The Algoma Navigator at the Soo Locks

So I was up fairly early the next morning and I took a look at ais and saw that the Algoma Navigator was getting ready to enter the Locks.  That didn't have me as excited as finding out the other ship that was entering the Locks at almost the same time but more on that one in the next post.

 So this makes for the second debut on Michigan Exposures from this weekend, the Algoma Navigator.  I'm not sure how close I am to having seen all of the ships but I know that I am getting up there.  I may have to make a trip over to Michigan's west coast to see the St. Mary's Challenger.  At anyrate....

 The Algoma Navigator was born in South Shields, U.K. in 1967 and was built by J. Redhead and Sons.  She was originally 566 feet long and could carry a little over 21,000 tons of cargo.  She was originally a deep sea bulk carrier named Demeterton.

 In 1974, she was acquired by the Upper Lakes Group and used to carry cargo on the St. Lawrence Seaway and beyond.

 In 1980, she was lengthened and renamed the Canadian Navigator.  She is 730 feet long and can carry 30,000 tons of cargo.

 In 1997, she had her self-unloader attached.

 This is something I rarely get to see, the hatch cover getting lifted off.

 Looking up at the pilothouse.

 One of the crewmembers.

 Shots like this give a sense of scale of some of these ships.  You never really get that on the river.

 A shot of her rudder.

 Her Algostack.

 In 2011, she was renamed the Algoma Navigator after being acquired by Algoma Central.

 Here she is leaving the locks.

 And to the right is our next customer.

 A nice shot of her stern.

And one more before she moves on.