Featured ships:

July 23:

Mesabi Miner - Downbound above the Soo Locks near West Pier
Algocen - Stern view upbound above West Pier heading for a load of grain at Thunder Bay, Ontario
Canadian Progress - Downbound below Mission Point
St. Clair - Upbound above Mission Point
Burns Harbor - Upbound at Mission Point
Columbia Star - The 1000-ft.-long freighter glides downbound in the setting sun at Sherman Park

July 24:

Herbert C. Jackson - Downbound in the lower St. Marys River
Great Lakes Trader - Upbound in the lower St. Marys River
Michipicoten - Downbound in the Poe Lock on a semi-rare trip below the Soo Locks (it has mainly been running taconite pellets between Marquette, MI and Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario for the past two seasons)
Joseph H. Thompson - The tug/barge unit downbound at Mission Point
Indiana Harbor - Upbound at Mission Point

Two ships meet - The downbound Michipicoten "uses some engine" while passing the upbound Indiana Harbor at Mission Point
The meet continues - The Indiana Harbor eases past the outside of the Michipicoten at Mission Point
Michipicoten - Downbound at Mission Point
Great Lakes Trader/Joyce L. VanEnkevort - Close-up of the tug portion of this tug/barge unit in the Poe Lock
Lake Ontario - Saltie (salt water ship) downbound in the MacArthur Lock

Indiana Harbor - Waits for the Poe Lock upbound at the east end of the Soo Locks
Quebecois - Downbound in the Soo Locks upper approaches (Hey Rod - here is the shot you said you would be waiting for at 14X Zoom...close enough?) :O)
Quebecois - Close-up of her deckhouse in the lower St. Marys River
Quebecois - Downbound at Mission Point
International Bridge - Traffic is backed up all the way into Canada around 1:30 PM!

Paul R. Tregurtha - The Great Lakes' largest ship (1013' 6" long x 105' wide) downbound in the upper Soo Locks approaches
Cedarglen - Downbound in the MacArthur Lock (I love that deckhouse design!)
Atlantic Superior - Upbound in the lower St. Marys River near the Valley Camp Museum Ship
Atlantic Superior - Tied up in the lower MacArthur Lock approach near Brady Park
Paul R. Tregurtha - "Big Paul" downbound at Mission Point

Paul R. Tregurtha - Stern view below Mission Point
Cedarglen - Downbound at Mission Point
Cedarglen - Close-up of that unique deckhouse
Cedarglen - Stern view downbound past Mission Point
Reserve - Upbound at the rock pile below Mission Point

Lewis G. Harriman - This old cement carrier awaits the ship-breakers at Purvis Marine in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Lewis G. Harriman - Another view at Purvis Marine's boneyard

July 25:

Stewart J. Cort - Upbound passing Sherman Park on a beautiful morning
West Pier - New condominiums being built means no more boatwatching at West Pier :O( ... at least they left the West Pier Drive-In there!
West Pier - Another view of the construction zone
Chief Wawatam - Tug Avenger IV pushes (what is left of) the Chief Wawatam (barge/former carferry) downbound toward the Poe Lock with a load of steel coils from Algoma Steel
Algoisle - Downbound in the MacArthur Lock with a load of grain from Thunder Bay

Edwin H. Gott - Upbound awaiting the Poe Lock
Oglebay Norton - Upbound in the Poe Lock approach (she was right behind the Edwin H. Gott)
Middletown - The parade continues, as she is directly behind the Oglebay Norton!
Algoisle - Downbound as she passes the upbound Oglebay Norton (Valley Camp Museum Ship in foreground)
Algoisle - Downbound at Mission Point

Algoisle - Stern view downbound past Mission Point
Reliance and barge - Tug Reliance pushes one of Purvis Marine's barges upbound below Mission Point
Middletown - Upbound abreast of West Pier in upper St. Marys River
Volmeborg - Downbound above West Pier
Nokomis - Passengers aboard the Soo Locks Tour Boat get an up-close look at the Volmeborg in the MacArthur Lock

