Participating in the annual Port Huron Float Down? Coast Guard says don't do it

8/18 - Sarnia, ON – The Canadian Coast Guard has a message for anyone interested in taking part in Sunday's annual Port Huron Float Down: Don't do it. The annual event sees thousands of people in all manner of vessels — including inflatable inner tubes and even air mattresses — float down the St. Clair River from Port Huron, Mich. to Marysville, Mich.

Despite the event's annual popularity, past float downs have caused trouble — In 2016, approximately 1,500 Americans floated to Ferry Dock Hill in Sarnia, Ont. Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said a number of those who accidentally wound up in Canada panicked because "they weren't eligible for entry into Canada."

Bradley said despite their lack of identification, all American floaters were treated with dignity and were returned to the U.S. In a separate float down incident, in 2017, rescue crews needed to help almost 170 people safely reach shore.

Participants have also drowned during previous float downs.

For those who refuse to heed warnings against participating, Kathleen Getty, the deputy superintendent for search-and-rescue programs with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), says participants should bring identification and avoid consuming alcohol before or during the event.

"Drinking and swimming don't mix," said Getty. "Drinking alcohol can have some very dangerous effects with coordination and judgment. When you're doing that in the water, it can be extra dangerous."

Getty also said participants should be aware that the St. Clair River's waters are cold, adding that anyone considering taking part in the float down should wear a proper-fitting life jacket.

"Understand that the water is very cold, and if you're in there for a length of time, you do lose mobility and the ability to propel yourself or to stay afloat sometimes."

The annual Port Huron Floatdown is scheduled for Sunday on the St. Clair River. It's an event that kept first responders in Sarnia busy two years ago, when 168 people had to be rescued. Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley is certainly hoping that doesn't happen again. 7:34

Ontario Provincial Police, RCMP, Sarnia police, Sarnia fire officials and both the Canadian and U.S. Coast Guards will all be on alert during the event. Due to safety concerns, authorities have also suspended traffic on the St. Clair River for approximately eight hours Sunday to protect floaters.

According to the Port Huron Float Down Facebook page, the event takes approximately two to three hours to complete during good weather and can take about six hours in "other" weather.

Windsor Star

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
The Joseph L. Block departed Two Harbors from South of #2 on August 17th at 10:51 for Indiana Harbor. The Edwin H. Gott arrived off Two Harbors on the morning of the 17th. After the Block departed the Gott entered the harbor for South of #2 at 11:03. As of 19:15 on the 17th she is still at the dock. The Gott is loading for Nanticoke. Due Two Harbors on August 18th are the Edgar B. Speer, Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader, and the Algoma Guardian. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay could see the arrival of the Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin either late on the 17th or early on August 18th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Saturday; 6:35 Algoma Innovator departed for Oshawa.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Spragge: Friday; 23:44 Mississagi arrived to unload limestone and departed Saturday at 5:05 and is up bound on Lake Superior.

Thessalon: Saturday; 0:43 Michipicoten arrived to load gravel and departed at 9:51 for Detroit.

Bruce Mines: Saturday; 3:49 Algoma Buffalo arrived to load trap rock.

Meldrum Bay: Saturday; 11:01 Frontenac departed for Windsor.

Port Dolomite: Saturday; 2:00 H Lee White departed for Duluth Superior.

Alpena: Saturday; 3:36 The cement carrier Alpena departed for Duluth Superior.

Calcite: Saturday; 2:08 Hon. James L Oberstar arrived to load. 2:14 Joyce L Vanenkevort departed for Duluth Superior. 2:37 Manitowoc arrived to load. 5:05 Cason J Callaway arrived and went to anchor. 13:15 Manitowoc departed for Ashtabula. 15:15 Philip R Clarke arrived and went to anchor. 18:00 Hon. James L Oberstar departed for Duluth Superior. 18:14 Cason J Callaway weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock.

Stoneport: Saturday; 13:48 Olive L Moore arrived to load.

Port Inland: Friday; 22:49 Cuyahoga departed for Sarnia. Saturday; 1:26 Kaye E Barker arrived to load and departed at 14:14 and is down bound on Lake Michigan.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages - Saturday August 17 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke: docked - Aug 15 - Algoterra at 1101 - Aug 16 - Algoma Hansa at 0256 -

Buffalo: arrival - Aug 17 - NACC Argonaut at 0808 and Grande Caribe (Ame) passenger vessel at 1517

Welland Canal: upbound - Aug 15 - Federal Seto (Mhl) at 0103 stopped wharf 12, Algoma Discovery at 2028 stopped wharf 16 - Aug 16 - NACC Argonaut at 1943, and tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 1953 - Aug 17 - Grande Caribe (Ame) passenger vessel at 0632, Bro Alma (Sgp) at 1124, Oakglen at 1355, Saginaw from wharf 6, Radcliffe R Latimer at 1945, Algoma Transport at 2016 Kaministiqua eta 2030

downbound - Aug 16 - Jamno (Bhs) at 1234, Federal Yukina (HKg) at 2036 - Aug 17 - Algoma Sault at 0120, Tim S Dool at 0201, Saginaw at 0402 stopped wharf 6, Happy Rover (Nld) at 0716 stopped wharf 12, CSL Welland at 0946 and Algoma Strongfield at 1139

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron wharf 16 at 1605 (temporary lay-up) - Aug 15 - Federal Seto (Mhl) wharf 12 at 1110 - Aug 17 - Happy Rover (Nld) wharf 16 at 0835 and Saginaw wharf 6 at 0905 -g departed - Aug 17 - Algoma Discovery at 0445 westbound and Saginaw at 1750 approx westbound

Hamilton: arrivals - Aug 17 - Algoma Harvester at 0703, Tecumseh at 1148 - docked - Aug 7 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0144, Wicky Spirit (Turquoise I-19, Turquoise T-19) at 1232 - Aug 14 - Bluebill (Cyp) at 1958 - Aug 15 - Blair McKeil at 2105 - Aug 16 - Algoma Spirit at 1915 - departures - Aug 16 - Ijsselborg (Nld) at 1726 for Costa Rica - Aug 17 - Radcliffe R Latimer at 1740 for the canal

Clarkson: arrival - Aug 16 - Robert S Pierson at 2349 - departed Aug 17 at 1004 eastbound

Mississauga: docked - Aug 11 - Adfines Star (Mlt) (ex Osttank Sweden-12) at 0827

Toronto: docked - Aug 16 - tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement at 1543, McKeil Spirit at 0946 and Three Rivers (Atg) at 1901 departed -

Oshawa: docked - Aug 14 - Federal Kushiro (Mhl) at 1715

Updates

8/18 - The saltie gallery has been updated with the following images: Andean, BBC Elbe, BBC Volga, Edenborg, Eider, Federal Hunter, Federal Nagara, Federal Seto, Fortunagracht, Frieda, Ijsselborg, Industrial Strength, Kurt Paul, Sichem New York, Sten Moster, Stenberg, Three Rivers, Timgad and Wicky Spirit.

On 18 August 1871, GEN. WINFIELD SCOTT (wooden schooner, 114 foot, 213 tons, built in 1852, at Black River, Ohio) was carrying lumber from Menominee to Chicago when she sprang a leak during a gale and capsized off Spider Island near Death's Door on Lake Michigan. The crew clung to her for 13 hours until rescued by the passing schooner ETHAN ALLEN.

CANADIAN ENTERPRISE (Hull#65) was float launched on August 18, 1979, at St. Catharines, Ontario by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. for Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd.

On August 18, 1972, $50,000 in bottom damage occurred when the CHAMPLAIN, of 1943, hit an obstruction in the Trenton Channel, on the lower Detroit River.

The NORMAN B. REAM (Hull#70) was launched August 18, 1906, at Chicago, Illinois by the Chicago Ship Building Co. for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) KINSMAN ENTERPRISE in 1965. She served as a storage barge in Port Huron from 1979 to 1989. She was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey in 1989.

On 18 August 1907, KATE WHITE (wooden propeller steam tug, 62 foot, 28 gross tons, built at Erie, Pennsylvania in 1885, as a yacht) sank near the harbor entrance at Fairport, Ohio. On 18 August 1878, JAVA (iron twin propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 232 foot, 1,525 gross tons, built in 1873, at Buffalo, New York) was sailing from Bay City, Michigan for Chicago and Milwaukee with mixed merchandise, including 300 tons of fine household goods, parlor stoves, salt, etc. She was a twin-screw and the main theory of her loss in good weather was that her starboard shaft coupling came loose and the shaft slid out the stern, allowing water to flood through the sleeve. Nevertheless, she sank quickly, 15 miles off Big Sable Point on Lake Michigan in over 300 feet of water. The crew escaped in lifeboats and was picked up by passing steamers.

1919 – The former wooden bulk carrier NEOSHO was sold for off lakes service in 1917 and was operating as a barge, under tow of the tug NORFOLK, when she broke loose in a storm on Delaware Bay, got caught in the trough, struck a reef and broke up.

1927 – The first HENNEPIN foundered in Lake Michigan, 18 miles west of South Haven, enroute to Grand Haven to load. The hull was discovered in 2006 and is upright in 230 feet of water.

1966 – BAYGEORGE knocked off a lock fender in the downbound section of the Welland Canal Flight Locks and delayed navigation. Only the upbound side remained in use to handle traffic pending repairs.

1972 – The ocean going general cargo carrier FELTO caught fire at Bata, Equatorial Guinea, while discharging cement. The blaze broke out in the engineroom and spread to the accommodation area before the ship settled on the bottom as a total loss. The vessel had been a Great Lakes trader in 1968 and had previously come inland as a) FERDIA in 1953 and b) FAIRWAY in 1963.

1985 – CHI-CHEEMAUN went aground due to fog while departing South Baymouth and was released the following day. The Georgian Bay ferry went to Collingwood for repairs.

1996 – HERCEG NOVI, a Yugoslavian freighter dating from 1981, first came through the Seaway in 1989 bringing a cargo of newsprint to Detroit. It sank following a collision with the containership MING GALAXY off Singapore on this date in 1996. Local officials ordered the removal of the hull and this was done, in pieces, later in the year.

Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Skip Gillham, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series

Interlake cuts steel for first new American laker in 35 years

8/16 - Stugreon Bay, WI – On Wednesday, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and The Interlake Steamship Company cut steel for the first U.S.-flagged laker to be built in more than 35 years.

“The first cut of steel is a major milestone that signifies we, along with Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, are ready to begin production on this historic project,” said Interlake President Mark W. Barker. “We are extremely proud to build our company’s first ship since 1981 . . . with American-made steel from the iron ore we carry on our U.S. flag fleet vessels. It’s a true Great Lakes success story.”

Great Lakes self-unloading bulkers - known generally as "lakers" - are a unique class designed specifically for their region and purpose. Unlike typical bulkers, they have a conveyor system that allows them to discharge their own cargo in about 12 hours' time, without help from shoreside equipment. Exposed only to fresh water, they tend to outlast their seagoing counterparts by many decades, and fleet renewal cycles are long. As an extreme example, the 1906-built steamship St. Mary's Challenger was converted into an ATB barge unit in 2014, and the hull is still going in its 113th year in service.

Fincantieri Bay VP and general manager Todd Thayse said that the new laker will be a source of local pride - built on the Great Lakes for use on the Great Lakes. The first plate used in the ceremony was sourced from a mill in Burns Harbor, Indiana operated by top global steelmaker ArcelorMittal.

“ArcelorMittal is privileged to serve as a steel supplier for the newest bulk carrier on the Great Lakes,” said Gary Mohr, VP of supply chain management at ArcelorMittal USA. “The expansion of Interlake’s fleet will further support water commerce and the movement of raw materials using the safest, most efficient and environmentally friendly method of transportation. The construction of a new bulk carrier is a great example of how the steelmaking process comes full circle.”

Interlake believes that the new self-unloader is the first ship for U.S. Great Lakes service built on the Great Lakes since 1983. The 28,000 dwt bulker is jointly designed by Interlake Steamship Company, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and Bay Engineering, and the design includes advanced vessel and unloading systems automation.

The vessel is scheduled for completion in the middle of 2022, and it will provide employment for 700 shipyard workers, along with new business for the yard's contractors and suppliers. Major vendors and partners include ABS, EMD, Caterpillar, Lufkin and MacGregor.

The Maritime Executive

Tug Omni Richelieu bought by Toronto Drydock Co.

8/16 – Toronto Drydock Co. has purchased the tug Omni Richelieu from Le Group Ocean. After refurbishment, the tug will be renamed Omni Coastal, and will return to service in the spring of 2020.

Gerry Ouderkirk

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
The Indiana Harbor departed Two Harbors at approx. 11:02 on August 15th for Gary. As reported in the "Boatnerd" info search page she departed Two Harbors with 77,542.5 net tons of pellets which is a new Lake Superior record. The American Spirit shifted from North of #2 to South of #2 between approx. 11:37 and 12:15. There is no inbound traffic scheduled for Two Harbors on August 16th. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of the CSL Niagara on August 15th at 12:53 for Quebec City. There is no scheduled traffic for Silver Bay on August 16th

Thunder Bay, ON
Wednesday; 22:30 Federal Schelde arrived and went to anchor. Thursday; 20:05 Federal Kivalina departed for Montreal.

Muskegon, MI – Brendan Falkowski
On Thursday three vessels visited Muskegon. First in was the cruise ship Pearl Mist at 8:36 for Heritage Landing. Next was the Algoma Buffalo at 16:12 with Goderich salt for the Verplank Salt Dock. Finally, the Cuyahoga arrived about an hour after the Buffalo at 17:15 with trap rock from Bruce Mines for the Verplank Lakeside Dock. As of 20:00 none of the vessels had departed.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Drummond Island: Thursday; 6:23 Wilfred Sykes departed down bound on Lake Michigan. 13:16 Joseph H Thompson arrived to load.

Port Dolomite: Thursday; 10:08 American Mariner departed for Duluth Superior.

Alpena: Wednesday; 23:00 Samuel De Champlain departed for Milwaukee. G L Ostrander shifted to the loading dock and departed at 19:56 for Detroit.

Calcite: Thursday; 4:26 Olive L Moore arrived to load. 7:24 Manitowoc arrived to load limestone. 16:54 Olive L Moore departed down bound on Lake Huron.

Stoneport: Thursday; 5:00 John G Munson arrived to load and departed at 17:54 for Fairport. 17:58 Arthur M Anderson arrived to load.

Brevort: Wednesday; 21:00 Defiance and Ashtabula departed for Cleveland.

Port Inland: Thursday; 0:46 Great Republic departed for Indiana Harbor. 14:02 Mississagi arrived and went to anchor.

Detroit-River Rouge – Raymond H
Thursday Arrivals: Alpena-arrived at Lafarge to unload cement. Hon. James L Oberstar-arrived at AK Steel to unload ore. H Lee White-arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to fuel. Rt. Hon. Paul J Martin-arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to fuel. Philip R Clarke-arrived at the Detroit Bulk Storage dock to unload stone.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages - Thursday August 15 – Barry Andersen

Nanticoke: arrivals - Algoterra at 1101 and tug Molly M & Dowden Spirit

Welland Canal: upbound - Aug 14 - Frontenac at 1844, Manitoulin at 1913 and tug Molly M & Dowden Spirit at 2253 - Aug 15 - Federal Seto (Mhl) at 0103, Tundra (Cyp) at 0404, Industrial Strength (Lbr) at 0513, Algoma Hansa at 1401, Algoma Discovery at 2028 and tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement eta 2315

downbound - Aug 14 - Algonorth at 1028, Algoma Transport at 1158 - Aug 15 - tug Albert (ex Craig Eric Reinauer-18, El Bronco Grande-06, Hercules-81) at 0921, G3 Marquis at 1614 and Algonova at 1717, tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II eta 2145

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605

Hamilton: arrivals - Aug 15 - Ijsselborg (Nld) at 0028, tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 0217 and Blair McKeil at 2105 - docked - Aug 7 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0144, Wicky Spirit (Turquoise I-19, Turquoise T-19) at 1232 - Aug 14 - Algoma Discovery at 0239, Bluebill (Cyp) at 1958 - departures - Aug 14 - tug Molly M & Dowden Spirit at 2019 - Aug 15 - tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 1805, Algoma Disocvery at 1824 - both for the canal

Clarkson: arrival - Aug 14 - Radcliffe R Latimer at 1703

Mississauga: docked - Aug 11 - Adfines Star (Mlt) (ex Osttank Sweden-12) at 0827

Toronto: arrivals none - departed - Aug 15 - Tundra (Cyp) at 0144 for Toledo and NACC Argonaut at 0635

Oshawa: arrival - Aug 14 - Federal Kushiro (Mhl) at 1715 - Aug 15 - NACC Quebec at 1956

Substantial, expensive repairs of sabotaged Canadian Coast Guard vessel could take years

8/16 - A Canadian Coast Guard vessel sabotaged nine months ago will undergo expensive and lengthy repairs. Global News has learned the CCGS Corporal McLaren has been patched up and towed to Halifax, where it is now at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography as it waits to be repaired.

In November 2018, the 42.8-metre-long patrol vessel was cut from its moorings at a dockyard in Sambro, N.S., where it was meant to be undergoing a month-long refit.

The vessel slipped from its cradle, crashing into the ocean floor and coming to rest partially submerged in the icy water of Sambro Harbour. Power cables were torn from the vessel as it slid into the water. Multiple compartments on the vessel were filled with icy seawater, damaging computer equipment and rendering wiring useless.

Read more and view images at this link: https://globalnews.ca/news/5733044/reconstruction-sabotage-canada-coast-guard-mclaren

Climate change could trigger drastic swings in Great Lakes water levels

8/16 - Michigan may not get a break anytime soon from high lake levels wreaking havoc across the state, but when it does, the pendulum likely will swing the other way. That’s according to researchers with the University of Michigan, who say climate change is behind heavy precipitation that has engorged the Great Lakes as well as water tables throughout the state.

It also will be behind periods of dry weather in coming years that will result in low water levels, said Richard B. Rood, a professor in U-M’s Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering. He calls the change from high to low water periods of “variability.”

“We think you’re going to see it very high and there also will be times when you will see it very low,” Rood said.

Most of the Great Lakes have experienced record high water levels this summer, with depths ranging from 14 inches to nearly 3 feet above long-term averages. But high water is everywhere, not just along Michigan’s coasts. It has lifted water tables in inland communities, causing havoc from Detroit to Muskegon and from the Upper Peninsula to South Haven.

The reason for the high water levels is heavy precipitation for the last few years, said Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of watershed hydrology for the Detroit District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“It’s been very wet across the Great Lakes basin over the last several months and years,” Kompoltowicz said.

Read more and view a photo gallery at this link: https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2019/08/climate-change-could-trigger-drastic-swings-in-great-lakes-water-levels.html

Thief steals ‘priceless’ artifacts from WWII ship museum in West Michigan

8/16 - Muskegton, MI – A thief brazenly stole World War II medals and other memorabilia from a floating ship museum, including ripping some items off a uniform on display.

The thefts of about a dozen items from the USS LST 393 WWII Veterans Museum in Muskegon occurred Saturday, Aug. 3, said John Stephenson, a member of the museum’s board of directors. Among the items are a patch and lapel pins that were stolen off a woman’s U.S. Army Air Corps uniform, Stephenson said.

“It makes me sad and disappointed to disrespect veterans and a museum dedicated to them by stealing artifacts meant to honor them,” Stephenson said.

Police have a security camera image of a middle-aged man they are seeking to identify and question.

The LST 393 – a landing ship that transported thousands of troops, vehicles and prisoners during World War II – is a popular tourist attraction near downtown Muskegon. Visitors take self-guided tours of the museum’s six decks and displays that include many military uniforms.

Some of the items that were taken, such as the Ninth Air Force patch ripped off the woman’s uniform, are not that valuable, Stephenson said. “They’re not worth much, but they’re priceless,” he said.

Other missing items include the hat, or “cover,” included with the woman’s uniform as well as leggings, a Korean War medal taken from a display case and shoulder patches taken from a WWII Japanese soldier’s tunic, Stephenson said. They are items that could be concealed in a pocket, he added.

Police have carefully reviewed security footage which shows someone “fiddling” with the woman’s uniform and other evidence of thefts that occurred when the ship was open to the public, Stephenson said. “It’s angering,” he said.

Police ask that anyone with information about the thefts to contact Silent Observer at (231) 72-CRIME or the Muskegon Police Department at (231) 724-6750.

View a photo gallery and security camera image of the suspect at this link: https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2019/08/thief-steals-priceless-artifacts-from-wwii-ship-museum-in-west-michigan.html

On 16 August 1890, the ANNIE WATT (wooden propeller, passenger and package freight "packet,” 75 foot, 62 gross ton, built in 1884, at Lion's Head, Ontario) collided with the ship WM. ALDERSON and sank off of Gunn Point, Ontario. Just the previous year (8 November 1889), ANNIE WATT had burned and been declared total loss, but she was rebuilt.

The captain of the 2 year old, 125-foot wooden schooner-barge JOHN F. RITCHIE brought his wife, two other women and several small children as guests on a voyage from Bay City, Michigan to Buffalo, New York. The RITCHIE was one of a string of four barges loaded with lumber in tow of the tug ZOUAVE. As the tow entered Lake Erie, they were struck by a terrifying storm. The RITCHIE broke her towline and was cast adrift. The deck load of lumber broke loose and everyone was in danger. The women and children were brought out of the cabin since it was considered to be a death trap and they were lashed on deck for safety. Soon the vessel was waterlogged and the cabin was actually washed away. On 17 August, a passing steamer took everyone aboard and towed the RITCHIE in to Cleveland, Ohio where she was repaired. Amazingly, no lives were lost.

August 16, 1902 - The PERE MARQUETTE 18 (Hull#412) was launched at Cleveland, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the Pere Marquette Railway.

1921 – The wooden steamer H.N. JEX foundered off Long Point, Lake Ontario, while carrying coal between Sodus and Kingston. All on board were rescued.

1927 – NORTHERN LIGHT, a steel package freighter, left the Great Lakes for saltwater service in two sections in 1917. The vessel was ravaged by a fire that began in the coal bunker, at Mobile, AL. on this date in 1927. The engine was removed in 1928 and the hull converted to a barge. It foundered off the Florida Keys on November 8, 1930.

1966 – The PEAVEY PIONEER, laid up with damage from a May 31, 1966, grounding at Ashland, was traded to the U.S. Maritime Administration by Sea-Land Services for the C-4 transport GENERAL H.G. FREEMAN.

1967 – The third GEORGE HINDMAN went aground and sustained heavy damage in the St. Lawrence off Clayton, N.Y. The ship was inspected at Collingwood and considered beyond economical repair. It was sold to Marine Salvage for scrap and resold to Hyman-Michaels for dismantling at Duluth, arriving there on October 13, 1967.

Data from: Joe Barr, Max Hanley, Skip Gillham, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Stelco revenue falls in second quarter on lower prices, U.S. tariffs

8/15 - Hamilton, Ont. – Stelco Holdings Inc. says it swung to a net income of $1 million in the second quarter compared with a loss of $11 million in the same quarter last year.

The steel producer says its adjusted net income worked out to $6 million, or seven cents per share, for the quarter ending June 30, compared with adjusted income of $165 million or $1.86 per share last year.

Analysts had expected adjusted net income of $21.5 million, or 21 cents per share, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.

The Hamilton-based company says revenue came in at $431 million for the quarter, down from the $711 million it took in during the same quarter last year, in part because its average selling price dropped 15 per cent and shipped steel volumes decreased 27 per cent.

Stelco says it faced a number of headwinds in the quarter including destocking, falling market prices and the 232 tariffs imposed by the U.S.

The company says conditions have since improved as the U.S. has dropped the metal tariffs on Canada and customer demand is stronger.

BNN Bloomberg

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Paul R. Tregurtha departed Duluth at 05:03 Wednesday morning with a load of coal for St. Clair. During the afternoon, American Century arrived at 15:08 to load at Midwest Energy, and Edenborg came in from anchor at 15:30 for bentonite from Hallett #5. Whitefish Bay was inbound at 18:15 to load iron ore pellets at CN. Also in port on Wednesday was Mamry, which was loading wheat at CHS 2 and had a tentative departure time of 22:00 listed. In Superior, Presque Isle left port at 09:46 with a load of iron ore for Ecorse, and CSL Laurentien arrived at 10:16 to load at Burlington Northern. She was expected to depart before midnight. Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
CSL Welland departed Two Harbors from South of #2 on August 14th at approx. 00:15 for Quebec City. Arriving Two Harbors on August 14th at approx. 00:30 for South of #2 was the Algoma Strongfield. She had stopped off Two Harbors on the 13th at approx. 20:05. She departed Two Harbors on the 14th at 14:54 for Quebec City. The Indiana Harbor arrived Two Harbors on August 14th at approx. 01:28 for North of #2 lay-by. She shifted to South of #2 between 16:15 and 16:48. Due Two Harbors between 20:30 and 21:00 is the American Spirit. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival on August 14th at 06:38 of the Herbert C. Jackson. She departed on the 14th at 13:53 for Cleveland. Also arriving Silver Bay on the 14th was the CSL Niagara at 11:52. Her AIS had been showing Two Harbors, but was switched to Silver Bay. Neither Two Harbors or Silver Bay have inbound traffic scheduled on August 15th.

Thunder Bay, Ont.
Tuesday: Correction Federal Kivalina was loading at G3. 20:39 The saltie Jamino departed for Montreal. 22:38 Federal Yukina departed for Montreal. Wednesday; 0:34 The saltie Eider weighed anchor and proceeded to the Superior Elevator to load grain. 6:37 Algocanada arrived at the Suncor terminal to unload petroleum products. 9:28 Ojibway arrived at Viterra A to load grain. 14:09 Algocanada departed and was downbound on Lake Superior.

Alpena, MI – Ben & Chanda McClain
Wednesday was a busy day at Lafarge with three vessels in port. The Alpena took on cement first in the morning and then departed for Detroit, MI. The tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation arrived around noon and tied up under the silos to load. Fleetmate G.L Ostrander and barge Integrity is standing by at the coal dock and will shift over once the deChamplain departs.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Spragge: Wednesday; 7:24 Algoma Niagara departed for Sault Ste Marie and is up bound on Lake Superior.

Bruce Mines: Wednesday; 7:47 Cuyahoga arrived to load and departed at 17:11 for Muskegon.

Drummond Island: Wednesday; 18:37 Wilfred Sykes arrived to load.

Port Dolomite: Tuesday; 20:37 Saginaw departed for Sombra. Wednesday; 0:07 Calumet arrived to load and departed at 9:39 for Indiana Harbor. 17:30 American Mariner arrived to load limestone.

Alpena: Wednesday; 4:54 The cement carrier Alpena arrived to load and departed at 10:07 for Detroit. 12:03 Samuel De Champlain arrived to load cement products. 15:43 G L Ostrander arrived and tied up at the cement plant’s materials dock.

Calcite: Tuesday; 23:34 Cason J Callaway departed for Ashtabula. 3:15 Philip R Clarke arrived to load and departed at 19:14 for Detroit.

Brevort: Wednesday; 10:45 Defiance and Ashtabula arrived to load.

Port Inland: Wednesday; 2:09 Joseph L Block arrived to load and departed at 12:19 for Duluth Superior. 13:39 Great Republic arrived to load limestone.

Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Buffalo cleared 6.15 am Sednesday laden with salt for Muskegon. Algoma Compass is expected to load next.

Detroit-River Rouge – Raymond H
Wednesday Arrivals: Albert and Margaret arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal. CSL Tadoussac arrived at St. Mary's Cement to unload clinker.

Northeast Ohio Ports – Bill Kloss
8/14 arrivals: Sam Laud to Marblehead from Cleveland. Joyce L. VanEnkevort was at the Bulk Terminal in Cleveland. At the Port docks were Fuldaborg at dock 24W and Happy Rover at 22E. Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder was arriving from Calcite. In Fairport Harbor, H. Lee White had stone from Calcite for Osborne.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages - Wednesday August 14 – Barry Andersen

Welland Canal: upbound - Aug 13 - Algoma Compass at 1840 - Aug 14 - Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 0839, Frontenac at 1844 and Manitoulin at 1913

downbound - Aug 13 - Algoma Discovery at 1408 - Aug 14 - Algonorth at 1028, Algoma Transport at 1158

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605

Port Weller anchorage: anchored - Aug 13 - Federal Kushiro (Mhl) at 1940 - departed Aug 14 at 1245 approx for Oshawa

Hamilton: arrivals - Aug 14 - Algoma Discovery at 0239, Bluebill (Cyp) at 1958 - docked - Aug 7 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0144, Wicky Spirit (Turquoise I-19, Turquoise T-19) at 1232 - departure - Aug 14 - Federal Nagara (Mhl) at 2025

Clarkson: arrival - Aug 14 - Radcliffe R Latimer at1703

Mississauga: docked - Aug 11 - Adfines Star (Mlt) (ex Osttank Sweden-12) at 0827

Toronto: arrivals - Aug 14 - Frontenac at 0055, NACC Argonaut at 0544 - docked - Aug 9 - Tundra (Cyp) at 0429 - departed - Aug 14 - Frontenac at 1714 westbound

Oshawa: arrival - Aug 14 - Federal Kushiro (Mhl) at 1715 - departed - Aug 14- Federal Seto (Mhl) at 2013 for Port Colborne

Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Departure: McKeil Spirit, Wednesday morning for Picton, ON.

On this day in 1899, a major blockage of the St. Marys River occurred. The steamer MATOA was towing the barge MAIDA past Sailors Encampment when the steering chain of the MAIDA parted. The MAIDA ran ashore but the current swung her around to completely block the channel, and she sank. The lower St. Marys River was closed for several days and 80 - 90 boats were delayed.

The whaleback barge 107 (steel whaleback barge, 276 foot, 1,295 gross tons) was launched by the American Steel Barge Co., at W. Superior, Wisconsin. She only lasted eight years. In 1898, she broke free from the tug ALVA B in rough weather and stranded near Cleveland, Ohio and was wrecked.

JOSEPH L. BLOCK sailed light on her maiden voyage from the Bay Ship Building Co., Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin to load 32,600 long tons of taconite ore pellets at Escanaba, Michigan for delivery to Indiana Harbor, Indiana on August 15, 1976.

In 1991, ALGOSTEEL was outbound at Superior when a small, smoky fire broke out in the electrical panel. The ship went to anchor and then returned to port for repairs. The trip resumed on August 24.

The OTTERCLIFFE HALL, the last "straight deck" Great Lakes bulk freighter built with a pilot house forward, was bare boat chartered to Misener Transportation Ltd. on August 15, 1983, renamed b.) ROYALTON. In 1985, renamed c.) OTTERCLIFFE HALL, d.) PETER MISENER in 1988, and e.) CANADIAN TRADER in 1994. She was scrapped at Alang, India in 2004.

Under threat of a strike on August 15, 1978, the uncompleted GEORGE A. STINSON was towed out of Lorain, Ohio by six tugs to River Rouge's Nicholson's Terminal & Dock Co. to finish her fit-out. She was renamed b.) AMERICAN SPIRIT in 2004.

The LEON FALK JR. was laid up for the last time August 15, 1980, at the Great Lakes Engineering Work's old slip at River Rouge, Michigan.

On August 15, 1985, the MENIHEK LAKE sailed under her own power to Quebec City (from there by tug), the first leg of her journey to the cutter’s torch in Spain.

J.P. MORGAN JR arrived in tow of Hannah Marine's tug DARYL C. HANNAH at Buffalo, New York on August 15th where she was delayed until she could obtain clearance to transit the Welland Canal. Permission to pass down the Canal was refused because of the MORGAN JR's improper condition. By September 5, 1980, the situation was rectified and she was towed down the Welland Canal by the tugs BARBARA ANN, STORMONT and ARGUE MARTIN bound for Quebec City.

On 15 August 1856, the WELLAND (sidewheel steamer, wood, passenger & package freight, 145 foot, 300 ton, built 1853, at St. Catharines, Ontario) burned to a total loss at her dock at Port Dalhousie, Ontario. She was owned by Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railroad Co. On 15 August 1873, Thomas Dunford and Frank Leighton announced a co-partnership in the shipbuilding business in Port Huron, Michigan. Their plans included operating from Dunford's yard. When they made their announcement, they already had an order for a large tug from Mr. George E. Brockway. This tug was the CRUSADER with the dimensions of 132 feet overall, 100 foot keel, and 23 foot beam. In 1914, the Panama Canal was officially opened to maritime traffic.

Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Jim Olsson, Max Hanley, Skip Gillham, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
The only traffic in Duluth on Monday was the Mesabi Miner, which arrived at 09:06 to load iron ore at Canadian National. She had a departure time of 23:00 listed. Tim S. Dool continued loading wheat at CHS 1, and Edenborg remained at anchor outside the harbor with no ETA. In Superior, James R. Barker loaded ore at Burlington Northern throughout the day Monday before departing for Burns Harbor at 17:48, and Roger Blough then arrived at 18:25 to load. She is expected to depart mid-morning Tuesday.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
The Edgar B. Speer arrived Two Harbors for South of #2 on August 11th at 22:52. She departed Two Harbors on August 12th at 14:12 for Gary. Arriving Two Harbors on August 12th at 18:38 for South of #2 was the Algoma Spirit. Due Two Harbors on the 12th is the CSL Welland. She should arrive between 20:00 and 21:00. She probably will go to anchor. Due Two Harbors on August 13th is the Algoma Strongfield. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader on August 12th at approx. 15:35 for "Browns Town.” There is a possibility the Indiana Harbor will arrive Silver Bay late on August 13th, but probably will arrive early on the 14th. Also due Silver Bay is the Herbert C. Jackson. She also could arrive late on the 13th after unloading stone at Hallett #5 in Duluth.

Thunder Bay, ON
Sunday; 21:56 the saltie Eider arrived and went to anchor.

Northern Lake Huron ports
Little Current: Monday; 8:01 The cruise ship Pear Mist arrived for shore excursions and departed at 13:02 for Sault Ste Marie.

Bruce Mines: Monday; 14:03 Mississagi arrived to load trap rock.

Alpena: Monday; 4:36 Undaunted and Pere Marquette 41 arrived at the cement plant to unload and departed at 13:13 for Bruce Mines.

Calcite: Monday; 6:00 H Lee white arrived to load. 14:25 John G Munson arrived to load.

Meldrum Bay: Monday; 1:38 Herbert C Jackson departed for Duluth Superior. 2:54 Cuyahoga arrived to load dolomite and departed at 11:40 for Sarnia.

Drummond Island: Monday; 14:11 Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder arrived to load.

Port Dolomite: Monday; 6:41 Manitowoc departed for Cleveland. 19:30 Olive L Moore arrived to load.

Port Inland: Monday; 10:59 Wilfred Sykes departed for Indiana Harbor. 12:47 John J Boland arrived to load.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Innovator was loading salt for Windsor on Monday.

Detroit-River Rouge – Raymond H
Monday Arrivals: Cason J Callaway arrived at the Detroit Bulk Storage dock to unload stone. CSL Assiniboine arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to fuel.

Northeast Ohio Ports – Bill Kloss
8/12 arrivals: Great Republic to unload at Ontario Stone upper. Sea Eagle II to unload at St. Mary's Cement, Samuel deChamplain/Innovation at LaFarge and Sam Laud to Arcelor Mittal from Ashtabula. CSL's Frontenac to Morton Salt in Grand River.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages - Monday August 12 – Barry Andersen Nanticoke: docked - Aug 11 - Algosea at 1840 - departed Aug 12 at 2003 westbound

Buffalo: docked - Aug 10 - American Mariner at 2128 - departed Aug 12 - at 2025 approx. westbound

Welland Canal: upbound - Aug 11 - Algoma Guardian at 1513, Algoma Transport at 1834 and Vctory I (Bhs) passenger vessel at 2015 - Aug 12 - CSL Tadoussac at 1752

downbound - Aug 12 - Algoma Conveyor at 034, Juno (Bhs) at 0953, Algoma Compass at 1330, Sichem Marseille (Bda) at 1354 and Andean at 2032

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605

Port Weller anchorage: anchored - Aug 11 - Selasse (Gib) (ex Selay S-17) at 0949 - Aug 12 - departed anchorage at 0200 eastbound

Hamilton: arrivals - none - docked - Aug 7 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0144, Wicky Spirit (Turquoise I-19, Turquoise T-19) at 1232 - Aug 12 - Federal Nagara at 1050 from the anchorage - departure - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11, completed as Lake Ontario) at 0810 eastbound

Mississauga: arrival - Aug 9 - Selasse (Gib)(ex Selay S-17) at 1352 - departed Aug 10 at 2338 for Chicago

Toronto: arrival - Aug 11 - Fuldaborg (Nld) at 1221 - docked - Aug 9 - Tundra (Cyp) at 0429

Oshawa: arrival - Aug 11 - tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 0541 - docked - Aug 9 - Federal Seto (Mhl) at 1740 - departure - Aug 12 - tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 0150 eastbound

Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Arrival: McKeil Spirit at about 12:30 Monday afternoon at Lehigh Cement.

Seaway
With a broken arrestor cable repaired at the Beauharnois Lock, traffic began moving on Monday. Several vessels were backed up.

Today in Great Lakes History -  August 13

On 13 August 1899, H. G. CLEVELAND (wooden schooner, 137 foot 264 tons, built in 1867, at Black River, Ohio) sank with a full load of limestone, 7 miles from the Cleveland harbor entrance.

August 13, 1980 - The ARTHUR K. ATKINSON returned to service after repairing a broken crankshaft suffered in 1973. She brought 18 railcars from Manitowoc to Frankfort.

The 272 foot, 1,740 gross ton, wooden propeller freighter SITKA was launched by F. W. Wheeler (Hull#32) at W. Bay City, Michigan on 13 August 1887.

1986 INDIANA HARBOR set a Toledo and Lake Erie record, loading 55,047 tons of coal at Toledo for Marquette.

1917: The barge MIDDLESEX of the Ontario Transportation and Pulp Company broke loose and stranded at Rapide Plat in the St. Lawrence. The ship was abandoned to the insurers but salvaged and returned to service as b) WOODLANDS in 1918.

1979: IRISH OAK first came to the Great Lakes in 1960 for Irish Shipping Ltd. The vessel went aground near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as c) VEGAS on this date in 1979, while enroute from Piraeus, Greece, to Vietnam. The hull was refloated on October 28, 1979, and reached Jeddah on November 16, 1979. It was sold for scrapping at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, and arrived there on January 29, 1980.

1982: EUTHALIA visited the Seaway for the first time in 1972. It caught fire in the engine room as d) FORUM SPIRIT enroute from Port Said, Egypt, to Piraeus, Greece, and was abandoned by most of the crew. While it was towed into Piraeus on August 14, the vessel was declared a total loss. The ship arrived at Split, Yugoslavia, again under tow, for scrapping on March 6, 1984.

1993: The second CORFU ISLAND to visit the Great Lakes came inland in 1970. This SD14 cargo carrier had been built the previous year and returned as b) LOYALTY in 1980. Later that fall, the ship arrived at Basrah, Iraq, from Duluth with severe missile damage resulting from the Iraq-Iran War. The ship was declared a total loss but remained idle there until being towed away on August 13, 1993. LOYALTY arrived at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, for scrapping on September 22, 1993.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Happy Rover departed Duluth at 07:15 Sunday morning, headed for Cleveland empty after unloading wind turbine parts and project cargo at Port Terminal. Tim S. Dool was inbound at 13:30 and tied up at CHS 1 to load wheat. Also in port was Edenborg, which was anchored offshore and is waiting to unload her cargo of bentonite at Hallett #5. There was no traffic through the Superior entry during the day Sunday, however James R. Barker was just approaching the piers as of 20:00 to load iron ore at Burlington Northern.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
The Edwin H. Gott arrived Two Harbors on August 11th for South of #2 at 11:45. As of 19:30 on the 11th she is still at the loading dock. The Gott is loading for Ecorse. Due Two Harbors on the 11th is the Edgar B. Speer. As of 19:30 on August 11th she is approx. 15 miles ENE of Two Harbors. Due Two Harbors on August 12th are the CSL Welland and the Algoma Spirit. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader on August 11th at 08:33. Her AIS is showing Toledo, but it showed Toledo on her upbound trip. Arriving Silver Bay on August 11th at approx. 14:30 was the Clyde S. VanEnevort/Erie Trader. As of 19:30 on the 11th she is still at the dock, but her AIS is showing "Browns Town.” There is no inbound traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on August 12th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Saturday; 22:47 Federal Yukina arrived at the Superior Elevator to load grain. Sunday; 9:34 The saltie Jamino weighed anchor and proceeded to the Richardson Main Terminal to load grain.

Green Bay, WI
H. Lee White departed for Port Inland on 7-11-19

Northern Lake Huron ports
Parry Sound: Sunday; 7:44 The cruise ship Pear Mist arrived for shore excursions and departed at 19:09.
Alpena: Saturday; 22:21 The cement carrier Alpena arrived to load and departed Sunday at 3:00 for Green Bay.
Stoneport: Sunday: 5:44 Herbert C Jackson arrived to load and departed at 13:16 for Meldrum Bay to finish loading. Calcite: Sunday; 9:25 Cason J Callaway departed for Detroit.
Meldrum Bay: Sunday; 1:57 Saginaw departed for Saginaw MI. 2:30 Michipicoten arrived to load limestone and departed at 18:08 for Marquette. 18:27 Herbert C Jackson arrived to finish loading.
Drummond Island: Sunday; 1:43 Wilfred Sykes arrived to load and at 11:45 departed for Port Inland to finish loading.
Port Dolomite: Sunday; 20:00 Manitowoc arrived to load.
Port Inland: Sunday; 20:34 Wilfred Sykes arrived to finish loading.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Compass arrived 9 am Saturday, loaded at Compass Minerals Dock, cleared 6:18 am Sunday, laden with salt for Oshawa. Algoma Innovator arrived 3.18 pm Sunday, turned in the basin and nudged up to Compass Minerals Dock to load salt.

Detroit-River Rouge – Raymond H
Sunday Arrivals: Lee A Tregurtha-arrived at AK Steel to unload ore. American Spirit-arrived at Zug Island to unload ore.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages - Sunday August 11, 2019 ... Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrivals - Aug 11 - CSL Niagara at 0045, Algosea at 1840 - departed - Aug 11 - CSL Niagara at 1007 and Algocanada at 1013 - both westbound

Welland Canal:
upbound - Aug 10 - Algoma Strongfield at 1609, Frontenac at 2200 and Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II at 2335 - Aug 11 - Resko (Bhs) at 0237, Whitefish Bay at 0408, CSL Assiniboine at 0534, Baie Comeau at 0750, Selasse (Gib) (ex Selay S-17) at 0929 (to Port Weller anchorage),

downbound - Aug 10 - Victory I (Bhs) passenger ship at 0644, Victory II (Bhs) passenger ship 0658, John D Leitch at 1010, tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 1047, CSL St. Laurent at 1306, Stenberg (Gib) at 1448, Robert S Pierson at 1938 and Algoma Mariner at 2348 - Aug 11 Florence Spirit at 0434, tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 0851 and Oakglen at 1420

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605

Port Weller anchorage:
anchored - Aug 11 - Selasse (Gib) (ex Selay S-17) at 0949

Hamilton:
arrivals - none - anchored - Aug 10 - Federal Nagara at 1940 - docked - Aug 7 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0144, Wicky Spirit (Turquoise I-19, Turquoise T-19) at 1232 - departures - Aug 10 - Resko (Bhs) at 2338 - Aug 11 - Tecumseh at 0358, Algoma Guardian at 1312 and Algoma Transport at 1552

Mississauga:
arrival - Aug 9 - Selasse (Gib)(ex Selay S-17) at 1352 - departed Aug 10 at 2338 for Chicago

Toronto:
arrivals - Aug 11 - Victory I (Bhs) passenger ship at 0517 and Victory II (Bhs) passenger ship at 0630 - docked - Aug 9 - Tundra (Cyp) at 0429 - departures - Aug 11 - Victory II (Bhs) passenger ship at 1722 for Brockville and Victory I (Bhs) passenger ship at 1824 for the Welland Canal

Oshawa:
arrival - Aug 9 - Federal Seto (Mhl) at 1740 - Aug 11 - tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 0541

Oswego, NY – Ned Goebricher
On Sunday, McKeil Spirit unloaded cement.

Montreal – Rene Beauchamp
In a rare occasion, three new salties will arrive in Montreal Monday before entering the Seaway. Industrial Strength is due in the morning and Ijsselborg with Timgad are due in the afternoon.

Operated by a crew of retired Hanna captains, chief engineers and executives, the GEORGE M. HUMPHREY departed the old Great Lakes Engineering Works yard in Ecorse, Michigan, under her own power on August 13, 1986, for Lauzon, Quebec. The HUMPHREY cleared Lauzon September 3rd with the former Hanna steamer PAUL H. CARNAHAN in tow of the Dutch tug SMIT LLOYD 109. The tow locked through the Panama Canal, September 27-30, and arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan December 10, 1986 completing a trip of over 14,000 miles. The HUMPHREY was scrapped in 1987, by Shiong Yek Steel Corp.

On 13 August 1899, H. G. CLEVELAND (wooden schooner, 137 foot 264 tons, built in 1867, at Black River, Ohio) sank with a full load of limestone, 7 miles from the Cleveland harbor entrance.

August 13, 1980 - The ARTHUR K. ATKINSON returned to service after repairing a broken crankshaft suffered in 1973. She brought 18 railcars from Manitowoc to Frankfort.

The 272 foot, 1,740 gross ton, wooden propeller freighter SITKA was launched by F. W. Wheeler (Hull#32) at W. Bay City, Michigan on 13 August 1887.

1986 INDIANA HARBOR set a Toledo and Lake Erie record, loading 55,047 tons of coal at Toledo for Marquette.

1917: The barge MIDDLESEX of the Ontario Transportation and Pulp Company broke loose and stranded at Rapide Plat in the St. Lawrence. The ship was abandoned to the insurers but salvaged and returned to service as b) WOODLANDS in 1918.

1979: IRISH OAK first came to the Great Lakes in 1960 for Irish Shipping Ltd. The vessel went aground near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as c) VEGAS on this date in 1979, while enroute from Piraeus, Greece, to Vietnam. The hull was refloated on October 28, 1979, and reached Jeddah on November 16, 1979. It was sold for scrapping at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, and arrived there on January 29, 1980.

1982: EUTHALIA visited the Seaway for the first time in 1972. It caught fire in the engine room as d) FORUM SPIRIT enroute from Port Said, Egypt, to Piraeus, Greece, and was abandoned by most of the crew. While it was towed into Piraeus on August 14, the vessel was declared a total loss. The ship arrived at Split, Yugoslavia, again under tow, for scrapping on March 6, 1984.

1993: The second CORFU ISLAND to visit the Great Lakes came inland in 1970. This SD14 cargo carrier had been built the previous year and returned as b) LOYALTY in 1980. Later that fall, the ship arrived at Basrah, Iraq, from Duluth with severe missile damage resulting from the Iraq-Iran War. The ship was declared a total loss but remained idle there until being towed away on August 13, 1993. LOYALTY arrived at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, for scrapping on September 22, 1993.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series

Cargo record at Soo Locks broken by Indiana Harbor

8/10 - On Thursday evening, American Steamship Co.’s Indiana Harbor locked downbound with a new record load of 76, 930.5 net tons of pellets. Her deep draft was 30.4 inches.

This breaks a record set on July 14 when fleetmate American Integrity passed downbound with 76,358 net tons of taconite pellets. Her draft was measured at 30 feet.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior - Daniel Lindner
Walter J. McCarthy Jr. departed Duluth at 01:47 Friday morning with a load of coal from Midwest Energy, and Arthur M. Anderson was inbound at 03:34 to discharge limestone at C. Reiss. American Spirit departed at 06:22 for Detroit after loading iron ore pellets at CN, and her fleetmate American Integrity arrived at 07:01 to load coal at SMET. Andean left port at 16:0 with a load of wheat from Riverland Ag. The Integrity departed at 19:05 with her coal cargo. Arthur M. Anderson was expected to shift over to CN at some point Friday evening to load iron ore pellets, and should depart mid-day Saturday. Happy Rover was also still in port, discharging wind turbine parts at Port Terminal. In Superior, Burns Harbor departed at 07:50 Friday morning with a cargo of ore from Burlington Northern, and Stewart J. Cort was inbound at 13:38 to load. She was expected to depart at 21:00 Friday night. Algoma Discovery was on the hook outside the Superior entry, and will arrive once the Cort departs.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Algoma Conveyor departed Two Harbors from South of #2 at 04:26 on August 9th for Quebec City. The Joseph L. Block shifted from North of #2 to South of #2 shortly thereafter. The Block departed from Two Harbors between 11:15 and 11:45 on the 9th for Indiana Harbor. The Philip R. Clarke arrived Two Harbors on the 8th at 23:57 for South of #1 for bft. During the morning of the 9th she shifted to North of #2 for pellets she then shifted to North of #1 to complete her bft load. She departed Two Harbors on the 9th at 14:28 for Gary. There is no scheduled traffic for Two Harbors on August 10th. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on August 9th. Due Silver Bay on August 10th is the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader.

Thunder Bay, ON
Friday; 11:16 Federal Kivalina arrived and went to anchor. 14:50 The saltie Juno departed and is down bound on Lake Superior.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Bruce Mines: Friday; 5:38 Cuyahoga arrived to load trap rock and departed at 14:30 for Detroit.

Thessalon: Friday; 2:37 Algoma Buffalo arrived and went to anchor.

Meldrum Bay: Thursday; 22:41 Michipicoten departed for Muskegon. Friday; 15:37 Kaye E Barker arrived to load.

Drummond Island: Friday; 9:07 John G Munson arrived to load.

Port Dolomite: Friday; 9:13 Sam Laud departed for Erie.

Alpena: Friday; 17:10 Samuel De Champlain departed for Detroit.

Stoneport: Friday; 6:20 Herbert C Jackson departed for Detroit.

Calcite: Friday; 1:43 H Lee White arrived to load. 4:58 John J Boland arrived to load limestone.

Port Inland: Friday; 8:52 Clyde S VanEnkevort arrived to load.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Innovator loaded salt, cleared down bound 11.30 Friday morning destined for Lorain.

Detroit-River Rouge – Raymond H
Friday Arrivals: Cason J Callaway-arrived at the Carmeuse Dock to unload stone. Alpena-arrived at Lafarge to unload cement.

