Saginaw River Passages - December 10, 2013

The tug Gregory J. Busch was outbound from the Saginaw River, early Tuesday morning, breaking a path through ice on the river and into Saginaw Bay, to allow safe passage of two inbound vessels.  The tug & barge combo of Olive L. Moore-Lewis J. Kuber was the first in.  The pair stopped at the Wirt Stone dock in Bay City for a partial unload, then continued upriver to finish unloading at the Wirt Stone dock in Saginaw.  Following closely behind was the H. Lee White, who called on the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville to unload coal.  This was a somewhat surprising delivery as the majority of coal is brought to Consumers is by American Steamship 1000' vessels.  The White was outbound early Tuesday evening backing from the dock and out to open water in the Saginaw Bay to turn and head for the lake.

H. Lee White unloading coal at Consumers Energy in Essexville

Crew waiting to run a line forward

Gregory J. Busch upbound nearing Bay Harbor Marina

Stern view at the Essexville Ranges

Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber upbound at Cass Avenue

At Bay City Wirt, making the dock

Moore - Kuber at Bay City Wirt Stone Dock