So this weekend, the S.O. decided to get some gas at the station in the Flats. As we were leaving, I saw the swing bridge was open for river traffic. Of course, I had the camera with me and here's what I saw:

 

 

 

 

 

 

We headed over to the Columbus Road bridge but alas, it was already up...

 

My S.O. doing a lovely job of providing an idea of how large the bridges are:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The American Republic is 634 feet long - another 25 feet and it'd be as long as BP Tower is tall!

 

More info at :http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/amrepub.htm

 

And just for sh!ts and giggles, a pic from the bus on the way home last night:

 

Very cool

I am amazed every time I see a ship of that size going down the Cuyahoga, those guys must be rock stars at steering those huge ships.

I love when these giants go down the river during a concert at the Plain Dealer (formerly Scene) Pavilion at Nautica. I saw Modest Mouse there a few years back when one went past. Issac (the singer) watched it "Float On" as he played. Welcome to Cleveland! :-D

Nice pics. Awsome to see how these ships navigate the river.

Those ships are amazing at navigating that river, esp back in the day when the flats bars had pleasure boats docked so many deep and one of the barges would come through.

I was at the Nautica Stage for the Cleveland Indians playoffs in 1995 (they had huge screens for the crowds that couldn't fit into Jacobs Field). Anyway, while there for a night game, one of those big ships eased by and someone on the ship was aiming a searchlight around the crowd. As the searchlight's beam fell on sections of the floor seating or the bleachers, the crowd would stand up and wave their arms. It got to be like a rock concert!

 

BTW, cool pics MayDay!

Love the pics MayDay.  Reminds me of when my destroyer went through the Corinth canal in Greece.  Had about 5 foot clearence on both sides, fun times.  Thanks for the pics.

I was at the Nautica Stage for the Cleveland Indians playoffs in 1995 (they had huge screens for the crowds that couldn't fit into Jacobs Field). Anyway, while there for a night game, one of those big ships eased by and someone on the ship was aiming a searchlight around the crowd. As the searchlight's beam fell on sections of the floor seating or the bleachers, the crowd would stand up and wave their arms. It got to be like a rock concert!

 

^That's one of the coolest spontaneous events I have ever heard

Great pics Mayday!

 

I wish I had a magic wand that would make all utility lines disappear under the street, think how much clearer the first few views would be.

what awesome bridges!

love these! even more amazing is seeing them do it in the dark, with what looks like only inches to spare...or when rowing season is in full bloom. I have some friends who row and it is pretty scary the first several times trying to maneuver around these big guys. What I dont know is where they all go (a foundry I think?) in a day. where do they turn around down river?? Sometimes I see a few go down before another comes back. there are a few giants besides the American Republic going through. anyone know?

If I see one more damn boat...

fantastic!  I love the views down Center Street...can you imagine if you were up in one of those Stonebridge apartments, looking out and seeing a ship going by at even height?

fantastic!  I love the views down Center Street...can you imagine if you were up in one of those Stonebridge apartments, looking out and seeing a ship going by at even height?

yes

Yeah....this would be perfect for mixed-use tower :wink:

Those pictures were so good, I immediately went and took a walk in the Flats after viewing them.  Nice day for it, too.

What I dont know is where they all go (a foundry I think?) in a day. where do they turn around down river?? Sometimes I see a few go down before another comes back. there are a few giants besides the American Republic going through. anyone know?

 

They turn at a spot on the river just south of I-490. From GoogleEarth, it looks like one of those T-shaped paved areas on a really long, one-lane residential driveway. As for the destination of these big ships, there's a number of them -- they include the large Mittal Steel complex that Independence Road goes through (I highly recommend that drive/bicycle ride!), plus a number of aggregate dumps along the way. 

^On the current version of Google Maps, there are two ships visible on the river, one heading in and the other out.  At first I thought it might be the same ship captured twice, but they are two ships.  My guess is two can't be in there at one time so this is a stitch of photos from different times.  Some barges tied up inside the breaker are also visible, but I haven't been to Cleveland much so I dont' know what goes on there.  My guess is the barges can't be taken out on the lake except in the calmest conditions. 

