Stormy weather in the Strait Area...

    The morning of the 20th of February heralded another of the incessant winter storms that have been plaguing us here on the Eastern end of Nova Scotia and as the weather cleared for a few moments this writer was able to observe the departure of the CSL owned Shela Ann from the Martin Martin Marietta dock at Aulds Cove about 0940h . APA pilot Scott MacDonald was tasked with getting vessel on its way to Port Manatee in Florida where I'm sure everyone onboard will be happy to depart these latitudes.

    On its way out of the Canso Traffic Zone the Sheila Ann passed another of the CSL fleet.The CSL Acadian

sits at anchor in Pirate Harbour just below Mulgrave awaiting sailing orders.It had just completed a topoff operation in Chedabucto Bay with the cape sized bulker Marivictoria.

      Also the Rt.Hon Paul E. Martin still sits at the dock in Mulgrave undergoing some  necessary work.
   

   The CCGS vessel Earl Grey was busy this morning alongside the south wall at the Canso Canal and appeared to be loading navigation buoys.
       The oil/chemical tanker Prisco Alexandra

has ordered a pilot for 1700h today for a departure from Nustar Berth 2 with APA pilot Elias Dorey assigned .

A beautiful day on the water in our area.

    Bright sunshine created some perfect light for anyone photographing ships in and around the Strait Area today.The oil products tanker Prisco Alexandra (182mx32m) arrived in ballast about 1300h this afternoon after departing Anchorage Delta in Chedabucto Bay. APA pilot Scott MacDonald went aboard and took the vessel to the inside berth at Nustar.

Assisting with docking manouever were the tug Point Chebucto with Tugmaster derek king in the wheelhouse and the tug Svitzer Bedford with Tugmaster Vern Turple at the helm.
      At the Martin Marietta Quarry dock loading of construction aggregates continued  on the CSL vessel Sheila Ann.

The Australian Spirit(255m x44m)  was taken off the Nustar Outside Dock by APA pilot Elias Dorey after partially discharging some of its cargo of crude oil.

The coal topoff was restarted out in Chedabucto Bay between the Marivictoria and the CSL Acadian and is expected to be finished thru the wee hours of the 19th.

Two CSL vessels in port.

The 225m x 32 m CSL owned self-unloading bulker Sheila Ann was unloading at the NS Power's coal dock today.It had been expected in port on Friday but the high winds of late meant the Canso Pilot Boat strait falcon was off station til the weather improved.

An order for a pilot is in and the vessel may be moving to the Martin Marietta Dock in Aulds Cove to load gravel thru the early morning hours of the 17th.High winds that have been whipped up by a passing weather system may delay the unloading and subsequent move.
        Meanwhile the Rt. Hon. Paul E. Martin is still at the dock in Mulgrave for some scheduled maintainence.It is docked at the north end and drivers get quite a view of its size when driving towards the vessel.

       No word yet on when the repairs will be finished and vessels sailing time.
The cargo vessel Nordanhav has been at the paper mill dock and I would think it'll sail sometime on the 17th.

Some movements in the Strait

  The Sichem New York was anchored in Pirate Habour Anchorage after it came in to our port apparently with heating problem.The vessel appeared at the south pilot station the evening of the 11th of February and departed the anchorage about 1135h on the 12th with APA pilot Elias Dorey assisting in the safe passage out to the pilot station where he was picked up by the pilot vessel Strait Falcon.

The vessel was headed upriver and would be embarking an ice pilot when it arrives off of Port aux Basques NL
    The self-unloading bulker the Rt.Hon. Paul E. Martin was moved from the NS Power coal dock over to Mulgrave after 0700h this morning for some scheduled maintainence.

Out in the Chedabucto Bay deep anchorages the CSL Acadian was mated up with the Marivictoria to begin a topoff after 0830h this morning but would be separating for the duration of the large storm  moving into our area.

A new first for our Strait Area

The fairly new built "Balto" a self-unloading bulker arrived at the quarry dock in Aulds Cove on January 31st to load construction aggregates .After its launch in China it plied the Pacific West Coast for a time and then made the trip via the Panama Canal to work on this side.

It departed our area on the morning of February the 3rd  with APA pilot Rick Hanlon on the bridge.

The Atlantic Erie has been a regular visitor of late hauling salt from the Magdalene Islands and discharging on the wharf at Mulgrave .

I expect it will be use to replenish road salt stocks for our Transportation Departments needs

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The Alice Oldendorff was in the area recently and unloaded a cargo of  coal at the NS Powers coal Dock at Point Tupper and then proceeded to the Quarry for a load of gravel which was bound for New York.
   The Rt. Honourable Paul E.Martin was in port at the coal dock in Point Tupper to offload coal and is expected to head to the quarry soon.

The Nustar Oil terminal has not been extremely busy lately .the last crude tanker in was the European Spirit on February the 4th.

My sources tell me more ships will be expected after the 19th.
The Ryan Leet is still alongside at the doc in Mulgrave getting some much needed work done .The vessel is between contracts at the moment.

Our colder than normal winter has some of Superport Marine Services tugs breaking a bit of ice to free up the Yokahama fenders moored at Ship Harbour .Capt. Shawn Marsh and crew were photographed recently as they were tasked to free up the fenders for a coal topoff in Chedabucto Bay on the 12th.

Halibut!!

Our first vessel to unload in Arichat since the Premium Seafoods plant was destroyed by fire is the ATLANTIC PROSPECT.She was formerly owned by Clearwater but has been aquired by the ARCTIC FISHERY ALLIANCE.Some may remember her sister ship unloading here a couple of years ago named SUVAK(Former JENNY & DOUG) ATLANTIC PROSPECT is fishing Halibut.Atlantic Prospect is looking to land 4-5 trips.

• IMO: 8806735
• Name: ATLANTIC PROSPECT
• MMSI: 316004070
• Type: FISHING VESSEL
• GRT: 346 t
• Build: 1988

 ATLANTIC PROSPECT

Photo By: Donald Maclellan

 ATLANTIC PROSPECT

Photo By: Donald Maclellan

ATLANTIC PROSPECT 

Photo By: Jarrod David

SUVAK(Former GENNY & DOUG)

Photo by: Jarrod David

Sharon M1 returns.

   Yesterdays grey,drizzly and windy weather made for a lousy greeting when the Mckeil tug Sharon M1 approached Canso Lock from the north and APA pilot Rick Hanlon boarded her to begin a transit of the lock and eventually dock in Mulgrave. It was towing the 329 ft. barge Niagara Spirit and needed the assist of the Strait Raven .The barge was eventually tied up at the  Martin Marietta Materials Quarry Dock in Aulds Cove.

Waiting at the north pilot station to transit after the Sharon M1 was clear was the Groupe Ocean tug Ocean Echo II with the barge Betsiamites with a load of wood chips destined for Port Hawkebury paper at Point Tupper.APA pilot Scott MacDonald was dispatched for that task.

 Another vessel transitting from north to south on the Strait was the Atlantic Huron which I believe was headed to St.John N.B.

The tanker Indian Point has since departed Nustar Berth 2 and the Pretty Scene is presently at Nustar Ocean Berth One.

Expected in to Nustar is the 273m x50 m tanker crude oil tanker Ashkini Spirit to the outside berth .The Pretty Scene will be departing at about midnight tonight.