Herbie the Love Boat

 This is another ship that I like to catch but she's not going anywhere for a while.

There are some that call her Action Jackson.

Others call her the Herb Superb.

I prefer Herbie the Love Boat.

I get to see her fairly often since she makes this particular trip several times per year.

Although it seems like she hasn't done it much this year.  I think the steel trade is down because of the chip shortage affecting auto production.

Anyway, she is making the trek from Marquette to the Rouge Steel Mill.

It's kind of nice to catch her on the downbound side because I think loaded ships look better than unloaded ships.

From this point, it is about an hour to the mouth of the Rouge River.

After that, it is about another hour to the steel mill.

The ships travel fairly slow up the Rouge.  Usually 5 knots or less.

Then it is roughly a 5 to 6 hour unload.

Then she is on to her next journey.

Which I think was up to Stoneport.

It looks like she has a load of stone for the other part of the Rouge River.

Anyway, that is what she is currently doing.

In this picture, she is heading to the Rouge.

It was kind of an interesting day.

Anyway, I was happy to catch her.

If you look closely at this picture, you can see some of the preparation for the Detroit Grand Prix.  This will be the last year it is held on the island.

A Duck Flies By

 As I was waiting for my next ship, I heard this guy fly by.

Unfortunately, I didn't have my lens all the way out but I still like the picture since I don't get too many duck flying pictures.

Catching Up With the Cuyahoga

 It wasn't too long before my next ship appeared.

This is a ship I would like to catch a few more times this year.  I can't believe it is almost June and I've only caught her once this season.

With the scrapping of the Manistee, the Cuyohoga remains the last of a dying breed.

Namely the breed of old time lakers.

Given the condition of her paint, I'm thinking that she is not long for this world.

I heard that her certification is due this year.

I'm not sure that Lower Lakes is going to want to pay for another five years of service.

But you never know because they get alot of work out of her.

She passes by the park or at least she was starting to.

I had to get some pictures of her with my drone.

Like I said, she is looking rough.

She apparently was delivering stone.

She passes under the Ambassador Bridge.

I'd swear that I need a tetanus shot just to watch her.

The Ambassador Bridge in the back ground.

I kind of like this shot.

Getting close to the beam shot.

The beam shot.

She passes.

She starts to make her turn for her destination.

Which is the stone dock just past the bridge.

I think she is kicking her bow thrusters a bit.

She makes the turn in the river.

Another beam  shot. with one of the new bridge supports.

I didn't stick around much longer.

ONe more before heading back to the car.

The Sarah Desgagnes Passes Riverside Park

 This ship has not appeared on this blog before but not for want of trying.

Groupe Desgagnes is operated out of Montreal.  About half of the ships are tankers.

The Sarah Desgagnes is a tanker.

She was built in 2007 at the Gisan Shipyard in Turkey.

She started the first two years of her life as the Besiktas Greenland.

She is 483 feet long and 73 feet wide.

She can carry 18,000 tons of cargo.

She was heading to Montreal.

Since she is a salty, she required a pilot change.

The M.S. Westcott approaches her.

This is kind of cool from a drone.

The M.S. Westcott nuzzles against her.

The pilot change starts.

I think the old pilot has to come down from the bridge.

And then the new pilot goes up.

It's amazing to watch.

Anyway, I think it is about two days to her destination.