What is Mariner Day to Denny?

[Denny]

Hey Dawn, been busy all day today and just now found out on the boatnerd AIS maps that the Paul R. Tregurtha did indeed come down the St. Clair River before dark on April 25th and has since arrived at the DTE Energy Power Plant at St. Clair. Bummer though as I did not get the chance to see them on the web cameras and their first time coming down the River this year in 2024! Oh well, maybe that’s a good thing though as at least it will then get me motivated and inspired more for going out there and seeing them for real and live in person and NOT just on any internet web camera. Granted, the cameras are great when you can’t be there to see the ships in person but still there’s nothing like being there live and in person to see and view it for real. Just to see it in person the enormous size of the Paul R. Tregurtha and to hear and feel its power and engines is a thrill in itself to see!

[Bookworm]

Hey Denny, just watched the "meet" between Lee A and The Queen, just past the International Bridge at the Soo. If you didn't see it, you can rewind the video to 19:32. Sun made it a bit difficult at first but that wasn't a problem for long. Enjoy!

[Bookworm]

Some might call me a fanatic or obsessed -- maybe they're right -- but I keep an eye on her (Marine Traffic & webcams) and was watching when she passed Algonac, Marine City, and Port Huron! Yes, she looks good with her new paint job and continues to carry herself with pride and dignity for being in her 80s! Her lake speed (except when the wind is gusting, like today) is up a bit from last year so my calculations between points need adjusting or she gets there before I expect!

[Denny]

Hey Dawn. If you read this post sometime, I saw “you favorite ship the Lee A. Tregurtha” on the Marine City webcams yesterday evening as she was headed upbound on the river. She sure looks great with her fabulous new paint job she got while drydocked for the winter at Fraser Shipyards in Superior. I thought about you last night as I watched her sail up the river on the web cameras. Hope that you’re doing well Dawn. Take care my friend. Also, on the Duluth Harbor Camera website there is a video of the Paul R. Tregurtha that shows them leaving Duluth yesterday morning on their first trip of the 2024 season.

[Denny]

Hi Dawn. Here’s another update on the Paul R. Tregurtha. From the MERC or SMET site they are still loading and expected to depart later this morning, April 23. They are now due at the DTE Energy Power Plant at St. Clair sometime Thursday evening, April 25 at around dinner time give or take subject to change. So, we both have a few thing in common as we both like the Tregurthas as our favorite ships. You liking the Lee while I of course liked the Paul. I do though like the Lee and many others that sail the lakes. I too am very sad to see possibly the end of the line for the Roger Blough has she’s always been a favorite of mine especially since she entered service the same year that I arrived on this Earth and in this crazy world of ours! I used to love the old Oglebay Norton ships when they used to sail. Now those were the good ‘ole days of shipping then, when they had the Middletown one of my favorites along with the Courtney Burton, Armco and the Wolverine. The Fred R. White Jr. now American Courage back then was another of my favorites. I also used to like and enjoy the Algolake or the Coolbeans when she once sailed. Captain Anders Rasmussen was her captain for many years and his wife Donna would often post here and give updates on the Algolake or the Coolbeans as she liked to call the ship. Those were the good times!

[Bookworm]

Ah, Denny, I've been following Lee A for coming up on 20 years now! From my two residences (Ashland and Delaware, Ohio) to Toledo, the St. Clair River, the Soo, and Marquette. In fact, I when I retired, I deliberately moved to be near the St. Clair River. That worked beautifully until 2022. The odd thing about my connection with Lee A is that the first time I saw her (old ACOE Soo webcam) she was entering Poe Lock and all that showed was from her boom control cab to the stern. I well remember asking aloud, "What grotesque boat is that?" The next time I saw her was "face on" and made all the difference. I can't explain it, but was astonished to learn that she hit the water exactly 3 years to the day before I arrived on planet Earth! So, yes, she remains my favorite. Roger ("Hulk" to me) Blough is/was second and I'm sad at the way her career seems to have come to an end. Like you, I have a gazillion ship photos and, knowing my life is getting shorter, I realize that few if any people will care enough to keep them. But they have been\remain a joy to me.

[Denny]