Cleveland, OH – Bill Kloss
Both Victory Cruise Line vessels, Victory I and Victory II were at the Port of Cleveland docks Friday. They arrived in the morning and left in the evening for Port Colborne. Sharon M1 was also at the port along with Federal Hunter. NACC Argonaut departed for Bath, ON.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages - Friday August 9, 2019 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke: arrival - Aug 9 - CSL Laurentien at 1844 - docked - Aug 7 - Algocanada at 2351 - Aug 8 - Algoma Hansa at 0456 departed - Aug 9 - Algoma Compass at 0457

Welland Canal: upbound - Aug 8 - Jan S-15) at 1559, tug Spartan & Spartan II at 1634, Algoma Niagara at 1806 and tug Wilf Seymour & Alouette Spirit at 1921 - Aug 9 - CSL Welland at 0941, Mamry (Bhs) at 1039, Algoma Spirit at 1203 and Sichem New York (Bda) at 1740

downbound - Aug 8 - Algoma Spirit at 0157, Algoma Harvester at 1213 and tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II eta 2400 - Aug 9 - tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II at 0153, Tecumseh at 0506, Thunder Bay at 0949, light tug Wyatt M at 1138, Kaministiqua at 1245, Baie St Paul at 1311 and Algoma Guardian at 1333

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605

Hamilton: arrivals - Aug 9 - Algoma Strongfield at 1225 and Tecumseh at 1752 - docked - Aug 3 - Stella Polaris (Nld) at 1731 - Aug 7 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 1430 - Aug 7 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0144, Algoma Transport at 0909, Federal Nagara (Mhl) at 1124, Wicky Spirit (Turquoise I-19, Turquoise T-19) at 1232 - Aug 8 - Sten Moster (Gib) at 1520 - departures - Aug 9 - Algoma Spirit at 1006

Mississauga: arrival - Aug 9 - Selasse (Gib)(ex Selay S-17) at 1352

Toronto: docked - Aug 7 - Mamry (Bhs) at 0529 - departed - Aug 9 at 0846 for Duluth-Superior

Oshawa: arrival - Aug 9 - Federal Seto (Mhl) at 1740

Windsor hosts bumper-to-bumper cruise ships

8/10 - Windsor, ON – The Dieppe Gardens shoreline was a wall of cruise ship on Thursday as two of the largest passenger vessels that roam the Great Lakes dropped anchor at the same time in downtown Windsor.

“It’s interesting we have back-to-back visiting ships – two is novel,” said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island.

Coming from different directions, the Pearl Mist and the Victory 1 each arrived on Thursday around 8:30 a.m. Both ships are in excess of 90 metres (300 feet) long and have capacities of just over 200 passengers.

Carolyn Pence, of Dayton, Ohio, and her sister-in-law Marsha Pence, of Kentucky, who are both 76, arrived on the Pearl Mist with a group of longtime friends that included others from Texas.

Carolyn, a retired teacher, said she had been to Windsor before, “with people who like to gamble,” while Marsha said she was last here as a child, back when her father worked the Great Lakes on an iron ore freighter.

Just before the couple disembarked for a walk along Windsor’s “beautiful” riverfront, fellow passengers filled three buses for cross-border visits to the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Henry Ford Museum.

“It’s interesting we have back-to-back visiting ships — two is novel,” said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island.

The Pearl Mist arrived in Windsor with 200 passengers and a crew of 63, with mostly European officers, including its Polish captain, and the rest of the crew from the Philippines.

Based on interviews with some of the passengers stepping into Dieppe Gardens — and what they said they were told by cruise staff — the host city has a bit of improving to do on branding and marketing itself.

“They told us there wasn’t a lot to do, that Windsor has a lovely waterwalk but that it was hard-hit and on the rebound,” said Carolyn.

“We were told it’s struggling and in transition … (with) a lot of empty storefronts,” said Dave Zola of Chicago. Nevertheless, he and wife Germaine were planning to venture into the downtown to try some shopping.

The Pearl Mist departed Toronto on an Aug. 6 to 17 cruise ending in Milwaukee, Wis. During the ship’s Lake Erie traverse ahead of its Windsor stop, “it felt to me like the ocean,” said Carolyn Pence.

Germaine Zola said what fascinated her was “the continuity of the Great Lakes — you can go from the Atlantic Ocean to Chicago.”

Read more and view images at this link: https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/windsor-hosts-bumper-to-bumper-cruise-ships

Pressure mounts for a new Great Lakes icebreaker, but will Congress pay for it?

8/10 - The Great Lakes region’s ongoing quest for a new icebreaker was renewed in July when the Senate Commerce Committee included the vessel in its Coast Guard reauthorization legislation for 2020.

Icebreakers are a special class of ship designed to break through ice cover and clear a path for other ships.

In announcing the legislation’s approval, Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin made the business case for the new icebreaker. “Inadequate icebreaking on the Great Lakes this past winter cost the U.S. economy over $1 billion and over 5,000 jobs,” Baldwin said, citing data from the Lake Carriers’ Association, a Great Lakes shipping industry group.

The billion dollar revenue loss does not include $171 million in lost tax revenue by federal, state and local governments, according to Baldwin.

“The U.S. Coast Guard was down four icebreakers for a significant period of time this past winter,” according to Mark Pietrocarlo, the Lake Carriers’ Association’s board chair.

“One icebreaker took 17 months to repair, one was on the East Coast for a major overhaul and two others missed more than a month of icebreaking,” Pietrocarlo said.

Steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal also called for a new Great Lakes icebreaker in a 2017 infrastructure report, saying that its Cleveland operation is “100 percent reliant” on maritime shipping for raw materials.

In addition to a new icebreaker, the report called for funding to maintain the existing fleet. It is unclear where the Coast Guard stands on manufacture of a new icebreaker for the Great Lakes.

Thomas said in recent years the Coast Guard’s focus has been on polar icebreakers that are designed for open waters and have reinforced hulls. They are increasingly seen as important to national security interests at the poles.

He declined to comment on the cost or a construction timeline for a new Great Lakes icebreaker and said a U.S. and Canadian agreement provides for support of each other’s operations during the peak icebreaking season.

The current congressional authorization of a new Great Lakes icebreaker follows a similar 2015 approval championed by Michigan Sen. Gary Peters that Congress ultimately failed to fund.

Peters made a business case similar to that of Sen. Baldwin, putting a spotlight on decreased cargo tonnage, lost revenue to business and lost jobs.

“This new heavy icebreaker is a much-needed addition to the Coast Guard’s Great Lakes fleet, and will help ensure that Michigan businesses can continue to rely on shipping to move their goods year round,” Peters said in 2016.

The tab in 2016 for a Great Lakes icebreaker was estimated to be $200 million.

In the Great Lakes region in 2018, a new Soo Lock received congressional and presidential approval and $75 million of an estimated cost of $922 million has been approved.

The region is also looking for up to $778 million for modifications to the Brandon Road Lock in Illinois, a location the Army Corps of Engineers has identified as a chokepoint to stop the Asian carp advance.

Since 2010, approaching $3 billion has been sent to the region for Great Lakes restoration with anticipation that $300 million or more annually will continue for the foreseeable future.

In the wake of current projects, the new icebreaker may receive tougher scrutiny from congress when it allocates money for 2020. Lake Carriers’ Association’s President James Weakley doesn’t see funding fatigue in play because a new icebreaker is a “legitimate” project, he said.

“There can be national implications when steel made in the Great Lakes region isn’t able to keep up with demand,” Weakley said. He cited Texas, where 865,000 people depend on Great Lakes region steel mills, according to the Department of Homeland Security study “The Perils of Efficiency”.

Former International Joint Commission policy adviser Dave Dempsey has observed U.S. and Canadian, and federal and state budget negotiations since the 1980s and is cognizant of funding fatigue.

“The region has gotten much better at capturing money for the Great Lakes, after years of sending far more tax money to Washington than it received back,” Dempsey said.

But he emphasized that “it’s important for out-of-region congressional appropriators to understand that funds for a new icebreaker and Soo Lock are for transportation projects, not for environmental issues.”

The Coast Guard currently operates nine icebreakers in the Great Lakes with most of those commissioned in the 1970s. Of the nine, only the Mackinaw, commissioned in 2006, is considered a heavy-duty icebreaker.

Sen. Baldwin’s office did not return a call requesting comment. The approval for the new icebreaker must still be passed by the full senate.

Great Lakes Now

On 10 August 1890, TWO FANNIES (3-mast wooden bark, 152 foot, 492 gross tons, built in 1862, at Peshtigo, Wisconsin) was carrying 800 tons of iron ore on Lake Erie when a seam opened in rough weather. The crew kept at the pumps but to no avail. They all made it off of the vessel into the yawl just as the bark sank north of Bay Village Ohio. The CITY OF DETROIT tried to rescue the crew but the weather made the rescue attempt too dangerous and only two men were able to get to the steamer. The tug JAMES AMADEUS came out and got the rest of the crew, including the ship's cat, which was with them in the yawl.

On August 10, 1952, the ARTHUR M. ANDERSON entered service for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. Exactly 14 years later, on August 10, 1966, the vessel's namesake, Arthur Marvin Anderson, passed away.

In 1969, the EDMUND FITZGERALD set the last of many cargo records it set during the 1960s. The FITZGERALD loaded 27,402 gross tons of taconite pellets at Silver Bay on this date. This record was broken by the FITZGERALD's sister ship, the ARTHUR B. HOMER, during the 1970 shipping season.

On 10 August 1937, B.H. BECKER (steel tug, 19 tons, built in 1932, at Marine City, Mich.) foundered in heavy seas, 9 miles north of Oscoda, Mich.

In 1906, JOHN H. PAULEY (formerly THOMPSON KINSFORD, wooden propeller steam barge, 116 foot, 185 gross tons, built in 1880, at Oswego, New York) caught fire at Marine City, Mich. Her lines were burned through and she then drifted three miles down the St. Clair River before beaching near Port Lambton, Ont. and burning out.

On 10 August 1922, ANNIE LAURA (wooden propeller sandsucker, 133 foot, 244 gross tons, built in 1871, at Marine City, Mich.) beached near Algonac, Mich., caught fire and burned to the waterline.

1899: The whaleback steamer JOHN B. TREVOR was rammed and sunk by her barge #131 in the St. Clair River. The accident was caused by CRESCENT CITY crossing the towline. The sunken ship was refloated and, in 1912, became the ATIKOKAN.

1967: PAUL L. TIETJEN and FORT WILLIAM were in a head-on collision on Lake Huron about 25 miles north of Port Huron. Both ships were damaged but were repaired and returned to service.

1975: CIMBRIA came through the Seaway for the first time in 1965 under West German registry. The ship was sailing as c) KOTA MENANG when it stranded on Nyali Reef, off Mombasa, Tanzania, due to a steering failure on August 10, 1975. The vessel received severe hull damage and was deemed a total loss.

1979: The Indian freighter JALARAJAN and the British flag LAURENTIC sustained minor damage in a collision at Kenosha, Wis. The former was dismantled at Calcutta, India, in 1988 while the latter was scrapped at Karachi, Pakistan, in 1984.

1992: MENASHA was set adrift and then sank in the St. Lawrence off Ogdensburg, N.Y. The former U.S. Navy tug was refloated and repaired. After some later service at Sarnia, the tug was resold and moved for Montreal for work as c) ESCORTE.

2007: NORDSTRAND came to the Great Lakes in 1990 and sank at the stern, alongside the Adriatica Shipyard at Bijela, Montenegro, as c) MEXICA, when the engine room flooded on this date. The ship was refloated on September 1, 2007, and arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, for scrapping on May 5, 2010.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Jody L. Aho, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Algoma Mariner departed Two Harbors from South of #2 at 00:17 on August 8th for Quebec City. The Oakglen arrived Two Harbors on August 8th at 01:13 for South of #2. She departed on the 8th at 14:59 on the 8th for Quebec City. The Algoma Conveyor went to anchor off the Two Harbors breakwall upon her arrival early on August 8th. She got underway after the departure of the Oakglen at approx. 15:05 on the 8th and she arrived for South of #2 at 15:20. Also arriving Two Harbors on August 8th at 08:35 for North of #2 lay-by was the Joseph L. Block. She had unloaded stone at CN-Duluth and loaded a partial cargo of bft at Hallett #5. Due Two Harbors on August 9th is the American Integrity. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on August 8th and none scheduled for August 9th. When the Indiana Harbor departed Silver Bay on August 7th she didn't have an AIS destination. She's heading for Indiana Harbor.

Thunder Bay, ON
Thursday; 14:03 Florence Spirit departed downbound. 14:14 Ojibway departed for Windsor.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Bruce Mines: Wednesday;18:19 Defiance and Ashtabula arrived to load trap rock and departed Thursday at 11:55 down bound on Lake Michigan.

Meldrum Bay: Thursday; 8:00 Michipicoten arrived to load.

Port Dolomite: Wednesday; 21:29 Wilfred Sykes departed for Burns Harbor. Thursday; 1:05 Great Republic arrived to load and departed at 13:04 for Green Bay. 18:48 Sam Laud arrived to load

Alpena: Thursday 11:44 Samuel De Champlain arrived to load cement products.

Stoneport: Thursday; 14:15 Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder departed for Saginaw. Herbert C Jackson arrived to load.

Calcite: Thursday; 5:55 Cason J Callaway departed for Detroit.

Port Inland: Wednesday; 20:18 Kaye E Barker departed for Grand Haven.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Innovator arrived at 4.30 pm Thursday to load salt.

Detroit-River Rouge – Raymond H
Calusa Coast and the tank barge Delaware were loading at the Marathon Asphalt Terminal on Thursday

Cleveland, OH – Bill Kloss
NACC Argonaut and Federal Hunter remained in Cleveland Thu8rsdsy. Manitowoc departed.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages - Thursday August 8, 2019 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke: arrivals - Aug 8 - James R Barker at 0155, Algoma Hansa at 0456 and Algoma Compass at 1709 - docked - Aug 7 - Algocanada at 2351 - departed - Aug 8 - tug Sharon M I & Huron Spirit at 0109, Algosea at 0434 and James R Barker at 1513 - all westbound

Long Point bay: anchored - Aug 7 - James R Barker at 1732 - Aug 8 - Algoma Compass at 0738 - departed Aug 8 - James R Barker at 0114 and Algoma Compass at 1609 - both for the docks

Welland Canal: upbound - Aug 7 - Tim S Dool at 2023 - Aug 8 - Algoma Sault at 1319, Eider (ii) (Atg) (ex Mistral-19, Jan S-15) at 1559, tug Spartan & Spartan II at 1634, Algoma Niagara at 1806 and tug Wilf Seymour & Alouette Spirit at 1921

downbound - Aug 8 - Algoma Spirit at 0157, Algoma Harvester at 1213 and tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II eta 2400

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605

Hamilton: arrivals - Aug 8 - Algoma Spirit at 1507, Sten Moster (Gib) at 1520 - docked - Aug 3 - Stella Polaris (Nld) at 1731 - Aug 7 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 1430 - Aug 7 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0144, Algoma Transport at 0909, Federal Nagara (Mhl) at 1124, Wicky Spirit (Turquoise I-19, Turquoise T-19) at 1232 - Aug 7 - Algoma Niagara at 2223 - departures - Aug 8 - Algoma Niagara at 1601 for the canal and CSL Tadoussac at 1604

Toronto: docked - Aug 7 - Mamry (Bhs) at 0529 - departed - Aug 8 - McKeil Spirit at 0505 eastbound -

On 09 August 1910, the Eastland Navigation Company placed a half page advertisement in both the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Cleveland Leader offering $5,000 to anyone who could substantiate rumors that the excursion steamer EASTLAND was unsafe. No one claimed the reward.

The keel was laid for the INDIANA HARBOR (Hull#719) on August 9, 1978, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Bay Shipbuilding Co. for Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. (American Steamship Co., mgr.).

The HAMILDOC (Hull#642) was christened on August 9, 1963.

The G.A. TOMLINSON (Hull#370) entered service August 9, 1909. Renamed b.) HENRY R. PLATT JR in 1959. Hull used as a breakwall at Burlington Bay, Ontario in 1971.

The SIR THOMAS SHAUGHNESSY with the former CSL steamer ASHCROFT in tow of the Polish tug JANTAR arrived in Castellon, Spain for scrapping in 1969.

On August 9, 1989, the tug FAIRPLAY IX departed Sorel with the FORT CHAMBLY and NIPIGON BAY in tandem tow bound for Aliaga, Turkey for scrapping.

On the night of August 9, 1865, METEOR met her running mate, the propeller PEWABIC, off Thunder Bay on Lake Huron around 9 p.m. As the two approached, somehow METOER sheered and struck her sister, sinking the PEWABIC within minutes in 180 feet of water. About 125 people went down with her, and 86 others were saved.

On 9 August 1850, CHAUTAUQUE (wooden sidewheel steamer, 124 foot 162 tons, built in 1839, at Buffalo, New York) caught fire in the St. Clair River and burned to a total loss. In previous years she had been driven ashore 1844, and sank twice - once in 1846, and again in 1848. In September 1846, she made the newspaper by purposely ramming a schooner that blocked her path while she was attempting to leave the harbor at Monroe, Michigan.

On 9 August 1856, BRUNSWICK (wooden propeller, 164 foot, 512 tons, built in 1853, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying corn, scrap iron and lard from Chicago when she sprang a leak in a storm and was abandoned by the crew and passengers. One passenger drowned when one of the boats capsized, but the rest made it to shore near Sleeping Bear in the three other boats. BRUNSWICK went down in 50 fathoms of water, 6 miles south of South Manitou Island on Lake Michigan.

On 9 August 1875, The Port Huron Times reported that the schooner HERO, while attempting to enter the piers at Holland, Michigan, was driven two miles to leeward and went to pieces. Her crew took to the boats, but the boats capsized. Luckily all made it safely to shore.

August 9, 1938 - The Pere Marquette car ferries 17 and 18 left Milwaukee for Grand Haven carrying 600 United States Army Troops, bound for Army war maneuvers near Allegan and at Camp Custer.

On 9 August 1870, ONTONAGON (wooden propeller bulk freight, 176 foot, 377 tons, built in 1856, at Buffalo, New York by Bidwell & Banta) sank after striking a rock near the Soo. She was initially abandoned but later that same year she was recovered, repaired and put back in service. In 1880, she stranded near Fairborn, Ohio and then three years later she finally met her demise when she was run ashore on Stag Island in the St. Clair River and succumbed to fire.

The 204-foot wooden side-wheeler CUMBERLAND was launched at Melancthon Simpson's yard in Port Robinson, Ontario on 9 August 1871. She cost $101,000. Too large for the Welland Canal, she was towed up the Welland River to Chippewa and then up the Niagara River to Lake Erie. She operated on the Upper Lakes and carried soldiers to put down the Red River Rebellion. She survived being frozen in for the winter near Sault Ste. Marie in 1872, grounding in 1873, sinking in 1874, and another grounding in 1876. But she finally sank near Isle Royale on Lake Superior in 1877.

In 1942, the sea-going tug POINT SUR was launched at Globe Shipbuilding Co. in Superior, Wisconsin and the Walter Butler Shipbuilders, in Superior, launched the coastal freighter WILLIAM BURSLEY.

1968 Labrador Steamships agreed to sell POINTE NOIRE to Upper Lakes Shipping. The vessel was operated by U.L.S. on charter until the sale was approved.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Jody L. Aho, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Obituary: Jimmy Sprunt

8/8 - Jimmy Sprunt, for many years a well-known ship photographer and marine historian along the Welland Canal, died Wednesday morning in Almonte, Ont. He was 70 years old. He was a founding member in 1988 of the Welland Canal Ship Society and will particularly be remembered for his entertaining commentary during the group’s slide shows. He also worked at the Pillar & Post Inn and Restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake for many years.

As Jimmy’s health began to decline about four years ago he moved to the Ottawa area to be closer to his family. In recent months, as his Parkinson’s disease worsened, he was confined to a hospital.

A celebration of his life will take place at his brother's home on Saturday, August 31. As he was so fond of saying, “3 long and 2 short."

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
John D. Leitch departed Duluth at 00:15 Wednesday morning after loading iron ore pellets at CN, and the saltie Andean was inbound at 08:30 for a cargo of wheat from Riverland Ag. American Spirit arrived at 14:00 to load at Canadian National, and Paul R. Tregurtha departed twenty minutes later with coal from Midwest Energy. American Mariner left port at 18:32 after loading wheat at General Mills. Also in port were Joseph L. Block, loading a partial cargo of blast furnace trim at Hallett #5; Happy Rover, unloading general cargo at Port Terminal; and Federal Kivalina, discharging cement at CRH. The Burlington Northern dock in Superior saw the arrival of CSL Niagara at 01:49 Wednesday morning. She loaded throughout the day before departing with iron ore at 18:37.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Presque Isle departed Two Harbors from South of #2 at approx. 05:00 on August 7th for Ecorse. Algoma Mariner arrived Two Harbors on August 7th for South of #2 at 12:54. As of 19:30 on the 7th she was still at the loading dock. Due Two Harbors are the Oakglen and the Algoma Conveyor. At 19:30 on the 7th the Oakglen was North of Outer Island and the Conveyor was Northwest of Ontonagon, MI. It will be the 8th before they arrive Two Harbors. Due Two Harbors on August 8th is the Joseph L. Block that is taking on a partial load of blast furnace trim at Hallett #5. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of the Indiana Harbor at approx. 14:20 on August 7th. As of 19:30 her AIS is still showing Duluth. There is no scheduled traffic for Silver Bay on August 8th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Tuesday; 22:37 The saltie Fraserborg departed for Montreal. 23:12 Ojibway weighed anchor and proceeded to the Superior Elevator to load grain. 6:44 Algoscotia weighed anchor and proceeded to the Suncor terminal to unload petroleum products. 9:13 Florence Spirit arrived at the G3 elevator to temporarily lay up. 18:09 Ojibway shifted to Viterra A to finish loading. Florence Spirit shifted to the Superior Elevator to load grain. 18:20 Algoscotia departed for Nanticoke. 19:08 CSL St Laurent departed for Montreal.

Muskegon, MI – Brendan Falkowski
8/7-Michipicoten arrived at approximately 3:00 and unloaded aggregate from Meldrum Bay at the Verplank B.C. Cobb Dock. She departed at around 13:00 bound for Meldrum Bay.

Northern Lake Huron ports

McGregor Bay: Wednesday; 9:51 Samuel De Champlain arrived at the Lafarge White Fish Bay Terminal to unload cement products and departed at 18:51.

Meldrum Bay: Wednesday; 0:50 Algoma Innovator departed for Windsor.

Drummond Island: Wednesday; 2:44 Cuyahoga departed for Sombra.

Port Dolomite: Wednesday; 10:14 Wilfred Sykes arrived to load.

Alpena: Tuesday; 21:34 Samuel De Champlain departed for McGregor Bay. Wednesday 1:21 Great republic arrived to unload petroleum coke. 8:13 Undaunted and Pere Marquette arrived to unload at the cement plant. 10:17 Great Republic departed for Port Dolomite. 17:04 Undaunted and Pere Marquette departed for Port Inland.

Stoneport: Wednesday; 7:58 Olive L Moore arrived to load and departed at 18:45. 21:25 Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder arrived to load.

Calcite: Tuesday; 18:00 Highland Eagle departed for the Straits of Mackinac to resume under water survey work. Wednesday; 10:45 H Lee White departed down bound on Lake Huron. 16:35 Cason J Callaway arrived to load.

Port Inland: Wednesday; 9:16 Kaye E Barker arrived to load.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Mississagi arrived Wednesday evening, likely to load salt.

NE Ohio Ports – Bill Kloss
8/7 arrivals: Algoma Buffalo to Sandusky. NACC Argonaut, Manitowoc and Federal Hunter all arriving in Cleveland. American Courage to Conneaut. 8/7 departures: Lee A. Tregurtha from Ashtabula to Marquette.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages - Wednesday August 7 – Barry Andersen

Nanticoke: docked - Aug 6 - Algosea at 1126 and tug Sharon M I & Huron Spirit at 0116

Long Point bay: anchored - Aug 7 - James R Barker at 1732

Buffalo: (Tonawanda) arrival - Aug 5 - tug Calusa Coast & Delaware at 1341 headed for Tonawanda - arrival at 1610 - departed - Aug 7 at 0400 approx from Tonawanda and from Buffalo at 0728 westbound

Welland Canal: upbound - Aug 6 - Pearl Mist (Mhl) passenger vessel at 1740, NACC Argonaut at 2127 and BBC Elbe (Atg) at 2346 - Aug 7 - G3 Marquis at 0352, Algoterra at 0656, Baie Comeau at 0810, Federal Yukina (HKg) at 0933 for Thunder Bay

downbound - Aug 6 - CSL Laurentien at 1035, CSL Tadoussac at 1136, Ruddy (Cyp) at 1506, Algoma Transport at 1216, Evans Spirit at 1929 and Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 2052 - Aug 7 - Algoma Niagara at 0634 and Frieda (Atg) (ex BBC Colorado-17) at 0836

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605

Hamilton: arrivals - Aug 7 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0144, Algoma Transport at 0909, CSL Tadoussac at 0953, Federal Nagara (Mhl) at 1124, Wicky Spirit (Turquoise I-19, Turquoise T-19) at 1232 and Algoma Niagara eta 2205 - docked - Aug 3 - Stella Polaris (Nld) at 1731 - Aug 7 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 1430 from the anchorage - departures - Aug 7 - G3 Marquis at 0126 for the canal, Torrent (Cyp) at 1106 for Ireland, CSL Laurentien at 1152 and Tim S Dool at 1751 - both for the canal

Bronte: arrival - Aug 5 - Gaia Desgagnes at 0848 - departed Aug 7 at 0208 eastbound

Mississauga: arrival - Aug 5 - Hinch Spirit (ex Topaz 1-19, Topaz T-19) at 2311 - departed Aug 7 at 0442 eastbound

Toronto: arrivals - Aug 7 - Mamry (Bhs) at 0529 - docked - Jul 25 - Wicky Spirit (Turquoise I-19, ex Turquoise T-19) at 1124 - Jul 29 - Federal Yukina (HKg) at 1100 - Aug 5 - McKeil Spirit at 2322 - departed - Aug 7 - Pearl Mist (Mhl) passenger vessel at 0215 for the canal and Wicky Spirit (ex Turquoise I-19) at 0930,

Cleveland-Cliffs celebrates $100 million North Shore Mining expansion project

8/8 - Silver Bay, MN - A $100 million expansion project for North Shore Mining is officially complete. This major investment is intended to help support Cleveland Cliffs goal to create large scale production of what is called low silica DR–grade iron ore pellets.

The company is optimistic about the new opportunities this expansion can bring.

Cleveland– Cliffs celebrated the completion of the expansion with those who supported the process including Congressman Pete Stauber and Former Congressman Rick Nolan. The one hundred million dollar project, which began construction in May 2018, consisted of updating the facility, which no longer fit their needs to keep growing.

State officials that took an interest in the project believe the North Shore Mining expansion is a stepping stone to help build a future for what is often considered a declining industry.

“They have literally put miners back to work and made massive investments to provide more jobs for more people in mining for 100 years in to the future. That helps our mining, our national economy, national security, and our community,” said former Congressman Rick Nolan.

About three thousand feet of new conveyors have been installed. More than 15 concentrators were also updated including three which have not been active since the 1980s. And new processing equipment was added to help maximize productivity of their product line of DR–grade iron pellets

Cleveland–Cliffs CEO says the expansion also opens the door to sell to third parties. But there is an exception when deciding who to sell to.

“We are going to sell to producers of HBI or DRI in house. We are not going to sell to a plant or anyone that is going to come try to compete against us,” said Lourenco Goncalves.

The project created 150 construction jobs. Now that construction is complete, the expansion will not add any new full time jobs at the North Shore plant. But the goal is to continue attracting jobs for the future of the industry.

The upgrades to the plant will now allow for the production of more than 3 million tons of iron pellets. Cleveland–Cliffs is also investing in a nearly $1 billion project for a new plant in Toledo, Ohio. That plant is expected to be operational by 2020

WQDS

More Great Lakes records water-logged in July

8/8 - July saw several water level records broken on the Great Lakes. Lakes Superior, Erie, Ontario and St. Clair all set record high water levels for July. Lake Superior broke the July 1986 record water level by 1.44″. Lake Erie shattered the July 1986 record by 4.08″. Lake Ontario also was higher in July compared to anytime in the past 100 years. Lake Ontario’s July record topped the devastating July 2017 water level by 4.30″.

Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are the only Great Lakes to not yet break a monthly water level record in this recent stretch. Remember, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are considered one lake for lake level purposes. Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are running very close to the record high water level. Lakes Michigan and Huron have been just shy of record water levels in May, June and July 2019. In July, Lakes Michigan-Huron missed the 1986 July record water level by three-quarters of an inch.

Keith Kompoltowicz, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Detroit, says that even though Lakes Michigan-Huron haven’t broken official records, the two lakes are very high. The modern-day records go back 100 years, or around 1200 months. In those 1200 months, Lakes Michigan-Huron have only been higher than now for five months.

Lake St. Clair water levels are also tracked by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lake St. Clair set a significant record this July. Lake St. Clair was at its highest level at anytime in recorded history. In other words, Lake St. Clair wasn’t just at its July water level record. Lake St. Clair was higher than any month ever recorded.

The Great Lakes are now in their seasonal decline cycle. The Great Lakes water levels typically begin to go lower in August or September through February. In September, the Great Lakes water levels are forecast to decline. Kompoltowicz wants you to note that although the Great Lakes should start to recede, they are still at historically high water levels.

Of course if we get into a widespread, long-lasting heavy rain pattern going into fall, Great Lakes water level forecasts would have to be updated. There is even the potential in very wet patterns that lake levels can rise in the fall. That would take an extremely abnormal wet pattern.

M Live

Life on Duluth's Aerial Lift Bridge: Lots of ups, few downs

8/8 - Dave Campbell typically gets two questions when people learn he runs Duluth's Aerial Lift Bridge. The first question – Why do you start raising the bridge when cargo ships are still a mile and a half away? – takes a few minutes to answer.

The second – "Can I go for a ride?" – is easy. No, you can't. Being a lift bridge operator is a great gig, but it's not a game.

The city's five lift bridge operators pilot the span up and down about 4,500 times every year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the Great Lakes shipping season that runs from March to January.

Their office is the pilothouse, a one-room cabin perched in the middle of the bridge, above the roadway. It's outfitted with a control panel, computer, radio and satellite systems to monitor and communicate with boat traffic.

On a recent, glorious Duluth day, Campbell offered a look behind the scenes at the delicate, daily ballet between giant boats and bridge. "Roger, Cap, We're just getting ready to start her up now for you," he radios to the captain of the 1,000-foot vessel Walter J. McCarthy, 1.5 miles away.

Campbell waited for traffic to clear on the bridge, and scanned a bank of monitors for pedestrians, his biggest single worry. "One last look, all is good, raise."

It takes three minutes for the 1,000-ton bridge to raise up 120 feet. Cement counterweights, each weighing 500 tons, slide down on either side of the bridge as the roadway and the pilot house, rise.

"Everything on this thing is big, and everything on it's heavy," he said. "But I tell people, it's nothing but a glorified elevator, that's all it is."

Read more and view images at this link: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/08/05/duluth-aerial-lift-bridge-operator-day-life

August 8, 1991 - The excursion ferry AMERICANA has been sold and passed down the Welland Canal bound for the Caribbean with registry in Panama. She was the former East Coast ferry BLOCK ISLAND that arrived in Buffalo just three years ago.

On 08 August 1878, the Buffalo (wooden propeller package freighter, 258 foot, 1,762 gross tons) was launched at the yard of Thomas Quayle & Sons in Cleveland, Ohio for the Western Transportation Company. Her engine was a double Berry & Laig compound engine constructed by the Globe Iron Works in Buffalo, New York. She lasted until 1911, when she was abandoned at Marine City, Michigan.

The JAMES R. BARKER became the longest vessel on the Great Lakes when it entered service on August 8, 1976. It held at least a tie for this honor until the WILLIAM J. DELANCEY entered service on May 10, 1981. The BARKER's deckhouse had been built at AmShip's Chicago yard and was transported in sections to Lorain on the deck of the steamer GEORGE D. GOBLE.

The BUFFALO was christened August 8, 1978, for the Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. (American Steamship Co., mgr.)

The E.B. BARBER along with the motor vessel SAGINAW BAY, a.) FRANK H. GOODYEAR of 1917, arrived August 8, 1985, under tow in Vigo, Spain. Demolition began on August 9, 1985, by Miguel Martins Periera at Guixar-Vigo.

The Soo River Company was forced into receivership on August 8, 1982.

On 8 August 1887, CITY OF ASHLAND (wooden sidewheel tug, 90 feet long 85 gross tons, built in 1883, at Ashland, Wisconsin) was towing a log raft near Washburn, Wisconsin in Lake Superior. Fire broke out near the boilers and quickly cut off the crew from the lifeboat. They jumped overboard and all but 1 or 2 were picked up by local tugs. The burned hull sank soon afterward.

The wooden tug J E EAGLE was destroyed by fire at about 4:00 p.m. on 8 August 1869, while towing a raft of logs on Saginaw Bay to Bay City. Her loss was valued at $10,000, but she was insured for only $7,000.

August 8, 1981 - The Ann Arbor carferry VIKING took part in a ceremony christening a body of water between Manitowoc and Two Rivers as "Maritime Bay".

August 8, 1999 - The KAYE E. BARKER delivered the last shipment of limestone for Dow Chemical, Ludington. The plant later closed its lime plant and began lime deliveries by rail.

On 8 August 1813, the U. S. Navy schooner HAMILTON (wooden 10-gun schooner, 112 foot, 76 tons, built in 1809, at Oswego, New York as a.) DIANA, was lying at anchor off the mouth of the Niagara River on Lake Ontario with her armed fleet-mate SCOURGE awaiting dawn when they planned to attack the British fleet. However, a quick rising storm swamped and sank both vessels. Since they were both built as commercial vessels, it has been suggested that their cannons may have made them top-heavy. The HAMILTON was found by sonar in 1975, sitting upright almost completely intact at the bottom of Lake Ontario. The Cousteau organization has dived to her and she was the subject of a live television dive by Robert Ballard in 1990.

August 8, 1882 - An August snowstorm was reported by a ship on Lake Michigan, dumping 6 inches of snow and slush on the deck. Snow showers were reported at shore points that day.

In 1942, the seven shipyards at Duluth-Superior were in full production and announced three launchings in two days. The submarine chaser SC-671 was launched on August 8, at Inland Waterways, Inc. on Park Point.

1941 An explosion aboard the Canadian tanker TRANSITER at River Rouge resulted in the loss of 2 lives. The ship was towed to Port Dalhousie for repairs and returned to work as b) TRANSTREAM in 1942. It was sold for off-lakes service as c) WITSUPPLY in 1969 and sank in heavy weather off Cabo de la Vela, Colombia, while apparently enroute to Cartagena, Colombia, for scrap, on February 23, 1981.

1964 ELLEN KLAUTSCHE suffered an engine failure while berthing at Toronto and rammed the docked NORDIA after just missing the tugs TERRY S. and WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE. The West German freighter was towed to Port Weller for repairs by the GRAEME STEWART. Later, as b) VARUNA YAN, it was detained in the Shatt-Al-Arab waterway and then, on April 3, 1984, was shelled becoming a CTL.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Lake Huron Lore Society, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Jody L. Aho, Brian Bernard , Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Johnstown welcomes $4.8 million investment to modernize grain export infrastructure

8/7 - Johnstown, ON – The Hon. Marc Garneau, Canada’s Minister of Transport, announced an investment of $4.8 million in the Port of Johnstown from the National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) to modernize the port’s infrastructure and ensure the port continues to provide access to international markets for agricultural producers in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec.

The $10.4 million Grain Export Infrastructure Renewal and Expansion Project includes a matching investment by the Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal and will enable the port to relieve inefficiencies and bottlenecks so it can continue capitalizing on growing and emerging markets for Canadian soybean, wheat and corn.

The improvements include:
Increasing vessel loading efficiency by 60 per cent and storage by 10 per cent, alleviating wait-times;
Streamlining the flow of products in and out of the port, reducing congestion; and
Enabling the port to continue servicing international trading vessels, capturing continued growth for Canadian agricultural exports.”

Chamber of Marine Commerce

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
John D. Leitch arrived Duluth at 00:21 Tuesday morning to load iron ore at Canadian National, and Happy Rover was inbound at 06:32 to discharge wind turbine components and other general cargo at Port Terminal. Joseph L. Block was expected at 20:00 with limestone to unload at CN, and the Leitch was expected to depart from CN around the same time. Paul R. Tregurtha was due later in the evening to load coal at SMET. Also in port was American Mariner, which spent the first half of Tuesday unloading limestone at Graymont before shifting over to General Mills late in the morning to load wheat. Federal Kivalina was still tied up at CRH unloading cement. At the Superior entry, Algoma Guardian arrived at 03:22, took on iron ore pellets at BN, and departed at 15:55 for Hamilton.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
The Edwin H. Gott departed Two Harbors on August 6th at approx. 02:30 for Gary. After the Gott's departure the Blough shifted to South of #2 and departed on August 6th at 16:21 for Conneaut. The Presque Isle arrived Two Harbors on the 6th at 04:19 for North of #2 where, I believe, she took on a partial load at the gravity dock. After the Blough departed the PI shifted from North of #2 to South of #2 between 17:20 and 17:50. Due Two Harbors on August 7th are the Algoma Mariner, Algoma Conveyor, and possibly the Oakglen. Possibly due late on the 7th is the Joseph L. Block coming from Duluth after unloading stone and taking on a partial load of blast furnace trim. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Indiana Harbor on August 6th at 13:50. Her AIS had been showing Duluth. There is no inbound traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on August 7th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Tuesday; The CSL self unloader Thunder Bay arrived at Thunder Bay Terminals to load coal and departed at 20:47 for Nova Scotia. 16:11 Algoscotia arrived and went to anchor south of the Welcome Islands. 18:18 Kaministiqua departed and is down bound on Lake Superior. 19:59 Juno weighed anchor and proceeded to the Richardson Main Terminal to load grain. 22:00 Ojibway arrived and went to anchor south of the Welcome Islands.

Northern Lake Michigan ports
Meldrum Bay: Tuesday; 4:33 Michipicoten departed for Muskegon. 8:39 Algoma Innovator arrived to load dolomite.

Drummond Island: Tuesday; 16:51 Cuyahoga arrived to load.

Alpena: Tuesday; 10:34 G L Ostrander arrived to load cement products and departed at 17:20 for Milwaukee. 17:29 Samuel De Champlain arrived to load cement products.

Stoneport: Tuesday; 4:36 Algoma Compass arrived to load limestone and departed at 20:24 down bound on Lake Huron.

Calcite: Monday; 21:14 Lee A Tregurtha departed for Ashtabula. Calumet arrived to load. Tuesday; 5:08 John G Munson departed for Buffington.8:39 H Lee White arrived to load. 16:06 Calumet departed for Fairport. 18:30 Arthur M Anderson arrived to load limestone.

Port Inland: Monday 21:05 Manitowoc arrived to load limestone and departed Tuesday at 8:38 for Cleveland.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Buffalo arrived 12.15 am Tuesday to load road salt for Sandusky Ohio.

Detroit – Rouge River – Raymond H
Hon. James L Oberstar was unloading ore at AK Steel on Tuesday

Cleveland, Ohio – Bill Kloss
Mississagi departed Cleveland Tuesday for Marblehead.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages – Tuesday, August 6 – Barry Andersen

Nanticoke: arrival - Aug docked - departure - Aug 6 - Stenberg (Gib) at 0301 westbound and CSL Tadoussac at 0544 for the canal

Buffalo: arrival - Aug 5 - tug Calusa Coast & Delaware at 1341 headed for Tonawanda - arrival at 1610 - departure - Aug 5 - Grande Mariner at 1827 for Cleveland

Welland Canal: upbound - Aug 5 - Victory II (Bhs) (Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-16, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 2002 - Aug 6 - Algoma Discovery at 0915, tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 1207, Federal Hunter (Mhl) at 1624, Pearl Mist (Mhl) passenger vessel at 1740, NACC Argonut eta 2115 and BBC Elbe (Atg) eta 2145

downbound - Aug 5 - Algoma Enterprise at 1240 - Aug 6 - Manitoulin at 0127, CSL Laurentien at 1035, CSL Tadoussac at 1136, Ruddy (Cyp) at 1506, Algoma Transport at 1216, Evans Spirit at 1929 and Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 2052

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605 - departed - Aug 5 - tug Sharon M I & Huron Spirit from wharf 16 at 2020 westbound

Hamilton: arrivals - Aug 6 - G3 Marquis at 0516 and Tim S Dool at 1325 - anchored - Jul 29 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 2235 - docked - Jul 25 - Torrent (Cyp) at 0626 - Aug 3 - Stella Polaris (Nld) at 1731 - Aug 5 - Algoma Discovery at 1553 - Aug 5 - Harbour Fountain (Por) at 2358 - departures - Aug 6 - Algoma Discovery at 0719 for the canal

Bronte: arrival - Aug 5 - Gaia Desgagnes at 0848

Mississauga: arrival - Aug 5 - Aug 5 - Hinch Spirit (ex Topaz 1-19, Topaz T-19) at 2311

Toronto: arrivals - Aug 5 - McKeil Spirit at 2322 - Aug 6 - Pearl Mist (Mhl) passenger vessel at 0215 - docked - Jul 25 - Wicky Spirit (Turquoise I-19, ex Turquoise T-19) at 1124 - Jul 29 - Federal Yukina (Mhl) at 1100 - Aug 5 - McKeil Spirit at 2322 - departed - Pearl Mist (Mhl) passenger vessel at 0215 for the canal

Coast Guard to enforce safety zone around Mackinac Bridge during swim event

8/7 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI - The Coast Guard Captain of the Port Sault Ste. Marie has established a temporary safety zone around the Mackinac Bridge to protect the safety of life and property during a swim event in the Straits of Mackinac on August 11 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The perimeter of the safety zone will extend 250 yards from both sides of the Mackinac Bridge and will be enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard and federal, tribal, state, and local partners. As stated in 33 CFR 165.T09-0624, all vessels are prohibited from entering the safety zone during the specified time. To seek permission to enter the zone, hail the Captain of the Port’s representative on an appropriate VHF channel. Those in the safety zone must comply with all lawful orders or directions given to them by the COTP or the COTP’s designated representative.

For more information contact LT Sean Murphy, Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie Public Affairs Officer, at (906) 635-3223 or sean.v.murphy@uscg.mil.

Obituary: Clyde J. Van Dusen

8/7 - Clyde Joseph Van Dusen, 90, of St. Ignace, Mich., passed away August 2 at Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey, Mich., following a short illness. He was the founder of Clyde’s Drive-Ins, very popular car hop-style restaurants in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He opened the first one in the Soo at the Sugar Island ferry crossing in 1949, which remains a popular hangout for boatwatchers. Others followed in Manistique, St. Ignace and Rudyard, Mich. He had just celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of Clyde’s.

He was born in the Soo on July 25, 1929 to Anthony J. and Florestine (Piche) VanDusen. He graduated from Sault High School in 1947 and married Elsie (“Bim”) on June 18, 1949; they had several children. After divorcing, he married Patricia Kasper on Feb. 17, 1965.

He was very active in and a former governor of Moose Lodge #999 in St. Ignace; a member of the Elks, the Eagles, and of St. Ignatius Loyola and Immaculate Conception (Moran) Catholic Churches. He loved to play cards, routinely playing at the Moose and around the family card table. Interestingly, Clyde was named after the horse that won the Kentucky Derby in 1929. Family was very important to him, even starting “Clyde’s Kids” as a company to keep the kids close, currently operating tourist shops in the Straits area. He was very active in the business with the kids until his death. His last days were filled with attending his son’s Washington, DC, Air Force retirement ceremony, a 90th birthday weekend with nearly the entire family attending, his 72nd high school reunion, Clyde’s Kids business meeting, and, fittingly, was playing euchre at the Moose his last evening.

Friends may call at St. Ignatius Loyola Church on Friday, Aug. 9 from 10 am to 11 am, then Mass of Christian Burial will be held with Fr. Frank Ricca and Deacon Tom McClellend officiating. Burial will be in St. Ignatius Cemetery next to Pat. Lastly, friends are invited to a final wish of Clyde’s at the St. Ignace Moose Lodge at 5pm. Dodson Funeral Home and Cremation Center of St. Ignace assisted the family with arrangements.

August 7, 1789 - President George Washington signed the ninth act of the first United States Congress placing management of the lighthouses under the Department of the Treasury. August 7 in now "National Lighthouse Day".

On 07 August 1890, the schooner CHARGER (wooden schooner, 136 foot, 277 gross tons, built in 1868, at Sodus, New York) was struck by the CITY OF CLEVELAND (wooden propeller freighter, 255 foot, 1,528 gross tons, built in 1882, at Cleveland, Ohio) near Bar Point near the mouth of the Detroit River on Lake Erie. The schooner sank, but her crew was saved.

The JAMES R. BARKER was christened August 7, 1976. She was to become Interlake's first 1,000 footer and the flagship of the fleet for Moore McCormack Leasing, Inc. (Interlake Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio, mgr.). She was built at a cost of more than $43 million under Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970. She was the third 1,000-footer to sail on the Lakes and the first built entirely on the Lakes.

On 7 August 1844, DANIEL WHITNEY, a wooden schooner, was found floating upside-down, with her crew of 4 missing and presumed dead. She was six miles off mouth of the Kalamazoo River in Lake Michigan.

August 7, 1948 - Edward L. Ryerson, chairman of Inland Steel Company announced that the new ore boat under construction for Inland will be named the WILFRED SYKES in honor of the president of the company. Mr. Sykes had been associated with Inland since 1923, when he was employed to take charge of engineering and construction work. From 1927, to 1930, he served as assistant general superintendent and from 1930, to 1941, as assistant to the president in charge of operations. He became president of Inland in May, 1941. He had been a director of the company since 1935. The new ship was to be the largest and fastest on the Great Lakes, having a carrying capacity in intermediate depth of 20,000 gross tons. The ship will be 678 feet long, 70 feet wide and 37 feet deep, and will run at 16 miles per hour when loaded.

While lying at the dock at the C & L. H. Railroad Yard in Port Huron on 7 August 1879, the scow MORNING LARK sank after the scow MAGRUDER ran into her at 4:00 a.m., MORNING LARK was raised and repaired at the Wolverine dry dock and was back in service on 20 September 1879.

1912 – A collision in heavy fog with the RENSSELAER sank the JAMES GAYLEY 43 miles east of Manitou Light, Lake Superior. The upbound coal-laden vessel was hit on the starboard side, about 65 feet from the bow, and went down in about 16 minutes. The two ships were held together long enough for the crew to cross over to RENSSELAER.

1921 – RUSSELL SAGE caught fire and burned on Lake Ontario while downbound with a load of wire. The ship sank off South Bay Point, about 30 miles west of Kingston. The crew took to the lifeboat and were saved. About 600 tons of wire were later salvaged. The hull has been found and is upright in 43 feet of water and numerous coils of wire remain on the bottom.

1958 – HURLBUT W. SMITH hit bottom off Picnic Island, near Little Current, Manitoulin Island, while outbound. The ship was inspected at Silver Bay and condemned. It was sold to Knudsen SB & DD of Superior and scrapped in 1958-1959.

1958 – The T-3 tanker GULFOIL caught fire following a collision with the S.E. GRAHAM off Newport, Rhode Island while carrying about 5 million gallons of gasoline. Both ships were a total loss and 17 lives were lost with another 36 sailors injured. The GULFOIL was rebuilt with a new mid-body and came to the Great Lakes as c) PIONEER CHALLENGER in 1961 and was renamed MIDDLETOWN in 1962 and e) AMERICAN VICTORY in 2006.

1964 – CARL LEVERS, a pre-Seaway visitor as a) HARPEFJELL and b) PRINS MAURITS, had come to the Great Lakes in 1957-1958. It had been an early Great Lakes trader for both the Fjell Line from Norway and the Dutch flag Oranje Lijn. The ship was cast adrift in a cyclone at Bombay, India, going aground on a pylon carrying electric wires off Mahul Creek and caught fire on August 24, 1964. The vessel was released and scrapped at Bombay later in the year.

1970 – ORIENT TRANSPORTER first came through the Seaway in 1966. It arrived at Beaumont, Texas, on this day in 1970, following an engine breakdown. The 1949 vintage ship was not considered worth repairing and was broken up at Darica, Turkey, in 1971.

1972 – The small Canadian tanker barge TRANSBAY, loaded with liquid asphalt and under tow of the JAMES WHALEN for Sept Iles, sank in a storm on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. There were no casualties.

1989 – CLARENVILLE, a former East Coast wooden passenger and freight carrier, came to the Great Lakes in 1981 for conversion to a floating restaurant at Owen Sound. The restaurant declared bankruptcy in May 1989 and a fire, of suspicious origin, broke out on this date. It was a long and difficult blaze to control and the ship sank. It broke apart during salvage in September 1989. The bow was clammed out in December 1989 and the stern removed in April 1990 and taken to the city dump.

1991 – FINNPOLARIS first came through the Seaway in 1985. It struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic off Greenland and sank in deep water the next day. All 17 on board were saved.

1994 – GUNDULIC came inland under Yugoslavian registry for the first time in 1971. The ship caught fire as c) PAVLINA ONE while loading at Mongla, Bangladesh, on this date and was abandoned by the crew on August 8. The blaze was extinguished August 9 but the gutted and listing freighter was beached and settled in shallow water. The hull was auctioned to a local demolition contractor in 1996 but was still listed as a hazard to navigation in 1999.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Dave Wobser, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
The only traffic through the Duluth entry on Sunday was Great Republic, which arrived at 04:27 and headed to C. Reiss to unload limestone. She shifted to Midwest Energy early Sunday afternoon to load petroleum coke, and was expected to depart around 22:00. Also in port was the ATB Erie Trader/tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort, which was loading ore at Canadian National and had no departure time listed. Mesabi Miner was anchored outside the harbor, and will arrive once Erie Trader completes loading. Federal Kivalina continued unloading cement at CRH. In Superior, James R. Barker arrived at 00:45, loaded iron ore pellets at BN, and was outbound for Nanticoke at 10:54. Algoma Spirit then weighed anchor and arrived at 11:33 to load. She was expected to depart just before midnight.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
The Edgar B. Speer arrived Two Harbors on August 4th at 14:36 for South of #2. The John D. Leitch had been showing a Two Harbors AIS until late in the afternoon on August 4th, but is now showing a Duluth destination. As of 19:15 on the 4th the Leitch was North of Sand Island and could be going to Duluth to fuel. If she's heading for CN the Mesabi Miner was anchored in the Lake awaiting the West Duluth ore dock. Due Two Harbors on August 5th are the Algoma Harvester and the Roger Blough. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on August 4th and none scheduled on August 5th.

St. Marys River
Ship fans in Soo Harbor were treated to three popular vessels around noon, with the Roger Blough upbound and Arthur M. Anderson and Stewart J. Cort downbound,.

Detroit – Rouge River – Raymond H
Sunday Arrivals: Philip R Clarke arrived at the Carmeuse Dock to unload stone. John G Munson arrived at the Jefferson Ave stone dock to unload stone. Saturday Arrivals: Calusa Coast and Delaware arrived at the Marathon Asphalt Terminal to load. Sam Laud arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to fuel. Lee A Tregurtha arrived at AK Steel to unload ore. GL Ostrander/Integrity arrived at Lafarge to unload cement.

