TRIP #4 - Mar. 21

24 Photos of ships in Winter Lay-Up at Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, WI from a trip over there on March 21, 2010. Since I was last over there on Feb. 10, the Joseph L. Block, Herbert C. Jackson, Arthur M. Anderson and Edwin H. Gott have departed, heading back to work early this year! The photo-journey will begin at the graving dock on the Bay Shipbuilding side of Sturgeon Bay and rotate clockwise ending up at the resort across the bay from the graving dock.

Click Here to read the story and view the slide slide show. To return to this page from within the slide show - hit the UP-facing arrow (when viewing any individual photo) to go back to the thumbnails page and then click on "Return to Sturgeon Bay Lay-Ups" page".

A little bonus was found on the trip back home. The seasonal waterfall (this falls usually flows only in the Spring when the winter "run-off" is in full flow. I stopped here last Fall and the waterfall was completely dry); however, today Wequiock Falls, was in good flow. The falls are just off HWY 57 a couple blocks north of where HWY 54 intersects with HWY 57.

Wequiock Falls - A view from the south side of the falls
Wequiock Falls - South side close-up
Wequiock Falls - Looking east from a viewing area to the west of the falls
Wequiock Falls - Close-up looking east
Wequiock Falls - Going down some stone steps gives you this view looking east
Wequiock Falls - Wide view of the small gorge looking east from the west lower viewing area

TRIP #5 - Apr. 18

21 photos (plus one "stock photo") of ships at Bay Shipbuilding for repairs, or still in winter lay-up. The main reason for the trip was to get photos of the newly arrived, damaged ship, Saginaw. The 4 linked photos below the slideshow link show 4 different views of the damage to the unloading system of the Saginaw. The first photo is also included in the slideshow; I forgot to put the other 3 in the slideshow.

Click Here to read the story and view the slide slide show of photos. To return to this page from within the slide show - hit the UP-facing arrow (when viewing any individual photo) to go back to the thumbnails page and then click on "Return to Sturgeon Bay Lay-Ups" page".

Saginaw - Full bow-port-side view with the damaged self-unloading boom
Saginaw - Close-up of the mangled self-unloading system
Saginaw - Close-up of the first broken end of the boom
Saginaw - Close-up of the broken "tip" of the boom

2010 - 2011:

Trip #1 - Jan. 31:

30 photos of 14 ships at Bay Shipbuilding in winter lay-up on Jan. 31, 2011. The main reason for today's trip, especially on a snowy gray day, was to see the Canada Steamship Lines ship come out of the large graving dock at Bay Shipbuilding sporting a brand new red & white paint scheme. 13 other ships are also in the yard.

Click Here to read the story and view the slide slide show of photos. To return to this page from within the slide show - hit the UP-facing arrow (when viewing any individual photo) to go back to the thumbnails page and then click on "Return to Sturgeon Bay Lay-Ups" page".

Trip #2 - Feb. 8:

27 photos of 14 ships, including 5 ships 1000-ft.-long or longer, at Bay Shipbuilding in winter lay-up on Feb. 8, 2011. It was a beautiful blue-sky day today, although it was very cold (wind chill was about -10 (F). I hope you like these photos better than the ones from a week ago; blue skies really do make a much nicer backdrop than gray skies, as the colors of the ships really stand out. Normally I would have put these in a slideshow; but, I thought that the photos were good enough that you might enjoy the larger size photos. The photos will take us on a counter-clockwise trip around the bay of Sturgeon Bay beginning "below" the graving dock from across the bay all the way around to the graving dock on the Bay Shipbuilding side of the bay.

