Interesting video with many shots of the Brookdale it was nice seeing a classic freighter. I give the actors some credit for some of the running around they did onboard especially the one that was running across the deck. One of the first things you learn on a boat is that everything can hurt you if you fall or trip! Not Great Lakes related but I recall the aftermath of an incident in which a crew member tripped and fell face first into the corner of a hatch. I was onboard doing some contract work at the time and he lost pretty much all of his front teeth. Luckily the ship was docked in Tacoma at the time so he was able to get prompt medical treatment.
One of my all-time favorite TV shows and among the funniest of all time is the Red Green Show. Robson was hilarious in those skits they did. Last night I watched a VCR of the episode where he tries to make a sailing land yacht out of an old Chevy van, only to have it tumble down a cliff after losing the mast to a low bridge. Stuff you can watch and laugh at over and over again.
There is a minor lakes connection to the show. In the episode where Red Green makes a sternwheeler from an old Possum Van cut in half and turned upside down, it appears to be filmed at a marine repair facility with the black and white tug Colinette in the background with some other vessels. The Colinette itself has a history what with her sinking and salvaging some time ago. Not sure who owned her then, or now, if she's still around.
The 'goon' in the brown shirt is none other than a younger Wayne Robson, probably known by many here as Possum Lodge's resident petty thief 'Mike Hammer'. 'The Red Green Show'.
Nice views of the Brookdale. According to Great Lakes Shipping Log, the Brookdale laid up at Toronto on 20 July 1980 after losing its boom and was towed out on 10 October 1980 for scrapping. So this show must have been filmed at some point between those two dates. Having lost its boom while loading salt, It had stopped at Buffalo to unload before laying up at Toronto.
Lots of interesting things for me besides the Brookdale in this string. I enjoyed watching the little hobo episode. It seemed to live on in reruns for a long time, but I have not seen it for years. I did not know you tube had such things available. I wondered what other old Canadian TV shows were on there. I looked for Adventures in Rainbow Country and was pleasantly surprised to find it was available. I was even more surprised to see that it was in color. When I watched it back when it was new we only had a black and white TV. I watched the episode of the stolen tug boat. Nice scenery and fond memories for me. There was a nice shot of a freighter loading in Little Current. That was the last place that I saw the Roy A. Jodry. She was trying to turn at the dock and the current put her up against the bridge crib. I was late at night and I was in a small boat entering the from the east and at first could not understand why thy had put so many extra lights on the bridge. Then I realized that it was a ship on the other side of the bridge.
Good day! What a nice episode on this Brookdale thread about our hero dog. It picked my spirits up this early Sunday morning. So, I noticed a few things from this 1980 production. I real old time boat, with Captain's quarters lined with wood. And then, the telescopic hatches, the steam winches, and the screen doors outside the entrances to the cabins. There were many times as a youth making a trip on the boat that I was corrected about letting those screen doors slam. Dad would say "there are people sleeping", and the best I could come back with was "I'm sorry!" The setting of 1980, the Irish captain and the simple, but fun theme was great for me. Good Sunday everyone! Mike
The Jodry is broke in 2 (twisted in 2 is more like it) at around hatch 12. Shes covered in zebras but other than that it doesnt seem like she has deteriorated much and shes a spitting image of the Algoway and Agwa Canyon (I forgot the third ship). Most of the stuff is still in the pilothouse and galley (due to the VERY difficult dive conditions). Her self unloader is still fastened down and the belt is still there.[/quote wrote:
Are there any good pics of the Jodry underwater?
I found this little episode delightful. A sense of humor and a look back at how things were in the day. For example, the wood in the Captain's office. Also the screen doors. As a kid, making a trip, I was reminded numerous times about not allowing those screen doors to slam because people were sleeping.
All we needed would be a swing and a canvas awning overhead to be perfect.
Have a great Sunday, Mike
[quote=The Jodry is broke in 2 (twisted in 2 is more like it) at around hatch 12. Shes covered in zebras but other than that it doesnt seem like she has deteriorated much and shes a spitting image of the Algoway and Agwa Canyon (I forgot the third ship). Most of the stuff is still in the pilothouse and galley (due to the VERY difficult dive conditions). Her self unloader is still fastened down and the belt is still there.[/quote]
Are there any good pics of the Jodry underwater?
Before the Brookdale was towed to Port Maitland, she was used to film scenes for the TV show Littlest Hobo in Toronto.
That's great. Now if we could only find 16-mm syndication prints of The Adventure of Tugboat Annie to go along with what exists online of Seaway, we'd have a great filmic panorama of Toronto harbor back in the day.
William Lafferty wrote:The Brookdale was unloading at Windsor during a storm and lost the boom, so it probably landed on shore or close by. It left with the remaining structure for Buffalo where it was unloaded by shore cranes and proceeded to Port Colborne where those remains were removed, then on to Toronto for survey and estimate of replacing the boom. The price tag came in at $2 million which resulted in its quick trip to Port Maitland in October 1980 for demolition. This was the same dock where Hochelaga lost its boom three months earlier!
Thanks for the info again Mr. Lafferty.
The Jodry is broke in 2 (twisted in 2 is more like it) at around hatch 12. Shes covered in zebras but other than that it doesnt seem like she has deteriorated much and shes a spitting image of the Algoway and Agwa Canyon (I forgot the third ship). Most of the stuff is still in the pilothouse and galley (due to the VERY difficult dive conditions). Her self unloader is still fastened down and the belt is still there.
Jared wrote:I saw in Today's Great Lakes History section and read that the steamer Brookdale lost her boom in the Detroit River. Was this recovered? I have dove on the Jodrey, Cederville, Clifton, and the Sydney Smith's boom. I would be interested in locating it if it wasn't.
What did the Jodrey look like when you last dove? Still all in one piece? Has it moved or shifted?
Must be really neat to see a whole ship underwater.
The Brookdale was unloading at Windsor during a storm and lost the boom, so it probably landed on shore or close by. It left with the remaining structure for Buffalo where it was unloaded by shore cranes and proceeded to Port Colborne where those remains were removed, then on to Toronto for survey and estimate of replacing the boom. The price tag came in at $2 million which resulted in its quick trip to Port Maitland in October 1980 for demolition. This was the same dock where Hochelaga lost its boom three months earlier!
In my first year (1979) on Inland Steel's Wilfred Sykes, I saw Reoch's str. Brookdale (which they owned for less than a year - so I was lucky to see her) when we loaded at Port Inland. Her unloading boom looked antiquated & rickety even then. I doubt it was worth salvaging. However, both the Canadian and U.S. coast guards don't like debris left in navigable water, so the boom was probably removed.
I also saw the str. Adam E. Cornelius and the M/V Saginaw Bay load there "back in the day".
I saw in Today's Great Lakes History section and read that the steamer Brookdale lost her boom in the Detroit River. Was this recovered? I have dove on the Jodrey, Cederville, Clifton, and the Sydney Smith's boom. I would be interested in locating it if it wasn't.