Leading Off 2013
Welcome to 2013. Early this afternoon I kickstarted my 2013 boatwatching season, and was met by my first boat of the year.
Ojibway is unloading at ADM across the river, quite a good boat to start off the year with.
Seeing her was the only reason I made a stop at Belanger; it was a slow day so my one boat to catch would be meeting me at Belle Isle.
The amount of ice floating down this section of the river looks promising for a potential freeze-over. We’ve still got quite a ways to go, though.
Slow traffic on Marion Avenue and Schaefer Highway meant that I had to stop at Belle Isle’s Fishing Pier No. 9 instead of the rocky beach to catch my boat.
Just downriver, the William Clay Ford wheelhouse shows signs of rust at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.
A patch of ice transits the river downbound, headed for Lake Erie.
To be honest, I haven’t been doing this long enough or at the right time of year to have ever experienced this before. This is my first time with such an icy river, even though it’s not icy in comparison to what we’ve had in the past. I hope it freezes over!
I was expecting a much more classic-looking vessel to represent my first river transit of the year, but I guess getting the Ojibway at ADM should have been good enough. Barely loaded, but loaded all the same, the H. Lee White cruises down the cold river on her way to Toledo.
The last time I saw the White I was alongside in the mailboat, but the last time I saw her in daylight seems like a forever ago.
There isn’t enough ice yet to even begin to challenge the 704′ long White as she easily makes her way past Pier No. 9.
The ship is nearly finished with her season, after this run to Toledo she just has one more to make before she hits Toledo for the winter.
I bid adieu to the White and adieu to the 20 degree weather on Belle Isle.
It wasn’t the start I hoped for but it was something. I’ll try again tomorrow.
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I’m jealous about the Ojibway.
And you caught the William Clay Ford? Awesome.
Wow, I’ve seen both William Clay Fords in the past week!
And you missed it, the Ojibway is headed out after a fuel stop tonight.
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