The METEOR

Whenever I make a trip to the Great Lakes I like to pick up books about shipping. Whether about shipwrecks or history, I can't put them down. One of the types of ships that I find most interesting are the Whalebacks. On a recent trip to the Duluth-Superior area I had to make a visit to the last remaining Whaleback ship. The Meteor.

Captain Alexander McDougall designed the whaleback to increase volume and seaworthiness. The decks were designed with a fair amount of tumblehome, to let the seas wash over them like a log floating in water. As the first one was being built the shipping community was very skeptical and called it " McDougall's Dream". Even his wife, as the first ship slid into the water, quipped " There goes our last penny."

The streamlined hulls had better fuel efficiency and handled well in rough weather. They also had their drawbacks. They sat low in the water and were sometimes hard to see. Many were involved in collisions. Sailors didn't like them. In heavy seas with a low freeboard men were washed overboard. Even with these problems, Alexander McDougall's whalebacks became a success. In all, 44 whalebacks were built.

The Meteor was launched in 1896 as the Frank Rockefeller. She carried iron ore until 1927 when she was sold and renamed South Park . She hauled sand and other fill for the site of the 1933 Worlds Fair in Chicago. Later it was fitted with a deck to haul automobiles. The South Park foundered off of Manistique, Michigan in 1942. Although she was heavily damaged, she was sold to Cleveland Tankers Corporation and renamed Meteor. She was refitted to haul oil and petrochemicals. She was retired in 1969. Being the last working whaleback, she was a novelty around the ports of the Great Lakes. In 1972 the Meteor was towed back to the city where she was built, Superior, Wisconsin. It was opened as a museum in 1973.

The triple expansion steam engine. She was originally coal fired and later switched to oil.

The steering engine

Dane Andree on the bridge.

The METEOR is the last Whaleback Ship

Even older Great Lakes ships have very sophisticated navigation systems like this gyroscopic compass and radio beacons.

The Meteor is "moored " on Barkers Island in Superior, Wisconsin. The tour was six dollars and was informative. If you're a boat nerd you need to check it out. For more info go to http://www.superiorpublicmuseums.org/ssmeteor/NewMETEORMAIN.htm

The Logging Boats of P.O.W. Camp 100

While hiking in Neys Provincial Park in Canada, Elaine and I ran across some abandoned wooden logging boats. We soon found out these old rotting boats had quite an interesting history.

After the outbreak of WWII, Canada found the need to open several German prisoner of war camps. In all, Canada opened 26 P.O.W. and Japanese internment camps that operated from 1941 to 1946. Three of the largest were along the Lake Superior north shore coast at Angler, Neys and Red Rock. The German prisoners were divided into groups, "Greys" were ordinary enlisted solders and "Blacks" were die-hard Nazis. Neys Camp 100 was housing mainly "black" Nazis. It was more secure with three layers of barbed wire fencing and guard towers. Escape by tunneling was difficult because of the loose sand; however it was attempted. One prisoner carved a set of wooden ice skates to skate away after the lake froze, but the lake didn't freeze enough that winter. Many of the native loggers enlisted or went to work in the factories to support the war effort. The nation still needed lumber, so the prisoners were put to work logging.

Each prisoner was payed a wage. The logging was done along the Pic River and the Little Pic River. The logs were cut and then floated down the rivers to the lake. Boats were used to transfer the prisoners to and from the work area and to help corral the logs as they floated down the river. After the end of the war the camp became a prisoner distribution center and the prisoners were repatriated with their homeland. Having found their treatment by the Canadians fair and having learned a trade many returned to the region to continue to log and work and raise families.

These boats were owned by the Pidgeon River Timber Company and were used in the region during the mid 1940's when most of the labor was prisoners. Made of wood with some tin sheathing, you can see they were work boats. Although they are rotting away, numerous repairs and patches are still evident. These boats can be found at Neys Provincial Park in Neys, Ontario, Canada.

