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.