The Queen of Classics Sets Sail with a Sunset Salute-a-Thon
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- Опубликовано: 6 янв 2025
- Probably one of the most beautiful departures of the year, Wilfred Sykes setting out of the setting sun with iron ore into a stunningly clear and calm Lake Superior with horn repeatedly breaking the silence blaring multiple master’s salutes for Bentleyville crowds, or at least what I think were supposed to be master’s salutes, it sort of turned into a bunch of random horn blasts just for fun. This is absolutely the sort of departure I always hope for!
Built in 1949, Wilfred Sykes is widely considered the first modern freighter, and revolutionized ship design to the point of making every cargo ship before her nearly obsolete. Her designers were instructed to create the largest vessel possible at the time while creating a new ship from the ground up with no consideration for past design practices, with guidance and recommendations provided by the man who was to captain her. The result: a 678ft long by 70ft wide vessel that was not just Queen of the Lakes, but the largest cargo freighter in the entire world at the time. Longer, wider, faster, safer and with a larger carrying capacity (the first to exceed 20,000 tons) than any laker built before her, she introduced features such as crew tunnels through the holds, allowing indoor passage through the entire vessel, which continues to be standard design on most ships to this day. Her basic design template would be known as the Classic Laker, the standard model for Lakers until the introduction of the modern laker design in the early 1970s, and included ships such as the Edmund Fitzgerald, Arthur M Anderson and hundreds more. And despite being the original that is now on the smaller end of the scale for Great Lakes vessels, she has outlived most of her larger and more modern successors, over 75 years old and showing no signs of giving up any time soon despite her original steam engines still being in place and the only major alteration being the addition of a self unloading system. For much of her history she sailed for Inland Steel.
In 1953 the Sykes assisted in rescuing the crew of a sinking laker, Henry Steinbrenner, for which her crew received accommodations for. In 1973 the ship had a pair of incidents in Thunder Bay, striking an ore dock then grounding in the harbor, causing damage across roughly 150ft of her hull, which required significant repairs. Two years later in 1975 she was converted to a self unloader, her cargo holds were rebuilt and the 250ft boom was installed over her aft deck. In November of that same year, the Syke’s Captain was the only person to accurately predict the storm that would ultimately sink the Edmund Fitzgerald, even over the National Weather Service, and kept the ship far to the north in calmer waters. Despite the risks however, the ship still responded to the Arthur M Anderson’s calls for assistance with the search and rescue efforts, and arrived in the search area about a day after the sinking, but nobody was found. In the 1980s the Sykes transitioned from primarily iron ore runs to mainly Limestone, which she continues operating today. She’s been sold a few times since the 90s, ultimately ending up in Central Marine Logistics/Cleveland Cliffs along with Joseph L Block and the laid up Edward L Ryerson, retaining their iconic Inland Steel colors the entire time. In 2017 she had the honor of being the final ship to load at the Escanaba, Michigan ore dock after the mine that fed it played out after a century in operation. In 2017 her steam boilers were rebuilt following the discovery of issues that season. In 2020 she laid up during the Covid Pandemic but returned the next season. In December 2021 she had a close call upon entering the St Clair River in Port Huron, the ship briefly lost steering control and veered sharply towards the concrete banks, and was saved by quick action from the crew, dropping anchors and reversing engines, making it out with no damage. She has been one of the most active vessels on the Lakes the last few years, running several regular routes which take her regularly across Lakes Michigan and Huron. Then in the last month of 2024 she switched to regular iron ore routes from Duluth to Indiana for the first time in years, and it’s unknown if that trend will carry on into next season (I’d say unlikely but it’s fun to dream!). We’ll DEFINITELY enjoy her while she’s here though!
Hope everyone enjoys!
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The Sykes at sunset...it doesnt get any better than this. Such a stately and majestic beauty. I love her lines...her designer was brilliant. Beautiful silhouetted view of her fans on the pier at sunset...sunshine and shadows
Thank you for bringing us this most respected and beautiful ship at sunset....
Absolutely spectacular departure! Everything was perfect. Probably one of my all time favorites! She was designed by a genius
I worked on the Sykes as a deckhand in the summer of 1970. We scrubbed the white line and the Inland Steel letters many times.. Great summer job. Captain Miller and a great crew. Always enjoy seeing here sail by.
Amazing film of amazing ship and scenery and the horns were just brilliant. I never tire of watching, thank you 🙏
Excellent, Jonathan! I love the Sykes! Thanks for the video!
She looks great! Thanks for the late season coverage.
No problem!! She looks spectacular!
wow what a cool encounter and great vid. 75 years and counting for the Sykes!
Someone's having fun in the wheelhouse!😊
The spirit of captain Dudley Paquette is guarding her!
Jonathan!! I learn so much and these details about the Sikes is very interesting and...there is so much history in her!! I'll keep dreaming that she will keep sailing and serving the great lakes for years to come!! Happy New Year, may 2025 be a great shipping year for us to enjoy watching!!
@@elizabethw.8561 she has an amazing history! Same
Thank you Johnathon. This was special. And thank you to the Captain and crew, for a Holiday treat!
