Great Lakes Book Shelf

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Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario’s A.B. McLean & Sons gets a fine profile from the prolific Canadian vessel historians Buck Longhurst and Skip Gillham. The firm, founded by A.B. McLean in 1898 with the tug Seagull, operated until 1994, almost 100 years. In that time, the company operated dozens of tugs and barges, such as Miseford, Edward C. Whalen, Twin Ports, T.F. Newman and more, all of which are profiled here. The excellent, and very rare, photos that are included make this volume a real treat, especially if you like tugs (don’t miss the fine color shot of the Strathbogie on the back cover!).

A.B. McLean & Sons, G.I. “Buck” Longhurst and E.B. “Skip” Gillham; 2009; (Available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON  L0R 2CO; 86 pages, many photos. $25).

“Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping,” last published in 2005 by the late John Greenwood, is back.  Harbor House Publishers acquired Greenwood's Guide and Lake Boats earlier this year and, after a complete revision and redesign, has released the 2009 edition.  The book’s 26 tabbed sections offer a vast array of details on Fleets, Compartment Capacities, Fuel Used by Vessels and Horsepower, Ore Docks, Grain Elevators, Coal Docks, Shipyards & Drydocks, Steamship Agents / Brokers / Forwarders / Stevedores and more.  There’s a lot of information here that’s not easily found elsewhere, which makes it valuable for industry professionals as well as serious ship fans.

Steam-powered freighters, once the mainstay of the Great Lakes fleet, are rapidly dwindling in number. It may come as a surprise to know that there were only 20 active carriers that are steam powered by the end of the 2008 shipping season. This amply-illustrated volume documents those that are still in service, from the 1906-built St. Marys Challenger, to the Canadian Leader, built in 1967. Black and white photos, mostly current views rather than those of a more historical nature, show the vessels at work. If you want detailed individual histories of each of these 20 vessels, plus a brief overview of steam power on the Lakes, this well-researched book provides it.

This volume, the latest in a series of works tracing the history of Canadian-flag vessel operators, concerns the fleets managed by Robert A. Campbell from the late 1920s to the early 1970s. Illustrated with plenty of photos, the book includes complete histories of several dozen vessels from the obscure (Jolly Inez, Saracen) to the familiar (Silver Isle, Senneville, Golden Hind), some of which are still with us today under other names. It’s great to revisit the stories of the Mohawk Deer, a victim of the Great Storm of 1913; the Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, the “Red boats” (Redfern, Red Cloud, Redriver and others); the Capt. C.D. Secord and many others. Anyone who wonders what happened to the old Tecumseh (later  New York News) will find the answer here, and lots more as well.

Beaconsfield, Mohawk and the Red Barges, Gene Onchulenko and Skip Gillham, 2009 (126 pages, many photos; $25, available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0)

The mix of black and white and color photographs in this book show a slice of industrial America rarely seen by the general public. These images, contemporary and historic, take readers to all of the primary loading and unloading ports from Lake Superior to Lake Erie. View how cargoes are loaded at the grain terminals of Thunder Bay, the ore docks of Minnesota’s north shore or the Midwest Energy coal dock in Superior. See where the ships and cargoes go on the Cuyahoga River, the Ford plant on Detroit’s Rouge River or inside the heart of the U.S. Steel Works in Gary.

Photographer and historian Lapinski (and the other photographers represented here) has a good eye for composition, and the accompanying text is well-written and informative. For a behind-the-scenes look at lake boats and the ports they serve, this book gets the job done.

Great Lakes Shipping Ports & Cargoes, Patrick D. Lapinski, 2009 (160 pages, $34.95, Iconografix, P.O. Box 446, Hudson, WI 545016, www.iconografixinc.com )

Skip Gillham’s latest (a revision of an earlier work) tells the history of shipbuilders located around the Welland Canal area, starting with the fabrication of wooden schooners up to the construction of steel bulk carriers. Yards like those run by Louis Shickluna, Muir Brothers, E.B. McGee Ltd. and Port Weller Dry Docks are listed along with the vessels they built, some of which are still with us today. This is a complete and authoritative work, another of many authored by Gillham.

Shipbuilding in Niagara 1828 – 2008, Skip Gillham, 2008, (46 pages, illustrated; $16 from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, Ont. L0R 2C0)

Canadian historian Buck Longhurst offers a look at the five Purvis brothers of Sault Ste, Marie, Ont., the fishing enterprises they created, and the various fishing vessels they employed. Many rare photographs help bring the Purvis story to life in a very personal way, aided by a handy family tree. What a life this must have been, and it is captured very handily here.

Purvis Brothers Fisheries: A Family Tradition, G.I. “Buck” Longhurst, 2009 (88 pages, many photos; $25; available from the Gore Bay & Western Manitoulin Museum, P.O. Box 222, Gore Bay, Ont. P0P 1H0)

Singer/songwriter and guitarist Lee Murdock has released his 16^th CD, containing more of his signature Great Lakes-themed tunes. There are some tasty treats here, including the bluesy, spoken-word “The Alva C. Dinky of the Tin Stack Fleet” and “The Lady of Old Maumee Bay,” celebrating the restoration of the Toledo Harbor lighthouse. “Up Anchor” is another traditional tune from the Ivan Walton Collection, “Eight Bells” and “Up Anchor” are jaunty treats and “Just Five Minutes” tells the story of a sailor who fell from the steamer Buckeye a few years back, and survived the swim to shore. 

Strong songs by Murdock and others, coupled with Sue Demel’s harmony vocals and the backing of a tight, but never overpowering band, make this CD a treat. Play it while chasing boats, or heading for your next lighthouse tour. It’ll get you in the mood, guaranteed.

The View From the Harbor, 2009, Lee Murdock (CD, $15, 11 songs, www.leemurdock.com)

With numerous photographs and engaging stories, “Deckhand” offers an insider's view of duties both mundane and intriguing performed by deckhands on Great Lakes cargo vessels.  Boisterous saloons, ice jams, and the daily drudgery of soogeying – cleaning dirt and grime off the ships – are just a few of the experiences Mickey Haydamacker had as a young deckhand working on freighters of the Great Lakes in the early 1960s. Haydamacker sailed five Interlake Steamship Company boats, from the modern Elton Hoyt 2nd to the ancient coal-powered Colonel James Pickands, with its backbreaking tarp-covered hatches.

“Deckhand” will appeal to shipping buffs and to anyone interested in Great Lakes shipping and maritime history as it chronicles the adventures of living on the lakes from the seldom-seen view of a deckhand.  For those who are interested in the subject, “Deckhand” is hard to put down.

Deckhand: Life on Freighters of the Great Lakes, Nelson "Mickey" Haydamacker with Alan D. Millar, 2009; 152 pages, with 32 color photographs; $18.95; http://www.press.umich.edu

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation announces the publication of “The St. Lawrence Seaway: Fifty Years and Counting,” an official history of the waterway’s first five decades. The corporation commissioned the book to commemorate the Seaway’s 50^th  anniversary in 2009.  The 120-page book is roughly half text/half photos, with all the images  selected to illustrate and enhance the text. Toronto-based writer D’Arcy Jenish spent two years on the project. “The St. Lawrence Seaway” captures every major development and setback of the first 50 years and concludes with a snapshot of the future as seen by shipping company executives, shippers and the SLSMC itself.  

This is the first time that the complete history of the Seaway has been compiled in one volume. The SLSMC has printed a limited number of copies in English and French, but the corporation has also approved a commercial press run of the English edition.
The St. Lawrence Seaway: Fifty Years and Counting, D'Arcy Jenish, 2009 (Order direct from D’Arcy Jenish, 15 Dagwell Cres., Ajax, ON, L1T 3M8; $50.00 incl. book, GST, mailer & postage within Canada; 120 Pages)

On a warm summer afternoon in 1927 off South Haven, Mich., an old barge began taking on water. Realizing their vessel would inevitably sink, the crew escaped to the accompanying tug, and watched as their ship plunged beneath Lake Michigan. Its loss unlamented, its career unheralded, it slumbered on the sandy bottom in the same obscurity that had shrouded its earlier work days as a steam freighter sailing the Great Lakes. However, the vessel’s anonymity ended in 2006 when Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates located the sunken wreck of the Hennepin. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the world’s first self-unloading vessel.
 
