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.....

SAFETY WHILE ON BOARD

Anyone who has traveled on the water knows that safety is key, and each type vessel has her own protocol and drill.  So, it stands to reason that the Tregurtha's would be appropriate for the size of the vessel and the waters in which it travels. So, Stacia, our on-board host, guided us through how to put on a life vest and more importantly how to don an immersion suit.  These would typically be "climbed into" on the deck of the boat prior to jumping... OMG... into the frigid Lake below.  By the way, we were led to understand that one could not live even five minutes in the frigid water of Lake Superior; hence, the immersion suit. I wish there were audio sound for the photos which follow...as you would hear lots of snorts and giggles. 

Jane,  Don, Dianne, Jeff, Barb and Sam.  How I wish I had gotten a photo of Don putting his on backward.  By the way, Jeff and I are the only two who do not have an extensive sailing/boating background. 

Jeff prior to donning the immersion suit. Notice the sewn on gloves and feet.  We "guesstimate" the suit weighs 20 pounds. 

The name of the vessel is always on the back of the vest or suit so the name of the vessel would show as the person who does not survive would be floating face down in the water.  Happy thought, right??  The black "thing" is used to inflate the suit once you are completely zipped into it.  These suits were designed and became mandatory after the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Only Sam, holding up the rabbit ears behind Barb, fully zipped himself in the way it would be. All have lighted flashlights.  It is difficult to get into them as they are so heavy.  A buddy is always needed.  By the way....don't you think we all look great in orange!!

And, I leave you with the visual reminder of another safety measure: we all had to wear hard hats when at the dock or in the lock!!  ALWAYS!!!

MAIL BY THE PAIL!!

So how do those on board the freighter get their mail? .... MAIL by the PAIL..., 

As Barb and Dianne... I was in bed zzzzing.... were outside admiring the water, sky, stars and the sites of Port Huron last night, they were aware of a small boat that came up to and seemed to disappear under the bow of The Tregurtha scaring the wits out of them.  The boat hovered a while and then sped off.  Come to find out, that was the delivery of the mail which happens when the freighter is in the Detroit River and then again while at the Ste Sault Marie locks.  The delivery:  mail, small boat, yellow bucket, hand off to the freighter; hence,  Mail by the Pail.  Follows are five pages from a delightful children's book of that name written by Colin Bergel and illustrated by Mark Koening.

Cover

 The beginning of the story.

Continuation of the story.

 And this is the mail in the pail; however, the Tregurtha's mail is delivered in a bright yellow pail. 

For more information visit the website  http://www.jwwestcott.com/ 

First Night on Board!!!!

We boarded around 8:00 and stayed in St. Clair Shoes till they finished off-loading the coal which meant a departure around 2:00 am.  Barb dutifully knocked on all of our doors around 4:30 in order for us to be up and see Detroit at night as we passed under the Detroit Bridge as we traversed the Detroit River.  The freighter is loud; it is sort of dirty, as they do carry and off-load coal, and collectively we slept little which was great, as we ran around in our sleep clothes!!  Jeff alone, recorded 3,000 steps in the wee hours prior to 5 am, as he checked out every nook and cranny.  Photos with captions....

God Bless the USA!!  I just happen to love this photo.

Smile!

Sam on the bridge approaching Detroit in the very early am.

As we pass under the bridge in the Detroit River. 

The ladder we never had to climb...thank God!

This would be Barb, Sam, Jane, Jeff, Don and Diane in front of the Tregurtha!

And this is Jane and Jeff, with green hard hats in hand....remember "wear the hats when in docks or locks!"

Jeff Winston in front of the stacks of the electricity-producing plant which uses the coal transported from Duluth, MN to, in this case, Monroe, Michigan.  That is not smoke; it is steam. 

On board the Paul R. Tregurtha, June 11, 2016

After several delays, Mackinac Island friends, Diane Weidner, Don Goeckle, Bob and Sam Kovalak and Jane and Jeff Winston are aboard the 1,013.5 foot long freighter....longest in the fleet and dubbed Queen of the Lakes...whose mission is picking up coal in Duluth, Minnesota and delivering it to St. Clair Shores and Monroe, MI.  We are on the delivering end of the trip as I write, but eventually, we will be in Duluth for the pickup.  We will ply the waters of Lake Erie, Huron, and Superior.  A Very warm sunny day after an exciting late afternoon of embarking. (that is marine-speak for "getting on the boat."  A few photos to share of the first few hours.....

The first sighting of  the Paul R. Tregurtha, our home for the next six nights and seven days.

20 years ago,John Winston...husband and father....made this trip.  We found this in the guest book. 

Dianne supervising the loading of our luggage; we ladies placed the luggage while the men parked cars and took photos.... :)

A rather archaic method of loading the luggage, but it worked!!

A rather archaic method of loading the passengers, but it too worked.  Nothing fancy about this adventure at all!

Our green "guest" hard hats greeted us with the instructions to always wear the hat when at the docks and locks.

A partial view of our lounge area.  There is an 18" tv at the other end with couches, videos, games, books and lots of snacks.

Cabin number three; Jeff was to take the smaller bed; however, mom decided she would be a much better fit.

They even provide us with an outside table and lounging area.  Great spot for drinks and cigars.

Flag whipping on the after-deck of the Tregurtha.  An awesome start to an awesome trip.

Freighter trip through the Great Lakes June 9 through June 15

This is merely a test to see if I can actually remember how to blog!  Should it work, I will then share the trip my son and I are going on!  Below are photos of The Paul R. Tregurtha (The Queen of the Lakes); she is 1,015 feet long....the longest of the fleet....on the Great Lakes! REMEMBER: HOMEs:  Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior.  We will be in Lakes Huron and Superior on this trip.  Later....