• Thursday-What'sUP April 28 - 09:49 pm

The Lee A. Tregurtha was recently in Marquette Harbor to unload a shipment of coal and Rod Burdick was on hand to snap a couple of pictures of the event. We all know these freighters that travel the Great Lakes are huge, but the top photo from Rod, gives you a good visual guide to tell just HOW big. Take a look at the upper end of the ore dock, there's a man standing there in a red shirt. Then towards the middle of the Tregurtha, it looks like there are two men standing on deck. Amazing how all three of those guys seem like little ants compared to the size of that boat. Rod's second photo shows the Tregurtha as she makes her way around the light and off to the next port of call.

Great pictures!

Wonderful pictures! Watching freighters is one things we love to do when we visit the UP.

"A thing of beauty and a joy forever." I know the poet wasn't
speaking about freighters...but he COULD have been!

Never tired of seeing pics of these lakers! Of course, seeing them up close and first hand is always the best!

The Lee is one of 2 freighters,that I know of, still operating on the lakes that did us the HONOR of serving this country in WWII. She has her campaign ribbons displayed on both sides of the pilot house.

Hard to believe that a "Lake" can swallow up something that big in the blink of an eye. I tell people here about the Fitz and they look at me like I'm from another planet or something. Of course, these are the same people that say a lake can't be that big it has to be salty, and "way up north" refers to someone from Dallas!!

Makes me wonder sometimes what they think of Canada....

From the look of the bridge cam picture, your snow is all gone. I know it comes late (as compared to the rest of the state and country) but spring in the Keeweenaw is the best.

What an optical illusion! The first boat picture makes the boat look very short and in shallow enough water in which we could walk out to meet it. The second picture shows how very long the boat actually is. Great pictures! Can you imagine how many over-the-road trucks and train cars it would take to move the ore that one boat moves through the Great Lakes? Awesome!

My time working as a Pipefitter at the Ford Rouge complex included service work at the boat slip on
the Rouge river. The Henry II, the Bensen and the William Clay would be berthed there for the winter months. They sat quite high in the water as they
were unladen. During the summer months I would sometimes take my lunch and watch the unloading
operations. The huge vessels were unloaded in just
a few hours. A sad day when the fleet was sold.

Cindy, I noticed the same thing. Paul, I also get a kick out of it when people have never seen the lakes. People not from around here just don't grasp that much fresh water, we are the opposite. I was surprised the first time I swam in the ocean and got a mouthful of water. That is not a problem here, and nothing will eat you either.

I worked two seasons in the engine room of the Cason J. Callaway and it (the engine room)was as long front to back as the entire Ranger III that I later worked on. What is really awesome is the way the ship 'works' when the seas are high. I've seen three humps from the lift of waves in the deck from bow to stern and the line of deck lamps down the middle of the ship weaving like a snake from side to side. That particular storm put blue water on the deck at times and lifted a life preserver out of its bracket on the stern cabins leaving it tangled on the deck until we reached port.

I agree, Spring IS great in the Keweenaw

I had not looked close enough to notice the differences in perspective, Cindy. Thanks for pointing those out.

That laker looks really close to the shore (as in shallow water?) in the first picture & really close to the rock island light in the second picture. It's amazing they don't hit bottom especially, when they are loaded. Maybe when they get knocked around in a storm, they stay much farther away from shore & rock islands, or is that all optical illusion, too?

Another thing the lakes don't have, Brooke, is stuff that might sting you (like jellyfish & Portugese men of war)! I did have my toes nibbled years ago when I was getting into the water to waterski on an inland lake near Traverse City. I guess the fish liked my bright nail polish; that was startling, but it did not hurt.

We occasionally get to see lakers on the river when we happen to be in Bay City. It's fun to watch go under the draw bridges.

Rod, Many thanks for your pics today! I have enjoyed your shots of Marquette ore dock for quite some time. As a boatnerd who lives in WV, (and has never seen a freighter in real life) I depend on photographers such as yourself to bring me boat fix everyday! Bye the way, I hope to win the boatnerd raffle and the Lee A is the ship I want to go on! All, visit www.boatnerd.com and help support this wonderful site and maybe you will win! Anyway, your shots have made me want to visit Marquette and see for myself! Thanks!

Thanks Rod for pictures of my favorite boat.

And Dotti, sorry, I am going to win the boatnerd raffle aboard the Lee. ;>)

Dotti and Dave R. if one of you two win the raffle, don't you get to bring a few friends along? Dotti bring Dave, Dave bring Dotti. Good luck to you both!