I love the WILFRED SYKES LONG TOOOTS ❤😊
What a beautiful ship, first time seeing her. Thanks for a great video & all the info in the comments. Thanks, also, for not talking constantly, made watching very enjoyable.
Pretty cool the Wilfred Sykes given the sightseers a little extra.
In, 1995 and I was on vacation in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. I was at the Soo Locks, and I've seen the Edward L.Ryerson, Sailing ⛵️ Upbound and has locked through the MacArthur Lock. I, took 4 Pictures 📸 📷 of the Edward L.Ryerson.
I still have the Pictures 📸 📷 of the Edward L.Ryerson to this very day.
I, also remember when the, Edward L.Ryerson, Joseph L.Block, and the Wilfred Sykes were Fleetmates, while Sailing for Inland Steel Company. 6:17
Still fleetmates! Hopefully Ryerson makes a return eventually, would be awesome to see all three in operation
It's really a nice classic ship that's heading to the Lake Superior.Thank you
Beautiful ship! Thanks! Headed to my ol’ stomping grounds, where I grew up in IN.
@@margaretyoung4262 Any decent spots to ship watch there?
@@jonathanellsworth21Fair question,ha! I don’t know,we never went to watch the ships. Now you’ve got me wondering. I don’t live there any more, I must ask my cousin!
Beautiful ship, beautiful backdrop, beautiful time of day! It was lovely to see this;
thank you!
@@janetryan9779 no problem!!
Great Video! Thanks!
What a wonderful lady
Thank you so much!
@@davesky538 no problem!
Beautiful video with sunset in the background. Thanks for sharing❤❤
And there you see one of the reasons why the Sykes is so popular. She shows off for the people on the piers.
❤❤❤❤❤
This is awesome! I love the Sykes, she's such a beauty. Of all your videos, this one is especially amazing. I can tell you really put in some work making it. Again, thank you so much for what you do. I'm in Portland Oregon, and I miss the days when ships would come up the Willamette River and dock right downtown. Good times. Every year at our Rose Festival, military ships, from our country and Canada would come, and you would see sailors everywhere.
It was a thing, if you went out with a sailor, to keep his hat. That round white one they'd wear. Well the Navy put a stop to that. Sailors without it could not board their vessel! 😏 Then 911 changed everything. Maybe two of our ships come to the Rose Festival and security is so tight...I'm just glad around when it was so fun. 🌹⚓
I agree! Fleet Week in Seattle used to be so fun! Families would host a crew member!
@morticiaaddams7866 We did that too! The atmosphere was so light, and fun. People came from everywhere. There was no such thing as "tightened security" or paranoia. I'm so grateful I was around to see it. I feel sorry for the younger generations. All they know is this post 911 world...
Well, even if we can’t see the Ryerson, at least we can still see the Sykes!
@theskicker8856 Well she’s still around, just doesn’t move much/at all these days, but yeah Sykes is just as good!
@@jonathanellsworth21 probably would’ve been smarter for me to say “can’t see the Ryerson in action”.
@@jonathanellsworth21 NOT even close ! The SS Edward L. Ryerson is a 'straight/flush deck' design that does not have the grotesque 'self unloading boom' above her hatches, making her much more attractive than the Sykes. Both have flowing Art Deco lines, but the TRUE Queen of The Lakes will always be the Ryerson.
@@jonathanellsworth21 Is there something wrong with the Ryerson and is it in dry dock now?
@theskicker8856 yeah hopefully that changes!
The captain was hamming up a bit for the crowd. They seemed to like it. Really beautiful piece with the sunset as backdrop. This one definitely belongs on the best of reel. The crowd reaction shots were great too. Point of interest:Toward the end of the video you captured an older gentleman using his cell phone to record the departure and he had a little border collie on a leash by his side. He shows up in videos from time to time. I mostly recognize the dog. Wonder who he is. Just another boat nerd I guess.
I was lucky enough to see the live stream that cold Monday afternoon.. Your video is better than the livestream!!.. Thanks for sharing this with us boat nerds!!!.. Excellent video!!!..😉😉
@@terrybenson3632 thank you! Glad you enjoy it!
❤
It’s sad knowing that the Ryerson has been sitting motionless since 2009. 😢Great video of the Sykes. At least I was lucky enough to see her in Marquette this summer twice. The Joseph Block came in also.
@@TOTALCAMARO yeah the activity on Ryerson a couple years ago never panned out, wonder if it’ll start again some day?
@ your guess is as good as mine. It would be great but I’m losing hope. Hope they prove me wrong.
Until we meet again old friend, stay frosty
Looks so much like the Ryerson .
She's loaded for sure, riding really low in the water.
👍🎄
Next time, could you record from where you started this video, please?
Love this ship! I lived in the Soo in 1949-1950 and my brother and I would run down to the locks to watch her when we'd hear her distinct horns. Unfortunately, the horns are gone now, but she still looks great! You can still hear them at ruclips.net/video/4bGYNH0MjI0/видео.html
USA!!!
I can tell the regulars in the crowd….no gloves!! They are a hardy bunch!!
@@Christina-ge3xr lol, actually we regulars sit back and laugh at all the people who come completely unprepared for the cold 😂 We are fully bundled up! Why be cold if you don’t have to be 😂
I want to see the Ryerson come back thats a pretty ship