Classic Steamer Showing Off Against Lake Superior

The 73 year old steamship Philip R Clarke taking some big waves against the bow as she sailed out through the Duluth Canal on a windy but otherwise gorgeous late August day! Waves are around the 6-10+ft range, highly unusual for the normally calm month. I’m not complaining though, the sight of a laker pounding its way out of the canal through waves is usually sort of a miserable experience in person, getting hit with icy spray and brutally cold wind gusts that leaves with you with frozen hands for hours afterwards. By contrast this is a perfect 72 degrees with no humidity. Even though the waves are still a bit smaller than the winter storms, I’ll take it!
Starting construction in late 1950 and launched November 26th, 1951 the Philip R Clarke was an instant classic that many people consider the poster child of the Great Lakes, both then and now. She was originally 644ft long with a straight deck (no self unloading system). 7 more ships of the same design were constructed, creating the iconic AAA-Class vessels. Of the 8 ships, 7 are still around and 5 are currently sailing, although 2 of those are no longer under their own power. In 1974 she was cut apart and lengthened by 120ft to allow her to compete against the new, larger thousand foot ships that were being constructed, then in 1982 she was converted to a self unloader and had her 260ft boom added to allow her to continue sailing following the decommissioning of the Hullet unloaders. She’s had a lot of downtime lately, spending a few years in layup between 2019 and 2022, and missed half of this this season; she fit out from winter layup in July. Rhe ship is known as a crowd pleaser, with a deep horn that can be heard for incredibly long distances, I’ve heard her horn from the other side of the city, over 10 miles away and on the other side of the 700ft tall Duluth Hills before.
On this particular trip she arrived empty the day before, spent about 9 hours in Fraser Shipyards getting some minor maintenance work done, then moved to the CN iron ore dock to load before departing in dramatic fashion. She is bound for Toledo, Ohio.

[@carolyndavis7476]

The Clarke "owning it", slicing through those waves! Looks like a good day for a side splash if you were on the piers. Superior appears to be a little angry. Wonderful video...thanks as always!

[@jonathanellsworth21]

@@carolyndavis7476 she definitely put on a show! Glad to share it!

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Hey saw your comment on the Burns Harbor video just now, for some reason it disappeared, no idea why but wanted to say thank you! It’s beautiful up there, definitely should take more up there!

[@earllutz2663]

Thank you for the great video. What a beautiful looking ship the Philip R. Clarke is, especially pushing through the churning waves of Superior. Also giving us that extra salute with the 3 long & 2 short. Thank you once again for your excellent video.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Thank you! She is definitely a gorgeous ship, I don’t think I’ve ever heard her captain give anything less than a Master Salute (this salute shown here) for the crowd either!

[@andyloper44]

Love the PRC. Such a classic.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

@@andyloper44 That she is!

[@MachineryMastery-b1o]

I’m amazed by the scale of this!

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Everything’s huge! 😃 Absolute thrill standing there

[@tmayer0009]

That’s my favorite Classic moving through! Thanks for sharing and capturing her!❤

[@jonathanellsworth21]

No problem! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@alanmorrison3598]

Beautiful ship in beautiful conditions! Wish my wife and I could have been there!

[@NoewerrATall]

Lovely video. The perspective in the beginning as the Philip R is approaching the bridge looks like she's bending around the curve. Quite the lady.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

That she is! Glad you enjoyed 😃

[@k.s.1871]

Beautiful old ship !

[@jonathanellsworth21]

She’s gorgeous for sure!

[@margretep6075]

In spite of the surf I don't see "Christmas trees"on the horizon, the sure indicator of rough seas on the Lakes, even in your telephoto views. In the 1980's in August, on an Apostle Islands cruise with relatives, there was a scheduled beach pause before proceeding out to Devil's Island. I looked out and saw the jagged horizon and said to my father that I thought they would cancel going out to Devil's Island, but they went. I was alone on the forepeak as we lunged into what seemed liked 15 foot waves, maybe more. It was like the storm scene in the film Das Boot. Then suddenly we were dead in the water, the engine room flooded. We were less than 100 yards from the rocks by the lighthouse. The tour company sent another of their boats to tow us in. I don't think they called the Coast Guard, who had and has a powerful surf boat at Bayfield, where the tour originated. Had I not had older relatives with us that I wanted to get on our way, I would have gone to the Coast Guard station to report it. I should have. It might have been worth that captain's master's license.--Jerry Pinkepank Seattle WA

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Yeah I think this was one of the rare occasions that the waves were larger closer to shore than on the open water (granted it’s hard to tell), so hopefully they are having a smooth trip! That is definitely a scary story… Superior is not to be played with for sure, hopefully that guy didn’t cause worse after that 😬

[@micheller2029]

WOW! Awesome wave action today! Wish we could have been there!