Cleveland, Ohio – Bill Kloss
American Courage delivered a shuttle to ArcelorMittal, will be going to Ashtabula. The saltie Frieda is at the Port. Hebert C. Jackson departed Cleveland and is inbound to Sandusky.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages - Sunday August 4 – Barry Andersen

Nanticoke: arrival - Aug 3 - Algoscotia at 0520 - docked - Aug 2 - Stenberg (Gib) at 1306 - departed Aug 4 - Algoscotia at 0148 westbound

Buffalo: arrivals - Aug 2 - Manitoulin at 0900 - departed - Aug 4 at 1544 westbound

Welland Canal: upbound - Aug 4 - CSL Laurentien at 0349, Florence Spirit at 0420, Oakglen at 0837 stopping wharf 12, Algonova at 1328 and Algoma Conveyor at 1921

downbound - Aug 3 - Algoma Conveyor at 1659 - Aug 4 - Federal Dee (Mhl) at 0457, tug Sharon M I & Huron Spirit at 0626 Adriaticborg ( Nld) at 0826, Algonorth at 0957 and Osogovoo (Mlt at 2032

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605 - Aug 1 - (stopped at West Street) - sailing vessel HMCS Oriole at 0955, sailing vessel Empire Sandy at 1910 - Aug 4 - tug Sharon M I & Huron Spirit at 0720 approx stopping wharf 16

Hamilton: anchored - Jul 29 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 2235 - docked - Jul 25 - Torrent (Cyp) at 0626 - Aug 3 - Stella Polaris (Nld) at 1731 - Departure - Aug 4 - Florence Spirit at 0209 for the canal

Toronto: arrival - Aug 4 - Algoma Conveyor at 0725 and NACC Argonaut at 1144 - docked - Jul 25 - Turquoise I (Pan) (ex Turquoise T-19) at 1124 - Jul 29 - Federal Yukina (Mhl) at 1100 - departed - Aug 4 - Algoma Conveyor at 1751 for the canal

On 05 August 1958, the tug GARY D (steel propeller tug, 18 tons) was destroyed by an explosion and fire near Strawberry Island Light on Lake Huron.

The RICHARD M. MARSHALL, later b.) JOSEPH S. WOOD, c.) JOHN DYKSTRA, d.) BENSON FORD, and finally e.) US265808, entered service on August 5, 1953. From 1966, until it was retired at the end of 1984, this vessel and the WILLIAM CLAY FORD were fleet mates. There is only one other instance of two boats being owned by the same company at some point in their careers with as close or closer age difference. The CHARLES M. BEEGHLY (originally SHENANGO II) and the HERBERT C. JACKSON.

The aft section of the BELLE RIVER (Hull#716), was float launched August 5, 1976. She was American Steamship's first thousand-footer and the first thousand-footer built at Bay Shipbuilding Co. She was renamed b.) WALTER J. MC CARTHY in 1990.

The G.A. TOMLINSON, a.) D.O. MILLS of 1907, was sold outright to Columbia Transportation Div. (Oglebay Norton Co.), on August 5, 1971, along with the last two Tomlinson vessels, the SYLVANIA and the JAMES DAVIDSON.

On 5 August 1850, ST. CLAIR (sidewheel steamer, passenger & package freight, 140 foot 210 tons, built in 1843, at Detroit, Michigan) was reported as lost with no details given whatsoever. The report of her loss was published 3 days BEFORE she was enrolled at Detroit by J. Watkin.

The motor vessel BEAVER ISLANDER completed her maiden voyage to Charlevoix in 1962. At the time, she was the largest, fastest, and most advanced ship built for the run. She served as the flagship for 37 years, a record, until the EMERALD ISLE arrived in 1997.

August 5, 1907 - A female passenger dived off the deck of the PERE MARQUETTE 18 of 1902, on a dare. Two of the 18's officers leapt over to rescue her. One of the officers nearly drowned and was rescued by the passenger.

On 5 August 1866, AUTOCRAT (2-mast, wooden schooner, 345 tons, built in 1854, at Caltaraugus, New York) was carrying 15,000 bushels of corn and was lying off Chicago, waiting for a storm to die down. Just before dawn, the schooner J S NEWHOUSE was also seeking shelter when she ran into AUTOCRAT, sinking her in 7 fathoms of water. The crew was rescued by the tug UNION.

On 5 August 1869, LAURA E. CALVIN (3-mast wooden schooner, 130 foot, 216 tons, built in 1863, at Garden Island, Ontario as a bark) sprang a leak during a storm and foundered 10 miles off Braddock's Point on Lake Ontario. No lives were lost.

1954 – A sudden blanket of fog descended on a section of the St. Lawrence near Waddington, N.Y., resulting in the two ships SELKIRK and DUNDEE losing their way and going aground. The former, a C.S.L. package freighter, was turned part way around by the current and was stuck until September 2. The latter was a British ship and was also spun by the current. The proximity of the rapids made salvage a challenge. The newly-built DUNDEE continued Great Lakes visits to the end of 1962. It foundered in the Mediterranean as g) VLYHO on September 15, 1978, following an engine room explosion.

1955 – FALCO, a pre-Seaway trader, hit a bridge at Montreal. The vessel later visited the Great Lakes as c) LABRADOR and was scrapped at Piraeus, Greece, as f) BONANZA in 1978

1972 – MANCHESTER VENTURE was built in 1956 and was a regular Great Lakes trader from 1956 to 1961. An explosion in the cargo hold as c) BAT TIRAN on this date in 1972 resulted in a major fire. The damaged hull was refloated in September and scrapped in Turkey in 1973.

1980 – The Liberian freighter BERTIE MICHAELS had been a Seaway trader in 1971 and had returned as the Greek flag c) DIMITRIS A. in 1976. It departed Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on August 4, 1980, for Belize City and reported her position on August 5. The vessel was never heard from again and was believed to have been a victim of Hurricane Allen that was in the area at the time. All 27 on board were lost.

1994 – The recently completed French freighter PENHIR began Great Lakes trading in 1971 and returned as b) MENHIR under Liberian registry in 1979. It arrived off Tolognaro, Madagascar, on this date in 1994 with hull cracks as d) WELLBORN and abandoned as a total loss.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit

Egyptian ship arrives in Green Bay with 18,000 tons of road salt

8/4 - Green Bay, WI – An Egyptian ship that arrived in Green Bay Friday morning could be the first of an increased number of international shipments to the Port of Green Bay. The ship, the Andean, left Damietta, Egypt on July 8 with 18,000 tons of road salt. It arrived 3½ weeks later at the Fox River Terminals, a subsidiary of The C. Reiss Coal Co.

It's the first time an international saltwater vessel of this size has been to the dock just north of the Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge, C. Ruess Coal Co. CEO Marlin Gohlke said. The ship can carry up to 20,000 tons of cargo.

"We wanted to bring in a foreign flag vessel and prove that we could do it, and this was the first opportunity we've had," the company's president, Mark Cummings, said.

The company's reason for the direct delivery from Egypt was twofold: It wants to increase opportunities to handle international shipments, while also taking precautions to prevent a shortage of road salt this winter.

Salt was brought to Green Bay from overseas last year, but it was transferred in Canada from an ocean-going vessel to a lake vessel. What makes this arrival unique is the fact that this shipment came from Egypt on a single ship, Cummings said.

Many drivers remember the shortage that affected much of Wisconsin last winter. Due to production issues, domestic producers couldn't fully serve the entire market. Toward the end of the winter, salt had to be borrowed from other cities like Chicago to meet the area's needs.

"We thought this was a good opportunity for us and the chance to also keep the market from being short," Gohlke said.

Half of the year's salt inventory is already at Fox River Terminals, a collection that generally starts in May, Cummings said.

Workers started to unload the Andean after a two-hour inspection of the ship by the U.S. Coast Guard and Etters International, a local customs broker. Unloading the ship will take between 24 and 36 hours.

Gohlke said he hopes this will lead tof more foreign imports in the future. He also hopes to start shipping products internationally from Green Bay.

"We're hoping it opens up new opportunities for us and for the port," he said.

Press-Gazette

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Early Saturday morning, Arthur M. Anderson departed Duluth with a cargo of iron ore pellets from CN. Michipicoten arrived late in the morning to load at Canadian National, and was expected to depart mid-evening Saturday. Federal Kivalina was still in port discharging cement at CRH. The only traffic through the Superior entry was Stewart J. Cort, which departed at 07:00 with a load of ore from Burlington Northern.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
American Integrity didn't depart Two Harbors until 01:36 on August 3rd. She is heading for Gary. Arriving on August 3rd was the Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin at 01:56 for South of #2. The Martin departed Two Harbors on the 3rd at 12:43 for Quebec City. Due Two Harbors on August 4th are the Edgar B. Speer and the John D. Leitch. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on August 3rd and none scheduled for August 4th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Saturday; 8:00 The saltie Juno arrived and went to anchor. 9:07 Algoma Niagara arrived at the Superior Elevator to load grain. 15:35 Evans Spirit arrived at the G3 elevator to load grain.

St. Marys River
Downbound traffic on Saturday included CSL Assiniboine, Algoma Enterprise, Burns Harbor, Wicko, Whitefish Bay, American Century, Happy River and, late, John J. Boland. Upbounders included Edgar B. Speer, John D. Leitch and, late, Fraserborg.

Green Bay, WI – Jon
At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, the Kaye E. Barker arrived with cargo of coal from Toledo to the C Reiss Coal Terminal.

Muskegon, Mich. - Brendan Falkowski
8/3 - On Friday (8/2) the Samuel de Champlain and Innovation unloaded cement at LaFarge through the morning, departing in the early afternoon. On Saturday (8/3) the Barbara Andrie returned with the jack-up barge JUB-100. The barge was being used to take rock samples in the Straits of Mackinaw for Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Meldrum Bay: Friday; 21:50 After taking on a partial load of limestone Mississagi departed for Bruce Mines. 21:56 Algoma Buffalo weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock.

Bruce Mines: Saturday; 6:17 Robert S Pierson departed for Port Colborne. 1:19 Mississagi arrived to finish loading with trap rock and departed at 9:42 down bound on Lake Huron.

Port Dolomite: Saturday; 4:27 Undaunted and Pere Marquette 41 arrived to load and departed at 8:44 for Ludington. 12:42 H Lee White arrived to load.

Alpena: Friday; 24:26 G L Ostrander arrived to load cement products and departed at 2:20 for Detroit.

Calcite: Saturday; 1:24 H Lee White arrived and went to anchor. 9:22 with a change of orders H Lee White departed for Port Dolomite. 12:23 Philip R Clarke departed for Detroit. 12:34 American Mariner arrived to load. 14:57 John G Munson departed for Detroit.

Cheboygan: Saturday; 10:13 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes departed for Toledo.

Port Inland: Saturday:19:18 Manitowoc arrived to load.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Innovator was loading salt on Saturday.

Cleveland, Ohio – Bill Kloss
On Saturday, Frieda was at the Port, Dock 22E. American Courage was at the Bulk Terminal to load a shuttle.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages for Saturday August 3 – Barry Andersen

Nanticoke: arrival - Aug 3 - Algoscotia at 0520 - docked - Aug 2 - Stenberg (Gib) at 1306

Buffalo: arrivals - Aug 2 - Algoma Conveyor at 0641 and Manitoulin at 0900 - departed - Aug 2 - Algoma Conveyor at 1527 for the canal

Welland Canal: upbound - Aug 2 - Algoma Mariner at 2026 and Algoma Guardian at 2045 - Aug 3 - Algoma Transport at 0704, CSL Niagara at 1141

downbound - Aug 2 - Industrial Swift (Lbr) at 1507 and Isa (Cyp) at 1612 - Aug 3 - CSL Welland at 0037, tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 0432, McKeil Spirit at 1250 and Algoma Conveyor at 1659

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605 - Aug 1 - (stopped at West Street) - sailing vessel HMCS Oriole at 0955, sailing vessel Empire Sandy at 1910 -

Port Weller anchorage: anchored - Jul 30 - Tasing Swan (Den) (ex Erria Mie-12, Hamza Efe Bey-08) at 0950 approx - departed Aug 3 at 1140 eastbound

Hamilton: arrival - Aug 3 - Stella Polaris (Nld) at 1731 - anchored - Jul 29 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 2235 - docked - Jul 25 - Torrent (Cyp) at 0626 - Aug 2 - Florence Spirit at 1242 -

Clarkson: arrival - Aug 2 - Algoma Transport at 0930 - departed Aug 3 at 0449 for the canal

Toronto: arrival - docked - Jul 25 - Turquoise I (Pan) (ex Turquoise T-19) at 1124 - Jul 29 - Federal Yukina (Mhl) at 1100

On this day in 1896, the whaleback COLGATE HOYT became the first boat to transport a load of iron ore through the new Poe lock. The man at the wheel of the HOYT, Thomas Small, was also at the wheel of the PHILIP R. CLARKE when the second Poe lock was opened to traffic 73 years later.

On this day in 1910, a mutiny occurred aboard the Pittsburgh steamer DOUGLAS HOUGHTON when a deckhand was confined for peeping into the cabin window of 5 female passengers (relatives of officers of the United States Steel Corporation). It required one hour for Captain John Parke, loaded revolver in hand, to quell the mutiny, confine the ringleaders, and clear away the broken furniture.

On the clear, almost perfect night of 4 August 1902, the SEGUIN (steel propeller freighter, 207 foot, 818 gross tons, built in 1890, at Owen Sound, Ontario) collided with the CITY OF VENICE (wooden propeller freighter, 301 foot, 2,108 gross tons, built in 1892, at W. Bay City, Michigan) abreast of Rondeau, Ontario on Lake Erie. The CITY OF VENICE, which was loaded with iron ore, sank and three of her crew were drowned. The U. S. Marshall impounded the SEGUIN for damages

Two favorites of many boatwatchers entered service on August 4 – WILLIAM CLAY FORD on August 4, 1953, and EDWARD L. RYERSON on August 4, 1960.

Paterson’s ONTADOC, built in 1975, sailed to the Netherlands with a load of bentonite from Chicago on August 4, 1979. Renamed b.) MELISSA DESGAGNES in 1990.

The E. J. BLOCK was laid up for the last time at Indiana Harbor, Indiana on August 4, 1984. The E. J. BLOCK was sold for scrap in late May 1987.

The D.M. CLEMSON left Superior on August 4, 1980, in tow of Malcolm Marine's TUG MALCOLM for Thunder Bay, Ont., where she was dismantled.

HOCHELAGA (Hull#144) was launched August 4, 1949, at Collingwood, Ontario by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., for Canada Steamship Lines Ltd., Montreal, Quebec.

On a foggy August 4, 1977, POINTE NOIRE went hard aground near the entrance to the Rock Cut in the St. Marys River and blocked the channel. After her grain cargo was lightered by Columbia Transportation's crane steamer BUCKEYE, POINTE NOIRE was released on August 6. She was reloaded in Hay Lake and continued her downbound trip. Repairs to her bottom damage were completed at Thunder Bay. Ontario.

August 4, 1935 - The only time the ANN ARBOR NO 7 had the full limit of passengers when she ran an excursion from Frankfort, Michigan around Manitou Island and back with 375 passengers on board.

LYCOMING (wooden propeller, 251 foot, 1,610 gross tons) was launched on 4 August 1880, at West Bay City, Michigan by F. W. Wheeler (Hull #7) as a 2-deck package freighter. She was rebuilt as a single deck bulk freighter after she burned in 1905. She was one of the few bulk freighters that still carried her arched hog-braces visible above deck.

HIRAM W. SIBLEY (wooden propeller freighter, 221 foot, 1,419 gross tons) was launched at East Saginaw, Michigan on 4 August 1890. She only lasted eight years. While carrying 70,000 bushels of corn from Chicago for Detroit, she stranded on the northwest corner of South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan during blizzard on 26 November 1898. The tugs PROTECTOR and SWEEPSTAKES were dispatched for assistance but the SIBLEY re-floated herself during high water the following night, then was stranded on the southwest side of North Fox Island to prevent sinking. She broke in half; then completely broke up during a gale on 7 December 1898.

1985 – REGENT TAMPOPO, enroute from Japan to the Great Lakes with steel, was heavily damaged in the Pacific after a collision with the MING UNIVERSE. The vessel, which first came through the Seaway in 1982, was towed to Los Angeles but declared a total loss. It recrossed the Pacific under tow in 1986 and arrived at Hong Kong for scrapping on October 26, 1986.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Military.com, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Study shows loss of more than $1 billion due to inadequate icebreaking on lakes

8/2 - Cleveland, OH – The U.S. economy lost more than $1 billion in business revenue and 5,421 jobs due to inadequate icebreaking capabilities on the Great Lakes during the 2018-2019 winter season.

Due to this loss of business revenue, the federal government missed out on more than $125 million in taxes and in addition $46 million was lost by state and local governments. For perspective, that loss means the U.S. government could build a new Great Lakes icebreaker and recoup those costs in two years.

“In response to a question at a recent Congressional hearing, we polled our members about the delays they incurred due to inadequate icebreaking this winter,” said Jim Weakley, President of Lake Carriers’ Association. “Once we had the total number of tons delayed and total hours they were delayed, we were able to calculate the additional cargo we could have moved had the Coast Guard been able to meet the needs of commerce. Using the economic model updated in July of 2018 by Martin Associates, it was determined that U.S. Economy lost over $1 billion as a result of the steel not made and the power not generated by the coal and iron ore the U.S.-flag fleet could not move.”

With robust icebreaking capabilities paving the way for commercial shipping, U.S.-flag Lakers could have carried 4 million additional tons of iron ore and 879,210 additional tons of coal. In other words, Lakers could have done an additional 860 trips delivering iron ore to steel mills and 21 trips delivering coal to power generation plants.

“A dynamic fleet of icebreaking assets is absolutely critical for our regional and national economy, especially our domestic steel and power generation industries which were hit hard this past winter season,” says Mark W. Barker, president of The Interlake Steamship Company, which moves nearly 20 million tons annually crisscrossing the Lakes more than 500 times between March and January. “Robust icebreaking capabilities enable the Coast Guard to deliver on its mission to facilitate the flow of commerce across our Great Lakes.”

Mark Pietrocarlo, Lake Carriers’ Association’s board chairman, noted, “The U.S. Coast Guard was down four icebreakers for a significant period of time this past winter and for the first time in memory, no icebreaker was left on Lake Superior when the Soo Locks closed from January 15th to March 25th. One icebreaker took seventeen months to repair, one was on the East Coast for a major overhaul and two others missed more than a month of icebreaking.”

“The economic impact on our customers and the supply chain they enable is significant and points out the need for a new icebreaker for the Great Lakes,” Pietrocarlo said. “Given the lost tax revenue the economic model calculated for the federal government, the payback period to the Treasury for the vessel is two years. Infrastructure investment isn’t just about fixing the roads, we also need to maintain our marine highways.”

About the study:
To estimate the economic impact of inadequate icebreaking during the typical ice conditions experienced on the Great Lakes during the 2018 - 2019 winter season, Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) asked U.S.-flag carriers to report their delays in hours and the number of tons carried during their delays.

The types of delays included being beset in the ice, at anchor awaiting an icebreaker, having to slow down due to inadequate icebreaking, waiting for Coast Guard permission to proceed, and waiting for a convoy to form.

In addition, hours lost due to repairing ice damage to vessels and the hours lost by vessels that delayed their initial sailing times due to inadequate icebreaking were factored in to the total.

LCA aggregated the fleet’s lost hours and tons delayed and determined that a total of 409,729 tons of coal were delayed for 206 hours. It also calculated that 2,186,361 tons of iron ore were delayed for a total of 1,586.5 hours. Since the vessels reporting were a combination of “footers” and smaller vessels, we used an average of 42,000 tons per trip. It was also assumed that a typical round trip for a U.S.-flag Laker takes 96 hours.

Lake Carriers’ Association

William A. Irvin to remain in drydock for four weeks

8/2 - Duluth. MN – The William A. Irvin, Duluth’s floating museum ship, was moved into drydock at Fraser Shipyards in Superior on Thursday morning. The retired laker is expected to spend about the next four weeks undergoing repairs, causing one of Duluth’s most popular tourist attractions to miss a second season of operation.

The 611-foot-long vessel, a former member of the U.S. Steel Fleet, was forced to leave its long-held mooring at Minnesota Slip last summer to make way for crews that spent months shoring up failing seawalls and capping contaminated submerged sediments that had accumulated over years of port operations.

The Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, which owns and operates the Irvin, decided to make use of its displacement as an opportunity to tackle some deferred maintenance, including the repainting of its corroded steel hull. But the work has encountered delays, as the vessel had to wait its place in line at Fraser behind other working lakers in need of repairs, including the Arthur M. Anderson, which recently returned to service.

The DECC will be deprived of about $500,000 in annual revenues while the Irvin is sidelined.

The crew at Fraser began moving the Irvin at about 7 a.m. The entire process of moving a vessel into drydock and dewatering it typically takes about eight to 10 hours, said Jake Searl, a marine engineer and project manager for Fraser, who characterized the Irvin’s movement Thursday as smooth.

When all the water has been pumped out of the basin, the ship will undergo a structural inspection. The hull and then will be sandblasted and painted. Searl said Fraser also will be doing some work on the Irvin’s hatch crane.

The DECC received a $500,000 grant from the Minnesota Historical Society to cover the cost of the work. The Irvin should be back open to the public in plenty of time for the 2020 season, said Chelly Townsend, the DECC’s executive director.

Duluth News Tribune

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Indiana Harbor departed Duluth at 08:12 Thursday morning with a load of coal from Midwest Energy, and Algoma Discovery was inbound at 08:50 to load iron ore pellets at CN. The tank barge Robert F. Deegan and tug Zeus left port at 14:26 after offloading calcium chloride at Hallett #8, and American Century arrived at 14:43 for coal from SMET. Arthur M. Anderson was inbound at 18:00 carrying limestone for the C. Reiss dock. Algoma Discovery had a tentative departure time of 23:30 Thursday night, while the Century is expected to depart early Friday morning. Arthur M. Anderson will shift over to Canadian National for iron ore once she finishes unloading. Also in port on Thursday was John J. Boland, loading sinter at Hallett #5; Happy River, discharging wind turbine towers at Port Terminal on her fourth visit to the Twin Ports for the season; Federal Kivalina, offloading powdered cement at CRH; and Ruddy, taking on wheat at CHS 2. At the Superior entry, Burns Harbor arrived at 03:55 Thursday for a load of ore from Burlington Northern. She was expected to depart mid-evening Thursday, and both Stewart J. Cort and CSL Tadoussac were due before midnight to load.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Walter J. McCarthy Jr. departed Two Harbors on August 1st at 14:34. As of 19:30 there was no updated AIS. Arriving Two Harbors for South of #2 on August 1st at 16:22 was the Algoma Enterprise. She is loading for Quebec City. Due Two Harbors on August 2nd are the American Integrity and the Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Herbert C. Jackson at 00:06 on August 1st. She then departed on the 1st at approx. 10:30 for Cleveland. Due Silver Bay on August 1st at approx. 20:30 is the Whitefish Bay. There is no inbound traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on August 2nd.

Thunder Bay, ON
Thursday 7:04 The saltie Osogovo shifted to the Richardson Main Terminal to finish loading with grain.15:48 Federal Dee departed for Montreal.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Midland: Thursday; 7:14 The cruise ship Pearl Mist arrived for shore excursions and departed at 17:59 for Windsor.

Thessalon: Thursday; 15:50 Thunder Bay arrived to load gravel.

Bruce Mines: Thursday; 9:50 Calumet arrived to load trap rock and departed at 20:15 for Chicago.

Meldrum Bay: Thursday; 10:42 Cuyahoga arrived to load and departed at 18:16 for Holland.

Drummond Island: Thursday; Robert S Pierson arrived to load and departed at 20:13 up bound on the St Marys River.

Alpena: Thursday; 9:34 The cement carrier Alpena arrived to load and departed at 14:38 for Essexville.

Calcite: Thursday; 10:45 American Mariner departed for Bay City. 17:45 Great Republic arrived to load.

Port Inland: Thursday; 2:33 John G Munson departed for Green Bay. 7:15 Wilfred Sykes arrived to load and departed at 16:10 for Burns Harbor.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Conveyor was loading salt at Compass Minerals on Thursday.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Friday Arrivals: Saginaw arrived at Zug Island to load coke. Calusa Coast and Delaware arrived at the Marathon Asphalt Terminal to load. Philip R Clarke arrived at the McCoig Concrete dock to unload stone. H Lee White arrived at Zug Island to unload coal.

Cleveland, Ohio – Bill Kloss
Sam Laud was running another shuttle to ArcelorMittal on Thursday. American Courage arrived with stone from Marblehead. NACC Argonaut was at LaFarge Cement and McKeil Spirit was at Lehigh Cement.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel passages - Thursday August 1 2019 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrival - Aug 1 - Algoterra at 1129 - docked - Algoma Hansa at 0612 - departed - Aug 1 - Algoma Transport at 1153 eastbound

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 31 - Florence Spirit at 0523, Andean (Cyp) at 0910, Baie St Paul at 1234, Adriaticborg (Nld) at 2038 and Algoma Spirit at 2222 - Aug 1 - sailing vessel Empire Sandy at 0446, John D Leitch at 0652, Kaministiqua at 1320 and Baie Comeau eta 2130

Downbound - Jul 31 - Baie Comeau at 1624 and Algoma Sault at 2234 - Aug 1 - Algoma Strongfield at 0325, Algoma Guardian at 0910, Algoma Transport at 1827 and Florence Spirit eta 2110

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605 - departed - Jul 31 - Algoma Buffalo at 1215 westbound - Aug 1 - sailing vessel HMCS Oriole at 0955, sailing vessel Empire Sandy at 1910

Port Weller anchorage:
anchored - Jul 30 - Tasing Swan (Den) (ex Erria Mie-12, Hamza Efe Bey-08) at 0950 approx

Hamilton:
arrival - Aug 1 - Algoma Guardian eta 2340 - anchored - Jul 29 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 2235 - docked - Jul 25 - Torrent (Cyp) at 0626 - Jul 26 - Federal Welland (Mhl) at 1000 -vester at 0955, Edenborg (Nld) at 1640 - departures - Aug 1 - Federal Welland (Mhl) at 0721 for Amsterdam - Edenborg (Nld) at 1937 for Chicago and Algoma Harvester at 1952 westbound

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 30 - John D Leitch at 1303 - departed Aug 1 at 0445 for the canal

Mississauga:
arrival - Jul 30 - Hinch Spirit (ex Gagliarda-19) at 1405 - departed - Jul 31 at 2052 eastbound

Toronto:
arrival - Aug 1 - Baie Comeau at 1118 - departed at 1921 for the canal - docked - Jul 25 - Turquoise I (Pan) (ex Turquoise T-19) at 1124 - Jul 29 - Federal Yukina (Mhl) at 1100

Thaw comes for new Great Lakes icebreaker

8/2 - Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., has announced the clearing of a legislative hurdle, but a lake freighters association says there is far to go before contract is signed to build a cutter akin to the Mackinaw

As the U.S. Senate moves closer to a vote which could help toward securing a new Great Lakes icebreaker, a trade organization made up of domestic shipping firms isn’t ready to declare what would be a long, hard-won victory. “It was a critical step that had to happen,” said James Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers Association. “But there’s still a lot of work to be done between now and having a contract signed to build a new icebreaker.”

On Wednesday, Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced that with strong bipartisan support on the Senate Commerce Committee she had secured authorization for $10 million toward the “scope and design” of a heavy icebreaker for the Great Lakes.

Approval of Baldwin’s amendment as part of 2020 Coast Guard Reauthorization legislation now heads to the full Senate for a vote. “In the Great Lakes, inadequate ice-breaking capacity is costing us thousands of American jobs and millions in U.S. revenue,” Baldwin said in a news release. “We need to take action with an additional Coast Guard icebreaker to protect our Great Lakes.”

Weakley was in Washington, D.C., where he spends time advocating on behalf of the Cleveland-based Lake Carriers. He outlined the process going forward. If approved and signed into law, the Coast Guard would need to utilize the $10 million to “stand up an acquisition program,” which would develop a need analysis and vessel design that Congress would review in order to then appropriate building costs, estimated between $200 million and $250 million, Weakley said.

Weakley and the Lake Carriers, made up of 16 American companies operating U.S.-flag vessels, including the Duluth-based Great Lakes Fleet, have seen this movie before. Congress approved funding in 2015 with then-Rep. Rick Nolan, D-Crosby, helping to lead a charge which ultimately authorized the same $10 million only to watch the funding later expire and go unused by the Coast Guard.

That was following back-to-back winters of historic ice coverage which had reversed a 15-year trend of diminishing ice on the Great Lakes. Epic ice coverage during those winters from 2013-15 set back the shipping industry in both campaigns. The industry struggled again to emerge from winter layup in 2019.

The Great Lakes Fleet didn’t come out of layup until April 5, more than 10 days after the opening of the Soo Locks on the eastern end of Lake Superior. The News Tribune reported at the time that Great Lakes Fleet was wary of banging up ore boats during a congested period still blanketed in ice. Interlake Steamship Co., based outside of Cleveland, punctured holes in two lake freighters in the early going this season, Lake Carriers official Thomas Rayburn told the News Tribune.

“There are a lot of impacts that arise from the ice season if we’re not able to move as soon as the locks open,” Rayburn said.

According to Baldwin’s release, vessel delays caused by the 2019 ice season resulted in the loss of man-hours equivalent to 5,421 jobs.

“Businesses that depend upon the region’s maritime industry lost over $1 billion in revenues because of delays caused by inadequate ice-breaking,” Baldwin said. “Due to the lost business revenue, the federal government lost over $125 million in taxes in addition to the $46 million lost by state and local governments.”

The Lake Carriers support the data. Weakley said the equivalent of 4 million tons of taconite iron ore pellets were delayed to this season's slow start.

“The billion-dollar figure is the impact on the U.S. economy,” Weakley said. “It’s the steel that wasn’t made, the cars that weren’t made, all the heavy equipment that wasn’t made.”

Because the Duluth-based Coast Guard Cutter Alder was undergoing an extended-period of engine maintenance outside of its regular home on Lake Superior, the lake didn’t even have an ice-breaking asset until after the Soo Locks opened March 25, Rayburn said.

Of the nine U.S. ice-breaking cutters on the Great Lakes, only one, the Mackinaw, is a full-fledged “heavy icebreaker.” The others are smaller — buoy tenders, like the Alder, and bay class vessels — but have ice-breaking capabilities.

It’s important to note that Canada also has two ice-breaking vessels on the Great Lakes.

The Lake Carriers have been lobbying for another heavy icebreaker for years. When it was launched early this century, the second generation Mackinaw had originally figured to have been one in a pair of twin vessels. The second never came to pass, and it’s been problematic at times ever since, Weakley explained.

Even the Mackinaw can be stretched. With a 58-foot beam, its side-to-side track pales in comparison to, say, one of the 1,000-foot vessels belonging to the Great Lakes Fleet, which doesn’t own a lake freighter with a beam less than 68 feet while its thousand-foot vessels all go more than 100 feet wide.

Side by side with another, Mackinaw would clear a better track.

“It’s a big step in the right direction,” Weakley said of Wednesday's development. “It puts additional pressure on the Coast Guard to take it to the next step and deliver on building an icebreaker at least as capable as the Mackinaw.”

Duluth News Tribune

Obituary: George Thomas LaTour

8/2 - George Thomas LaTour, 70, died July 30, 2019 at home in Fredenberg Township, MN surrounded by his family. George was born in Duluth, MN on May 12, 1949 to Paul and Isabelle (Haller) LaTour. He was a lifelong resident of Duluth and for the past five years wintered in Davenport, FL.

He was a Vietnam veteran who proudly served his country in the US Air Force as C130 crew chief from 1968-1972. After his years in the service, George went on to work for 40 years for The Great Lakes Towing Company as a tugboat captain in the Duluth harbor and retired in 2015.

On August 2, 1991, Paterson's 1961-built lake bulk carrier CANADOC, which had been in lay-up in Montreal since April 6, 1990, and sold for scrapping, cleared the port in tow of the Netherlands Antilles tug DALMAR SPIRIT, bound for Mamonal, Columbia, arriving there on August 26, 1991.

On this day in 1880, the new Goodrich propeller CITY OF LUDINGTON was launched at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The CITY OF LUDINGTON was 170 feet loa x 35 feet x 11 feet, had 44 staterooms and a salon. She was built at a cost of $90,000. The CITY OF LUDINGTON was partially dismantled at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in 1930-1931, and the hull was towed to Big Summer Island, Lake Michigan in 1933, for use as a breakwall.

On the morning of 02 August 1869, Deputy U. S. Marshall Insley sold at auction the scow AGNES HEAD to pay for debts incurred when she was repaired that spring by Mr. Muir and Mr. Stewart. Bidding started at $500 and ran very lively. Mr. John Stewart of Detroit purchased the vessel for $1,050. The AMERICAN MARINER (Hull#723) was launched on August 2, 1979, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Bay Shipbuilding Co. for the Connecticut Bank & Trust Co., (American Steamship Co., Buffalo, New York, mgr.). She was to be named CHICAGO, but that name was removed before launch.

The U.S. Coast Guard's report on the sinking of the EDMUND FITZGERALD was released on August 2, 1977. It cited faulty hatch covers, lack of watertight cargo hold bulkheads and damage caused from an undetermined source as the cause of her loss.

The BENSON FORD's maiden voyage was on August 2, 1924, with coal from Toledo, Ohio to Duluth, Minnesota and returned with iron ore to the Ford Rouge Plant at Dearborn.

On August 2, 1990, the Lightship HURON was dedicated as a National Historic Landmark. LIGHTSHIP 103 had been almost completely restored and was opened to the public in 1974, for tours and remains so at this time.

August 2, 1862 - John C. Ackerman was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin. At the time of his death in 1916, he was commodore of the Pere Marquette carferry fleet based in Ludington.

On 2 August 1877, GRACE A CHANNON (wooden schooner, 141 foot, 266 gross tons, built in 1873, at East Saginaw, Michigan) was bound from Chicago for Buffalo when she collided with the propeller tug FAVORITE and sank 12 miles south of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The young son of the owner of the CHANNON lost his life in this accident.

In 1858, the wooden side-wheeler TELEGRAPH collided with the schooner MARQUETTE and sank 40 miles north of Cleveland.

1909 – GLENELLAH of Inland Navigation struck the east breakwall at Port Colborne, damaging both the ship and the structure. The vessel joined Canada Steamship Lines in 1913 becoming b) CALGARIAN (ii) in 1926. It was broken up at Hamilton in 1960.

1915 – KENORA went aground off Flat Point, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, enroute from Montreal to Sydney. The C.S.L. canal ship was operating on saltwater due to the demands of World War One and was soon refloated.

1931 – The RAPIDS KING took out the gates of Lock 2 of the St. Lawrence Canal at Montreal and SASKATOON was one of 7 ships left on the bottom of the channel.

1967 – The West German freighter JOHANN SCHULTE and the new Canadian self-unloader CANADIAN CENTURY brushed each other in the Welland Canal near Thorold. The former hit the bank and was holed but made it to the tie-up wall before settling on the bottom. The ship was travelling from Duluth-Superior to Poland with wheat. The 4-year old vessel was refloated August 5 and went to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. It was scrapped in China as d) SINGAPORE CAR in 1984-1985.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Lake Huron Lore Society, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Kingston marine museum buys back property, will reopen due to donation

7/31 - Kingston, ON – After years of the property being in the hands of a local developer, Kingston’s Marine Museum will once again reopen on Ontario Street.

Earlier this year, developer Jay Patry put the former museum’s property up for sale, three years after buying the historic building on the shore of Lake Ontario with the intent to replace it with a 20-storey residential tower.

On Monday, the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston announced they had bought the property at 55 Ontario St. back thanks to a donation from a benefactor, who they would not name.

Chris West would not divulge how much was donated, but he did say that when re-opened, the museum will be bigger and better than before. “While the mission of the Marine Museum will remain unchanged, the new Marine Museum will have a much-expanded role relative to its predecessor, one that will provide a far greater benefit to the Kingston community and its visitors,” said West.

Marine Museum staff are looking to transform the building into a “cultural and tourism hub” that highlight’s Kingston’s “unique heritage, Great Lakes history and priceless waterfront.”

As for why he sold the property back to the Museum, Patry said some in the city did not share his vision for a waterfront high-rise. The land itself is considered a brownfield and would have cost Patry millions of dollars to remediate. After years of owning it without doing much work on it, the developer said he believed it would be best that the Museum move back into the historic building.

“We felt that a prudent path to advance was to give back to the city and the Museum and see the property restored as an important tourism hub on Kingston’s waterfront and the wider community.”

Patry originally bought the property for over $3 million, but wouldn’t disclose how much he charged for the lot when selling it back to the museum.

The Marine Museum is a not-for-profit and operates due to investments from The CSL Group, Community Foundation of Greater Kingston, the city of Kingston and Homestead.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Joseph L. Block departed Duluth at 00:49 Tuesday morning light for Two Harbors after unloading limestone at Graymont. Cason J. Callaway was inbound at 11:51 with sugarstone for Hallett #5, and CSL Welland departed from Canadian National at 18:58 for Quebec City with iron ore. American Spirit then arrived from anchor at 19:30 and tied up at CN to load. The only traffic through the Superior entry on Tuesday was Roger Blough, which arrived at 16:00 to load iron ore pellets at BN.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Edwin H. Gott departed Two Harbors on July 30th at 01:15 for Nanticoke. The Presque Isle arrived Two Harbors on July 29th at 23:10 for North of #2. She shifted to South of #2 after the Gott departed. Presque Isle departed Two Harbors on July 30th at 13:45 for Conneaut. Joseph L. Block arrived Two Harbors at approx. 03:10 on the 30th for North of #2 lay-by. The Block shifted to South of #2 between 13:46 and 14:05. As of 19:30 on the 30th she was still at the dock. Due Two Harbors on July 31st is the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Hon. James L. Oberstar at approx. 10:08 on July 30th. As of 19:30 on July 30th she was still at the loading dock. Due Silver Bay on July 31st is the Herbert C. Jackson. The Jackson will be arriving after unloading stone at Hallett #5. Some updates. The Callaway stayed in Duluth where she will be loading sinter at the CN ore dock. The American Spirit went to Duluth to load at CN. Finally the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader is heading to Indiana Harbor.

Thunder Bay, Ont.
Tuesday; 18:27 Ojibway arrived at the Richardson Current River Terminal to load grain.

Northern Lake Huron ports
Little Current: Tuesday; 12:26 The cruise ship Pearl Mist arrived for shore excursions and departed at 18:00 for Parry Sound.

Spragge: Monday; 18:52 Manitoulin departed for Thunder Bay

Bruce Mines: Tuesday 2:32 Robert S Pierson departed down bound on Lake Michigan.

Meldrum Bay: Monday; 18:38 Herbert C Jackson departed for Duluth Superior. Tuesday; 6:00 Great Republic arrived to load.

Drummond Island: Monday; Cuyahoga departed for Windsor. Tuesday; 9:02 Joseph H Thompson arrived to load and departed at 18:07 for Fairport.

Port Dolomite: Monday; 18:00 Wilfred Sykes departed for Burns Harbor.

Straits of Mackinac: Monday; The offshore supply tug Highland Eagle which is equipped with specialized underwater survey equipment has been conducting survey work.

Calcite: Monday; 20:51 Highland Eagle arrived and tied up in the inner harbour. 22:54 H Lee White departed for Ashtabula. 9:24 Manitowoc arrived to load. 17:59 Philip R Clarke arrived to load.

Stoneport: Tuesday; 6:19 Victory and Maumee departed for Marquette. 9:14 Arthur M Anderson arrived to load limestone.

Alpena: Tuesday; 13:04 Samuel De Champlain departed for Milwaukee.

Cleveland, Ohio – Bill Kloss
7/30 arrivals: Federal Caribou to the Port, Dock 24W and Sharon M1 to Dock 22E. Mississagi to Allied Road Products and Sam Laud to ArcelorMittal Steel. Calusa Coast inbound to Marathon and Petite Forte inbound to St. Mary's Cement. 7/30 departures: American Courage to Marblehead, Happy Rover to Milwaukee.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Tuesday July 30 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrivals - Jul 29 - Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 2317 - Jul 30 - Algoma Conveyor at 0515, Algoma Hansa at 0612, Algoma Transport at 1654 - departures - Jul 30 - tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 0527 for the canal and Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 1329 westbound

Long Point Bay anchorage:
anchored - Jul 28 - Algoma Hansa at 0407 - departed Jul 30 at 1329 for the dock

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 29 - Evans Spirit at 1956 and CSL Laurentien at 2325 - Jul 30 - Algoma Transport at 0201, Stenberg (Gib) at 0255, John D Leitch at 0413, Florence Spirit at 0523, Andean (Cyp) at 0910, BBC Volga (Atg) at 1837, NACC Argonaut eta 2045 and Juno (Bhs) est 2215

Downbound - Jul 29 - Oakglen at 0942, Federal Champlain (Mhl) at 1338, Algoma Niagara at 2036, Sloman Helios (Atg) (Intrepid Canada-16) at 2223 and CSL Laurentien at 2325 - Jul 30 - Algoma Compass at 0233, Radcliffe R Latimer at 0647, Algoma Spirit at 1019, Federal Saguenay (Bds) at 1309, Algonova at 1511 and Spruceglen at 2007

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605

Port Weller anchorage:
anchored - Jul 30 - Tasing Swan (Den) (ex Erria Mie-12, Hamza Efe Bey-08) at 0950 approx

Hamilton:
arrival - Jul 30 - Algoma Niagara at 1017 - anchored - Jul 29 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 2235 - docked - Jul 25 - Torrent (Cyp) at 0626 - Jul 26 - Federal Welland (Mhl) at 1000 - Jul 28 - Algoma Discovery at 0504, Florence Spirit at 2011 and Algoma Transport at 2322 - Jul 29 - CSL Laurentien at 0625 and Adriaticborg (Nld) at 1526 - departures - Jul 29 - Algoma Transport at 1238, CSL Laurentien at 2121 - Jul 30 - Florence Spirit at 0325 and Juno (Bhs) a 2040 - all for the canal

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 30 - John D Leitch at 1303

Mississauga:
arrival - Jul 30 - Hinch Spirit (ex Gagliarda-19) at 1405 - departed - Jul 30 - Tasing Swan (Den) (ex Erria Mie-12, Hamza Efe Bey-08) at 1427 for the Port Weller anchorage

Toronto:
arrival - Jul 30 - Algoma Compass at 1550 - docked - Jul 25 - Turquoise I (Pan) (ex Turquoise T-19) at 1124 - Jul 29 - Federal Yukina (Mhl) at 1100 - departed - Jul 30 Juno (Bhs) at 2040 for Thunder Bay

Coast Guard ships arrive for annual festival without parade

7/31 - Grand Haven, MI - The typical fanfare of welcoming ships from across the Great Lakes to Grand Haven’s Coast Guard Festival was called off Monday morning amid choppy lake conditions. The U.S. Coast Guard ships, nonetheless, made port to a crowd of spectators waiting to welcome them for their week-long stay.

Cutters Buckthorn and Bristol Bay made port early, filing in to make room for the late-morning arrivals of the cutters Katmai Bay and Alder.

Chief Warrant Officer Paul Bertram, who skippers the Buckthorn, said he and the other captains had monitored a weather system headed south-southwest from Minnesota the past few days using marine forecasts. It was a 50/50 call Monday morning, he said, until the Alder, waiting out on Lake Michigan, reported waves of 4-6 feet. “For us, that’s a pretty unfriendly ride,” Bertram said.

The parade, which entails the ships coming into port at low power, would create safety risks, he added.

Lt. Cmdr. Nick Seniuk, who captains the Bristol Bay, said the combination of the southwest wind, a “significant” southwest swell on Lake Michigan and the typical longshore current that runs north combine for a difficult maneuver. A slower speed increases maneuverability, he said, but makes vessels more susceptible to the wave conditions.

“As sturdy as they look, and they are, they ride like a football in a bathtub,” Seniuk said. “When we can avoid the seas and the wind, we do so.”

The Bristol Bay conducts navigation operations — placing and removing buoys for the shipping season — from Lake St. Clair to the Detroit River and across Lake Erie to Cleveland. A straight trip from Detroit to Grand Haven takes about 60 hours, but was completed in five days this past week with stops along the way.

The Bristol Bay is typically equipped with a tugboat, but the tug did not make the voyage to West Michigan. The tug adds 16 beds to the Bristol’s 23 so the ship can accommodate both men and women at sea, Seniuk said.

The Bristol Bay has a few unusual features for its class: a bow propeller and an old wooden wheel at the helm. The Buckthorn, the oldest Coast Guard vessel operating in the Great Lakes at 55 years, calls Sault Ste. Marie its homeport. Because it is not used to cut through ice, other ships often visit its waters, but the Buckthorn doesn’t operate far outside its designation.

“Our operating area really keeps us confined,” Bertram said. “We’re running in that river 90 percent of our life. My crew’s probably just as excited to tour their ships as any of the civilians and everyone else at this festival.”

While Bertram and Seniuk have each visited the Coast Guard Festival multiple times, both captains said they have several newcomers to Grand Haven onboard, including several junior members.

“If anybody gets some compliments and stuff like that, it just reinforces the work they do,” Bertram said. “As a buoy tender, we’re kind of in the blue-collar business. We’re behind the scenes. It’s nice to see the support for us.”

Visiting the festival as a Coastie is one thing, Seniuk said, but bringing a ship into port for the festival is an entirely different experience.

“Nothing means more to our relationship with the City of Grand Haven than coming here on our ship and sharing our ship with all the citizens of Grand Haven and all the guests of Grand Haven,” he said.

View photos at this link: https://www.grandhaventribune.com/gallery/Ships-arrive-for-Coast-Guard-Festival

On this day in 1948, in a total elapsed time of 19 hours, the JAMES DAVIDSON of the Tomlinson fleet unloaded 13,545 tons of coal at the Berwind Dock in Duluth and loaded 14,826 tons of ore at the Allouez Dock in Superior.

On this day in 1955, Al A. Wolf, the first Chief Engineer of a Great Lakes freighter powered by a 7,000 hp engine, retired as Chief Engineer of the WILFRED SYKES. Chief Wolf started as an oiler on the POLYNESIA in 1911, became Chief Engineer in 1921, and brought out the SYKES in 1948.

Sea trials took place for the JAMES R. BARKER this day in 1976. She was to become Interlake's first 1000 footer and the flagship of the fleet for Moore McCormack Leasing, Inc. (Interlake Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio, mgr.). She was built at a cost of more than $43 million under Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970. She was the third thousand-footer to sail on the Lakes and the first built entirely on the Lakes.

On July 31, 1974, the Liberian vessel ARTADI approached the dock at Trois Rivires, Que. where she damaged the docked GORDON C. LEITCH's stern.

The CEDARBRANCH was damaged and sunk by an explosion on July 31, 1965, several miles below Montreal, Quebec resulting in a loss of one life. Repaired and lengthened in 1965, she was renamed b.) SECOLA in 1978, and c.) KITO MARU in 1979, and scrapped at Brownsville, Texas, in 1985.

On 31 July 1849, ACORN (wooden schooner, 84 foot, 125 tons, built in 1842, at Black River, Ohio) was struck amidships by the propeller TROY near West Sister Island in Lake Erie. She sank quickly, but no lives were lost since all hands made it to the TROY.

On 31 July 1850, AMERICA (wooden side-wheeler, 240 foot, 1,083 tons, built in 1847, at Port Huron, Michigan) suffered a boiler or steam pipe explosion while sailing on Lake Erie. The explosion immediately killed nine persons and scalded others who died later. The vessel was repaired and sailed for three more seasons.

Data from: Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Fleetmates CSL Assiniboine and CSL Welland arrived Duluth at 00:51 and 05:17 Monday morning, respectively. The Assiniboine tied up at Canadian National to load iron ore pellets, while the Welland moored at the gravity dock to wait for the Assiniboine to finish loading. Joseph L. Block arrived at 13:30 with a load of limestone for Graymont Superior. She was expected to depart late Monday night for Two Harbors to load, while CSL Assiniboine did not have a departure time listed but should complete loading late Monday evening or early Tuesday. At the Superior entry, Algoma Guardian arrived at 00:08 Monday, took on iron ore at Burlington Northern, and was outbound at 11:20 for Hamilton.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Algoma Sault departed Two Harbors on July 28th at 22:13. As of 19:25 on the 29th she wasn’t showing an updated AIS. Philip Nash on his vessel passage has her going to Quebec City. Arriving Two Harbors on July 28th a 22:55 was the Edgar B. Speer. She departed Two Harbors on the 29th at 14:31 for Gary. Arriving Two Harbors on July 29th at 15:40 with tug assist from Heritage Marine's Nels J. was the Edwin H. Gott. Due Two Harbors late on the 29th early on the 30th is the Presque Isle. As of 19:30 on the 29th the PI is near Outer Island. Due Two Harbors on July 30th is the Joseph L. Block arriving from the Twin Ports after unloading stone at Graymont in Superior. Also due Two Harbors later in the day on the 30th is the Cason J. Callaway after unloading stone in the Twin Ports. Another possible arrival on the 30th is the American Spirit. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader at 03:53 on the 29th after unloading stone at Hallett #5 in Duluth. She departed Silver Bay at approx. 13:12. Her AIS is showing Toledo, but it showed Toledo her whole upbound trip on Lake Superior. Due Silver Bay on July 30th is the Hon. James L. Oberstar.

Thunder Bay, ON
Sunday; 0:43 Spruceglen departed downßbound. 10:50 The saltie Trudy departed for Montreal. 16:46 Federal Dee arrived at Viterra A to load grain. 18:58 Saginaw departed for Toledo. Monday; 8:25 The saltie Osogovo weighed anchor and arrived at the MobilEx Terminal to load potash. 14:07 Algoma Strongfield departed for Port Cartier. 16:12 Industrial Swift shifted from Keefer Terminal to the Richardson Main Terminal to load grain.

Muskegon, MI – Brendan Falkowski
7/29 - USCGC Katmai Bay departed Muskegon at 9:54 Monday morning. She sailed down to Grand Haven for the Coast Guard Festival.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Little Current: Monday; 6:47 The cruise ship Victory I arrived for shore excursions and departed at 18:00 for Sault Ste Marie Michigan.

Spragge: Monday; 13:29 Manitoulin arrived at the Lafarge dock to unload limestone. Bruce Mines: Monday; Robert S Pierson arrived to load trap rock.

Meldrum Bay: Saturday; 21:50 Algoma Conveyor arrived to load. 0:13 Mississagi arrived and went to anchor. Sunday; 15:31 Algoma Conveyor departed for Nanticoke. Mississagi weighed anchor and proceeded to the dock to load and departed Monday at 1:04 for Cleveland. 17:29 Herbert C Jackson arrived to load.

Drummond Island: Sunday; 21:27 John G Munson arrived to load limestone and departed Monday at 11:44 for Marine City. 12:27 Cuyahoga arrived to load.

Port Dolomite: Sunday; 11:00 Cason J Callaway arrived to load and departed at 23:13 for Duluth Superior. Monday; 12:00 Wilfred Sykes arrived to load.

Calcite: Sunday; 3:45 Philip R Clarke arrived to load. 5:48 American Mariner departed for Ashtabula. 18:26 Philip R Clarke departed for Detroit. Monday; 4:14 H Lee White arrived to load.

