NOT ALL OF THE LAKE SHIPS THAT GO TO SALT WATER GO THERE TO BE SCRAPPED. SOME CONTINUE TO SERVE USEFUL PURPOSES, AND HERE ARE A FEW THAT HAVE. FRESH WATER to SALT by SKIP GILLHAM Followers of Great Lakes shipping are more than aware that from time to time ships leave our fresh water lakes for points beyond. Some of these are taken at the end of a tow- line for the scrapyards of Europe (See TerEScorE Vol es: «No. 5) as others, having outlived their use on the lakes, enter salt water service through the Mississippi or St. Law- rence Seaway systems. This article will reveal little in the way of new information. Our pur- pose is to put together the many scattered reports that have accumul = ated concerning the wanderings of the veterans that have departed the lakes. Several of the old canallers were given a reprieve with new duties on the Canadian coast. The Loadmaster (a; Norman B,. MacPherson) was purch- ased by the St. John Harbour Dev- elopment Board, where she served as a hopper barge. When it became too expensive to operate her under her own power she was towed by a tug. Engineering Consultanta Ltd., also of St. John, purchased her in 1967 for undetermined purposes. The St. John Shipbuilding and Dry- dock Company purchased the John 8. Richards from Upper Lakes Shipping in 1959. Her service terminated when she was berthed to facilitate the unloading of a tug from her deck. The tide went out and the Richards broke inhalf as she rested partially on an underwater ledge. She had to be scrapped on the spot. This same company also owned the MacPherson for a brief time before selling her to the above owners. Another former Upper Lakes canal- ler, the Charles R. Huntley, has had some service in the Halifax area in recent years as a dredge. This ves- sel is still owned by McNamara Marine Ltd., of Whitby, Ontario, and can't be classified as having entered the coastal trade. The Lubrolake (a; Mercury) was slated for service in the St. John area, reportedly as a bunkering barge for the fishing fleets. She never arrived. In December of 1967, a storm took her aground near New Waterford on Cape Breton Island (see TELESCOPE, Vol. 17; No. 1) and then she was abandoned with salvage ap- pearing to be impossible. The Bulkarier, a self-unloading cement carrier, was purchased by J. D. Irving, Ltd., in 1967, and was moored at Soulanges. Early in 1969 she was towed to St. John and sold to E. C. Crane, of Dublin, Ireland. The Birchton was purchased by Bathurst Marine in 1962, with the intention of converting her to a