“Buckets and Belts: Evolution of the Great Lakes Self-Unloader” traces more than a century of innovative technological advancements in the conveying of bulk cargos from the Hennepin’s conversion to a self-unloader in 1902 to today’s 1,000-foot long lakers. What’s surprising is how little the actual design of the unloading equipment has changed over the decades.
 
Enhanced with the most comprehensive collection of self-unloader images ever published and dozens of underwater photographs, the book also explores the lives of the people who designed these vessels, the crewmen who sailed them and the self-unloaders that went to the bottom of the lakes. This book is long overdue.

Buckets and Belts: Evolution of the Great Lakes Self-Unloader, William Lafferty and Valerie van Heest, 2009 (In-depth Editions, www.in-deptheditions.com ; $24.95, 320 Pages, 275 photographs)

Breaking away from his series of books on Canadian fleet histories, Canadian marine historian and author Skip Gillham reissues and updates a book on the Welland Canal Mission originally authored by him and printed in 1982.  Published to honor the Mission's 140 years of ministry to sailors transiting the Welland Canal, the book discusses the history of the Mission with a chapter devoted to each of the 4 Chaplains who have served the Ministry since its inception in 1868.  Included are many photos of ships transiting the Canal in years gone by and the first-hand experiences witnessed by the author as he accompanied Chaplain Orr and more recently Chaplain Taylor on their pastoral visits to ships transiting the Welland Canal.  This is a most informative book on an essential yet maybe lesser known service provided to the crews of ships of all flags sailing the inland seas.

Welland Canal Mission: 140 Years of Ministry, E.B. “Skip” Gillham, 2009, 46 pages, softcover, many black and white photos (available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0,  $16)

Great Lakes sailor Edward L.M. Spicuzza has come out with both a self-published book and a DVD that offers a panoramic, insider’s view of the shipping scene.

“A Stern View” offers some great footage, the kind you can only get from working aboard the long ships, in this case vessels of the Oglebay Norton Co. and American Steamship Co. Spicuzza has a good eye for angles and movement, and his composition is first rate. The video shows the vessels in all kind of weather; the ice and foul weather shots are particularly impressive, as are those taken from atop the Mackinac Bridge. The soundtrack features well-chosen songs performed by Lee Murdock, Jill Jack and Carl Behrend.

The Marine Historical Society of Detroit has released it latest book, a complete history of the Great Lakes Engineering Works, a prominent Detroit area shipbuilder.  Over 500 pages, this hard-cover book took nearly four years to complete and is divided into two major sections, which are amply illustrated with more than 1,000 photographs.

The first section depicts GLEW’s three shipyards and their development at St. Clair, Ashtabula and the Detroit area from virtual marshlands to one of the most successful shipbuilding yards on the Great Lakes, until its demise in 1961.The second section is dedicated to the 300 plus vessels that were built by GLEW’s three yards, describing each vessel’s history in detail with most being accompanied by an outstanding number of photographs, many of which have never been published and are very rare.

The Great Lakes Engineering Works: The Shipyard And Its Vessels, the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, 2008.  This book is a small run limited edition and can only be ordered directly from the Society. The cost of the book is $59.95 in U.S. funds plus shipping and handling of $5 to U.S. addresses or $12 to Canadian addresses. Order on line http://mhsd.org/publications/GLEW/default.htm or send check or money order to Robert Pocotte, 606 Laurel Ave., Port Clinton, OH  43452-2127.

It was Thanksgiving 1905 and 31 ships were on Lake Superior, making the season's last run. What none of the sailors knew until it was too late was that they would soon face the worst storm ever to hit the Great Lake, a storm that nearly half of their number would not survive. This is the story of that fateful storm, and of one of the worst shipping disasters in the nation's history. Readers are taken aboard the steamer Mataafa as it crashes into Duluth's piers, half of the crew freezing to death overnight as the other half survives by dancing through the dark around bathtubs set ablaze with scuttled pieces of the ship. Next, go aboard the steamer Ira H. Owen, crashing into the cliff where Split Rock Lighthouse would later be built, too late for these men. This, a story drawn from the accounts of witnesses and survivors,  is a tale of people pitted against the elements, of a disaster so extreme that, in its wake, weather forecasting, shipbuilding and even compass-reading were changed forever.

So Terrible a Storm, Curt Brown, 2008, Voyageur Press, www.voyageurpress.com. 320 pages, hardbound, many black and white photos, $25

The fleet of tugs used by the Abitibi Power and Paper Co. in the pulpwood rafting trade, mostly on Lake Superior and Lake Nipigon during the middle part of the last century, are remembered in this latest book from these prolific Canadian authors. Tugs like Gargantua, Strathbogie and Nipigon are gone, but a few of the others continue on the lakes, converted to pleasure craft or at work for other owners. This is another essential addition to the series of Canadian fleet histories authored by Gillham and his rotating cast of co-authors.

Abitibi Tugs, G.I. “Buck” Longhurst and E.B. “Skip” Gillham, 2008, 126 pages, softcover, many black and white photos (available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0,  $25)

Don’t let the pirate on the cover fool you – this new DVD, which uses historical film and live commentary to chronicle the maritime activities of Henry Ford, is a fascinating glimpse into the building of Ford Motor Co.’s huge River Rouge, Mich., complex and the launching of a fleet of freighters to serve it. Capt’n Willie provides the nautical commentary (the one-hour DVD is aimed to educate kids as well as to inform adults), interpreting footage that includes the excavation of the slip at the Rouge, the assembly line that produced Eagle Boats for the U. S. Navy, construction of a Hulett ore unloader at the Rouge dock, Great Lakes freighters stockpiling raw materials at the dock, the blast furnace operation to make iron, the launching of the freighter Henry Ford II in 1924 at Lorain, Ohio, the launching of the Benson Ford in 1924 at River Rouge, the Ford family yacht Sialia, the creation of the Ford Fleet of tug boats and more. This the first of at least three such documentaries, made possible by an abundance of high-quality footage shot by Ford photographers, and the help of Detroit/Great Lakes historian John Polacsek.

Capt’n Willie’s Great Lakes Adventures: Henry Ford’s Maritime Heritage Part 1 1918-1927, DVD, 2008, Captain of the Fleet, Box 24697, Detroit, MI 48224 or www.captainofthefleet.com, $24.95 + $5 s-h)

Prolific Canadian historian Skip Gillham has joined with his equally-respected U.S. counterpart Daniel C. McCormick for this exhaustive guide to the small saltwater vessels that entered the Great Lakes in the years before the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959. This differs a bit from Gillham’s previous efforts – there’s more text and fewer pictures, which have been included in a section at the back of the book. The information here is invaluable for the serious ship researcher, containing hard-to-find details about individual vessels and also the fleets that ran them. The authors suggest this is a starting point for others to continue similar research; if so, they have set the bar high.

Pre-Seaway Salties 1850-1958, Daniel C. McCormick and Skip Gillham, 2008, 194 pages with many black and white photos (available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0, $30)

Patrick Livingston, author of “Eight Steamboats,” continues to delve into Great Lakes history, this time examining the Bob-Lo island amusement park south of Detroit that operated for nearly 100 years. Mention the word “Bob-lo” to longtime Detroiters and get ready for the string of memories that might well be released, recollections that will probably include the trip to the island on one of two steamboats, the Columbia or the Ste. Claire. This is the whole story, including not only the good times to be had on the island, but also the problems that doomed the park after the Detroit riots of the mid-1960s. Anyone seeking an example of how local history ought to be told need look no farther than “Summer Dreams.”

Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island, Patrick Livingston, 2008 (Wayne State University Press, Detroit, Mich., $21.95, 208 pages, many black and white photos)

Surprising as it may seem, landlocked Ann Arbor’s name once graced the high bows of a number of staunch Great Lakes vessels. In 1892, the Ann Arbor car ferries – part of James Ashley’s Toledo, Ann Arbor and Northern Michigan Railroad – began a cross-lake service to Wisconsin that many deemed impossible, especially in the winter when ice made West Michigan harbors nearly impenetrable. 
This volume details the battles ships (from the small Ann Arbor No. 1 to the powerful Ann Arbor No. 5, dubbed “The Bull of the Woods”) and men fought for nearly 100 years, not only against ice but fierce storms as well. In later years, another battle was fought, this one economic, that led to the suspension of service by the Ann Arbor boats in 1982. More than the story of ships and trains, “Ninety Years” is also the story of men, from the pioneering Ashley to those who commanded and crewed the ships, fighting battles with Lake Michigan in the years before radar and ship-to-shore radar. The book is very detailed, and should be considered an authoritative work on the topic. But it isn’t so dry that readers can fail to be moved by the thought of those huge Ann Arbor steamships smashing through the ice, smoke billowing and whistles moaning. Lots of black and white photos help tell the story of the days when Ann Arbor’s name was one to be reckoned with on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Ninety Years Crossing Lake Michigan: The History of the Ann Arbor Car Ferries, Grant Brown, Jr., 2008 (University of Michigan Press, www.press.umich.edu, 284 pages, $24.95)

“Sailor Girl” is a fictional coming-of-age tale set on the grain boats of Canada’s Great Lakes in the summer of 1981. It follows the literal and figurative journey of Kate McLeod, a rebellious photography student looking to earn money for school. She strikes out from her safe suburban origins to the closed world of the lakes and learns what it is to be tested to her limits. Using salty dialogue and gripping description, the book renders a sharp portrait of life lived on the edges of society. It is also a love story in which a middle-class girl finds a deep connection with the unruly young men and tough-minded women of the lakes. “Sailor Girl” is a uniquely Canadian story, one that preserves a vanishing part of the Great Lakes’ heritage.

Sailor Girl, Sheree-Lee Olson, 2008 (The Porcupine’s Quill, Inc., sentex.net, 288 pages, $27.95)

In this volume, 20 current Great Lakes vessels are described with detailed histories. Meant to showcase a cross-section of ships in operation on the Great Lakes, this book includes vessels ranging in size from the small Yankcanuck to the huge Paul R. Tregurtha. Many of the pictures were taken in the St. Clair area by the author – the historic Maumee graces the cover. The author has done his research, and it shows.

Ships of the St. Clair River, Raymond A. Bawal, Jr., 2008 (Inland Expressions, St. Clair, Mich., $19.95, many black and white photos, inlandexpressions.com )

The collision between the steamers Sidney E. Smith Jr. and Parker Evans took place June 5. 1972, near the Blue Water Bridge spanning the U.S. and Canada.  This is a detailed volume about the accident that led to the establishment of both Sarnia Traffic and one-way traffic under the Blue Water Bridge. This book follows the story through the histories of both vessels, the days leading up to the collision, the final moments before the crash and the monumental salvage effort to clear the channel. It's a fascinating look at a Great Lakes shipwreck that happened not so long ago.

Collision Under the Bridge, Jon Paul Michaels and Brent Michaels, 2008 (Bullhead Publishing, 86 pages; many black and white photos, drawings; $19.95)

In the early 1970s, the author sailed on four different U.S. Steel freighters as a deckhand and deckwatch. Ten years later, he enrolled in the Great Lakes Maritime Academy as a deck cadet and sailed on the 1,000-footer Columbia Star. This often funny, insightful memoir follows his voyage of self-discovery. “Lake Effect” is a great read, hard to put down and a unique view into the life of a Great Lakes sailor. If you want to know what life was like on the boats in the 1970s, this book lets you know.

Lake Effect: A Deckhand’s Journey on the Great Lakes Freighters, Richard Hill, 2008 (Gale Force Press, www.galeforcepress.com, $17.95, 224 pages, black and white photos)

Great Lakes marine photographer and historian Chris Winters spent five years creating a vivid record of life aboard steamer St. Marys Challenger as she approached the centennial anniversary of her maiden voyage in 2006. Reportedly the oldest operational freight ship in the world, the Challenger began her remarkable freshwater career on the Great Lakes on April 28, 1906 – six years before the launch of the Titanic. This is a stunning, hardcover record of an extraordinary ship, beautifully photographed and lovingly produced to exacting standards, with text capturing perfectly the magic that is a steamboat in action. Books like this are rare – despite the price, don’t leave this one on the shelves!

Centennial: Steaming Through the American Century, Chris Winters, 2008. 247 pages, hardcover, many current and historic photos, $50 + s-h, order at http://www.runninglightpress.com/books.php  or 414-257-4168

 The Real Shanty Days, Vol. III (129 pages) tells the stories of the commercial fishing vessels that operated out of Algoma, Wisconsin and called Algoma their home. As commercial fishing has now ended in Algoma, this is fittingly the Final Chapter. This book replaces the former The Real Shanty Days, Vol. II. Also this edition is updated with additional information, fishing vessels not before listed with a change of photo's, etc. To order: Wendell Wilke, 1528 Steele St., Algoma, Wisconsin 54201. The price is $26 in the U.S. and $30 in Canada. For more information e-mail fishtug@doorpi.net.

Skip never stops documenting the histories of gone-but-not-forgotten Canadian vessel operators. This time he takes on the Carryore, Nipigon and Labrador fleets, which worked on the Great Lakes and Seaway from 1958 to the mid-1980s. Among the vessels under the flags of these three interwoven fleets were the Menihek Lake, Carol Lake (which ended its career as Mapleglen), Lake Nipigon (now Algonorth), Lake Manitoba (now Algomarine) and Lake Wabush (now Capt. Henry Jackman ) and V.W. Scully (later Algosound). Readers may not know it was the Scully that was renamed, briefly, Edmund Fitzgerald for a Discovery network documentary on the ill-fated vessel in1978. What else can be said, but keep up the good work, guys.

Carryore, Nipigon, Labrador Fleets, Gene Onchulenko and Skip Gillham 2008, 80 pages with many black and white photos (available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, Ont., L0R 2C0, $22.50)

Marine Historian Maurice Smith brings together technological and social history. The story starts with the building of the first Ontario steamship, the Frontenac of 1816, and its successors that carried supplies into and rich resources out of growing communities. Near the end of the era came a fire on board the Noronic in 1949 and a successful effort to preserve the steamer Segwun. Through well-written text, paintings, photos and illustrations, Smith tells a story not only of ships, but of daring entrepreneurs and hardy sailors. The book ends with ³A Quick Tour of the Ontario Coastline of the Great Lakes² and also a handy list of ships mentioned in the book, presented as a glossary and including the vital statistics of each.

Steamboats On the Lakes: Two Centuries of Steamboat Travel Through Ontario¹s Waterways, Maurice D. Smith, 2005 (James Lorimer & Company, Publishers, $24.95, 96 pages, illustrated with photos, www.lorimer.ca

In "Shipwrecks", veteran diver Stephen B. Daniel, in collaboration with the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society, provides in-depth tours of the many sunken ships submerged in the waters of this region of Lake Superior. Readers will not only learn the maritime history and structural details of the original vessels, they¹ll also find the stories of the wrecks themselves ­ how they happened, what actions were taken to save crews and vessels and the modern-day efforts to preserve these sites. With detailed descriptions and hundreds of photographs, charts, and diagrams that will impress even the most seasoned diver, this book should also appeal to anyone who has ever wondered what nautical mysteries lie beneath the waves of the greatest of the Great Lakes.

Shipwrecks Along Lake Superior¹s North Shore: A Diver¹s Guide, Stephen B. Daniel, 2008 (180 pages, many black and white illustrations and maps, $24.95, Minnesota Historical Society, www.mhspress.org)

This book takes readers back in time and shows how fisheries were an integral part of Door County and Washington Island, Wis., communities, and also offers an inside look at how a fishery operates. It gives insight and a personal view of a day in the life of a fisherman and covers every facet of the industry, from the evolution of the boats, common types of gear used in the last 150 years, the species of fish that made up the great harvests, and the invader species that almost wiped out the industry in the mid to latter part of the 20th century. The data for this book was compiled through several hundred hours of research through various personal interviews with fisher families, history gathered from archives, historical societies, books, published and unpublished manuscripts, databases, periodicals, and on line sources. It¹s an exhaustive treatment of a subject that has mostly been ignored and should stand as the definitive work on the topic for some time to come.

Wooden Boats and Iron Men: The History of Commercial Fishing in Northern Lake Michigan and Door County 1850-2005, Trygvie Jensen, 2008 (458 pages hardcover, with black and white photos, $29.95, www.woodenboatsironmen.com)

Children and adults alike will probably enjoy this book, written and illustrated by Holland, Mich., author Valerie van Heest. The reader is there when the S.S. Michigan sinks in March 1885, and again 120 years later when a team of explorers, including van Heest, locates the sunken remains of the ship. This a true story, made all the more real by focusing on young porter George Sheldon, who risks everything to save his fellow crewmembers and their ship. "Icebound" is truly a gripping story, beautifully illustrated.