Indiana Harbor - Starting on the opposite side of the bay, the 1000-ft.-long ship is in the large graving dock
Footers Row - (L to R) Indiana Harbor (1000-ft.), fleetmate Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. (1000-ft.) and Edwin H. Gott (1004-ft.) (all 3 ships were originally built by Bay Shipbuilding0
Winter Lay-up Fleet - Bay Shipbuilding is hosting 14 ships this winter
Footers Row plus 1 - Viewed from a different location, we see that Canada Steamship Lines' (CSL) newly repainted Pineglen is rafted to the Edwin H. Gott (Indiana Harbor and Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. also visible)
Pineglen - This ship was black & white until this winter; red & white are the traditional colors of the CSL fleet

2 Ships - The Pineglen is rafted outside Great Lakes Fleet's Edwin H. Gott, which received new engines at Bay Shipbuilding this winter
Pineglen - Port side bow-view from a slightly different position
3 Ships - (L to R) Walter J. McCarthy, Jr., Edwin H. Gott, and Pineglen
Saginaw - One of Lower Lakes Towing LTD's vessels is back at Bay Shipbuilding this winter
3 Ships - (L to R) Saginaw, Wilfred Sykes, and Arthur M. Anderson

2 "Footers" - Fleetmates Paul R. Tregurtha (1013-ft. 6-in. {furthest}) and Mesabi Miner (1004-ft.)
Lay-up Fleet - 8 of the 14 ships are visible from this vantage point
2 Ships - Bow-on view of the Saginaw (L) and Wilfred Sykes (R)
2 Ships - John J. Boland (L) and Joseph L. Block (R)
2 Ships - Edwin H. Gott (R) and Pineglen (R) from further up the bay

2 "Footers" - Port-side stern-view of the Mesabi Mine and Paul R. Tregurtha
New build - Bay Shipbuilding's new-built floating dry-dock
2 "Footers" - stern view of the Mesabi miner and Paul R. Tregurtha
2 Ships - Joseph L. Block and John J. Boland as viewed from the Bay Shipbuilding side of the bay
American Courage - Has been laid-up at Bay Shipbuilding for almost 2 years now

2 Ships - Stern view of the Herbert C. Jackson (L) and Philip R. Clarke (R)
Philip R. Clarke - Stern view of the 767-ft.-long Great Lakes Fleet ship
Arthur M. Anderson - Stern view of another 767-ft.-long Great Lakes Fleet ship (this is the ship that followed the ill-fated Edmund Fitzgerald across Lake Superior in a vicious gale on Nov. 10, 1975; and, once they had reached safe anchorage was asked by the U.S. Coast Guard to turn around and go back out into that gale to search for possible survivors from the Fitzgerald. They went back out, but, of course, sadly found no one).
Wilfred Sykes - Stern view of the Inland Steel ship (managed by Central Marine Logistics)
3 "Footers" - Stern view (partially obstructed) of the (L to R) Edwin H. Gott, Walter J. McCarthy, Jr., and Indiana Harbor

Indian Harbor - Stern view in the large graving dock at Bay Shipbuilding
Old Engines - These two engines were recently removed from the Edwin H. Gott.

Trip #3 - May 4:

33 photos of Bay Shipbuilding on a gorgeous, blue-sky day - The American Courage was due to come out of the large graving dock today in its new coat of black & white, the colors of its owner, American Steamship Company (ASC). By the time I arrived, the ship was laready out of the graving dock; however, the barge, McKeeSons, was just being towed into the graving dock. Also at the yard were the John J. Boland, St. Clair, Invincible - the tug that pushes the barge, McKee Sons - and the barge, A-390. At bottom of this section are some select (larger) photos of the ships (photos in the slideshow are a bit small).

Click Here to read the story and view the slide slide show of photos. To return to this page from within the slide show - hit the UP-facing arrow (when viewing any individual photo) to go back to the thumbnails page and then click on "Return to Sturgeon Bay Lay-Ups" page".

American Courage - Bow view of the freshly painted ship from across the bay
2 Tugs - Bay Ship and Jacquelyn Nicole lead the stern of the barge, McKee Sons, toward graving dock
William C. Selvick - The tug controls the bow of the McKee Sons as the barge is turned on its way to the graving dock
Cameron O - The smaller tug joins the William C. Selvick at the bow of the barge
2 Tugs - Bay Ship and Jacqueline Nicole lead the barge into the graving dock

McKee Sons - Bow view in the graving dock with American Courage outside the dock
McKee Sons - In the graving dock with the American Courage in the foreground
American Courage - Bow view of the freshly painted ship
St. Clair - Bow view of the ship with the tug, Invincible (pushes the McKee Sons barge), in foreground
John J. Boland - Stern view of the ship (partial view of barge, A-310, to the right of the ship)
John J. Boland - Bow-view from outside fence at Bay Shipbuilding

Trip #4 - May 7 - Annual Shipyard Tour:

30 photos from the 2011 Shipyard Tour in Sturgeon Bay. On Saturday, the Rotary Club Of Sturgeon Bay sponsored the event which is held each year around this time. Temperatures were great this year! (In past years, the weather has not always cooperated). At the bottom of this section are some select (larger) photos of some of the ships in the yard (the photos in the slideshow are just too small).