Stoneport: Sunday; 5:42 Kaye E Barker arrived to load and departed at 17:43 for Marquette. Monday; 14:00 Victory and Maumee arrived to load.

Alpena: Sunday; 23:49 The cement carrier Alpena arrived to load and departed Monday at 5:06 for Green Bay. 5:44 Samuel De Champlain arrived to load.

Port Inland: Saturday; 17:52 Joseph L Block departed for Duluth Superior. Sunday; 5:42 Undaunted and Pere Marquette arrived to load and departed at 9:28 for Holland.10:01 Manitoulin arrived to load and departed at 22:45 for Spragge.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Monday Arrivals: CSL Tadoussac arrived at the St. Mary's Cement dock to unload clinker. Manitowoc arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to fuel. Philip R Clarke arrived at the Detroit Bulk Storage dock to unload stone. Everlast/Norman McLeod arrived at the Marathon Asphalt Terminal to load.

Cleveland, Ohio – Bill Kloss
Defiance/Ashtabula delivered to Ontario Stone and Algoma Buffalo had to wait for the ATB to depart so she could proceed with tugs to load at Cargill Salt. The Happy Rover (not to be confused with the very popular Happy River) is at Dock 22E at the Port of Cleveland. ASC fleet mates American Courage and Sam Laud are on the upper Cuyahoga River. Joseph H. Thompson was at the Bulk Terminal on 7/28 and is heading to the upper lakes.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Monday July 29 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
docked - Jul 27 - tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 0826 and Algoscotia at 0906 - departure - Jul 29 - Algoscotia at 0150 westbound

Long Point Bay anchorage:
anchored - Jul 28 - Algoma Hansa at 0407

Buffalo:
arrival - Jul 28 - Calumet at 1939 - docked - Jul 26 - NACC Argonaut at 2149 - departures - Jul 28 - NACC Argonaut at 2227 for the canal - Jul 29 - Calumet at 0040 westbound

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 28 - Baie Comeau at 1315, Happy River at 1540, CCGS Limnos at 2109, Federal Caribou (Mhl) at 2055 and Algoma Discovery at 2323 - Jul 29 - tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 0714 and Evans Spirit at 1956 - Jul 30 - Stenberg (Gib) eta 0224

Downbound - Jul 28 - G3 Marquis at 1327, CSL Laurentien at 1538 and Whitefish Bay at 1551 (stopping at wharf 19-E) - Jul 29 - NACC Argonaut at 0142, Oakglen at 0942, Federal Champlain (Mhl) at 1338, Algoma Niagara at 2036 and Sloman Helios (Atg) (Intrepid Canada-16) eta 2155

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 29 - CSL Laurentien at 0625, Adriaticborg (Nld) at 1526 - docked - Jul 25 - Torrent (Cyp) at 0626 - Jul 26 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 0524 and Federal Welland (Mhl) at 1000 - Jul 28 - Algoma Discovery at 0504, Florence Spirit at 2011 and Algoma Transport at 2322 - departure - Jul 29 - Algoma Transport at 1238

Bronte:
docked - Jul 27 - Gaia Desgagnes at 0732 - departed Jul 29 at 0059 eastbound

Mississauga:
docked - Jul 28 - Tasing Swan (Den) (ex Erria Mie-12, Hamza Efe Bey-08) at 1427

Toronto:
arrivals -Jul 29 - Federal Yukina (Mhl) at 0140 (anchored off Toronto) - departed Jul 29 at 1030 for the dock - docked at 1100 - docked - Jul 25 - Turquoise I (Pan) (ex Turquoise T-19) at 1124 - Jul 28 - Juno (Bhs) at 0421 - departure - Jul 29 - McKeil Spirit at 0513 eastbound

Maritime industry has $3.9 billion economic impact on Indiana

7/30 - Indiana ranks among the top 15 states nationally for maritime industry jobs, a new study found.

The shipping industry employs 15,360 people across the state, generating $874 million more in worker income annually, a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers on behalf of the Transportation Institute found. Shipping to the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor and the two ports on the Ohio River at the southern end of the state contributes an estimated $3.9 billion a year to Indiana's economy.

Ships on the Great Lakes move iron ore, steel, coal, stone, crops, wind turbine blades, beer tanks and many other products, supporting a variety of companies, such as ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor, which makes steel plate that's used in shipbuilding, and Central Marine Logistics in Griffith, which manages cargo vessels.

“Central Marine Logistics is proudly based in Griffith, Indiana – the heart of the Midwest steel industry,” Central Marine President Tom Wiater said. “Our office staff and many of our crew members are Hoosier. But a lot also call other Great Lakes states home as well. Many of our team members are proud second and third-generation CML mariners... Our vessels are constantly moving cargoes in and out of Midwest ports and driving Midwest jobs. Our business is growing and we are annually investing over seven figures in the future of our fleet."

Overall, the domestic maritime industry employs 650,000 people across the country, generating $41 billion in income and contributing $154.8 billion to the overall economy, the study found.

NW Indiana Times

July 30, 1996 - CSL's self-unloader H.M. GRIFFITH, which was off Whitefish Bay in Lake Superior, and bound for Nanticoke, Ontario, with a load of 22,775 tons of western coal, had a spontaneous combustion fire in her number 2 cargo hold. Water was used to cool the fire and the GRIFFITH used her unloading boom to dump 3,000 tons of coal into Lake Superior. After an inspection by the USCG at the Soo the following day, revealed only minor damage, the vessel was cleared to proceed on her journey. Reconstructed and renamed b.) RT HON PAUL J. MARTIN in 2000.

This News Page on the BoatNerd site was launched in 1996, reporting the coal fire aboard the GRIFFITH.

GORDON C. LEITCH (Hull#36) was launched July 30, 1952, at Midland, Ontario, by Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Ltd. for the Upper Lakes & St. Lawrence Transportation Co. Ltd., Toronto, Ontario.

The Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker C.C.G.S. ALEXANDER HENRY entered service July 30, 1959. Since 1985, the HENRY has served as a museum in Kingston, Ontario.

On 30 July 1871, the 162-foot bark HARVEY BISSELL was carrying lumber from Toledo to Tonawanda, New York. When she was on the Western end of Lake Erie, she sprang a leak. Although the crew worked the hand-powered pumps constantly, the water kept gaining at a rate of about a foot an hour. The tug KATE WILLIAMS took her in tow, intending to get her to Detroit to be repaired, but this proved impossible. So the BISSELL was towed close to Point Pelee and allowed to sink in 14 feet of water. The WILLIAMS then left for Detroit to get steam pumps and other salvage equipment. On returning, they pumped out the BISSELL, refloated and repaired her. She lasted until 1905.

On 30 July 1872, the Port Huron Dry Dock launched SANDY, a lighter. Her dimensions were 75 feet x 20 feet x 5 feet.

On 30 July 1873, George Hardison of Detroit announced the beginning of a new shipyard in Port Huron, Michigan. It would be located above the 7th Street Bridge on the Black River on land owned by J. P. Haynes, accessible by River Street. Within 30 days of this announcement, the new yard had orders for two canalers three-and-aft rig for delivery in the spring of 1874. Their dimensions were to be 146 feet overall, 139 feet ¬keel, 26 foot beam and 11 foot 6 inches depth.

On 30 July 1866, CITY OF BUFFALO (wooden propeller, 340 foot, 2,026 tons, built in 1857, at Buffalo, New York as a side-wheeler) was unloading 72,000 bushels of wheat at the Sturgis Elevator at Buffalo, New York, when arsonists set fire to the complex. The fire destroyed the wharf, the elevator, several businesses and the ship. The arsonists were caught. Incidentally, the CITY OF BUFFALO was converted from a passenger side-wheeler to a propeller freighter during the winter of 1863-64. After the conversion, she was dubbed "the slowest steam-craft on the Lakes".

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Lake Huron Lore Sociery, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Michipicoten departed Duluth at 01:00 Sunday morning with a load of iron ore pellets for the Algoma steel mills in the Soo, and James R. Barker arrived from anchor at 01:48 to load at Canadian National. Great Lakes Trader/tug Joyce L. VanEnkevort arrived at 12:51 to discharge limestone at Hallett #5. The Barker was expected to depart at some point Sunday evening from CN, and Great Lakes Trader is due next in Silver Bay early Monday morning. At the Superior entry on Sunday, Mesabi Miner arrived at 11:25 to load iron ore at BN. Algoma Guardian dropped anchor offshore at 17:15, and will arrive once the Miner finishes loading early Monday.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Lee A. Tregurtha arrived Two Harbors on July 27th at 22:26 for South of #2. She departed on July 28th at 04:51 for Indiana Harbor. Algoma Sault arrived Two Harbors on July 28th at 09:58 for South of #2. As of 19:45 on the 28th she was still at the dock. The Edgar B. Speer was running checked down for most of July 28th awaiting the departure of the Algoma Sault. Due Two Harbors on July 29th are the Edwin H. Gott and the Joseph L. Block after she unloads stone at Graymont in Superior. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on July 28th. Due Silver Bay on July 29th is the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader that will be arriving after unloading stone at Hallett #5 in Duluth.

Muskegon, MI – Brendan Falkowski
USCGC Katmai Bay was still docked at Heritage Landing on Sunday.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Compass arrived 6.30 am loading at Compass Minerals, salt for Toronto Ontario.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Calusa Coast and Delaware arrived at the Marathon Asphalt Terminal to load. Olive L Moore/Menominee arrived at the Carmeuse Dock to unload stone. Sharon M I and barge Huron Spirit arrived at Nicholson's Ecorse Terminal to unload steel coils.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Sunday July 28 – Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
docked - Jul 27 - tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 0826 and Algoscotia at 0906 - departure - Jul 27 - Thunder Bay at 0823 westbound

Long Point Bay anchorage:
anchored - Jul 28 - Algoma Hansa at 0407

Buffalo:
arrival - Jul 28 - Calumet at 1939 - docked - Jul 26 - NACC Argonaut at 2149

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 27 - Algonorth at 1253, tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 1407, CSL Tadoussac at 1544 and Wicko (Bhs) at 1824 Jul 28 -- Algoma Buffalo at 0323, Happy Rover (Nld) at 0511, Federal Kivalina at 0911, Isa (Cyp) at 1019, Baie Comeau at 1315, Happy River at 1540, CCGS Limnos at 2125 and Federal Caribou (Mhl) eta 2245

Downbound - Jul 28 - Tim S Dool at 1402 stopped wharf 12, tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 1410 (from wharf 17) and John D Leitch at 1553 - Jul 28 - Florence Spirit at 0715, Algoma Transport at 0851, G3 Marquis at 1327, CSL Laurentien at 1538 and Whitefish Bay at 1551 (stopping at wharf 19-E)

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605 - Jul 28 - Whitefish Bay stopping at wharf 19-E - departure - Jul 27 - Robert S Pierson at 1720 westbound

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 28 - Algoma Discovery at 0504 and Florence Spirit at 2011 - docked - Jul 25 - Torrent (Cyp) at 0626 - Jul 26 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 0524 and Federal Welland (Mhl) at 1000 - departures - Jul 28 - Federal Caribou (Mhl) at 1845 and Algoma Discovery at 2134 for the canal

Bronte:
docked - Jul 27 - Gaia Desgagnes at 0732

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 28 - John D Leitch at 0835 - departed Jul 28 at 2101 for the canal

Mississauga:
arrival - Jul 28 - Tasing Swan (Den) (ex Erria Mie-12, Hamza Efe Bey-08) at 1427

Toronto:
arrivals - Jul 28 - Juno (Bhs) at 0421, Baie Comeau at 0404, - docked - Jul 25 - Turquoise I (Pan) (ex Turquoise T-19) at 1124 - Jul 27 - McKeil Spirit at 0336 - departures - Jul 28 - Isa (Cyp) at 0047 for Toledo, Algoma Buffalo at 0144, Baie Comeau at 1141 - both for the canal

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 27 - NACC Quebec at 0850 - departed Jul 28 at 1141 eastbound

Updates

7/29 - The Saltie Gallery has been updated with the following images: Adriaticborg, Atlanticborg, Azoresborg, BBC Polonia, Ebony Ray, Federal Mackinac, Federal Mayumi, Federal Welland, Fivelborg, Gagliardi, Happy Rover, HC Melina, Industrial Swift, Iver Bright, Osogovo, Redhead, Ruddy, Sichem Marseille, Sloman Helios, Topaz I, Torrent, Turquois I, Volgaborg and Wicko.

OTTERCLIFFE HALL cleared Lauzon, Quebec, July 29, 1969 on her maiden voyage as the last "straight deck" Great Lakes bulk freighter built with a pilothouse forward.

While at the Manitowoc Ship Building Co. for general repairs and engine overhaul, the CITY OF SAGINAW 31 caught fire on July 29, 1971, destroying her cabin deck and rendering her useless for further use. The blaze was caused by an acetylene torch, and caused over $1 million in damage. She was not repaired. The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 was sold to Marine Salvage Ltd., Port Colborne, Ontario, for scrapping.

On July 29, 1974 the W.W. HOLLOWAY grounded in Lake St. Clair off the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club while running downbound with stone. Lightering into the J.F. SCHOELKOPF JR was necessary before she was freed by four tugs on July 31st.

ENDERS M. VOORHEES departed Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Michigan, on her maiden voyage July 29, 1942, bound for Duluth, Minnesota, to load iron ore. She was the second of five "Supers" for the Pittsburgh fleet to enter service.

July 29, 1974 - PERE MARQUETTE 21 was towed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to be reduced to a barge.

The steam barge MARY ROBERTSON burned near Mackinac on 29 July 1872. Her crew escaped to a schooner-barge they were towing.

The MATERIAL SERVICE foundered in a heavy summer gale in 1936, off the South Chicago lighthouse. She was a canal motor barge not designed for open-lake use.

The side-wheel river steamer DOMINION burned to the water's edge at her dock in the Thames River near Chatham, Ontario, on 29 July 1875. She was built in 1867, at Wallaceburg, Ontario.

1912 – REPUBLIC stranded at Point Louise in the St. Marys River and sustained bottom damage.

1930 – The sandsucker GEORGE J. WHALEN capsized and sank off Dunkirk, N.Y., in heavy seas and 15 sailors perished. Only 6 were rescued and taken aboard the AMASA STONE.

1942 – The first PRESCODOC was torpedoed and sunk by U-160 off Georgetown, British Guiana, with the loss of 15 lives. The bauxite-laden steamer went down quickly, bow first, while enroute to Trinidad and only 5 were saved.

1943 – LOCKWELL and KEYBELL collided above Bridge 11 of the Welland Canal. The former was repaired at Port Dalhousie with $13,450 in damages.

1946 – TEAKBAY went aground on Featherbed Shoal off Carleton Island in the St. Lawrence while bound for Montreal with a load of coal. This member of the C.S.L. fleet was released, with the aid of tugs, the next day and proceeded to Kingston for repairs.

1971 – While undergoing a major refit at Manitowoc, fire broke out aboard the CITY OF SAGINAW 31 destroying the top deck and accommodation area. The damage was listed as between $450,000 and $700,000 and the vessel became a total loss. It was towed to Castellon, Spain, for scrapping.

1979 – The Cayman Islands registered QUIDNET came through the Seaway in 1978 but sank, in a collision with the SEA TIDE at Mamei Curve in the Panama Canal while enroute from Callao, Peru, to Trinidad. The hull was abandoned as a total loss and had to be cut in two before being towed away to a dumping ground. The ship had also been a Great Lakes visitor as b) LUDMILLA C. in 1968.

1993 – The second FEDERAL SCHELDE to visit the Great Lakes was built in 1977 and came inland that year on its maiden voyage with sugar for Montreal and Toronto. The ship received major bow damage after striking the ARARAT in the Orinoco River of Venezuela. It went to Hamburg, Germany, for repairs and resumed service. It became b) TRIAS in 1994 and continued Seaway service until 1999. The ship arrived at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, for scrapping on December 12, 2000.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Jerry Pearson, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, Marine Historical Society of Detroit

She’s back: Arthur M. Anderson delights with salutes at the Soo on Saturday

7/28 - After a two-and-a-half year layup due to economic conditions, the steamer Arthur M. Anderson was downbound at Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday around 11 a.m., leaving anyone within earshot knowing she was back.

After she left the Poe Lock, she saluted the supply boat Ojibway, Aune-Osborn Campround and sounded her horn with two salutes at Mission Point. As she passed through the Rock Cut, she sounded two more.

The Anderson has been in drydock in Superior, Wisconsin, undergoing a refit and repaint. The ship is notable for playing a big role in Great Lakes history. The Anderson was the last to make contact with the Edmund Fitzgerald before it sank in 1975.

Boat enthusiasts and onlookers were eager to see the freighter Saturday at Rotary Park in Sault Ste. Marie.

“We got two salutes here and there were a couple in the harbor. Just wonderful to hear that sound. I know there are people have driven a long way to be here today to watch the Anderson go by and that is just great to see” said Roger LeLievre, the publisher of “Know Your Ships.”

The 767-foot-long freighter is on its way to Gary, Indiana to drop off iron ore pellets. It is expected to arrive on Sunday.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Michipicoten arrived Duluth at 05:07 Saturday morning, and tied up at the Canadian National gravity dock. Lee A. Tregurtha was inbound at 10:42 with limestone for Graymont Superior, and Algoma Spirit left port at 13:15 with a load of iron ore pellets for Hamilton. After her departure, Michipicoten then shifted to the loading dock, and was due to depart around 21:30 Saturday night. James R. Barker dropped anchor outside the Duluth harbor Saturday evening waiting for her turn at CN, and will arrive once Michipicoten finishes loading. The only traffic through the Superior entry on Saturday was Alpena, which departed at 06:42 after discharging cement at Lafarge. Lee A. Tregurtha was expected to depart from Graymont via the Superior entry at 21:30 Saturday for Two Harbors to load.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Due Two Harbors late on July 27th/early on July 28th is the Lee A. Tregurtha, that as of 17:43 on the 27th, is unloading stone at Graymont in Superior. Due Two Harbors on July 28th are the Algoma Sault and the Edgar B. Speer. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of the American Integrity on July 27th at 00:01 for Ashtabula. There is no scheduled traffic for Silver Bay on July 28th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Friday; 10:29 After unloading road salt at MobilEx, Algoma Niagara shifted to the G3 elevator to load grain. 23:41 Industrial Swift arrived at Keefer Terminal to unload wind mill parts. Saturday; 5:00 Algoma Niagara departed for Hamilton. 13:40 Radcliffe R Latimer departed for Halifax NS. 17:54 Federal Saguenay departed for Montreal. 18:11 Algoma Strongfield arrived at the Richardson Main Terminal to load grain.

St. Marys River
Downbound traffic Saturday included Arthur M. Anderson, Federal Champlain, Mississagi and Stewart J. Cort. Upbounders included Mesabi Miner, Federal Dee, Edgar B. Speer, Algoma Guardian, CSL Assiniboine, CSL Welland and Maumee/Victory.

Lake Michigan ports
John J. Boland was at Burns Harbor Saturday night. Roger Blough was unloading at Gary. American Spirit was at Indiana Harbor, with Indiana Harbor due.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Bruce Mines: Saturday; 1:04 Algoma Innovator arrived to load trap rock and departed at 12:50 for Toledo

Port Dolomite: Saturday; 1:06 Defiance and Ashtabula arrived to load and departed at 12:48 for Cleveland.

Calcite: Saturday; 1:56 Joyce L Vanenkevort departed upbound for Lake Superior. Olive L Moore arrived to load. 7:02 Joseph H Thompson departed for Cleveland. 12:22 Olive L Moore departed down bound on Lake Huron. American Mariner arrived to load.

Stoneport: Friday; 23:32 Herbert C Jackson departed for Detroit. 0:52 Great Republic weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock and departed at 11:46 for Cleveland.

Alpena: Friday; 19:02 G L Ostrander arrived to load cement products and departed on Saturday at 6:10 for Milwaukee.

Straits of Mackinac: Saturday; 19:05 The Arthur M Anderson passed through the Straits on her first trip since coming out of layup. She is carrying taconite from Two Harbors for Gary Harbor.

Port Inland: Friday; 21:07 Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder departed down bound on Lake Huron.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Saturday Arrivals: Kaye E Barker arrived at AK Steel to unload ore. Fraseborg arrived at Nicholson's Detroit Terminal to unload steel coils. Iver Bright arrived at the Marathon Asphalt Terminal to load. H Lee White arrived at Zug Island to unload coal. Herbert C Jackson arrived at the St. Clair Aggregates dock to unload stone. Hon. James L Oberstar arrived at AK Steel to unload ore.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Saturday July 27 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrivals - Jul 27 - tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 0826 and Algoscotia at 0906 - docked - Jul 26 - Thunder Bay at 2356 -

Buffalo:
arrival - Jul 26 - NACC Argonaut at 2149

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 26 - Algosea at 2200 and tug Calusa Coast & Delaware at 2221 - Jul 27 - Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 0304, Algonorth at 1253, tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 1407, CSL Tadoussac at 1544 and Wicko (Bhs) at 1824

Downbound - Jul 26 - tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 0602 (stopped wharf 17) - Jul 27 - CSL Niagara at 0041, Algoma Buffalo at 0446, BBC Polonia (Atg) at 0514, tug Wilf Seymour & Alouette Spirit at 0529, Baie Comeau at 0906, CSL St Laurent at 0934, Algoma Discovery at 1105, Tim S Dool at 1402 stopped wharf 12, tug Petite Fortre & St Marys Cement at 1410 and John D Leitch at 1553,

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 23 - Atlantic Huron stopped wharf 16 at 1605 - Jul 24 - Robert S Pierson stopped wharf 12 at 0310 - Jul 27 Tim S dool at 1535 - Jul 27 - departed - tug - Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 1410 from wharf 17 downbound

Port Weller anchorage:
anchored - Jul 26 - Wicko (Bhs) at 1637 approx - departure - Jul 26 - tug Calusa Coast & Delaware at 2150 for the canal and Volgaborg at 2220 for the U.K eastbound

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 27 - Federal Caribou (Mhl) at 1023 - docked - Jul 25 - Torrent (Cyp) at 0626 - Jul 26 - Lake Ontario (Atg) (ex Federal Manitou-11 completed as Lake Ontario) at 0524 and Federal Welland (Mhl) at 1000

Toronto:
arrivals - Jul 27 - McKeil Spirit at 0336 and Algoma Buffalo at 1538 - docked - Jul 21 - Isa (Cyp) at 0050 - Jul 25 - Turquoise I (Pan) (ex Turquoise T-19) at 1124

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 27 - NACC Quebec at 0850

On July 28, 1973, the ROGER M. KYES (Hull#200) was christened at Toledo, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. by Mrs. Roger Kyes for the American Steamship Co. Renamed b.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS in 1989.

B.A. PEERLESS (Hull#148) was launched July 28, 1952, at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. for British American Transportation Co. Ltd. Renamed b.) GULF CANADA in 1969, and c.) COASTAL CANADA in 1984.

The JOHN T. HUTCHINSON was delivered on July 28th to the Buckeye Steamship Co. (Hutchinson & Co., mgr.), Cleveland. The HUTCHINSON was part of a government program designed to upgrade and increase the capacity of the U.S. Great Lakes fleet during World War II. In order to help finance the building of new ships, the U.S.M.C. authorized a program that would allow existing fleets to obtain new boats by trading in their older boats to the Government for credit. The vessel was the ninth Maritimer and fourth of the six L6-S-Al types delivered. "L6" meant the vessel was built for the Great Lakes and was 600 to 699 feet in length. The "S" stood for steam power and "Al" identified specific design features.

On 28 July 1854, BOSTON (wooden propeller, 134 foot, 259 tons, built in 1847, at Ohio City, Ohio) was bound from Chicago for Ogdensburg, New York, with pork, corn, whiskey and produce. On Lake Ontario, about 20 miles off Oak Orchard, New York, she collided with the bark PLYMOUTH and sank in about 20 minutes. No lives were lost. The crew and passengers made it to shore in three lifeboats. The boat that the captain was in sailed 50 miles to Charlotte, New York.

In 1900, the freighter PRINCETON (Hull#302) was launched at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

On 28 July 1862, CONVOY (2-mast wooden schooner, 130 foot, 367 tons, built in 1855, at Buffalo, New York) was sailing downbound on a dark night on Lake Erie with 18,000 bushels of wheat when she collided with the empty bark SAM WARD and sank quickly in 12 fathoms of water. Her wreck drifted along the bottom and during the shipping season several vessels collided with her.

1922 – The wooden passenger and freight carrier CARIBOU went aground in the North Channel of Georgian Bay near Richards Landing.

1923 – The wooden steamer W.J. CARTER, enroute from Oswego to Cobourg with a cargo of coal, began leaking and sank in Lake Ontario 20 miles south of Point Peter. Nine crewmembers were rescued by the KEYPORT.

1929 – The newly-built canaller C.H. HOUSON was in a collision with the collier WABANA off Cap au Saumon on the St. Lawrence in heavy fog. The investigation of the accident was critical of the operation of both vessels. The former served in the Misener fleet, becoming b) PAUL MANION in 1949, and was scrapped at Deseronto, Ontario, in 1961.

1949 – NORMAN J. KOPMEIER was holed by an underwater obstruction entering Muskegon with a cargo of coal from Chicago. The vessel had to be beached and almost capsized. It was later refloated and repaired. The ship last sailed as e) PINEDALE in 1976 and was scrapped at Hamilton in 1981.

1961 – After loading a cargo of scrap steel for Japan on its first visit to the Great Lakes, the Greek freighter MIHALIS ANGELOS ran aground leaving Toronto harbor. The ship had been one of the “Empire Class” ships of World War Two, being built as a) EMPIRE MASEFIELD. It arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for scrapping as f) GLORIA on December 6, 1967.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Arthur M. Anderson to load Thursday in Two Harbors

7/25 - The Arthur M. Anderson is expected at Two Harbors Thursday to load pellets. This will be her first trip since her recent refit.

Gary A. Putney

Port of Thunder Bay reporting strong cargo volumes at the end of June

7/25 - Thunder Bay, ON – Shipments of prairie grain, the port’s primary commodity, remained ahead of last year’s pace in June, continuing a three-month trend. Year-to-date grain volumes of 2.5 million metric tonnes (MT) are 9 percent higher than the same period last year.

This is largely attributable to a ten-fold increase (+200,000 MT) in canola exports through the port this season. Canola exports from Thunder Bay to Europe and Latin America have surged since China, Canada’s largest canola customer, closed its doors to Canadian shipments of the commodity. Canola shipped to China moves through the West Coast ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert.

As Western Canada’s most efficient grain port, Thunder Bay is equipped to handle grain surges with relative ease. The port has the fastest railcar and ship turnaround times and the largest operating grain storage capacity.

Other cargoes crossing the docks in Thunder Bay during June included coal and potash mined in Western Canada, liquid calcium chloride for local consumption and an inbound shipment of pulp and paper mill equipment. Overall cargo volumes are 7 percent higher than last year as of June 30.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Indiana Harbor arrived Duluth at 06:09 Wednesday morning to load iron ore pellets at Canadian National, and Paul R. Tregurtha was inbound at 16:06 for a load of coal from Midwest Energy. Walter J. McCarthy Jr. dropped anchor outside the harbor mid-evening Wednesday and was waiting to load at SMET after the Tregurtha. Both Indiana Harbor and Paul R. Tregurtha are expected to depart early Thursday morning. Also in port on Wednesday was Industrial Swift, offloading wind turbine blades at Port Terminal, and Arthur M. Anderson, preparing for service at Fraser Shipyards. The Anderson is tentatively expected to depart on Thursday to begin her 2019 season. There was no traffic through the Superior entry during the day Wednesday, however Burns Harbor was inbound shortly after 20:00 to load iron ore at BN.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
The Great Republic arrived Two Harbors at approx. 19:53 and departed at 21:58 on July 23rd after fueling. She is headed for Alpena. The Presque Isle departed Two Harbors on July 24th at approx. 02:40 for Gary. Arriving Two Harbors on July 24th at 03:37 was the Algoma Discovery. She was originally showing an AIS of Duluth. She departed Two Harbors on July 24th at 15:36 for Hamilton. The Roger Blough arrived Two Harbors on July 24th at approx. 13:30 for North of #2 lay-by. She shifted between 15:42 and approx. 14:10 on the 24th to South of #2. Arthur M. Anderson is supposed to go to Two Harbors the morning of the 25th to load pellets. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of the CSL Niagara on July 23rd at 21:50 for Quebec City. There is no traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on July 25th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Tuesday Destination Update: Kaministiqua departed for Sorel. 8:33 Tim S Dool arrived at the G3 elevator to load grain.13:13 Ojibway arrived at Viterra A to load grain and departed on Wednesday at 0:23 for Windsor. Wednesday; 20:10 Federal Champlain weighed anchor and proceeded to Viterra A to load grain. G3 Marquis arrived at the Superior Elevator to load grain.

Burns Harbor, IN
Algoma Sault was in port Wednesday. Algoma Conveyor was waiting to take the dock from her.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Thessalon: Tuesday; 0:29 Algoma Buffalo arrived to take on a partial load of gravel and at 6:24 departed for Meldrum Bay. 21:13 Joseph H Thompson arrived to load gravel and departed Wednesday at 13:24 for Marine City.

Meldrum Bay: Tuesday; 8:44 Algoma Buffalo arrived to finish loading and departed at 17:24 down bound on Lake Huron.

Drummond Island: Wednesday; 16:00 Cason J Callaway arrived to load.

Port Dolomite: Tuesday; 2:19 Michipicoten departed for Sombra. Wednesday; 15:08 Wilfred Sykes arrived to load.

Calcite: Monday; 21:54 Philip R Clarke departed for Buffington. Tuesday; 6:56 Herbert C Jackson departed for Bay City. Wednesday; 5:41 American Mariner arrived to load. 21:00 John J Boland arrived to load limestone.

Stoneport: Monday; 21:22 Manitowoc departed for Marine City. Tuesday; 3:00 Olive L Moore and Menominee arrived to load and departed at 14:30 down bound on Lake Huron. Wednesday; 16:06 Herbert C Jackson arrived to load.

Alpena: Tuesday; 2:21 G L Ostrander departed for Detroit. 21:30 The cement carrier Alpena arrived to load and departed on Wednesday at 5:13 for Duluth Superior.

Port Inland: Monday; John G Munson weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. Tuesday; 7:56 John G Munson departed for Grand Haven.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Federal Dee was unloading general cargo at Nicholson's Detroit Terminal on Wednesday

Northeast Ohio ports – Bill Kloss
7/24 arrivals: Mississagi to Ashtabula from Cleveland, then to Sault Ste. Marie. American Courage arrived in Cleveland from Ashtabula. Polsteam's Jamno is at the Port of Cleveland and the tug Spartan is arriving in Cleveland from Ludington. 7/24 departures: CSL Laurentian from Sandusky to Hamilton.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Wednesday July 24 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrival - Jul 24 - CSL Tadoussac at 0231 - departure - Jul 24 - Algoscotia at 0913 and CSL Tadoussac at 1331

Buffalo:
docked - Jul 23 - H Lee White at 0641

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 23 - Manitoulin at 1313, Edward M Cotter (Buffalo fireboat) at 1342 approx (from Toronto DD), Robert S Pierson at 1748 - Jul 24 - Algoma Compass at 0458, Algoma Strongfield at 1044, Ruddy (Cyp) at 1616 for Cleveland, Fraserborg (Nld) at 1650 for Cleveland and Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-06) at at 1945 and Algonova

downbound - Jul 23 - Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-06) at at 0716 and Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 0731 - Jul 24 downbound - Jul 24 - tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II at 0131, Isadora (Cyp) at 0733, Algoma Transport at 0805 and CSL Tadoussac at 1749

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 24 - NACC Argonaut at 1019 (anchored) and Algoma Transport eta 2225 - departed 1410 for the canal

Clarkson:
docked - Jul 23 - Blair McKeil at 0404 - departure - Jul 24 at 0827 eastbound

Mississauga:
arrival - Jul 23 - Turquoise I (Pan) (ex Turquoise T-19) at 1717

Toronto:
arrivals Jul 24 - Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-06) at 0242, Wicko (Bhs) at 0454 and Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 0540 - docked - Jul 21 - Isa (Cyp) at 0050 - departures - Jul 24 - NACC Argonaut at 0817, Fraserborg (Nld) at 1452, Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-06) at 1751 and Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 1748 for Brockville

Oshawa:
arrivals- Jul 21 - Azoresborg (Nld) at 0559 - Jul 23 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 1128 - departures - Jul 24 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0047, Azoresborg (Nld) at 1419 - both eastbound

Sugar Island residents seek support for winter ferry service

7/25 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Sugar Island residents gained an ally last Thursday as the Chippewa County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution of support with the intention of forwarding this document to Governor Gretchen Whitmer as well as other state and federal legislators.

“We need preventative, proactive measures,” explained Sugar Island resident Tony McLain during public testimony on this measure. Saying the U.S. Coast Guard did a very good job keeping the ferry running throughout the 2018-19 winter season, McLain said there were no guarantees the practice would continue in the future without a written memorandum of understanding. “The reality is every institution struggles with institutional memory.”

McLain explained with promotions and transfers, the Coast Guard personnel that performed admirably this past winter could be operating somewhere else two years from now — leading to a repeat of the difficulties incurred during the 2017-18 winter which left island residents throughout the St. Marys River cut-off from the mainland.

“Our resolution is doing exactly what Sugar Island is asking us to do,” said Chippewa County Chairman Scott Shackleton. “I believe Neebish and Drummond Island have their own concerns and I would invite them to pass their own resolutions.”

Chippewa County Commissioner Jim Martin added that while the county was willing to sign on to the resolution, it likely would get more traction if backed by Congressman Jack Bergman and Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters.

While island residents seemingly had shown up to initially get the ice-breaking resolution approved, the venue also offered a chance to air a relatively new grievance.

“They’re doing a lot of damage to the shore,” said Neebish Island resident Les Laitinen, calling for a reduced speed limit for the passing freighters. “Not all boats, but certain boats throw a tsunami wave across people’s yards and docks.”

Laitinen said a reduced speed limit would add a mere 15 minutes of travel time for the passing freighters, while protecting waterfront property. “This is a very serious concern,” he said. “It’s doing a lot of dock damage and a lot of property damage.”

“It’s worse at night,” added a Sugar Island resident. “We have a long 180-foot crib dock and it’s just getting beat to death.” “People are losing waterfront,” added Tom Farnquist, attributing the loss to high water and excessive speeds.

Commissioner Don McLean expressed concerns that this may become an environmental problem as well, with water being pushed onto dry land to the point where it begins to interact with the drain fields utilized by property owners along the river.

The commissioners directed County Administrator Jim German to deliver the speed limit and wake concerns to the U.S. Coast Guard in an attempt to resolve these issues, but it seems the county had very little leverage in regulating this matter.

“I don’t know if we’re going to have any more pull than anyone else,” admitted Shackleton.

Sault News

Tour Grosse Ile lighthouse on Sept. 8

7/25 - On Sunday, September 8th, from Noon to 3:00 PM the Grosse Ile Historical Society is sponsoring four tours on the hour of the Grosse Ile lighthouse. Built in 1906, the stately lighthouse stands 40 feet tall. The octagonal white tower is beautiful, each face is sided with horizontal wood strips like clapboards on an old house. The interior is paneled with varnished Michigan pine, and a wooden circular staircase climbs to the light stanchion.

The tours will originate at the Depot Museum located on the southwest corner of Grosse Ile Parkway and East River Road. A bus (there is no parking at the lighthouse) will take participants past the historic homes district to the lighthouse for the tour and then return to the Depot Museum.

The tours are limited to 96 participants, ten years of age or older. There is no handicap access to the lighthouse. Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled tour. The tour price is $10 for Society members, $15 for non-members. Please reserve tickets by going on Eventbrite or contact the Grosse Ile Historical Society at (734) 675-1250 for tour details, reservations, and tickets.

Grosse Ile Historical Society

In 1991 the 16-man crew of the ocean-going tug PACIFIC TIDE NO 3 were arrested at Montreal on charges of smuggling drugs. The tug had arrived from the Philippines to tow the damaged Spanish vessel MILANOS to Spain.

Algoma Central Marine's former ALGOCEN departed Montreal on July 25, 2005, under tow of the tugs ATLANTIC OAK and ANDRE H bound for Keasby, New Jersey. She was renamed b.) VALGOCEN and was registered in Panama. She later sailed as J.W. SHELLEY and PHOENIX STAR.

The bow section of the ROGER BLOUGH (Hull#900) was floated into the new American Ship Building Co. Lorain dry dock on July 25, 1970, and was joined with the 421-foot stern section. The launch of the completed hull was scheduled for July 1971, but a fire broke out in the engine room on June 24, 1971, killing four yard workers and extensively damaging her Pielstick diesel engines. Extensive repairs, which included replacement of both engines, delayed the launch for nearly a year.

CANADA MARQUIS was upbound at Detroit, Michigan on July 25, 1983, on her maiden voyage for Misener Holdings Ltd. She sails today as CSL's e.) BIRCHGLEN. July 25, 1983 - A wedding was held aboard the BADGER. Chris Gebhart and Pat Sroka of Ludington were married by Rev. John Christensen.

The wooden lumber tug CYGNET, which worked on the Shiawassee and Bad Rivers and Lake Huron, was destroyed when her boiler exploded in "Blow-up Bayou" on the Shiawassee River in 1875.

The wooden bulk freighter D C WHITNEY was launched at Langell's shipyard in St. Clair, Michigan on 25 July 1882. Her dimensions were 229 feet x 40 feet x15 feet, 1090 gross tons.

1911: Efforts to beach the leaking wooden, coal-laden, freighter RAPPAHANNOCK failed and the ship sank off Jackfish Point, Lake Superior after an unsuccessful battle with 75 mph winds. All on board were saved

1964: SUNNABRIS made 4 trips through the Seaway in 1959 and returned as c) SEA FRIEND in 1961 and d) DEMOKRITOS in 1962. The ship dated from 1929 and it went aground, while inbound at Alexandria, Egypt, on this date and was abandoned as a total loss. The hull was sold to Yugoslavian salvors and cut up for scrap where it was.

1991: YANKCANUCK (ii) went aground in the St. Marys River about four miles from DeTour. The ship was carrying a cargo of scrap steel for Chicago and was operating as a barge under tow of the ANGLIAN LADY. The vessel was lightered and released.

1994: GEORGE A. STINSON, downbound with a cargo of iron ore for Detroit, went aground in the St. Clair River but was refloated.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Lake Huron Lore Society, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

St. Clair update: No watchman, major fire, ship is lost

7/24 - The Coast Guard has issued a marine safety alert after a U.S.-inspected Great Lakes bulker that was laid up for the winter at Toledo, Ohio, suffered a catastrophic fire that caused major cosmetic, machinery, and structural damage.

The vessel St. Clair was unmanned and vacant at the time the fire was discovered, although there was normally a ship watchman onboard during key-up periods. The ship watchman assigned to the vessel that suffered the casualty went home for the weekend earlier on the day of the fire.

On the day of the fire a working crew had been onboard and welding had taken place in the ballast tanks and conveyor tunnel areas. The last worker from the welding crew departed the vessel at 1800. The fire was first observed at 2000 by a ship watchman on a nearby ship.

The fire appeared to have originated in the machine shop on the gangway deck, above the lower main engine room space. Numerous possible sources of ignition were identified: propane heaters, electric heaters, and heat lamps were being used in the machinery space. Evidence revealed that the work crew used the machine shop and steering gear rooms to warm-up during their work breaks. The electric heaters in those spaces were left energized prior to the fire. All of the other vessel machinery was shut down.

The initial call to 911 was delayed almost 45 minutes because the first person to observe smoke, the watchman from another ship, called the hot-work contractor and other contract workers before calling 911. Local fire departments responded and cooled the vessel’s exterior as well as the exteriors of the vessels docked nearby. However, their efforts were hindered due to frozen water hydrants. As a result, the fire burned for over 35 hours within the upper engine room spaces, moving up into the entire superstructure and onto the self-unloading belt throughout the port and starboard conveyor tunnels, as well as onto the cargo boom belt above the main deck.

While the fire was being fought the electrical shore power supply to the vessel failed. Within the machinery space a number of valves had been opened for maintenance and to drain various systems. During the fire and due to the power loss, the bubbling system used to prevent freezing around the machinery space area of the hull failed. As a result and because of the several days of freezing weather, various piping systems failed and allowed water to flood the machinery space. The flooding continued until divers were able to secure the flow from the sea chest.

Investigators were not able to access the vessel for 11 days following the incident. When they did, they were unable to identify a specific source of the fire, but they ultimately concluded that the fire started in the machine shop area where numerous electric heaters had been energized for weeks.

As a result of this casualty the Coast Guard strongly recommends that vessel owners and operators of all merchant vessels in lay-up status, particularly those utilizing shore power and on which work is being performed:

• Ensure that continuous fire, safety, and security watches are maintained and that the watchmen are provided specific written instructions regarding their duties in the event of a fire or other emergency situation; and

• That persons with vessel engineering experience and knowledge of engine room systems are used during lay-up preparations to prevent unintended circumstances such as the flooding of the machinery space in this instance.

USCG

Ferry crew rescues girl who drifted away from beach Monday

7/24 - Mackinaw City, MI – A Star Line Mackinaw Island ferry crew rescued a young girl who drifted away from a Mackinaw City beach on an inner tube Monday.

Firefighters from the Mackinaw City Fire Department and Emmet County EMS crews were called to a report of a 4-year-old girl who had drifted away from a local beach shortly before 3 p.m. today, Monday, but emergency crews were called off a short time later when the Star Line crew pulled the girl from the water to safety.

Mike North, a captain for Star Line, said the ferry Joliet was docked at the Star Line dock in Mackinaw City making preparations to load passengers for its next trip to Mackinac Island when word made its way to the dock about the girl who was adrift in Lake Huron.

North said, as it turned out, the ferry was about to switch captains for a lunch period, so he and another of the company's captains along with three other crew members, departed the dock to assist with the rescue.

North said the crew located the girl near the State Dock, about a half mile from the Star Line dock and about a quarter mile off shore. He said the girl had drifted away from a beach at one of the nearby hotels.

He said as the ferry was approaching the girl, they noticed a man who was swimming out from shore — without any sort of floatation device — in an effort to help the girl. North said he feared that the would-be-rescuer in the water might, himself, eventually need rescuing, he used the ferry's loudspeaker to tell the man to head back to shore. He said eventually another man came along on a personal water craft and took the swimmer back to shore.

North said crews were able to bring the girl onboard to safety. He said the girl was "a little scared, and a little cold." North said the girl quickly made friends with a dog that he takes with him on the ferry when he's working.

"She was a little scared, but she was close enough to shore still where I don't think she was too scared yet. But If she would have gotten much farther out, I'm sure she would have been much more scared.

North said the crew returned the girl to the Star Line dock where she was met by ambulance crews and family members.

Star Line CEO Jerry Fetty praised the efforts of the crew members who helped the girl. "As the head guy here, the CEO, I know that our crews are constantly training for emergencies with man overboard drills, and this is the reason why. I'm glad our folks were out there to help," Fetty said.

Petoskey News Review

Great Lakes Towing celebrates 120 years with christening of new tug Michigan

7/24 - The Great Lakes Towing Company celebrated its 120th Anniversary with the christening of their newest tugboat, the tug Michigan.

The Towing Company was incorporated on July 7, 1899. The company’s founding shareholders comprised a veritable “Who’s Who” of the nation’s great industrialists of the day. Throughout its 120-year history, the company has continuously evolved to meet the changing demands of the agricultural, steel, and construction industries, as well as the needs of the ships and tug/barge units which serve those industries.

With the largest U.S.-flag tugboat fleet on the Great Lakes, the Great Lakes Towing Company provides harbor assist and towing services to both domestic and foreign-flag vessels in more than 40 U.S. Great Lakes ports.

“Through decades of changes, experiencing both the highs and lows, the company has endured, and remained a critical link in the Great Lakes transportation system, and we have always tried to be an outstanding corporate citizen. We are proud to be celebrating 120 years, and we look forward to many more,” said Joe Starck, president.

On Monday evening, July 22nd, company’s employees, customers, vendors, community, friends, and family joined together at Merwin’s Wharf on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland’s Flats to celebrate the company’s 120-year history and their optimism for the future of the industry.

The Michigan was christened by vessel sponsor Carolyn Watkins, Chief, Office of Environmental Education and Administrator, Diesel Emission Reduction Programs for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. She was instrumental in helping the company secure funding assistance through the EPA’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant (DERG) program for the fleet’s new construction program.

The Michigan is the third in a series of five, 64-foot Damen 1907 ICE design harbor tugs that Great Lakes Shipyard is building for The Great Lakes Towing Company’s operation. The tug is 64’x24’x11’, powered by two 1,000-hp MTU 8V4000 Tier III diesel engines, and generates over 30-tons of bollard pull. Its propulsion system includes the Logan FlexaDrive Hybrid power system, allowing the tug to operate on electric power while at idle, underway at low speeds, or when under low loads, without the need to utilize the main engines, reducing emissions and the cost of engine maintenance. The tug’s compact size and high maneuverability make it ideal for the narrow waterways and low bridges that characterize harbor towing on the Great Lakes.

“The new tugs demonstrate our commitment to the shipping industry on the Great Lakes and to our customers. It is our mission to provide the highest level of service to the vessels and companies we work for. The new tugs will allow us to continue to do just that…but even better: cleaner, safer, and even more dependable,” added Starck.

The tugs Cleveland and Ohio were the first new tugs built in the series as part of the company’s fleet renewal program. The fourth tug, Pennsylvania, will be completed late this year. The fifth tug, not yet named, is slated for a Spring 2020 completion. Additional follow-on tugs of the same design are available for purchase by third party buyers.

Great Lakes Towing Co.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Great Republic arrived Duluth at 05:22 Tuesday morning and tied up at Hallett #5 to discharge limestone. American Spirit departed at 09:13 with iron ore pellets from CN. During the afternoon, Great Republic shifted over to Midwest Energy to load petroleum coke, and was expected to depart at 23:00 Tuesday night. In Superior, Thunder Bay arrived 10:45 to load iron ore at Burlington Northern, and was expected to depart late Tuesday evening.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Joseph L. Block departed Two Harbors on July 22nd at 21:51 for Indiana Harbor. Arriving Two Harbors on July 23rd at 03:45 for South of #2 was the CSL St-Laurent. She departed on the 23rd at 19:14 for Quebec City. The Presque Isle arrived Two Harbors on the 23rd at 12:02 for North of #2 where I believe she took on a partial load of pellets at the gravity dock. She shifted to South of #2 between 19:24 and approx. 19:53. Due Two Harbors on the 24th is the Roger Blough. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the CSL Niagara on the 23rd at 06:57. As of 19:45 on the 23rd she was still at the dock. She is loading for Quebec City. There is no inbound traffic for Silver Bay on the 24th.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Innovator cleared Tuesday early morning with salt for Milwaukee.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Bruce Mines: Sunday; 19:41 Mississagi departed for Cleveland.

Port Dolomite: Monday; 12:15 Michipicoten arrived to load.

Calcite: Monday; 3:56 Philip R Clarke arrived to load. 7:44 Herbert C Jackson arrived and went to anchor.12:22 Defiance and Ashtabula departed for Cleveland. Herbert C Jackson weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock.

Stoneport: Monday; 7:28 Manitowoc arrived to load.

Alpena: Monday; 20:01 G L Ostrander arrived to load cement products.

Port Inland: Monday; 2:00 John G Munson arrived and went to anchor. 4:17 Wilfred Sykes departed down bound on Lake Michigan. 4:48 Kaye E barker arrived to load and departed at 18:57 down bound on Lake Michigan.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Tuesday Arrivals: Calumet arrived at the St. Mary's Cement dock to unload stone. Calusa Coast and Delaware arrived at the Marathon Asphalt Terminal to load. Hon. James L Oberstar arrived at AK Steel to unload ore. GL Ostrander/Integrity arrived at Lafarge to unload cement.

Northeast Ohio ports – Bill Kloss
7/23 arrivals: CSL Laurentian to Sandusky, Mississagi to Cleveland and American Courage to Ashtabula. 7/23 departures: Sea Eagle II from Cleveland, Algoma Transport from Sandusky and Lee A. Tregurtha from Ashtabula to Calcite.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Tuesday July 23 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
docked - Jul 23 - Algoscotia at 1154 - departure - Jul 22 - Sloman Helios (Intrepid Canada-16) at 2235 westbound

Buffalo:
arrival - Jul 23 - H Lee White at 0641

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 22 - Algoscotia at 1816, Federal Dee (Mhl) at 2109 and Jamno (Bhs) at 2305 - Jul 23 - Algoma Spirit at 0438, Atlantic Huron at 0546, Spruceglen at 0636, Manitoulin at 1313, Edward M Cotter (Buffalo fireboat) at 1342 approx (from Toronto DD) approx, Robert S Pierson at 1748

downbound - Jul 22 - Federal Ems (Mhl) at 1515, and tug Everlast with Noman McLeod at 1909 - Jul 23 - Baie Comeau at 0031, Algoma Harvester at 0539, Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-06) at at 0716 and Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 0731,

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller

Hamilton:
departures - Jul 23 - Algoma Spirit at 0241 for the canal

Bronte:
arrival - Jul 23 - Blair McKeil at 0404 - departure - Jul 23 - Harbour Fashion at 1953 eastbound

Clarkson:
arrival - departed - Jul 23 Robert S Pierson at 1500 for the canal

Mississauga:
arrival - Jul 23 - Turquoise I (Pan) (ex Turquoise T-19) at 1717

Toronto:
arrival - Jul 23 - NACC Argonaut at 0522 - docked - Jul 21 - Isa (Cyp) at 0050 and Fraserborg (Nld) at 2027

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 21 - Azoresborg (Nld) at 0559

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Monday July 22 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrivals - Jul 20 - Sloman Helios (Atg) (ex Intrepid Canada-16) at 2333 - Jul 22 - CSL Laurentien at 0243 - departure - CSL Laurentien at 1319 westbound

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 21 - tug Bradshaw McKee (ex Susan Hannah) (Ame) & Commander at 1820, G3 Marquis at 1929 and Algoma Enterprise at 2234 - Jul 22 - Oakglen at 0500, Algoscotia at 1816, Federal Dee (Mhl) eta 2120 and Jamno (Bhs) eta 2245

downbound - Jul 21 - Algoma Spirit at 1758, Happy River (Nld) at 2017, Federal Yoshino (Mhl) at 2133, and Damia Desgagnes at 2235 - Jul 22 - Algonorth at 1255, Federal Ems (Mhl) at 1515, and tug Everlast with Noman McLeod at 1909

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 22 - Atlantic Huron 0128, CSL Laurentien at 0243 and Algoma Spirit at 0649 - departures - Jul 22 - Blair Spirit at 1237, Atlantic Huron at 1319 and Federal Dee (Mhl) at 1846 for Detroit

Bronte:
arrival - Jul 22 - Harbour Fashion at 1027

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 22 - Robert S Pierson at 1132

Toronto:
arrivals - Jul 21 - Isa (Cyp) at 0050 and Fraserborg (Nld) at 2027

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 21 - Azoresborg (Nld) at 0559

Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Arrivals: McKeil Spirit at about 07:00 Tuesday at Lehigh Cement.