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Definitely some good waves, sorry you missed it! But wave season hasn’t really even begun yet, we should get more! Keep an eye out!

[@SusanSpeary-zg6oj]

She is busting through on a new voyage ❤. Great video as always Jonathan!! Safe travels to the Philip R Clarke and crew!! 🌊⚓💪

[@jonathanellsworth21]

@@SusanSpeary-zg6oj thank you! Hopefully it’s not too rough for them, granted didn’t really look like the ship itself cared much lol

[@BMgirl-mx1xh]

The big lake is a little angry today. Nice video

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Thanks!

[@bevpearson8268]

Love those waves! Watched the video 3 times! Just came back from Port of Oswego on Lake Ontario and all is blissfully calm...for now!

[@jonathanellsworth21]

@@bevpearson8268 Wow! Glad you liked it so much! Superior’s Rolling for sure

[@Philc231]

And the Clark says…..ain’t nothin I haven’t done a thousand times . She full ,she’s powerful an she’s a classic .

[@jonathanellsworth21]

@@Philc231 a thousand times is probably underestimating lol 😂 Doesn’t make it any less cool though

[@scootertrash911]

Thanks for the great shots of the town and hills, if I could get around better, I would love to come up for a week or two and see the lakes, some ships and Duluth.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

No problem! Love showing off the city a bit! 😃 If you’re able, would love to have you up here!

[@jackienaturelover9761]

Thanks for the video. Enjoyed watching this beautiful ship break through the waves. Greatly appreciate you taking the time to make these videos Enjoy them a lot.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it! I love making the videos, it’s fun 😃

[@tomuchfunwithgas846]

Very glad I found your channel. Thank you.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

@@tomuchfunwithgas846 😊 Glad you enjoy them

[@michaelramey4131]

Awesome video!

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Thank you!

[@jamesburnside3023]

Great video

[@jonathanellsworth21]

@@jamesburnside3023 thanks!

[@charleskoehler9873]

Compare the stern of CLARKE with today’s vessels. Looks like she was designed to ride well in a following sea. Nice and easy on the eyes.

[@Medionxtr]

Build 1952 - amazing that they are still in service

[@jonathanellsworth21]

51 for this one actually! But yes they’ve lasted an amazingly long time!

[@Peg-zl9lr]

​@@jonathanellsworth21made in USA of steel forged in USA, at a time when quality mattered .

[@danielmorris3687]

What a difference from when they sailed in the day before on a nice calm sea.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Yeah she arrived extremely high in the water and in a dead calm, left super low in the water and in angry seas

[@poppasteve2976]

The lake looks a little annoyed, but nowhere near "angry".

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Yeah agreed, I’ve seen it worse. Certainly angrier than it has been for awhile though, and certainly putting on a fun display!

[@jamesnelson6980]

Well, the chief engineer won't have to complain about the propeller not getting enough bite.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Nope! They are very low in the water!

[@abudimwishahali]

May I know how deep the channel under the bridge is please.

[@jonathanellsworth21]

30-35 ft usually

[@chrisstart4714]

WOW Water is choppy today!!!

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Very choppy for August! Was fun to watch!

[@rogergolden8950]

Out to sea. Bigger waves

[@stevevoyles3816]

You do not know what waves are untill you have sailed the north atlantic...

[@jonathanellsworth21]

@@stevevoyles3816 I’ve been on a cruise ship in a hurricane as a kid, that was pretty intense lol

[@Kordziel]

Not much free board

[@jonathanellsworth21]

Nope, these older ships usually don’t when they’re loaded! Very low riders