Sailing on the Great Lakes with the Country Girl and the Sailor Guy May 2003
Small kodak digital used starting now...
Photo taken by Bill Hoey
April 1st...April Fools! .......nothing here yet..thanks for looking...
April 24th....I'm
in the Okay I want to go on May 12..I.want to be ON THE SHIP may 12th...now
to see when it will happen.............................................
May 5th..well it WAS planned ..I was going to be meeting the ship on May 11th in Nanticoke but the company threw in another trip for him through the Canal..course I could go now but I have to wait for my son Zachs college graduation on the 10th ..no way can I miss that Magnum cum laude Graduate..very coolBeans!!!.. So now the trip will be May 14th?
May 11th...yep another delay...why the heck are there gales out on the Lake the end of May??? "My boat" is anchored in Thunderbay awaiting the wind to subside so to go in and load up for coal for Detroit.... now I'm looking at friday the 16th....maybe? There are alot of circles around dates on the calander..I think this is the first time since I've been going out sailing with Anders that this has happened. I'll deal with it but I don't have to like it! :o)
May 15th.. Okay so ..heres the latest scoop...hes arrived in Detroit so bearing any other delays I'll be meeting him at 11:00pm Friday night. So he says to leave the house at 10am..like THAT is going to happen...:o) From past experience he knows I leave when I"m darn good and ready..ha ha normally like after I wake up!!!
May 15th...again.. oh well so much for THAT idea..you getting an idea what its like being married to a sailor?? Heck I'm just trying to see him!! Anyway..the Buffalo made it to Sandusky 10 minutes before The Algolake so ...I guess I"m still leaving Friday midmorning but I'll have to grab a room at a motel til 8 Saturday morning..8...hmmm wonder what time it will be???? So this is my last update til after my trip. ...Tomorrow morning I'll be off..well my daughter is having a party here at the house so not sure how well sleep will come though!!! :o) I know one thing..I can't wait to get out there and see my Sailor guy again!!!!!
what do I do when I'm waiting? well here I am playing "sims" at my office computer...normally I'm sitting in front of one of them either playing or actually working!or I give "hints" to some of my "boatnerd buddies" that I NEED a picture of my sailor guy...thanks to Neil, Ken, Scott and Alex I got some thanks!!!!!! Course I like the all the "boat" pictures I get to..I have quite a collection!!
From Neil in Detroit From Alex in the Welland Canal From Scott in the Soo
From Ken in Duluth
Before I start the latest edition to my stories...
16th of June
Well it FINALLY happened!! I left home on Friday the 16th of June around 9:30am. I drove through Vermont and New York and then took the scenic route in southern Ontario as there was "no rush"* seeing as though Anders wouldn't be there until Saturday morning sometime. I ended up in Wallaceburg, Ontario around 11 hours later and checked into the Super 8 motel there. I called Anders to let him know I had arrived and was WAITING for him to get there. Actually appears that they were running AHEAD of schedule which after all the delays I was quite pleased about (remember that for later ) He told me that he would be arriving in Lambton around 5am the next morning. Well I was totally exhausted from the drive so I went next door to Pizza Hut to grab something to eat then hit the sheets to see if I could get a nap before I had to get ready to go to the ship. For some reason when Anders called me at 4 am he was surprised that I answered on the first ring! Well heck do you think I could sleep?? Heck I was way too bouncy to sleep! I got showered, dressed and got my stuff packed in the car and when he called to say he was almost to Port Lambton I got in the car and drove down to the river to follow him up. I saw the ship coming so I parked and watched it go by. I still find it so amazing how quiet the ship is. The morning was warm with no wind, the sun hadn't come up as of yet and there was this Huge ship all lit up moving slowly up the river. Course I was pretty excited at that point and it wasn't long before he noticed my car sitting there and I had this Spot light on me!
A coolbeans Spotlight
Well, I know a few of you have had this spot light shine on you at times too. Its a bright one for sure! I followed the ship up the river, stopping along the way once in awhile when I got to far ahead. The sun came up and before I knew it I was at the Lambton Hydro Plant and I parked the car to wait...wait...wait. Course it seems like it takes forever. Docking the ship, then getting her all tied up and secure, the Captain guy who I'm waiting so patiently for has to call customs to clear the ship and then come down all those stairs and walk down the deck of the ship while I'm standing there with HUGE butterflys!
One Big huge pile of coal!
We took out my luggage and drove the car over the the Hydroplant where it would stay safe and secure until I returned to drive it back home to Vermont. Finally got aboard the ship around 6am. It was so great to be there with Anders as it had been over 6 weeks since I had seen him. We were both pretty exhausted me from my drive and him from being in the river all night so we went in to take a rest then got up for some lunch around 12:30. Maccarroni soup and fresh homemade bread..ohhh man was it ever good! We were supposed to leave around 4:30 that afternoon and my gosh we actually did. (hmm was I seeing a trend here?) We had to go up to shell oil to get some "gas" before heading out on the lake so it was a short little ride and a short trip at the fuel stop too. Expected it to be an hour but only took 1/2 hour. geezz....
Some Ships we saw in the river on the way to "get gas"
It was a nice quiet day in the river and soon we were out on the Lake where I just love to be and where Anders could relax a bit. We had dinner up in the wheelhouse. Anders gets to have his delivered but poor me I must walk down four flights of stairs and back up to eat with him in the wheelhouse...poor me..ha ha..actually I don't mind at all. Its about the only exercise I get while I'm there!