Icebound: The Adventures of Young George Sheldon and the SS Michigan, Valerie van Heest, 2008 (46 pages, many color illustrations by the author, $17.95, www.in-deptheditions.com

Canadian author and historian Skip Gillham returns with this look at the Fjell Line, one of the saltwater fleets whose vessels were frequent visitors during the early years of the St. Lawrence Seaway and even before that waterway opened. This volume documents the company’s service to the Great Lakes that started in the 1930s and ended when the fleet decided to curtail its lakes and Seaway service in 1972. There are some very interesting and rare photos herein, providing a fascinating look at this once-familiar fleet.

Fjell Line: Great Lakes Pioneers, Skip Gillham, 2008 (72 pages, many black and white photos, $24 from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0)

The Turkey Trail – the meandering course along the North Channel of Lake Huron that connects Georgian Bay with the St. Marys River – has seen its share of vessel traffic over the years, including the passenger vessels of the Owen Sound Transportation Co. such as the Norgoma, Norisle and Normac. This book tells the story of this out-of-the-way route and the ships that sailed it. Now if we could only book passage on the Manitoulin or the Caribou!  As the photos show, these were beautiful ships.

The Last Boats on the Turkey Trail, Skip Gillham & G.I. (Buck) Longhurst, 2008 (110 pages, many black and white photos, $25 from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0)

The author was just 19 when he joined the crew of the Lee A. Tregurtha in the summer of 1994 as a deckhand the crew promptly nicknamed “Gilligan.” This is a self-published memoir of that experience, recounting what it felt like to call the old steamship home. Not only is it a story of a young man coming of age on a Great Lakes steamer, it’s the story of the men and women he sailed with and the friendships he forged that will likely last a lifetime. The names have been changed, and Barone sugarcoats nothing, relating the tales of pleasant as well as unpleasant shipmates (and yes, some of the language is a bit salty). What comes through loud and clear is the author’s passion for lake boats and for what has since become his chosen profession. If you want to know what life is like on the boats, this is the book to read.

Steamboating, Ryan Barone, 2007. 215 pages, Publish America.  Copies available at barnesandnoble.com for $19.95.
Visit http://www.publishedauthors.net/ryanbarone/index.html for more information.

Author and historian Skip Gillham strikes again, with this volume dedicated to the vessels of Canada’s venerable Upper Lakes Shipping Co. The book traces the history and ships of the fleet from the 1930s though today, with many black and white photos. The history of each ship is gone into in detail, and the text also chronicles many of the fleet’s captains and chief engineers.

The Ships of Upper Lakes Shipping Skip Gillham, 2007. 186 pages, softcover, many black and white photos. Available for $30 from Skip Gillham at 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0 (US locations remit in US funds.)

Using pictures culled mostly from the archives of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and the Manitowoc Company, Inc., this volume presents a detailed registry of vessels built over the span of more than 100 years in Manitowoc, WI. The photos often show, from keel laying to launch, the construction phases of many lakers, spanning the mid-1800s until the last vessel, Edward L. Ryerson, was christened in 1960. Most of the more recent pictures, all in black and white, show interior details, including engine rooms, pilothouses and guest quarters. The text is mostly confined to vessel statistics, however the cover includes a vivid color photo of the Ryerson that, along with the interior photos of this Queen of the Lakes, practically guarantee this book a built-in audience.

Freighters of Manitowoc: The Story of Great Lakes Freight Carrying Vessels Built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Tom Wenstadt, 2007; AuthorHouse, 342 pages, soft cover, many black and white photos. $17.97; www.authorhouse.com

For half a century, the Mackinac Bridge has connected Michigan’s peninsulas. But before that, only ferries crossed the straits. This is the story of the fleet of white-hulled workhorses that linked the upper and lower peninsulas from the early 1920s until 1957, when the bridge opened.  A typical Arcadia book with two photos and captions per page, this is nonetheless a very detailed and obviously well researched account by Bagley, a lifelong ferry fan. If you remember those days (yes, hours-long backups were routine), this book makes a fascinating walk down memory lane that’s perfectly timed for the bridge’s 50^th anniversary.

Michigan State Ferries. Les Bagley, 2007; Arcadia Press, 128 pages, more than 200 black and white photos, with captions. $19.99; available in stores or at www.arcadiapublishing.com

Storm Codes presents the sights and sounds of Great Lakes shipping in the late 1960s through seven-year-old Katy’s story of hope and determination. As a fierce ice storm rips through northern Minnesota, Katy and her mother wait restlessly for her father's ship to return to their harbor in Duluth. This children’s book combines historically-based illustrations with nautical terms and descriptions. Katy even creates her own secret code to help bring her father home safely. The author’s grandfather was once captain of the steamer Edward B. Greene; this vessel is depicted on the cover. “(This) is my small tribute to Great Lakes sailors and their families, and it’s especially close to my heart because of my grandpa’s love of sailing,” Maurer said.

Storm Codes. Tracy Nelson Maurer and illustrated by Christina Rodriguez, 2007 ($8.95 paperbound or $17.95 hardcover, 40 pages, available at bookstores or online at www.stormcodes.com)

Leader on the Lakes is the story of this venerable company and the role it has played in lakes shipping during its century-long voyage to becoming the largest domestic provider of waterborne, dry bulk, self-unloader transportation on the Great Lakes. This handsome, commemorative history book contains many photos (including shipyard, christening and on-board shots), newspaper excerpts and other tidbits detailing the highlights of ASC’s 100-year history, from its founding in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1907 to its centennial year. Grab these while they last.

American Steamship Company: Leader On The Lakes. 2007 (112 pages, softcover , $25 plus shipping and tax where applicable, payment by credit card or via PayPal, at www.americansteamship.com)

The Ships of Kingston
by Gerry Ouderkirk & Skip Gillham

Hindman Transportation
by Skip Gillham

In The Ships of Kingston, the authors not only present a detailed account of vessels built at that Lake Ontario port, but that also served it over the years. The history of shipbuilding in the area includes a surprising number of warships, as well as more familiar lakers such as the D.C. Everest, largest ever built at the yard. The book also explores the many vessels converted there for other uses, and those which called at Kingston often, with many black and white photos of each.

Hindman Transportation tells the story of the family-owned Canadian-flag fleet that was a familiar sight on the Lakes and Seaway from the 1940s until 1977, in later years operating such vessels as the George Hindman, Howard Hindman, Ruth Hindman, Helen Evans and Parker Evans. Here, the photos (including a section of on-board shots) and text tell the story, not only of the vessels, but the Hindman family itself.

Both books are a fine addition to the previous Canadian fleet histories that Gillham has been producing over the past several years.

The Ships of Kingston. Gerry Ouderkirk and Skip Gillham, 2007 (114 pages, softcover; Hindman Transportation. Skip Gillham, 2007 (104 pages, softcover).  Both books available for $25 each (U.S. funds for U.S. addresses) from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0

Author Neel Zoss explores an often-ignored chapter in Great Lakes shipping history, the unique-to-the-lakes whaleback, invented by Capt. Alexander McDougall and manufactured at his American Steel Barge Co. more than 100 years ago. With this volume, a typical Arcadia book laid out with two black-and-white photos to a page, Zoss hopes to increase public awareness of the whalebacks’ contribution to the shipping industry, and also promote visitation to the Meteor , the last of the breed, now a museum at Superior, Wis. To this end, the book includes a special section of photos of the boat taken by crewmembers while she was in service. Captions throughout are detailed and seem solidly-researched. Many of the photos are very rare, which adds to the value for serious collectors.

McDougall’s Great Lakes Whalebacks. Neel R. Zoss, 2007, available at area bookstores, online bookstores or from Arcadia Publishing, www.arcadiapublishing.com. ($19.99, 128 pages, softcover, 250 black and white photos)

This is the real-life story behind one of the most popular tales of the Great Lakes – the 1912 sinking of the Rouse Simmons, using the tragic story of the schooner as a window into the robust but oft-forgotten communities that thrived along Lake Michigan from the Civil War to World War I. Memorialized in songs, poems, fiction, and even a musical, the famous ship that went down in a Thanksgiving storm while delivering Christmas trees to Chicago has long been shrouded in myth. As a result, the larger story of the captain, crew, and affected communities has often been overlooked. Fred Neuschel delves into this everyday life of camaraderie, drudgery, ambition, and adventure to create a true story that is even more fascinating than the celebrated legends.

