The former Westdale Shipping Ltd. self-unloading steamer SILVERDALE, (a) GLENEAGLES (78), laid up at Windsor last autumn and did not fit out this year due to the bankruptcy of her owner. Much to the sadness of all enthusiasts, SILVERDALE was subsequently sold to M. & M. Metals of Hamilton for scrapping. On June 2, the tugs PRESCOTONT, GOTHAM and MANCO hauled her away from her berth at the Consol Coal dock and took her about 1 1/2 miles upriver to the Confederation Coal dock, where the breakers soon began work on her. At last report, the dismantling of the ship was progressing rapidly and much of her forward end had been removed. Meanwhile, conflicting reports have been received concerning the future of the other Westdale steamer, ERINDALE, (a) W. F. WHITE (76). On the one hand, it is said that she also has been purchased by M. & M. Metals, and will be towed from Humberstone to Windsor for scrapping once SILVERDALE is all gone. On the other hand, reliable sources indicate that Upper Lakes Shipping will use ERINDALE for grain storage, either at Toronto or at Montreal.

The St. Lawrence Cement Company's small bulk cement carrier ROBERT KOCH has been operating intermittently this year between Clarkson and Buffalo, but not under her own power as before. Instead, she is used as a barge, a towing notch having been built onto her stern. Motive power is supplied by the tug R. & L. NO. 1, owned by Wakeham and Sons Ltd., Hamilton.

The Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Company, once one of the larger U.S.-flag fleets on the lakes, is this year running only two vessels, the steamers WALTER A. STERLING and EDWARD B. GREENE. Both are presently operating for the Rouge Steel Company. Meanwhile, Cliffs has offered to donate its idle steamer CLIFFS VICTORY, (a) NOTRE DAME VICTORY (51), to the city of Toledo for use as a museum. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority is enthusiastically studying the offer to determine the cost of towing the VICTORY around from South Chicago, where she has been idle since 1981, and what sort of money would be required to maintain the vessel and open her for public tours. CLIFFS VICTORY was an impressive and popular ship during her relatively short lake career, and was once known as one of the "speed queens" of the lakes, but her small cargo capacity and high fuel costs have rendered her obsolete. We sincerely hope that the museum project succeeds, as the unusual VICTORY is certainly worthy of preservation.

Meanwhile, Cleveland-Cliffs has sold its 67-year-old steamer PONTIAC (II) to Marine Salvage Ltd. for scrapping, and it is presently thought that she will be broken up at Ramey's Bend. With Cliffs apparently having decided to divest itself of its older ships, none of which enjoyed any prospect of further service in Cliffs colours, it seems likely that the rest of the company's idle boats may soon make the one-way voyage to the breakers. Thus, the demise of the fire-damaged WILLIAM G. MATHER, as well as the affiliated Seaway Lines Inc. steamers WILLIS B. BOYER, WILLIAM P. SNYDER JR., CADILLAC (II) and CHAMPLAIN would also seem to be imminent.

With Cliffs' WALTER A. STERLING and EDWARD B. GREENE carrying ore for the Rouge Steel Company this season, the latter firm has been able to spare two of its four vessels for other trades. ERNEST R. BREECH has had a number of grain cargoes, while BENSON FORD (II) has been busy hauling ore from Duluth to Hamilton for the Steel Company of Canada Ltd.

PRAIRIE HARVEST, the most recent vessel completed by Collingwood Shipyards for Canada Steamship Lines Inc., ran her trials off Collingwood on April 4, 1984, and was duly accepted by C.S.L. She arrived at Thunder Bay on her maiden voyage on April 8, and has been in service ever since. A straight-decker, and the first such boat built for C.S.L. in many years, she was designed primarily for the grain trade.

