Before going to bed last night, I decided to check AIS to see what would be coming down this way. One of the ships that I saw was the Michipicoten. She is a ship that I really like but I haven't seen her in action in a while. But the timing meant that I wouldn't be getting much sleep.
After hitting the snooze button a few times, I decided to roll out of bed and make the trek up to Algonac because I was pretty sure that I wasn't going to catch her in Port Huron or other places. Which is just as well since Algonac is a pretty nice spot to catch ships.
The Michipicoten started life as the Elton Hoyt in 1952. She was built on saltwater because many of the Great Lakes Shipyards were backed up with work. Since she came up via the Mississippi and Illionis Rivers, her size was limited to 626 feet. She was similar to the Johnstown and Sparrows Point.
She is powered by 7,700 horsepower steam turbine which is powered by two oil fired burners. In order to clear some of the bridges on her way up, her pilot and deckhouses were cut apart and she was towed up. Final assembly was completed in Chicago.
For her first three years, she was carrying iron ore from Duluth and Superior to the many steel mills along the lakes. In 1955, a mining town was opened in Hoyt Lakes (named after the same person the ship was named after). A rail line fed a loading facility in Taconite Harbor, Minnesota. She would be a regular visitor to this facility.
In 1957, she was lengthened to her current length of 698 feet, this would enable her to carry 22,300 tons of cargo. In 1980, she was converted to a self-unloader in Toledo. Throughout the 80's and 90's, she would see varying levels of activity and in the late 90's, she was certified to carry grain which increased her versatility (and value).
In 2003, she was sold to the Lower Lakes Company and renamed the Michipicoten which is a river in Canada that is almost due north of Whitefish Point.
A shot of her deckhouse.
I love the Lower Lakes paint scheme but this logo needs to go. Reminds me too much of the Blackhaws Logo.
And one more shot before she heads off to wherever she was headed.
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