Welland Canal closes for season
Algoma Guardian arrived from Hamilton at 0156 Sunday for Goderich.
Algoma Mariner arrived Port Colborne 0910 Saturday morning for Hamilton. This brings the shipping season to an end.
Barry Andersen
Canada’s newest icebreaker docks in Port Colborne
PORT COLBORNE, ON – Named after one of the first women to serve as a federal cabinet minister, the Canadian Coast Guard’s newest light icebreaker made its way up the Welland Canal last week, docking in Port Colborne.
CCGS Judy LaMarsh, formerly Mangystau-2 and home-ported in Turkmenistan, was purchased in November 2021 from Atlantic Towing Ltd. for $45.2 million to supplement operations in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence and Atlantic regions.
Judy LaMarsh was one of the first women to serve as a federal cabinet minister, heading up national health and welfare, and amateur sport, said a Coast Guard release. She was instrumental in developing innovative federal programs, including medicare and the Canada Pension Plan.
While serving as Canada’s secretary of state, she helped to establish the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada. She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1980.
The vessel was the fourth interim icebreaker acquired by the Coast Guard, following the medium icebreakers CCGS Jean Goodwill, CCGS Vincent Massey and CCGS Captain Molly Kool. It underwent design and conversion work at the Coast Guard’s Prescott, Ont., base and was renamed in October 2022.
“The CCGS Judy LaMarsh will ensure our icebreaking services can continue to run smoothly while other Canadian Coast Guard vessels undergo planned maintenance,” said commissioner Mario Pelletier in the release.
The 13-year-old, Romanian-built, 66-metre-long vessel’s other duties include tending to navigational buoys in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence and Atlantic regions, and performing search and rescue and other emergency response operations when needed.
Welland Tribune
St. Clair Shores man blows 1915 tugboat horn after every Lions win
ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (WXYZ) — The sound of a 1915 tugboat horn is a familiar one to neighbors in one St. Clair Shores neighborhood.
“When you hear my neighbor’s horn go off, you know exactly what’s going on,” Donna Case said.
It’s the sound of victory. A signal that the Detroit Lions have just won a game.
“I hook them up to my air compressor and man, they’ll wake up the neighborhood,” Steve Gayton said.
Steve is the man behind the horn. He’s been blowing it after every Lions win for the past 11 years. He says it’s a homage to his memories at Pontaic Stadium.
“[My dad and I] would go there and they would always have horns blowing all the time and everything. And of course, I have tugboat horns, so I decided, ‘hey, why not keep the tradition alive right here at home,'” he said.
The sound of Steve’s horn can be heard for miles.
“It’s so loud that you go to the gas station and people down there are talking about it, and I’m like ‘oh my goodness, that’s my husband,'” Nicole Reeks said.
It’s even got him some recognition on a St. Clair Shores Facebook page.
“Not sure who you are, but, whoever is near Masonic and Jefferson that blows the train horn after the Lions victories … I love it,” St. Clair Shores resident Nicholas Handy wrote to the FB group. That post garnered 700 likes.
“And I was kinda proud, like ‘see! We’re working as a team and people are getting excited about the Lions winning,’” Steve’s wife, Nicole, said.
Steve says during this current football season, his neighborhoods have gotten more riled up and excited about their home team.
“I think the horns are definitely part of the camaraderie around here in the neighborhood of the Lions game. I know the kids love it,” he said.
And those kids, Steve, and the rest of his neighbors are hoping that Steve will blow that horn once again this Sunday.
“Oh yeah, we’re definitely gonna give it some extra salutes!”
WXYZ Detroit
Boatnerd winter lay-up list now active
Please send us your lay-up information
With vessels now heading for winter lay-up, please send any information – including date of arrival and dock, if known – about your port to news@boatnerd.net.