Lives and Legends of the Christmas Tree Ships. Fred Neuschel, 2007 ($24.95, clothbound, 270 pages, available at bookstores or online at www.press.umich.edu)

This is Canadian historian Alan Mann’s second such book; like the first, this volume contains some terrific boat pictures. With chapters such as “Wood and Steel: The Pioneers,” “Rivets and Steel: Metal Goliaths, “War Route: Gray With Guns” and “U.S. Steel: Uncle Sam’s Ships,” Mann does a good job touching on the huge variety of commerce seen on the St. Clair River from the 1800s to the present day. With Port Huron marking its 150th anniversary, the timing couldn’t be better.

“St. Clair Shipping: Marine Highway” Alan Mann, 2006, Looking Back Press (Vanwell Publishing, 1 Northrup Crescent, PO Box 2131, St. Catharines, ON  L2R 7S2), 128 pages, around 250 black & white photos, $22.95

 “Tugboats” takes an in-depth look into the practices of Great Lakes ice-breaking, ship-assistance and towing. At the turn of the last century, the towing industry changed with the consolidation of fleets and the design of the low-profile powerful steam ship-docking tug. This “G-Tug” design has become known all around the world and these same 80-year old tugs are still the primary workhorse in most harbors on the lakes today.

Many other designs, unique to the fresh waters of the Great Lakes, are also profiled, including the WYTM class and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tugs. Additionally, U.S. Army auctions have brought many government-class tugs such as LTs, STs, and DPCs to the lakes in the hands of private and commercial operators. In the rivers that feed the busy port of Chicago and all throughout New York State on the Erie Canal, a rare species of tug can be found, the famous canallers, which are also featured in this volume. Tugs are Von Riedel’s passion, and it shows in this profusely illustrated volume.

“Tugboats of the Great Lakes” Franz VonRiedel, 2007. 160 pages, softcover, 365 color and black and white photos. $34.95 plus $3 s-h ($5 to Canada) from the author, P.O. Box 16687, Duluth, MN 55816; ZenithTugboat@aol.com.

An updated version of the original book of the same title, here’s the latest in a series from prolific historian Skip Gillham. Although it provides a brief sketch of the company’s history, this one primarily addresses the history and vessels of Canada Steamship Lines after World War II. The book tells the story of 142 vessels, listed alphabetically from Acadian to Winnipeg (II), often with several black and white photos of each. As with his other works, Gillham’s latest is an exhaustively-researched and compellingly presented effort.

“Postwar Ships of Canada Steamship Lines” Skip Gillham, 2007. 236 pages, softcover, more than 200 black and white photos. Available for $30 from the author at 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0

Marine photographer Rene Beauchamp releases his 24th annual edition of his book "Seaway Ships".  The 46-page spiral bound book includes a statistical summary of all of the salties having visited the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway this past season, 19 color photos, Seaway statistics going back to 1959 and much more.  This is a limited edition book with only 150 copies being printed.

To order or for further information, contact Rene Beauchamp at oceanaute@videotron.ca .
Rene Beauchamp, 9041 Bellerive, Montreal, QC, Canada, H1L 3S5 ($19.75 US, $19.95 CN, or $27.00 CN for overseas, deduct $1.50 if ordered before Jan. 22, 2007; all prices including postage, 46 pages, spiral bound, illustrated)

Canadian marine historian Skip Gillham has teamed up with Buck Longhurst for this history of Purvis Marine Limited of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., that doubles as a tribute to the Purvis family and their long involvement in maritime interests. Several old photos of the Purvis family are included, and every vessel, from tugs to barges to the 730-foot lakers scrapped recently by the firm are included in picture and with a thumbnail history of each. The authors have done a thorough job in telling the story of yet another Canadian-flag company that’s made its mark on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.

“Purvis Marine Limited,” Skip Gillham/ G.I. “Buck” Longhurst, 2006. (114 pages, softcover, illustrated with 143 black and white photos). Available from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0. Cost is $24, shipping and handling included (U.S. funds for U.S. orders).

Author and historian Skip Gillham has added to his already impressive list of Canadian fleet histories with this volume, dedicated to the Keystone Fleet, which was active on the St. Lawrence Seaway until just after the present system of locks was built, rendering the vessels obsolete. Photos of the Keyshey, Keystate, Keybar and many others help tell the story of this company, formed in 1909 to carry Pennsylvania coal for the Montreal Light, Heat and Power  Co. As always, Skip’s done himself proud, giving the complete account of this once-familiar but now largely forgotten steamship company.

“Ships of the Keystone Fleet,” Skip Gillham, 2006. (50 pages, softcover, illustrated with many black and white photos). Available from the author, at 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0. Cost is $18, shipping and handling included (U.S. funds for U.S. orders)

Ric Mixter’s latest DVD examines the careers of four U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers – Escanaba (WPG-77), Hollyhock (WAGL 220), Sundew (WLB 404) and Mackinaw (WAGB 83). Anyone familiar with Mixter’s earlier productions knows his work is first class, and “Cutter Rescues” continues the tradition. Historic images of all four vessels are fascinating; particularly gripping is live footage of the Mackinaw’s involvement in the rescue of the crew of the whaleback Henry Cort, sunk at Muskegon in 1934.

“Cutter Rescues” (DVD) Ric Mixter, 2006, Available for $19.95 (add $4 s-h) from Airworthy Productions, 3060 E. Wintergreen, Saginaw, MI 48603

This book is a wonderful documentation of the final two years of life aboard the recently retired icebreaker, her operations and the men and woman who made her work. Planisek interviewed most of Mackinaw’s crew, from her last commander to the least enlisted man, and spent many hours traveling aboard the mighty icebreaker. The volume tells the story of her crew, their duties, their relationships with other crew members and the people of the city of Cheboygan.
  
The book is richly illustrated with color photos, diagrams and explanations that are not found anywhere else, and is an excellent companion to Mike Fornes’ recent book that tells the history of the Mackinaw.
  
All profits from the book go toward historic preservation of the vessel.Order directly from GLLKA by calling 231-436-5580, or via the Web at: info@gllka.com  or by mail to the address below.

"Icebreaker Mackinaw" Susan L. Planisek, 2006. Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association, P.O. Box 219, Mackinaw City, MI 49701; (152 pages, $18.95 | Shipping $4 | MI residents $1.13 tax.)

This CD comes nicely packaged in a booklet that features more than 18 maritime illustrations. Great Lakes troubadour Lee Murdock does his usual outstanding job, this time getting listeners in the mood for the Yuletide season with 11 songs ranging from “A Maritime Christmas” to “Christmas Goes to Sea.”  Also included are Lee’s renditions of “Silent Night” and “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” as well as the original “When Big Mack Comes to This Harbor,” which sets down in song the traditional trip by the retired USCG cutter Mackinaw made to Chicago with Christmas trees for the needy. Let Lee be this first to wish you Merry Christmas this year.

“Christmas Goes to Sea” CD, Lee Murdock, 2005; $20. Order on-line at www.leemurdock.com

The timing couldn’t be better for this history of the about-to-be-retired U.S. Goast Guard icebreaker Mackinaw, and Mike Fornes, a reporter for the Cheboygan Daily Tribune, is just the man to write it. He follows the career of the Mighty Mac from building at Toledo, through service in World War II and beyond, touching on its captains, crews, the multitudes of vessels it helped over the years, and even the horrified reaction of many when it’s once-white hull was painted red. If there has been anything about the Mackinaw left out of this book, it would be hard to tell what. Written in a casual fashion, with lots of interesting recollections from crewmen and plenty of pictures showing the Mac inside and out, there’s also plenty of space devoted to the Mackinaw’s many missions beyond icebreaking, including search and rescue. The book wraps up with plans to preserve the Mackinaw at her long-time home port of Cheboygan, Mich., as a museum. Concluding pages introduce the new Mackinaw, with more photos and a description of her abilities. This is a fitting tribute to a vessel that truly deserves legendary status.

