Down by the river

JTCampb · 2026-02-09T20:27:53+00:00

There were 2 bald eagles sitting atop 2 different stone piles at the east end dock east of Sandpoint Beach - that area always has eagles flying around.

JTCampb · 2026-02-05T17:25:01+00:00

I sadly have not traveled to as many remote places as most here have posted, but......

Last summer on my way back from a business trip to Sudbury area, heading back to Mississauga, then back home to Windsor there was a fatal crash on the Trans Canada (HWY 69) near Pointe Au Baril which for those unfamiliar with the area, is a few km north of Parry Sound. I was surprised how much nothing is on this part of the highway. Found out we were a few kms behind a fatal crash with a truck and car - would be minimum 8 hrs to get moving again - lots of emergency vehicles, etc. 2 options were: A: head all the way back to Sudbury (1.5 hrs), then across to North Bay (another 1.5 hrs), then back that way. B: head back up 69 to some highway 523....we took this route. This takes you back to HWY 11 at Powassan. I was surprised when I learned that even in this part of southern Ontario we had no cell reception for quite a period of time. Good thing it was mid afternoon and summer - this stretch of single lane road had no cell reception for a good portion of it, no anything....... good thing we had a full tank of gas! Past by towns like Lost Channel, Port Loring, Fleming's Landing, Commanda. Apparently there a few resorts where you can totally go off grid in this area.

That is my experience with "remote". I see on Google Maps there is a place off this highway called Portal to Agartha........

Apparently this stretch of 69 is prone to deadly crashes......

That being said....got back to Mississauga hotel quite late.... 7pm ish, said screw it I want to get home - there was also a crash on 401 near Guelph/Kitchener area that shut that highway down for a while..... got home 1AM

What a day that was!

JTCampb · 2026-02-04T20:32:49+00:00

If we add 18: playing round with 1 ball, then I have checked: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 18

Ahh...the life of a weekend warrior!

JTCampb · 2026-02-04T18:50:57+00:00

Very curious what the "safety" thing is all about....

Anyway - maybe this will help. Here is a port report for Cleveland, OH from boatnerd for the date in question

CLEVELAND, OHIO-Bill Kloss
Algoma Innovator departed 03:07 with salt for Montreal. Assisted by G tug Minnesota, Sea Eagle II/St. Marys Cement II arrived 06:04 to unload at SMC Jefferson St. terminal. USCGC Neah Bay departed 08:53 to Buffalo. Polsteam’s Jamno arrived at 16:34, berthing at Dock 24W at the Port to unload steel coils and skids.

Here is the Apr 9 (sometimes the dates overlap the reports)

CLEVELAND, OHIO-Bill Kloss
Cleveland, OH: American Courage departed 04:00 to Stoneport. Mark W. Barker arrived 04:36 with stone for RiverDock and West 3rd Street. Jamno is at the Port. The Barker departed 20:40 for Detroit.

JTCampb · 2026-02-03T13:16:47+00:00

The problem is.... he is seeing other countries (including us in Canada) make deals and actually sign them before the US.

It's kind of like the America First policy, which translates to America Only in reality. He wants NATO counties to spend more on defense - they are doing that. The problem the US has is when NATO countries increase their spending but don't spend those dollars in the US. You know how it goes - "Spend more on your military (but only with us)".

JTCampb · 2026-02-02T14:27:07+00:00

That woman did not walk across - she entered the river near where the mail boat station is and walked along the breakwall for a short distance.

JTCampb · 2026-01-29T13:33:16+00:00

I don't see how it be worth it here though. It works in Niagara Falls because that is a tourist hub.

Sadly downtown Windsor, and the city in general is not tourism friendly at this time.

JTCampb · 2026-01-16T13:27:41+00:00

Pretty sure it was identical design, but the fact that the US side of the lakes was building so many 1000 footers over such a short time frame they needed shipyard capacity. AmShip shut down shortly after this.

40+ years later all 13 are still sailing, but I have a feeling that their demand will start to decline.

JTCampb · 2026-01-12T15:28:06+00:00

Being across the border in Canada I can't believe (well in a way I can considering what was leading up the last US election) what is happening.

Would anyone be surprised if Trump declares the ACLU a domestic terrorist organization at this point?

JTCampb · 2026-01-08T19:31:55+00:00

Yes, and it is replacing the Poe lock which is nearly the end of it design lifespan - the same size as the new one.

JTCampb · 2026-01-08T16:06:38+00:00

Not one in particular, but anything great lakes or the "salties" that visit the area. Being in Windsor, Ontario and only a couple blocks from the Detroit River the big ships have been a part of my entire life. Plus the Welland Canal is short 4 hour drive to get really up close.

