Mini Tour Of The 

  Steamer Edward L. Ryerson

During the fitout of the Wilfred Sykes in April 2002 I got to go over to the Edward L. Ryerson for a quick visit.   Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined when I was a little boatnerd watching her sail up and down the St. Marys River as a kid that I would be laying her up for possibly the last time as her Master in December of 1998.  What little time I did get to spend on her for the 1997 and 1998 sailing seasons will always be the ones I remember with the fondest of memories.  I never realized just how much of a following this ship had until I relieved Capt. Ron Brezinski in May of 1997 for a one month tour of duty.  I will never forget how this ship drew crowds of people from every conceivable point on the St. Marys.   I noticed that people would follow this ship from above the Soo Locks to below Rock Cut and every possible point in between to get her picture.  That spring I blew so many salutes that I broke one of the whistles.  Or maybe the engineers unplugged it.  I could not have blamed them if they did for a lack of sleep impairs one's judgement.  Memorial Weekend it looked as though the Rock Cut had become a city of it's own there were so many people there taking pictures.   For that month the after end of her called the St Marys "Steamwhistle" alley.  I loved hearing that whistle so often that when one evening there were no boatnerds around and I blew a dog a salute (any excuse to blow that whistle) just because it was there watching us.  The mate on watch thought I was nuts.   So will probably many of the people that read this, but that is the one thing I always loved as a kid.......hearing the ships whistles.   Whether it was a common Kahlenburg piston whistle or a majestic steam whistle from an era fading away rather rapidly, it would give a cheap thrill that I am finding out that you don't forget as you get older.   I still remember the Captains that blew salutes when I was a kid and I appreciated that then.  Hopefully many of you captured that whistle on your video cameras to marvel at its power and beauty long after she is gone.  So many of you are wondering "what will her fate be?"   I cannot answer that.   I do not know?   I can only guess, but looking at the state of the Great Lakes fleet and where it seems to be heading, it doesn't look good.   But they said that before 1997 as well.   Maybe there is one last dance?  Only time will tell.  Only now can I look back and appreciate the fact that I was even a member of her crew at some point in her career.   When you all read Roger Le Lelievre's article (I have only heard parts of it) in the next Great Laker magazine, you will begin to fully understand just how special this boat was to her crew.  There will only ever be one.... Str. Edward L. Ryerson.   

Scroll down to get to the new pics.

  Looking Forward from the after cabins.

  Looking forward from near midships.

And 180 degrees from the previous.

Looking aft from the chartroom.

Looking starboard in the chartroom.

Pilothouse looking starboard.

A view toward the front window.

Looking port from near the front window.

The back up wheel is a thing of beauty.   This is the wheel used to steer her should the main steering fail.

Looking out the front window.

Looking down the starboard wing from the pilothouse.

The Captains Stateroom.

Captains Office.

The passengers lounge.

  The stainless steel map of the Great Lakes in the lounge.

  Looking up the starboard side from the stack deck.

Updated October 2006 :   Well, it is no secret by now.   She rides again!! 

Here are a few pictures I have taken along the way.  

Shifting her out of the way so the Joe Block can lay up in Feb of 06.

    In the graving dock at Bay Ship.

View of the "cruiser" stern, rudder and prop assembly.

Bow Thruster tube

Storm coming in from Green Bay.

Shortly after hauling at Green Is, her first moments underway in 8 years.

Trip #1 unload at #2 Dock at Mittal Steel, Indiana Hbr.

Roger LeLievre and Matt Yocum await the Pineglen departure at #2 dock.

Storm coming in at Indiana Hbr during Trip #2. 

Finishing up the unload at Indy.

Another storm in Sturgeon Bay while we visit for a short lay over after Trip#2.

Sunset at the Mackinaw Bridge

Sunset coming down Lake Superior.

  Night Time passage thru the Soo Locks.  

  Sailing past Detroit, Michigan.......the HOME of Rock and Roll and a hockey team full of goons!

Sunrise at the Soo Locks.

A winter midnite passage thru Rock Cut.

Sunset on Lake Superior from the pilot house.

Upbound thru the Mac Lock December 2006.

Downbound  Detroit, MI., December 2006

Upbound thru the Poe Lock in Jan 2007.

Last ship down thru the Soo Locks closing out the 2006 sailing season.

Engineers Day 2007.

Duluth Fireworks on July 4, 2007.

Entering Lock 8 of the Welland Canal.  

Pilot Alain Gindroz takes us thru the Allanburg Bridge.

Allanburg Bridge in the Welland Canal.

Looking down on the Flight Locks.  

Passing under the Thousand Islands Bridge.

Yale Mansion.

Sailing by Boldt Castle on July 17, 2007.

Singer Mansion.

Crossover Is at Sunset.

Going thru the St. Lambert Lock on July 18, 2007.

Six Flags in Montreal.

The Biosphere.

The Olympic Stadium from the 1976 Summer Games.

Passing by the Port District with Montreal in the distance.

  Stopping for fuel by barge.

  Passing under Pont De Quebec.

Entering Quebec City.

For the 2nd trip to QBC, it rained from the time we made port until the time we left.
 

A view of the Harbor from Section 52.

Salt water vessel Puffin on a windy, rainy night in Quebec City Harbor.

Known as "The Music Man" - West of QBC, as a vessel approaches his residence, he plays the National Anthem of the country of the ship on huge speakers that can be heard from a mile or more away I am sure and he will raise the vessels call sign on signal flags.   If you salute him, he will lower the call sign flags and add a "Thank You" pennant.  

Passing under the bridge at Three Rivers, Quebec.

St Lambert Lock heading back upbound.

Approaching the Pont Honore-Mercier Bridge near the Kahnawake Indian Reservation.

Stop guard in the Upper Beauharnois Lock.

Starring up at the lock wall in Lock 5 of the Welland Canal..

Sailing out under Bridge 21 in Port Colborne on 7/27/2007.

Matt Yocum and Roger LeLievre (AKA Mr. Know Your Ships) with the Christening

                                     Pennant.

Unloading at Dofasco Steel in Hamilton, Ontario on April 21, 2008.