Ship Lost in Time Making an Incredibly Rare (15+ years) and Beautiful Birthday Canal Departure
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- It’s my 27th birthday and Alpena decided to make it extra special! The 82 year old vintage steamship comes in through the Canal once or twice a year on average, but she always leaves through the Superior Entry since her usual dock is halfway between the two channels and it’s easier not to have to turn around. For some reason or another, she made an exception today and returned to the Canal to make her first departure from there in at least 15 years according to Paul Sinocca, and the last time she used the Canal to leave she’d been departing from a different dock. Whatever the reason, it was absolutely spectacular with the morning sun beaming down on the lake! There are few videos I ask you all to stay until the end, but her out on the lake looks like a painting!
Built during World War II as the Leone Fraser, she operated as a 639ft straight decked ore hauler, one of many ships that were being built at a frantic pace to support the war effort and increase steel production. Post war she continued to operate and in the 1960s she was modified to haul grain in addition to ore. In 1982 the ship was laid up and expected to be scrapped following the introduction of the thousand foot lakers, which she could not compete with. In 1989 the aging ship was saved from the scrapyard after 7 years in storage by Fraser Shipyards in Superior, who purchased the ship, towed her into dry dock, and converted her into a self unloading cement hauler, shortening her by 120ft to 519ft long so she could fit into most cement slips around the lakes. Even at reduced size the ship was still the largest cement hauler of the day, and Fraser put her up for sale for Great Lakes cement operators.
Their gamble paid off, the next year she was purchased by Inland Lakes Management and renamed Alpena. In 2015 following the conversion of the St Mary’s Challenger to an ATB she became the oldest fully operating steam freighter on the Lakes, and in the world. She’s also the last pre-classic design, vintage laker still in operation following Cuyahoga’s fire earlier this year, and also has the last steam powered whistle on the Lakes. In late 2015 she had her own multi-million dollar fire while getting inspected in drydock, but was repaired without much incident. She was repainted and modernized slightly in 2022 in Sturgeon Bay WI.
She truly looks like a time machine, something that should not exist in today’s world, like time forgot her! The contrast when she was arriving yesterday between her and the modern lakers, salties, and especially the spaceship looking Viking Polaris was incredibly striking, a living, breathing museum piece.
She only comes to Duluth once or twice a year, and usually during the night, so seeing her at all is a special treat. To see her under these circumstances is extraordinary. I know it was wasn’t exactly intentional but thank you Alpena for a wonderful birthday gift!! Absolutely made my day!
The old girl has proud lines. What a beauty. And a bow thruster. That was something back in the day. She was high tech.
Those rays of sunlight on the lake highlighted her beauty. I expect her crew are proud of the old lady. Happy birthday Jonathan 😊
@@pixie706 yes they certainly did, gorgeous morning! I’d certainly be proud!
@@jonathanellsworth21Please feel free to copy anything in my blogs. They are not monitized or monitored. No cookies. thunderflower2021.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-2024.html?m=1
I worked as a Third Assistant Engineer on the Alpena 30 years ago. Thank you for the great video with no music and no commentary. The sights and sounds of the boat and the lake say it all!
Wow! That must have been an amazing experience, probably a few stories too! Glad you enjoyed! She’s an amazing vessel
@@jonathanellsworth21 Yes, I do have my share of sea stories from my time on the Lakes. I have some videos of my time on the E.M. Ford as well. Check out the ABOUT tab on my website I have been working to create as a hobby over the past couple years: www.cv60project.com/about
At 8:30 with the ship getting smaller and the sun rays lancing through the clouds it was a painting.
Lovely ship. So old school. The steam horns in the stack really set the tone for the video.
Thanks Jonathan.
That was my thought exactly! Felt like I was living in a painting, absolutely gorgeous! Glad you enjoyed!
Thank you great video.
@@bettygilmore611 Glad you enjoyed it!
Terrific video of a wonderful ship. We have nothing like her in the UK, she is an absolute gem, still earning her keep as a freighter and deserves to be a National Monument.
@@user-br8qj7xp6b We love her here!
If you want to see other great examples of surviving historical vessels, check out the HMS Caroline from 1914, or the S.S. Keewatin from 1908. They're both rare examples of vessels from the early 1900's that were never scrapped, and that seem to be fairly well maintained today.
