of Montreal, she then looked like a typical classic Great Lakes 'straightdecker' and her name was LAKE MANITOBA. Along with her fleetmates, LAKE WINNIPEG, LAKE NIPIGON and LAKE WABUSH each were active in the Canadian prairie grain trade eastward and then more often returned upbound with a load of iron ore. From what I recall growing up along the canal back then, regardless of their cargo, each ship was always kept clean and their black stacks displayed a huge 'green' Maple Leaf on a white rounded background. Very impressive ships. However in 1987, Algoma Central took over the Nipigon's fleet with the exception of the WINNIPEG (because she had already had been scrapped). The LAKE NIPIGON had her name changed to ALGONORTH, the LAKE WABUSH was converted in a self unloader and is now known as the CAPT. HENRY JACKMAN (http://carlzboats.blogspot.ca/2013/02/self-unloader-capt-henry-jackman.html) and LAKE MANITOBA had her name changed to ALGOMARINE and was also converted into stern mounted self unloader like fleetmate ALGOSTEEL (http://carlzboats.blogspot.ca/2013/09/self-unloader-algosteel.html).
Also coming in of the lake and in the background above, is the 201' bunker tanker HAMILTON ENERGY. Now that's a ship with an interesting past and will be highlighted soon in a future Carlz Boats. I know, you can hardly wait, or NOT!!  c);-b