Walk the Point Trail for about 1 Km. to the rocky point above the lake. Bathe in mosquito repellent before you go. The boats are up on the rocks. For more information go to http://www.ontarioparks.com/

Save The DELTA QUEEN

I remember seeing, as a young boy,the River Queen resting on the bottom of the Mississippi on the St. Louis riverfront. I can still picture that once grand boat and imagine the levee filled with steamboats. Loading and unloading the raw goods that helped build this nation. At low water, her hull can still be seen, a little bit north of the Eads Bridge. Most of our great steamboats have disappeared and the ones that remain are in need of help.

The historic steamboat Delta Queen ceased operations at the end of 2008. An Act of Congress is needed to give the Delta Queen permission to run as overnight passenger vessel after 2008. Help us save this National Historic Landmark, an important part of America's history, by going to http://www.save-the-delta-queen.org/.

Video featuring Dan Landau's theme song "Godspeed, Delta Queen".

Vacationland

State of Michigan auto ferry Vacationland

For as long as I can remember, on one of Grandma's bookshelves was a old, dusty copy of a book written by David B. Steinman titled "Miracle Bridge at Mackinac". Inside the front cover Grandma had written.

December 1957
Dear Squire,
Will you remember the crispy early morning rides on the Mackinac ferry, and the scarlet and gold sunsets, or the black fury of a windy night's storm? Even a miracle bridge cannot give the moments of sheer delight I've had with you, on the trips we've enjoyed over the waves of these northern straits.
All my love Sue

Grandma loved to write.

Although I was born after the time of the great straits ferries, I can imagine the thrill of crossing into the wilderness of the Upper Peninsula. As I am today, when I board the ferry to Mackinac Island.

The Vacationland was one of the State of Michigan automobile ferries that shuttled over the Straits of Mackinac between the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan. Built in 1952 at Great Lakes Engineering Works in River Rouge, Michigan, she became the last ferry to join the State of Michigan Highway Department fleet. Being a roll on roll off car ferry ( or Roro ) she was equipped with two bridges and a tunnel that linked the two. Cars would drive on one end and drive out the other. Not having to turn the boat around saved valuable time when docking.

The Mackinac Bridge opened on November 1,1957. The automobile ferries at the straits were put up for sale immediately after so they wouldn't compete with the new spans revenue.

Uncle Allen, Grandma, and Uncle Neil on a trip across the straits

In 1959 the Vacationland was sold to Detroit-Atlantic Navigation Corporation and renamed Jack Dalton. In 1960 it was seized for non-payment. It was then sold to Canada and rechristened Pere Nouvel . She worked on the St. Lawance River between Rimouski and Baie Comeau. In 1967 B.C. Ferries purchased Pere Nouvel. She was sailed to Vancouver through the Panama Canal and renamed Sunshine Coast Queen. After being retired in 1977 due to high operating cost she was sold and was to be converted to an oil drilling support vessel. Renamed Gulf Kanayak. She was sold for scrap in 1987.

On December 3, 1987, while being towed to Japan to be scrapped, the Gulf Kanayak sank in 12,000 feet of water during a storm about one hundred miles from the mouth of the Columbia River.
One of the my great regrets in life was not being able to see that beautiful vessel in my ( and Grandmas) beloved straits.

L.O.A. 344' 6"

Beam 75'

Passenger capacity-600

Automobile capacity 150

The S.S. PRESIDENT

Built as Cincinnati in 1924 she ran as a passenger packet steamer from Cincinnati, Ohio to Louisville, Kentucky. In 1929 she was bought by Streckfus Steamers. In 1932 she was moved to St. Louis for conversion to the largest excursion boat in America. Her two year conversion added a bandstand and a ballroom that was two decks high. She was advertised as the "New 5 Decked Super Steamer, Biggest and Finest on the Mississippi." She was renamed the President. In 1941 it was moved to New Orleans. Around 1978 her steam engines were replaced with 1000 hp diesel engines in each paddle box. She returned to St. Louis in 1985, and was designated a National Historical Landmark in 1989. It opened as a casino in 1990. In 1991 it was moved to Davenport, Iowa. She ran until 1999 and was retired. She is being dismantled and moved to St. Elmo, Illinois to become a hotel. If you are traveling on highway 70 the President is on the north side of the road and can be seen from the highway.

