Saginaw River Images: April 2016

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Saginaw River Passage - April 30th

Saturday morning saw the tug Dorothy Ann, and her self unloading barge, Pathfinder, unloading at the Buena Vista dock, just above the Zilwaukee Bridge. The pair were outbound later in the day.

Monday, April 25, 2016

Saginaw River Passages - April 23rd

The 2016 shipping season continues on its slow start, with only four commercial vessel deliveries so for this season. Recent visitors were the tug Leonard M, with the barge Huron Spirit, delivering to the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City this past Saturday, and Manitowoc, delivering to the Lafarge Stone Dock in Saginaw, on April 19th. Manitowoc is the only non tug-barge vessel to transit the Saginaw River and the only vessel to travel up through the bridges and upper river to Saginaw this season.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Saginaw River Passage - April 5th

The tug Spartan, and her tank barge, Spartan II, called on the Port Fisher Dock in Bay City early Tuesday morning, unloading at the Dow Chemical/Oxy connection, The pair were expected to be outbound later in the day.

While the Commercial Shipping season started early in 2016, beginning with the arrival of the Samuel de Champlain - Innovation on March 19th, no other vessels visited the Saginaw River in March.

Spartan - Spartan II unloading at Dow/Oxy

Following the boats of the Saginaw River and Great Lakes

Here is a little background on my history with the boats: I have been an avid photographer and follower of the big lake freighters that carry their cargoes between the ports of the Great Lakes. During that time, a number of my photos have been used by various shipping companies and in publications from the U.S. Coast Guard, Lake Carriers Association, the Marine Legal Review, and in the annual boatwatchers bible, "Know Your Ships". I also report news and vessel passage information from the Saginaw River to both Boatnerd.com and to the local newspaper, The Bay City Times, and have been fortunate enough to have had the honor of being aboard and taking a trip on a Great Lakes Freighter. I am also a licensed U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner, Captain and deckhand for the Bay City Boat Lines, and a Deckhand for Malcom Marine, Inc.

In this blog, you will see information on the vessels that ply the waters of the Saginaw River, photos, and vessel passage information. I hope that you will enjoy what is posted here.