For anyone wondering why a smaller carrier is still in use, her length allows her to navigate the Cuyahoga River and reach the steel mills located on the river.
Great video, first time watcher here! The Herbert C. Jackson is my favorite of the Interlake fleet, and I'm very lucky to see it pass by many times here in Detroit as well as often seeing it laid up for winter near Detroit as well. Just a nice looking ship. Another fun fact is this ship was the next to be built after the Edmund Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was hull #301 and the Jackson was hull #302. Hopefully you get to see her many more times in Duluth!
Hello my friend. She is one of those styles that I love with the forward pilot house. Never knew about a steering rod either. I can definitely see where it would be VERY useful. She is a great ship!!! I am happy that you were able to record this for us (allbeit in the rain🌧). Thank you for sticking with the ship for the turn. But I am probably not the only one who likes to watch and see how she navigates it. Nice to see The Kentucky out there to lend a hand. Hope you are feeling better and hope to chat with you really soon (missing our converstions).🙋🚢
As much as I love all the ships you show on your videos, Mike, the old school Laker still reigns supreme. This one is well taken care of, it appears. Thanks for sharing this one with us!
What a great video Mike. I'm sure many....if not most of your subscribers have never seen this vessel arrive in Duluth. We are lucky to see her still sailing. This classic laker went to Fraser Shipyards to fix the stern thruster, and several other minor issues. This is certainly the reason the Kentucky was there to assist. So glad Mike you were able to catch her. A little rain wasn't going to stop you!! Luckily the repairs went well. She is now docking in Marquette, MI as I type this note. My research shows she did not visit Duluth last year. Limited trips to Duluth in 2021. In 2022 she primarily visited Detroit, Cleveland, Marquette, Sandusky, and Calcite. The Jackson is the smallest vessel in the Interlake Steamship Co. fleet.
A bit more on the bow steering pole. If you look closely starting at 3:00, you'll see an extensive set of guy wires supporting the pole. These are needed to counteract the strong forces of the wind/waves/ice. It's hard to see, but almost all steering poles have a light on the tip. And the angle of each steering pole is different depending on the height of the pilot house. They need to be positioned just right in height so the helmsman has the best line of sight using the pole to improve upon navigation ahead. Also you can see an omni directional camera hanging just above the tip of the bow. There is also one on the tip of the stern best shown at 4:08.
Aw, I'm behind and catching up and was going to point out the dome CCTV cameras but you beat me to it! It's good they have that redundancy built in. When do you think they'll switch these ships over to auto-driving electric powered? 😂
@@Jodi_W Hi Jodi. I've read several articles talking about autonomous ships. They are being used today. Personally I like our Lakers just the way they are !
Steering pole? I thought it was a fishing pole!😂😂😂😂😂 Have a great weekend Mike! Take care and God Bless!!!❤😊 I love the great old ladies of the lakes! That's what ships are supposed to look like.😊
Like the videos. I have some questions more about the Great Lakes and the port that I would like to learn more. The channel to the port how wide is it? How deep? Do ships have to pay a fee to have the bridge raised and how expensive is it? Do the lakes have tides? I just would love to hear more about the GL's why ships (must be) are less expensive to transport goods than a train? You share in such detail about the ships that sail on them we (I) would love to learn more. Thanks!
No the lakes don't experience tides. But the river that flows into the Duluth basin can have varying effects on the flow thru the canal. That's why there's a set of lights on the bridge captains can look at before they're in the canal.
Believe it or not, the Great Lakes do, in fact, experience tides.....but Ralphy is certainly correct as they have VERY, VERY minimal impact. So it's then fair to say they don't experience tides. True tides-changes in water level caused by the gravitational forces of the sun and moon-do occur in a semi-diurnal (twice daily) pattern on the Great Lakes. Studies indicate that the Great Lakes spring tide, the largest tides caused by the combined forces of the sun and moon, is less than five centimeters in height. But a much more significant impact on the Great Lakes is something called a seiche. This is caused by wind and weather conditions. They create an oscillating wave which can be several feet high. All this is more than anyone really wants to know. But I thought I'd put it out here in case anyone likes to deep dive into things of interest.
Thank you for showing us this awesome ship Mike but please dont get sick on our behalf! That is some cool trivia... Now I know what a steering pole is called too!! I love how these old ships have these upwards swept curves at the stern. Have a fantastic day Mike! 🙂💪
Howdy Mike. I came across your channel 3 days ago. I"ve been watching as many as I could. I really enjoy these videos, and I appreciate you taking the time to make htem. They are calming, for me anyway. I really feel like I'm there, watching those magnificant vessels come in. I'm proud to call myself a boat friend. Also, can't wait for the JRB to come back. Super loud whistle/horn.
Hi Mike. I see where you are coming from. They steer and navigate manually in tight quarters.....like rivers, canals, and harbors. There is just no room for error. Reactions and corrections need to happen quicker than quick. That steering pole provides a great line of sight for the helmsman. Yes many aircraft have the ability to land hands off, but the vast majority of landings are still fully done by the pilot the good old fashion way! The same is true with shipping.
See the small smoke stack on the stern of the ship that is the incinerator where they burn garbage I worked on her during winter lay up at Bay Shipbuilding