The pilot house and one of the smoke stacks.

The upper deck

One of the stairways that led to the upper deck.

It looks like an impossible job, but I hope one of our last remaining steamboats can be saved.

H.T. POTT

Herman T. Pott was a shipbuilding pioneer on the inland waterways. In 1933 he purchased the Philip A. Rohan Boat and Tank Co. in St. Louis which had been making boats since the Civil War. He renamed it St. Louis Shipbuilding and Steel Company. He advocated the switch to diesel in the shipping industry, and was the leader in diesel propulsion technology. The H.T. POTT was the first steel vessel to utilize welded seams instead of rivets in hull construction.
During W.W. II St. Louis Shipbuilding and Steel Co. built ships for the United States and Russia and became the worlds largest builder of inland river tow boats in the 1950s. In 1953 Mr. Pott bought the Federal Barge Lines from the government. He then built two of the largest most powerful towboats on the inland rivers, The M.V. AMERICA and the M.V.UNITED STATES. In 1967 he changed the names of his companies to Pott Industries. Mr.Pott is also credited with the development of the Kort Nozzle, a stucture that surrounds the propeller that increases the efficency by 30%.
Mr. Pott died in 1982. The Pott Foundation honors the values of Herman and Phenie Pott and contributes over 1 million dollars annually to over 100 charities. The Herman T. Pott National Inland Waterways Library is a special library in the St. Louis Merchantile Library at the University of Missouri at St. Louis. It has one of the best collections on the subjects of inland waterways and westward expansion.

H.T. POTT was built in 1933 at St. Louis and was the first all welded hull tow boat. She spent most of her time working around Kansas City, Missouri.
The H.T. POTT can be seen at the National Museum of Transportation in Kirkwood, Missouri.

LOA 58'

Beam 15'

Draft 6'

Herman T. Pott National Inland Waterway Library http://www.umsl.edu/pott/

National Museum of Transportation http://transportmuseumassociation.org/

Caution!

This is a scene I found near Table Rock Lake.
Ouch!

Sebago Marquesa

The Florida Keys are one of my favorite places. From driving over that beautiful blue and green water, stopping to check the mangrove swamps on Longboat Key, or taking a quick wade along one of the pullouts. I love every mile of highway 1 from Homestead to Key West.

Key West is a lifestyle, it is the closest thing to being in the Caribbean without leaving home. Of all the fun things to do in Key West the sunset celebration is a must do. Everyone gathers in Mallory Square to watch street performers like tightrope walkers, fire eaters and trained house cats. Its a party to the setting sun, and when the sun finally disappears under the horizon, the crowd erupts into applause.
One of the best ways to view the sunset is from the deck of a sail boat. We sailed on the catamaran Sebago Marquesa. Its 70 foot length gave us plenty of deck space to walk around for the 2 hour cruise. Complimentary beer and champagne made for a relaxing evening. The crew were friendly and hospitable.

Sebago

Enjoying the sunset cruise

Time to celebrate!

Other sail boats available for the sunset cruises include the tallships Appledore and the Western Union, an old cable laying scooner built in 1939.