And who said old ships can't make money...First time hearing she was actually cutdown in length to fill a niche in the industry. Brillante idea and your shots of her beautiful livery are absolutely stunning. What a keepsake. Oops almost forgot, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
For those Cement boatnerds, Wes Oleszewski turned me onto a rather rare book I was able to find, "The Huron Heritage 1907-1957" a 50 year celebration book about the history of the Huron Portland Cement Company. Great story and classic pictures.
@@skycvg imll have to look into that! Thank you!!
Your videography is mesmerizing. I so prefer your work to those who blab on and on in their videos. Your written descriptions are detailed and a thousand times better! Thank you for your great work. 😊 Happy Birthday!
@@rcdoodles6214 I’m glad you enjoy and thank you! That means a lot 😃
Awesome. Thank you for sharing such a great old lady still going strong. Happy, happy day. Awesome job filming her, but your work is always superb. Thank you🎂🎂🎂🎂
Thank you!!
Really enjoyed reading the full history and restoration of this beautiful lady. Thank you❤
@@shabbymaverick7975 glad you enjoyed!
What a beautiful vessel, the ILM livery suits her well. I haven't watched a video of her before, and most stills are head-on. Watching her steam past was eye-opening, really drives home just how many changes the Wilfred Sykes pioneered a few years later.
@@GrandWagJeep the colors definitely suit her extremely well! Glad I was able to show you her! The Sykes really did change everything, they’re extremely different designs! That stern especially is so unique now days
Didn't realize she made so few visits to Duluth. Beautifully shot. Happy Birthday.
Thanks! Yeah she does not come very often, I’ve only seen her in person on one other visit in 2022! My girlfriend recorded her for the channel last year because I was working!
Happy Birthday to Her and her crew and have a safe journey ❤️ 💕 💛 💖
Fabulous video!! She's an incredibly beautiful lady! Hearing her horn gave me such a thrill! Magnificent 😍
@@adriannegrillo8394 Glad you enjoyed! Those steam horns are so cool, love the little puffs they create. Not something modern ships do!
Happy birthday 🥳glad she made your day extra special
@@charlottecunningham2141 thanks 😃
Nice to see the old beautiful classics still working
You outdid yourself on this one! This video was stunning both visually and the audio. She looked like a queen heading out into the lake! Bravo!
@@bevpearson8268 thank you! It was a gorgeous departure!
Congratulations, Jonathan, on another year under the belt! And thanks for sharing a great video of the outbound Alpena with the North Hills in the background. She's such a beautiful "young" lady, heading out onto Lake Superior and into the sunrise.
@@user-AZ-phil she is beautiful! Aging gracefully as heck lol
Majestic design nice color, clean and crisp. The horn is perfection. Man rarely achieves something useful with thoughtfulness and longitivity utilizing the resources God has provided to be used for good to benefit all without evil intention. Beauty and function shows what mankind is capable of in Unity annd kind thought for all.
@@carolewoolley7017 She is gorgeous!
Beautiful! Love the old style stack. Happy Birthday!
@@baratono that stack is so unique these days, I love it too
The last image is just spectacular. Happy birthday!
@@EatsLikeADuck It was a gorgeous morning, was just sitting put there watching it, beautiful!
Happy Birthday. What a great gift for you, and all us too.
Yes it was awesome to see her! Could not have been more perfect
Amazing job Jonathon!!! absolutely love seeing your perspective. It’s so different and you do such a great job. Happy birthday.
@@yeahletsunpackthat thanks! I’m glad you enjoy them 😃
Beautiful. And a wonderfully written story, too. Thanks for keeping this ship alive.
@@tokugawa12able Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!
Thank you for the lovely video, and the ending was indeed worth the wait. It's so nice seeing these beautiful boats without unnecessary and incessant narration!
@@uncaringbear Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice Thx
@@markcardwell glad you enjoyed!
Nothing beats the sound of those classic whistles!
Yeah, great birthday gift, happy birthday.
@@MikePollock-js7du thanks!
You should make a still life out of those last few scenes, the sun on the water, the boats in the distance...so beautiful.
@@Life_With_Lady might have to!
🎉 Happy 27th Birthday. Nice to see you mention Paul S., I enjoy his videos as well as the ones you share. I have some pictures of the Alpena taken in the 1990s before they gated up the Soo Locks and you could get close enough for some great pictures.
Thanks again for sharing!
@@difreighterwatcher8603 thank you! Yeah I see Paul all the time, wonderful guy! Hopefully can get up to the Soo on one of the days they have the gates open!
Wow….she is a beauty!!❤
Beautiful ship, lovely cinematography, endearing history. Especially for a man who hopefully expects to celebrate his 82nd birthday in less than a fortnight🙏
Sam, Towson, md
@@samuelcollins1331 thank you! Happy Birthday to you as well!