One of the surprises of the 1984 season came in mid-May, when it was announced that N. M. Paterson and Sons Ltd., Thunder Bay, had awarded to Collingwood Shipyards a contract for the construction of a 736-foot straight-deck bulk carrier for delivery in 1985. The ship will be generally similar to C.S.L.'s PRAIRIE HARVEST, but will operate only on fresh water and will be slightly less powerful; she will have one 8,000 h.p. diesel engine. An interesting feature of the ship's construction is that the shipyard workers at Collingwood have staked their recently-awarded 5% wage increase against the boat's delivery on schedule; if she is not ready on time, the workers will not receive their raises. It appears that the advent of this new ship will seal the fate of at least one of Paterson's older and smaller upper lakers. SENATOR OF CANADA, QUEDOC (II), PATERSON, CANADOC (II), MANTADOC (II) and VANDOC (II) are all of less than full Seaway dimensions, and several of these have operated only intermittently in recent years. PATERSON has not run for two years, and the company has indicated that it does not intend to operate her again.

In our May issue, we sadly reported the sale for scrap of the Interlake Steamship Company's long-idle Maritime-class steamer E. G. GRACE, the first of the wartime-built "Maritimers" to go for scrap. The 41-year-old GRACE was towed out of Ashtabula (where she had been laid up since her retirement in 1976) on May 16, and the dismantling of the ship began shortly after her arrival at the Ramey's Bend scrapyard of Marine Salvage Ltd. Much of the forward end of the GRACE had disappeared in but a few weeks.

So far this year, the S. & E. Shipping Corporation (Kinsman Lines Inc.) has had only two vessels in regular service, namely KINSMAN INDEPENDENT and WILLIAM A. McGONAGLE. However, ALASTAIR GUTHRIE has made several trips for cargoes of grain, even if not under her own power. GUTHRIE is out of class and it was felt that the cost of drydocking her and fitting her out was not economically justified at present. Accordingly, she was brought out as a barge, with the G-tug OHIO hired to tow her. On her first trip, she passed up the St. Clair River on May 25, with the tug WISCONSIN assisting, bound for Duluth to load grain for Buffalo. She made another such trip during June, and two more in early August. Meanwhile, C. L. AUSTIN, which was sold earlier in the year to Triad Salvage for scrapping, cleared Buffalo on July 30 in tow of OHIO. She arrived at the Triad scrapyard at Ashtabula on July 31, and is to be dismantled as soon as the last remains of SYLVANIA are cut up.

The Jensen Shipping Ltd. package freighter JENSEN STAR, (a) FRENCH RIVER, is back on the lakes this year, running the Windsor to Thunder Bay general cargo service that was handled in 1983 by the foreign-flag CARIBBEAN TRAILER. She is operated by Newman Harbour and Transportation Inc., Windsor, and so far has proven relatively successful on the route even though she does not have the ro-ro capabilities of CARIBBEAN TRAILER. On the downbound leg of her trips, she has been delivering much lumber and newsprint to Toledo.

In the April issue, we reported that the small Lake Ontario sandsucker W. M. EDINGTON had been sold by Ontario-Lake Erie Sand Ltd., Hamilton, to McKeil Work Boats Ltd., Winona. It was thought at that time that EDINGTON would be converted to a barge to save on operating costs, but we are pleased to report that she is still running under her own power, at least for the present. She has, however, been renamed (e) NIAGARA II by her new owner.

Groupe Desgagnes Inc. continues to operate only four of the vessels that it acquired earlier in the year from the defunct Quebec and Ontario Transportation Company Ltd., and two of those ships have managed to get themselves into trouble. Early in the evening of July 26, the upbound CHICAGO TRIBUNE somehow managed to get out of the channel at the upper end of Middle Neebish in the St. Mary's River, and ran aground near Buoy 60. The accident, which occurred just before sunset, was allegedly attributed to "human error". The 54-year-old motorship managed to free herself by pumping out ballast, and proceeded to the Canadian Sault, where she spent the night and was inspected for damage. She then resumed her trip to Thunder Bay. A much more serious accident occurred on June 26, when the downbound THOROLD failed to stop whilst entering one of the Welland Canal locks. She struck the fender cable at the lower end of the lock and, although she was prevented from coming in contact with the lock gates themselves, the resulting mess closed the canal for some eighteen hours. Meanwhile, all four of the Desgagnes upper lakers remain idle, LAC STE-ANNE at Hamilton and OUTARDE, MELDRUM BAY and GOLDEN HIND at Toronto.

