Michipicoten - Extremely Grey Day Brightened With a Salute

Here is the Michipicoten seen making a speedy departure from Superior, Wisconsin on November 22, 2022 after loading taconite pellets at the Burlington Northern #5 dock. She was due to delivery her load at the Algoma Steel plant in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario... which is roughly a 26-hour journey across Lake Superior. The Michipicoten is always one of the faster boats in and out of the harbor. And while her maneuver to back away from the dock and pivot to line up with the entry may not look "fast" to the untrained eye, she definitely makes quick work of it. She may even be quicker than the Stewart J. Cort, another fast boat who is a regular at the Superior entry.

This was only my second time catching the Michipicoten in 2022, so it was nice to see her again. It was a heavy overcast day, with the Michipcoten's grey paint completing the grey skies. She did brighten things up a bit with a nice captain's salute on her way out of the Superior entry, which is always appreciated! Since there is no lift bridge at the Superior entry, we can be assured that the salute was meant for those of us who gathered to see her off.

The 698-foot Michipicoten was launched in 1952, originally named the Elton Hoyt 2nd. She sailed for Interlake Steamship Company until she was laid up in 2001 due to lack of demand. She was then purchased by Lower Lakes Towing in 2003 and renamed the Michipicoten before starting work with her new owners. All of the Lower Lakes Towing ship are named after rivers. (Her fleet-mates include the Mississagi, Cuyahoga, and Saginaw... though the Mississagi was retired at the conclusion of the 2020 season and is now being scrapped.) In 2010, her steam turbine was replaced with a 6-cylinder 8,200 horsepower diesel engine. Her current cargo capacity is 22,000 tons.

Those with a keen eye may notice the CSL Tadoussac outside the Superior entry in this video. She was next in line to load in Superior and was making her way over to line up with the piers. Stay tuned and you will see her arrive in an upcoming video!

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