Messages

46

Shipping News and information / Re: J.W. SHELLEY

« on: September 12, 2011, 08:03:06 PM »

It is registered in QC so you can take more photos of it!!!!!!!!!!!
I have only managed to see it once - loading grain at a not very good photo spot in Toledo, Ohio.

47

Shipping News and information / Great Lakes bulker Maritime Trader sold and renamed

« on: July 30, 2011, 03:47:51 PM »

For those who follow the Great Lakes, the 1967-built Maritime Trader, IMO 6702301, has been sold to Lower Lakes Towing at bankruptcy auction and renamed Manitoba.  The venerable vessel is currently (July 30) at Hamilton, Ontario receiving repairs and repainting into the Lower Lakes paint scheme.

The Manitoba was built as the Mantadoc in 1967 and carried this name until 2002 when it was renamed the Teakglen.  As the Teakglen it spent its last years as a grain storage vessel in Goderich, Ontario. Refurbished and painted with a bright blue hull in 2005, the Maritime Trader was one of the older and more distinctive ships on the Great Lakes.

The Lower Lakes fleet is a veritable floating museum worthy of any ship lover's attention.  Fortunately their fleet is well documented on this site.

48

Trip reports / Re: Shipspotting meeting for members along the Saint Lawrence River?

« on: July 10, 2011, 02:19:36 AM »

Alas, I am still in Ohio sans passport!

49

Help and Advice / Re: Soviet Ships of the Cuban Missile Crisis

« on: June 07, 2011, 06:38:26 PM »

Another suggestion would be the U.S. Library of Congress.  I am led to believe that their photo collection can be accessed on the web but am not sure of that.

50

Help and Advice / Re: Soviet Ships of the Cuban Missile Crisis

« on: June 06, 2011, 09:51:59 PM »

I am sure the U.S. Navy has or had a LARGE collection of photos as they flew over and photographed all those ships.  Finding them may be difficult.  I remember seeing them in the media such as weekly news magazines and newspapers.  I suspect the major weekly news magazines such as Time, Life, Newsweek have searchable archives and I know that most major libraries in the U.S. keep bound copies or microfilm copies in stock.

The semi-private U.S. Naval Institute has a huge photo archive and I would head there first. You can contact a person about photos at "[email protected]" or phone 1-800-233-8764, a toll-free call in the U.S.

I am kind of surprised someone has not written a book on the subject.

I was a high school senior or junior at the time of the Cuban Missle Crisis and I know it scared the heck out of me.  4 years later I was in the US Army in Germany on the front lines of the Cold War.

Good luck in your search.

51

Shipping News and information / Re: Tragic Collision in Kiel Canal

« on: April 18, 2011, 12:16:05 AM »

That is a terrible accident.  I have wondered about vessels moving in fog since an incident I experienced some years ago on a small cruise vessel traveling from Detroit, Michigan north to Port Huron, Michigan.  We were crossing the shallow Lake St. Clair in very dense fog when the captain announced that we were close to an oncoming Great Lakes bulker and he was going to stop and pull out of the navigation channel and wait for the ship to pass.  A few minutes later the downbound bulker appeared suddenly out of the fog and very close without any noise whatsoever and then disappeared quickly back into the fog.  I was amazed at the lack of noise from the ship and how close to us it was when we first saw it. There are times that I remember that incident and realize that our captain really knew what he was doing.  There was not any room for error.
    I also remember being out on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Highway at the rest area where the tunnel goes under the navigation channel into Norfolk/Newport News and I heard both an outbound and inbound ship meeting each other at that location and never seeing either ship. Visibility was zero at the time and the channel was only a few hundred yards wide.
    There are times when I am glad I am a landlubber -- not many but just a few!

52

Site related news, functions and modules / Re: What is YOUR vision for shipspotting.com

« on: April 08, 2011, 03:29:15 PM »

Phil
I have not seen one, but I remember reading about the Phoenicians, Greeks, etc who had rowing boats over 60 meters
Never say never!

53

Site related news, functions and modules / Re: What is YOUR vision for shipspotting.com

« on: April 06, 2011, 04:41:38 AM »

Vision?  The "vision thing" was once a major issue with a certain candidate for President of the U.S.  Who actually won the election.