The 162-foot excursion vessel STAR OF DETROIT, built by the Chesapeake Shipbuilding Company at Salisbury, Maryland, arrived at Detroit on her delivery voyage on July 25. The modernistic motorship, which is owned by the Star Line Corporation, has a capacity of 300 persons, and will operate day-cruises and dinner trips from the Detroit waterfront. The Star Line is owned by publisher John P. McGoff, and already operates excursion boats in other areas. At present, its only other lake service is that operated out of Charlevoix, Michigan, by STAR OF CHARLEVOIX, the former BAY QUEEN.

The Boat Company's 73-year-old Straits of Mackinac steam carferry CHIEF WAWATAM now looks much as she did during her early years of service. For the first time in many years, the large white stripe has been put back on her sides, and her stacks again carry a wide silver band. The CHIEF is not particularly busy these days, and makes only two trips each week, for railcar traffic via the ferry has not been heavy. If things continue in this manner, the future of the veteran ferry will certainly be in doubt when the State of Michigan ceases to provide operating subsidies.

Early this summer, Gulf Canada Ltd. sold its handsome tanker GULF CANADA, (a) B. A. PEERLESS (69), to a group of Sarnia investors headed by Sandrin Brothers Ltd. (owners of the tug GLENADA). It was originally thought that the tanker would be used as a bunkers facility at Sarnia and as a barge for the transfer of product between various local refineries. By late June, however, she was in service on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River under the name (c) COASTAL CANADA, registered at Halifax and operated by Coastal Canada Marine Inc. The long-range plans of her new owners are unknown.

Early in 1983, the Great Lakes Towing Company transferred four of its harbour tugs to the affiliated Greater Gulf Towing Company, and sent them to Tampa for service there. The tugs involved were SAIPAN (the former MAINE), TARAWA (formerly MARYLAND), MISSOURI and FLORIDA, which were renamed, respectively, HILLSBORO, PASCO, POLK and PINELLAS. It would appear, however, that the salt water service of the tugs was less than successful, for all four were back in the Welland Canal on July 12, 1984, bound for Cleveland. They likely will be refitted for lake service, and we would assume that they will be given back their original "state" names.

As previously reported, the Auto Club of Michigan ordered two small "Mississippi-style" excursion boats from Twin City Drydock and Marine, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, for service to Bob-Lo Island from Gibraltar, Michigan. The two boats were delayed in completion, but GIBRALTAR (Hull 101) was launched on June 20 and was in service during July. TECUMSEH (Hull 102) departed the Soo for Detroit on July 29.

The Interlake Steamship Company reactivated its self-unloading steamer CHARLES M. BEEGHLY this spring, but she encountered misfortune on her first voyage. On April 4, whilst attempting to clear Duluth-Superior harbour via the Superior entrance, she was caught in an unusual combination of wind, current and ice. She was swept off course and her bow grounded in twenty feet of water off the south pier. Her stern struck the north pier, causing extensive damage above the waterline and also damaging about seventy feet of the pier. BEEGHLY was quickly repaired and has operated ever since. The Interlake fleet is more active this year than in recent seasons. Only JOHN SHERWIN, SAMUEL MATHER and HARRY COULBY failed to fit out this spring, although ELTON HOYT 2nd was found to be excess tonnage and joined the MATHER in layup at the old DeTour coal dock in mid-June.

The former Columbia Transportation craneship W. C. RICHARDSON (II) was used for several years, after her retirement, as a dock facility at Toledo. Earlier this year, however, her deck cranes were removed and she was towed to the west side of Toledo's Frog Pond, where she was pushed well up into the mud. The Frog Pond is a notorious resting place for ships that have reached the end of their usefulness, and so it would appear to be with what remains of the RICHARDSON. It is not known what her owners intend to do with her, but it seems likely that she will eventually end up in the scrapyard.

