Erie Trader - A Wild Ride Through a Wavy Canal! скачать в хорошем качестве

Erie Trader - A Wild Ride Through a Wavy Canal!

Here is the articulated tug-and-barge combination of the Clyde S. VanEnkevort (tug) and Erie Trader (barge) making their departure from Duluth, Minnesota late on the morning of March 23, 2025. They had just completed loading taconite pellets at the Canadian National dock for delivery to Indiana Harbor, Indiana. The video starts after they have pulled away from the dock and are making their way across the St. Louis River Bay before passing under the John A. Blatnik bridge. We then meet up again at Canal Park in Duluth, where they pass under the Aerial Lift Bridge and make their way through the canal, onto Lake Superior. Clyde and the Erie Trader had to face some pretty stiff head winds and waves as they made their departure. The bow would buck through each wave, causing some fun splashes to the delight of the onlookers. Perhaps more interesting was seeing how the Clyde tug would ride the waves behind the Erie Trader. The articulated connection between the vessels was getting a workout for this departure. This is most evident when we're looking at them from behind. Note how the back of the tug is riding up and down in relation to the more stable barge. The motion in the tug had to be particularly noticeable to those in the pilot house. I wonder if anyone decided to delay their lunch break until they found calmer water! The 740-foot barge Erie Trader began her life in April 2012 as the Lakes Contender, while the 135-foot tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort began her life as the Ken Booth Sr. in February 2011. Both were built at Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair in Erie, Pennsylvania. They were specifically designed to work with each other and not mate with any other tugs or barges. Both are owned by VanEnkevort Tug and Barge of Escanaba, Michigan. They were leased by the American Steamship Company until 2017, when the lease ended and their operation went to VanEnkevort Tug and Barge. At the time the lease expired, they obtained their current names... though observant viewers will spot the old names of both the tug and barge in the metalwork. The Erie Trader can carry 38,500 tons of cargo and has a 1000-horsepower diesel-driven bow thruster that helps her maneuver in port. The Clyde S. VanEnkevort is powered by twin 5,400 HP MaK diesel engines driving two controllable pitch propellers. The main advantage of the articulated tug-and-barge combos is that they can operate with smaller crews than traditional lake freighters. Tug crew sizes are typically 15-18 compared to the crews of 25-30 on traditional lakers. The tugs also have the flexibility to detach from the barge for maintenance, refueling, and even occasional ice breaking duties. ____________________ If you are interested in supporting this channel to keep new videos coming, I accept PayPal donations at the following link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/1long... Donations of any size are gratefully accepted, as they help offset my travel expenses to capture this footage. (Ad revenue from my videos covers less than half of my travel expenses.) Your views, likes, comments, and subscriptions also help this channel and are greatly appreciated. Thank you!