Sault Ste. Marie

There's something quite appealing about that awning.... We continue to follow the Herbert C. Jackson through the Soo locks. Engineers Day, 2005.

Herbert C. Jackson at Sault Ste. Marie; Engineers Day, 2005.

Herbert C. Jackson descends the Soo Locks; Sault Ste Marie, Michigan; June of 2005.

Stern cabin of Great Lakes freighter Herbert C. Jackson @ Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. June, 2005.

Lakes freighter Herbert C. Jackson at Sault Ste. Marie; June of 2005. There's often someone maintaining or repairing the self-unloading boom as ships pass through the locks.

Stern details of lakes freighter Herbert C. Jackson, at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; June of 2005.

With flag. Herbert C. Jackson at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; June of 2005.

Below MacArthur Lock at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. Indy has just left the lock; Courage is waiting for traffic to clear (there were five ships in or near the locks.) There've been a lot of changes in the Great Lakes fleet over the past few years, as ships have changed hands, been reconfigured, and suchlike; there've been similar changes at the fleet level. Although high levels of change are historically "normal," the eighties and early nineties were years of unusual stability. These ships, both of which I've photographed before, are examples of the recent changes. Voyager Independent (the blue boat), which I photographed as Kinsman Independent in 1992, was sold, renamed, and repainted a couple years ago. Still a very pretty vessel. American Courage, formerly Fred White , remains in the American Steamship fleet. Her owners seem determined to stamp most of their ships with the American brand. (One might have anticipated a repaint to r/w/b, but no.)

Upper Lakes Shipping's Canadian Enterprise , upbound, entering Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Got this by sticking my camera through the fence....

At Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Great Lakes freighter Oglebay Norton exits Poe Lock at Sault Ste Marie in 1997. I'm quite pleased with the photo; can't say much for the scan, though. Someday I'll rescan, and repost....

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; just downriver from Poe Lock. That's Canadian Enterprise forming a backdrop.

Not particularly descriptive....

"Sunday Oct 24, 1937 Steamer Dickson going into Lake Superior. Notice level of water now and in proceeding pictures." Davis Lock at the Soo. That caption makes you wonder who the intended audience was. And where the other "proceeding pictures" have gone. We may never know. I summarized this ship's history and made some comments on the location last week . I must say I like all the churn in this picture, though. Borucki's Lakers

From a few years back. Sault Ste. Marie, between the locks.

Through the new security fence they've installed around along the Soo locks. They've also built a new viewing platform , which I rather like. Not so much the fence.

Overlooking the locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The lower level is wheelchair accessible (and fully enclosed in glass, which will be a blessing on cold days but a problem for photographers). The upper level is mostly open. Nokomis & CSL Tadoussac in the locks, just barely visible. The observation deck's nicely executed and quite attractive. And enormous.

From MacArthur Lock, aboard the Soo tour boat Nokomis . The tower's attractive from this side, too. This view shows all the glass, which will bother serious photographers (but help control the cold, which is worthwhile). At least they left most of the upper platform open.