THE SAULT STE MARIE MARIE LOCKS.....THE "SOO" LOCKS

The Locks at Sault Saint Marie, Michigan. 


To make the trip from Lake Huron into Lake Superior, the freighter must pass through the Locks at Sault Saint Marie which connect Lake Huron with Lake Superior and points beyond.  At one time, there was a waterfall separating the two, and now the freighters pull into the locks and are either lifted by 22 million gallons of water or dropped 21 feet.  

A FEW FACTS ABOUT THE LOCKS:  They were built in 1855; 7 to 10,000 ships pass through them during the shipping season; it takes 22 millions gallons of water to lift a boat; the lift is powered by gravity by opening the gates; the drop is 21-foot; the channels of the locks are ONLY five feet wider than the Tregurtha, and Sault Ste Marie is the oldest city in Michigan.     

 The photos which follow show us passing through the Locks going from Lake Huron to Superior at 1:00 am in the morning, and returning to Lake Huron 8:00 in the evening. 

The gauges that measure the dropping and rising of the freighter through the locks. 

In the locks. Only two feet of clearance on each side of the freighter. 

The tour boat passing through the Locks going the opposite direction that we were. 

The train trestle mechanism above the locks. 

The bridge connecting the USA with Canada.  This photo was taken from the USA side. 

Heading into the locks at the Soo at night.  The lighted bridge is the bridge connecting US and Canada. 

A clear shot of the locks as we are about ready to depart.  As you can see, the two water levels are about the same.  

An awesome evening/sunset shot of the Locks as we approached around 8:30 at night. As we were very far north on this trip, it stayed light outside far into the evening hours. 

Departing the locks at night. 

Departing in the daylight. 

Captain Bill  Thibodeaux who guided the PRT through our trip.  Great man!!  Thanks!

HOW WE SIX ENTERTAINED OURSELVES ON THE PRT

There was always bubble blowing on the aft deck in the rain as we left Duluth, MN.  Some folks never grow up.  The colorful bubble blowers were provided by Stacia. 

Barb and Sam are two two big jigsaw puzzle doers, so with their guidance, cheer leading and often CHEATING (or so Sam Says) we all...don't believe Don helped at all, however....did two puzzles totaling 1500 pieces; one was 500 pieces and one 1,000.

Binoculars were indispensable for this type trip. 

Euchre was the game of choice. Dianne and Jane won four games, Jeff and Barb only two, so Jane and Dianne declare themselves as the 2016 Tregurtha Euchre Champions. Too bad Dianne really does not know how to play the game....  Ya' think??  Double solitaire was fun as well. 

Now, Sequence is Sam's game of choice, and we all know why.  He is a master of the game; however, Jeff did manage to win the opening rounds.  

Walking the deck was a favorite activity of all of us as the weather was awesome.  Only one yummy day with rain and not nearly as cold as we all anticipated.  Four laps equal one mile. Our Fitbits and Run Keepers were always a point of comparison and competition. 

Of course, the opportunity to read uninterrupted by the routines of our days was da' bomb!!

As for me, multiple naps during the day and nine hours of sleep at night were perfect.  The boat motion and its sounds simply lulled me to sleep each time I stretched out. :)

Shorts and sunbathing aboard a freighter in the middle of the Great Lakes was not even imaginable prior to our departure but check this out.  Captain Don relaxing on the aft deck in the sun!!

Paul, the chef, baked this absolutely melt-in-your mouth  cake for the six of us as we celebrated Don and Dianne's 40th anniversary; Don's 69th birthday and Jeff's 49th birthday. 

This is merely a small look at what we six did on 

MISCELLANEOUS...

INFORMATION SHARING ABOUT THE TREGURTHA AND TRAVEL ON THE GREAT LAKES THROUGH PHOTOS AND WORDS....

ONE:  The Tregurtha has a crew of 22 folks; two are women.  The majority are married. Rotation off and on the ship depends on the rank and seniority of the crew member. For example, some are on for 60 days and off for 30 days, Others remain on for six months.  If one is off-duty, he or she may leave the ship when docked. Wives and girlfriends are able to visit when possible and appropriate. 

Photo of the freighter, Presque Isle,  port side of the Tregurtha. 

TWO:  A  few of the freighters take passengers with the Paul Tregurtha accommodating six passengers.  You cannot "buy" passage; you must "win" passage via a raffle or lottery.  The money paid for your passage does not in any way to go the boat line but goes totally to the charity, etc. raffling off the trip.  In a year, the Interlake Steamship Company provides 72-75 trips with 20-25 of them being on the Paul Tregurtha between May one and the end of September. 