Lake Superior levels highest in over 100 years

7/24 - Marquette, MI – Sunday was Lake Superior Day, which annually inspires celebrations of the “greatest Great Lake” in many communities along its shores.

With Lake Superior’s water levels surpassing previous record highs in recent months, residents of shoreline communities such as Marquette may wonder about the causes and impacts of the high water levels, as well as what the future may have in store for Lake Superior’s shoreline.

While many area residents may remember when Lake Superior hit record-high levels in the late 1980s, Lake Superior had its highest water levels in over 100 years during May and June this year.

“The May and June levels were 1 and 3 inches higher than the previous May and June record high levels, respectively,” said Lauren Fry of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District Great Lakes Hydraulics & Hydrology Office. “These records are relative to the monthly mean lakewide average water levels dating back to 1918. The previous record high water levels were set in 1986.”

As of Friday, water levels on Lake Superior had reached 603.25 feet, 2 inches higher than the highest monthly average for July since water level records began in 1918.

Friday’s water level was 14 inches higher than the long-term monthly average for July, 8 inches higher than the average for July 19, and 1 inch higher than water levels were a month prior on June 19, according to data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District.

It’s projected that more of the same is in store for the coming months, Fry said.

“The latest 6-month forecast suggests that all of the Great Lakes except Lake Michigan (and Lake) Huron will set new record high water levels for the month of July and then remain well above their long-term average water levels,” she said.

One of the factors contributing to this is an especially precipitation-heavy year around the lake, with the total yearly precipitation exceeding the average by nearly 8 inches at the National Weather Service office in Negaunee Township.

“It has been a very wet year around the entire Great Lakes basin so far,” Fry said. “All of the Great Lakes states have received well-above-average precipitation for the January-to-June period.”

Precipitation impacts water levels on the lakes in two ways: precipitation over the lake directly adds to the water levels, while precipitation that falls over land can add also to water levels by running off into the lake, Fry said.

“The combined influence of precipitation over the lakes, runoff into the lakes and evaporation from the lakes is referred to as ‘net basin supply’ and is the primary driver of water levels,” she said.

Precipitation, runoff and evaporation all contribute to Lake Superior’s natural seasonal fluctuations in water levels, which are typically higher in the summer than the winter and fall.

“In the winter, water levels are at their lowest. During this time, precipitation falls mainly as snow and accumulates on the ground instead of running off into the lakes via streams,” she said. “In the spring, the snow begins to melt, which in combination with more precipitation falling as rain, results in high runoff and rising lake levels. During the summer, the sun’s energy is transferred into the lakes, warming them. This warming sets the lakes up for enhanced evaporation during the fall and early winter, when cold dry air comes into the basin, so lake levels fall.”

While these seasonal fluctuations in lake levels are normal, this year’s seasonal fluctuation was particularly notable, setting up water levels that prepared the lake to break the 33-year-old records for May and June.

“In March, when the lake was at its lowest levels for the year, Lake Superior water levels were about 13 inches above the long-term average March water level and 2 inches below the record high March level,” Fry said. “Since March, the lake has undergone its seasonal rise starting from very high water levels, bringing water levels to record high May and June water levels.”

It’s important to recognize, Fry said, that while Lake Superior’s water levels will begin to decline this year because of this normal seasonal pattern, they are likely to remain well above average and “the continued very high water levels will mean that the region will continue to see localized coastal flooding and shoreline erosion, especially during storm events.”

While coastal erosion occurs at all water levels, record-setting water levels make the erosion “more impactful, because it is happening close to property and infrastructure,” she said.

One major piece of infrastructure on Lake Superior that many think of is the Soo Locks, but “there aren’t currently any impacts to the locks themselves, or the control gates,” said Charles Sidick of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District Great Lakes Hydraulics & Hydrology Office.

However, Sidick said, “With these levels, we do see some localized flooding to Whitefish Island and also have some minor impacts to power generation in the area.” With these record-high water levels on Lake Superior, Fry wants shoreline communities to know: “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has authority to support communities in flood fighting by providing technical expertise, and in certain instances, provide flood fight supplies, such as sandbags and plastic sheeting.”

To learn more about current and forecasted water levels on Lake Superior and other Great Lakes, visit https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Information.aspx#ICG_ETH_22302.

For those viewing and interpreting the data, Fry emphasizes forecasted and reported water levels are monthly mean lakewide average water levels.

“Significant variation can occur within a month and even from location to location on a given day, so on a given day and location, people may experience levels that are very different from the monthly mean values that report,” she said.

Marquette Mining Journal

On this day in 1908, the 556-foot ELBERT H. GARY arrived to a 21-gun salute to deliver the first cargo of Minnesota ore at the new United States Steel mill in Gary, Indiana.

The keel for the TEXACO CHIEF (Hull#193) was laid July 23, 1968, at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., for Texaco Canada Ltd. Renamed b.) A.G. FARQUHARSON in 1986, and c.) ALGONOVA In 1998. She was sold for further service overseas in 2007.

CANADOC sailed on her maiden voyage July 23, 1961.

Upper Lakes Shipping Co. Ltd.'s, RED WING was christened on July 23, 1960, as the first all-welded vessel to emerge from Port Weller Dry Docks.

On 23 July 1878, H R PRESTON (wooden quarter-deck canal boat built in 1877, at Oneida Lake, New York) was carrying 250 tons of ashes from Picton, Ontario to Oswego, New York, in tow of the tug ALANSON SUMNER along with three other canal boats when they encountered a storm on Lake Ontario. About 15 miles from Oswego, the PRESTON broke her towline and was taken alongside the SUMNER with some difficulty. About a mile out of port she lost her hold tarps and began to sink quickly. She was cut loose from the tug and her two crewmen were saved by the Oswego tug WM AVERY. Though she was lying heavily on the bottom in 50 feet of water, her wreckage came ashore near 4 Mile Point in early September.

1918: PETER REISS and the GLENSHEE were in a collision at the #3 ore dock at Duluth. Fog and the current were blamed for the accident, with only limited damage to both ships.

1934: An explosion and fire aboard the tanker barge EN-AR-CO during fit-out at Toronto resulted in the loss of 4 lives. The ship was rebuilt as a coal barge and was finally scrapped at Hamilton in 1969.

1955: The tug HELENA capsized at South Chicago while taking on coal from a scow and two sailors were lost. The vessel was refloated on July 26. It survives today as c) DANIEL McALLISTER, a museum ship on display in the Lachine Canal at Montreal.

1968: The former tanker ORION was operating as a sand barge when it sank in Lake Erie about 1,000 feet off the Lorain lighthouse due to choppy seas. The hull was raised by the Corps of Engineers, beached August 2 and assumed to have been subsequently scrapped.

1985: FOTINI D.E. first came through the Seaway in 1976 and, in 1980, became the first overseas vessel to load grain at the port of Goderich. It ran aground on this date in 1985, enroute from Venezuela to a U.S. Gulf coast port, and was abandoned as a total loss on July 31.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Traverse City seeking cruise ships after port certification

7/23 - Traverse City, MI – Transformation of the former coal dock into the publicly accessible Discovery Pier is smoothing the way for more passenger-carrying cruise ships to visit Traverse City. The facility in December was certified as a cruise port by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Local officials who want to grab a piece of growing Great Lakes cruise ship activity have organized as the Traverse City Cruise Ship Consortium.

"We're just opening for business, so we won't see much business for two years," Mike Wills, the group's chairperson, told the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Consortium members include the Discovery Center — Great Lakes (on behalf of Discovery Pier), Traverse City Tourism, Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Traverse City Association, Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce and Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

Discover Pier's certification will allow smaller cruise ships to tie up to shore, making it easier for passengers to disembark for day activities. Cruise ship passengers traditionally have shuttled ashore to Traverse City from vessels anchored in deep water.

Large cruise ships set to visit town this year and in 2020 still will use tenders, Will said. But smaller cruise ships — those under 250 feet long — soon will be able to tie up at Discovery Pier.

Smaller vessels are growing in popularity among the cruising public, said Stephen Burnett, executive director of the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition, a bi-national private industry organization that promotes cruising. Market forces in the industry appear primed to bring more passengers to the freshwater seas. "Cruising has segmented into specialty cruises," Burnett said.

An increasing number of cruise offerings are focused on adventure, expedition or educational journeys. The polar regions are growing in popularity. One ship is being built that will include a pair of 18-passenger submarines that attach to its hull. Four cruise ships are being built specifically for the Great Lakes, where access is limited by the size of the lock system in the St. Lawrence Seaway. Oceangoing mega-vessels, some of which can carry up to 6,000 passengers, don't fit.

The eight cruise ships that operated in the Great Lakes in 2018 together represented nearly a million passenger port visits, according to the coalition. Burnett expects that, in the next decade, 12 to 15 more cruise ships will begin operating in the Great Lakes. Repeat cruise passengers are seeking fresh experiences, he said, and the time is ripe for Traverse City to promote itself.

One contributing factor in growing interest in the Great Lakes region among both cruise companies and passengers is the growing incidence of piracy in some long-time cruising regions, Burnett said. The Great Lakes offer a level of safety that is fading in parts of the world.

"There are some fabulous destinations (in the Great Lakes), and you're one of them," Burnett said while visiting Traverse City. "Geographically, you've got a beautiful location. Your waterfront is beautiful. I was marveling how few franchise brands were in your town center."

Cruise lines generally allow passengers a limited time ashore at each stop along their route. But passengers typically spend freely during that time. "They come with fat wallets," said Wills.

The 248-foot chartered yacht Bella Vita — which rents for between $650,000 and $738,500 per week, according to the operator's website — recently docked at Discovery Pier for a short time to make use of shore facilities. The yacht's keel sits 12 1/2 feet below water level. The water at the edge of Discovery Pier (when Lake Michigan's water level is average — it is high this year), is 15 feet deep. But the water gets deeper farther away from the break wall.

The Bella Vita is 44 feet wide, which means its keel sits at least 22 feet from the pier, where the water is 25 feet deep, according to Wills.

A couple of passenger vessels have visited Traverse City in recent years, notably the 420-passenger MS Hamburg, operated by Plantours Cruises since 2012. Before that year, the ship visited Traverse City several seasons as the Columbus when it was operated by Hapag Lloyd cruise lines. It is scheduled to return to Grand Traverse Bay twice this year, Sept. 24 and Oct. 10. The MS Hamburg is too long — 472 feet — to dock at Discovery Pier.

Discovery Pier is adjacent to Greilickville Harbor Park, across M-22 from Discovery Center, home to nonprofits The Watershed Center, Inland Seas Education Association, Great Lakes Children's Museum, Maritime Heritage Alliance and Traverse Area Community Sailing. The Traverse Tall Ship Company docks its tall ship Manitou at Discovery Pier.

"This winter we'll dredge and pull out the old docks," Wills said as he gestured toward the south edge of the pier.

He was standing next to the Manitou, which currently docks on the east edge of the pier. The tall ship will move to the south edge after dredging is complete. That will leave the east edge open for occasional cruise ship use, and for public fishing and sightseeing.

"Our purpose is to have this pier open to the public all the time," said Wills.

Plans call for floating docks to be built along the edges of the earthwork pier, he said, to give visitors better water access. The protected waters between the pier and the mainland eventually will host a fleet of charter fishing boats.

A double-deck tour boat that will carry 75 or more passengers now is being refitted and, beginning summer 2020, will offer daily cruises on West Grand Traverse Bay from the Discovery Pier, Wills said.

Cruise ship companies' interest in the Great Lakes — and in Traverse City — appears to be on the rise.

The vessel Hanseatic Inspiration, still under construction for Hapag Lloyd, is scheduled to stop in Traverse City in 2020 in both June and July. During its inaugural year, the vessel also is scheduled to cruise Western Europe and the Amazon River. The vessel is 453 feet long, carries 170 crew and up to 230 passengers, and was designed with a reinforced hull for polar expeditions. The hull was constructed in Romania, which was towed to Norway for final fitting.

Traverse City Record-Eagle

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
The only traffic through the Duluth entry on Monday was the saltie Industrial Swift, which arrived at 13:15 with a load of wind turbine blades for Port Terminal. At the Superior entry, American Spirit arrived at 08:17 and tied up at Lakehead Pipeline for a short delay before shifting over to the CN dock in Duluth around 15:00 to load iron ore pellets. Edwin H. Gott spent the day Monday loading at Burlington Northern before departing around 17:30 for Nanticoke with her ore cargo.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
James R. Barker departed Two Harbors on July 21st at 21:22 for Indiana Harbor. The Edgar B. Speer got underway on the 21st at 20:17 and arrived thru the piers at 20:36 for South of #2. The Speer departed Two Harbors on the 22nd at 09:10 for Conneaut. The Joseph L. Block arrived Two Harbors on the 21st at 21:17 for North of #2 lay-by. The Block shifted on the 22nd to South of #2 from 09:15 to 09:35. As of 19:30 on the 22nd the Block was still at the loading dock. Due Two Harbors on July 23rd are the CSL St-Laurent and the Presque Isle. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of the Mesabi Miner at approx. 14:51 on the 22nd for Indiana Harbor-West. Due Silver Bay on July 23rd is the CSL Niagara. She will be the first Canadian laker to load in Silver Bay this season.

Thunder Bay ON
Sunday; 23:20 Federal Champlain arrived and went to anchor. Monday; 19:05 Kaministiqua departed down bound.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Innovator was loading salt on Monday.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Bruce Mines: Sunday; 19:41 Mississagi departed for Cleveland.

Port Dolomite: Monday; 12:15 Michipicoten arrived to load.

Calcite: Monday; 3:56 Philip R Clarke arrived to load. 7:44 Herbert C Jackson arrived and went to anchor.12:22 Defiance and Ashtabula departed for Cleveland. Herbert C Jackson weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock.

Stoneport: Monday; 7:28 Manitowoc arrived to load.

Alpena: Monday; 20:01 G L Ostrander arrived to load cement products.

Port Inland: Monday; 2:00 John G Munson arrived and went to anchor. 4:17 Wilfred Sykes departed down bound on Lake Michigan. 4:48 Kaye E barker arrived to load and departed at 18:57 down bound on Lake Michigan.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Monday Arrivals: Calusa Coast and Delaware arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal. John J Boland arrived at the Carmeuse Dock to unload coal.

Northeast Ohio ports – Bill Kloss
Algoma Transport was in Sandusky to load coal Monday. Sea Eagle II was at St. Mary's Cement in Cleveland. A rare occurrence found both Victory Cruise Line vessels at the Port of Cleveland docks. Victory I was at Dock 28W and Victory II was at Dock 22E.

Johnstown, ON – Joanne Crack
Federal Mayumi arrived on July 16 to drop salt with clam shell bucket. Ship moved to the elevator terminal slip on July 20th to take on a cargo of soybeans. July 21 Federal Welland into port to drop salt with clam shell bucket. Algoma Compass in and out of port with salt.

Ogdensburg, NY – Joanne Crack
July 21, Atlanticborg arrived into the port to load wood pellets for overseas delivery to Denmark. Read a story about this cargo at this link: https://www.northcountrynow.com/business/curran-stockpiling-10000-tons-wood-pellets-ogdensburg-overseas-shipment-0260541 July 22, CCGS Ile Saint Ours, SAR vessel, into Prescott Coast Guard Base.

Oswego, NY – Ned Goebricher
McKeil Spirit was unloading cement Monday while the Alouette Spirit was unloading aluminum ingots.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Monday July 22 – Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrivals - Jul 20 - Sloman Helios (Atg) (ex Intrepid Canada-16) at 2333 - Jul 22 - CSL Laurentien at 0243 - departure - CSL Laurentien at 1319 westbound

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 21 - tug Bradshaw McKee (ex Susan Hannah) (Ame) & Commander at 1820, G3 Marquis at 1929 and Algoma Enterprise at 2234 - Jul 22 - Oakglen at 0500, Algoscotia at 1816, Federal Dee (Mhl) eta 2120 and Jamno (Bhs) eta 2245

downbound - Jul 21 - Algoma Spirit at 1758, Happy River (Nld) at 2017, Federal Yoshino (Mhl) at 2133, and Damia Desgagnes at 2235 - Jul 22 - Algonorth at 1255, Federal Ems (Mhl) at 1515, and tug Everlast with Noman McLeod at 1909

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 22 - Atlantic Huron 0128, Algoma Spirit at 0649 - departures - Jul 22 - Blair Spirit at 1237, Atlantic Huron at 1319 and Federal Dee (Mhl) at 1846 for Detroit

Bronte:
arrival - Jul 22 - Harbour Fashion at 1027

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 22 - Robert S Pierson at 1132

Toronto:
arrivals - Jul 21 - Isa (Cyp) at 0050 and Fraserborg (Nld) at 2027

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 21 - Azoresborg (Nld) at 0559

Time lapse of storm surge entering the Aux Sable at Grand Bend, ON, Saturday

7/23 - View at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC3CLZufp_c

On this day in 1908, the 556-foot ELBERT H. GARY arrived to a 21-gun salute to deliver the first cargo of Minnesota ore at the new United States Steel mill in Gary, Indiana.

The keel for the TEXACO CHIEF (Hull#193) was laid July 23, 1968, at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., for Texaco Canada Ltd. Renamed b.) A.G. FARQUHARSON in 1986, and c.) ALGONOVA In 1998. She was sold for further service overseas in 2007.

CANADOC sailed on her maiden voyage July 23, 1961.

Upper Lakes Shipping Co. Ltd.'s, RED WING was christened on July 23, 1960, as the first all-welded vessel to emerge from Port Weller Dry Docks.

On 23 July 1878, H R PRESTON (wooden quarter-deck canal boat built in 1877, at Oneida Lake, New York) was carrying 250 tons of ashes from Picton, Ontario to Oswego, New York, in tow of the tug ALANSON SUMNER along with three other canal boats when they encountered a storm on Lake Ontario. About 15 miles from Oswego, the PRESTON broke her towline and was taken alongside the SUMNER with some difficulty. About a mile out of port she lost her hold tarps and began to sink quickly. She was cut loose from the tug and her two crewmen were saved by the Oswego tug WM AVERY. Though she was lying heavily on the bottom in 50 feet of water, her wreckage came ashore near 4 Mile Point in early September.

1918: PETER REISS and the GLENSHEE were in a collision at the #3 ore dock at Duluth. Fog and the current were blamed for the accident, with only limited damage to both ships.

1934: An explosion and fire aboard the tanker barge EN-AR-CO during fit-out at Toronto resulted in the loss of 4 lives. The ship was rebuilt as a coal barge and was finally scrapped at Hamilton in 1969.

1955: The tug HELENA capsized at South Chicago while taking on coal from a scow and two sailors were lost. The vessel was refloated on July 26. It survives today as c) DANIEL McALLISTER, a museum ship on display in the Lachine Canal at Montreal.

1968: The former tanker ORION was operating as a sand barge when it sank in Lake Erie about 1,000 feet off the Lorain lighthouse due to choppy seas. The hull was raised by the Corps of Engineers, beached August 2 and assumed to have been subsequently scrapped.

1985: FOTINI D.E. first came through the Seaway in 1976 and, in 1980, became the first overseas vessel to load grain at the port of Goderich. It ran aground on this date in 1985, enroute from Venezuela to a U.S. Gulf coast port, and was abandoned as a total loss on July 31.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Cargo shipped on Seaway takes slight dip

7/22 - Cargo shipped on the St. Lawrence Seaway through June this year was down 1.69 per cent compared to the same time last year. Figures released by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. show that makes 213,000 tons less moved through the 3,700-kilometre system, which stretches from the mouth of the St. Lawrence River to the western shores of Lake Superior.

Fifty fewer vessels — lakers, ocean-going, and tugs and barges — moved through the system, which includes the eight-lock Welland Canal in Niagara, as compared to last year – a drop of 3.59 per cent.

Taking the biggest hit was general cargo, down 36.08 per cent, followed by coal shipments, down 13.87 per cent. Also seeing drops were liquid bulk and iron ore shipments at 11.19 per cent and 5.92 per cent respectively.

Grain shipments were up slightly at 2.40 per cent more, a total of 3,358,000 tons moved through the system. Dry bulk shipments showed the biggest gain, up 20.94 per cent or 3,548,000 tons as compared to the same time last year.

The Standard

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Joseph L. Block arrived Duluth around 05:30 Sunday morning with limestone to discharge at CN, and American Century left port at 08:00 after loading coal at Midwest Energy. The Block was outbound at 18:11 light for Two Harbors to load. There was no traffic in Superior during the day Sunday, however Edwin H. Gott was expected around 22:00 to load iron ore pellets at BN.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
The James R. Barker arrived Two Harbors on July 21st at 07:18 for South of #2. As of 19:30 on the 21st she was still at the dock. Arriving off Two Harbors on the 21st at approx. 14:30 was the Edgar B. Speer. She is stopped almost straight out from the breakwater opening. Due Two Harbors at approx. 20:30 will be the Joseph L. Block arriving after unloading stone at the CN hopper in Duluth. Due Two Harbors on July 22nd is the CSL St-Laurent. Arriving Northshore Mining on July 21st at 18:11 was the Mesabi Miner. There is no scheduled inbound traffic for Silver Bay on July 22nd.

Thunder Bay ON
Sunday; 7:22 Kaministiqua arrived at the Richardson Current River Terminal to load grain. 8:45 the saltie Trudy arrived at the MobilEx Terminal to load potash. The saltie Osogovo arrived and went to anchor.

Sturgeon Bay, WI – Jim Conlon
On Saturday afternoon the USCG Mackinaw was moved into the graving dock at Bay Shipbuilding , also in the dock is the new build barge for Vanenkevort.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Parry Sound: Sunday; 3:35 Mississagi departed for Bruce Mines.

Little Current: Sunday; 1:19 Sharon M I arrived to unload windmill parts. 7:56 The cruise ship Pearl Mist arrived for shore excursions and departed at 13:01 for Sault Ste Marie On. 18:09 Sharon M I departed for Sault Ste Marie On.

Bruce Mines: Sunday; 19:41 Mississagi arrived to load trap rock.

Meldrum Bay: Saturday; 21:27 Algoma Buffalo departed for Green Bay. 21:43 Whitefish Bay weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. Sunday; 14:17 Whitefish Bay departed for Windsor.

Port Dolomite: Sunday; 2:00 Great Republic arrived to load and departed at 14:28 for Duluth Superior.

Calcite: Saturday; 22:45 American courage arrived to load and departed Sunday at 15:10 for Ashtabula. 17:21 Defiance and Ashtabula arrived to load limestone.

Stoneport: Saturday; 20:18 Olive L Moore arrived to load and departed Sunday at 7:25 for Saginaw.

Saturday; 23:48 Lee A Tregurtha arrived to load. Sunday; 14:38 Lee A Tregurtha departed for Ashtabula. 16:48 Wilfred Sykes arrived to load.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Sunday Arrivals: Herbert C Jackson arrived at Zug Island to unload coal. Algoma Niagara arrived at Zug Island to unload coal.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Sunday July 21 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke: arrivals - Algoma Conveyor at 1277 and Sloman Helios (Atg) (ex Intrepid Canada-16) at 2333 - departure - Jul 21 - Algoma Conveyor at 1403 westbound

Buffalo: (Tonawanda) arrival - Jul 17- tug Calusa Coast & Delaware at 1047 - arrived Tonawanda dk at 1310 approx. - departed (Tonawanda) Jul 21 at 1005 approx. and Buffalo at 1246 westbound

Welland Canal: upbound - Jul 20 - Algoma Transport at 1737, tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 1859 and Algoma Discovery at 2319 - Jul 21 - BBC Polonia (Atg) at 0300, tug Bradshaw McKee (ex Susan Hannah) (Ame) & Commander at 1820, G3 Marquis at 1929 and Algoma Enterprise eta 2210

downbound - Jul 20 - Atlanticborg (Nld) at 1600, Algoma Compass at 1056 and Iver Bright (Nld) at 2018 - Jul 21 - Evans Spirit at 0526, NACC Argonaut at 0819, Algoma Spirit at 1758, Federal Yoshino eta 2100 and Damia Desgagnes eta 2205

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller

Hamilton: arrival - Jul 21 - Atlantic Huron eta 2350 - docked - Jul 18 - Blair McKeil at 2232 - Jul 19 - Federal Dee (Mhl) at 2332 departures - Jul 21 - G3 Marquis at 1523 for the canal

Bronte: arrival - Jul 19 - Gaia Desgagnes at 1236 - departed Jul 21 at 0724 eastbound

Clarkson: arrival - Jul 20 - Robert S Pierson at 1852 - departed Jul 21 at 0500 eastbound

Toronto: arrival - Jul 21 - Isa (Cyp) at 0050

Oshawa: arrival - Jul 21 - Azoresborg (Nld) at 0559

Will the heat wave bring a big drop in Great Lakes record-high water levels?

7/22 - Cleveland, OH – The weather is steamy. So will that ceaseless sunshine and sticky hot air help evaporate away the record-high water of the Great Lakes? Sorry. Nope.

Evaporation is driven by water temperature, not air. Our highs in the 90s are much warmer than the 76-degree Lake Erie. And with high humidity, it’s carrying plenty of water already. So the amount of evaporation is minimal, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Even with temperatures forecast in the mid-90s.

Late fall and early winter, when the water is warm, the air is cool and dry and winds pick up, evaporation is at its most impressive. The Great Lakes can lose up to .6 inches of water level per day.

According to the a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a one-day loss of a half-inch of water from the total surface area of the Great Lakes represents 820 billion gallons per day – “nearly 20 times the flow rate of Niagara Falls.” We could use that about now.

Lake Erie’s water level Wednesday was at 574.58 feet above sea level – a slight dip from last month’s average of 574.62 feet, which set the lake’s all-time record high. We’re still 32 inches above normal for July.

Our hot sunny weather does make a contribution, though, according to the Army Corps. The sun and air warm the lake, prepping it for evaporation later this year. Plus it warms and dries the land, allowing it to absorb more water in our next rain – rather than running off into the Lake Erie watershed.

So if you need to cool off during our heat wave, go jump in the lake. It’s not going anywhere.

Cleveland.com

Colder, deeper waters on eastern Lake Erie offer protection against algal blooms

7/22 - With its shallow, warmer waters and an influx of phosphorus into the basin, western Lake Erie is at most risk when it comes to harmful algal blooms, said Brock University earth sciences professor Francine McCarthy.

"There's not nearly as much phosphorus here and that saves us from worrying too much about it, but it's no guarantee it won't come," said McCarthy of the eastern basin of the lake.

Lake Erie, home to more than 11 million people, is split into three basins. The western basin runs from the west shoreline of the lake east to the Point Pelee area; the central basin takes in everything east from Point Pelee to the Long Point area; and the eastern basin, the deepest and coldest section, is everything east from Long Point to the Niagara River.

The 388-kilometre long lake is bordered by Ontario, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan and is 92-kilometres across at its widest. Its average depth is 19-metres and it's 64-metres at its deepest "Each one of these basins has limited circulation with the rest," said McCarthy.

She said the Maumee River, near Toledo, OH, is one of the biggest sources for phosphorus entering the lake and contributing the algal blooms. "It puts out more than everything in the eastern basin."

In addition to the Maumee, the Detroit River and Ohio's Sandusky River are two of the other main sources for the phosphorus, and other nutrients, going into the lake and contributing to the algal blooms.

The blooms are caused by cyanobacteria, commonly found in the lake and once called blue-green algae. Cyanobacteria create microcystins, a neurotoxin that can affect everything living thing in the water and those that drink it.

In 2014, Toledo saw its municipal water supply shutdown and a two-day ban on drinking or cooking with tap water due to a bloom in the western basin.

Tickets to Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s Sept. 7 river cruise now available

7/22 - Join members of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit aboard the passenger vessel Diamond Queen (captained by the MHSD's own Mike Nicholls and with MHSD member Ken Borg as narrator) for a three-hour cruise, 1-4 p.m. Sept. 7, on the Detroit River.

We will do our best to get up close to freighter traffic and, if conditions are favorable, go up the Rouge River (however the Rouge is not guaranteed). Snacks and refreshments will be available on the boat (coolers not allowed on board), which leaves from the Diamond Jack dock at Stroh River Place (parking lot at the foot of Joseph Campau) Detroit, Michigan.

Tickets are $27 ($30 at the dock if space is still available). Buy tickets online at www.BrownPaperTickets.com (put Marine Historical Society in the search box to find our event). Brown Paper accepts both credit cards and PayPal and will mail your tickets direct to you (or, if purchasing close to the date, tickets will be held at the dock). By mail, send a check, payable to the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, to MHSD Cruise, 1020 Iroquois St., Detroit, MI 48214. Late orders will not be mailed; they will be held for you at the dock. We are limiting the number to 100 passengers so there will be plenty of room to move about the boat. Reserve now!

Marine Historical Society of Detroit

On this day in 1961, the barge CLEVECO, originally lost with a crew of 22 during a December 02, 1942, storm on Lake Erie, was floated by salvagers, towed outside the shipping lanes, and intentionally sunk.

PERE MARQUETTE 22 (Hull#210) was launched on July 22, 1924, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. for the Pere Marquette Railway Co. One hundred years ago on 22 July 1900, the tug MATT HESSER was launched at Lorain, Ohio, by H. D. Root for Captain Burke of Erie.

The M.I. MILLS (wooden propeller tug, 122 foot, 152 tons, built in 1867, at Marine City, Michigan), which sank in a collision with the bark UNADILLA on 9 May 1873, was found on 22 July 1873, in 90 feet of water in Lake Huron off Sand Beach, Michigan. Plans were made to raise her at the cost of $5,000. This effort was unsuccessful as was another abortive attempt in 1895.

1965 MARIVIKI dated from 1940 as a) TEMPLE INN and visited the Seaway in 1960. The ship was beached in Colla Bay, near Mormugao, India, after developing leaks on a voyage from Madras, India, to Constanza, Romania. The hull later broke in two and was a total loss.

1967 A small fire erupted in the machine shop of the West German freighter TRANSAMERICA while a crewman was welding in Milwaukee. The blaze was soon brought under control. The ship last operated in 1978 as f) ARISTOTELES before being broken up at Gadani Beach, Pakistan.

1968 The Paterson bulk carrier CANADOC, loading at the Continental Elevator in Chicago, was struck on the starboard side by the Belgian vessel TIELRODE as it passed upsteam under tow. The latter returned through the Seaway as c) GEORGIOS C. in 1977 and was scrapped at Huangpo, China, as e) OPORTO in 1985.

1970 ULYSSES REEFER caught fire in Toronto resulting in an estimated $30,000 in damage. The ship first came inland in 1969 and returned as c) ITHAKI REEFER in 1972 prior to being scrapped at Blyth, Scotland, in 1973.

1989 MAR CATERINA, downbound at the Snell Lock, struck the fender boom and all Seaway navigation was temporarily delayed. The ship began Seaway trading as b) ASTORGA in 1985. As of 2012, the vessel is apparently still operating as e) ASPHALT TRADER.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
CSL Tadoussac arrived Duluth at 04:33 Saturday morning, and tied up at Canadian National to load iron ore. Trudy finally departed at 18:32 after spending more than a week discharging kaolin clay at Port Terminal, and was headed for Thunder Bay to load wheat for an overseas destination. American Century was inbound at 19:09 to load coal at Midwest Energy, and the Tadoussac left port at 19:35 with her ore cargo. There was no traffic through the Superior entry on Saturday, and none is expected until Monday when the Edwin H. Gott is due to load at Burlington Northern.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
American Integrity departed Two Harbors on July 19th for Indiana Harbor. The Cason J. Callaway departed Two Harbors on July 20th for Zug Island. Due Two Harbors on July 21st are the James R. Barker and the Edgar B. Speer. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on July 20th. The Mesabi Miner is scheduled on July 21st.

Thunder Bay ON
Saturday; 1:53 Algoma Niagara departed for Detroit. 17:33 Algoma Harvester departed down bound.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Bruce Mines: Saturday; 0:52 Michipicoten arrived to load trap rock and departed at 13:20 for Grand Haven.

Meldrum Bay: Saturday; 6:00 Joyce L Vanenkevort departed for Marquette. 6:17 Algoma Buffalo arrived to load. 15:07 Whitefish Bay arrived and went to anchor.

Parry Sound: Saturday; 7:48 The cruise ship Pearl Mist arrived for shore excursions and departed at 18:52 for Little Current. Mississagi arrived to unload road salt.

Midland: Saturday 0:46 Whitefish Bay departed for Meldrum Bay.

Alpena: Saturday; 6:54 The cement carrier Alpena arrived to load and departed at 19:12 for Green Bay.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Damia Desgagnes was at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal on Saturday

Cleveland, OH – Bill Kloss
Algoma Innovator to Allied Road Products after delivering to Terminal Ready Mix in Lorain. NACC Argonaut departed LaFarge and is heading to Bath, ON.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Saturday July 20 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
departures - Jul 20 - Algosea at 0712 eastbound and Algoterra at 1433 westbound

Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
arrival - Jul 17- tug Calusa Coast & Delaware at 1047 - arrived Tonawanda dk at 1310 approx.

Port Colborne anchorage:
anchored - Jul 18 - Atlanticborg (Nld) at 0829 - departed Jul 20 at 1528 for the canal

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 19 - tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II at 1714, tug Albert (ex Craig Eric Reinauer-18, El Bronco Grande-06, launched as Hercules) at 1726 and Algoma Conveyor at 1810 - Jul 20 - Thunder Bay at 0213, Tim S Dool at 0313, Cuyahoga at 0646, G3 Marquis at 1001, Algoma Transport at 1737, tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 1859 and Algoma Discovery eta 2125

downbound - Jul 19 - Baie St Paul at 1005, tug Bradshaw McKee (Ame) & Commander at 1047 - Jul 20 - Victoriaborg (Nld) at 0443, Algosea at 1249, Atlanticborg (Nld) at 1600, Algoma Compass at 1056 and Iver Bright (Nld) at 2018

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 20 - Cuyahoga at 0024, G3 Marquis at 1001 - docked - Jul 18 - Blair McKeil at 2232 - departures - Jul 20 - Cuyahoga at 0045, Tim S Dool at 0059, Maria G (ex Gadwall-17) at 1056,- eastbound, Algoma Transport at 1503 and Algoma Discovery at 1950 - all others for the canal

Bronte:
arrival - Jul 19 - Gaia Desgagnes at 1236

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 18 - Robert S Pierson eta 2210 - departed Jul 19 at 1041 eastbound

Toronto:
departed - Jul 20 - Thunder Bay at 0041 for the canal

The JAMES DAVIDSON and KINSMAN INDEPENDENT arrived under tow at Santander, Spain, on July 21, 1974, for scrapping.

On July 21, 1975, the GEORGE D. GOBLE arrived at Lorain, Ohio, with an unusual deck cargo loaded at American Ship Building Company's yard at South Chicago, Illinois. She was carrying the deckhouses for two Interlake Steamship Company thousand-foot self-unloaders being built at AmShip's Lorain yard. These vessels were completed as the JAMES R. BARKER and MESABI MINER.

On 21 July 1875, the schooner ELVA, which was built in Port Huron, Michigan, in 1861, for Capt. Sinclair, was sailing from Holland, Michigan, for Milwaukee, Wisconsin loaded with stove bolts. She capsized 12 miles from Milwaukee. Her crew took to the boats and made a landing in Kenosha and then rowed to Milwaukee. A tug was sent for the schooner and she was recovered.

In 1900, R. J. GORDON (wooden propeller passenger-package freighter, 104 foot, 187 gross tons, built in 1881, at Marine City, Michigan) was placed back in service carrying freight and passengers between Chicago and Grand Haven. She had burned in September 1899 at Chicago but was rebuilt during the winter.

On 21 July 1875, the old barge HURON, which had been in use for a number of years as a car ferry for the Grand Trunk Railroad at Port Huron/Sarnia, was sold to Sandie and Archie Stewart. They planned to convert her to a dry-dock by adding three feet to her sides and removing her arches. The sale price was $1,500 in gold.

1910 TRUDE R. WIEHE was destroyed by a fire at Portage Bay, Green Bay.

1911 Thirty plates were damaged when the WACCAMAW went aground in the St. Lawrence. The ship was later repaired at Buffalo.

1959 A collision in western Lake Erie between the CHARLES HUBBARD and the Swedish freighter SIGNEBORG resulted in damage to both ships. Both were repaired and continue in service. The latter is scrapped at La Spezia, Italy, after arriving as d) ALFREDO, on November 10, 1971. The former was sunk as a breakwall at Burns Harbor in 1966 after being idle at Milwaukee for several years. The hull was reported to have been subsequently scrapped there.

1964 The French freighter MARQUETTE began Great Lakes trading in 1953 and was lengthened in 1959 with the opening of the Seaway. Fire erupted enroute from Chicago to Marseilles, France, and the vessel was abandoned in the Atlantic. The gutted ship was towed to Brest, France, and was sold to French shipbreakers. All on board were saved.

1965 A smoky fire, that could be seen for miles, broke out in the cargo of rubber aboard the ORIENT TRADER at Toronto and the hull was towed into Toronto Bay and beached while firefighters battled the blaze. The Greek flag vessel was sold for scrap but before it departed for overseas, is was used in several episodes of the CBC television series “Seaway.” The hull was towed into Valencia, Spain, on July 11, 1966, for dismantling.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Historic Arthur M. Anderson nears return to service following extended layup

7/20 - Duluth, MN – The first ship on the scene after the Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a 1975 Lake Superior storm is expected to return to service next week following a prolonged layoff.

The Arthur M. Anderson is out of dry dock at Fraser Shipyards in Superior, wearing a new coat of paint and testing its steam power plant. The lake freighter is expected to be back in service shortly before the weekend starting July 27.

“There’s plenty of cargo to carry, so everybody is anxious to get her running,” said Mitch Koslow, vice president of Key Lakes Inc., which operates the Great Lakes Fleet of ore boats for Canadian National Railway.

The 767-foot Anderson has not been in service since January 2017, when it was laid up in Duluth due to subpar economic conditions. But an improved economy has led to an increase in the amount of cargo booked by the company. With higher demand, the Anderson was called upon.

“Things have improved to the point where we can use (the Anderson) to meet the needs of our customers,” Koslow told the News Tribune in April, when it was learned the vessel would be brought back into service. Since then, the Anderson has spent much of its time in dry dock at the Superior shipyard, where she underwent a five-year survey and “quite a bit of steel work,” Koslow said.

As of Friday, the lake freighter was no longer operating on shore power as the ship’s steam plant and own generators were brought on-line. Koslow said he’ll spend the weekend gathering a crew for the ore boat.

Early next week, a regulatory inspection and safety drill will precede the vessel taking on a load of taconite iron ore in either Duluth or Two Harbors. Inspections are conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard and American Bureau of Shipping.

Built in 1952, the Anderson showcased a fresh coat of paint this week as it floated dockside in Howards Bay. The Anderson wears the telltale markings of the Great Lakes Fleet — a maroon hull featuring gray and black bow stripes.

The coat of paint was a special one — an upgrade over more hastily applied winter layup paint jobs. “We did a complete (sand) blasting and paint job,” Koslow said. “We figured that since we were bringing her out in good weather, we took advantage of it to get a first-class job done.”

The Anderson had been famously trailing the Fitzgerald through the Nov. 10, 1975 storm and received Capt. Ernest McSorley’s final radio call before he and 28 others went down with the Fitzgerald: “We are holding our own,” McSorley reported to the Anderson.

Since the Anderson was pulled from dry dock earlier this week, Koslow said boat photographers have been appearing on Connors Point in Superior — a perfect vantage point to see the fresh-faced Anderson from across the narrow bay. He expected plenty more folks to come out to view the Anderson blow its horn passing under the Aerial Lift Bridge sometime next week.

“She was laid up in good condition,” Koslow said. “We hope to have her back in service and be on her way before next weekend.”

View images at this link: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/3979225-Historic-ore-boat-nears-return-to-service-following-long-layoff

CSL’s retired Cedarglen to set sail on final journey

7/20 - Montreal, QC – The bulk carrier Eda, formerly known as Cedarglen, will depart the Port of Montreal for the last time on July 21, under tow of the tug VB Hispania, bound for an eco-friendly recycling yard in Turkey. After a long and productive career spanning over 60 years – including the last 17 with the Canada Steamship Lines fleet – Cedarglen will be dismantled as part of CSL’s fleet optimization program.

“Despite her age, Cedarglen was an incredibly well-maintained ship with an impressive safety record,” said Louis Martel, President and CEO of The CSL Group. “It’s thanks to the great teamwork and dedication on board that she was able to operate as long as she did.”

Cedarglen was sold “as-is where-is” to a vessel broker who is towing the renamed vessel to a ship recycling yard in Aliaga, Turkey. The vessel will be recycled in accordance with local legislation and international conventions, as well as with CSL’s Ship Recycling Policy, which mandates that disposal must be carried out in a manner that does not pose any risks to human health, safety or the environment.

Originally built as the deep-sea ore carrier Ems Ore in 1959, the vessel was lengthened at Davie shipyard in 1976 and renamed Cartierdoc. A complete new forebody was installed from the engine room forward and the pilothouse and mid-ship cabins were modernized and moved to the stern.

CSL purchased the ship in 2002, renaming her Cedarglen. She will fondly be remembered as a workhorse of the grain trades and a “grande dame” of the Great Lakes.

Canada Steamship Lines

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Cason J. Callaway arrived Duluth at 00:18 Friday with a load of sugarstone to discharge at Hallett #8. American Mariner left port at 09:40 after taking on iron ore pellets at Canadian National, and the Callaway was outbound at 13:51 for Two Harbors to load. H. Lee White departed at 18:10 for Buffalo with wheat from General Mills. Friday night, the only vessels in port were Trudy, still discharging clay at Port Terminal, and Arthur M. Anderson, docked at Fraser Shipyards. The vessel's name was applied to her freshly painted hull on Friday, and her crew is scheduled to report on Monday. In Superior, Stewart J. Cort arrived at 03:20, loaded iron ore at Burlington Northern, and was outbound at 15:54 for Burns Harbor.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
American Integrity arrived Two Harbors on July 19th at 08:27 for South of #2. As of 19:40 on the 19th she is still at the loading dock. Cason J. Callaway arrived Two Harbors at approx. 15:55. I'm assuming she's loading bft, but I'm not 100% sure. There is no inbound traffic scheduled for Two Harbors on July 20th. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader between 02:00 and 02:30 on July 19th for Indiana Harbor. There is no traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on July 20th.

Thunder Bay ON
Thursday; 3:42 Evans Spirit arrived at the Richardson Main Terminal to load grain. 12:01 Algoma Harvester arrived and went to anchor. 14:54 Evans Spirit departed for Port Cartier. Friday; 4:19 Federal Yoshino departed for Montreal. Algoma Harvester weighed anchor and proceeded to Viterra A to load grain. 13:13 Algoma Niagara arrived at Thunder Bay Terminals to load.15:01 Algoma Harvester shifted to the Richardson Main Terminal to finish loading.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Bruce Mines: Wednesday; 19:47 Algoma Buffalo departed for Lorain.

Meldrum Bay: Wednesday; 23:35 Algoma Innovator arrived load limestone and departed Thursday at 12:42 for Lorain. Friday; 16:19 Joyce L Vanenkevort arrived to load dolomite.

Little Current: Friday ; 6:09 The cruise ship Victory I arrived for shore excursions and departed at 17:54 for Windsor.

Midland: Thursday; 15:30 Whitefish Bay arrived to unload wheat at ADM. Friday; 7:30 The cruise ship Pearl Mist arrived for shore excursions and departed at 19:32 for Parry Sound.

Alpena: Friday; 5:44 Samuel De Champlain departed for Milwaukee.

Stoneport: Wednesday; 15:30 Kaye E Barker departed for Milwaukee. 22:19 Joseph H Thompson arrived to load and departed Thursday at 12:35 for Lorain.

Calcite: Wednesday; 18:33 Herbert C Jackson arrived and went to anchor. Thursday;
3:33 Great Republic departed for Buffington. 3:49 Herbert C Jackson weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. 4:53 Olive L Moore arrived and went to anchor. 6:54 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes departed for Toledo. 7:02 Olive L Moore weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock.11:40 Herbert C Jackson departed for Cleveland. 19:36 Olive L Moore departed for Saginaw. Friday; 3:09 John G Munson arrived to finish loading limestone. 13:53 John J Boland arrived to load. 19:30 John G Munson departed for Marine City.

Port Dolomite: Wednesday; 12:53 Manitowoc arrived to load and departed on Thursday at 1:03 for Ludington.Thursday;12:40 American Courage arrived to load and departed at 23:02 for Marine City. Friday; 8:30 Joseph L Block arrived to finish loading and departed at 14:29 for Duluth Superior.

Drummond Island: Thursday; 21:35 John G Munson arrived to take on a partial load and departed at 22:38 for Calcite.

Port Inland: Thursday; 5:08 Calumet arrived to load and departed at 15:23 down bound Lake Michigan. 15:44 Wilfred Sykes arrived and went to anchor. 16:44 Joseph L Block arrived to take on a partial load and departed at 23:20 for Port Dolomite.
Wilfred Sykes weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. Friday; 12:26 Wilfred Sykes departed for Indiana Harbor. 17:41 Kaye E Barker arrived to load.

Detroit-Rouge River ¬¬ – Raymond H
Friday Arrivals: CSL Laurentien arrived at the Motor City Materials dock to unload salt. Hon. James L Oberstar arrived at AK Steel to unload ore.

Northeast Ohio Ports ¬¬– Bill Kloss
7/19 arrivals: CSL St. Laurent to Ashtabula. Herbert C. Jackson, Sam Laud and NACC Argonaut to Cleveland. Algoma Innovator and Joseph H. Thompson to Lorain. 7/19 departures: American Spirit and Edgar B. Speer from Conneaut, the Speer to Two Harbors. Mesabi Miner from Cleveland to Silver Bay. Alpena from Cleveland to Alpena.

Erie, PA – Gene P.
The saltie Yellow River arrived in Erie on 7/18 on its third visit carrying turbine parts which are going overland to a wind farm in Pennsylvania.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Friday July 19 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke: arrivals - Jul 18 - Algoterra at 2317 - docked - Algosea at 0913

Buffalo: (Tonawanda)  arrival - Jul 17- tug Calusa Coast & Delaware at 1047 - arrived Tonawanda dk at 1310 approx.

Port Colborne anchorage: anchored - Jul 18 - Atlanticborg (Nld) at 0829

Welland Canal: upbound - Jul 18 - Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 2005 - Jul 19 - Baie Comeau at 0022, Industrial Swift (Lbr) at 0342, Damia Desgagnes 0607, CSL Niagara at 0902, tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II at 1714, tug Albert (ex Craig Eric Reinauer-18, El Bronco Grande-06, launched as Hercules) at 1726 and Algoma Conveyor at 1810

downbound - Jul 18 - Algoma Conveyor at 1502 and Algoma Discovery at 1555 - Jul 19 - Algoma Transport at 0321, Baie St Paul at 1005, Cuyahoga at 1030, tug Bradshaw McKee (Ame) & Commander at 1047 and CSL Welland at 1654

Welland Canal docks: docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller -

Hamilton: arrivals - Jul 19 - Tim S Dool at 0009, Algoma Discovery at 0810 and Algoma Transport at 1737 - docked - Jul 13 - Maria G (Mlt) at 1215 - Jul 18 - Blair McKeil at 2232

Bronte: arrival - Jul 19 - Gaia Desgagnes at 1236

Clarkson: arrival - Jul 18 - Robert S Pierson eta 2210 - departed Jul 19 at 1041 eastbound

Toronto: arrivals - Jul 18 - Thunder Bay at 2340 - Jul 19 - Algoma Conveyor at 0248 - departed - Jul 19 - Algoma Conveyor at 1343 for the canal, McKeil Spirit at 1503 eastbound

Colder, deeper waters on eastern Lake Erie offer protection against algal blooms

7/20 - With its shallow, warmer waters and an influx of phosphorus into the basin, western Lake Erie is at most risk when it comes to harmful algal blooms, said Brock University earth sciences professor Francine McCarthy.

"There's not nearly as much phosphorus here and that saves us from worrying too much about it, but it's no guarantee it won't come," said McCarthy of the eastern basin of the lake.

Lake Erie, home to more than 11 million people, is split into three basins. The western basin runs from the west shoreline of the lake east to the Point Pelee area; the central basin takes in everything east from Point Pelee to the Long Point area; and the eastern basin, the deepest and coldest section, is everything east from Long Point to the Niagara River.

The 388-kilometre long lake is bordered by Ontario, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan and is 92-kilometres across at its widest. Its average depth is 19-metres and it's 64-metres at its deepest "Each one of these basins has limited circulation with the rest," said McCarthy.

She said the Maumee River, near Toledo, OH, is one of the biggest sources for phosphorus entering the lake and contributing the algal blooms. "It puts out more than everything in the eastern basin."

In addition to the Maumee, the Detroit River and Ohio's Sandusky River are two of the other main sources for the phosphorus, and other nutrients, going into the lake and contributing to the algal blooms.

The blooms are caused by cyanobacteria, commonly found in the lake and once called blue-green algae. Cyanobacteria create microcystins, a neurotoxin that can affect everything living thing in the water and those that drink it.

In 2014, Toledo saw its municipal water supply shutdown and a two-day ban on drinking or cooking with tap water due to a bloom in the western basin.

Coast Guard rescues woman, dog from bottom of cliff near Ludington, Mich.

7/20 - Cleveland, OH – U.S. Coast Guard Air Facility Muskegon's MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew rescued a woman and her dog after she had been stranded on Lake Michigan's shoreline at the bottom of a sand bluff, near Ludington, Michigan, Friday.

The woman and her husband had been hiking with their three dogs along the bluff near Lake Michigan, Thursday. They descended the cliff to the shoreline but were unable to climb back up due to loose soil and sand.

The couple had their cell phones but, due to lack of coverage, were unable to notify first responders. The couple spent the night on the shoreline. Friday morning, the husband was able to climb out and notify local responders.

At approximately 10:15 a.m., U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan launched Coast Guard Station Ludington's 29-foot response boat - small and a land crew from Station Ludington to assess the situation. The small boat was unable to get near the bluff due to small craft advisory conditions and the shallow depth of water.

Ludington fire department's high angle rescue teams rappelled down to the stranded woman but encountered difficulties because of the steep terrain and loose ground.

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan launched a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Facility Muskegon and later, a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City to assist. Once both helicopters were on scene it was determined that the dolphin helicopter would conduct the rescue and successfully hoisted the woman and one of her dogs at 12:44 p.m.

The fire rescue team was able to rescue the remaining two dogs. One of the fire team members suffered a leg injury while descending the bluff. The member was given a life jacket and waded into the water to be assisted onto the small boat and transported to local EMS on shore. The woman was flown to Mason County Airport in Ludington. No injuries were reported.

USCG

LEON FALK JR. was christened at Cleveland, July 20, 1961, after one trip to Duluth, Minnesota, for ore.