The last of the Ann Arbor Railroad carferries, ARTHUR K. ATKINSON, (a) ANN ARBOR NO. 6 (59), has been sold to Peterson Builders of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The idle ferry was towed from Frankfort on May 11 by Selvick tugs, and was taken to Kewaunee pending the availability of dock space at Sturgeon Bay. Peterson also owns VIKING, (a) ANN ARBOR NO. 7 (64), which is at Sturgeon Bay. The yard uses VIKING for training crews of ships being built there, and may use the ATKINSON for accommodation for those crews. Peterson has expressed a desire to see the ferries back in the trade for which they were built, although that possibility seems remote in the extreme, and both ships are currently being advertised for sale.

Dome Petroleum Ltd., a financially-troubled Canadian conglomerate, has been negotiating to sell its subsidiary, Davie Shipbuilding Ltd., to the Versatile Corporation of Vancouver. The deal was due to close on July 31. Versatile is another conglomerate, and it currently also owns the Vickers shipyard at Montreal.

Readers will recall that Western Metals Corporation Ltd., the Thunder Bay shipbreaking firm, was placed in receivership on December 13, 1983. The company has since been purchased by Shearmet Recycling, a division of Iron and Metal Recycling Ltd., which in turn is jointly controlled by the Steel Company of Canada Ltd. and by Intermetco Ltd. Sam Shaffer, the former owner of Western Metals, is now general manager of the reorganized firm. The steel produced by the company's shipbreaking activities will be sent to the Stelco furnaces at Hamilton. At present, Western Metals is in the course of dismantling LIONEL PARSONS, JOHN HULST and HORACE JOHNSON, while a small portion of D. B. WELDON also remains.

It had earlier been anticipated that three more tinstackers would be going to Western Metals for scrapping. Instead, the U.S.S. Great Lakes Fleet Inc. has sold B. F. AFFLECK, JOSHUA A. HATFIELD and AUGUST ZIESING to the Hyman Michaels Company, and during mid-July the trio was moved around to that company's yard at Duluth. Also at the Hyman Michaels yard is the veteran WILLIAM B. SCHILLER, which has been there for some few years but which has not yet been broken up.

It would appear that WILLIAM A. IRVIN will not become a museum at Duluth as had earlier been hoped. The city had wanted to refit the IRVIN in much the same manner as VALLEY CAMP has been treated at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, but the U.S.S. Fleet demanded that IRVIN be kept in operating condition in case her services should be required. This is a strange situation indeed, for the likelihood of U.S. Steel ever again needing the IRVIN is so remote as to be completely unthinkable. The company's actions, however, have negated any hope of preserving IRVIN as a museum, and it seems likely that she will eventually wind up in the scrapyard, as have so many of her fleetmates.

On June 1, 1983, two Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company workmen were killed by electrocution while working aboard the Algoma self-unloader JOHN B. AIRD, which was then nearing completion. The Ontario Ministry of Labour has now laid charges against the shipyard under the Occupational Health and Safety Act in connection with the deaths. Portship was recently acquitted on charges resulting from the February, 1983, fire aboard RICHELIEU which killed three workers, but the Ministry is appealing that ruling.

Much to the pleasure of the Kingston city fathers, who wish their harbour to be used for residential and recreational purposes rather than for commercial shipping, the barge WITTRANSPORT II was towed away from the La Salle Causeway on the morning of May 10 by the tug DANIEL McALLISTER. She was taken to the Blakely Welding dock at Deseronto, Ontario, but residents there were dismayed over the arrival of the hull in their area after all the stink that was made about her earlier presence at Kingston. As yet, no effort has been made to take WITTRANSPORT II to the Caribbean as was originally planned.

It will be recalled that the American Steamship Company had been planning to repower its Maritime-class self-unloader JOHN T. HUTCHINSON by cutting off her stern and fitting in its place the entire after end of the motorship SAGINAW BAY. The HUTCHINSON is in reasonable physical condition but her machinery is in sad shape, while SAGINAW BAY has a good, powerful, diesel engine but a hull that has been condemned. Unfortunately, the U.S. Coast Guard has failed to sanction the conversion and the company has, accordingly, abandoned its plans. As a result, it would appear extremely unlikely that either vessel will ever again operate. The HUTCHINSON is presently idle at Toledo, while SAGINAW BAY is laid up at Cleveland.