 

>I am amazed every time I see a ship of that size going down the Cuyahoga, those guys must be rock stars at steering those huge ships.

 

Ship captains get paid something like $300,000 but it's fairly corrupt in that only family members really have access to those jobs, sort of like some union jobs.  Towboat captains make $80,000 minimum, it is a high paying job for people who don't do well in school but it's a tough life out there.   

 

Do they have port captains in the Great Lakes?  On the Mississippi, there are three zones between the mouth (there are actually three shipping channels out of the Mississippi below New Orleans) and Baton Rouge.  That means they have not one but 3 different local pilots who steer the boats for various segments along that route.  Even just south of Baton Rouge, the Mississippi is wide enough to allow FIVE ocean-going ships or barge tows to pass simultaneously.  There are huge oil refineries, chemical plants, and hundreds of empty tied-up barges, six deep off both banks, for 100 miles.  At New Orleans, the river is 60 feet deep!  It is incredible to watch but extremely dangerous to work there, there are deckhand fatalities and serious injuries down there all the time.         

 

 

 

 

>Anyway, while there for a night game, one of those big ships eased by and someone on the ship was aiming a searchlight around the crowd. As the searchlight's beam fell on sections of the floor seating or the bleachers, the crowd would stand up and wave their arms. It got to be like a rock concert!

 

Those Xenon beams are incredible, the captains often goof around with them, shine them in people's houses and in the drawbridge booths if the operator is slow to push the button.  But I have been in fog so thick the beam can barely stretch from the top of the wheelhouse to the water immediately below.   

 

 

 

 

 

...Even just south of Baton Rouge, the Mississippi is wide enough to allow FIVE ocean-going ships or barge tows to pass simultaneously.  There are huge oil refineries, chemical plants, and hundreds of empty tied-up barges, six deep off both banks, for 100 miles.

 

Tell me about it.  :roll:

(From September @ DT Baton Rouge.  Post Katrina, maybe post Rita as well)

 

fantastic!  I love the views down Center Street...can you imagine if you were up in one of those Stonebridge apartments, looking out and seeing a ship going by at even height?

yes

 

well, go ahead and get yourself a digital camera then!  a little reciprocation wouldn't kill ya!  :wink:

I think on boatnerd.com, they actually have a schedule for which ships are supposed to come into port. Don't quote me but I also thought I saw some sort of realtime/GPS locator thingymajig!

 

"can you imagine if you were up in one of those Stonebridge apartments,"

 

I don't know... I mean I guess I'd have to manage. I mean, it's not like I'd just love to have THIS view or anything  :wink:

 

^ Dats a byootifull photo

I was at the Nautica Stage for the Cleveland Indians playoffs in 1995 (they had huge screens for the crowds that couldn't fit into Jacobs Field). Anyway, while there for a night game, one of those big ships eased by and someone on the ship was aiming a searchlight around the crowd. As the searchlight's beam fell on sections of the floor seating or the bleachers, the crowd would stand up and wave their arms. It got to be like a rock concert!

 

BTW, cool pics MayDay!

 

that reminds me of a thought I had about Playhouse Square.

 

If the screens are large enough, I would love to see Playhouse Square televise Cleveland playoff games from the screens on the Windham and the Hanna buildings.  Close off the street to traffic and let the crowds gather.  If we had a good chance of going far into the playoffs, I think that you would see a lot of people show up.

hey free bridgework.  :-D

 

i love shots like this --- nice catch.

 

here's something i found out about that ore freighter online, but neither of these are true anymore:

 

Service:

The M/V American Republic is used in general trades, but primarily serves LTV Steel Company’s iron ore pellet shuttle trade between Lorain, Ohio and their steel mill in Cleveland, Ohio.

 

**so i wonder what that ship's run is these days?

 

 

In response to Wimwar's post, they did broadcast the opening day game on both big screens with audio pumped through the speakers on the plaza.  I don't know that they're big enough for a great viewing experience, but with a crowd there and a playoff vibe on the streets, I'm sure this would be fun!

yay