HORACE JOHNSON (Hull#805) was launched July 20, 1929, at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

JAY C. MORSE (Hull#438) was launched on July 20, 1907, at Cleveland, Ohio by American Shipbuilding Co. for the Mesaba Steamship Co. (Pickands & Mather & Co., mgr.) Sold Canadian in 1965, renamed b.) SHELTER BAY, used as a storage barge at Goderich, renamed c.) D. B. WELDON in 1979. In 1982, her pilothouse was removed and is used as a museum in Goderich Harbor. The WELDON was scrapped at Thunder Bay in 1984.

At the end of June, 1877, the ferry MYRTLE began running between Port Huron and Sarnia. However, on 20 July 1877, The Port Huron Times reported that "The ferry MYRTLE has been taken off the route on account of the extreme dullness of the times."

The scow DIXIE burned during the night of 20 July 1875, while lying at Kenyon's dock in East China Township on the St. Clair River.

1940: The first LACHINEDOC ran aground at Ile-aux-Coudres but was refloated the same day after 600 tons of coal were jettisoned. The vessel became b) QUEENSTON in 1946 and was sunk as a dock facing at Bob-Lo Park in 1962.

1963: Thick fog prevailed overnight on the St. Lawrence contributing to three accidents. The TRITONICA sank after a collision with the ROONAGH HEAD off Ile d'Orleans with the loss of 33 lives. To the west, the Swiss freighter BARILOCHE ran into the CALGADOC (ii) and then veered into the CANADOC (ii) before all ships on the water went to anchor. BARILOCHE later visited the Seaway as b) ST. CERGUE in 1967 and as c) CALVIN in 1978. It was scrapped at Shanghai, China, in 1985.

ROONAGH HEAD received significant bow damage in her collision but was repaired and operated until she arrived at Castellon, Spain, for scrapping on September 14, 1971.

1964: ZENICA went aground in the Straits of Mackinac enroute to Chicago and was lightered by the MARQUIS ROEN and released. She passed downbound at Port Huron under tow. This vessel was beached at Karachi, Pakistan, for scrapping as f) CONSTANZA on June 1, 1980.

1965: The Norwegian freighter LYNGENFJORD sustained stern damage when it backed into the SALMELA while leaving the dock at Montreal. The former made 35 trips to the Great Lakes from 1959 through 1967 and was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, after arriving prior to May 3, 1980, as c) EASTERN VALOUR. The latter, a British vessel, began Great Lakes service in 1965 and arrived at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, for scrapping on April 21, 1985, as c) ELENI.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Conservation group asks for increased outflows and alternating shipping

7/19 - Clayton, NY – The conservation group Save The River is asking for St. Lawrence Seaway shipping to be closed for several days at a time so more water can be released from the Moses-Saunders Power Dam in Massena.

The group is asking the International Joint Commission to increase outflows to at least 11,500 cubic meters per second for several days at a time, higher than would be considered safe for shipping.

Save The River is suggested "patterning," which would alternate between closing shipping for several days and opening the Seaway back up to shipping for several days.

The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board, which regulates water levels on behalf of the IJC, decided earlier this month to hold outflows at a record 10,400 cubic meters per second. The board said at the time that it would cost $50 million a day to close shipping.

In a letter to IJC commissioner Jane Corwin, executive director John Peach says people “along the River and Lake have endured enough during this historic flooding, and it is time that shipping shoulders some of the burden felt by property owners.”

The organization reiterates its support for Plan 2014 -- the current blueprint for regulating water levels -- but encourages the IJC to start reviewing it as soon as possible.

Save The River is also asking the IJC to release information that shows how 2019 water levels would have fared under Plan 1958 DD. IJC critics have demanded that the IJC return to Plan 1958 DD, which was replaced by Plan 2014. The IJC has said the difference between the two plans would have made a difference of at most a few inches.

WWNY

Navy ship to be commissioned at Indiana-Burns Harbor in 'once-in-a-lifetime event'

7/19 - Indiana-Burns Harbor – For the first time, a U.S. Navy vessel will be commissioned in the largely landlocked state of Indiana. The USS Indianapolis littoral combat ship will be commissioned Oct. 26 at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor on Lake Michigan.

“Commissioning a new Indianapolis ship represents our capital city, our state, as well as all of the previous sailors that have served on Indianapolis,” said Ray Shearer, chairman of the USS Indianapolis Commissioning Committee. “This will truly be an once-in-a-lifetime event that will give the general public an opportunity to see and experience a historic celebration.”

The USS Indianapolis or LCS 17 is a Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship that was built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin. It was commissioned by defense contractor Lockheed Martin, which claims the automated combat ship "can deliver dominance in near-shore environments" and has a flexible hull that can be modified to include different capabilities like "over-the-horizon missiles, advanced electronic warfare systems and decoys."

It's the fourth Navy vessel since World War I to bear the name of Indiana's capital. Most famously, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and sunk during the closing days of World War II in the single greatest loss of life in U.S. Navy history. About 880 sailors died while stranded in the Philippine Sea, many eaten by sharks.

“As governor and as a veteran of the United States Navy, it is a great honor to celebrate and commemorate the lives of all who have served on the first three Indianapolis ships,” Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said. “The USS Indianapolis will be a proud representation of the spirit of service embodied in the lives those of us who have called Indiana and Indianapolis our home.”

Multiple dignitaries will be on hand, including Jill Donnelly, the ship's sponsor and the wife of former U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly.

“The honor the United States Navy has bestowed on the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor is humbling,” Ports of Indiana CEO Vanta E. Coda II said. “To serve as host and backdrop for the U.S. Navy that created the very protection which allows U.S. commerce to thrive is an indescribable privilege.”

Anyone interested in attending the ceremony can visit ussindianapolislcs17.org.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
The Twin Ports saw a rather active day on Thursday, starting with Walter J. McCarthy Jr., which arrived at 07:51 to load coal at Midwest Energy. Her fleetmate American Mariner was inbound at 09:20 with limestone for Graymont Superior. Later in the morning, Paul R. Tregurtha departed from SMET at 10:13, Roger Blough was outbound at 10:25 with iron ore for Gary after receiving repairs at Port Terminal, and Michipicoten left port at 10:44 with a load of ore pellets from CN. Algoma Niagara was inbound at 12:46 with a salt cargo for Hallett #8. During the evening, American Mariner shifted from Graymont over to Canadian National to load iron ore pellets, and is expected to depart mid-morning Friday. The McCarthy had a departure time of 21:00 Thursday listed. Also in port was H. Lee White, loading wheat at General Mills, and Trudy, still unloading clay at Port Terminal. At the Superior entry, Burns Harbor departed at 07:05 after loading ore at Burlington Northern, and Algoma Spirit arrived from anchor at 07:32 to load. She was still at the dock as of 20:00 Thursday evening, and was due to depart before midnight.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
The CN-Two Harbors docks had no traffic on July 18th. Due Two Harbors on July 19th is the Cason J. Callaway coming from Duluth after unloading stone. Also due is the American Integrity. Algoma Niagara was to go to Two Harbors after she unloads salt at Hallett #8, but her AIS is showing Thunder Bay. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader at 09:22 on July 18th. As of 19:40 on the 18th she was still at the dock. There is no traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on July 19th.

S. Chicago, IL
Salties Isadora remained docked on the Calumet River Thursday.

Indiana Harbor, IN
James R. Barker was unloading Thursday night.

Burns Harbor, IN
Federal Saginaw and Philip R. Clarke were in port Thursday night.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Compass arrived 8.30 am Thursday to load salt at Compass Minerals.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Thursday Arrivals: Joyce L VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader arrived at Zug Island to unload ore. John J Boland arrived at the Detroit Bulk Storage dock to unload stone.

Northeast Ohio Ports – Bill Kloss
7/18 arrivals: Edgar B. Speer and American Spirit to Conneaut. Sharon M1, Mesabi Miner and Alpena to Cleveland. 7/17 departures: Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder to Detroit, then to Burns Harbor.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Thursday July 18 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrivals - Jul 17 - Algosea at 0913 - departure - Jul 18 - CSL Laurentien at 1525 westbound

Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
arrival - Jul 17- tug Calusa Coast & Delaware at 1047 - arrived Tonawanda dk at 1310 approx.

Port Colborne anchorage:
anchored - (due to traffic) - Jul 18 - Atlanticborg (Nld) at 0829 and Blair McKeil at 0855 - departed Jul 18 - Blair McKeil at 1042 for the canal

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 17 - Happy River (Nld) at 1901, Kaministiqua at 2016 and NACC Argonaut at 2155 - Jul 18 - CSL St Laurent at 0224, CCGS Cape Mercy at 1405 and Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 2005

downbound - Jul 17 - CSL Assiniboine at 1251, Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 1351, Algoscotia at 1540, Spruceglen at 1904 - Jul 18 - tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 0511, Federal Baltic (Mhl) at 0810, Blair McKeil at 1205, Fivelborg (Nld) at 1251, Algoma Conveyor at 1502 and Algoma Discovery at 1555

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 18 - tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement - stopped wharf 16 at 0545 - departed at 2035 apprrox.

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 18 - Blair McKeil eta 2230 and Tim S Dool eta 2325 - docked - Jul 13 - Maria G (Mlt) at 1215

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 18 - Robert S Pierson eta 2210

Toronto:
arrivals - Jul 18 - McKeil Spirit at 0422, Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 0622 and Baie Comeau at 0926 - departures - Jul 18 - Baie Comeau at 1757 eastbound and Victory II (Bhs) at 1817 for the canal

Duluth Cargo Connect selected as finalist for Heavy Lift honor

7/19 - Duluth, MN – Heavy Lift and Project Forwarding International recently named Duluth Cargo Connect a finalist for the publication’s 2019 Port/Terminal Operator of the Year Award. Winners in 11 categories will be announced Oct. 15 in Antwerp, Belgium.

HLPFI established the Heavy Lift Awards to recognize excellence in complex logistics, transport and engineering projects around the world. Duluth Cargo Connect, a collaboration of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Lake Superior Warehousing, operates the Clure Public Marine Terminal and is one of four finalists for the Heavy Lift Port/Terminal Operator of the Year Award.

“Regardless of what happens in October, we’re honored to be on the judges’ shortlist of finalists,” said Jonathan Lamb, president of Duluth Cargo Connect. “It’s a worldwide pool of ports and operators vying for this award, so being chosen among the final four is an achievement.”

Judges based their finalist selections on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated safe and efficient handling of oversize cargo.
• Investment in new equipment and facilities for the storing and handling of oversize cargoes.
• Maintenance of existing facilities.
• Minimized wait time for customers.

Specializing in breakbulk, heavy lift and project cargo, Duluth Cargo Connect manages some of the Great Lakes’ most complex and sizable cargoes while delivering supply chain cost-savings to regional and international customers. The 120-acre Clure Public Marine Terminal is a multimodal hub for these arrivals and departures. It features seven Seaway-depth vessel-docking berths, four Class 1 railroads with on-dock rail, a mobile 300-ton crawler crane, and twin 81-ton gantry cranes. The facility is also home to Foreign Trade Zone No. 51, along with more than 430,000 square feet of warehouse storage and 40-plus acres of secured outdoor ground storage.

“We have an outstanding team that believes in going the extra mile for customers and providing value-added services they can’t get elsewhere,” said Lamb. “That team and its level of commitment, combined with our excellent facilities, help set us apart.”

Duluth Seaway Port Authority

Northern Michigan in Focus: S.R. Kirby shipwreck

7/19 - Whitefish Point, MI – It’s been a mystery for over a century, but now the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society has found the location of a shipwreck that happened 103 years ago off the Keweenaw Peninsula.

“That shipwreck looks unlike any shipwreck we’ve ever seen in recent years. It looks like an explosion on the bottom of the lake,” said Bruce Lynn with the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society.

“It went down on May 8, 1916. It had left Ashland, Wisconsin, the night before in pretty calm weather and, if you read the reports, as they were getting closer to the Keweenaw Peninsula the weather was getting dirtier and nastier and the winds are picking up,” explained Lynn.

The Kirby was also towing the 352 foot steel barge George E. Hartnell.

“And some of the historical accounts indicate that this ship was probably overloaded, and maybe not evenly loaded, so they weren’t in a great position for a big storm,” said Lynn. Winds were clocked at 76 mph. Accounts then say a big wave came and took the Kirby and 22 men more than 800 feet to the bottom of Lake Superior.

Two men survived. The barge Hartnell somehow broke free and was rescued later, but, believe it or not, there was one more survivor from the Kirby.

“The captain’s dog was reportedly seen to be swimming next to the captain, his name was David Girardin from Cleveland. The dog was seen swimming next to his master and when the captain lost any strength that he had and slipped beneath the waves, and the dog ended up getting up on a piece of wreckage and was later picked up by the Coast Guard out of Eagle Harbor,” Lynn said.

The shipwreck society’s director of marine operations, Darryl Ertel, has been studying the wreckage with their R.O.V. The Kirby was a unique ship for that era.

“This is a composite ship and only a handful of these were built in the late 1800s. So you got an iron frame as I understand with a wooden hull surrounding it. It was kind of a new technology, or technology they were experimenting with,” explained Lynn.

An important wreck to study, document and understand what just happened to the S.R. Kirby over a century ago.

“I think it’s every bit as important to tell the story of the crew of a ship like that as it would be as more famous shipwrecks like the Edmund Fitzgerald because every one of those crew members that went down with that ship, and the Kirby reportedly went down in about a minute, it took that long to sink,” Lynn added. “So if you think the crew maybe in the engine room and might have been below decks. They didn’t have any chance to get off of that ship. Their stories are just as important as any other shipwreck.

View images at this link: https://www.9and10news.com/2019/07/17/northern-michigan-in-focus-s-r-kirby-shipwreck

“Disasters of the Deep:” New temporary exhibit at National Museum

7/19 - Toledo, OH – The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced the opening of a new temporary exhibit – “Disasters of the Deep: Underwater Photography of Great Lakes Shipwrecks,” which will run from July 20 to September 1, 2019. The exhibit features the works of nine underwater photographers covering shipwrecks across all five of the Great Lakes.

“Nothing interests our visitors more than shipwrecks and what better way to explore this topic in more detail than by using the photography of those who risk life and limb to explore and to document these submerged historical relics,” said Christopher Gillcrist, Executive Director of the museum.

The photographers chosen for this show are Andy Morrison, Jitka Hanakova, Becky Kagen Schott, Tamara Thomsen, Jeremy Bannister, Warren Lo, Terry Irvine, Cal Kothrade and Jeff Lindsay. Each has a unique perspective and approach to underwater photography.

According to Gillcrist, “not only does underwater photography help tell a historical story but the images themselves are also works of art.” The nine photographers reside across the Great Lakes region.

The exhibit is offered digitally on large flat screen monitors. There are over a 150 images in the exhibit. Gillcrist explained that this exhibit could not be shown at the museum in a traditional format. “We do not have the space to hang 150 plus photographs,” he said. “More importantly, by showing the photographs in this way, the space could be transformed to feel more like you are actually underwater when viewing the images.”

The exhibit opens July 20 and runs through September 1. Admission to the exhibit is included in the general admission price to the museum. For more information call 419-214-5000 extension 200 or visit the museums website at www.nmgl.org. The museum is located at 1701 Front Street Toledo, Ohio and is open seven days a week.

National Museum of the Great Lakes

On this day in 1970, ARTHUR B. HOMER established a new Great Lakes loading record when she loaded 27,530 tons of ore at Escanaba. This eclipsed the previous record of 27,402 tons set by the EDMUND FITZGERALD.

EDWIN H. GOTT (Hull#718) was float launched July 19, 1978, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Bay Shipbuilding Co. for U. S. Steel Corp.

CLARENCE B. RANDALL sailed light on her maiden voyage July 19, 1943, from Ashtabula, Ohio, bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota. She was renamed b.) ASHLAND in 1962. The ASHLAND was scrapped at Mamonel, Columbia, in 1988.

N. M. Paterson & Sons, CANADOC (Hull#627) was christened on July 19, 1961. The registry of GORDON C. LEITCH, of 1954, was closed on July 19, 1985, as 'sold foreign'. She was scrapped at Setubal, Portugal, in 1985.

JOHN P. REISS in tandem tow with the carferry CITY OF SAGINAW 31 arrived at Castellon, Spain, prior to July 19, 1973, for scrapping.

JOSEPH S. YOUNG, a.) ARCHERS HOPE, was christened at Buffalo, New York, on July 19, 1957. The YOUNG was the first of seven T2 tanker conversions for Great Lakes service.

On 19 July 1831, the wooden schooner HENRY CLAY was carrying 800 barrels of salt and passengers from Oswego, New York to the Welland Canal on her maiden voyage when she capsized in a squall and sank about 10 miles off Port Dalhousie, Ontario, on Lake Ontario. About 11 persons were aboard and at least 6 of them lost their lives. Three were saved by the steamer CANADA.

On 19 July 1900, the name of the Toledo tug A. ANDREWS JR was changed to PALLISTER.

On 19 July 1871, J. BARBER (wooden propeller steamer, 125 foot, 306 tons, built in 1856, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying fruit from St. Joseph, Michigan, to Chicago when she caught fire and sank 14 miles off Michigan City, Indiana. Five lives were lost.

1893: LIZZIE A. LAW stranded in the Pelee Passage, Lake Erie, following a collision with the DAVID VANCE. It was refloated September 14.

1921: After losing her way in fog, the BINGHAMPTON stranded on Gannet Rock Ledge, near Yarmouth, NS enroute from Boston to Reval, France, and Riga, Latvia, with relief supplies. The vessel was abandoned and later caught fire. The ship had been built at Buffalo as H.J. JEWETT in 1882 and left the lakes, in 2 pieces, in 1915 for saltwater service.

1981: BERGFALCK was registered in Singapore when she first came through the Seaway in 1976. The ship was sailing as b) BERGLIND when in a collision with the CHARM off Cape Breton Island. It was taken in tow but sank July 20. The hull was later refloated and taken out to sea and scuttled in the fall.

1982: FARO, a Norwegian freighter dating from 1960, visited the Seaway in 1970. It was gutted aft from a fire that began in the galley at Ghazawet Roads, Algeria, as b) ARGOLICOS GULF. It was sold for scrap and arrived as Castellon, Spain to be dismantled on October 1, 1982.

1992: ROSARIO, a Greek flag SD 14, visited the Great Lakes in 1978. It began leaking in the Indian Ocean as c) AL RAZIQU on this date in 1992 and was escorted into Mombasa, Tanzania, on July 29. The ship was allowed to sail to Alang, India, for scrapping and, after a resale, to Karachi, Pakistan. However, the vessel was sold again, taken to Dubai for repairs, and resumed trading as d) DELTA III. It developed a heavy list as e) CHALLENGE on August 2, 1993, after leaving New Mangalore, India. Attempts to tow the ship to shallow water fell short when the hull rolled over and sank with the loss of 3 lives.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Lake Huron Lore Society, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

American Integrity sets new Soo Locks record

7/18 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI On July 14th the American Integrity passed downbound with 76,358 net tons of taconite pellets. Her draft was measured at 30 feet. Both numbers are records, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She was bound from Two Harbors to Gary.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
H. Lee White arrived Duluth at 11:27 Wednesday morning with limestone to discharge at Graymont, and Michipicoten was inbound at 19:30 to load ore at CN. Indiana Harbor spent the day loading at Canadian National, and was just departing the dock as of 20:00. Paul R. Tregurtha was also due to arrive around 20:30 to load coal at Midwest Energy. Once H. Lee White finishes unloading, she will shift over to General Mills to take on a load of wheat, and is expected to depart early Friday. Roger Blough and Trudy both remained at Port Terminal on Wednesday, the former receiving some form of interior repair work and the latter unloading kaolin clay. At Fraser Shipyards, the freshly painted Arthur M. Anderson was pulled from drydock on Wednesday and tied up for final work, including the application of her name to the hull, and preparations for a sailing date hopefully late next week. In Superior, Burns Harbor was inbound at 11:14 to load iron ore pellets at BN, and is expected to depart early Thursday morning.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Lee A. Tregurtha departed Two Harbors on July 16th at 21:39 for Indiana Harbor. Presque Isle shifted from North of #2 to South of #2 on the 16th from 22:01 to 22:35. The Presque Isle then departed Two Harbors on July 17th at 10:08 for Indiana Harbor. There is no traffic scheduled for Two Harbors on the 18th, but the Algoma Niagara is due in the Twin Ports to unload salt. She could be in play to load in Two Harbors later in the day on the 18th. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on July 17th. Scheduled for Silver Bay on the 18th is the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader.

Thunder Bay, ON
Tuesday; Destination updates; Baie St. Paul is bound for Sydney NS and CSL Welland for Montreal. 20:08 Federal Yoshino weighed anchor and proceed for Viterra A to load grain. 23:00 Whitefish Bay departed for Midland. Wednesday; 12:09 Ojibway departed for Windsor.

St. Marys River
Downbound traffic on Wednesday included Maumee/Victory, Anglian Lady and PML barge, Baie St. Paul, Edwin H. Gott, CSL Welland, Whitefish Bay and Algocanada Upbounders included Evans Spirit, Algoma Niagara, Algoma Harvester, Cason J. Callaway and, late, Stewart J. Cort. During the afternoon, the Soo Locks Boat Tours vessel Nokomis experienced a mechanical issue and had to tie up on the pier above the Canadian lock. Her fleet mate LeVoyageur was dispatched to bring her passengers back to the dock. Around 8 p.m., Nokomis reported that she was back at her home dock.

S. Chicago, IL
Salties Isadora and Volgaborg were at docks on the Calumet River Wednesday.

Indiana Harbor, IN
Federal Champlain departed for Milwaukee Wednesday evening.

Burns Harbor, IN
Federal Saguenay was due late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Bruce Mines:
Wednesday; 5:07 Algoma Buffalo arrived to load trap rock.

Alpena:
Wednesday; 00:46 the cement carrier Alpena departed for Detroit. 5:09 Manitowoc departed for Port Dolomite. 7:30 Samuel De Champlain arrived to load cement products.

Stoneport:
Tuesday; 23:33 Kaye E. Barker arrived to load.

Calcite:
Wednesday; 10:41 Cason J Callaway departed for Duluth Superior. 12:10 John J. Boland departed down bound Lake Huron. 12:07 Great Republic arrived to load. 12:20 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes arrived to unload petroleum products.

Cheboygan:
Wednesday; 6:09 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes departed for Calcite.

Port Dolomite:
Wednesday; 12:53 Manitowoc arrived to load.

Drummond Island:
Wednesday; 2:18 Mississagi arrived to load limestone and departed at 9:45 for Windsor. 11:00 Herbert C Jackson arrived to load limestone and departed at 15:29 down bound Lake Huron.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Niagara cleared Goderich Tuesday with a load of salt for Superior. Algoma Conveyor cleared Goderich at 1 pm with salt for Toronto.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Alpena unloaded cement at Lafarge on Wednesday

Northeast Ohio Port Report – Bill Kloss
7/17 arrivals: Atlanticborg to Ashtabula. Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder to Ontario Stone on 7/16, she went to Cargill to load salt on 7/17. 7/17 departures: Sam Laud from Ashtabula to Cleveland, Petite Forte from Cleveland to Bowmanville.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Wednesday July 17 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrivals - Jul 17 - Algosea at 0913 and CSL Laurentien at 1529 - departures - Jul 16 - CSL Tadoussac at 2137 westbound - Jul 17 - Algoscotia at 1158 for the canal

Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
arrival - Jul 17- tug Calusa Coast & Delaware at 1047 - arrived Tonawanda dk at 1310 approx.

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 16 - Algosea at 1748 and John D Leitch at 1901 - Jul 17 - CSL Laurentien at 0125, Algoma Sault at 0850, Saginaw at 1355, Happy River (Nld) at 1901, Kaministiqua at 2016 and NACC Argonaut eta 2130

downbound - Jul 16 - Tecumseh at 1421, Saginaw at 1611 and Manitoulin eta 2130 - Jul 17 - Ebony Ray (Sgp) at 0838, tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II at 1131, Baie Comeau at 1208. CSL Assiniboine at 1251, Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 1351, Algoscotia at 1540 and Spruceglen at 1904

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller

Hamilton:
arrival - Jul 17 - Saginaw at 0422 - docked - Jul 13 - Maria G (Mlt) at 1215 - departures - Jul 16 - Harbour First (Por) at 2201 eastbound - Jul 17 Saginaw at 1203 for the canal

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 17 - Robert S Pierson at 0425 - departed - Jul 17 at 1746 eastbound

Mississauga:
departure - Jul 16 - Hinch Spirit (ex Topaz I-19, Topaz T-19) at 2103 eastbound

Toronto:
no vessels in port currently

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 16 - NACC Quebec at 1153 - departed Jul 17 at 0824 eastbound

U.S. Navy: Duluth selected as commissioning site for USS Minneapolis – Saint Paul

7/18 - The U.S. Navy announced Wednesday morning that Duluth will be the commissioning site of the USS Minneapolis – Saint Paul. The vessel, which Navy officials say is 389 feet long and can travel 50 mph on the water, is a littoral combat ship (LCS).

The ship was christened on Saturday, June 15 in Marinette, Wisconsin, which is also the building site. According to the Navy, only 73 vessels bear the name of a city.

The Department of Defense says the last time a vessel was named Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the vessel was a Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine, and was de-commissioned after serving from 1984 to 2008.

At this time, it is unknown where the vessel will be docked; however, the ship will be commissioned in the next 12 to 16 months. Duluth Mayor Emily Larson says a vessel hasn’t been commissioned by the U.S. Navy in Minnesota for decades.

KBJR

Superior's iconic lighthouse goes up for auction

7/18 - Superior, WI - Anyone who has ever dreamed of owning a Twin Ports lighthouse now has a chance. The federal Government Services Agency is auctioning off the Superior Entry Light, located at the end of Wisconsin Point, with a starting bid of $10,000. The lighthouse can only be accessed by water or by climbing over the rocks leading to the breakwater on which the lighthouse is built.

The facility includes a two-story living quarters, a basement, and a light tower. It was completed in 1913.

The breakwater will remain owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the buyer will have to reach a lease agreement with the Corps before closing on the purchase of the lighthouse. Additionally, the navigation light will remain active and the U.S. Coast Guard will retain an access easement to service the light.

The GSA's auction website notes that "the condition of the property is not warranted." A recent visit to the site found broken, graffiti-covered plastic on the outside of boarded-up windows, with some window cavities filled with empty beer cans.

The auction comes six years after the GSA announced it would make the light available for free to government or nonprofit groups that would use it for educational, recreational, cultural or historic preservation purposes. A report issued in 2014 said the GSA received one expression of interest in the Superior Entry Light, but no deal was ever announced.

A decade ago, the GSA sold the Duluth Harbor South Breakwater Inner Light Tower near the Aerial Lift Bridge to a private buyer. Last year, the GSA announced it is looking for a government or nonprofit group to take over the Duluth Harbor South Breakwater Outer Light.

The GSA also announced auctions Monday for the Ontonagon Breakwater Light and the The Poe Reef Light, both in Michigan. The auctions are being conducted online at www.realestatesales.gov.

The auctions are a result of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, which has seen 139 lighthouses sold or transferred out of federal ownership since 2000. The sales have generated more than $7.5 million.

WDIO

On this day in 1974, Interlake Steamship decommissioned the COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS after 48 years of service due to continuing problems with her boilers and engines.

AGAWA CANYON struck an abutment at Welland Canal's Bridge 11, at Allanburg, Ontario, on July 18, 1977, while downbound with salt for Kingston, Ontario, and sustained a 30-foot gash just above the waterline at the port bow.

The canal tanker COMET (Hull#705) of the American Ship Building Co., at Lorain, Ohio, entered service on July 18, 1913, for ocean service. Sold Mexican and renamed b.) COMETA in 1928. She returned to the lakes in 1936, renamed c.) COMET for Cleveland Tankers. She was lengthened in 1940. She was scrapped at Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1973.

The WILLIAM J. FILBERT was in collision with the KINSMAN INDEPENDENT, of 1907, at the Burlington Northern Dock on July 18, 1970, when the Steel Trust steamer lost control in the current entering the slip.

The entire forward superstructure of the b.) JOHN DYKSTRA, a.) BENSON FORD of 1924, including the forecastle deck, was delivered to South Bass Island in Lake Erie on July 18, 1986, on the barge THOR 101 towed by the tug GREGORY J. BUSCH. The superstructure was moved for use as a summer home where it remains. The hull of the DYKSTRA was sold to Marine Salvage, Port Colborne, Ontario and was towed from Cleveland, Ohio, July 10th by the tugs ARGUE MARTIN and GLENBROOK to Ramey's Bend arriving there on July 12, 1986, where she was scrapped.

WILLIAM A. REISS was launched July 18, 1925, as a.) JOHN A. TOPPING (Hull#251) at River Rouge, Michigan, by Great Lakes Engineering Works for the Columbia Steamship Co.

WILLIAM G. MATHER completed her sea trials on July 18, 1925.

On 18 July 1858, ANDROMEDA (2-mast wooden schooner, 112 foot, 568 tons, built in 1848, at Madison Dock, Ohio) was carrying 800 barrels of salt from Oswego to Chicago. She sprang a leak suddenly and foundered 20 miles from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The crew escaped in her boat, many just in their underwear. They arrived at Manitowoc the next day.

On 18 July 1872, the schooner D. L. COUCH of Detroit (formerly AVCORN) sank about 10 miles from Long Point on Lake Erie. Two lives were lost.

The wooden propeller freigjhter N. K. FAIRBANK (205 foot, 980 gross tons) was launched in Marine City, Michigan by W. B. Morley on 18 July 1874. She was then towed to Detroit, where her engines were installed by William Cowie. She had two direct-acting condensing engines 34 foot x 32 inches on one shaft and her boiler was installed on her main deck. She only lasted until 1895, when she stranded and burned near Port Colborne, Ontario. The remains of the hull were sold to Carter Brothers of Port Colborne and it was rebuilt and enrolled as a new vessel with the name ELIZA H. STRONG. The STRONG lasted until she burned in 1904.

1911: The wooden steamer TAMPA sank in the Detroit River after a collision with the JOHN W. GATES of U.S. Steel. The former was raised and moved to Marine City and then, after being partially dismantled, was sunk in 1915 as a breakwall to halt erosion off the Belle River.

1938: ISLET PRINCE (ii), enroute to Owen Sound for a new service, stopped for the night behind Chantry Island, Southampton, and was struck by lightning. The ship caught fire, but all on board were rescued before the vessel sank the next day.

1954: LAKE GADSDEN was built at Manitowoc, in 1919, and lost near Corrubedo Light, off the coast of Spain, as g) SAN NICOLAS after going aground. The vessel slid back into deep water and sank.

1960: IRISH MAPLE, a Great Lakes visitor beginning in 1966, sank the 479 gross ton DENBIGH COAST in the River Mersey after a collision. IRISH MAPLE remained in service until reaching the scrapyard at Karachi, Pakistan, as c) ANNOOR on October 24, 1981.

1967: NEW YORK NEWS (iii) buckled and sank while loading salt at Pugwash, NS. The ship was raised and towed to Halifax in two sections for repairs. It survives in 2012 as e) WOLF RIVER, but has not operated for years.

1984 PANAGIOTIS S., a Seaway trader beginning in 1975, suffered severe fire damage aft in the Gulf of Aden, while on a voyage from Antwerp, Belgium, to Calcutta, India. The ship was a total loss and, while sold and renamed d) OTIS, it was taken to Gadani Beach, Pakistan, for scrapping. PANAGIOTIS S. had also visited the Great Lakes as a) VIZCAYA in 1972 and EMILIA LOVERDOS in 1975.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Coast Guard safety zones established in Straits of Mackinac

7/16 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI – To protect the safety of life and property, the Coast Guard established two safety zones around vessels conducting geotechnical investigations in the Straits of Mackinac.

A 500-yard temporary safety zone is established around the Jack-Up Barge JUB-100 and the geotechnical vessel Highland Eagle, while these vessels conduct geotechnical investigations in the Straits of Mackinac. The vessels will conduct their work approximately ½ mile to 1.5 miles west of the Mackinac Bridge.

Effective immediately, all vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting, or anchoring within these safety zones, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sault Sainte Marie. The Captain of the Port or his representative can be contacted via VHF Channel 16 or telephone at (906) 635-3233. These safety zones are in effect until September 30, 2019.

Additionally, the barge Big Digger is conducting diver operations west of the Mackinac Bridge. The Coast Guard reminds the boating public to properly interpret day shapes, flags, and lights in accordance with the Navigation Rules. To coordinate passing arrangements with the barge Big Digger, hail the vessel on an appropriate VHF channel.

Jack-Up Barge JUB-100 is a 90-foot portable jack-up barge, Highland Eagle is a 236-foot geotechnical vessel, and Big Digger is a 200-foot barge operating with the Tug Kimberley Anne.

USCG

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Philip R. Clarke led off a fairly busy day in Duluth on Monday, departing at 05:28 with a load of sinter from Canadian National. American Century arrived at 05:50 to load coal at Midwest Energy, and Lee A. Tregurtha was inbound at 07:19 to discharge eastern coal at C. Reiss. After unloading limestone at Hallett #5, Great Lakes Trader/tug Joyce L. VanEnkevort departed at 07:27 for Two Harbors. Victoriaborg weighed anchor and arrived at 08:25 to take on wheat at Riverland Ag. Later in the day, James R. Barker left port at 13:39 for Indiana Harbor with iron ore pellets, and the Century was outbound at 17:15 from SMET. Lee A. Tregurtha shifted over to SMET to load coal once the Century cleared, and is expected to depart early Tuesday morning. Roger Blough spent another day tied up at Port Terminal waiting out a delay, and Trudy was moored at the opposite dock unloading clay. At the Superior entry, American Spirit departed at 06:09 Monday with a load of ore for Conneaut, and Algoma Discovery came in at 06:33 to load at Burlington Northern. She was outbound at 17:47 with her ore cargo.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Edgar B. Speer departed Two Harbors on July 15th at 05:15 for Conneaut. The Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader arrived Two Harbors on the 15th after unloading stone at Hallett #5 in Duluth. The Joyce L. arrived Two Harbors at 09:28 for South of #2. She departed on the 15th at 19:34. No updated AIS on departure. Edwin H. Gott arrived Two Harbors between 13-14:00 for North of #2 lay-by. She was assisted by Heritage Marine's tug Nels J. As I post this report the Gott was preparing to shift to South of #2. Due Two Harbors on the 16th is the Presque Isle. Northshore Mining saw the John G. Munson depart on the 15th at 01:01 for Indiana Harbor. The Mesabi Miner arrived Silver Bay at 01:27 after being anchored off Sand Island. As of 19:50 on the 15th she is still loading. Silver Bay has no inbound traffic scheduled for July 16th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Sunday; Federal Yoshino is at anchor.12:40 CSL Welland arrived at Viterra A to load grain. Monday; 14:54 Cuyahoga arrived at Thunder Bay Terminals to load Potash. 15:52 Baie St Paul arrived and went to anchor.

S. Chicago, IL
Isadora, Calumet and Federal Saguenay were all at docks on the Cal River Monday.

Burns Harbor, IN
Stewart J. Cort was unloading on Monday. Wilfred Sykes is due. Federal Champlain remained in port.

Alpena, MI – Ben & Chanda McClain
The tug Undaunted and barge Pere Marquette 41docked at Lafarge around 9 pm on Sunday. It unloaded product throughout the night and departed Monday morning. Monday arrivals at Lafarge included two fleetmates. The tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation arrived first in the morning to load. The G.L Ostrander and barge Integrity took its place under the silos during the afternoon.

Northern Lake Huron ports

Alpena:
Monday; 11:09 Samuel De Champlain arrived to load cement products and departed at 15:54 for McGregor Bay.

Stoneport:
Monday; 8:46 Herbert C Jackson arrived to load and departed at 18:57 down bound Lake Huron.

Calcite:
Monday; 1:38 Great Republic departed for Marine City. 2:14 American Courage arrived to load limestone. 3:07 H Lee White arrived to load. 14:11 Olive L Moore arrived and went to anchor. 18:11 American Courage departed down bound Lake Michigan. Olive L Moore weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. Port Dolomite:
Monday; John J Boland departed for Bay City.

Bruce Mines:
Monday; 4:27 Algoma Compass arrived to load trap rock.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Conveyor was loading at Compass Minerals on Monday.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Monday July 15 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
departed - Jul 14 - Algocanada at 2233 - Jul 15 -Algoma Hansa at 1229 - both westbound

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 14 - Algoma Spirit at 1828 and Manitoulin - Jul 15 - Radcliffe R Latimer at 0251, Algonorth at 0411, Algoma Harvester at 0700, Blair McKeil (ex Gagliarda-19) at 0903 - 1st trip through the canal since her renaming, Pearl Mist (Mhl) at 1631, Algoma Innovator at 1834 and Atlanticborg (Nld) at 2009

downbound - Jul 14 - Algoma Innovator at 1726, Algoma Enterprise at 1940 (stopping wharf 16) and Algonova at 2233 - Jul 15 - CSL Laurentien at 0649, Oakglen at 1319, Florence Spirit eta 2225

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jul 14 - Algoma Enterprise stopped wharf 16 at 2017

Hamilton:
arrival - Jul 15 - CSL Laurentien eta 2110 - docked - Jul 13 - Maria G (Mlt) at 1215 - Jul 15 - Harbour First (Por) at 1315 - departures - Jul 14 - Saginaw at 2107 - Jul 15 - Blair McKeil (ex Gagliarda-19) at 0709 and Algoma Innovator at 1638 - all for the canal

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 15 - Robert S Pierson at 1354 -

Mississauga:
docked - Jul 9 - Adfines Sea (Mlt) (ex Osttank Norway-12) at 1724 - Jul 14 - Hinch Spirit at 0539

Toronto:
arrival - Pearl Mist (Mhl) at 2110 - departed - Jul 14 - NACC Atrgonaut at 0124 eastbound - Jul 15 - Pearl Mist (Mhl) at 1502 for the canal

Oswego, NY – Ned Goebricher
Monday NACC Argonaut unloaded cement.

Beaches are disappearing along Lake Michigan; Great Lakes break June records

7/16 - The official data for June from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in, and all-time water level records were broken. Lakes Superior, Erie and Ontario each broke their record for average monthly water level for the month of June.

Now, though, we may be seeing the water levels heading down, or at least plateauing. Lake Michigan-Huron, for example, is forecast to remain steady for the first time in months! According to the latest report, the lake is not expected to rise or fall over the next month. Regardless, it is pretty much as high as it ever has been in July, and problems are still plaguing lakeshore communities.

Read more and view videos at this link: https://www.abc57.com/news/beaches-are-simply-disappearing-along-lake-michigan-great-lakes-break-all-time-june-records

Windsor authority bans watercraft activity along shoreline for the next 30 days

7/16 - Windsor, ON – With historic water levels in the Detroit River, the City of Windsor is taking extra measures to mitigate shoreline damage by temporarily banning watercraft activity within 30 metres of the shoreline from the Town of Tecumseh border to the Town of LaSalle.

The Windsor Port Authority said Friday that the 30-day ban prevents motorized water vehicles from travelling at high speeds near the shoreline to mitigate further flooding and damage of waterfront properties, due to the season’s record-breaking water levels. The Windsor Police Marine Unit will issue warnings to increase awareness of the ban, but continued non-compliance could result in fines up to $5,000 for an individual and $50,000 for a corporation or ship.

“We’re hoping that this provides some relief to the residents along Riverside Drive,” Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said during a news conference. “We know it’s an inconvenience for people who enjoy our beautiful waterway and those folks who use motorized watercraft, but we think it’s a responsible, reasonable step to help provide some sense of safety and security to people who live along the waterfront.”

The river’s rising levels have yet resulted in a state of emergency, Dilkens said, but they are at a “critical point.” He said city officials will continue to monitor the situation, considering levels are expected to continue to rise in the coming weeks.

According to data from the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as of Friday, water levels for Lake St. Clair were around 577.59 feet — 33 inches above average for the month of July. These levels are also five inches above the season’s last recorded high in 1986.

The tide is expected to rise even further as a result of excess water from Lake Superior that will make its way through the Detroit River into Lake Erie, said Windsor port authority harbour master Peter Barry.

Water speed has also increased, with the river moving at double than what it should, Barry said. As a result, large cargo ships have encountered steering difficulties and have reduced their speed in the Detroit River to seven kilometres per hour rather than travelling at the 10km/h limit.

Towards the end of the ban, which is enacted as a Traffic Control Zone under sec 56(1)(d) of the Canada Marine Act, Barry said river conditions will be reassessed to determine if the rule should be extended.

Staff Sgt. Sue Garrett speaks to the media regarding enforcement of a Traffic Control Zone, which prohibits motorized boaters within 30 metres from the shore, during a press conference at Lakeview Park Marina on July 12, 2019. Dax Melmer / Windsor Star

In order to lay charges, Windsor police Staff Sgt. Sue Garrett, who is responsible for the marine unit, said they would need the identity of the boat and the driver, along with evidence of their wake. Patrol officers can also use lasers to determine the distance of boats from the shoreline. Garrett added that people on shore are welcome to call police and provide photos or a description of boaters who disregard the ban.

Until everyone is aware of the new rule, however, authorities will be out issuing warnings.

“What we’re doing right now is a huge education awareness component of it, making people aware of what’s going on,” Garrett said.

Various community partners have stepped in over the past week to help raise awareness, specifically researchers at the University of Windsor’s Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research who implemented research buoys off LaSalle shorelines on Wednesday. The devices send live-updates on the water’s height, along with wave and wake action, to municipal and town officials.

Windsor Star

Great Lakes tourism businesses struggle with record-high water levels

7/16 - Visitors to the Craganmor Point Resort near Parry Sound, Ont., often come by boat to dine on the dockside patio restaurant that overlooks the picturesque waters of Georgian Bay.

But with water levels on the bay reaching record highs, resort staff have had to construct elevated walkways on the deck so clients can access the restaurant. The number of visitors making the trip to the island resort dropped sharply in the spring, and, this summer, those still keen to eat at the restaurant’s waterside patio have had to dine with their feet submerged in several inches of lake water.

Water levels are high across the Great Lakes, forcing tourism businesses to make significant expenditures to deal with the encroaching water. And while businesses are spending to keep operations as close to normal as possible, the high water is increasing costs and complicating the provision of services.

Natalie Overend, owner of Craganmor Point Resort, says the water, which is three to five feet above normal, is posing a serious threat to her business. She estimates she has spent $10,000 to $12,000 on materials to build walkways and the project has taken up considerable staff time. Spring revenue is down 50 per cent from last year. Ms. Overend blames reduced visits on the high water and heavy precipitation, but says visits are ticking up approaching the height of summer.

“We’re making the best of it,” Ms. Overend said. For the most part, despite the wet feet, her customers remain upbeat and unconcerned by the high water, viewing it as a novel experience.

Water levels on Lakes Superior, Erie and Ontario are at record highs so far in July, as they have been since May, eclipsing previous records set decades ago. Water levels in Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are less than an inch below the record set in 1986. In practice, this means water is up three to five feet compared with lows in the past 10 years, although wind and local conditions mean there’s some variance.

The cause is increased precipitation and runoff from surrounding lakes and rivers, according to Harvey Shear, a Great Lakes specialist at the University of Toronto. These record highs come on the back of another year of high water in 2017, which was called a once-in-a-century phenomenon.

“Two years later, it was the exact same thing,” said Brett Christopher, the managing artistic director of the Thousand Islands Playhouse, a waterside theatre in Gananoque, Ont. “I’m hoping this is year one of the next hundred years, because it impacts our business.”

Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/small-business/article-great-lakes-tourism-businesses-struggle-with-record-high-water-levels

DETROIT EDISON, of 1955, departed Quebec City July 16th 1986, along with former fleet mate SHARON, in tow of the U.S. tug PRUDENT, to Brownsville, Texas for scrapping.

The SAGINAW BAY departed Quebec City on July 16, 1985, in tandem with the E.B. BARBER, towed by the Polish tug KORAL for scrapping at Vigo, Spain.

NORTHERN VENTURE, a.) VERENDRYE of 1944, entered Great Lakes service July 16, 1961, upbound light for the Canadian lake head to load grain.

On July 16, 1935, the BRUCE HUDSON capsized on Lake Ontario off Cobourg, Ontario, while in tow of the wooden-hulled tug MUSCALLONGE.

Keel-laying of the CHI-CHEEMAUN (Hull#205) was on July 16, 1973, at Collingwood, Ontario by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. for Ontario Northland Transport Commission.

CATARACT (wooden propeller, 15 foot', 352 tons, built in 1852, at Buffalo) caught fire on 16 July 1861, 5 miles off Erie, Pennsylvania. She became an inferno astern in just a few minutes and this prevented her boats from being launched. Four died. Some were saved by clinging to floating wreckage and some others were rescued by a small fishing boat. The schooner ST PAUL picked up some survivors. Among those picked up by Captain Mosher of the ST PAUL, were Captain McNally and the CATARACT's carpenter. Capt. Mosher had rescued these same two men in 1858, when the propeller INDIANA was lost in Lake Superior.

On 16 July 1873, the new barge MINNEAPOLIS was towed to Detroit for outfitting. She had just been launched four days earlier at Marine City, Michigan. While on the way to Detroit, a Canadian man named Sinclair fell overboard and drowned. On 16 July 1874, The Port Huron Times reported that "the old steamer REINDEER has been rebuilt to a barge by L. C. Rogers at H. C. Schnoor's shipyard at Fair Haven, [Michigan]. Her beautiful horns have been taken down, [she carried a set of large antlers], her machinery and cumbersome side-wheels removed, and she has been fully refitted with center arch and deck frame complex."

July 16, 1961, the PIONEER CHALLENGER entered service. Built in 1943, as a T-3 tanker a.) MARQUETTE, renamed b.) U.S.S. NESCHANIC (AO-71) in 1943, c.) GULFOIL in 1947, d.) PIONEER CHALLENGER in 1961, e.) MIDDLETOWN in 1962, and f.) AMERICAN VICTORY in 2006.

1911 ¬ MAINE, upbound with a load of coal, caught fire in the St. Clair River and was run aground on the Canadian shore. The crew escaped.

1958 ¬ The Swedish freighter ERHOLM and the FRANK ARMSTRONG of the Interlake fleet were in a collision in northern Lake St. Clair with minor damage to both ships. ERHOLM had earlier been a Great Lakes caller as a) ERLAND and later came through the Seaway in 1959-1960. It returned inland again in 1961 and 1962 as c) OTIS. The ship arrived at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, for scrapping as h) DIMITRA K. on August 25, 1980.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series – Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Crew of Michipicoten rescues jet skier on Lake Superior

7/14 - On the evening of Monday, July 8, 2019, the crew of the Michipicoten began a search operation in Lake Superior which led to the successful rescue of a jet skier at 0200 hours Tuesday.

The events began at approximately 2300 hours, when Michipicoten Captain Jonathan Barnes received a call from United States Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Soo regarding a missing jet skier out of Grand Portage, Minnesota. The jet skier’s last location was very close to the vessel’s intended track towards Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, approximately 25 nautical miles south of Isle Royal in Lake Superior, west of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Captain Jonathan Barnes recounted the evening: “After receiving the call, without hesitation we proceeded toward the coordinates provided by USCG. The gentleman on the jet ski had managed to have cell range for only a short period to make a call to the USCG. We were assisted by a USCG-dispatched helicopter. The crew did a fantastic job in preparing the deck to retrieve him, of course, not knowing the condition of the jet skier if found. The weather was fair, but moderately chilly. And, after some time, the jet skier was found in good health! Immediately USCG was informed, and it was discussed that the best course of action was to take him on the vessel to Sault Ste. Marie. At that time, we decided to retrieve his jet ski as well. This would prevent a future safety marine broadcast of an unmanned vessel if found. Once again, the crew did an amazing job retrieving the craft.”

By 0200 Tuesday, after all regulatory communication was complete, the Michipicoten resumed full speed and returned to the planned course to Sault Ste Marie, where the passenger could make plans to return to his family.

“Thank you to the crew of the Michipicoten for all your efforts for bringing this gentleman home safe to his family,” said Captain Gerry Ray, Vice President of Operations at Lower Lakes Towing.

“The crew’s search efforts at night and successful rescue are recognized by the USCG and others. This event is a testament to the great people we have in this company and on each one of our vessels. Congratulations for a job well done, and Bravo Zulu to all the crewmembers of the Michipicoten.”

Rand Logistics

USCG issues certificates of inspection to Great Lakes Towing tugs under Subchapter M

7/14 - The Great Lakes Towing Company has announced that eight of the company’s tugs, representing more than a quarter of its active harbor towing fleet, have received U. S. Coast Guard Certificates of Inspection. The Certificates of Inspection, issued a full month ahead of the required deadline, represent the company’s dedication to ensuring its tugs meet or exceed the newly implemented Coast Guard towing vessel inspection regulations, commonly referred to as Subchapter M.

The newly certified tugs include the CLEVELAND and OHIO, two newly constructed Damen Stan Tug 1907 ICE design boats, built by Great Lakes Shipyard, as well as the venerable “G” Tugs COLORADO, IOWA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW JERSEY, and WYOMING.

Nick Wallinder, HSSE Coordinator, leads the Towing Company’s Subchapter M compliance efforts. “We are very gratified to have hit this important milestone. It has been an all hands on deck’ effort. All of us, from our crews to our customers, should take pride in the fact that our tugs meet or exceed the industry’s highest levels of towing safety management,” said Wallinder.

Over the last few years, The Towing Company has worked in partnership with the USCG and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) in preparation for the enforcement of the new 46 CFR Subchapter M laws.

“ABS is an industry leader in supporting clients achieve compliance with the Subchapter M regulations. We are proud to have been part of team helping The Great Lakes Towing Company to achieve this milestone,” said Joseph Kelly, ABS Vice President, North America Regional Operations.

This initial issuance sets the stage for the next three years, during which the remainder of the Towing Company’s fleet will be inspected and issued COIs, and by 2022, the entire fleet will be in compliance.

“The Great Lakes Towing Company is at the forefront of the industry’s rigorous ambition to implement the new safety requirements of Subchapter M. I am particularly proud of my team, and as a company we truly appreciate the partnerships that have developed with the Coast Guard and ABS as we continue to obtain certificates for our tugs,” confirms Lindsay Dew, Director of Operations & Compliance.

Subchapter M has taken safety in the towing industry to a new and historic level by setting minimum safety standards for towing vessels, incorporating and building upon the regulatory safeguards already in place, to ensure that the entire industry achieves the level of safety necessary to protect lives, the environment, and property. The issuance of Certificates of Inspection for existing towing vessels is being phased in over four years. Subchapter M is the most important rulemaking ever to affect the tugboat industry, and the Towing Company is well on its way to successfully achieving full implementation throughout its entire operation across the Great Lakes.