I find that under the "new" shipspotting I spend very little time on the site and do not upload many photos although I have several hundred that I have not posted yet.  On the one hand it is a "time thing" and on the other hand I just do not have the urge to post photos or look at photos others have posted.  I also do not feel the sense of community and friendship at the level that previously existed - I have seen members treated in a very uncivilized manner that has no place on this site or any other.

I used to view every photo taken each day and took great pleasure downloading photos I liked, making comments on photos I liked, having a little fun with the several members I became good friends with and enjoying seeing new members post spectacular photos-- now I rarely check the site.  It is very easy to get lost or disoriented in trying to view all the day's photos.

I do not want to open a can of worms but some of the rules about posting are rather inane, at least to me.  That may be part of things as well but I do not want to get another war of words going here--I circulate those photos elsewhere which means there is less time and interest in posting here.

As for my vision, I am so damn busy and so damn tired that my only vision is to make it through the day.  I usually log on here when I am tired and want to relax and enjoy some decent ship photography (I am landlocked so do not have easy access to ships without traveling).  So my only vision is (1)to have a continuously unending stream of ship photos.

One thing I do appreciate is the freedom of speech so far enjoyed on this site although sometimes it has been taken advantage of, myself included.  It is nice not to be censored.  Freedom of speech includes the opportunity of making a complete fool of oneself and that is often painfully entertaining when it happens!

The old grouch Magogman has spoken.

54

Trip reports / Re: Shipspotting meeting for members along the Saint Lawrence River?

« on: March 21, 2011, 10:58:21 PM »

Steve,
one of the activities could be watching water flow downhill, preferably with floating objects present!

55

Trip reports / Re: Shipspotting meeting for members along the Saint Lawrence River?

« on: March 21, 2011, 07:20:32 PM »

From the land of the flu,  July would be the best for me.  And I am in the rather embarrassing and exasperating situation of not being able to find my passport.  I have no doubt I could gain entry to Canada and the St. Lawrence but I might not be able to return to the land of the free and the home of the brave.  Which actually might not be a bad thing the way things are going in this country.

56

Shipping News and information / Upper Lakes fleet sold to Algoma Central

« on: February 26, 2011, 04:39:01 AM »

Two of the major Canadian Great Lakes shipping companies, Algoma Central and Upper Lakes Group announced today the sale of the Upper Lakes' fleet to Algoma Central for $85,000,000 effective this spring.  Details of the sale can be found at the current events section at www.boatnerd.com.

Upper Lakes has been a mainstay of Great Lakes shipping for 80 years and their current fleet is well represented on this site.  I would not be surprised if some of the older bulkers, those without self unloading devices, are retired, continuing a trend that started with the beginning of the current recession in North America.

This sale will significantly change Great Lakes shipping -- I certainly will miss the sharp looking Upper Lakes' ships in their distinctive livery.

57

Shipping News and information / Re: Indian warship sunk by freighter in Mumbai

« on: February 03, 2011, 06:02:40 AM »

Does the cargo ship get to paint a frigate on the side of its brige?

58

Shipping News and information / Re: Sulking in Southampton

« on: January 16, 2011, 08:56:16 PM »

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

the Harwich Hump
and
gang bang

have very different meanings on this side of the pond.

Now I have building anticipation that Derek will introduce me to the "Harwich Hump" when I visit Harwich in May!

I remain shipless,landlocked and snowbound in Ohio.

59

Shipping News and information / CPO China foils hijacking attempt

« on: January 04, 2011, 11:11:08 PM »

News on www.yahoo.com at 1800 Tues 4 Jan reports that the products tanker CPO China, 9434204, flagged in the UK, foiled a hijacking attempt in the North Arabian Sea on Monday.  According to reports, the 20 crew members made it to a safe room from where they could control the ship.  The hijackers, who had fired upon and boarded the vessel, eventually gave up and returned to their skiffs left the immediate area.

60

Shipping News and information / Re: Algonova (trouble with rudder)

« on: January 02, 2011, 06:37:08 PM »

Well, you can start with the Algonova!  I miss your photography, especially the winter shots.