Hard at Work
The Captain Working :)
"The Chief" ...gee that coverall was clean 1/2 hour ago!!! :o)
Might have something to do with this gassing up process!
Few Pictures of things I saw on my way up the river to Lake Huron, "boat", "boat",
"sailboat","another boat", :o)
"same boat in front of Paddys" (ahhh yes Paddys, funny how they planted it right in front of the ships docks isn't it? :o) Fun place to visit for sure isn't it Anders? :o)
Last picture here is of "Jim and Julie" some of our boatnerd friends who have a really cool beans , coolbeans sign they hang out for the ship! :o) If you look close you'll see them there waving too!
"Going under the Blue water bridge", "a beautiful picture" (always gives me a great feeling to see our countries flags together),
"Pretty lighthouse"
"boat on the lake",
"The Captains flag"
Finally out on the lake again, its such a great place to be.too! we went down to Anders "apartment" and watched some tv then got some sleep. Oh how I love sleeping when the ship is out on the Lake! I tell you there is nothing better. The gentle movement of the ship just rocks you to sleep. We got up around 7:30 and went down for some breakfast Oh yum, eggs, homefries all the good stuff.! Course why people eat fried bolonga for breakfast I'll never know but whatever toots your whistle I guess!! :o)
Today we got to the St. Marys River sometime after lunch. It was a very quiet day in the river , not much traffic at all. The following pictures are some things I felt were important to document. :o)
This is round island where round island light house resides. Its a beautiful place that has been completely restored and its amazing! They always get a salute from the Algolake and then they give one back too!
Yep, if you've read any of my other story adventures you'ld remember that Anders and I have frequent discussions about whether or not there is a few Lakes IN the St. Marys River system. Here on the Chart its proof but of course he IS the Captain so if he says there isn't a lake then of course there isn't a lake...:o)
I just love the water, the currents and the colors its so beautiful!
Hey Look its Stephen Hause! Course I wasn't sure who it was at the time but I was looking and he yelled "HEY Donna!!" I waved and I got home and found pictures of me on the ship waiting for me! yeah! thanks Steve! The guys in the wheelhouse think its pretty funny that I have so many freinds out here that know me..I think its pretty coolbeans! :o)
heading up towards the locks, Mike, first mate spotting for Anders and getting ready to land the boys,
some boat available for tours ;o), landing the first man on the dock
I mean REALLY would YOU think this ship would fit in there????
Anders making the lock wall, The viewing Stand in the Soo
Great place to eat dinner, a couple of viewing guests!
A mini Golf I have YET to whoop Anders at!, Taking a picture of someone taking a picture!
I always enjoy going through the locks..I love watching Anders working, and listening to the guys calling the spots, and watching the people who are watching us! Theres a mini golf there that we always go by that I plan on playing at one of these days and whopping someone big time! :o) oh yeah! We got up and out of the locks pretty quick ..we were still making really good time..We had a nice time across the lake going to Superior Energy , 36 hours from the Soo and we were there at 1:30 am...*YAWN** then we had to stay up and wait for the customs and immagration guys to come and say hello before we could get to bed. That darn phone rang at 6am!!! Whats up with that? How fast can they load a ship anyway? Well we were done EARLY again. I'm really starting to see a trend by now. :o) We headed out on the Lake again and after Anders did all his "captain guy" paper work we got some movies and just relaxed a bit. It was nice. Still very calm out on the lake.
Poor Anders has to duck in a couple places on the ship...thats what he gets for being so tall I guess! hmm I don't have that problem myself!
Yep writing "NIGHT ORDERS" well at least this time it was night time..or almost! He writes night orders in the daytime too..I still try to explain the difference between night and day to him but I guess its just that Captain thing again..if he says its night ...its night..ha ha ha! ( Actually , from what I can see the night order book is for the guys in the wheelhouse to follow his orders when hes down in his room resting..all the mates have to read it and sign that they've read it and understand it and of course if theres any questions that phone will always ring. Oh and it does .....)
No need to explain the beauty of the lakes when the sun is setting or rising or any other time of the day. I can never tire of looking at it.
Yep some ship at the grain terminal in Superior, Wisconsin.
Pelicans! never knew the great Lakes had Pelicans! But there they were on their own little island. Cute little guys. Well okay I don't think they were that little but they were cute..maybe lost too?!!?? :o)
Heading out of the Duluth Harbor....sun just coming up looks like a different time of day when you look behind though! Course from the front of the ship to the back could be a whole different time zone! :o)
This picture shows the guys painting grease on the wires for the unloading boom..not a job I'ld like to do! They sure do keep busy though. Those guys are always doing something on the deck.
This is just me taking pictures of water again..the sun sparkling on it was just too beautiful to pass up..God sure does work wonders out there.
Theres Anders checking out to see what some ship is doing and where hes going. They have a new "gadget" this year that put the name of the ship and its speed and direction etc right on the screen for them. Its pretty amazing!
Renee working in the wheelhouse making up new safety information for the ship. One thing for sure thats one of there first priorities , keeping everyone safe. Works for me!
coming into Whitefish Bay , wind currents on the water..its just really neat. :o)
Some Ships at Algoma Steel
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