Catching the Sykes Passing Port Huron

 I was planning on going to the Battle Creek Air Show with my dad today.  He messaged me and told me that he wasn't feeling well.  I didn't really feel like going alone and I wasn't sure if I wanted to sit in a hot car all day, so I decided not to go.  Besides, I will be going to the Willow Run Airshow in two weeks and I've already seen the Thunderbirds this year.

After deciding not to go to Battle Creek, I pulled up Marine Traffic and saw that the Sykes was heading for Detroit.  It was early and I didn't feel like heading out then.  I figured I could catch her in Port Huron.

I was still kind of waffling about going up to Port Huron and then I saw that the Frontenac was leaving Windsor, so I figured she would be heading up that way.  I ended up putzing around until it was time to go.

So I headed up to Port Huron.  I-94 was a zoo.  Is there a law that if you own a big truck you have to drive it like an asshole?

I arrived in Port Huron intact and I was waiting for the Frontenac because she would be passing first.

Or so I thought.  She ended up stopping in Sarnia but the Sykes was coming.

I thought the Sykes was going to be about an half hour behind the Frontenac but she had slowed down a bit, so it was closer to an hour.

And I was fine with that because the light was just about perfect at this time.

So the Sykes was in Cleveland where I think she delivered iron ore to the steel mill there.

Then she went to Toledo where she picked up iron fines, I think.

From Toledo she was heading over to Burns Harbor.  So she was loaded for these shots.

I was fine with that too because I think ships look better when they are loaded.

Anyway, I think she is the best looking ship on the Lakes.

Some people will argue that point but I don't consider the Ryerson on the Lakes unless she is active.  That is not likely to happen, so the Sykes it is.

One more shot with my regular camera.

And then I switched to my drone.  If you look in the background, you can see a nice column of smoke.  I'm not sure what was on fire but I saw it from the freeway.

It was a pretty nice day and there was a nice breeze blowing so it wasn't too hot.

The Sykes making her way to Lake Huron.

From this point, it is almost two days for her to get to her destination of Burns Harbor.  This is probably my favorite angle with the drone.  

Pulling up to pull back.

Trying to get the long shot.

Almost a beam shot.

The beam shot.

She continues out to Lake Huron.  The boats were giving me challenges trying to not have them in the picture.

But I didn't have much choice with this one.

The almost stern shot.

One more shot with my regular camera as she heads on her way.