Great Lakes Towing Co.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Walter J. McCarthy Jr. departed at 05:30 Saturday morning with coal from Midwest Energy, and John G. Munson was outbound at 08:00 light for Silver Bay after unloading slag at Hallett #8. Philip R. Clarke was expected shortly after 20:00 to discharge limestone at C. Reiss. Also in port were Joseph L. Block, loading blast furnace trim at Hallett #5; Roger Blough, loading ore at Canadian National; Trudy, unloading clay at Port Terminal; and Victoriaborg, on the hook outside the Duluth entry. Her current ETA is early Monday to load wheat at Riverland Ag. The only traffic through the Superior entry on Saturday was CSL Tadoussac, which was outbound at 07:00 with a load of iron ore for Nanticoke.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
American Integrity departed Two Harbors on July 13th at 08:11 for Gary. CSL Assiniboine arrived Two Harbors on July 13th at 18:52 for South of #2. Due Two Harbors on July 14th is the Edgar B. Speer. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw a rare visitor arrive on July 13th at approx. 12:31 in the John G. Munson. She arrived after unloading stone in the Twin Ports. As of 19:30 she was still at the loading dock. Due Silver Bay on July 14th is the Mesabi Miner.

Milwaukee, WI
Algoma Compass arrived with salt late Saturday. Volgaborg was also in port.

Indiana Harbor, IN
Wilfred Sykes arrived in the late afternoon to unload limestone. Presque Isle was unloading at Mittal West.

Burns Harbor, IN
Burns Harbor remained in port unloading Saturday night, with Stewart J. Cort due.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Niagara continued to load grain on Saturday.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Saturday Arrivals: Kaye E Barker arrived at AK Steel to unload ore. Michigan/Great Lakes arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal.

Oswego, NY – Ned Goebricher
Saturday McKeil Spirit unloaded cement while Evans Spirit unloaded unloaded aluminum.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Saturday July 13 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrivals - Jul 13 - Algocanada at 0947 - departed - Jul 12 - Edwin H Gott at 2207 westbound

Long Point Bay anchorage:
anchored - Jul 13 - Algoma Hansa at 1912

Buffalo:
docked - tall ship - Jul 4 - Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 1136

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 12 - Federal Saguenay (Bds) at 1842 and Florence Spirit at 2024 - Jul 13 - Algoma Hansa at 0607, Algoterra at 0813, Ebony Ray (Sgp) at 0935

downbound - Jul 12 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 1518, Manitoulin at 1537, Algoma Conveyor at 1723 and Algoma Spirit at 1825 - Jul 13 - Oslo Bulk 3 (Sgp) at 1900, Saginaw eta 2155

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jun 24 - Algoma Transport - stopped wharf 16 at 1410 - Jul 12 - Mississagi stopped wharf 12 at 1740 approx. - departures - Jul 13 - Mississagi from wharf 12 at 0621 approx. and Algoma Transport from wharf 16 at 0750 - both westbound

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 13 - Manitoulin at 0542, Algoma Spirit at 0911, Maria G (Mlt) at 1215 from Oshawa - docked - Jul 12 - Blair McKeil (ex Gagliarda-19) at 2022

Toronto:
arrival - Jul 12 - NACC Argonaut at 2140

Bronte:
arrival - Jul 12 - Algoterra at 0909 - departed Jul 13 at 0625 for the canal

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 12 - Robert S Pierson at 1858 - departed Jul 13 at 0428 eastbound

Mississauga:
arrival - Jul 9 - Adfines Sea (Mlt) (ex Osttank Norway-12) at 1724

Rare tours offered of Saginaw River Rear Range Lighthouse Friday, July 19

7/14 - The Saginaw River Marine Historical Society will offer public tours of Saginaw River Rear Range Lighthouse on Friday, July 19, and Saturday, July 20, during the Bay City (Michigan) Tall Ship Celebration. This will be the fifth time ever the lighthouse has open to the public.

Saginaw River Marine Historical Society

The AMERICAN REPUBLIC (Hull#724) was launched July 14, 1980, by the Bay Shipbuilding Co., Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for the American Steamship Co. She was renamed b) GREAT REPUBLIC in 2011.

While upbound in the St. Lawrence River on July 14, 1970, for Saginaw, Michigan, with a load of pig iron from Sorel, Quebec, the EASTCLIFFE HALL, of 1954, grounded in mud near Chrysler Shoal six miles above Massena, New York, at 03:00 hours but was able to free herself. A few hours later, approaching Cornwall, Ontario, she struck a submerged object and sank within a few minutes in 70 feet of water only 650 feet from the point of impact. The submerged object was believed to be an old aid to navigation light stand. Nine lives were lost. Divers determined that her back was broken in two places. After salvaging part of the cargo, her cabins were leveled and her hull was filled.

In 1988, the JOHN T. HUTCHINSON and tow mate CONSUMERS POWER passed through the Panama Canal heading for the cutter’s torch in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. On 14 July 1908, MENTOR (wooden propeller tug, 53 foot, 23 gross tons, built in 1882, at Saugatuck, Michigan) burned south of Chicago, Illinois. No lives lost. Her original name was HATTIE A. FOX.

On 14 July 1891, T H ORTON (wooden barge, 262 gross tons, built in 1873, at Buffalo, New York) anchored off Marblehead, Ohio, on Lake Erie to ride out a storm. She dragged her anchors and was driven ashore where she was declared a total wreck. She may have been recovered though. Just two years earlier, this vessel went through a similar incident at the same spot.

1891: ATHABASCA and PONTIAC collided head-on in the Sugar Island Channel of the St. Marys River and the latter settled on the bottom. The former arrived at Sault Ste. Marie, with wreckage draped across her bow. Both ships were repaired and returned to service.

1931: The bulk canaller TEAKBAY hit a rock in the Brockville Narrows of the St. Lawrence and went aground while enroute from Sandusky to Quebec City with coal. It was refloated but was listing and in need of repairs.

1964: DANIEL PIERCE, a former Great Lakes tanker, ran aground at Guanica, Puerto Rico. The ship was leaking sulphuric acid into the bilges mixing with salt water. The town was evacuated due to the potential for an explosion. The hull was condemned and eventually scrapped.

1966: The Israeli freighter ELAT, on her second trip to the Great Lakes, and LEMOYNE were in a collision near Lock 2 of the Welland Canal, with only minor damage. ELAT arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for scrapping by September 7, 1982, while LEMOYNE was broken up at Santander, Spain, in 1969.

1993: CALCITE II lost steering and ran aground in the Amherstburg Channel of the Detroit River. The ship was lightered, released with the help of the tugs PATRICIA HOEY, OREGON and STORMONT and, after unloading at Ecorse, headed for Toledo to be repaired.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Dave Wobser, Mike Nicholls, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series – Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Sarters take over Selvick’s marine towing business

7/13 - Sturgeon Bay, WI – The familiar green tugs docked in Sturgeon Bay officially have new owners. Don and Julie Sarter partnered with Sharon and Susan Selvick of Selvick Marine Towing back in 2014, but completed the sale of the business Thursday morning. After taking over for one family, Sarter hopes to continue the business with his own.

Renaming the business to Sarter Marine Towing may not be only change coming to the tugboats in the near future. The Ad Hoc West Waterfront Planning Committee recently recommended a possible secondary site for mooring the tug boats in addition to possible restrictions to fueling and pumping operations, maintenance activity, and dock wall space. The Selvick family had been operating the tugboats since 1969.

Door County Daily News

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Walter J. McCarthy Jr. arrived Duluth at 08:27 Friday morning to load coal at Midwest Energy, and Joseph L. Block was inbound at 14:00 with limestone to discharge at CN. The McCarthy was expected to depart from SMET at 21:00, and John G. Munson was expected just before midnight carrying slag for Hallett #8. Docked at the Port Terminal were Roger Blough, undergoing some form of repair work, and Trudy, unloading kaolin clay. Victoriaborg remained on the hook outside the Duluth harbor. In Superior, CSL Tadoussac arrived at 16:37 to load iron ore pellets at BN. She is expected to depart early Saturday.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader departed Two Harbors at 21:24 on the 11th for Conneaut. Arriving Two Harbors for South of #2 on July 11th at 22:07 was the Oakglen. She departed on July 12th at 13:53 for Quebec City. Arriving July 12th for South of #2 at 14:26 was the American Integrity. Due Two Harbors on July 13th is the CSL Assiniboine. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on July 12th and none scheduled on July 13th.

DeTour, MI
A busy Friday morning saw upbound traffic that included Victory 1, Cuyahoga, Philip R. Clarke and, minutes apart, CSL Assiniboine and Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin. Downbounders included Stewart J. Cort, Federal Cedar and, around noon, Kaye E. Barker. Wilfred Sykes departed Drummond Island with limestone for Indiana Harbor in the late morning.

Burns Harbor, IN
Burns Harbor was unloading Friday at her namesake port.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Niagara arrived at 9.30 am Friday and is at the grain elevators.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
GL Ostrander/Integrity arrived at Lafarge to unload cement. American Spirit arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to fuel.

Cleveland, OH – Bill Kloss
7/12 arrivals: Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41 to River Dock, Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder, and Sam Laud to the Bulk Terminal. The Tall Ships Festival is this weekend in Cleveland. The line up includes Appledore V, Belle Joile, Niagara, Bluenose II, STS Picton Castle, Pride of Baltimore, Denis Sullivan and Inland Seas. 7/12 departures: American Courage to Ashtabula

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Friday July 12 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrival - Jul 12 - Edwin H Gott at 0733 - departures - Jul 12 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0644 and Algoma Conveyor at 1425 - both for the canal

Buffalo:
docked - tall ship - Jul 4 - Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 1136

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 11 - tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 1801 - Jul 12 - Mississagi at 1024 (stopping wharf 12), Baie St Paul at 1126. tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II at 1225, Federal Saguenay (Bds) at 1842 and Florence Spirit at 2024

downbound - Jul 11 - Ocean Castle (Mlt) (ex Federal Mattawa-16) at 1831 and Algoterra at 2238 - Jul 12 - tug Albert (ex Craig Eric Reinauer-18, El Bronco Grande-06, launched as Hercules) at 0013, G3 Marquis at 0917, tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 1518, Manitoulin at 1537, Algoma Conveyor at 1723 and Algoma Spirit at 1825

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jun 24 - Algoma Transport - stopped wharf 16 at 1410 - Jul 12 - Mississagi stopped wharf 12 at 1740 approx.

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 12 - Mississagi at 0026, Blair McKeil (ex Gagliarda-19) at 2022 and - docked - Jul 10 - Florence Spirit at 1327 - departure - Jul 12 - Mississagi at 0815 - for the canal, Gaia Desgagnes at 1538 eastbound and Florence Spirit at 1726 for the canal

Toronto:
arrival - NACC Argonaut eta 2145

Bronte:
arrival - Jul 12 - Algoterra at 0909

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 12 - Robert S Pierson at 1858

Mississauga:
arrival - Jul 9 - Adfines Sea (Mlt) (ex Osttank Norway-12) at 1724 -

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 7 - Maria G (Mlt) (ex Gadwall-17) at 1828

Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher
On Friday, equipment from Dean Marine and Excavating was in town to repair the Oswego breakwall.

Forecast: 'Significant harmful' algal bloom to hit western Lake Erie

7/13 - A "significant harmful" algal bloom is being forecast for western Lake Erie this summer as researchers seek ways to deal with the outbreak, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Thursday.

Scientists from the University of Michigan said this year's bloom could measure 7.5 on the severity index, but could range between 6 and 9 with an index above 5 indicating a greater impact. The federal NOAA funds UM's research.

The severity index is based on the amount of algae over a sustained time period.

The algal bloom, researchers said, is not expected to take off until late July because the lake temperature has been cooler due to increased rainfall in the area. Later this month, water temperatures are expected to reach 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

"Because of the excessive spring precipitation, this year’s bloom is likely to be large," said University of Michigan aquatic ecologist Don Scavia, a member of the forecast team. "But bloom predictions — regardless of size — do not necessarily correlate with public health risk. Local weather conditions such as precipitation, wind direction and water temperature also play a role."

The presence of large algal blooms in Lake Erie's western half has become an annual occurrence. The green slime that fouls local beaches is generated, in part, by nutrients like phosphorus that make their way into the watershed.

While there are multiple sources of phosphorus, large farming operations are often cited as a major contributor to the problem.

Researchers said that the largest blooms happened last in 2010 with a severity index at 10 and 10.5 in 2015.

But it was in August 2014, with a lower forecast severity index, that local government officials issued a three-day advisory on drinking water after testing showed traces of toxic algae. As a result, 400,000 Ohio residents were without water, as well as 30,000 in Michigan's Monroe area.

Last year, the index was at 3.6 while in 2017 it spiked to 8, officials said.

More tranquil winds in the summer tend to allow the algal toxins to concentrate, making blooms more harmful, researchers said. The bloom typically peaks in the western part of the lake in September.

Read more and view images at this link: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/07/11/expect-another-huge-blob-algae-lake-erie-summer/39674621

Algoma's straight-deck bulk freighter ALGOWEST was christened at Collingwood on July 13, 1982. She was converted to a self-unloader in 1998, and renamed b.) PETER R. CRESSWELL in 2001.

SASKATCHEWAN PIONEER (Hull#258) was launched July 13, 1983, at Govan, Scotland, by Govan Shipbuilders Ltd. for Pioneer Shipping Ltd. (Misener Transportation Ltd., mgr.). Renamed b.) LADY HAMILTON in 1995. Purchased by Voyageur Marine Transport in 2006, she now sails as KAMINISTIQUA.

The LIGHTSHIP 103 was opened to visitors on July 13, 1974, at the city's Pine Grove Park along the St. Clair River.

The rebuilt BOSCOBEL was launched at the Peshtigo Company yard at Algonac, Michigan, on 13 July 1876. Originally built in 1867, as a passenger/package freight propeller vessel, she burned and sank near Ft. Gratiot in 1869. The wreck was raised, but no work was done until January 1876, when she was completely rebuilt as a schooner-barge at Algonac. She sank again in the ice on Lake Erie in 1895, and was again raised and rebuilt. She lasted until 1909, when she sank in the middle of Lake Huron during a storm.

On 13 July 1876, the Port Huron Weekly Times listed the following vessels as being idle at Marine City, Michigan: Steam Barges BAY CITY, D W POWERS and GERMANIA; steamer GLADYS; schooners TAILOR and C SPADEMAN; and barges MARINE CITY and ST JOSEPH.

On 13 July 1876, The Detroit Tribune reported that "the captain of a well-known Oswego vessel, on his last trip to Oswego, found that the receipts of the trip exceeded the expenses in the neighborhood of $250, and stowed $210 of the amount away in a drawer of his desk on the schooner. The money remained there some days before the captain felt the necessity of using a portion of it, and when he opened the drawer to take out the required amount he found that a family of mice had file a pre-emption claim and domiciled themselves within the recess, using the greenbacks with the utmost freedom to render their newly chosen quarters absolutely comfortable. A package containing $60 was gnawed into scraps the size of the tip of the little finger, while only enough of the larger package containing $150 remained to enable the astonished seaman to determine the numbers of the bills, so that the money can be refunded to him by the United States Treasury Department. The captain made an affidavit of the facts, and forwarded it and the remnants of the greenbacks to Washington, with the view of recovering the full value of the money destroyed. He is now on the way to Oswego with his vessel, and no doubt frequently ruminates over the adage, "The best laid schemes of mice and men . . .”

1941: The first COLLINGDOC was inbound with coal for the Thames River when it struck a mine off Southend, England, and sank. There were at least two casualties. The hull was later refloated and sunk along with another ship, believed to be the PONTO, as part of the Churchill Barriers off Scapa Flow, in the northern United Kingdom. In time, sand has blown in and covered much of the hull with only the cement-encased pilothouse visible at last report.

1978: OLAU GORM, best remembered as one of 4 freighters that had to spend the winter of 1964-1965 on the Great Lakes due to ice closing the Seaway, ran aground as f) FAST BREEZE in the Red Sea. The ship was enroute to from Piraeus, Greece, to Gizan, Saudi Arabia, and was refloated, with severe damage, on July 16. It was soon sold to Pakistani shipbreakers and was broken up at Gadani Beach in 1979.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Lakes limestone trade up slightly in June

7/12 - Cleveland, OH – Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 4,066,915 tons in June, an increase of less than 1 percent from a year ago. This June’s loadings were above the month’s 5-year average by 7 percent.

Loadings out of U.S. quarries totaled 3,400,440 tons, an increase of approximately 162,252 tons compared to a year ago. However, shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 666,475 tons, a decrease of 148,331 tons or 18 percent.

Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 10,753,764 tons, an increase of 15.8 percent compared to 2018. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries increased 15.6 percent from a year ago. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 1,846,696 tons, an increase of 264,980 tons.

Lake Carriers’ Association

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Michipicoten arrived Duluth at 05:38 Thursday morning and tied up at Canadian National to load iron ore. Paul R. Tregurtha was inbound at 09:21 for coal from Midwest Energy, and Roger Blough came in at 14:19 and backed into the Port Terminal slip for maintenance work. Michipicoten was outbound at 14:32 for the Soo. Trudy was also in port discharging kaolin clay at Port Terminal. Victoriaborg was on the hook outside the harbor, and has a tentative ETA of Sunday to load wheat at Riverland Ag. There was no traffic in Superior on Thursday, however the Blough is expected to shift down to BN once repair work is completed.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Indiana Harbor departed Two Harbors on July 11th at 03:50 for Gary. Algoma Enterprise arrived Two Harbors on the 11th at 04:02 for South of #2. She departed on the 11th at 12:48 for Quebec City. Arriving Two Harbors at 13:24 on July 11th was the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader for South of #2. Due Two Harbor at approx. 21:00 on the 11th is the Oakglen. Due Two Harbors on July 12th is the American Integrity. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on July 11th and none scheduled on the 12th.

Holland, MI
Manitowoc was arriving to unload Thursday evening.

Gary, IN
Edgar B. Speer was unloading Thursday evening.

Northern Lake Huron
Little Current:
Thursday; 5:35 The cruise ship Victory I arrived for shore excursions and departed at 21:46 for Sault Ste Marie On.

Alpena:
Wednesday; 23:29 G L Ostrander arrived to load cement products and departed Thursday at 11:32 for Detroit.

Stoneport:
Thursday; 1:17 Olive L Moore departed for Saginaw. 6:40 Herbert C Jackson arrived to load.

Calcite:
Wednesday; 23:11 American Mariner departed for Buffington. Thursday 0:03 Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. 4:47 H Lee White arrived to load. 7:10 Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder departed for Cleveland. 16:32 Joyce L Vanenkevort arrived and went to anchor.

Port Inland:
Thursday; 1:06 Manitowoc arrived to load and at 5:10 departed for Holland.

Brevort:
Thursday; 7:13 Defiance and Ashtabula departed for Buffalo. 15:53 Algoma Innovator arrived and went to anchor.

Port Dolomite:
Thursday;0:15 Joseph L Block departed for Duluth Superior.

Drummond Island:
Wednesday; 22:48 Great Republic arrived to load and departed Thursday at 10:20 for Fairport. Wilfred Sykes is due in to load early Friday.

Bruce Mines:
Thursday; 19:47 Saginaw arrived to load trap rock.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Compass loading was salt for Milwaukee on Thursday.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Thursday Arrivals: Alpena arrived at Lafarge to unload cement. Calusa Coast and Delaware arrived at the Marathon Asphalt Terminal to load. Spruceglen arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to fuel. Lee A Tregurtha arrived at AK Steel to unload ore.

Northeast Ohio ports – Bill Kloss
7/11 arrivals: American Spirit to Ashtabula, Federal Champlain to the Port dock 24W, American Courage to Arcelor Mittal, Sam Laud tied up at Lehigh Cement waiting to head to Arcelor Mittal. Algoma Buffalo to Lorain from Goderich.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Thursday July 11- Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrivals - Jul 10 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 1901 - Jul 11 - Algoma Conveyor at 080. departures - Jul 11 - James R Barker at 0732 westbound, Algoterra at 1520 eastbound

Buffalo:
docked Jul 4 - tall ship - Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 1136

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 10 - Spruceglen at 1029 and Algoma Conveyor at 2206 - Jul 11 - CSL Welland at 0749, Algoma Discovery at 1124, tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 1801 downbound - Jul 10 - tug Madison R & BTI 2010 and Mobro 2000 and Algosea at 2226 - Jul 11 - NACC Argonaut at 0107, Isabelle G (Por) (ex Eider-18) at 0318, Algoma Guardian at 0848, Mississagi at 1007, Ocean Castle (Mlt) (ex Federal Mattawa-16) at 1831

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jun 24 - Algoma Transport - stopped wharf 16 at 1410 -

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 11 - Gaia Desgagnes at 0635 and Mississagi eta at 2200 - docked - Jul 10 - Florence Spirit at 1327 - departure - Jul 11 - Algoma Discovery at 0857 for the canal

Toronto:
docked -Jul 9 - McKeil Spirit at 2207 - departed Jul 11 at 1318 eastbound

Bronte:
arrival - Jul 8 - Paul A Desgagnes at 2139 - departed Jul 11 at 2013 eastbound

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 11 - Robert S Pierson at 0654 - departed Jul 11 at 1724 eastbound

Mississauga:
arrival - Jul 9 - Adfines Sea (Mlt) (ex Osttank Norway-12) at 1724 -

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 7 - Maria G (Mlt) (ex Gadwall-17) at 1828

Enbridge begins geological work for Straits Line 5 tunnel, despite lawsuit

7/12 - Detroit, MI – Enbridge Energy is forging ahead with preparations to build a tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac to protect its controversial Line 5 oil and gas pipeline, even as the state seeks to block the project.

Meeting with reporters at the Detroit Wayne County Port Authority along the Detroit River on Wednesday, Enbridge officials outlined $40 million in engineering and geological preparations planned this year as part of a $500 million project to swap the dual pipelines and construct a tunnel around new pipe. Officials of the Calgary-based energy giant said that’s the best option for protecting the Great Lakes from an unlikely rupture without disrupting regional fuel supplies.

The highlight of Enbridge’s presentation on Wednesday: a tour of the Highland Eagle, a drilling vessel brought from the Irish Sea for the project. The ship was scheduled to depart Detroit on Wednesday night for a 36-hour voyage to the deepest stretches of the Straits, which separate Michigan’s two peninsulas.

Once in the Straits, rotating 38-member crews will drill holes deep into the bedrock and collect rock samples over a 72-day stretch. Meanwhile, a separate jack-up barge will drill six more boreholes – deep, narrow holes – along the lakebed nearer to shore.

Geological sampling is a critical step for finalizing designs and determining how to best build the 4-mile, 12-foot in diameter tunnel, Enbridge officials said.

Guy Jarvis, Enbridge’s executive vice president of liquids pipelines, called the vessel “tangible evidence” of the company’s commitment to move forward on the tunnel “in the face of the state’s attempts to invalidate prior agreements and shut down the pipeline.”

The preparations are the latest salvo in an ongoing battle between Enbridge and environmentalists and Democrats over the 66-year-old pipeline that carries up to 540,000 barrels of oil and gas liquids per day from Superior, Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ontario. Dogged by safety concerns, the pipeline was dented by an anchor last year, but hasn’t leaked in the Straits.

Two weeks ago, Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit to shut down Line 5 in the Straits. Her suit in Ingham County Circuit Court called the pipelines “a continuing threat of grave harm to critical public rights in the Great Lakes.”

Republicans criticized the suit, calling the tunnel proposal the safest alternative to protecting the pipeline without cutting off propane supplies that are vital to the Upper Peninsula.

In March, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a fellow Democrat, ordered state agencies to stop work on the tunnel project, which her Republican predecessor, Rick Snyder, greenlighted in his final days in office last year. In June, Enbridge sued in Michigan’s Court of Claims seeking to uphold its agreement with Snyder.

The litigation could take years to resolve, but Enbridge vows to be ready should its arguments prevail. The company obtained the state and federal permits for the geological work before its feud with the state escalated recently over tunnel plans.

Enbridge officials said the company could finish the tunnel by 2024 — with only two years to mine the tunnel itself.

First, however, crews must understand what lies beneath the Straits. “That’s why the Highland Eagle is here,” said Amber Pastoor, who manages the Line 5 replacement and tunnel project for Enbridge. “What is the material? What does the rock and soil of the Straits look like, so we can best design the tunnel?”

Bryan Newland, chairman of the Bay Mills Indian Community in the eastern Upper Peninsula, said he is skeptical of Enbridge’s campaign to tout its tunnel preparations.

He is among the tribal officials who have panned the tunnel plans, saying Native Americans had little voice in negotiations over the pipeline, even though the tunnel would have huge implications for their fishing rights in the Great Lakes.

Nineteenth-century treaties give Michigan tribes exclusive rights to fish in the Straits. “If the state does not authorize a tunnel, Enbridge will say we’ve already invested tens of millions of dollars,” Newland told Bridge Magazine. “This is a classic tactic … I hope the state doesn’t fall for it and put itself in a corner.”

Enbridge’s drilling is the first project of its kind in the Straits. The drill sitting atop the Highland Eagle will bore 18 holes into the Straits lakebed, so crews can collect core samples. Each borehole will take four days.

Crews sampled the Straits during construction of the Mackinac Bridge, which connects Mackinaw City and St. Ignace and opened in 1957. Those samples were limited and done without the high-tech tools that Enbridge is deploying.

The samples could reveal other information that will make geologists salivate, Pastoor said. Preliminary work from a near-shore barge revealed a fossilized worm thought to be 400 million years old, Pastoor said.

“There are a lot of geoscientists who are pretty geeked out by what we might find,” she said. “When this geotechnical program is done, we’re going to have the story of the history of the Straits. We’re going to be able to go as far back as 400 million years and understand how the Straits came to be and how Lake Michigan came to be.”

Read more and view images at this link: https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/enbridge-begins-geological-work-line-5-tunnel-despite-nessel-lawsuit

Retirees turning to volunteering at the Soo Locks

7/12 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Many retirees turn to volunteering to pass time while helping others, or helping out a cause. For one couple, connecting with community means traveling across the country to serve with the Army Corps of Engineers.

David and Mary Lynne Clark live in Alabama. Last fall, they volunteered at the WP Franklin Lock in Florida. They say one of the most exciting parts about that lock was seeing manatee’s that would “wait their turn” to lock through the system. That lock only drops or raises 3 feet.

This summer, the Clarks are volunteering in Sault Ste. Marie and the much bigger Soo Locks where the boats drop, or rise, 21 feet.

With the biggest freighters in the Great Lakes passing through, tourists have a lot of questions. That’s where David and Mary Lynne come in.

The Clarks camp for free at a local city campground as part of the volunteer program.

Soo Evening News

Port of Muskegon works for ‘competitive edge’ in international shipping

7/12 - Muskegon, MI – The Port of Muskegon has the capacity to increase shipping and could see that boost if it is able to find a competitive edge in attracting international ships to the shores of Muskegon Lake.

Over the past 20 years, the port welcomed just one international vessel on average annually, but it can handle more, said Chuck Canestraight, president of Port City Marine Services. “We’re a fully functional deep-water port and we’re open for business,” he said.

The port, through Mart Dock, received a single international shipment of 18,500 metric tons of magnetite in 2018. It came through the St. Lawrence Seaway from Sweden on the Osogovo freighter.

There were no international shipments in 2017, he said. There was one from Italy in 2016. There are two international shipments in the works for 2019. One, which is more likely, would be Italian foundry coke that’s fed to furnaces for energy. The other would be energy components.

Muskegon’s port faces many challenges when it comes to bringing in international freighters, Canestraight said. Most of the ships come through the St. Lawrence Seaway and there’s an added cost to sailing around the state to land in Muskegon.

“There’s a competitive edge to it,” he said. “We have to put the whole package together, including short shipping after landing.”

When it comes to ships traveling up the Mississippi River, challenges include a four-month shipping season and the fact that they are smaller boats with smaller shipments.

Muskegon is in a Catch-22 when it comes to competition with Indiana and Wisconsin ports, Canestraight said. The Muskegon port is at a disadvantage because “we don’t have personnel at the port on a routine basis because we don’t receive routine ships," he said.

Read more at this link: https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2019/07/port-of-muskegon-works-for-competitive-edge-in-international-shipping.html

Rand Logistics launches fourth annual marine miracle month program

7/12 - Jersey City, NJ – Rand Logistics Inc. has announced the launch of its fourth annual Marine Miracle Month, a program to benefit children’s charities.

As the cornerstone of the 2019 Marine Miracle Month program, Rand will donate $0.05 for every ton of cargo carried by its fleet during the month of August to non-profit organizations with a primary focus on the health and wellbeing of children.

The company will provide its customers the opportunity to select the children’s charity of their choice and will make the donations in each customer’s honor. The donation amount will be based upon the total cargo volume (tonnage) each customer ships during the program month. Rand’s goal is to exceed the total donations raised and the number of organizations served during the 2018 Marine Miracle Month program.

“Now in its fourth year, Marine Miracle Month has created a vehicle for Rand to give back to the communities in which we operate and expand the reach of our corporate social responsibility efforts, while strengthening partnerships with our valued customers and vendor partners,” said Aaron Degodny, Rand’s President and Chief Operating Officer.

“Rand introduced the Marine Miracle Month program in 2016, and we are proud to have contributed $400,000 to date to various charitable organizations across the Great Lakes. We are pleased to continue the program as an annual event for the organizations and children in the communities that it positively impacts.”

Rand Logistics, Inc.

On this day in 1978, the keel for Hull #909 was laid at Toledo, Ohio, after Interlake Steamship and Republic Steel signed a 25-year haulage contract. Hull#909 was to be named WILLIAM J. DE LANCEY and renamed PAUL R. TREGURTHA in 1990.

On July 12, 2005, the DAY PECKINPAUGH, under tow of the tug BENJAMIN ELLIOT, departed the lakes through the New York State Barge Canal to Lockport, New York for a new life as a traveling history museum.

The BELLE RIVER, renamed b.) WALTER J. McCARTHY JR in 1990, was christened on July 12, 1977, as American Steamship's first thousand-footer and the first thousand-footer built at Bay Shipbuilding.

The H. M. GRIFFITH (Hull#203) was launched July 12, 1973, at Collingwood, Ontario by Collingwood Shipyards for Canada Steamship Lines. Rebuilt with a new cargo section in 2000, renamed b.) RT. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN.

In 1986, when ENDERS M. VOORHEES was chained together with her sisters, A.H. FERBERT and IRVING S. OLDS, a severe thunderstorm struck Duluth, Minnesota, pushing the trio across St. Louis Bay, eventually grounding them near Superior, Wisconsin. It was discovered that the force of the storm had pulled the bollards out of the Hallett Dock No. 5, thus releasing the ships.

On July 12, 1958, Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd.'s FRANK A. SHERMAN entered service, departing Port Weller Dry Docks, for Duluth and a load of iron ore on its maiden voyage.

On 12 July 1871, ADVANCE (wooden scow-schooner, 49 tons, built in 1847, at Fairport, Ohio), was bound for Detroit from Cleveland with a load of coal. She and the steamer U S GRANT collided near South Bass Island (Put-in-Bay) in Lake Erie and ADVANCE sank. Her crew escaped in the yawl.

On 12 July 1852, CITY OF OSWEGO (wooden propeller passenger-package freight vessel, 138 foot, 357 tons, built in 1852, at Buffalo, New York) collided with the steamer AMERICA and sank off Willoughby, Ohio, a few miles east of Cleveland. 15 lives were lost. This was CITY OF OSWEGO's first season of operation.

On 12 July 1889, T.H. ORTON (wooden barge, 262 gross tons, built in 1873, at Buffalo, New York) anchored off Marblehead, Ohio on Lake Erie to ride out a storm. She dragged her anchors and was driven ashore where she was declared a total wreck. She was recovered and just two years later, at the same place, this incident was repeated.

190:9 The ore laden JOHN B. COWLE (i) was struck amidships by the ISAAC M. SCOTT off Whitefish Point, Lake Superior, and sank with the reported loss of 11 lives. 1917: GEORGE N. ORR was wrecked at Savage Point in the Strait of Northumberland, Prince Edward Island, on her way to New York City and wartime saltwater service. The vessel had been cut in two and towed from the lakes to be rejoined at Montreal. 1969: The deep-sea tug MISSISSIPPI arrived at Bilbao, Spain, with the lakers DONNACONA (ii) and BEN E. TATE, for scrapping.

1977: The stern section of the former canaller BIRCHTON was raised at Halifax after the two parts, which had been created for use as pontoons in the construction of offshore drilling platforms, sank at the dock.

1985: MONTY PYTHON first visited the Great Lakes as a) MONTE ZALAMA in 1970. It returned as b) MONTY PYTHON after being renamed in 1985. The ship drifted aground in the St. Lawrence off La Ronde while loading scrap at Montreal and had to be lightered to P.S. BARGE NO. 1 before floating free on July 18. This saltwater vessel was sold for scrap before the year was out and arrived at Dalian, China, on November 3, 1985, to be dismantled.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

American Integrity breaks Soo Locks tonnage record

7/11 - The 1,000-foot-long American Integrity, carrying a record-breaking 76,063 net tons of iron ore, locked through July 8 at 3:57 a.m. headed for Detroit, MI. Her draft was 28 feet 10 inches, according to officials at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Soo Locks.

A few hours earlier, she was preceded by fleet mate Walter J. McCarthy Jr., which was reported to have had 75,387 net tons on board, also a record load. The vessels are owned by the American Steamship Co.

In carrying the cargo, the American Integrity broke her own record of 75,095 net tons, set on Sept. 23, 2017.

Lake Erie hits new record high water level, more to come

7/11 - Toledo, OH – The US Army Corps of Engineers confirmed Tuesday that the Great Lakes are filled to the brim, and Lake Erie and Lake Ontario are leading the pack.

The average water level on Lake Erie during the month of June was the highest ever recorded for any month beating out the old record set in 1986 and also the high water mark set in May of this year. Lake Erie's average June water level hit 574.61 feet according to the US Army Corps of Engineers preliminary data.

The lake is expected to rise another 2 inches during July, which would set another all time record high for the lake. Lake St. Clair, and Lake Ontario also set all time record high water levels. Lake Superior recorded the highest June water level ever recorded, but it fell just short of the highest water level on record. Water level records started on the Great Lakes in 1918. High water levels make the area vulnerable to lakeshore flooding and erosion when the wind comes off of the lake.

WTVG

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Presque Isle departed Duluth at 09:08 Wednesday morning after loading iron ore pellets at CN. There was no traffic for the rest of the day, however the saltie Trudy was expected around 22:00 with a load of general cargo for Port Terminal. In Superior, Burns Harbor departed at 00:38 with ore for her namesake port, and Stewart J. Cort was inbound at 14:20 to load at Burlington Northern.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Algoma Spirit departed Two Harbors on July 9th at 22:33 for Hamilton. Arriving Two Harbors on July 10th at 15:02 was the Indiana Harbor for South of #2. Anchoring off Two Harbors on the 10th at approx. 17:45 was the Algoma Enterprise. She is SSE of the breakwall. Due Two Harbors on the 11th are the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader and the Oakglen. An update on the Gott. She is headed for Nanticoke. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on July 10th and none scheduled on the 11th. When the American Century departed on the 8th she didn't have an updated AIS. She is headed for Indiana Harbor.

Milwaukee, WI
Isadora arrived from Burns Harbor Wednesday morning.

Burns Harbor, IN
John G. Munson departed with slag in the late afternoon. Wilfred Sykes remained at the unloading dock while mechanical problems with the dock were addressed. She was still there at 10 p.m.

Northern Lake Huron

Midland:
Wednesday; 7:15 The cruise ship Pearl Mist arrived for shore excursions and departed at 17:25 for Windsor.

Alpena:
Wednesday; 4:35 Defiance and barge Ashtabula departed for Brevort. 5:13 The cement carrier Alpena arrived to load and at 9:42 departed for Detroit.

Stoneport:
Wednesday; 10:10 Joseph H Thompson departed for Toledo.12:30 Olive L Moore arrived to load.

Calcite:
Wednesday; 4:49 American Mariner arrived to load. 8:46 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes arrived to unload petroleum products and departed at 16:56 for Cheboygan. 17:10 Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder arrived and went to anchor.

Port Inland:
Wednesday; 1:03 John J Boland departed for Indiana Harbor. 1:09 Joseph L Block weighed anchor and proceed to the loading dock. After taking on a partial load Joseph L Block departed at 8:18 for Port Dolomite.

Brevort:
Wednesday; 15:00 Defiance and Ashtabula arrived to load.

Port Dolomite: Wednesday; 17:48 Joseph L Block arrived to finish loading.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Wednesday Arrivals: H Lee White arrived at Zug Island to unload ore. Philip R Clarke arrived at McCoig Concrete to unload stone. Hon. James L Oberstar arrived at AK Steel to unload ore. Calumet arrived at Zug Island to load coke.

Cleveland, OH – Bill Kloss
7/10 arrivals: Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader with ore for the Bulk Terminal and American Courage to the Bulk Terminal for a shuttle to Arcelor Mittal. 7/10 departures: Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader to Two Harbors, NACC Argonaut to Bath and Sam Laud to Ashtabula for a shuttle to Cleveland.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Wednesday July 10 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrivals - Jul 10 - Algoterra at 0723 and Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 1029 - Jul 10 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 1901 from the anchorage and James R Barker at 1950 - departures - Jul 10 - Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 1802 westbound and Algosea at 1832 for the canal

Long Point Bay anchorage:
anchored - Jul 9 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0935 - departed Jul 10 at 1845 for the dock

Buffalo:
docked - tall ship - Jul 4 - Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 1136 - departures - Jul 10 - Empire Sandy (Can) at 0808 and Picton Castle (Cook.Is) at 1037 - both for Cleveland

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 9 - Algoma Strongfield at 1221 and Federal Champlain (Mhl) at 2126 - Jul 10 - CSL Assiniboine at 0134, Algonova at 0551, USCG Morro Bay at 0818 and Spruceglen at 1029

downbound - Jul 9 - CSL Niagara at 1200, Federal Beaufort (Mhl) at 1316, Kaministiqua at 1334, John D Leitch at 1706, tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II at 1918 and Qamutik (Nld) (ex Edisongracht-10) at 2027 - Jul 10 Florence Spirit at 0057, Tim S Dool at 0350 (from wharf 16) and tug Madison R & BTI 2010 and Mobro 2000

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jun 24 - Algoma Transport - stopped wharf 16 at 1410 - Jul 8 - Tim S Dool stopped wharf 16 at 2018 - departed Jul 10 at 0350 down bound

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 9 - Algoma Conveyor at 2224 - Jul 10 - Florence Spirit at 1327 and Algoma Discovery at 1554 - departures - Maccoa (Cyp) at 1400 for Belgium and Algoma Conveyor at 2010 for the canal

Toronto:
arrivals - Jul 7 - tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 2229 - departed Jul 10 at 1612 eastbound

Bronte:
arrival - Jul 8 - Paul A Desgagnes at 2139

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 9 - Robert S Pierson at 2152 - departed Jul 10 at 0643 eastbound

Mississauga:
arrival - Jul 9 - Adfines Sea (Mlt) (ex Osttank Norway-12) at 1724 - note * listing as an arrival at Clarkson was in error yesterday

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 7 - Maria G (Mlt) (ex Gadwall-17) at 1828

Water taxis and tiki tours offer new options for enjoying the Detroit River

7/11 - Detroit’s greatest natural asset, the Detroit River, has been sorely underused over the years. There aren’t many places to swim in the river, and only recently has the riverfront been activated in a meaningful way. And while there are options for renting a kayak, boating has largely been reserved for members of the yacht club or residents of the city’s canal district.

No longer. Soon, there will be multiple ways to access the Detroit River by boat.

Aloha Tiki Tours launched this summer and has already received favorable reviews. The boat tour was started by Nick Blaszczyk, owner of the popular and somewhat controversial Pedal Bar Detroit, where up to 16 patrons pedal and drink their way through downtown streets.

The tiki rides, which cost between $250-$300 depending on the day, accommodate six people per boat and last two hours. The tours start at either Sindbad’s Restaurant and Marina in Detroit or Blossom Heath Park and Pier in Saint Claire Shores. Guests bring their own food or beverages.

Another, more practical option won’t be available until next summer: water taxis. Crain’s Detroit Business reports that the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority will soon issue a request for qualifications for a private ferry operator to be awarded by the end of the year.

An exact route for the taxis hasn’t been determined yet, but Kyle Burleson, executive director for the port authority, told Crain’s that stops will likely be isolated to the west riverfront, downtown, and Belle Isle at first.

Money for the water taxis was actually awarded in 2010 from a $2.4 million Federal Highway Administration grant.

Curbed Detroit

Innovative Innovator makes Grand Haven debut

7/11 - Grand Haven, MI – Most of the freighter traffic we receive in Grand Haven is done by vessels that have spent years coming in and out of the Grand River, dropping off cargoes to local docks. But there is a first for everything, and every ship that visits our port has had a first visit.

This past week, we saw four vessels visit, three of which were frequent visitors and one that was calling on the port of Grand Haven for the first time.

Pere Marquette Shipping’s tug Undaunted and bargePere Marquette 41 arrived in port July 4, navigating through the flurry of pleasure boat traffic that was on the Grand River and Lake Michigan for the holiday. The duo was bound for the Verplank dock in Ferrysburg to unload a stone cargo from Cedarville. They were in town for the fireworks and backed out to Lake Michigan early Friday morning.

Interlake Steamship Co.’s Kaye E. Barker had arrived off Grand Haven on Thursday night and was waiting for the Undaunted/PM41 to depart. Both freighters had to unload their cargoes at the same area of Verplank’s, so the Barker had to wait until the PM41 was gone.

The Barker started unloading at Verplank’s before sunrise and was backing out to Lake Michigan by mid-morning.

Saturday afternoon saw the Wilfred Sykes visit with a load of slag for Meekhof’s D&M on Harbor Island. The Sykes was outbound to the lake at around midnight.

At dawn Sunday, Algoma Central Corp.’s Algoma Innovator came in with a load of stone for the D&M dock. The vessel backed out shortly after noon.

The Algoma Innovator is a new vessel we have not seen before in Grand Haven. It entered service last season as part of Algoma’s fleet renewal program that began in 2012.

Built in 2017 at 3 Maj Shipyard in Croatia, the Algoma Innovator’s design is, well, innovative. Its boom is mounted forward, while the pilothouse is located aft. This gives the vessel incredible versatility, as it can make deliveries to docks that are hard to access by vessels with stern-mounted unloading equipment.

While other new vessels have been built to the maximum dimensions the St. Lawrence Seaway and Welland Canal locks will allow, the Innovator is the first of two river-class ships Algoma ordered. The Innovator and its sister ship (which has yet to arrive on the Great Lakes) are 650 feet, 8 inches long; 78 feet wide; and 44 feet, 9 inches deep.

They have replaced the Algorail and Algoway, both of which were very common visitors to Grand Haven and West Michigan during their careers for Algoma. These two vessels are currently being cut up at International Marine Salvage in Port Colborne, Ontario.

While it is sad to see old, classic vessels being scrapped, boatwatchers will enjoy seeing some of the most technologically advanced vessels on the Great Lakes for years to come.

Sam Hankinson/Grand Haven Tribune

On this day in 1962, the EDWARD L. RYERSON carried a record cargo of 24,445 tons of iron ore through the newly opened Rock Cut Channel. The new channel increased allowable depths by 26 inches to 25 feet 7 inches.

On this day in 1943, the new MacArthur Lock was formally opened to traffic. The first boat to lock through during the ceremonies was the upbound CARL D. BRADLEY, Captain F. F. Pearse. There were 250 dignitaries and passengers aboard the Bradley during the lockage. The first downbound vessel was the new Leon Fraser of the Pittsburgh Steamship fleet.

The INDIANA HARBOR was christened July 11, 1979.

On 11 July 1888, the 2-mast wooden schooner JOHN TIBBETS was carrying coal on Lake Erie when she foundered in the shallows near Clear Creek, 7 miles west of Port Rowan, Ontario and then broke up in the storm waves. Her crew made it to shore in the yawl. She was built in 1863, at Clayton, New York on the hull of the Canadian schooner PERSEVERANCE, which was originally built in 1855.

The PERSIA, a 150-foot passenger/package freight vessel, was launched at Melancthon Simpson's shipyard at St. Catharines, Ontario, on 11 July 1873. She was built at a cost of $37,000. She lasted until the 1920's when she was converted to a barge and then abandoned.

MONTEZUMA (3-mast wooden schooner-barge, 341 feet, 2,722 gross tons) was launched at the John Davidson shipyard (Hull #102) in West Bay City, Michigan, on 11 July 1903. She was one of the largest wooden vessels ever built. It was later stated in the press that the reason Davidson's last large vessels took so long to build was the difficulty in obtaining the required large oak timbers and their expense. As steel went down in price, wood went up, and Davidson's last hulls cost as much as comparably-sized steel ones. At the time of launching this vessel the Davidson shipyard announced that it would not build any more wooden freight vessels. 1915: CHOCTAW, enroute from Cleveland to Duluth with a cargo of coal, sank following a collision with the WAHCONDAH in foggy Lake Huron. All on board were saved.

1940: WILLIAM F. STIFEL ran aground in the St. Clair River near Port Lambton and was struck by the ALBERT E. HEEKIN. 1964: CHEMBARGE NO. 4, formerly a) JUDGE KENEFICK and b) H.J. McMANUS was towed out into Lake Huron by ATOMIC and ABURG and scuttled in deep water about 16 miles off Goderich after sulphuric acid began leaking into the bilges of the recently-converted tanker barge.

2007: CANADIAN NAVIGATOR lost power and went aground in mud off Courtright and six tugs were needed to pull the ship free.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Great Lakes iron ore trade down 5.7 percent in June

7/10 - Cleveland, OH – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.7 million tons in June, a decrease of 5.7 percent from 2018. Shipments were, however, nearly even with the month’s 5-year average.

Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 20.19 million tons, almost matching the previous year’s total of 20.15 million tons. Iron shipments are ahead of their 5-year average for the first half of the year. Loadings have increased more than 840,000 tons.

Algoma's order could save Croatia's troubled 3 Maj shipyard, says report

7/10 - Zagreb, Croatia – The CEO of Croatia's troubled 3 Maj shipyard Edi Kucan believes that the key to avoiding bankruptcy is to complete the construction of the hull of a bulk carrier for Canada's Algoma Central Corporation.

Hull 733 is 80% complete, and if an agreement is reached with the government to provide 120 million euro ($134.8 million/890.5 million kuna) for the completion of the remaining unfinished ships, the troubled shipyard will live to see 2020, news portal poslovni.hr reported.

The shipyard currently has four ships under construction. 3 Maj is part of Croatia's troubled shipbuilding group Uljanik Group, which is already undergoing bankruptcy proceedings.

See News

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
The Twin Ports had another quiet day on Tuesday. In Duluth, Presque Isle arrived at 19:10 to load iron ore pellets at CN, and in Superior, Burns Harbor was inbound at 10:58 to pick up ore at Burlington Northern. Both vessels are expected to depart Wednesday morning.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Edwin H. Gott arrived Two Harbors on July 8th at 21:42 for South of #2. She departed Two Harbors on the 9th at 07:09. As of 19:30 on the 9th her AIS hasn't been updated. Getting underway off Two Harbors on the 9th at approx. 06:45 was the Algoma Spirit. She arrived thru the piers at 07:27. As of 19:30 on the 9th she was still at South of #2. Due Two Harbors on July 10th are the Indiana Harbor and the Algoma Enterprise. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of the American Century at 19:04 on the 9th. As of 19:30 she had no updated AIS. There is no traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on July 10th.

Green Bay, WI
7-9-19: Great Republic arrived at 7:30 p.m. with cargo of limestone from Port Inland to the Graymont Terminal.

Burns Harbor, IN
Wilfred Sykes arrived Tuesday morning to unload limestone. John G. Munson was loading slag. Anglian Lady and barge departed. Saltie Isdora was also in port, likely unloading steel.

Gary, IN
Walter J. McCarthy Jr. was unloading taconite at U.S. Steel on Tuesday.

Northern Lake Huron

Bruce Mines:
Monday; 4:06 Mississagi arrived to load trap rock and departed at 11:18 for Hamilton.

Thessalon:
Monday; 21:13 After taking on a partial load Algoma Innovator departed for Meldrum Bay.

Meldrum Bay:
Tuesday 0:00 Algoma Innovator arrived to finish loading and departed at 5:28 for Sarnia.

Parry Sound:
Tuesday; 7:34 The cruise ship Pearl Mist arrived for shore excursions and departed at 20:09 for Midland.

Alpena:
Tuesday; 3:31 Samuel De Champlain arrived to load cement products and departed at 10:28 for Milwaukee. 16:25 Defiance and barge Ashtabula arrived to unload slag.

Calcite:
Tuesday; 6:10 Cason J Callaway departed for Calumet. 11:35 Philip R Clarke departed for Detroit.

Stoneport:
Tuesday; 18:24 Joseph H Thompson arrived to load limestone. Port Inland:
Tuesday; 13:12 John J Boland arrived to load. 20:30 Joseph L Block arrived and went to anchor.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Buffalo was loading for Hamilton on Tuesday.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Tuesday Arrivals: CSL Taudoussac arrived at St. Mary's Cement to unload clinker. Spartan/Spartan 2 arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal. Kaye E Barker arrived at the Motor City Materials dock to unload stone. American Integrity arrived at Zug Island to unload ore. Whitefish Bay arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to fuel. Herbert C Jackson arrived at AK Steel to unload ore.

Toledo, OH
MV Isabelle G departed 7/9 from Anderson’s dock loaded with grain for Egypt. Federal Baltic off loaded at Midwest and departed 7/9 for Thunder Bay to load potash

Cleveland, OH – Bill Kloss
7/9 arrivals: NACC Argonaut to LaFarge with cement, American Courage with ore from Ashtabula and Sam Laud to the Bulk Terminal for another shuttle. 7/9 departures: Volgaborg to Milwaukee

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Tuesday July 9 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrival - Jul 9 - Algosea at 1200

Long Point Bay anchorage:
anchored - Jul 9 - tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0935

Buffalo:
arrival - Jul 9 - Calumet at 1149 - docked - tall ships - Jul 4 - Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 1136, Picton Castle (Cook.Islands) at 1347, Empire Sandy (Can) at 1505 - departures - Jul 8 - brig Niagara (Ame) at 2052 and Calumet at 1942 westbound

Port Colborne anchorage:
anchored - Jul 9 - tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement at 1314, John D Leitch at 1336 and Qamutik at 1547 - departed for the canal - Jul 9 - John D Leitch at 1635, Qamutik (Nld) (ex Edisongracht-10) at 1756 and tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II at 1845

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 8 - s/v Fair Jeanne, Whitefish Bay at 1534 and Algosea at 2117 - Jul 9 - Tecumseh at 0126, tug Kristin Joelle & barges at 0457, tug Wyatt McKeil with GL-5 & GL-6 at 0500, Algoma Strongfield at 1221 and Federal Champlain (Mhl) eta 2059

downbound - Jul 8 - Happy River (Nld) at 1742, Tim S Dool at 1939 and light tug Wyatt M at 2034 - Jul 9 - Algoma Conveyor at 0921, tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 0932, tug Wilf Seymour & Alouette Spirit at 1123, CSL Niagara at 1200, Federal Beaufort (Mhl) at 1316, Kaministiqua at 1334, John D Leitch at 1706, tug Sea Eagle II & St Marys Cement II at 1918 and Qamutik (Nld) (ex Edisongracht-10) at2027

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jun 24 - Algoma Transport - stopped wharf 16 at 1410 - Jul 8 - Tim S Dool stopped wharf 16 at 2018

Hamilton:
arrivals - Algoma Conveyor eta 2255 docked - Jul 5 - Maccoa (Cyp) at 1945 - departure - Jul 9 - Algoma Strongfield at 0629

Toronto:
arrivals - Jul 7 - tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 2229 - Jul 8 - Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 1844 from wharf 2 Port Weller - departure - Jul 9 - Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 1506 eastbound to Brockville

Bronte:
arrival - Jul 8 - Paul A Desgagnes at 2139

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 9 - Adfines Sea (Mlt) (ex Osttank Norway-12) at 1724

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 7 - Maria G (Mlt) (ex Gadwall-17) at 1828

When a north wind hits a record-high Lake Erie, here’s what happens

7/10 - Cleveland, OH – When a big north wind hits record-high Lake Erie, Ohio’s north coast gets big waves. Social media was flooded Sunday and Monday with photos of flooded yards, water overtaking roads and waves crashing into breakwalls.