Brooke - Lovethekeweenaw:

There's a saying here in FL -- Enter the water, enter the food chain! I can't tell you how many times we've been 'nudged' by gators when kayaking. As for open-water swims, it's always a good idea to have someone in a boat or kayak running gator interference for you. Can't wait to get back up there at the end of this summer where the only thing you need to worry about in the water is the cold temperature. Bust out the wetsuits!

Ah .... Keweenaw-bound!

Mspuppers, love the line about entering the water!!! I think I'll stick to the unsalted water in the north country where the most dangerous obstacle in the water is usually broken glass.
Mr. Deb

The only thing I've been nibbled by are the sunfish in the little lakes. It tickles, but surprises you if you're hanging your feet into the water. I do not want to be at the lower end of the food chain...I much prefer being at the top. If a 'gator nudged me while kayaking, that would be my last kayak event for sure!!

I encountered broken glass a long time ago at Ten-Foot, splitting my big toe open and requiring stitches. That's the biggest danger I've encountered, except for riding in a car (and childbirth!)!

My dream is someday I will be able to take a trip on one of those boats like the Lee Tregutha. It reminds me of the Fitzgerald. It would maybe show me what magnitized my Dad & other men to sail year after year. And to watch the men do their jobs would be very interesting. Watching these boats sail does give one a peaceful relaxing feeling. These boats & the men on board will always fascinate me.

Janie you are right about the raffle - the winner gets to bring along 3 guests! Not bad! Cotton, that is a wonderful dream - but the only way to get aboard one of these ships is thru an auction or raffle. Dave, I hope you win - but really, I am going to :))!! So we can all go! Richard, your experience on the Calloway - and your description of how the ship "works" was very interesting (but scarry too) Thanks!

Wonderful pictures! I have never been to the UP, but will be moving there the end of May. Thanks Pasty, for helping me get acquainted before I get there! I can hardly wait! One question - I thought that the lift bridge was down in the winter and up in the summer. The last couple days it has been going up and down. Is it having trouble deciding whether it is winter or summer?!

As always it is nice to see freighter pictures...While growing up in Hubbell we were able to board them almost at will while they were unloading coal @ the C & H and also the Quincy dock in Mason (1940's).

A great comparison on the size of this freighter is that if it was standing on end it would be 100' longer than the Renaissance Center building in downtown Detroit.

The talk about the difference between inland lakes and salt water reminds me of an incident years ago. We visited the Jersey Shore for the first and last time, and took our Springer Spaniel, Sally. She had been used to frolicking in Lake Superior, so she dashed down to the water, waded in, and had a nice drink. At that point, I realized that we had goofed, but too late. Poor Sally marched back up to the dunes, shaking her head and looking most unamused.

Capt. Paul has a good point about the abysmal ignorance of most people about Canada. Here in New Jersey I get blank stares from friends when I mention the lovely ferry trip from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island, across Georgian Bay on the way to Lake Superior.

Jeanette: Tell us about your move. What is bringing you UP if you've never been there and where are you moving to?

I will be moving to Houghton. My daughter is going there in the fall and I would like to stay near her. I have been caregiver to my parents for the last 10 years. It has been really good spending the time with them, but now it is time for others in my family to take a turn. I moved to North Carolina with them 3 years ago from Ohio. It is just too hot here and I miss the snow! I guess, going to the UP, I better be ready for snow in a few months!! Now, it is just me, and I am ready to experience something new.

I hope no one minds but I just have to put in a plug for these ships down here in "Trolland" along the St. Clair River! These ships are so exciting to see anywhere! We see them all the time here along the river where our road dead ends! We've seen the Lee & Paul Tregurtha both often. Matter of fact we watch them dock and unload at the huge Detroit Edison plant in sight of where I just took this shot of the "Wolverine" a few days ago! Got several zoomed close up pics also.
Biggest thrill I got tho was last fall watched the "Edward L Ryerson" go under the Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron! (pics of it in my gallery)

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That leads to a story on me here in mid-Michigan. We don't get to see that many big boats down here (up here from the St Clair River). The closest ones are once in a while on the Saginaw River, if we happen to be near there. One day, several years ago, we were on a day trip to Bay City. It was pouring down rain with a little bit of fog. We were waiting to cross the river, when the drawbridge opened up to let a freighter through. I asked my oldest son, who was driving, to please leave the windshield wipers & defogger running while we watched and waited, not thinking about the fact that the car engine was turned off. The car restarted just fine to cross the bridge. But my son, being a typical teenage boy, was hungry. He wanted food at McDonalds before we drove home. When we went to start the car to drive home, the battery was dead. That was a joke on good old mom...What we won't do to see one!

Detroit's Belle Isle is a great place to see freighters up close.