The Gaelic Tug Boat Company of Grosse Ile, Michigan, has once again expanded its fleet with the acquisition of two more saltwater tugs. Purchased from the Galveston area are MESSENGER and ATLAS, and the former is already being refitted at the Nicholson shipyard, River Rouge. ATLAS has no engine and her rebuilding will be a long-term project for Gaelic. At last report, no new names had yet been selected for the tugs, but they will be named for places in Ireland, as is Gaelic's normal practice.

For a number of years, the motorvessel PIC R. (the former PIC RIVER of the Quebec and Ontario Transportation Company Ltd.) has been lying at the Strathearne Avenue scrapyard in Hamilton. No effort had been made to dismantle the ship and she was looking more and more forlorn as the seasons passed. During the spring of 1984, however, scrapping operations began, and it will not be long until nothing is left of the 88-year old boat.

Recently sold for scrapping, the beautiful FORT HENRY is downbound in the Neebish Rock Cut in this August 10, 1973, photo by the Editor.

It appears that the Hamilton scrapyard will be kept quite busy, for during the spring of 1984 it purchased the idle C.S.L. steam package freighters FORT HENRY and FORT YORK, both of which had been laid up at Kingston since the cessation of C.S.L.'s general cargo service. The McKeil tug GLENEVIS towed FORT YORK out of Kingston on May 31 and arrived with her at Hamilton on June 1st. She then returned down the lake and cleared Kingston on June 4 with FORT HENRY in tow, bringing her into Hamilton on June 5. Although it had been evident that neither vessel would ever again operate for Canada Steamship Lines, it had been hoped that they might be acquired by some other operator for further service, even if not on the lakes. FORT HENRY was a speedy and beautiful ship, only 29 years old, and it is sad indeed to see her career come to such an untimely end. FORT YORK was even younger, having been built as recently as 1958. The demise of these two vessels leaves FORT ST. LOUIS and FORT CHAMBLY as the last package freighters in the C.S.L. fleet, ST. LOUIS being laid up at Hamilton and CHAMBLY at Windsor. It has also been suggested that some of C.S.L.'s idle intermediate-size upper lakers may also find their way to the Hamilton scrapyard before long.

During the autumn of 1983, the self-unloading motorship CONALLISON, (a) FRANK C. BALL (30), (b) J. R. SENSIBAR (81), was towed from Toronto to Ramey's Bend by Marine Salvage Ltd., which purchased her after the 1982 bankruptcy of Johnstone Shipping Ltd. It was rumoured that the vessel would be resold for scrapping overseas, and this has now proved to be the case. On August 9, the McKeil tugs GLENEVIS and GLENSIDE towed CONALLISON down the Welland Canal en route to Spain via Quebec City. The tugs then returned up Lake Ontario to fetch GEORGE M. CARL (II), (a) FRED G. HARTWELL (II)(51), (b) MATTHEW ANDREWS (II)(63), which Marine Salvage purchased from Misener Transportation earlier this year. GLENEVIS and GLENSIDE towed the CARL out the Toronto Eastern Gap at 2:30 a.m. on August 18 and headed for Quebec City with her. CONALLISON and the CARL will go across the Atlantic in tandem tow.

U.S. federal and Pennsylvania state authorities have been watching closely the activities of a salvage team which, using the small motorship MASSEY D., has been recovering lead ingots from a wreck lying at the bottom of Lake Erie. The site of the wreck seems to be some six miles north of the mouth of 16-Mile Creek at North East, Pennsylvania. Government officials and historical groups are interested in the situation because it is thought that the wreck may be that of the big wooden package freighter DEAN RICHMOND, which disappered [sic] in the area on October 15, 1893. It had earlier been assumed that the RICHMOND had foundered off Van Buren Point, near Dunkirk, New York.

The U.S.S. Great Lakes Fleet Inc. is apparently giving consideration to the repowering of its steam self-unloader GEORGE A. SLOAN, (a) HILL ANNEX (43), and the work may be done during the coming winter. The SLOAN is a Maritime-class vessel, built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works at Ecorse in 1943, and was converted to a self-unloader in 1967.