“USCG Mackinaw: An Illustrated History of a Great Lakes Queen” by Mike Fornes, 2006; Mike Fornes, Box 305, Mackinaw City, MI 49701 ($35 (tax, s-h included), 162 pages, many black and white & color photos, paperback)

Just in time for the 30the anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald comes another book on the subject, this one by an author better known for his biographies of musicians and moviemakers than for his books about Great Lakes shipwrecks. In fact, this is his first, although he has written scripts for shipwreck documentaries. However that didn’t stop Michael Shumacher from producing one the most definitive books on the subject to date.

“MightyFitz” – inexplicably without a single photo or map – provides already familiar details about the Fitz’s last hours, the terrible storm, the damage the vessel’s captain reported to the master of the Arthur M. Anderson, and the horrible moment when the Anderson’s captain realized the Fitzgerald was gone. It covers the search and rescue effort, and reports on the surveys and dives to the wreck and the investigations that followed. It examines the various theories as to why the vessel broke up, covers the controversial raising of the ship’s bell and recounts the dispute that developed between rival shipwreck historians/divers Tom Farnquist and Fred Shannon. His interviews with the family members of those who were lost are especially compelling.

Ultimately, Schumacher offers little new information. But his book makes for a complete and gripping read, even for those who are already familiar with the Fitzgerald’s story.

“Mighty Fitz: The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Michael Schumacher, 2005; Bloomsbury Publishing ($24.95, 243 pages, hardcover)

Marine photographer Rene Beauchamp releases his 23rd annual edition of his book "Seaway Ships".  The 46-page spiral bound book includes a statistical summary of all of the salties having visited the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway this past season, 19 color photos, Seaway statistics going back to 1959 and much more.  This is a limited edition book with only 175 copies being printed.

For further information or to order, contact Rene Beauchamp at oceanaute@videotron.ca .
Rene Beauchamp, 9041 Bellerive, Montreal, QC, Canada, H1L 3S5 ($19.25 US, $19.95 CN, or $27.00 CN for overseas, all prices including postage, 46 pages, spiral bound, illustrated)

Canadian authors/historians Longhurst and Gillham have compiled not only a valuable historical document about a small fleet of ships – four colorful vessels, two of them named Yankcanuck and the steamers Mancox and Manzzutti – but also chronicle of the life of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario’s Capt. Frank “Skipper” Manzzutti , a pioneering Great Lakes sailor and ship owner/operator. Profusely illustrated with black and white photos, most of them never published, the book also lets readers in on a little-known secret. There was to have been another motor vessel built for the fleet at Collingwood following the Yancanuck of 1963 that would have been named Captain Manzzutti, but the company never followed through with the plans. “Skipper”Manzzutti died at the Soo in 2000, still hard at work in his 80s. This volume is a fitting tribute.

“Yankcanuck Steamships Limited” Buck Longhurst & Skip Gillham, 2005, Send order to Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, Ont., Canada, L0R 2C0. ($20, 60 pages, softbound, illustrated)

Franz VonRiedel of the Duluth area, who is well known as a passionate tugboat / workboat aficionado, has put together a book that celebrates through black and white photos many vessels that might be considered Great Lakes workhorses, those that labor behind the scenes and seldom make the headlines. Besides the big lakers that usually get all the attention, this volume includes sections that pay homage to fish tugs, bumboats, grocery launches, barges, vessels being scrapped – and yes, tugs aplenty.
 

“Commercial Ships on the Great Lakes: A Photo Gallery” Franz A. VonRiedel, 2005, Iconografix Inc., 1830A Hanley Road, P.O. Box 446, Hudson, WI 54016 ($29.95, 158 pages, softbound, illustrated, info@iconografixinc.com)

The sidewheeler  Francis Smith was one of the most luxurious steamboats to sail on the upper Great Lakes during her time. This is her story, set against a backdrop of history and retrieving from obscurity some of the major personalities and incidents in the history of Canada’s Georgian Bay. Cameron has done his research well, and it shows in the details offered here. The book is a fascinating glimpse of a way of life long vanished from the lakes.

“The Francis Smith: Palace Steamer of the Upper Great Lakes, 1867–1896” Scott L. Cameron, 2005, Natural Heritage Books, www.naturalheritagebooks.com. ($22.95-U.S., 288 pages, softbound, illustrated)

Veteran photographer Ed Wargin has produced a spectacular collection of scenes of 51 Michigan lighthouses taken from unique angles and emphasizing intriguing groupings of colors. The volume ranges from aerial shots to the warm pink colors of dawn to the purples of dusk. This book would have to be considered as a work-of-art among the many lighthouse tomes published in recent years. The images display an understanding of composition and scope that can be instructive to the amateur photographer. This is a truly special set of images.

“Legends of Light: A Michigan Lighthouse Portfolio” Ed Wargin, 2005, Ann Arbor Media Group LLC, 2500 South State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104 ($39.95, hardcover, illustrated)

Canadian author and marine historian Skip Gillham continues his series of fleet/vessel histories with this volume dedicated to “The Ships of the Misener Fleet”. At time of its demise in 1994, Misener operated some of the handsomest steamers in Great Lakes and Seaway service, among them the Scott Misener and John A. France, as well as the newer Senneville and Silver Isle. The book recounts the founding, growth and eventual decline of the company, then goes on to document, in great detail and with a number of very rare black and white photos, each vessel that ever sailed under the Misener flag. It becomes abundantly clear the huge number of ships involved with Misener over the years, especially before the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway doomed the small canallers to the boneyard. “Ships of the Misener Fleet” is essential for the libraries of any serious Great Lakes vessel buff.

“The Ships of the Misener Fleet” Skip Gillham; 2005; available from the author, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON, L0R 2C0 ($30 U.S. funds, which includes S-H); 176 pages, softbound.

City of the Rapids: Sault Ste. Marie's Heritage
by Bernie Arbic

Bottom of the Lock
(DVD & CD_ROM)
T&T Productions

Two books and a DVD help commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the Soo Locks in 2005.

“Upbound Downbound: The Story of the Soo Locks” was written by Sault Ste. Marie historian and retired Lake Superior State University professor Bernie Arbic and Nancy Steinhaus, president of the Chippewa County Historical Society. The book, illustrated with many fascinating black and white photos, covers the building of the locks, operating and maintaining them, and the process of dredging the St. Marys River channels.  While it contains plenty of necessary detail, the volume is still accessible to the casual reader.

“City of the Rapids” Sault Ste. Marie’s Heritage” is by Arbic alone. Starting with “After the Last Glacier” and ending 13 chapters later with “Odds and Ends,” this extremely well researched and readable work leaves no avenue unexplored when it comes to its subject matter. There’s even a list of former Sault Ste. Marie mayors. Besides the history of the town, text and photos cover such events as the building of the Soo Locks and the power canal that bisects the city. There’s also enough here about the locks and lakers to keep history buffs and boat fans happy.

The two Sault Ste. Marie books can be obtained from the Chippewa County Historical Society, P.O. Box 342, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783 (Michigan residents add 6 percent tax and $3 s-h). For information on buying a copy of “Bottom of the Lock,” visit www.tandtproductions.net.  – Roger LeLievre

“Upbound Downbound: The Story of the Soo Locks” Bernie Arbic & Nancy Steinhaus; 2005; (80 pages, illustrated, softbound, $10.95)

“City of the Rapids” Sault Ste. Marie’s Heritage” Bernie Arbic; 2003 (348 pages, illustrated, softbound, $15.95)

“Bottom of the Lock” (DVD & CD-ROM) T&T Productions; 2005 (running time: under 1/2 hour; DVD $11, CD-ROM $10)

Ivan H. Walton was a folklorist who drove from town to town around the Great Lakes in the 1930s collecting the songs and stories of aging sailors. His collection – which began as a search for songs but broadened into a collection of weather signs, shipboard beliefs, greenhorn tales, and stories of the intense rivalry between sailors and the steamboat men who replaced them – is unique in the annals of Great Lakes folklore. Edited by Joe Grimm, “Songquest” is a fascinating selection from the daily journals Walton wrote during his travels. His writings provide a clear picture of the colorful individuals he met and interviewed. Walton also documented the methods – including bulky early recording devices – he used and also included his personal thoughts about his nomadic life and the events going on around him during the 1930s, including the Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s election and the end of Prohibition. These journal entries bring to life an era on the Great Lakes long gone into the history books.

