Ocean Breeze: Port #8: Weather or Not, Family is Always a Good Thing!

Great Loop II Date: 8/11-13/2014

Day #12-14 (Monday-Wednesday): 42 miles (500 total miles)

Locks: 2 (2 total locks)

Port #8: Sault Ste Marie, MI

After we returned from our little jaunt into Whitefish Bay and the waters of Lake Superior, we found more boats had come into the marina. Impending weather manages to rearrange plans for many water dwellers. Boats are at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Todd and I decided it was time to explore the waterfront in Sault Ste. Marie. The old downtown is typical of small town Midwest with old architecture filled with hometown restaurants, pubs, gift shops and ice cream stores.

Unique artwork along Portage Street in Sault Sainte Marie, MI (including the fellow riding the bike...which was part of the artwork!)

The Soo has done a good job preserving her history and making visiting an educational experience for young and old alike. The Army Corps of Engineers has a huge facility and park built around the freighter locks. Best yet, entry is free. Todd and I went to the observation area to watch a freighter enter and lock through. Some years back, we had visited my cousin and taken the Soo Tours through these huge freighter locks. The Soo Locks didn’t seem to have the turbulence we’ve experienced in the Welland Locks. It might be because the Soo Locks only lift vessels 21 feet or so depending on water levels in Lake Superior. The Welland Locks lift much higher upbound.

A picture of the freighter locks at the Soo. The two locks in the middle of the picture are the longer locks that allow the bigger Laker Freighters through. The red arrow at the top is where the Canadian Lock is located...the one we went through.

We walked through the museum and learned some interesting tidbits about the Soo Lock and the freighters they serve. The mega-freighters that are 1000 feet long are able to transit by way of the Poe Lock, the only lock long enough for them. If one those freighters were stood on end, it would be within 250 feet of the height of the Empire State building.

A beautiful park surrounds the lock area and museum. We walked through the park hoping to find a gate at the east end closest to the marina. All we found was the huge cast iron fence that surrounds the lock area and park for security. We ended up walking back to the front gates along Portage Street, the main street downtown.

The next day (Tuesday) was rainy and miserable. We pulled out our raincoats and headed next door to tour the Valley Camp, a 525 foot freighter that used to be an ore boat for the Republic Steel Company. My cousin’s husband was a marketing manager for Republic and new most all of the ore carriers old and new.

Rain happens...and it was raw and cold, too! The US Coast Guard station was behind the George Kemp Marina.

A panoramic shot of the Valley Camp...a retired Republic Steel Corp. ore freighter. This freighter was the backdrop (or front window, depending which way you were facing) of the marina.

Demonstrating the depths and drops from one Great Lake to the next beginning, of course, with Superior. The big grey area in the middle is the Welland Canal dropping from Erie into Ontario. They will be the last locks we take when we come home in the spring...and the ARE the mother of all locks. That will be our fourth and possibly last trip upbound through them.

Looking from the pilothouse across the deck of the Valley Camp.

That little yellow box is a life saving box. Should a worker fall from the deck between the freighter and a wall, the block is dropped down and used to save him.

See the story below about the fate of this buoy and it's mate.

Can you imaging the pressure on the Edmund Fitzgerald ?

One of two lifeboats on display in the Valley Camp. Can you see the concave dips in the floor (more easily seen behind the lifeboat)? That's from the years and years of transporting iron ore pellets in the cargo holds. The weight actually warped the floor between the struts supporting the floor.

This was a nice display about the Edmund Fitzgerald in the Valley Camp. They also had two theatres with a film describing the day and night leading up to the loss of the Fitzgerald. Very impressive.

We enjoyed another great evening of food, laughter and reminiscing at my cousin’s condo that evening. It was a celebration of Don’s birthday. The weather may have been raw and wet outside, the warmth of family reigned inside.

The famous moving bear in my cousin's house. He shows up just about anywhere, anytime.

Notice a difference in clothing between the first night we were there and the last night? It got darn cold!

Family fun with Don on his 80th birthday.

Mother Nature continued to dominate our plans with high winds but clear skies Wednesday. I tied the boat in a little tighter and we decided to walk to the grocery store a mile away. We try to walk as much as possible to get some exercise on these journeys. I hadn’t planned to shop for a few days but with the weather keeping us land bound, it made sense to check that chore off the list. The Soo Super Value was well stocked and had the few things we needed. We have two folding crates on wheels with collapsible handles we take with us shopping and roll back to the boat with groceries in tow.

We finished up the day meeting Marilyn and Don at Zorba’s for a wonderful Greek meal topped off with baklava. It was Don’s actual birth day which added to the fun. I love seeing family when miles keep us apart for years. It’s difficult to leave, however the Loop awaits us.