Launched December 1999
L.O.A. 70 '

Beam 36'

Passenger Capacity 125

2300' of deck space

Built by Multi hull Technologies- Key West, Florida

For more information on the Sebago Marquesa visit http://www.keywestsebago.com/

For a taste of Cuba visit El Meson de Pepe before or after your cruise. Dine among chickens or the famous six toed Key West cats. Try the Lechon Asado with saute'd yucca or sweet plaintains. http://www.elmesondepepe.com/index.htm

The River Ferries of Calhoun County, Illinois

Elaine and I recently camped at Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton Illinois. A mile or so south of the park the Brussels ferry shuttles vehicles across the Illinois river into Calhoun County, Illinois. Calhoun County is a sliver of land bounded by rivers on three sides. The Mississippi River on the west side, the Illinois River on the east, and the confluence of both rivers at the south end. The influence of the rivers is evident in the lush crops, large orchards, and abundant wildlife. During the winter months eagle watching is a popular pastime. The topography is varied with bluffs, rolling hills and flat bottom lands. On warm spring weekends the roads are filled with people from the St. Louis area, which is 30 miles to the south. One of the attractions to the area is its remoteness. Being surrounded by rivers the county's access is limited to one fixed bridge and four car ferries.

The Brussels ferry, The Belle of Calhoun.

Two of the ferries cross the Illinois River. The Brussels ferry, north of Grafton, Illinois and the Kampsville ferry at Kampsville. Both of these ferries are run by the Illinois Department of Transportation and are free.

The other two ferries cross the Mississippi River, the Winfield ferry at Batchtown and the Golden Eagle ferry near Golden Eagle, Illinois. Fees are charged for the Mississippi ferries.

The Golden Eagle

Other area ferries are the Grafton ferry in Grafton, Illinois and the Ste. Genevieve ferry in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri about thirty miles south of St. Louis.

"Deer Plain"

If your unsure about car ferries the only bridge into the county is in Hardin, Illinois. Built in 1930 and recently renovated this vertical lift bridge is eligible to be on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a unique bridge and worth the side trip.

The area around the confluence of the Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Illinois rivers is one of the country's best kept secrets. For more information on this beautiful area see http://www.greatriverroad.com/mgrindex.htm

Enjoy this little dity by the Well Hungarians about the Winfield Ferry

Lignum Vitae

Mill turbines at Bridgeton Mill in Bridgeton, Indiana

I live in Byrnes Mill, Missouri on the Big River, slightly upriver from the ruins of the mill that gives our little burg its name. I, along with one of our alderman, am spearheading an attempt to remove and preserve the old mill turbine and other equipment from the river. In doing research on old mill construction I came upon a diagram of a mill turbine with the words Lignum Vitae and a line pointing to the bearings. Recognizing vitae as a botanical name I did some 'digging' and found some information on this very interesting wood. Also called the Wood of Life, Lignum Vitae is the one of the hardest woods known. Its uses include cricket balls, wooden mallets, English Bobby nightsticks ( it has the same effect as steel without the damage.) and propeller shaft bearings. Its high resin and wax content make it self lubricating and nearly decay proof when submerged in water, making it ideal for propeller shaft and water tubine bearings.

The turbine from Dawt's Mill in southern Missouri.

Many shipbuilders have used Lignum vitae in their vessels. Some of the more famous ships and uses include the propeller shaft bearings on the U.S.S. NAUTILUS, the first nuclear powered submarine. The the belaying pins on the U.S.S. CONSTITUTION, . U.S.S. PAMPANITO, a WWII submarine and other ships such as the St. MARYS CHALLENGER, which just celebrated its 100th birthday on the Great Lakes. Other uses include hydro-electric plants and possibly, a little gristmill a few hundred yards downriver.

Visit the U.S.S. NAUTILUS website. http://www.ussnautilus.org/history.html

Centennial- Steaming through the American Century. A wonderful book about the St. MARYS CHALLENGER. http://www.runninglightpress.com/books.php

Here is a little information on the Byrnes Mill. www.byrnesmill.org/turbine/index.html

Michel Desjoyeaux Wins Vendee Globe

Michel Desjoyeaux won the Vendee Globe around the world race. It took 84 days 3 hours 9 minutes and 6 seconds to sail the 28303 nautical miles. After having to return to Les Sables d'Olonne early in the race to fix electrical problems, FONCIA blasted through the pack to take the lead south of Cape Leeuwin, Australia. Armel Le Cleac'h in BRIT AIR, and Samantha Davies in ROXY expected to finish next. Eleven of the original thirty were still sailing. Several demastings, structural failures, a broken leg, and a capsize with a dramatic rescue have whittled down the fleet. For more information go to the Vendee Globe website. www.vendeeglobe.org/en/