“Songquest: The Journals of Great Lakes Folklorist Ivan H. Walton” Edited by Joe Grimm; 2005, Wayne State University Press (256 pages, black & white illustrations, softbound, $27.95) Available from www.wsupress.wayne.edu

This book addresses the May 7, 1965 sinking of the steamer Cedarville after a collision with the Norwegian freighter Topdalsfjord in the fogbound Mackinac Straits. According to the author, a maritime attorney and former naval officer, the vessel’s owner, U.S. Steel, and the captain, conspired to prevent the crew from escaping to safely as their vessel sank beneath them. Ten sailors died in the tragedy, most of them laboring in the engine room as Capt. Martin Joppich tried in vain to beach his vessel. “Conspiracy” author delves in depth into events before, during and after the tragedy, including the legal battle that ensued.

Although an interesting read, some factual errors make thoughtful readers wonder what else herein is incorrect. Throughout, the author refers what is simply known as Calcite to sailors as Port Calcite, as if Port was part of its formal name (it is not). He several times calls the old George M. Steinbrenner a motor vessel, when in fact it was a steamer. He writes that the ill-fated Edward Y. Townsend belonged to Interlake Steamship Co. when it did not. And he refers to Coast Guard icebreaker Mackinaw as having a red hull in 1965, when in fact the distinctive new paint job was not applied until nearly 30 years later.

“The Cedarville Conspiracy: Indicting U.S. Steel” L. Stephen Cox; 2005, University of Michigan Press (256 pages, softbound, $16.95)  Available from www.wsupress.wayne.edu

Prolific Canadian marine historian Skip Gillham has released his second volume dedicated to documenting the staunch World War II Liberty ships that were so essential to the war effort. This one concentrates on those built at Canadian shipyards and that sailed the lakes and Seaway after the conflict ended.

Profusely illustrated, many of these photos show these veteran steamers nearing the end of their days as they transited the Seaway. Referred to as the “Park” and “Fort” classes because of their names (such as Norwood Park and Fort Panmure) the vessels saw service under many flags after the war, including the Canadian, with a few winding up, after rebuilding, as Branch Line tankers such as Elmbranch and Sprucebranch.

Staple-bound and not a fancy production, the booklet still contains a wealth of information essential the serious ship enthusiast, telling the histories and final dispositions of these proud craft.

“Canadian Liberties on the Lakes,” Skip Gillham, 2005, Send order to Skip Gillham, 3750 King St, Vineland, ON L0R 2C0 (47 pages, illustrated, $16 U.S. funds, checks made out to the author)

Canadian marine historian, writer and vessel enthusiast Skip Gillham continues his ongoing series of books documenting Canada’s maritime history. This time he focuses on the ships built and Midland, Ont.,

The volume, co-written by Vern Sweeting, who spent much of his career working at the shipyard, contains many rare photos of vessels under construction or being launched. All in all, there are nearly 150 pictures of vessels, most of which are gone from the scene. The last hull built at Midland Shipbuilding Co., T.R. McLagan, was launched in 1953 and sold for scrap in 2003. In addition to addressing the construction of such vessels as Lemoyne, Gleneagles or James Norris, the book also includes the many tugs and vessels built for wartime service at Midland. The volume closes with a chapter on ships not built at Midland, but named in honor of the city, such as Midland Prince and Imperial Midland.

This is another one of those books that belong in every serious enthusiast’s library.

“The Ships of Midland” Skip Gillham & Vern Sweeting, 2004. To order, send a check for $22 to Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0. Please mark your check U.S. funds. (106 pages, softcover, illustrated)

Great Lakes balladeer Lee Murdock’s latest CD is a well-chosen mix of originals, compelling traditional tunes and strong versions of songs by other composers.

In the first category, “Casting Your Cares to the Deep” and “On Gravelly Bay” are outstanding, as are the instrumental charmers “The Song in the Shifting Sands” and “Fair Winds at Twilight.” The title track, “Between Two Worlds,” relates how two Great Lakes passenger liners were converted to aircraft carriers during World War II. Fans have been asking Murdock for years to record the traditional song “Eddystone Light,” and he has obliged, including the clever “Sailor’s Alphabet” for good measure. Monica Marshall’s poignant “Old Port,” about the loss of the fish tug Linda E. and the demise of Lake Michigan’s commercial fishing industry, is also a good choice.  Perhaps if this disc has a more reflective feel than previous efforts, it may be in part because of songs such as Woody Guthrie’s tragic“1913 Massacre,” based on a true story that took place in the Copper Country and involved a fire that took the lives of immigrant miners, women and children.  Meanwhile,  Murdock’s musicianship on the guitar(s) is as skilled as ever and his voice sings out loud and clear. Coming hard on the heels of his “Lake Rhymes” book and accompanying CD, this is proof Lee’s time away from the water has been well spent.

“Between Two Worlds” Lee Murdock (CD), 2004. $15.00. To order, visit www.leemurdock.com (15 songs, 64 minutes)

Visitors to Duluth (and boatwatchers on the Internet) are no doubt familiar with Ken Newham’s “Duluth Shipping News” publication and website, focusing on the goings-on at the Twin Ports. Newhams has released this DVD featuring more than 300 pictures and four videos, taken during 2003 and arranged month-by-month. Not only are there excellent pictures of vessels arriving, departing and loading, there are many unusual images taken aboard these lakers and salties as well. Newhams has what would be an ideal job for most of us, and he clearly enjoys sharing it.

“Duluth Shipping News” (DVD), 2004, Ken Newhams. Available for $23.45 (including tax and shipping) from Duluth Shipping News, 525 Lake Ave. South, Duluth, MN 55802.

When author Jay Michael Brandow found a yellowing photograph of children standing on the deck of a Great Lakes freighter in the wall of an old home he was restoring in Bay City, his curiosity was aroused.  It took more than a year to identify the youngsters in the photo and almost another to track down one of the little girls pictured. As it turned out, Sis Johnson was 84 when he finally caught up with her. The woman’s grandfather, father and uncle were captains on the Great Lakes during the days of wooden ships, and her uncle was Capt. Walter Neal, sole survivor of the Myron, shipwrecked off Whitefish Point in 1919. Sis’ recollections take the reader back to the family home when word of the shipwreck arrived, but the safety of Uncle Water was in question.  It’s a first-hand account from someone who was there… the sense of immediacy and of family making this self-published work a fascinating read.

“The Captain’s Chair” Jay Michael Brandow, 2004. $18.69. To order call 1-888-795-4274. (231 pages, softcover, illustrated)

Author Petersen has gathered a collection of nearly 300 photos taken by the late Erhardt N. Peters, who was a wheelsman for the Pere Marquette fleet, into a book that documents the “golden age” of car ferry service on the lakes.

“Erhardt N. Peters 'Spirit of the Lakes' ” David K. Petersen, 2004, Order from David K. Petersen, 1950 W. Conrad Rd., Ludington, Mi., 49431. (224 pages, softbound, $19.95.

Author Patrick Livingston worked his way through college in the late 1960s by shipping out on the lakes. He's written a colorful memoir of those days spent sailing on the passenger steamers South American and Columbia, the tanker Mercury, the bulk carriers Paul H. Carnahan, John Hulst, Bethlehem and others. This book, one of the best to come out on the topic since Mark Thompson’s “A Sailor's Logbook,” recounts a colorful chapter in Great Lakes history.
Wayne State University (306 pages, illustrated, softbound, $29.95) - Available from Marine Publishing Co.  www.knowyourships.com
 

Noted railroad car ferry historian Art Chavez has published the second book concerning the history of Lake Michigan car ferries. The historic steamship City of Midland 41 sailed the waters of Lake Michigan for nearly 50 years, transporting railroad cars, automobiles and passengers. Built in 1941 by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, she was the flagship of the Pere Marquette’s fleet and her sleek profile was a bold departure from traditional car ferry design. She became known as the “Queen of the Great Lakes Car Ferries.”

Chavez has put together a collection of rare archival photographs and drawings, most of them never previously published. The “41” is documented from her inception and launching through her career with Pere Marquette and C & O Railroads to her present status as a barge. The book also outlines the legacy of the car ferry from the 1880s to the present. Arcadia Publishing, 888-313-2665, sales@arcadiapublishing.com. (128 pages, $19.99)

Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway historian and author Skip Gillham has turned his attention to the Liberty ships built for service during World War II. Though not beautify (FDR dubbed them “ugly ducklings”) they were functional and played a vital role in the Allied victory.

