Cold weather in the Strait area kept a lot of those on the water shivering but the crew of the Mar Bulk vessel Pioneer persevered and finished up discharging their cargo of coal at the NSPC Dock in Point Tupper and got underway with the assistance of the tug Svitzer Bedford  with Capt. Jean Gallant and crew and APA pilot Scott MacDonald.

   .Pilot MacDonald was delivered to the Pioneer on the pilot vessel Strait Falcon skipperd by Capt. Paul Ryan.I was able to capture a few images of the operation despite bitter temps on deck.The lines vessel Strait Rider delivered the dock lines crew to the NSPC dock and got them back safely to Pirate Harbour.The crewmen handling the lines on the Pioneer told me that they were from the Ukraine and this was weather similar to their homeland.Hardy bunch I say.