The Big and the Small: Paddle from Belle Isle with Freighers

On an unusually warm day for the last day of November, we met Jim and John for a weekend paddle at Belle Isle. We spotted two freighters at anchor as we drove through downtown Detroit, so we had to check them out.

The current in the Detroit river was running against the 10-15 kt south wind, and produced a fun level of waves on the river.

 

The Federal Welland is a bulk carrier operated by Fednav of Canada, and carrying a Hong Kong flag. For you boatnerds, Fednav boasts the world's largest fleet of ice-class bulk carriers.  http://www.fednav.com/en/fleet/federal-welland

 The south wind pushed the freighters against the current, and caused the anchor chain to run across the bow at an odd angle.

The other ship was the Barnacle, another laker bulk carrier.

The Barnacle carries the flag of Cyprus.  We turned around the stern of the Barnacle for a long downwind run against the current back to Belle Isle. Jim and John got some surfing in on the waves, but it takes a little more than that to get the Cruiser surfing. This outing got us 9 miles and 15 points for the Watertribe derby.