Portland Rose Festival Ships

One of Portland’s longest traditions is the annual Rose Festival. And one of the Rose Festival’s longest traditions is the arrival of the Fleet. These days the number of ships is a lot less, and a lot less impressive then in earlier days, but never the less it’s still a tradition that Portland looks forward too.

This first picture is the US Army Corp of Engineer’s Hopper Dredge “Essayons.” It was delivered to the Portland District in 1983 and is a highly automated ship. It’s job is to clear sand bars and channels at river entrances up and down the entire West Coast.

This is PT658. It is stationed permanently in Portland, at the docks near Swan Island. She never saw any action, and barely dodged being sent to Russia as part of a “lend-lease” program. I’m not sure why she has the camouflage paint scheme now. Last time I saw her was still in traditional Navy Grey.

Behind the Burnside Bridge are the US Navy Ships. Visible are the USS Ingraham, USS McClusky, and behind them is the USS Lake Champlain.