The Indiana Harbor on Her Last Trip of the Season

 So this is the ship that got me out.

The Indiana Harbor was coming down from somewhere.  If I had to guess, it was probably Superior.

And I think that means she was carrying coal.

She was heading to Ashtabula to deliver that and I think that is where she is going to layup.

The bow shot.

She makes a turn for the rest of the channel.

It's that time of year when ice is formed on the bow and stuff.

I think the sailors are happy to be heading home.

A little bit more ice but it was navigable.

I like this shot.

She approaches the Ambassador Bridge.

She passes under.

A shot of her pilothouse.

And she passes under the bridge.

Catching Up With the McCarthy

 The next ship wasn't too far behind the Oberstar.  In fact, I was almost expecting them to pass but I think this ship might have slowed up a little bit.

The Walter J. McCarthy was heading down to Conneaut, Ohio.

She is heading from Two Harbor, Minnesota.

That means she is loaded with taconite.

She left about two days before this picture.

She has roughly another day of sailing after this picture.

I'm not sure if this is her last trip of the year.

If I remember correctly, she typically winters in Toledo.  So she may very well be headed to Toledo after this trip.

It has been over a year since I caught her last.

She used to come this way fairly often.  I'm not sure if I am missing her because she passes when I can't catch her.

Anyway, it was nice catching her.

I think the thousand footers look cool.

She pours on the engines as she makes the turn for the channel.

She cuts a nice angle.

Framed by the Blue Water Bridge.

She continues on.

I kind of like this shot because it shows how long she is.

Her pilothouse.

What would normally be a beam shot, but she's too long.

And she continues down the river.

Delivering Rocks to the Locks

 The next one was coming upbound.

The John J. Boland had "Soo" listed as her destination.  I think that means she was in fact going to the Soo.

And as I look at AIS, I see that she is currently there.

Her origin was listed as Marblehead.

That means she was carrying stone.

When I saw that, I assumed she was carrying stone for the new lock but based on where she's dock, I'm not sure that is the case.

But it is possible because the other side of the river might be a good place to store the stone.

I would imagine they need quite a bit.

And then I switched to my drone.

It was little windier this time but not too bad.

She approaches.

I kind of like this shot.

Almost the beam.

The beam shot.

She heads out to Lake Huron.

An almost straight on shot.

And she continues on Lake Huron.

The Sam Laud Unloading in Marine City

I headed down to St. Clair after catching the Jackson.  I was hoping to catch a ship there but I just missed her, so I headed to Marine City next.

As I was waiting for the next ship, I saw the Laud as she was unloading at the stone dock in Marine City.  Not sure about the railing in the picture but otherwise I like it.  It's always nice when I can catch one unloading.  They usually aren't in spots where I can get pictures.

Catching Up With the American Spirit

 It was pretty cool seeing the next ship.

The American Spirit just left Sturgeon Bay to escape her layup.

She was heading over to Marquette where she was picking up a load.

I'm not sure what she picked up though.

Anyway, it was nice to see her, she's a cool looking ship.

One more with regular camera.

And then I switched to my drone.

I'll have to say that the 1000 footers look pretty cool under the drone.

They look like they go on forever.

She passes by.

Seeing the leadup to Mission point.

More of a beam shot.

A shot of her pilothouse.

One more.

She passes on.

I went on to the other side of the locks to try and get a picture of her there.