@@jonathanellsworth21 Not counting Chickens before they hatch,,,,BUT THANK YOU ALL THE SAME!
Sam, Towson, md
I hope she sails for many more years.
@@edgein3299 hear hear!
An oldie but a goodie
As someone with a boilers license I love anything steam!!
Beautiful ship, terrific filming job, thank you! And Happy Birthday! 🎉🎈
@@suzannemarienau2760 thanks!!
Happy birthday! Alpena is such a beautiful ship. When I lived in Milwaukee she would come in every now and then and my dad and I would park nearby and admire her.
@@user-zy2hg7vf4s she’s gorgeous, she still goes to Milwaukee! More often than she comes here I think lol
Great video! What a classic ship and that whistle takes the cake!
@@delta9k thanks!
I noticed the other day on my MarineTraffic app that she was venturing outside of her usual stomping ground. Glad that you captured this video. Such a beautiful ship. She seems well cared for too. Hope to see her for many more years (and hopefully one day in person). Happy Birthday!
@@greggrauscher34 Definitely hope to see her many more times!
Happy birthday. Thanks for the video and description.
Glad you enjoyed! Thank you!
So graceful
@@michaeltaylor8835 that she is
The Alpena! There's a video on here someone made of the interior accommodations and guest rooms. Beautiful old ship.
Great video and such an informative description-thank you so much! She’s really something.
@@1amybean that she is, glad you enjoyed!
Thanks for posting. I'm way out in Texas but my Mothers family is from Alpena Michigan and I always like to see the Alpena.
@@mikeknowles8017 Probably see her more than I do lol, lucky!
What an absolute treat thank you
Wow! That was quite a surprise to see the Alpena on your birthday, and the sun was really shining for you too! So glad you were able to see this and share it with everyone! Happy 27th! 🥳👋🚢🌞 (Looked like a movie set! 🎥😀)
@@DressyBessie thank you!! Felt like I was living in a painting or a movie lol
@@jonathanellsworth21 😄 What actor would you be?
She's a beaut.
Happy Birthday, great video
@@ellenhalpern1882 thank you!
Love the Alpena!! Great vid as always. Happy belated birthday!!
@@SusanSpeary-zg6oj thanks!
Ce vieux navire est certainement le plus authentique et le plus beau des grands lacs ....( un ship lover from Frrance )
She definitely has a different feel of authentic age to her, and still looks good! Seeing her is always a treat!
Beautiful old girl!
Sailing out into eternity….
Small ship on an endless lake
I love them old taunt taunt boats! Majestic. The Pride of the Great Lakes!
Happy birthday !
@@FelineStorm thanks!!
A national treasure
Absolutely is!
happy bday
@@gyattrizz2024 thank you!
Happy Birthday, Jonathan! Thank you for sharing this video of the lovely Alpena. You know how there are some things and some people who have a quality that you just don't have the words to describe, some special something that sets it/them apart? The Alpena has that special something. She's more than beautiful. I hope your birthday is as special as she is and that you both have many happy returns.
@@lie-berry thank you! And yes she certainly does!
You crying?? Had to watch through tears
‘Merica baby!!!
As old as me and looking better.
It's sad they don't make graceful boat tails like that any more.
@@ralphaverill2001 yeah that stern is so unique now days
Beautiful final image. Thanks for the upload. And how many lakers are left that still have a counter stern? I think the cruiser-type stern was introduced on the lakes in about 1943.
@@SenexCanadensis I believe she’s the last one with that stern design actively sailing at the moment. Cuyahoga’s the only other potentially active one that has it as well but she’s currently out of commission and may or may not come back. There are several museum ships like the Irvin here in Duluth that have it as well. The first cruiser stern on the Lakes was the Wilfred Sykes in 1949, but a few older ships were brought in or retrofitted with that after the fact, such as JAW Iglehart
3:50 for the salute
No crowd????????
@@dcarr4305 nobody was expecting her! I live almost next to the bridge and still barely caught her! She never goes out this way so nobody was anticipating it!
@@jonathanellsworth21 We need an insider on the Alpena to advise of these things. 👍
@@dcarr4305 I wish I had one on every ship 😂 would make this a lot easier some days!
Супер, оно на пару работает?
Yes, steamship
I'll bet the Alpena came up from Green bay.
Alpena Michigan! Green Bay is another unloading stop like we are
Why can’t new Lakers be beautiful too?
Practicality.