The A. B. McLean Ltd. gravel barge CHARLES W. JOHNSON, (a) IOCOLITE (47), (b) IMPERIAL KINGSTON (59), was taken this spring from Sault Ste. Marie to Collingwood for drydocking and the installation of a bowthruster. It is reported that she may be used in the lumber trade between Thunder Bay and Chicago, a service for which McLean usually uses its big barge G.L.B. NO. 2 in tow of the tug WILFRED M. COHEN.

Upper Lakes Shipping still has a number of its vessels in either temporary or permanent lay-up, primarily as a result of the continuing lack of U.S. export grain cargoes. Thus, SEAWAY QUEEN, FRANK A. SHERMAN, WHEAT KING, GORDON C. LEITCH and R. BRUCE ANGUS remain idle at Toronto, while CANADIAN MARINER and RED WING joined them in early August. However, amongst the boats that U.L.S. is running are CANADIAN EXPLORER (the former NORTHERN VENTURE and CABOT) and CANADIAN RANGER (the former HILDA MARJANNE and CHIMO). We have seen both of these stemwinder bulk carriers in operation, and can state with absolutely no hesitation that, as expected, they are two of the ugliest ships on which we have ever laid eyes. Not only are their stern sections completely mismatched with the rest of their hulls in both beam and depth, but there has been no attempt whatever to hide the differences. The nine-foot jog in the plating on each side raises an enormous drag-wave which must do wonders for fuel consumption. The bridge structure on each ship was raised one deck in order to provide adequate forward visibility, but the additional section (immediately below the pilothouse) is empty space and is totally devoid of windows or portholes, a feature that makes the cabins even less attractive than they were originally, if that is possible. When looking at these peculiar vessels from astern, the observer will soon discover something very odd; because of the bulges in their sides, they are the only large lakers of which one side can be seen whilst looking at them from the opposite quarter! The conversion of CANADIAN RANGER was completed during April, and on May 6 she sailed from Port Weller on her first trip, bound for Toledo to load coal. Both CANADIAN EXPLORER (which was completed in 1983) and CANADIAN RANGER have been sold to Ranex Shipping and are time-chartered back to ULS International Inc.

On March 1st, the Bay Shipbuilding Corporation laid the keel for its Hull 734, a 550-foot saltwater coal-topping barge ordered by the Lambert's Point Barge Company Inc., a subsidiary of the Norfolk Southern Corporation. Named THOROUGHBRED TOPPER, she will be operated at Hampton Roads by the Coastal Barge Corporation. Her maiden voyage took her upbound through the Soo Locks on August 12 in tow of the tug FIVE BROTHERS, en route to Duluth for a cargo of grain for the east coast.

The lighter T. F. NEWMAN, which is stationed at the Canadian Sault, was towed to Collingwood during the spring, and on May 28 she entered the drydock there for inspection and repair. The rather scruffy-looking NEWMAN was subsequently returned to the Soo, where she lies in readiness in case she might be required to assist at a wreck in the area.

The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway's 88-year-old steam tug EDNA G. was officially transferred to the City of Two Harbors on June 15, 1984. The city intends to preserve the historic tug, but it is not yet certain whether she will be placed on permanent display ashore, or whether an attempt might eventually be made to operate her in the excursion trade.

The U.S.S. Great Lakes Fleet Inc. is reportedly making plans to refit its 1,000-foot EDWIN H. GOTT and EDGAR B. SPEER with regular unloading booms, and the work may be done during the winters of 1986 and 1987. The transverse shuttle booms, that the vessels now have, limit their service, for they can only unload at a certain few suitable docks.

Yet another scheme has been advanced for the return of SOUTH AMERICAN to the Great Lakes. This one would have the former passenger steamer reconditioned as part of a museum and hotel complex at Menominee on Lake Michigan, but it seems to have no more chance of succeeding that did any of the myriad previous plans for such a venture at other ports. Meanwhile, SOUTH AMERICAN still lies idle in the Camden- New Jersey, area, in much deteriorated condition. We rather wish that she could be put out of her misery, instead of mouldering away while fruitless preservation plots are hatched. Her present condition is such that any attempt to refit her would appear hopeless.