Alongside the freighter, these hopeful fishermen are looking for the biggest Walleye or Salmon ever caught in Lake Superior! 

THREE:  The approximate 68,000 tons of coal picked up in Duluth...and may I add that the coal in Duluth has been delivered by train from Montana, North Dakota, and Colorado...will be delivered to Detroit Edison power company where it will provide power for TWO DAYS.  Now we know why electric bills are so high. :)

Hitching a ride!!!

FOUR:  Specs on the Paul R. Tregurtha: At 1,013.5 feet long, it is the longest by length on the Lakes.  Dubbed Queen of the Fleet/Lakes.  69,000 ton capacity.  $3500 to $4000 per hour operating cost. Built in Lorrain, OH in 1981.  Engine horsepower is 17,120'.  Hull depth is 56.0', The beam is 105.0.  160-feet self-unloading boom.  

The magnificent Paul R. Tregurtha with the sunset bouncing off it. 

We head into the beautiful St. Mary's River. 

How would you like to live in this light-house looking house on the shores of the St. Mary's River?

And the sun sets over Lake Superior.

The Mackinac Islanders....Barb, Sam, Jane, Jeff, Don and Dianne!!  The trip up a life time. 

WHAT WE EAT

WEIGH IN...IF YOU LIKE! WEIGH OUT...IF YOU DARE! 
Three meals a day:  7:30, 11:30 and 4:30!  burp!!

 THE SCALE!!  :)

  

                                              A DAILY MENU IS POSTED......

LOTS OF WONDERFUL SMOKED MEATS FROM BUFFALO BURGERS TO TURKEY!

                

PLENTY OF FRESH-BAKED GOODS AS WELL AS SNACK FOOD!!

    

Stacia has been working on freighters for three years; she takes care of us from sun up to sun down.  She started the season in May and does not leave the boat until October!!  At all!  Period!!  Thanks, Stacia for taking such good care of us.   Gotta' Go.  Time to eat again....

TREGURTHA MISSION....PICK UP AND DELIVERY OF COAL

This entry will be in two parts as I want to share both the pickup and delivery of the coal; however, we did experience the delivery prior to the pickup, so I shall share in that order. 

PART ONE:  The Paul R. Tregurtha freighter delivers coal.  We began our trip in Michigan where the coal is deposited, and we now continue the trip to the source of the coal...Duluth, MI.  Other freighters pick up iron ore ... Taconite pellets... and deliver to various locations.  This trip, the Tregurtha dropped half its load in St. Clair Shores and the remainder in Monroe.  Because the waters around Monroe are very shallow, only a portion of the load can be taken to Monroe. Follows are pictures of the drop off of the coal.  We were on board during the day time delivery of the load of coal which approximated 35,000 tons, and it took 9.5 hours to take it off the freighter via a conveyor belt/self-unloader.  This coal is burned to provide electricity to a wide area. Fascinating process.

This is a coal hold.  There are nine holes and 36 hatches.  The hatch is removed, and the coal comes off the boat, is dropped to a conveyor belt in "the tunnel" below and conveyed through a boom to a tower/silo type structure where it is then dispersed to another area for further transport to the electric plant. 

This is a photo of the boom that carries the coal to the tower shown here. 

This is the boom all tucked in for the evening after unloading the coal. 

This is crushed limestone being delivered in the same area; however, this has been delivered by train to the area.  You can see the trains with coal in the foreground. 

PART TWO:  I now continue from a foggy Duluth, MN...water temperature about 38, air temperature 48....with photos and information on the pickup of the coal which has been delivered to Duluth, MN by rail. 

Arrival in Duluth, Minnesota at 4:30 am! Thanks Jeff and Barb for staying on watch!

Jeff hanging with the men who make the deposit of the coal into the holds of the Tregurtha possible. 

This shows the bottom of the hold into which coal will be deposited and then removed by dropping through the openings at the bottom of the hold and going onto a conveyor belt below which then goes up into the boom shown earlier for dumping in Monroe and St. Clair for use by Detroit Edison.  By the way, the 65,000 (approximate) tons of coal provides energy for two days of power.  (more explanation for this is obviously needed.....is that power to Beaver Island or to Detroit....big difference)

This is a great shot of the hold with the hatch off.  This one has been filled and awaiting the placement of the hatch. 

A marvelous photo by Jeff showing the actual dumping of coal.  Thanks!

A distance shot of the procedure. 

Check out the information on the board and realize the worker monitors and operates the loading of the coat with the remote control in his arms.  

All of the crew graciously let us watch the operation and to them we say thanks.  I expressed how fascinated we all are about what they are doing, the the gentleman said, "It's just a job to us."  Isolated, nearly institutionalized lives they live on board.  More on this later.....