Avery Bay - Tug upbound at Mission Point
Michipicoten - Upbound below Mission Point fully loaded heading for Algoma Steel
Volmeborg - Downbound passing Mission Point
Volmeborg - Stern view below Mission Point
Charles M. Beeghly - Downbound in the Poe Lock (partially lowered)

Reliance - Leaves the MacArthur Lock with her barge upbound
Missouri - Tug attempting to move the MacArthur and Poe Locks to the west :O) (not really - it is waiting for the Poe Lock)
Missouri - Passes the downbound Charles M. Beeghly in the Poe Lock approach (it is heading upbound to assist a "saltie")
Michipicoten - Upbound entering the MacArthur Lock
Michipicoten - A closer view entering the MacArthur Lock (Charles M. Beeghly passing astern)

Michipicoten - Upbound in the MacArthur Lock
Lee A. Tregurtha - Downbound heading for the Poe Lock
American Spirit - (Formerly George A. Stinson) upbound in lower St. Marys River
Le Voyageur - Soo Locks Tour Boat passes in front of the upbound American Spirit in the lower St. Marys River
Ojibway - Supply boat heading upbound to service the dowbnbound Lee A. Tregurtha (not in photo)

Manora Naree - "Saltie" downbound at Mission Point
Manora Naree - Stern view below Mission Point
Atlantic Erie - Stern view downbound below Mission Point
John J. Boland - One more ship for this day before the sun sets (shown here near Sherman Park)
John J. Boland - Stern view downbound in upper St. Marys River approaching Algoma Steel

July 26:

Arthur M. Anderson - Stern view upbound above West Pier
Lady Hamilton - Upbound passing West Pier in the early morning hours
St. Clair - Downbound above West Pier
Pilot Boat - A Great Lakes pilot is required of all "salties"; here the pilot boat is alongside the Lady Hamilton to exchange pilots
Joseph H. Frantz & St. Clair - The Frantz is downbound in the MacArthur Lock approach and the St. Clair is downbound in the Poe Lock approach (saltie "Sir Walter" is in the background at Algoma Steel Export Dock)

Joseph H. Frantz - The 1925-built ship is downbound in the MacArthur Lock. This ship is owned by Oglebay Norton, but under charter to Great Lakes Associates (Kinsman). She is carrying a load of grain from Duluth.
Joseph H. Frantz - Ground-level view partially lowered in the MacArthur Lock
St. Clair - Downbound at Mission Point
Joseph H. Frantz - Downbound at Mission Point
Joseph H. Frantz - Another view at Mission Point

Three ships below Mission Point - (L to R) Joseph H. Frantz downbound, Columbia Star upbound, and St. Clair downbound
Columbia Star - Stern view upbound at Mission Point
Sir Walter - Colorful "saltie" at Algoma Steel Export Dock
Algocen - Downbound at Sherman Park with a load of grain from Thunder Bay
Algocen - Downbound entering the MacArthur Lock

Algocen - Stern view as she departs the MacArthur Lock
Dennis Hale and me - A surprise visitor was at the Soo Locks Visitor's Center on this morning. Mr. Hale (on the left) is the sole survivor of the Daniel J. Morrel, a ship that sank in a storm on Lake Huron in November 1966. He has written a book called "Sole Survivor", which details the events of that sinking and his struggle to survive. This is the first time I have met him. His wife was kind enough to take this photo.
Burns Harbor - Downbound in the Poe Lock approach.
Burns Harbor - As usual, many flags fly on the bow as she prepares to enter the Poe Lock
Burns Harbor - Gone is the familiar stack marking of Bethlehem Steel; the new ISG (International Steel Group) logo now adorns the ship's stacks.

Quedoc - This is all that remains of the ship being scrapped at Purvis Marine in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Notice that the ship has been turned around (she was in the slip stern-first last year when I was here).
Quedoc & Lewis G. Harriman - When scrapping is completed on the Quedoc, the Harriman is schedlued to be scrapped next.

July 27:

Indiana Harbor - Downbound in the Poe Lock. This is the last ship I saw on this trip...more in the Fall (I hope)!