The Medusa Cement Company's small cement carrier BADGER STATE, which wintered at Port Huron, is now at Ferrysburg, Michigan, having been towed there during May. She is serving as a storage barge, into which MEDUSA CHALLENGER frequently unloads for local distribution.

Effective July 3. 1984, Misener Transportation changed its corporate name to Misener Shipping Ltd. We understand that this change will eventually produce an alteration in the "billboard" which each of the company's vessels carries on her sides.

We previously reported on the storm of April 30, 1984, and the loss of the fishtug STANLEY CLIPPER on Lake Erie off Port Dover. In the interim, the bodies of two of her crew have been recovered, and the hull of the tug has been located, raised and taken to her home port. In addition to STANLEY CLIPPER and JOHN E. F. MISENER (which broke loose and struck the elevator at Port McNicoll), one other lake vessel suffered misfortune during that storm. The Pioneer Shipping Ltd. motorvessel SILVER ISLE was out on Lake Superior when the winds struck, and she suffered hull cracks, which reportedly ran from the main deck to the top of the sidetanks. For a while it was feared that the ship was in danger, but she managed to ride out the storm and proceeded to Thunder Bay for inspection and repairs.

The Lake Ontario Cement Company's bulk cement carrier STEPHEN B. ROMAN, (a) FORT WILLIAM (83), which normally operates from Picton to Toronto and Rochester (Charlotte), ran aground in the Genesee River at Rochester during the late afternoon of May 30th whilst outbound after unloading. Tugs were called to assist the motorship and she was freed without serious damage.

Some few issues back, we reported the sale to Oshawa buyers of the former minesweeper RHEA, which had latterly served at Port Stanley as a training vessel operated by the Courageous Sailing Club of London, Ontario. It had been thought that RHEA would probably be broken up by her new owners, but it now appears that they intend to retain her and use her as a private yacht. Much work on refurbishing the wooden vessel has already been accomplished.

It is reported that Malcolm Marine, of St. Clair, Michigan, has purchased the former U.S. Coast Guard tug MANITOU, a 110-footer built at Curtis Bay, Maryland, in 1943. MANITOU is generally similar to ARUNDEL, KAW, NAUGATUCK and OJIBWA that served for so many years on the lakes. She will be repowered and will join BARBARA ANN and TUG MALCOLM in the Malcolm fleet.

Quebec City has this year played host to the "Quebec '84" celebrations, which included the Tall Ships parade earlier in the summer. Taking advantage of this situation, Shelso Enterprises Inc. moved its floating restaurant/bar LA MARJOLAINE from the Cote Ste. Catherine Lock at Montreal to the Princess Louise Basin at Quebec City for the summer months. As well, a concern known as Groupe Jacques Cartier 128426 Canada Inc. chartered from the C. Y. Tung Group the deep-sea passenger vessel ISLAND SUN, (a) BRASIL, (b) VOLENDAM, (c) MONARCH SUN, (d) VOLENDAM, for use as a floating hotel. The ship was moored in the St. Charles River at Quebec, north of the Bunge grain elevator, and was manned by a Canadian service staff with a Chinese engineroom crew. The venture was, however, short-lived, for Groupe Jacques Cartier 128426 Canada Inc. went into bankruptcy on July 20th. It was not known what would happen to ISLAND SUN, but it was rumoured that she might join her sistership, BERMUDA STAR, (a) ARGENTINA, (b) VEENDAM, (c) MONARCH STAR, (d) VEENDAM, on the Bermuda service operated by Bahama Cruise Line Inc.

An old friend from pre-Seaway days has recently been sold for scrapping after two decades on salt water. CAPRAIA, (a) BRITAMLUBE (59), (b) BAY TRANSPORT (I)(64), was sold by Gaetano d'Alesio S.a.S., Italy, to Ditta Lotti, and was lying at La Spezia in February, 1984, awaiting the wrecker's torch.

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