Freighters, Views, & Locks At Sault Ste. Marie (Michigan)

Well, check out at Tiki RV Campground, Ignace, Michigan, was by 11:00 a.m. Check in at Aune Osborn Campground, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, is after 3:00 p.m. The drive? 52 miles. HAHA What do we do with 3 extra hours? We looked up maps and areas we could park with HOWE (footnote 1) since truck and 5th wheel combined is 54 feet long. The website/app I found, Roadside America, is a fun way to find unique places to see. I saw SS Valley Camp listed. Apple Maps showed a large parking lot so we went there. There was plenty of places to park and even RV/bus parking spots.

SS Valley Camp is a retired freighter that has been turned into a museum. It was in use for over 50 years and is estimated to have carried 16 million tons of cargo. It logged over 3 million miles and has 20,000 sq foot of cargo holds for iron ore and coal. 32 crew ran the ship. It was built in 1917 and is 550 ft long. It ended with new ships being built bigger. I didn’t know when a freighter is empty, they put water in the twelve ballast tanks so it stays balanced. This museum is excellent! Lots of original parts plus stories and parts of other ships and things about the shipping industry. Good signage identified what we were looking at. 

It was amazing to be in the cargo hold and see how big it is and think of all the things it held in there. The floor of the cargo holds is uneven steel, due to the weight of what was carried in there. We got to see the rooms for working, eating, relaxing, and sleeping of the entire crew. The coal engine was huge! Kevin was surprised it wasn’t a diesel engine. I asked him if diesel engines had been invented by then. He signed in American Sign Language (I am deaf) a bunch of stuff to reply but I didn’t understand. HAHA We learned about self-unloading and how the cargo ship uses it. We were there for 3 hours! And later, when we saw many freighters…well, we can imagine what the inside looks like because we were IN one. Love it!!! 

We got to our campground and went to check in. Our site that I picked when making the reservation, site 34, has great views of the river! And we can see Canada on the other side. There are warnings for unhealthy air here due to wildfires in Canada. It really does make it hard to see a long ways and I can definitely smell and taste the smoke. You can tell from all the pictures there was a lot of smoke in the air.

One evening we went to Soo Locks. We have always been fascinated with all kinds of transportation, including locks. Because water seeks its own level, they close a door on one side, then allow water to level to the other side. It is so simple, but fascinating. We entered the Lock viewing area and after a security guard check we entered and climbed the look out area. One ship had just left but we saw another one coming in. It was fascinating. A guy next to us told Kevin they are building a larger lock on the other side. We see lots of work going on and cranes and such. We were there almost the whole 2 hours that we set for our parking. That was just watching one ship go through. Another one was coming but we needed to leave for parking, and it was getting dark. Later at night, I couldn’t sleep. I was looking at all the huge bugs on the outside of HOWE out my side bedroom window. I saw a light shine and thought that someone was coming into the campground really late. The light got brighter and brighter. I looked out and saw the lights of a large freighter! That was so cool!!!

It has been fun for Kevin to listen on his ham radio as he hears the river traffic. At one point, we were watching a large freighter go past and all of a sudden the pilot slammed on the horn. It shocked us and Kevin heard it. There wasn’t a lot of boat traffic this evening and there was a radio warning about a squall on Lake Superior, Kevin heard.

One morning we headed out to meet up with some of our RV friends. As we got directions to the Crepe and Coffee, Siri on Apple Maps said “Crap and coffee” and made Kevin laugh out loud. Me too, when he told me. We had a nice visit with our friends. She thought it was funny and great how Kevin was talking with her husband and then correcting her ASL at the same time as she practiced signing to me. HA 

We had the tour we were so excited about. Famous Soo Locks Boat Tour, not to be confused with Original Soo Locks Boat Tour. Two different companies. I had booked this tour a long time ago and requested an American Sign Language interpreter. I received a response back right away from the assistant manager. She was so great and said they were happy to get one for me. The other day I emailed and asked where to meet the interpreter and was immediately told at the ticket office. We got there, checked in, and the worker waved the interpreter over to us. She was great! She was an older lady, so friendly and fun, and great for me to understand her. She is from the surrounding area and has been to the SS Valley Camp museum but not the locks tour. She was as excited as we were! It was fun to see her pull out her phone and take pictures when I did, too. She said her boyfriend would love this, too, and now plans to bring him to this tour. So cute. Right before we got on the boat, a lady in a boat uniform came over and made sure we were okay with the interpreter. She also said several times that if I wanted a script book, I could have one. So helpful, kind, accommodating, and professional. Turns out she is the one speaking on the microphone during the whole tour.

There was so much information I can’t even remember it all! At one point we were in Canada and went through their old locks. On both sides, it is amazing how fast the water goes in or out of the lock. Of course, all gravity fed. On the Canada said, we actually saw the guy in a small booth close and then open the gates. He walked along the edge and made sure everything was fine. The weather was a little rainy/misty but it didn’t stop us from being on the top of the boat. There is a cover over part of it. We were so thrilled to go through the locks; we always just watch boats go through them (different parts of the country) but never been on one through locks. The tour was 1 1/2 hours. 

Then we drove to Guido’s Premium Pizza. I found this place has the Detroit pizza and we needed some to check off our 50 states food list. HAHA The pizza was delicious – just like Pizza Hut’s supreme but in a square. Rated: Anytime We Want Pizza And Are Here. Are you hungry now? Hee Hee

*The blog posts are taken from my daily travel journal. Would you believe – it takes me a 1/2 day every week to whittle down a week’s worth of journal so it won’t be too long for the post each week. HAHA Thank you for reading!

1. “HOWE” is what we named our Alliance Avenue 36-ft 5th wheel. See: Home On WhEels and we pronounce it Howie. We live and travel in it full-time around the country.