Saturday morning, September 21, 2002, dawned partly cloudy and somewhat cool. When we heard on my marine radio that the CHIEF WAWATAM would be leaving the steel plant in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario enroute to Holland, Michigan, my wife Nancy and I headed toward the St. Marys River at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. The following photos were taken as the downbound CHIEF approached the Soo Locks complex which is operated by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. The Locks bypass the St. Marys River Rapids and lower vessels some 20 feet between the height of Lake Superior and that of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.
As you saw on the previous page, for many years the CHIEF was an ice breaking railroad car ferry operating between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, Michigan.
Since the railroad business in northern Michigan slowly faded away, there was no longer need for a ferry across the Straits and so the old vessel was purchased by Purvis Marine, Ltd. of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Its wooden superstructure was removed and the ship was converted into a huge barge.
The CHIEF was without cargo, and was drawing 13 feet. It was being pushed by the Purvis Tug AVENGER IV, which was drawing 18 feet.