Click Here to read the story and view the slide slide show of photos. To return to this page from within the slide show - hit the UP-facing arrow (when viewing any individual photo) to go back to the thumbnails page and then click on "Return to Sturgeon Bay Lay-Ups" page".

4 American Steamship ships - (L to R) - American Courage (partial), American Spirit, St. Clair (partially visible between American Spirit & John J. Boland), and John J. Boland (from across the bay)
American Spirit - Stern view from across the bay
American Courage - Stern view of the freshly painted ship (from within the yard)
McKee Sons - Stern view of the barge in the graving dock (yard)

Invincible - Bow view of the tug that pushes the barge, McKee Sons (yard)
St. Clair - Stern view (yard)
John J. Boland - Bow view from outside the yard's fence with barge, A-310 (tug, Barbara Andrie in notch) alongside
St. Clair - Stern view (outside fence)
McKee Sons - Stern view of the barge in the graving dock (outside fence)

Yacht #1 - Palmer Johnson new-build aluminum yacht
Yacht #2 - Palmer Johnson new-build aluminum yacht ready for primer and paint
Yacht #3 - Palmer Johnson new-build aluminum yacht

Trip #5 - August 8 - American Steamship Mid-summer Lay-Up:

American Steamship suffered a strike on August 1 when the company's collective bargaining agreement with American Maritime Officers (AMO) ran out. The strike affects licensed engineering and deck officers plus stewards involving all 13 of American Steamship's vessels. Their ships were ordered to lay-up docks around the Great Lakes. 5 of them ended up at Bay Shipbuilding. The ships were the Walter J. McCarthy, Jr., American Integrity, American Century, H. Lee White, and St. Clair. Even though the strike was settled on Aug. 5, the five ships remained at Bay Shipbuilding on Aug. 8 as the company continued to recall (or hire) new crews. Also at the shipyard was the tug & barge, Michigan/Great Lakes (reason unknown).

American Steamship (ASC) ships - Three 1000-footers, (L to R) Walter J. McCarthy, Jr., American Integrity, and American Century
3 Bows - (L to R) Walter J. McCarthy, Jr., American Integrity, and American Century
American Century - The ship sits high in the water as the ballast has been pumped out (not sure why)
ASC ships - (L to R) H. Lee White and St. Clair
ASC Bows - (L to R) H. Lee White and St. Clair close-ups

Fred A. Busse - The Door County Tour Boat passes the three 1000-footers
ASC ships - Wide view of all 5 ships
ASC footers - (L to R) Walter J. McCarthy, Jr., American Integrity and American Century from a different vantage point ...
ASC footers - ... and another location
ASC ships - (L to R) H. Lee White and St. Clair from a different vantage point

American Century - Wide view sitting high in the water
ASC ships - Wide view of the footers (only Am. Century showing), H. Lee White and St. Clair from a different location
Harbor Lady - Another tour boat passes the St. Clair heading toward the bay of Green Bay
Harbor Lady - Close-up passing the bow of the St. Clair
Michigan/Great Lakes - Tug & barge that carries fuel around the Great Lakes (not sure if it is in lay-up status, or in for repairs)
Michigan - Close-up of the tug that pushes the barge, Great Lakes

2011 - 2012:

Trip #1 - January 27 - Winter Lay-Up:

There are currently 10 ships at Bay Shipbuilding. At least two more are expected to arrive sometime in February. With the mild winter and not much ice, ships are still running ore out of Escanaba, Michigan. The Stewart J. Cort has a new coat of paint and the Lee A. Tregurtha is currently being painted. The Kaye E. Barker is scheduled to receive new engines this winter. The Chicago excursion boat, Mystic Blue, is also wintering in Sturgeon Bay.

