M/V
Mississagi in Dry Dock No. 1 at Fraser Shipyard, undergoing plate repairs.
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1310
Dry Dock No. 1 is rarely used because of the length of ships on the Great Lakes.
Construction of Dry Dock 1 began on Christmas Day, 1891, and was completed the
following year. The dry dock was lengthened and re-built in 1962.
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1404
M/V
Mississagi, Rudder and propeller:
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1415
More views of
propeller
M/V
Mississagi, Tight fit in Dry Dock 1
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1400
Captain Brandon Durant is the master of the M/V
Mississagi. Captain Durant
began sailing in 1995 for P. & H. Shipping (Parrish & Heimbecker)
aboard the
Oakglen.
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1315
Looking forward on the deck of the
Mississagi. The
Mississagi was built in 1943 for the U. S. Maritime Commission
as the
Hill Annex. Upon delivery to the Pittsburgh Steamship Company the vessel was christened
George A. Sloan,
operating under that name until 2001 when the vessel was acquired by Lower Lakes Towing, Ltd.,
During its career, the
Sloan spent 7 seasons in winter lay-up at Fraser Shipyard,
beginning in 1958-59, and the last during the 1997-98 lay-up.
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1359
The
Mississagi's unloading boom is 262 feet long. Because of the vessel's narrow beam, combined with the length
of the boom, gives the
Mississagi the longest unloading reach of any vessel on the Great Lakes.
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1391
The
Mississagi is powered by a diesel engine, fitted at Fraser Shipyard in 1985.
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1332
Randy Ortiz, 3rd Engineer
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1334
Rick Pierce, Deckhand
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1368
The
Mississagi carries a crew of 18. Many sailors on the Canadian vessels hail from the Canadian maritime provinces,
such as Newfoundland. Four members of the
Mississagi's deck crew are from Harbour Breton, NL:
L-R, Steve D'Entremont (wheelsman), Rick Pierce (deckhand), Tom Johnston (wheelsman), and Melvin Pierce (deckhand).
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1378
Feeding a crew of 18 is a big job. The task is no different than operating a full-scale restaurant.
An array of vegetables is displayed here by Chief Cook Don Parkington.
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1396
Chief Cook Don Parkington, of London, Ontario, spent twenty years in the food industry.
He is a graduate of the Fanshawe College. In the 1990s Don competed with
a team from Fanshawe in the Taste of Canada. They finished 11th in the world.
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1345
To view additional crew portraits:
Mississagi portraits
Skylights in the officer's dining room are a reminder of the old days of shipping on the Great Lakes.
Built-in wooden hutches, and skylights were typical for
older steamers on the lakes built in the 1930s and 40s.
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1346
The non-licensed mess is the heart of the ship. Most of the crew dine here, where there is no distinction
between rank as was traditional forty years ago on most ships.
L-R: Langis Lizotte (2nd Mate), Tom Johnston (deckhand),
Rick Bartik (1st Mate), and Steve D'Entremont (8-12 wheelsman).
Superior, Nov 17, 2006, Image 06-1398
