Stormy Summer on the Saint Clair River
by Gales Of November
Title
Stormy Summer on the Saint Clair River
Artist
Gales Of November
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
On May 8th, 1980, the 1004 foot Edgar B. Speer was launched. Built in two sections, the aft and forward sections were connected in Lorain, Ohio. The construction of such a large ship meant that other lake boats were not necessary and resulted in 7 of them being sent to the scrapyard.
Unlike many Great Lakes freighters, she is limited to carrying taconite because of the way she is unloaded. This also restricts her to servicing only two ports, Gary, Indiana and Conneaut, Ohio. Fleetmate Edwin H. Gott was originally equipped with a similar unloading mechanism, but later had a boom installed that gave her greater flexibility.
She has had a relatively uneventful life. In 2006, another ship operating for the Great Lakes Fleet lost her rudder. That ship, the Roger Blough, was hooked to the side of the Speer which then proceeded to take the Blough to her destination.
With a length of 1004 feet, a beam of 105 feet and a depth of 56 feet, she can carry 73,700 tons of cargo.
On May 8th, 1980, the 1004 foot Edgar B. Speer was launched. Built in two sections, the aft and forward sections were connected in Lorain, Ohio. The construction of such a large ship meant that other lake boats were not necessary and resulted in 7 of them being sent to the scrapyard.
Unlike many Great Lakes freighters, she is limited to carrying taconite because of the way she is unloaded. This also restricts her to servicing only two ports, Gary, Indiana and Conneaut, Ohio. Fleetmate Edwin H. Gott was originally equipped with a similar unloading mechanism, but later had a boom installed that gave her greater flexibility.
She has had a relatively uneventful life. In 2006, another ship operating for the Great Lakes Fleet lost her rudder. That ship, the Roger Blough, was hooked to the side of the Speer which then proceeded to take the Blough to her destination.
With a length of 1004 feet, a beam of 105 feet and a depth of 56 feet, she can carry 73,700 tons of cargo.
On April 12, 1992 she once again ran aground in the St. Clair River when her steering failed. Cargo was again unloaded and she was freed. Two years later, on July 21, 1994 she lost power while downbound and ran aground again.
1994 proved to be a bad year for the Reserve. In January, she ran aground in Ohio. Then in July, she lost power while downbound on the St. Clair River and grounded again. Finally, on August 9, 1994 she made contact with the Tarantau of Canada Steamship Lines, while leaving the Soo Locks.
Still sailing as the Reserve, she experienced a boiler fire in 2004.
Since her conversion her only notable problem was a failure of the system that connects the tug to the barge. This left the barge drifting on Lake Superior. With the aid of the Saginaw, the Victory located the bow section which was towed alongside the Saginaw until the tug Anglian Lady could tow her back to the Soo for repairs.
The barge section has a length of 703 feet. When combined with the Victory, her length is just over 815 feet. She retains her 70 foot beam which gives her a cargo capacity of 25,500 tons.
Here the Edwin H. Gott passes the James L. Kuber at Saint Clair.
Uploaded
March 11th, 2018
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