After the War, most were sold to private firms and many found their way into the inland seas after the Seaway opened in 1959. Gillham’s book is a comprehensive look at those vessels, from A to Z. In addition to the many black and white photos contained herein, the book also includes a thumbnail history of each vessel, including year built, former names and ultimate disposition (usually an overseas scrapyard).

A chapter also visits those Liberty ships that got into trouble on the Lakes, including the Protostatis and her ill-fated 1965 trip, which included two groundings and eventually led to the vessel being sold for scrap.

Skip Gillham, 2004, Order from Skip Gillham, 3750 King St., Vineland, Ont. L0R 2C0 (80 pages, illustrated, $21, postage incuded - Click on image to print order form)

Great Lakes balladeer Lee Murdock has, with his wife Joann, released a multi-media work designed to please a multitude of audiences.

“Lake Rhymes” is a songbook and study guide, with an 18-song companion CD containing some of Murdock’s most familiar tunes, including “Rolling Home,” “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” “Lost on the Lady Elgin” and “The Great Lakes Song.” Fans can delight in these new arrangements of familiar tunes, musicians can play along with the printed scores and teachers can use the volume in the classroom to create a fun lessons for their students while meeting learning objectives in history, geography, music and language arts.

In addition to the music, “Lake Rhymes” includes an introduction to folk songs in general, including how they are written and passed on; a section of Great Lakes facts and figures; a glossary of Great Lakes terms; a comprehensive map and timeline. Black and white photos and sketches (many by Loudon G. Wilson), brief explanations of the stories behind the songs, plus an eye-pleasing layout help make this volume even more valuable to educators in particular.
Depot Recordings Publications, P.O. Box 11, Kaneville, IL 60114 (146 pages, illustrated, with CD, $30)

Similar in concept to the local history books published by the stateside Arcadia Press, this volume addresses the Canadian shoreline of the St. Clair River, paying particular attention to the ships that were familiar sights in the area in years past.

Chapters address the upriver and downriver ports, from Point Edward/Sarnia through Stag Island, Mooretown, Courtwright, Sombra, Walpole Island and more. Other subdivisions look back at sailing vessels, overnight steamers, ferries and the St. Clair Flats.

These kinds of local interest books rely heavily on historic photos, and this one especially takes advantage of many rare views from the author’s own files. The captions go the extra mile with historic information, making this book a real gem for the shipping enthusiast.
Looking Back Press. P.O. Box 2131, St. Catharines, Ont., L2R 7S2 (128 pages, illustrated, $22.95, postage included)

 Skip Gillham, well-known Canadian historian and shipping writer, has released this look back at some of the mishaps and disasters involving ships that sailed the lakes in years past. This collection of 240 black and white photos, with information presented in caption format, is presented in chronological order with a thumbnail description of the vessel and the problems it encountered.

Tracing its history back to the Wyandot Indians, "Honoring Our Detroit River" is a comprehensive volume covering many aspects of the history of the Detroit River and it¹s tributaries.

Hartig and his contributors have put together a book rich in history and technical information. They cover many aspects of Detroit River history past, present and future, mainly from the ecological aspect but exploring other areas as well. The book, which includes many tables, photographs and maps, is broken down into various sections, each one written by a contributor or group of contributors who are noted authorities on the subject of that section. Of particular interest are the last sections of the book, which deal more with the planned future of the Detroit River and immediate area. It outlines plans for more focus on the Detroit riverfront for public use, similar to the Canadian side of the river in Windsor.
Wayne State University Press, Detroit, Mich. (234 pages, $29.95)

Subtitled "The Definitive Reference," this new work by prolific lighthouse writer Ray Jones is a must for the library of every lighthouse lover, beginner or veteran.

The coffee-table size volume, produced in association with Lighthouse Digest and the American Lighthouse Foundation, contains 150 spectacular color photographs and another 150 black and white photographs taken by well-known lighthouse photographers around the world, including many Great Lakes lights.
The Globe Pequot Press, PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437 (274 pages, $27.95)

As with most Arcadia books, this one relies heaviest on historic photos to tell its story, and there are some gems included, not only of the Badger but of the train and auto ferries that preceded her in the cross-lake trade. Also reproduced are old advertising brochures, tickets, christening programs and the like from Badger and her fleetmates, as well as greatly reduced but still legible Badger blueprints.

Chavez has done a first-rate job writing about a subject he obviously knows well.  This book is a must, not only for lake ship and ferry fans, but for train buffs as well, since the Badger was originally built for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad.

The Revised First Volume of
Ahoy & Farewell

Ninety-Five Years Young: The Story of the S.S. Keewatin, 1907 to the Present

U.S. Freighters of
the Great Lakes

The Real Shanty Days
By Wendell Wilke

Our "Downriver" River
by Rockne Smith

The Ships of Collingwood
By Skip Gillham

The Ships of Collingwood Skip Gillham, 2001. 228 pages, softcover, many black and white photos. Available for $30 from Skip Gillham at 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0. (US locations, remit in US funds.)
 

Ships of the 
Great Lakes Cookbook
by Paula McKenna

To order Ships of the Great Lakes Cookbook: Discover Their Culinary Legends call (800) 947-4136. Order on-line at www.cookbookpublishing.com

Lighthouses of Lake Michigan, Past and Present
by Wayne S. Sapulski

A Year In Paradise: How We Lived Our Dream
Stephen Wright Watterson

The Ships of Canada's Marine Services
by Charles D. Maginley

Most Frequently-Asked Questions about the 
Welland Canal

Debt of Conscience
by Lorenzo Giangrande

Great Laker Magazine

 Salties 2000 - 2001
by Norman Eakins

This new publication owes its origin to the "LAKERS & SALTIES" series and was "spun-off" this year as a separate publication to benefit those boatwatchers whose interest in salties may be greater than their interest in lakers (or vice versa!). This change has allowed for even more information to be contained without any commensurate increase in price. Purchasers of this book will be advised when the new "LAKERS 2000-2001" book becomes available.

Ida's Ride
By Trish Schiesser

Price $9.95+ $4.00 shipping and handling (Priority Mail) or can be shipped book rate (two to three weeks=$1.00). Click on cover to the left to order by e-mail.
Click here to order from Amazon

The Arteries
of Commerce
Christopher W. Fay 

Mail by the Pail
By Colin Bergel

Graveyards of the
Great Lakes
By Mark Thompson
 

Keepers & Cutters
By F. Stonehouse
 

Imperial Oil Tankers
of the Great Lakes
By Skip Gilliham

Imperial Oil Tankers of the Great Lakes Skip Gillham, 2000. 44 pages, softcover, many black and white photos. Available for $16 from Skip Gillham at 3750 King St., Vineland, ON L0R 2C0 (US locations remit in US funds.)

Keepers of Valor,
Lakes of Vengeance
Lakeboats, Lifesavers & Lighthouses

No matter if the reader is a shipwreck buff, lighthouse person, history enthusiast, or simply a recreational reader, everyone will enjoy the up-lifting sagas of the keepers of valor.

Tragedy in the Straights Cedarville Remembered
Video

 

Soo Locks Visitor’s Guide

 

Coal to Canada
A History of the Ontario Car Ferry Company

Tin Stackers
The History of the
Pittsburgh Steamship
Company
By Al Miller
ISBN 0-8143-2832-6

A Sailor's Logbook
By Mark L. Thompson
ISBN 0-8143-2827-X
ISBN 0-8143-2844-X

A book that details a firsthand account of the life aboard the ships of the Great Lakes. Thompson began his logbook after he reported for duty aboard the Calcite II at Fraser Shipyard in Superior, Wisconsin, for the 1996 shipping season.

A Sailors Logbook is the first such book to chronicle a sailor's life at the end of the twentieth century. Not just a detailing of weather, cargo, and crew relations, A Sailors Logbook is also an account of the daily lives of a diverse group of crewmembers as they share their sailing knowledge, ''sea stories,'' and the many memories that accompany the pictures.

Echo Soundings
Marine News

Ahoy & Farewell II

Moran's Shoreside Companion
for Great lakes Ships

The Travellers guide
to Great Beer
by Roger Tottman

The Steamer William A. Irvin: Queen of the Silver Stackers
by Jody L. Aho
ISBN: #0-932212-85-9

Dining on Inland Seas
by Daniel C. Krummes