Saginaw River Passage - July 21, 2026: Sharon M I/Huron Spirit

McKeil Marine's tug, Sharon M I, and self-unloading barge, Huron Spirit, arrived on the Saginaw River the evening of July 19th with a cargo for Bay Aggregates.  American Courage was already in the slip finishing an unload, so the pair continued the short distance upriver, tying up at the Port Fisher Terminals Dock to wait for the slip to be clear.  After American Courage departed, Sharon M I/Huron Spirit backed into the slip to unload.  As of Tuesday morning, July 21st, the pair had completed their unload and remained tied up in the Port Fisher Slip.  Photos taken 7/21/26

Soo Locks - July 19, 2026: John G. Munson

John G. Munson has been on my list for a while now.  I have never caught her in person before, until Sunday.  While at the Soo Locks for the weekend, she tied up at the West Pier just as we were planning on leaving for home.  She had to wait for Presque Isle to clear the Poe Lock, then she slowly made her way in.  I would have loved to hang around to get some drone shots after she cleared the locks, but we just didn't have the time for that.  I was just happy to see her and check another classic off my list.  Photos taken 7/19/26

St. Clair River - June 23rd through June 28th, 2026

Just to finish up the St. Clair River photos from June, I finally went through my handheld camera to see what I had.  Here are some of my favorite non-drone shots:

Saginaw River Passage - July 16, 2026: Edward H. & Megan J.

Dean Marine & Excavating, Inc. began to stage dredging equipment on the Saginaw River on Thursday, with the arrival of the tugs Edward H. and Megan J.  A deck barge and a suction dredge were dropped at the Port Fisher Terminals Dock, before the tug Edward H. departed and headed back for the lake.  Photos taken 7/16/26.

Saginaw River Passage - July 16, 2026: Algoma Intrepid

Completing her unload overnight, Algoma Intrepid turned in the Essexville Basin Thursday morning and was outbound from the Saginaw River.  After turning, she held her position in the basin for short time to allow the inbound tug Edward H., pushing a deck barge and the suction dredge Louise, to make the Port Fisher Terminals Dock.  The tug Megan J. was also inbound and held station just outside the Port Fisher Slip as Algoma Intrepid passed by.  Princess Wenonah was also outbound at the time and followed Algoma Intrepid outbound on the Saginaw River.  Dean Marine & Excavating, Inc. is staging equipment at Port Fisher for an upcoming dredging project.  Photos taken 7/16/26

Saginaw River Passage - July 15, 2026: Algoma Intrepid

The third vessel to reach the Saginaw River on Wednesday, July 15th was Algoma Intrepid, and as you can see by 4:30pm when she started up the river, conditions had changed from my earlier photos, and the smoke had set in heavy.  Algoma Intrepid slowly made her way up the river, sounding her fog signal every two minutes, making her way past G.L Ostrander/Integrity at Amrize and Olive L. Moore/Menominee at Bay Aggregates, before making the dock at the Wirt Sand and Stone Fertilizer Terminal in Essexville to unload Potash.  Photos taken 7/15/26