Hey Dawn. If this gets posted and you can read and view my comments, my favorite ship and footer the Paul R. Tregurtha or the PRT has been revised and updated. They are not due to load now at the MERC or SMET Coal Terminal until Monday, April 22 at 9 A.M. which would be 10 A.M. Eastern Time. They’re estimated to finish and depart at 2100 hours or at 9 P.M. on April 22 and now they are due at St. Clair and the DTE Plant to unload coal and their first cargo of the season on Thursday, April 25 at 0500 hours or at 5 A.M. then and even IF I could go and see them, that’s way too early in the morning for me to drive and it’s still dark outside then as well. Just wanted to let you know about the PRT and to give you an update on them. As always thanks for your encouraging words and comments as they are always welcomed and appreciated by me. It sounds like you have been through a lot of health issues too in the past few years. Sorry to hear that you had to sell your car and that it’s not as easy as it used to be getting to the river to see and take photos of your favorites. I do agree with you my dear friend, that indeed having the web cameras does help when one cannot be there live and in person to see our favorites. The web cameras helped me out tremendously last fall when I was sick and in the hospital and as I was in recovery at Rehab. The problem was for me at least, I’d take pictures of our favorites with my camera on my tablet and then my tablet would get all filled up with the amount of photos I was taking. At one point, I had I think over 800 plus photos or so on my ICloud and it was preventing me from doing anything! So, I eventually started to save the photos on other devices to free up my ICloud on my tablet. I just see a ship on the web cams then I go nuts and crazy then and want to get pictures of it. Life of a boat and ship watcher then. Take care my friend. Fair Winds and Calm Seas to you. Is the Lee A. Tregurtha still your favorite ship or is there another on your list of favorites? Do you have any others?

[Bookworm]

I sold my car in 2022 because of health related issues and learned to rely on the series of Great Lakes webcams to follow the ships. Still, nothing compares to being there watching and listening to the engines or the sound of the water as they push through. On rare occasions I've walked a short distance to the river but it's not a good place for photographing. My favorite places were at the Bluewater Bridges, Bean Dock, Marysville boat launch, off upper Stag Island, St. Clair Riverwalk, and Marine City ( especially at sunrise). Glad you can look forward to driving again and May is getting closer. Go safe in God's love and peace Denny.

[Denny]

Thanks Dawn for that update much appreciated and YES, your post did go though and it did get posted here on the Discussion Boards. My “favorite footer the PRT” will indeed be on the St. Clair River next week. Unfortunately though however, I’m still under restrictions of NO driving for a 6 month period from my Seizure-like activities I had back last year 2023. However, the 6 months of no driving should be over and done with sometime then in May. Then, it’s getting used to wearing my first ever pair and set of Bi Focals as I’ve never had or worn them in my life and it will be my first time. Everyone tells me it takes some time to adjust to them and I’m sure I’ll be okay and fine with them. Just can’t wait though to get back up on the River again to see the ship traffic. I can’t wait to see Big Paul along with the new Algoma Bear and some of the cruise ships as well. I’m hoping that 2024 is better for me all around than what 2023 was as it taught me a lot. Take care my friend.

[Bookworm]

Hi Denny! I don't know, with the issues this site seems to be having, whether this will post but I'll take a chance. Today (April 18, 2024) I read that the "current plan" is for your favorite footer is to load on Sunday for St. Clair and, if that actually happens, she'll be cruising down the St. Clair River on the 24th.!

[Denny]

Adding to my thread about my Mariner Days memories. Have any of you experienced this before? I saw 4 of the 1,000 footers on the St. Clair River in one day and all four of them were downbound NOT Upbound! I had this happen once or twice before where I saw four of the 1,000 footers on the St. Clair River. It doesn’t happen too often but sometimes it does. The very first time it happened ironically was on April 14, 1994! Every time I’ve gone out to the St. Clair River on April 14 in history, I’ve always have seen at least one of the 1,000 footers on the St. Clair River! The average amount of ships I see whenever I do go on April 14 is about 8 ships in a days time which isn’t too bad for me. Last year in 2023, I saw five ships was all on the St. Clair River but the highlight was seeing the Paul R. Tregurtha!

[Denny]

Hello everyone and cheers to you with Calm Seas and Fair Winds too. So, do any of you know then what special meaning Mariner Day has for me? Well, if not then sit back and relax as you’ll love this story and how it all got started! On April 14, 1992 that was when I first drove to the St. Clair River on my own without no one driving me or assisting me to see and photograph the ships on the River. What do my wandering eyes should I see then as I glance down River? The Paul R. Tregurtha the largest ship on the lakes headed up the river. He must’ve known I wanted to see him as he saluted me several times with his horns. History repeated itself again in 1997 when the PRT was again upbound on the River on April 14. During the 1990s there were 5 times that I was on the River on April 14 then! Only twice, in 1992 and 1997 did I see the PRT on the River. I then struggled for quite a while NOT making the River often if at all on April 14. From 1999 to 2010, it took me over 10 years to get back there again on April 14. Then another 11 years were spent before I’d make it back again in 2021 on April 14. I then promised myself not only would I make it in 2021 but again in 2023 which I did. Who would I see then on April 14, 2023 but the PRT once again and like 1992 was headed up River. He wasn’t my 1st ship in 2023 but was my 1st 1,000 footer then. He was ironically my last 1,000 footer seen in 2022 my 30th year on the River taking photographs. Beginning in 2025, the next four years I have an opportunity to make the River each of those next four years on April 14 depending on the weather and if I have any appointments. So, now you read this story and know and have learned just how special and important April 14 is to me. Two legends were born that day and continue to live on today! My legacy of going to the St. Clair River to photograph the ships and my love and passion for the Paul R. Tregurtha my favorite ship on the Great Lakes. Thanks All.