Checked down

[Jon Paul]

The JRB is at SMET loading coal according to AIS.

[Denny]

Either to Indiana Harbor or Ashtabula as I’m not hearing anything so far for Torco Dock in Toledo. It’s interesting that no Interlake 1,000 footers so far have yet to take any ore loads to Torco in Toledo as last year they took a few loads from Duluth and the CN Ore Dock to Toledo. I guess we will have to wait and see if that happens yet this year or not. Last year it was the Barker and Miner doing it. I can’t recall if the Tregurtha did any or not? Maybe the Paul R. Tregurtha did a few but I’m not sure of this?

[garbear]

Just now checked Harbor Lookout’s website, James R. Barker they are now showing is due at Duluth on April 7 at 6 P.M. so from that it looks as if they’re headed to Duluth I would think?

I'll be curious to see where she loads for.

[Jon Paul]

When JRB passed through the Straits last night it still had Silver Bay showing on AIS. I'm sure with all that's going on there are changes made to accommodate the the volitile market.
As for "Commodore" Zeber, I never had the opportunity to sail with him but had several shipmates that had.
Only a half dozen or so boats pre 1980 had the ability to add nozzles on the turbine and generate enough extra speed to beat out competition to loading or unloading ports. That would include the Victory, the 3 Republic C-4's, Joseph Thompson and McKee Sons..etc.
Capt Ray Long when I was on the Charles M White had an uncanny knack for judging the situations at hand and adjusting to them as needed.
AIS gives an advantage in real time unavailable to us in the past when monitoring the radio was our main source of info. Ships reporting in to Soo Control with deepest draft and destination both up and downbound, Sarnia Traffic Control and inter fleet chatter on channels 6 & 8.
I had a handheld scanner in my room attached to an antenna mounted on a high railing on the forward cabins and enjoyed listenin on my off time and would pass on tidbits as warranted.

[Denny]

Just now checked Harbor Lookout’s website, James R. Barker they are now showing is due at Duluth on April 7 at 6 P.M. so from that it looks as if they’re headed to Duluth I would think?

[garbear]

I see on AIS the Barker has a destination listed for "Duluth and Not to Silver Bay as was previously reported!" Not sure if she was intended to go to Silver Bay at first as she may have had a change of orders and was diverted instead to Duluth. IF this is true, it makes sense to me IMO at least anyway as I wouldn't think they would want to have the Barker at Silver Bay being delayed by the Miner ahead of them if they could get a clear dock at Duluth. Remember folks, time is money in this business so you can't make money if your boat is sitting but I realize also that at times you may not have a choice to sit and anchor out and wait for a clear dock in a loading or unloading port. These are just my two cents.

After the Barker left southern Lake Michigan her AIS was showing Silver Bay. Wouldn't have been reported if she hadn't been showing Silver Bay.

[Denny]

I see on AIS the Barker has a destination listed for "Duluth and Not to Silver Bay as was previously reported!" Not sure if she was intended to go to Silver Bay at first as she may have had a change of orders and was diverted instead to Duluth. IF this is true, it makes sense to me IMO at least anyway as I wouldn't think they would want to have the Barker at Silver Bay being delayed by the Miner ahead of them if they could get a clear dock at Duluth. Remember folks, time is money in this business so you can't make money if your boat is sitting but I realize also that at times you may not have a choice to sit and anchor out and wait for a clear dock in a loading or unloading port. These are just my two cents.

[garbear]

I've never loaded there on a footer. I was just shocked it would take 20 hours to load one there. I'm guessing they don't load there often.
Take care and stay healthy!
Marc

Probably footers load there more often than any other boats, with the exception of the VanEnkevort fleet. Also the Lee A., Oberstar, Jackson load there, but only occasionally. Mesabi Miner just arrived there this morning to load.

[statmk]

OMG. Memories. Who here sailed with Captain Henry "Bud" Zeber? I was on the Victory with him. He and I had a rocky start but I actually ended up liking him and he was good to me. But there were times . . .

[MarcE]

I've never loaded there on a footer. I was just shocked it would take 20 hours to load one there. I'm guessing they don't load there often.
Take care and stay healthy!
Marc

[Guest]

Jon Paul, I remember Capt Zeber’s speed. Full speed ahead. We beat an American Steamship Boat one day racing into Escanaba. We even passed North of the Mn Shoal Light in order to beat them. “Why take a loading delay when you can beat them”.

[Jon Paul]

Hey Garbear you know that's the reason they are running checked down. 20 hours to load?

Just speculation on my part. And it does take approx. 20 hrs. to load a 1000 footer in Silver Bay.[/quote

That sounds about right. We used to get 15k loads out of Silver Bay in 5 hours and last year I was curious what a footer took to load there and watched it on AIS for a while. 20 hours was roughly the average.
As for your speculation garbear on why the JRB is checked down, I'm thnking you're on to something here. Interlake has led the way on fuel efficiency on the US side and operating at 3/4 lake speed would certainly conserve fuel and in the current economic climate make sense.
Like an old skipper I sailed with used to say.." why hurry just to wait".

[garbear]

Hey Garbear you know that's the reason they are running checked down. 20 hours to load?

Just speculation on my part. And it does take approx. 20 hrs. to load a 1000 footer in Silver Bay.

[MarcE]

Hey Garbear you know that's the reason they are running checked down. 20 hours to load?

[garbear]

I'll put another one out there. They are both headed for Silver Bay and the JRB slowed down so they wouldn't get up there just a few hours behind the Miner. No good anchorage off Silver Bay, so they are running checked down so they'll get there about the time the Miner is done loading. Takes roughly 20 hours to load.

[garbear]

Just a guess but, maybe checking down to save on the fuel and costs?

Maybe, they are checking down when near-shore so to prevent on-shore wave action & erosion.

All the lakes are very high right now. The St Clair R looks higher than I've ever seen it before & there are signs asking boats to slow down. These signs may not be speaking to lake boats (maybe pleasure boats), but they are an indication of the problems with high water, waves & erosion all around the Lakes.

With the Barker heading North on Lake Michigan they'd be 8-10 miles off where they've been all day.

[johnfrombrighto]

Just a guess but, maybe checking down to save on the fuel and costs?

Maybe, they are checking down when near-shore so to prevent on-shore wave action & erosion.

All the lakes are very high right now. The St Clair R looks higher than I've ever seen it before & there are signs asking boats to slow down. These signs may not be speaking to lake boats (maybe pleasure boats), but they are an indication of the problems with high water, waves & erosion all around the Lakes.

[Denny]

Just a guess but, maybe checking down to save on the fuel and costs?

[garbear]

[quote="Guest"]I noticed the Mesabi Miner ran checked down or reduced speed after departing Indiana Harbor and continue to do so now clear of the locks. The James R Barker is doing the same after leaving Indiana Harbor. Is this a measure to keep the fleet running versus laying a boat up after all the recent announcements of idling blast furnaces and reduce demands for raw materials?[/quotJ

Just looked at the Mesabi Miner and she's doing 12.9 knots which would probably be normal speed.

[Guest]

I noticed the Mesabi Miner ran checked down or reduced speed after departing Indiana Harbor and continue to do so now clear of the locks. The James R Barker is doing the same after leaving Indiana Harbor. Is this a measure to keep the fleet running versus laying a boat up after all the recent announcements of idling blast furnaces and reduce demands for raw materials?