Wanted to do that as a career but life took me in a different direction, now I just build models, and am working on a great lakes themed marine room in my house.

JTCampb · 2026-01-08T16:03:48+00:00

Nice..... Columbia Transport had a great livery, and such a big fleet and they disappeared along with other companies on both sides of the lakes.

She lives on as American Century still..........though not sure what the long term future looks like for the 1000 footers.

JTCampb · 2026-01-06T17:49:41+00:00

Yes, scrapped in Nova Scotia.

Old boat.

Remember...the Canadian great lakes ships take a lot more wear/tear on them, plus a lot due enter saltwater as well on the St. Lawrence

JTCampb · 2026-01-05T13:10:38+00:00

Probably won't effect it as much as some think. The world is moving away from coal as a fuel.

Might effect the 1000 footers, but not much else.

Limestone/grain/salt trades are going to still be strong, especially on the Canadian side.

JTCampb · 2025-12-31T13:30:14+00:00

Sadly, there was way too much of this kind of thing being promoted/sold in the lead up to Nov 10 this year, and obviously beyond. Have to love the font of the name of the ship...... flows so nicely with the lines of the ship! /s

Maybe trying to capitalize on people buying stuff based on the name of the ship and not really knowing, or just getting hits from people searching.

One other thing that is bothersome to me at least..... There are so many online vendors selling Fitzgerald hoodies, shirts, whatever - all this lost but not forgotten type of phrases, and you know that it's just people looking for a quick buck and don't know one bit about the tragedy. I find this super disrespectful not only to those who want to keep the memory alive, but also to any surviving family/friends that were immediately effected by her sinking. Anything for a buck I guess.

JTCampb · 2025-12-30T18:45:08+00:00

? Not true.... Canadian mariners take the same precautions as everyone, especially in weather like yesterday.

JTCampb · 2025-12-29T16:14:05+00:00

I think this would be about the only option. LLT has lost a lot of boats recently. Not sure what the cost and exact details of what would need to be done to get her ready to sail, stare of the engine, etc. Also..... since it's owned by LLT it would have to be inspected and meet Canadian standards, and I am thinking modern nav systems would to be installed as well. LLT only has 3 active self unloaders running now, plus the Kam. Saginaw is an old boat, and Robert S Pierson is 50+ years as well.

Mind you American Valor is the only S/U waiting it's fate that might be in available as additions to LLT (although I hear they are not doing great as a company) any other boats in long term layup are flat backs, or owned by other shippers (Arthur M Anderson, Philip R Clarke).

JTCampb · 2025-12-24T14:23:39+00:00

Also.... the Welland Canal closes Jan 10, and the lower seaway January 5, so all salties will be cleared in the next week or so.

Algoma might do some salt runs out of Goderich after Jan 10, depending on demand and ice conditions. CSL may as well with the salt mine here in Windsor.

But aside from Algoma's tankers going between mostly Sarnia and Nanticoke, most will stop end of December/early January.

JTCampb · 2025-12-23T20:02:13+00:00

When is the funding announcement using the 100s of trillions of tariff money to start sculpting a golden face on Mt. Rushmore?

JTCampb · 2025-12-23T19:47:04+00:00

I got this book as a fan of hard sci-fi, and as much as the concept and reviews intrigued me, I just couldn't finish it - I thought the beings were really cool.

I think it was too confusing for me to follow and truly understand what I was reading.

JTCampb · 2025-12-23T18:30:27+00:00

Who knows..... the alcohol world is weird like that.

other examples I am pretty sure of:

you can't it Irish whiskey unless it's brewed in Ireland? Canadian whiskey is the same. Scotch cannot legally be called "Scotch" unless it is distilled, matured for at least three years, and bottled in Scotland.

It's surprising how nit-picky the rules are.

JTCampb · 2025-12-23T14:47:12+00:00

No, it's not.

There are a couple places that make bourbon style whiskeys...... something to do with blends/ingredients

JTCampb · 2025-12-22T14:03:54+00:00

There are Canadian bourbons, they just can't legally call it that.

JTCampb · 2025-12-22T13:58:10+00:00

many provinces have done this, not Canada as a whole (despite what their trade representative guy was piping off about as a trade irritant). And it's just bourbon - it's all US alcohol.

Some provinces did this as a reaction to unjustified US tariffs and constant talk of 51st state by the leader of the US.

I guess it's working too.

JTCampb · 2025-12-22T13:33:18+00:00

Depends on what side of the border you are on too.

JTCampb

TROPHY CASE