Welland Canal: Part 1 Few of us are fortunate enough to work at a job that has...
Welland Canal: Part 1 Few of us are fortunate enough to work at a job that has...
Welland Canal: Part 1
Few of us are fortunate enough to work at a job that has great respect, history, and charm. A job that demands advanced skills, takes years to learn, and master, and is performed using equipment that is state-of-the-art. This is the story of just such a job performed by Great Lakes captain and pilot: Captain Joseph Nimako, ship pilot, on the Welland Canal.
The Great Lakes consisting of Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario, and located in the northeast of the USA, forms part of the border with Canada, and is made up of the largest group of freshwater lakes on earth. Ships enter the Great Lakes from the St. Lawrence Seaway, and travel with cargo to the farthest western port of Duluth, Minnesota.
In addition to the ocean going ships, there is an entire industry made up of freshwater ships that haul freight within the Great Lakes. These ships serve the many ports on the Great Lakes. Go to this site for amazing information on Great Lakes shipping:
http://www.great-lakes.net/teach/business/ship/ship_1.html
Products shipped on the Great Lakes include iron ore, coal, coke, salt, stone, wheat, corn, soybeans, barley, oats, flaxseed, fuel oil, petroleum products, chemicals, forest, and animal products.
The Great Lakes are at varying sea levels, and requires ships to pass through locks, which raise and lower the ships to the level of the lake they are entering. Navigating massive ships through the narrow locks requires highly skilled ship maneuvering. The native freshwater Great Lakes freighters are navigated through the locks by the ship captain. Passing through the eight locks of the Welland Canal can usually take 11 hours or more.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welland_Ship_Canal#List_of_locks_and_crossings
However, when the visiting ocean freighters pass through the locks, a lock pilot takes over the ship form the captain, and guides the ship through the locks. Once the ship passes through the locks, the pilot leaves the ship, and the captain resumes control until the next lock system. This is a story of a captain that guides ships through the Welland Canal; located between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The canal takes ships parallel to the Niagara River, location of Niagara Falls.
Captain Joseph Nimako, Welland Canal pilot, is a great story, watch it.
Segment Two: 17:23
Becoming a Pilot
Segment Three: 24:34
Polish ocean freighter passing
through locks three and four.
Segment Four: 29:24
First Mate to Pilot
Segment Five: 31:07
First time as Captain of the ship: Part One
Segment Six: 37:39
First time as Captain: Part Two.
Segment Seven: 43:11
First time as Captain: Part Three
Segment Eight: 49:44
As the Captain, “You are IT!”
Segment Nine: 53:05
How the Captain manages the ship
Segment 10: 56:28
The Captain’s quarters
Segment 11: 57:49
“I fell in love with piloting.”
Segment 12: 1:01:06
“A huge responsibility.”
Segment 13: 1:02:55
“It’s about time.”
Segment 14: 1:04:46
Obtaining the job of pilot