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Soo Locks- Just three more days and the last ships will be done for this shipping season.
This was the roughest , thickest ice in the Great Lakes in many years .
The ice breakers will get a rest soon and get checked over for ice damage before spring ice breaking begins.
Deb and I rode up to the Soo Locks 41 years ago on our honeymoon and we have gone up to watch the ships every year since. We have taken our motorhome up to the Soo Campground usually twice to watch the ships pass by our campsight . Even in the middle of the night we could here the rumble of a ships going by and we would look out the window and sure enough it was slowly gliding through the water.
Not very many people get to be a guest on a Great Lakes Freighter , let alone get to stay 5 days on the whole fifth floor of the owners quarters with five star treatment. I guess it helps to have a friend who is James Barkers Cousin.
We were asked five different times to go with him for a boat ride and finally we said yes. The trip started out at the St. Clair Power Plant where we got on the Paul R. Tregurtha. Pooring rain and poor visibility through the St. Clair River and Tornado spotted near Port Huron. We were nervous . The St. Clare Freighter was behind us . Lake Huron was very rough and as the St. Clair gained on us the Captain gave the order to empty the ballast tanks. You see the Freighters kinda race each other and pass each other to get to the locks before the other ships. Rough sees and little ballast left us rocking and rolling like a bobber for 3 hours. 90% of us were sick , even our friend who invited us. Anyone who tells you these ships don’t rock and roll don’t know what they are talking about. From the Bridge looking down the tront of the ship was twisting 5 feet up and down and snaking about 3 feet side to side. The St. Clair continued to gain on us little by little but we did make it to Detour and into the St. Mary’s River . Now we had to slow down because there is no passing in the river.
The rest of the trip the weather was perfect. We also rode on the Ice Breaker Mackinaw a few times and that was a rare thing to for the public. But it helped that Nicole dated the Captains son.
Nicole spent a lot of time at the Locks too growing up and she wants to take Terak up ther when he gets a little older.
So when we see the ships at the Soo Locks going up and down the River we can really understand how it looks and feels from their view looking and waving at us. We also ride the Soo Locks Boat Tour once a year .
Deb and I will always have a special place in our memories at the Soo Locks.
Have a great Monday