I began photographing the fleet at Beach Harbor Resort, which gives a good view of a ship in the graving dock. I then followed N. Duluth Ave. back toward town with a couple stops at vantage points between the resort and Bullhead Point. Next I followed the road back into town and stopped at a waterfront park, Appleby's, Door County Maritime Museum, and the Oregon Street Bridge to photograph the Selvick tug base and the USCG Mobile Bat at its base. Following the road out toward the highway, I stopped at a marina near Roen Salvage where the Carla Anne Selvick, a tug built in 1908 and whose future is in jeopardy, is currently docked. Finally I arrived at Bay Shipbuilding to get a few close-up photos of 3 of the ships in the yard.

Along with a desire to photograph the ships, I also had a new digital camera to try out for the first time. I recently bought a Fuji FinePix S4000 camera featuring 30X Optical Zoom and 14 mega-pixels of resolution. I took along my older Fuji FinePix (S8000fd) so that I could compare the quality of the photos from each camera. To do so, I took photos of each scene with both cameras from the same angle. The new S4000 did a great job, but not a whole lot better than the S8000fd EXCEPT for the 30X Optical Zoom (the S8000fd features 18X). However, the S4000 has a ton of manual features that should produce some amazing photos. I can't wait to play around with those settings to see what this camera can really do!!

Lay-Up Fleet - (L to R) Lee A. Tregurtha, Paul R. Tregurtha, James R. Barker, Stewart J. Cort, Philip R. Clarke, American Mariner, St. Clair, Kaye E. Barker, Arthur M. Anderson (inside) and Cason J. Callaway rafted together
4 Ships - (L to R) Lee A. Tregurtha (in the graving dock), Paul R. Tregurtha, James R. Barker and Stewart J. Cort
Lee A. Tregurtha - In the large graving dock receiving a new coat of paint
Paul R. Tregurtha - Tied up outside the graving dock
4 Ships (from a different vantage point) - (L to R) Lee A. Tregurtha, Paul R. Tregurtha, James R. Barker and Stewart J. Cort

Stewart J. Cort - Close-up of the newly painted 1000-footer - note the dual bow-thrusters near the water line
5 Vessels - (L to R) Mystic Blue, Philip R. Clarke, American Mariner, St. Clair and Kaye E. Barker
Footer's Row - (L to R) Paul R. Tregurtha, James R. Barker and Stewart J. Cort
Philip R. Clarke - Bow-view close-up
2 Ships - Arthur M. Anderson with the Cason J. Callaway rafted outside

Stewart J. Cort - Broadside bow-view from Bullhead Point
2 Ships - Full "bow-on" view of the Philip R. Clarke and American Mariner
St. Clair - Broadside bow-view of the 770-ft.-long by 92-ft. wide ship
Kaye E. Barker - Obstructed bow-view (the best I could find)
2 Ships - Stern view of the Cason J. Callaway rafted outside the Arthur M. Anderson

John Purves - Broadside view of the tug that is now a full-time museum at Door County Museum
Selvick Tug Base - Jimmy L in front of the Mary Page Hannah and the Mary E. Hannah with its new, raised pilothouse
Selvick Tug Base - Wide view of the (partial) Selvick Tug fleet with the Jacquelyn Nicole, William C. Selvick and Susan L in front of the previous 3 tugs
Superior Explorer - Small vessel on the dock at Selvick
USCG Mobile Bay - At its dock with its barge, CGB 12002

Carla Anne Selvick - Awaiting its fate at a Roen Salvage Company dock
Kaye E. Barker - Stern-view close-up at Bay Shipbuilding
St. Clair - Stern-view close-up at Bay Shipbuilding
Lee A. Tregurtha - (Obstructed) stern-view in the graving dock receiving a new coat of paint
Hatch Crane - The old hatch crane off the Lee A. Tregurtha on the ground at Bay Shipbuilding
Lee A. Tregurtha - A view from behind the bow of the ship with its new Marine Travelift hatch crane aboard