The Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder Entering the Cuyahoga River

My pictures from Cleveland aren't going to be quite in order as I'm trying to put them into certain categories.  First up is the first ship I saw doing ship stuff this season.

 With the ice thawing on the Lakes, ships are finally starting to stir after their roughly two month slumber.  From what I've heard, it is a good thing because supplies at some of the mills are starting to get low.  Fortunately, this year is nothing like last year as the ice is starting to thaw at a relatively normal time.  Anyway, I saw that the Pathfinder was docked in Cleveland and I wasn't sure if she would be doing stuff but I wanted pictures of her, so I headed to a spot where I could see her fairly well.  As it turned out, she was pulling out of the dock.

 The Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder is a tug/barge combination that sails on the Great Lakes.  Prior to her conversion to a barge, the Pathfinder would have been known as the J.L. Mauthe.  She would have been a beautiful ship had this not happened.  She will occasionally do the shuttle runs to the steel mill in Cleveland.  This is where a ship will deliver some ore to the plant, turn around and come to the main dock where she will pick up more ore, etc.

 The Pathfinder still retains some of her shippiness though.  Shame that she couldn't keep her pilothouse but oh well, such is the life of ships.

 She enters the channel and passes the Coast Guard Station that I call the Art Deco Lighthouse.  I kind of liked this picture.

 There was still a little bit of ice in the channel and she passed it to the side almost effortlessly.

 A shot of her bow.

 The Dorothy Ann was built at Bay Shipbuilding in Wisconsin.  She is equipped with what is called a z-drive.  Basically, the engines are mounted in nozzles that can be swung in any direction and it gives her unprecedented maneuverability.  This is important when navigating the Cuyahoga River as it is quite windy.

 A shot of her pilothouse.  Another advantage (to some) of the tug/barge is that it requires less crew.

 A shot of her stern.  She calls Cleveland home.

 She passes towards the lift bridge.

And attracts a swarm of seagulls looking for an easier meal.