Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Not entirely impossible as ships could always be loaded using shore side cranes brought in for the purpose at those docks. Nonetheless this would be impractical as those are strictly receiving docks for the aggregate demands primarily for road work in southeastern Michigan. With no stone quarry nearby to supply shipments there would be no real reason to load at those facilities.

As for how low the Jackson was riding in the water, it is at times to tell how deeply a ship is loaded on a lake. I assume this is due to optical effects of the uneven and constantly in motion surface of the water between the ship and the observer which would amplify with distance to the point that the ship descends below the horizon. Just my guess.

It would be impossible to load a boat at those stone docks.

I'll take your word for it Denny. Just thought she showed more hull down bound than upbound.

They do not ever load stone at the stone docks along the river both on the U.S. and Canadian sides of the St. Clair River only unload!

Guarantee you they didn't load in Marine City. What you saw is that they were probably in a heavy ballast, as opposed to a normal ballast to help mitigate the poor ride.

I think what it is you could be seeing is when a ship is seen out on the open waters of a lake or river and this is my guess and theory only on this. The point is perhaps due to the high water levels, a ship may look deeper in the water than what it really is? Just my two cents on this.

On Friday she looked light and was rocking, and Saturday she looked like she riding much lower in the water. Though her draft marks only looked like half.

Perhaps the stone is lighter than the ballasting?

Jared wrote:She must have loaded stone at Marine City. We crossed paths 8 miles out from Harbor Beach today @11:30. She was upbound and loaded unlike yesterday. There were 8-12 footers yesterday evening l, but 3 footers today.

They would have unloaded at Marine City, not loaded.

The Jackson did not load stone from Marine City as they never load any stone from there only unload. They arrived there late last night from the Marine Traffic website at 2314 hours on September 18 and departed from there today, September 19 at 0456 light. From their AIS on there, they are headed next up to Meldrum Bay, Ontario to load. So when you saw the Jackson today then at least, they would have been light or in ballast and not loaded then. Hope that this information helps.

She must have loaded stone at Marine City. We crossed paths 8 miles out from Harbor Beach today @11:30. She was upbound and loaded unlike yesterday. There were 8-12 footers yesterday evening l, but 3 footers today.

It loaded limestone at Stoneport according to the September 18 port reports.

Jared wrote:Saw her rolling quite a bit this evening off Lexington. Appears to be running light.

She's heading for Marine City so I'm guessing she's got stone or some type of aggregate cargo.

Saw her rolling quite a bit this evening off Lexington. Appears to be running light.