ALGOWEST- PETER R. CRESSWELL

On a beautiful October day, after riding the Algoma Central Railway's Agawa Canyon Train into the wilds of Canada, Elaine and I stopped at the locks in Sault Ste. Marie to do a little boat watching. While we were there we watched the large grain carrier ALGOWEST lumber up the St. Marys River into the McArthur Lock. Standing on the viewing platforms, we watched the waters lift the ship up to the level of Lake Superior. Through the crystal clear water, her single propeller could be seen pushing her out of the lock. It was quite a sight.

ALGOWEST Entering the McArthur Lock

ALGOWEST as with much of the Algoma fleet uses the Algo prefix. West is for western Canada where her cargos of grain originate. She was built in Collingwood ON. and launched in 1982 for Algoma Central Railway-Marine Division. She is powered by 2 Krupp MaK 6M552AK 6 cylinder 4-stroke diesel engines developing 4730 H.P., geared through a single variable pitch propeller.

Going Up

She had one notable serious accident. On June 15,1988 in a dense fog, she collided with the small freighter COUDRES DE L'LLE . The COUDRES DE L'LLE sank with the loss of one life.

In 1997 she was converted to a self un-loader. After the 20 million dollar conversion, she was re-dedicated at the Port Weller Dry Dock. Her new cargoes would be bulk salt, stone, coal, and iron. Two skippers of the ALGOWEST were awarded the traditional "Top Hat" for being the first vessel upbound through the Welland Canal in 1985 and 1999.

On October 14 2001 the vessel was re-christened PETER R. CRESSWELL in honor of the retiring former President and Executive Officer of Algoma Central Corp.

LOA- 730'

Beam 70'10"

Depth 42'

Capacity 31,700 tons

The "SHOWBOAT BRANSON BELLE"

For years I've seen advertisements for the BRANSON BELLE showboat. I thought, another fake steamboat with dummy paddle wheels and a diesel powered prop. The kind that is a dance boat, but with folding tables is a dinner boat that serves rubber chicken. The BRANSON BELLE is anything but fake.

Billed as "Americas Largest Ship Built On A Land-locked Lake." Its grandeur is reminiscent of the by-gone days of traveling showboats. This stern wheeler is impressive. Built and launched on site, she is equipped with the latest in marine technology. Her 24 foot paddle wheels are powered by two electric motors developing 400 horsepower each. Each paddle wheel can work independently of the other at different speeds or even have one in reverse and one in forward. Maneuverability is further enhanced by the 350 horsepower fore and aft bow thrusters. Port and starboard wing stations make docking easy on either side. Three diesel powered generators provide 480 volt 60Hz three phase electricity for the propulsion and the ships electrical systems including the galley and the theater.

 

The 10 foot, solid maple captains wheel is from the C.C. SLIDER, a stern wheeler that worked the Ohio River between 1928 and 1952. The motor and thruster controls are housed in a brass control unit similar to an old ships telegraph.
Launched April 13, 1995, her nine second slide into Table Rock Lake reached 14 M.P.H., faster than she would ever travel on water. The skids were lubricated with bananas, a non-polluting, biodegradable alternative to the standard grease.

She is a Showboat, with a huge 700 seat multi-tiered theater and galley serving gourmet meals. (Up to 2800 meals each day.) The SHOWBOAT BRANSON BELLE is operated by Silver Dollar City Entertainment. For information on lunch or dinner cruises visit http://www.showboatbransonbelle.com/
I am happy to say I was impressed. If you want rubber chicken you'll have to find it elsewere
L.O.A. 278',

Beam 78',

Draft 7.5',

Height 112'3" to top of stacks ,

Top speed 11 m.p.h.,

Weight 2,500,000 pounds