Lake Erie rose to an all-time record high last month, with lake levels 32 inches higher than normal. The north wind brings waves, as well as a natural phenomenon called a seiche, a change in water level across the lake because of wind or atmospheric pressure. A seiche pushed the lake level a foot higher.

The lake was so high at Bay Point that a marina shut down, said Scudder Mackey, of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Coastal Management office. “If you have waves on top you could also see accelerated erosion,” Mackey said. “It’s whatever Mother Nature is going to send our way.”

See images at this link: https://www.cleveland.com/news/2019/07/when-a-north-wind-hits-a-record-high-lake-erie-heres-what-happens.html

Mystery shrouds Great Lakes anchor strikes amid Line 5 worries

7/10 - Detroit, MI – Shipping industry experts were taken aback following a federal report describing last year's anchor strike on the controversial Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac.

A 12,000-pound anchor accidentally dropped into the Straits, sliced five cables, dinged the dual oil pipeline and lost its flukes and crown, and wasn't discovered until the tug and barge to which it belonged neared Indiana Harbor. At the other end of Lake Michigan. Two days later.

“That’s a bunch of bull----,” said a flabbergasted Frank Frisk, a Great Lakes maritime consultant who worked on Great Lakes freighters. “The shipping company’s at fault for that one, for not having the boat properly manned.”

The April 1, 2018 anchor strike hastened negotiations between the state of Michigan and Line 5 owner Enbridge about the future of the 66-year-old pipeline on the Straits lake bed. And the June National Transportation Safety Board report on the incident was featured in Attorney General Dana Nessel’s lawsuit seeking a permanent injunction from the courts on the operation of Line 5’s Straits segment.

A report issued a year prior to the April 2018 incident cited anchor strikes as the biggest risk to Line 5 pipeline, but records of such strikes in the area are hard to find.

Prior to the 2018 incident, state agencies have records for one to three anchor strikes in the Straits that date back to the late 1970s. Federal agencies have no ready records to prove any other anchor strikes in the Straits or the Great Lakes other than the 2018 incident.

That's not to say anchor strikes don't happen — in the Great Lakes and elsewhere. A 2017 study by a Norwegian maritime and oil and gas risk analysis group estimated that globally there were seven to 10 anchor losses per 1,000 ships between 2007 and 2015 and cited concerns about an increase in anchor strikes.

All it takes is one of those lost anchors to snag or hook into the pipeline and reap disaster, as was nearly the case in 2018, said Capt. Dan Gallagher, president of the Lake Pilots Association.

“There’s always a risk, yes,” Gallagher said. “I think everybody in the maritime community has taken this very seriously.”

A state-commissioned 2017 study meant to analyze the potential risks associated with the Straits pipeline noted anchor strikes represent 75% of the annualized total failure probability. An engineer from the group that conducted the analysis said there was about a 1-in-60 chance of failure on the roughly 4-mile segment over 35 years.

But in the Great Lakes, records indicating such inadvertent strikes, dragging or snagging are scarce.

The only state evidence of an anchor strike prior to the 2018 incident traces back to a letter sent by Consumers Power Company to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in June 1979, correspondence referenced in Nessel’s lawsuit.

The letter notes that an April 1979 outage on the company’s 46-kilovolt cables crossing the Straits was believed to have occurred because “a ship dragging anchor accidentally hooked into the cables,” severing two and damaging two others. The Consumers Power’s easement required it to notify the DNR of the repairs, one of the only reasons the DNR had a record of the assumed anchor strike.

Two other letters between the department and Consumers Power in 1983 and 1986 also mentioned damage to submerged Straits cables, but don't cite the cause of the damage.

Read more at this link: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/07/08/anchor-strike-biggest-risk-line-5-few-incidents-great-lakes/1616215001

"You can't beat the river:" Homes damaged as Lake St. Clair breaks record heights

7/10 - St Clair County, MI – Lakefront views can be blessings for residents. Until that lakefront starts encroaching beyond its normal levels. "You can't beat the river; it wins all the time," said Pat Hughes, of Algonac.

It may seem like a tired story, but reports of flooding have continued to come in as Great Lakes' water levels reached heights not seen since the Army Corps of Engineers started record keeping their levels. Over the Fourth of July Lakes Superior, Erie and Ontario broke heights.

But that's not the only lake breaking records. "You couldn't see grass, it was all water here," said Ron Deriemacker, "It was like a lake."

Or at least an extension of one. Among other water bodies breaking records is Lake St. Clair. It's three feet higher now than it was a year ago. About 200 homes have taken on water. That means yards saturated, dry wall soaked and sand bags filled - about 500,000 of them since the water woes began in May.

And the levels are expected to continue climbing. "We are at a critical tipping point with many of our homes and businesses being impacted by floodwaters," said Justin Westmiller, the director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management with St. Clair County.

He said levels will go up another three inches in July. There's many factors contributing to the historic highs of the Great Lakes. "We are holding onto so much water and that's allowing the water to rise in the Great Lakes," he said, "and then we had a huge runoff this past spring and that also added to our lake level so we just got a unique situation."

Several communities elsewhere have found themselves struggling with water levels. From Harrison Township to neighborhoods in Detroit, many cities are attempting to mitigate flooding. Effects have even been exposed on Belle Isle.

Along with the melting snowpack, residents have to also factor in the ubiquitous rainfall in May and June. Those are environmental effects that can't be controlled. But there are other things residents can.

"The biggest problem is actually the boats that go by here," said Deriemacker. "They don't pay attention to the wake laws and they go fast and the water is so high in the canals it comes right over the top."

The county currently owns three pumps, all of which are working full time. They're trying to by five more.

So what would help the water levels go down? Consider a scenario as extreme as the one that placed Michigan in this situation.

"To get as hot as we can for the next two or three months and burn off as much water as we can," said Westmiller, "and then we have a very very mild winter - so that's the super best case scenario."

Fox 2

On this day in 1979, Captain Thomas Small had his license for Master of Steam and Motor Vessel of any gross tonnage renewed at the St. Ignace Coast Guard Station. Captain Small, a retired Pittsburgh Steamship employee and 106 years of age, was the oldest person to be licensed and the issue number of his license is the highest ever issued by the Coast Guard 14-17 (14th masters license and 17th license as a pilot, mate, or master).

On July 10, 2005, noted marine photographer Paul Wiening passed away at his residence in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

G. A. TOMLINSON (Hull#370) was launched at the American Ship Building Co., Lorain, Ohio, on July 10, 1909, for the Douglas Steamship Co (J.J.H. Brown, mgr.), renamed b.) HENRY R. PLATT JR in 1959. The hull was used as a breakwater in Burlington Bay, Ontario, in 1971.

In 1998, the ALGOWEST was re-dedicated at Port Weller Dry Docks. The $20 million conversion of the ship to a self-unloader from a bulk-carrier was completed by 400 shipbuilders at Port Weller Dry Docks during the previous eight months. Renamed in 2001, she sails for Algoma today as b.) PETER R. CRESSWELL.

On 10 July 1866, COQUETTE (1-mast wooden scow-sloop, 90 foot, 140 tons, built in 1858, at Perry, Ohio as a schooner) capsized in a storm on Lake Michigan and was lost with her crew of four. She had originally been built for the U.S. Government.

On 10 July 1911, JOHN MITCHELL (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 420 foot, 4,468 gross tons, built in 1907, at St. Clair, Michigan) was carrying wheat off Whitefish Point on Lake Superior when she was rammed broadside by the coal-laden steel steamer WILLIAM HENRY MACK (steel propeller bulk freighter, 354 foot, 3781 gross tons, built in 1903, at Cleveland, Ohio). The MACK tried to keep her bow in the hole, but the MITCHELL still sank in 7 minutes. Quick work saved most of her crew and all 7 passengers. Three of the 34 onboard were lost. The MACK got most of the blame for the accident. The MITCHELL's wreck was discovered upside-down on the bottom in 1972. (Note: Bowling Green's database gives the date of this accident as 19 July 1911 and Dave Swayze's Shipwreck database gives the date as 10 July 1911.)

1930 YORKTON was beached with only the top of the pilothouse above water after a head-on collision in fog on Whitefish Bay with the MANTADOC. The ship was later salvaged and repaired at Collingwood.

1938 RAHANE ran aground on a shoal in the American Narrows of the St. Lawrence while downbound with steel, package freight and grain. Some cargo was removed by the lighter COBOURG and the ship was refloated with major bottom damage. The vessel last sailed on the lakes as A.A. HUDSON before departing for saltwater service in the fall of 1965.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series - Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair expected to continue breaking water level records

7/9 - Detroit, MI – Michigan's Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair are poised to set records for high water levels throughout the year, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer projections.

The Corps Detroit District's watershed hydrology office released its monthly bulletin this week recording the water levels for January-to-June and monthly projections for the second half of this year.

Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of the Detroit District's watershed hydrology office, told The Detroit News Monday "Going back to 1918," when the Army Corps began keeping records, "the levels have never been higher."

Between July and September, all of the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair are expected to reach or break records set as early as 1950 and several records set in 1986. That's when Michigan and Huron — considered one body of water by the Army Corps of Engineers — St. Clair and Erie reached their highs. Superior hit its high-water mark in 1985, and Ontario peaked in 2017.

Great Lakes water levels historically fluctuate because of rainfall, increasing runoffs into tributaries and evaporation from the lakes’ surfaces, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Corps' projections are based on the present condition of the lake basin and anticipated future weather.

Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario set all-time records in June for high water levels. Lake Superior, meanwhile, hit its high-water mark for June but fell short of the all-time record set in October 1985.

"We are in above record territory," said Alex Manion, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in White Lake Township. "We peaked in Lake St. Clair and there's potential to peak above for Lake Huron or get very close... but there's also lots of uncertainty."

The bulletin also included the monthly mean water level forecast for the second half of this year.

Lakes Superior and Erie set new monthly mean high water levels in May, as did nearby Lake St. Clair. The water kept rising in June and is expected to do so for the three lakes through September.

Read more and view images at this link: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/07/07/great-lakes-lake-st-clair-predicted-to-break-water-level-records/1661054001

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
The only traffic in Duluth on Monday was Mesabi Miner, which came in at 08:52 and tied up at Canadian National to load iron ore pellets. She is expected to depart early Tuesday morning. Superior was also quiet on Monday, with the only traffic being the arrival of the tank barge Robert F. Deegan and tug Zeus at 04:05 carrying calcium chloride to discharge at Hallett #8. The pair had a tentative departure time of 21:00 Monday evening.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Edgar B. Speer arrived the CN ore docks in Two Harbors on July 8th at 05:21. She departed on the 8th at 19:0 for Gary. Due Two Harbors on July 8th between 21:00 and 22:00 is the Edwin H. Gott. Due Two Harbors on July 9th is the Algoma Spirit. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of American Spirit on July 8th at 05:51. As of 19:30 on the 8th no updated AIS. Arriving Silver Bay on the 8th at 17:31 was the American Century. There is no traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on July 9th.

Marinette, WI – Scott Best
The small salty Oslo Bulk 3 came into Marinette Monday to unload pig iron ingots from Sorel at Fuel & Dock. By early evening the ship was mostly unloaded.

Northern Lake Huron
Thessalon:
Monday; 13:21 Algoma Innovator arrived to load gravel.

Little Current:
Monday; 12:23 The cruise ship Pearl Mist arrived for shore excursions and departed at 17:48 for Parry Sound.

Stoneport:
Monday; 5:09 Kaye E Barker departed for Detroit.

Calcite:
Monday; 15:25 Cason J Callaway arrived to load. 17:42 Philip R Clarke arrived to load limestone.

Port Dolomite:
Monday; 8:21 Dorothy and Pathfinder arrived to load and at 16:39 departed for Essexville.

Drummond Island:
Monday; 2:17 Algoma Compass arrived to load and departed at 15:06 for Sarnia.

Port Inland:
Monday; 1:46 John J Boland departed early for Green Bay. Wilfred Sykes took her place at the dock and left for Burns Harbor just before noon. Great Republic is due.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Buffalo arrived at 4 p.m. Monday to load salt for Hamilton.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41 made a rare trip to the Rouge, arriving at AK Steel where they were presumed to have loaded or unloaded slag or another odd cargo. Other arrivals on Monday included: Florence Spirit-arrived at Zug Island to load coke. CSL Niagara-arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to fuel.

Northeast Ohio Ports – Bill Kloss
7/8 arrivals: Federal Yoshino and American Courage to Ashtabula. Paul R. Tregurtha with a rare trip to Lake Erie arrived in Ashtabula on 7/7. Joseph H. Thompson to Fairport Harbor. Sam Laud arrive din Cleveland on 7/7 with stone, then proceeded to the Bulk Terminal to load a shuttle for Arcelor Mittal. Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader moved into CBT after the Laud departed. Federal Ems and Volgaborg remain at the Port docks. Saginaw is in Sandusky to load coal.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Monday July 8 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrival - Jul 6 - Damia Desgagnes at 1340 from the anchorage - departed Jul 8 at 0024 eastbound

Buffalo:
docked - tall ships - Jul 4 - Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 1136, Picton Castle (Cook.Islands) at 1347, Empire Sandy (Can) at 1505, and brig Niagara (Ame) at 1710 approx. - departures - Jul 8 - Appledore IV (Ame) at 0245, HMCS Oriole (Can) at 1337, Bluenose II (Can) at 1119, St. Lawrence II (Can) at 1518 and Denis Sullivan (Ame) at 1641 - no destinations given for tall ships

Welland Canal:
upbound -Jul 7 - s/v Playfair, tug Spartan & Spartan II at 1743 and Federal Baltic (Mhl) at 1934 - Jul 8 - Baie Comeau at 0134, Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 0656. Oakglen at 0731, s/v Fair Jeanne, NACC Argonaut at 0910, Whitefish Bay at 1534,

downbound - Jul 7 - Federal Elbe (Mhl) at 0858, Algoma Sault at 1529, tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 1615 - Jul 8 - Thunder Bay at 0402, Damia Desgagnes at 0626, Algonorth at 0811, Happy River (Nld) at 1742 and Tim S Dool at 1939

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jun 24 - Algoma Transport - stopped wharf 16 at 1410 - Jul 8 - Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) - stopped wharf 2 at 0725 - departed at 1705 for Toronto

Hamilton:
arrivals - none - docked - Jul 5 - Maccoa (Cyp) at 1945 - Jul 7 - Algoma Strongfield at 1453 - departures - Jul 6 - Algoma Buffalo at 2230 - Jul 7 - Algoma Enterprise at 0243, Florence Spirit at 0447, Maria G (Mlt) (ex Gadwall-17) at 1259 for Oshawa and Robert S Pierson at 2226 eastbound

Toronto:
arrivals - tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 2229 - Jul 8 - Victory II (Bhs) (ex Sea Discoverer-18, Clipper Discoverer-09, Coastal Queen 2-09, Cape Cod Light-07) at 1844 from wharf 2 Port Weller - departures - Jul 7 - McKeil Spirit at 1834 eastbound and Baie Comeau at 2359 westbound

Bronte:
arrival - Jul 8 - Paul A Desgagnes eta 2130

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 7 - Maria G (Mlt) (ex Gadwall-17) at 1828

Answers sought on cause of high Lake Ontario water

7/9 - There is Lake Ontario water in places many people have never seen in their lifetime. It’s over docks and seawalls, on waterfront lawns, inside cottages and businesses and it’s washing away ecologically sensitive sand dunes.

States of emergency have been declared, National Guard members have been mobilized, lawsuits have been threatened and elected officials have vowed this can never happen again.

But why isn’t anyone — and we’re looking at you International Joint Commission and International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board — doing anything about it?

The lake hit its highest level ever recorded — 249.02 feet — on June 2 and crept up to 249.08 feet on June 6, from where it has barely budged since. The previous record had come in late May 2017, just months after the IJC adopted its Plan 2014, the basic plan it follows to regulate Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River levels. Lake and river levels are regulated through releases of water at the Robert Moses-Robert H. Saunders Power Dam in Massena and Cornwall, Ontario. The river board determines outflows following Plan 2014 criterion.

Flooding in 2017 prompted cries to repeal or replace Plan 2014, which took 16 years and $20 million to develop. The plan replaced Plan 1958-D, which was in use since 1963, and was designed to provide for more natural water level fluctuations while reducing damage caused by extreme high or low levels, while also restoring wetlands and benefitting recreational boating, two areas not considered in Plan 1958-D.

“The bottom line is, there is no plan, nor will there ever be a plan that can prevent the kind of besieging that has gone on in ‘17; it’s going on in ‘19 and has occurred ever since the Seaway project was developed, (including) in the ‘70s and ‘90s,” said Thomas E. Brown, a river board member from Cape Vincent who has been involved in lake regulation since the mid-1980s. “This is not new and we’ll see it again. About every 20 years, Mother Nature says I’m really going to dump on you as far as precipitation and annual snow run-off.”

Read more and view images at this link: https://www.nny360.com/top_stories/answers-sought-on-cause-of-high-lake-ontario-waters/article_a7054b90-50e0-57cd-a5f3-007c0caa396e.html

Weather radar captures billions of mayflies hatching on Lake Erie

7/9 - Cleveland, OH – It looked like an invasion of Cleveland — and in a way, it kind of was. National Weather Service radar in recent days has captured some dramatic images of billions of mayflies making their annual summer hatch.

A particularly stunning June 27 hatch burst onto radar in a sudden, rapidly expanding blob over western Lake Erie. Then the winds moved and scattered the flies off the lake to the southeast.

"Radar loop from last night showing ascent and downwind drift of several billion Hexagenia #mayflies over the western basin of Lake Erie.

Yes. That is billion with a 'b,'" tweeted Phil Stepanian, a biometeorology research assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame.

That was revelatory information for Edward Verhamme, an environmental engineer with LimnoTech whose projects frequently involve the Great Lakes.

"I was on Lake Erie yesterday on a research boat … there were massive mats of dead carcasses on the surface of the water. We covered 100 miles yesterday right from Toledo to Point Pelee … great to see what the heck happened the night before," he responded to Stepanian's tweet.

The annual mayfly hatch is massive enough that it's possible to see it on weather radar pretty much every year if looking in the correct place, said meteorologist Kyle Klein at the National Weather Service's White Lake station.

As inconvenient and yucky as mayflies can be, they are actually a harbinger of good ecological news. The National Weather Service notes that mayflies are sensitive to gross organic pollution such as sewage in waterways. So the flies' thick annual presence is a sign organic pollution isn't present in large amounts.

View radar image at this link: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/07/05/mayflies-lake-erie-weather-radar/1658606001/

WILLIAM R. ROESCH, renamed b.) DAVID Z. NORTON in 1995, loaded her first cargo in 1973, at Superior, Wisconsin where she took on 18,828 tons of iron ore bound for Jones & Laughlin's Cuyahoga River plant at Cleveland.

The BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS and her fleet mate IRVING S. OLDS passed through the Panama Canal on July 9, 1988, under tow of the German tug OSA RAVENSTURM. The pair was on a 14,000-mile journey to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, arriving there on November 8, 1988, for scrapping by Sing Cheng Yung Iron & Steel Co. Ltd.

On 9 July 1876, ST CLAIR (wooden propeller freighter with some passenger accommodations, 127 foot, 326 gross tons, built in 1867, at Algonac, Michigan) had 14 crew and 18 passengers aboard along with cargo of flour, feed and deck loads of cattle as she sailed on Lake Superior. At 2:00 a.m., she caught fire about five miles off shore from 14 Mile Point. She was a wood burner and had a history of shipboard fires. The fire spread so quickly that only one boat could be launched and being overloaded, it capsized. The cries of those left on the vessel, along with the bellowing of the cattle, were heart rending. Only six survived in the one lifeboat since the cold water took its toll on those who clung to it. Eventually they righted the boat and paddled to shore, leaving the ST CLAIR burned to the waterline.

On 9 July 1891, W A MOORE (wood propeller tug, 119 foot, 212 gross tons, built in 1865, at Detroit, Michigan) burned to a total loss at Cleveland, Ohio.

1917: The bulk carrier WILLIAM S. MACK collided with the passenger freighter MANITOBA in fog off Whitefish Point and had to be beached. It was subsequently refloated and repaired. The ship was renamed HOME SMITH on October 10, 1917, and last sailed as ALGORAIL in 1963 before being scrapped at Toronto.

1967: The NEW YORK NEWS (iii) and the saltwater ship NORDGLIMT collided off Escoumins, QC, with only minor damage.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series – Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Tug on the way to tow former Cedarglen to scrapyard

7/8 - The ocean-going tug VB Hispania departed Ceuta, Spain, for Montreal on July 4. ETA is July 18, no doubt to take under tow Eda (Cedarglen) for Aliaga, Turkey. VB Hispania towed away from Montreal Enry (Capt. Henry Jackman) on May 22 for Aliaga.

Rene Beauchamp

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth - Superior – Daniel Lindner
H. Lee White and Michipicoten departed Duluth at 07:33 and 13:31 on Sunday, respectively, both with iron ore pellets from CN. There was no other traffic through Duluth, however Mesabi Miner is due early Monday for ore. In Superior, Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin was outbound at 00:11 for Nanticoke with iron ore, and James R. Barker arrived at 03:34 to load at Burlington Northern. She departed at 17:48 with a destination of Indiana Harbor.

Two Harbors - Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
The CN ore docks in Two Harbors had no traffic on July 7th. Due Two Harbors on July 8th are the Edgar B. Speer and the Edwin H. Gott. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the departure of the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader on July 7th at 01:25 for Cleveland. Arriving Silver Bay on July 7th at 05:33 was the American Spirit. Due Northshore Mining in Silver Bay on July 8th is the American Century.

Marinette / Menominee – Korey Garceau
The Netherlands-flagged Qamutik unloaded wind turbine parts over the weekend and departed Sunday afternoon for Valleyfield.

Northern Lake Huron
Calcite:
Saturday; 22:27 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes departed for Toledo. Sunday; 1:04 Olive L Moore arrived to load and departed at 14:33 down bound on Lake Huron.

Stoneport:
Sunday; 11:45 Kaye E Barker arrived to load.

Alpena:
Sunday; 4:41 The cement carrier Alpena departed for Essexville.

Brevort:
Saturday; 20:23 Calumet arrived to load and departed Sunday at 14:04 for Buffalo.

Port Inland:
Sunday; 18:55 John J Boland arrived to load limestone. Wilfred Sykes is waiting to get the dock from the Boland.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Mississagi arrived at the salt dock at 6 am Sunday. She cleared at 1:30 p.m. for Saginaw. Algoma Conveyor arrived at Compass Minerals Sunday afternoon to load salt. This is the new Conveyor's second trip to Goderich.

Detroit, Rouge River - Raymond H
Sunday Arrivals: Sharon M I and Huron Spirit-arrived at Nicholson's Ecorse Terminal to unload steel coils. Thunder Bay-arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to fuel. American Mariner-arrived at Zug Island to unload coal. Philip R Clarke-arrived at the Detroit Bulk Storage dock to unload stone. Lee A Tregurtha arrived at AK Steel to unload ore.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Sunday July 7 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrival - Jul 6 - Damia Desgagnes at 1340 from the anchorage

Buffalo:
docked - tall ships - Jul 2 - Appledore IV (Ame) at 2339 - Jul 4 Denis Sullivan (Ame) at 0916, Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 1136, HMCS Oriole (Can) at 1337, Picton Castle (Cook.Islands) at 1347, Empire Sandy (Can) at 1505, St. Lawrence II (Can) at 1508 and Bluenose II (Can) at 1524 and brig Niagara (Ame) at 1710 approx. - departure - Jul 6 - Grande Caribe (Ame) cruise ship at 0527 for Rochester

Welland Canal
upbound - Jul 6 - Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-06) at 1927 and Federal Yoshino (Mhl) at 2243 - Jul 7 - Algoma Buffalo at 0048, Algoma Enterprise at 0505, CSL Tadoussac at 0550, Florence Spirit at 0653, tug Spartan & Spartan II at 1743 and Federal Baltic (Mhl) at 1934

downbound - Jul 6 - Algoma Hansa at 1630 and Baie Comeau at 2253 - Jul 7 - Federal Elbe (Mhl) at 0858, Algoma Sault at 1529, tug Leo A McArthur & John J Carrick at 1615

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jun 24 - Algoma Transport - stopped wharf 16 at 1410

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 7 - Algoma Strongfield at 1453 - docked - Jul 5 - Maccoa (Cyp) at 1945 - Jul 6 - Robert S Pierson at 1624 - departures - Jul 6 - Algoma Buffalo at 2230 - Jul 7 - Algoma Enterprise at 0243, Florence Spirit at 0447, Maria G (Cyp) (ex Gadwall-17) at 1259 for Oshawa

Toronto:
arrivals - Jul 6 - McKeil Spirit at 0601 - Jul 7 - Baie Comeau at 1412 - departure - Jul 7 - McKeil Spirit at 1755 approx. eastbound

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 6 - NACC Quebec at 1849 - Jul 7 - Maria G (Mlt) (ex Gadwall-17) at 1828 from Hamilton - departed - Jul 7 - NACC Quebec at 1332 eastbound

Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Departure: Grande Caribe for Oswego, NY, Sunday at 13:30.

It's not an oil spill, just clumps of dead fish flies floating in the Detroit River

7/8 - Windsor, Ont. – From a distance, it may look like there's been an oil spill in the Detroit River this time of year. But it's nowhere near as serious — it's just smelly. The reddish brown clumps carried by the current are actually dead piles of fish flies. That might make you cringe, but it's actually a good sign.

"As much as they smell and get around your house, they're actually a sign that the river is getting healthier," said Peter Berry, harbour master with the Windsor Port Authority. "It's a good sign that the river has the oxygen for it, that the plants are providing the place for it to start out its life."

After that, the mayflies die in just a few days. On the bright side they're still beneficial after death, becoming food for birds and fish. "It looks like an oil spill at first glance, so we do get calls saying there's something in the river," said Berry.

And Berry has noticed an steady increase in the amount of fish flies over the last 10 years. This year, he says, they're breeding a bit later. "The high water, of course, has eroded many shorelines, the habitats of lots of species as well," said Berry. "Typically we're seeing them earlier in the month of June.

Berry said he couldn't think of any negative aspects of fish flies. Oh, except for the people who live near the water and have swarms descend on their neighborhoods. "There's no worse feeling than having the smell of fish in the driveway in the morning and that crunch beneath your feet," said Berry.

Get your nose plugs out, he expects fish fly season to last another few weeks.

View photos and a video at this link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/clumps-dead-fish-flies-1.5202347

Body recovered from Welland Canal

7/8 - Welland, Ont. – Niagara Regional Police recovered a body from the Welland Canal Saturday morning in Welland after it was spotted by a passing vessel. Police, Welland Fire and Emergency Services firefighters and Niagara Emergency Medical Services paramedics were called to the banks of the canal at 9:30 a.m. for the report of a person in the water.

"A passing ship had contacted (St. Lawrence) Seaway officials when they observed a body on the surface of the water in the area between Lincoln Street and East Main Street in Welland," police said.

Welland Fire Chief Brian Kennedy said firefighters launched their boat at the Lincoln Streets before heading north down Welland Recreational Canal and then into the working canal and south to the area the body was found.

Kennedy said firefighters were the first to locate the person — the gender and approximate age of the deceased are being withheld until the completion of an autopsy exam — and secured the scene until police arrived.

Officers from the marine unit arrived on scene and completed the recovery. Detectives from the Welland detachment and forensic services unit are working with the coroner to determine the cause of death. The autopsy is expected to be completed Monday.

WILLIAM R. ROESCH, renamed b.) DAVID Z. NORTON in 1995, loaded her first cargo in 1973, at Superior, Wisconsin where she took on 18,828 tons of iron ore bound for Jones & Laughlin's Cuyahoga River plant at Cleveland.

The BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS and her fleet mate IRVING S. OLDS passed through the Panama Canal on July 9, 1988, under tow of the German tug OSA RAVENSTURM. The pair was on a 14,000-mile journey to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, arriving there on November 8, 1988, for scrapping by Sing Cheng Yung Iron & Steel Co. Ltd.

On 9 July 1876, ST CLAIR (wooden propeller freighter with some passenger accommodations, 127 foot, 326 gross tons, built in 1867, at Algonac, Michigan) had 14 crew and 18 passengers aboard along with cargo of flour, feed and deck loads of cattle as she sailed on Lake Superior. At 2:00 a.m., she caught fire about five miles off shore from 14 Mile Point. She was a wood burner and had a history of shipboard fires. The fire spread so quickly that only one boat could be launched and being overloaded, it capsized. The cries of those left on the vessel, along with the bellowing of the cattle, were heart rending. Only six survived in the one lifeboat since the cold water took its toll on those who clung to it. Eventually they righted the boat and paddled to shore, leaving the ST CLAIR burned to the waterline.

On 9 July 1891, W A MOORE (wood propeller tug, 119 foot, 212 gross tons, built in 1865, at Detroit, Michigan) burned to a total loss at Cleveland, Ohio.

1917: The bulk carrier WILLIAM S. MACK collided with the passenger freighter MANITOBA in fog off Whitefish Point and had to be beached. It was subsequently refloated and repaired. The ship was renamed HOME SMITH on October 10, 1917, and last sailed as ALGORAIL in 1963 before being scrapped at Toronto.

1967: The NEW YORK NEWS (iii) and the saltwater ship NORDGLIMT collided off Escoumins, QC, with only minor damage.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series – Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Ex-Desgagnes vessel changes hands; Oslo Bulk 3 visits Marinette

7/7 - The Tanzanian flag Ethan, laid up at Quebec City since 2016, changed registry lately. She is now registered in Togo, port of registry Lome. A small crew was seen doing some painting. At long last, she will probably leave Q.C. before the end of the summer. She is the ex Mélissa Desgagnés and originally Ontadoc.

Oslo Bulk 3 first trip in the Seaway was on June 28 for Valleyfield. After unloading, she went to Sorel to load for Marinette. She reentered the Seaway yesterday. That’s the run Catherine Desgagnes did so many times before her sale.

Rene Beauchamp

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
H. Lee White arrived Duluth at 04:56 Saturday morning with a load of limestone for Graymont Superior, and Michipicoten was inbound at 17:15 to load iron ore pellets at Canadian National. American Integrity departed from CN at 17:50 for Detroit. The White then shifted over to CN to load at the main dock, while Michipicoten tied up at the gravity dock. Both vessels are expected to depart early Sunday morning. In Superior, Walter J. McCarthy Jr. was outbound at 09:00 after loading iron ore at Burlington Northern, and Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin was inbound shortly thereafter to load. She was expected to depart at some point Saturday evening.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
John D. Leitch arrived Two Harbors on July 5th at 19:59 for South of #2. She departed on July 6th at approx. 07:37 for Quebec City. There was no other traffic for Two Harbors on the 6th and none on the schedule for July 7th. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader on July 6th at approx. 13:55. American Spirit is expected to load in Silver Bay on July 7th.

Northern Lake Huron

Meldrum Bay:
Friday 21:41 Algoma Innovator departed for Grand Haven.

Drummond Island:
Saturday; 7:44 Joseph H Thompson arrived to load and departed at 16:51 for Fairport.

Cheboygan:
Saturday; 4:04 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes departed for Calcite.

Calcite:
Saturday; Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder departed for Saginaw. 1:35 Philip R Clarke weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. 4:46 Great Republic departed for Buffington. The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes arrived and went to anchor. 17:39 she weighed anchor and proceeded to the dock to unload fuel. 17:52 Philip R Clarke departed for Detroit.

Stoneport:
Saturday; 6:33 Herbert C Jackson arrived to load and departed at 17:18 for Marquette.

Alpena:
Saturday, 10:10 The cement carrier Alpena arrived to load.

Brevort:
Friday; 12:06 Manitoulin arrived to load and departed at 23:26 for Thunder Bay.

Port Inland:
Saturday; 1:53 Sam Laud departed for Cleveland.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Conveyor, westbound in Lake Erie, is due on Sunday.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Saturday Arrivals: Samuel De Champlain/Innovation arrived at Lafarge to unload cement. Calusa Coast and Delaware arrived at the Marathon Asphalt Terminal to load.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Saturday July 6 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrival - Jul 6 - Damia Desgagnes at 1340 from the anchorage departures - Jul 5 - Algocanada at 2127 westbound - Jul 6 - Algoma Hansa at 1250 eastbound

Long Point bay anchorage:
departed - Jul 6 - Damia Desgagnes at 1318 for the dock

Buffalo:
docked - tall ships - Jul 2 - Appledore IV (Ame) at 2339 - Jul 4 Denis Sullivan (Ame) at 0916, Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 1136, HMCS Oriole (Can) at 1337, Picton Castle (Cook.Islands) at 1347, Empire Sandy (Can) at 1505, St. Lawrence II (Can) at 1508 and Bluenose II (Can) at 1524 and brig Niagara (Ame) at 1710 approx. - departure - Jul 6 - Grande Caribe (Ame) cruise ship at 0527 for Rochester

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 5 - Oslo Bulk 3 (Sgp) at 1347, Algoma Niagara at 1743, CSL Laurentien at 1903 and Algoma Conveyor at 2235 - Jul 6 - Algoma Spirit at 0717, Trudy (Lbr) at 0717, Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-06) at 1927 and Federal Yoshino (Mhl) eta 2220

downbound - Jul 5 - Algonova at 0305, Florence Spirit at 0735, Federal Margaree (Mhl) at 1509, CSL Welland at 1656, Sloman Hermes (Mlt) at 1759 and Algoma Enterprise at 1958 - Jul 6 - Algoma Buffalo at 0026, Grande Caribe (Ame) passenger ship at 0713 from Buffalo, Atlantic Huron at 0721 and Baie Comeau eta 2230

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jun 24 - Algoma Transport - stopped wharf 16 at 1410

Port Weller anchorage:
anchored - Jul 5 - Algonova at 1255 - departed Jul 5 at 2225 approx. eastbound

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 6 - Maria G (Cyp) (ex Gadwall-17) at 0016 from Toronto, Algoma Enterprise at 1024, Algoma Buffalo at 1259 and Robert S Pierson at 1624 docked - Jul 5 - Florence Spirit at 1904 and Maccoa (Cyp) at 1945 from Toronto - departures - Jul 5 - Algoma Spirit at 2130 for the canal - Jul 6 - Federal Yoshino (Mhl) at 2026 for Ashtabula

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 4 - Robert S Pierson at 1841 - departed Jul 5 at 0329 eastbound

Toronto:
arrivals - Jul 5 - Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-06) at 2024 - departures - Jul 5 - Maria G (Cyp) (ex Gadwall-17) at 2154 for Hamilton and Victory I (Bhs) at 1749 for the canal

Oshawa:
arrival - Jul 6 - NACC Quebec at 1849

July 7, 1939 - The Bureau of Lighthouses was merged into the U. S. Coast Guard.

The BURNS HARBOR's sea trials were conducted on July 7, 1980. JEAN PARISIEN (Hull#684) was launched July 7, 1977, at Lauzon, Quebec, by Davie Shipbuilding Company Ltd. for Canada Steamship Lines. Port Weller Drydocks replaced her entire forward section and she was renamed b.) CSL ASSINIBOINE in 2005.

The DAVID Z. NORTON sailed on her maiden voyage July 7, 1973, as the a.) WILLIAM R. ROESCH. She sailed light from Lorain to Superior, Wisconsin where she loaded 18,828 tons of iron ore on July 9th bound for Jones & Laughlin's Cuyahoga River plant at Cleveland, Ohio. She now sails as d.) CALUMET.

In 1971, the CITY OF SAGINAW 31 went to Manitowoc for a thorough overhaul. While there, a fire broke out July 29, destroying her cabin deck and rendering her useless for further use. The blaze was caused by an acetylene torch, and caused over $1 million in damage.

On 7 July 1895, IDA MAY BROWN (wooden schooner, 53 foot, 20 gross tons, built 1884, at Charlevoix, Mich.) was carrying gravel when her cargo shifted in heavy weather. She capsized and later drifted to the beach near Michigan City, Indiana. Her crew was rescued by U.S. Lifesavers.

On 7 July 1851, GALLINIPPER (wooden schooner, 95 foot, 145 tons, built in 1846 at Milwaukee on the hull of NANCY DOUSMAN) capsized and foundered in a white squall in Lake Mich. The wreck drifted to a point about 10 miles SSE of Manitowoc, where it sank.

1963: The Canadian coastal tanker SEEKONK first came to the Great Lakes in 1951 on charter to the British-American Oil Co. It was later part of the Irving fleet and caught fire in the galley at Charlottetown, PEI. The ship was pulled from the pier by CCG TUPPER and beached at Governor's Island. The blaze burned itself out but the SEEKONK was a total loss and was towed to Buctouche, NB, and scrapped in 1964. 1970: PRINSES EMILIA made 3 trips through the Seaway for the Oranje Lijn in 1967. It sank as c) BOULGARIA on this date 25 miles off Cherbourg, France, after a collision with the HAGEN in dense fog. The vessel was enroute from Hamburg to Istanbul and 17 on board were lost.

1978: The British freighter BEECHMORE began Great Lakes service in 1959 and returned as c) MANDRAKI in 1971 and d) NAFTILOS in 1973. It was sailing as f) MARI when fire broke out on a voyage from Rijeka, Yugoslavia, to Alexandria, Egypt, on July 7. The ship was beached near Dugi Otok Islands the next day and eventually abandoned. The hull was refloated in 1979 and taken to Split with scrapping getting underway on July 19, 1979

1981: CONDARRELL, upbound below Lock 2 of the Welland Canal, lost power and hit the wall, resulting in bow damage. The ship returned to Toronto for repairs but only finished the season before tying up. The vessel, built in 1953 as D.C. EVEREST, has been unofficially renamed K.R. ELLIOTT by International Marine Salvage.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Great Lakes high water could hurt shipping, industry warns

7/6 - Duluth, MN – As high water levels persist in the Great Lakes, some shoreline dwellers are putting pressure on officials to open up dams in the East to let out more water, but shipping industry officials in Duluth and Superior, Wis., worry such a move thousands of miles away could have big consequences locally.

The Moses-Saunders Power Dam on the St. Lawrence River downstream from Lake Ontario has been increasing the amount of water released into the St. Lawrence Seaway and, eventually, the Atlantic Ocean. Although landowners along the lake would like to see the lake level lowered by releasing more, shipping officials say that would create strong currents in the seaway that would slow or even halt commercial ship navigation, affecting an industry snaking all the way west to Duluth.

“It would create a cascading backlog of vessel traffic and delays,” said Duluth Seaway Port Authority spokesman Jayson Hron. “Time is money.”

Increasing the outflow for five weeks, under one proposal that had been raised, would cost $9 million in revenue for the businesses in the Port of Duluth-Superior, Hron said. It could mean temporary job layoffs for industry workers. All together in the U.S. and Canada, it could mean $1 billion in lost revenue, he said, citing a 2018 industry study.

The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board, which decides the flow rates across the dam, typically meets weekly.

Lakes Erie and Ontario set records last month for high water levels since record-keeping began in 1918, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The board increased the dam’s flow rate in June, letting out a record-high 10,400 cubic meters of water per second. The average daily mean lake level on Lake Ontario declined ever so slightly at the end of the month, going from 249.05 feet on June 25 to 249.00 at the end of the month, said Army Corps spokeswoman Susan Blair. The Ontario water level is expected to go down in July.

The decision on how much water to send over the dam is a delicate balance, officials acknowledged. “The Board is doing everything possible to provide all possible relief to Lake Ontario and upper St. Lawrence River residents, while considering impacts throughout the system,” read a statement released in late June.

The shipping industry likes high water levels because ships can take more cargo through shallow passage areas. But strong currents can move buoys marking shipping channels and make navigating difficult, if not impossible, industry officials said.

Stephen Sydow, operations manager at Daniel’s Shipping Services in Duluth, said any increase that would harm shipping could be devastating to his family’s small shipping company, which handles 10 to 20 saltwater ships a year.

“All the local people here and in my business would essentially just stop. … It reverberates because, let’s say for example, one of my ships can’t go and you have to put [the cargo] on trucks, now where would you find 800 trucks?” Sydow said.

It could affect the jobs of tugboat operators, line handlers and even garbage collectors, he pointed out. And it could hurt agriculture if it becomes difficult to send grain overseas. “All the stuff, it just stops.”

Still, Sydow said, he understands flooding is a problem for landowners along the water. “We have to pay attention to what they’re saying because they’re real people and real towns and cities,” Sydow said. “So there has to be a balance in the middle somewhere.”

One big thing everyone will be watching: the weather. “If we get less rain at this point,” Hron said, “that would help alleviate it from everybody’s perspective.”

Minnesota Star Tribune

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
The only traffic through the Duluth entry on Friday was American Integrity, which arrived at 01:31 to load iron ore pellets at CN. She was still loading as of 20:00 Friday night with no departure time listed. In Superior, Roger Blough arrived at 00:07, took on a cargo of ore at Burlington Northern, and was outbound at 13:35 for Gary. Walter J. McCarthy Jr. arrived at 16:24 to load, and is expected to depart mid-morning Saturday.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay departed Two Harbors on July 4th at 21:32. As of 19:30 on the 5th she didn’t have an updated AIS. Arriving Two Harbors on the 5th was the Joseph L. Block at approx. 07:23 for South of #2. She departed on the 5th at 15:22 for Indiana Harbor. As I file this report at 19:45 the John D. Leitch is inbound Two Harbors. There is no scheduled traffic for Two Harbors on July 6th. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay had no traffic on July 5th. Due Silver Bay on the 6th is the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader.

Sturgeon Bay, WI
Kaye E. Barker was headed through the ship canal for BayShip Friday night. She will undergo unspecified repairs.

Northern Lake Huron

Meldrum Bay:
Thursday; 23:33 Cuyahoga departed for Sarnia. Friday 11:23 Algoma Innovator arrived to load dolomite.

Cheboygan:
Friday; 14:14 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes arrived to unload petroleum products.

Calcite:
Thursday; 17:07 H Lee White departed for Duluth Superior. 22:16 Defiance and Ashtabula departed for Burns Harbor. 22:27 Victory and Maumee arrived to load. Friday; 11:46 Great Republic arrived to load.13:21 Victory and Maumee departed for Toledo. Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder arrived to load limestone. 14:36 Philip R Clarke arrived and went to anchor.

Stoneport:
Thursday; 8:13 Olive L Moore arrived to load limestone and departed at 20:27 departed for Marine City.

Alpena:
Friday; 2:01 Samuel De Champlain arrived to load cement products and departed at 8:02 for Detroit.

Brevort:
Friday; 12:06 Manitoulin arrived to load.

Port Inland:
Thursday; 17:24 Manitowoc departed for Cleveland. Friday; 13:26 Sam Laud arrived to load.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Compass cleared at noon Friday, laden with salt, for Green Bay.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Friday Arrivals: Highland Eagle arrived at Nicholson's Ecorse Terminal. Herbert C Jackson arrived at Zug Island to unload coal.

Northeast Ohio ports – Bill Kloss
7/5 arrivals: Edwin H. Gotta to Conneaut. American Mariner to Ashtabula. Volgaborg to the Port of Cleveland dock 24E. Federal Ems to the Port dock 24W. Mississauga to Lorain. 7/5 departures: Sea Eagle II from Cleveland.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Friday July 5 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrival - Jul 2 - Algoma Hansa at 0424 - Jul 4 - Algocanada at 1213 and Mesabi Miner at 1738 - departure - Jul 5 - Mesabi Miner at 0733 westbound

Long Point bay anchorage:
anchored - Damia Desgagnes at 2034

Buffalo:
arrival - Grande Caribe (Ame) cruise ship at 0856 - docked - tall ships - Jul 2 - Appledore IV (Ame) at 2339 - Jul 4 Denis Sullivan (Ame) at 0916, Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 1136, HMCS Oriole (Can) at 1337, Picton Castle (Cook Islands) at 1347, Empire Sandy (Can) at 1505, St. Lawrence II (Can) at 1508 and Bluenose II (Can) at 1524 and brig Niagara (Ame) at 1710 approx.

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 4 - Algoma Guardian at 1345, and Federal Ems (Mhl) at 1825 - Jul 5 - G3 Marquis at 0633, tug Everlast & Norman McLeod at 1226, Oslo Bulk 3 (Sgp) at 1347, Algoma Niagara at 1743, CSL Laurentien at 1903 and Algoma Conveyor eta 2245

downbound - Jul 4 - CSL St Laurent at 1012, CSL Assiniboine at 1244, Algoma Harvester at 1517, Algoma Conveyor at 1709 and tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 2059 - Jul 5 - Algonova at 0305, Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-06) at 0713, Florence Spirit at 0735, Federal Margaree (Mhl) at 1509, CSL Welland at 1656, Sloman Hermes (Mlt) at 1759, Algoma Enterprise at 1958 and, Algoma Buffalo eta 2345

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jun 24 - Algoma Transport - stopped wharf 16 at 1410

Port Weller anchorage:
anchored - Jul 5 - Algonova at 1255 - departed Jul 5 at 2225 approx. eastbound

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 5 - Federal Yoshino (Mhl) at 1716, Florence Spirit at 1904 and Maccoa (Cyp) at 1945 from Toronto - docked - Algoma Spirit at 1542 - departures - Jul 5 - Ludogorets (Mlt) at 0407 for Ireland and G3 Marquis at 0440 for the canal

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 4 - Robert S Pierson at 1841 - departed Jul 5 at 0329 eastbound

Toronto:
arrivals - Jul 5 - Algoma Conveyor at 0830 and Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-06) at 2024 - departures - Jul 5 - NACC Argonaut at 1530 eastbound, Maccoa (Cyp) at 1536 for Hamilton, Algoma Conveyor at 2050 approx for the canal and Maria G (Cyp) (ex Gadwall-17) at 2140 approx. for Hamilton

Montreal, QC
In preparation for an eventual scrap tow, Cedarglen’s stack has been painted black.

Lake Michigan and Lake Huron fall just a sliver shy of record water level

7/6 - Lake Michigan and Lake Huron rose significantly in June, but still fell just shy of the record high June water level. Great Lakes water levels have been recorded since 1918. The record water level for a given month is the highest monthly average water level.

The June 2019 average water level for Lake Michigan and Lake Huron was 581.75 feet. The record average June water level is 581.79 feet. Lake Michigan-Huron missed setting a new record June water level by 0.05 feet, or sixth-tenths of one inch.

The miss of the record water level might not seem like much, missing by just over one-half inch. Remember, one inch of water on Lake Michigan-Huron is 800 billion gallons of water. So Lake Michigan-Huron missed the June record water level by a mere 480 billion gallons of water.

The two lakes did climb significantly in June. The water level went up 5.6 inches from May’s average water level, which is approximately 4.8 trillion gallons of additional water in one month.

The United States Geological Survey states the average person uses 86 gallons of water per day. Based on Michigan’s population, the water added to Lakes Michigan and Huron in June is enough water for every person in Michigan for 16 years.

One concept that is hard to grasp is the water level reading. The water level reading at 581.75 feet is just a benchmark number. It doesn’t meant anything with regards to water depth. A water level at one point long ago was just given a number. Now all water level readings compare to that benchmark reading.

Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are expected to rise another two inches in July and continue to flirt with record high water levels. That’s another 1.6 trillion gallons of water to come in July.

M Live

Rubber-tire gantry cranes roll through Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor for first time

7/6 - Portage, IN – For the first time in its nearly 50-year history, Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor welcomed general cargo vessel HC Melina carrying a unique shipment of two, large rubber-tire gantry (RTG) cranes destined for the CSX Intermodal Terminals’ facility in Chicago.

Once the 68-piece shipment is fully assembled, the RTG cranes will have a span of eight containers wide and with a hoisting height of one over four containers high. The high-performance equipment will replace two older units at the CSX Intermodal Terminals’ Bedford Park facility, which handles domestic and international freight.

The port has become well-known internationally for “heavy lift” and “project cargo” because of its ocean access, proximity to the U.S. heartland, and its capability of handling large-dimensional cargo. Federal Marine Terminals (FMT), the general cargo stevedore at Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, handles commodities including steel, breakbulk cargos, forest products and project cargo, such as wind turbine components and massive beer tanks. FMT’s maximum lifting capacity for a two-crane lift is 199.6 metric tons, or 440,000 pounds, nearing the top of any port’s capabilities in the U.S. Great Lakes or Canada.

“The port’s facilities, location and solid infrastructure allow companies to ship cargoes by water directly into the Midwest, significantly reducing the transportation costs and permitting requirements for moving large loads over the highway,” Port Director Ian Hirt said. “Intermodal transport requires all modes to work together seamlessly, and the gantry crane shipment is an example of the efficient transportation attributes and its connectivity in the Midwest.”

The rigid and stable steel structure allow precise handling with smooth movements even at high speeds. The upgraded gantry equipment offers high availability, increased productivity, and will produce lower emissions with new diesel technology. The cranes load and offload containers from trains, then place on trucks for final delivery to a warehouse or distribution center. The cranes also stack shipping containers to optimize storage at the terminal.

“Our proximity to Burns Harbor allowed us to receive our cargo quickly and efficiently,” said Tom Tisa, head of marketing and strategic development for CSX. “The new cranes are uniquely suited to support our evolving intermodal operations. Their enhanced functionality and durability reinforce our focus on safety and productivity.”

The gantry cranes arrived from Liebherr Container Cranes based in Killarney, Ireland and were discharged from the HC Melina vessel by FMT’s shore crane. The cargo was then loaded onto a truck for final delivery in Chicago. The gantry cranes will be assembled over the next two months and be in service by the end of August.

American Journal of Transport

CACOUNA's bow was damaged in a collision with the Greek tanker CAPTAIN JOHN on the fog-shrouded St. Lawrence River July 6, 1971. The CACOUNA of 1964, was repaired by replacing her bow with that of her near sistership the SILLERY, which was being scrapped. Later renamed b.) LORNA P and c.) JENNIFER, she foundered 20 miles Northeast of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on December 1, 1974.

Canada Steamship Lines’ ASHCROFT was used to haul ore, grain and coal only on the upper Great Lakes until July 6, 1932, when she was able to enter Lake Ontario through the newly expanded Welland Canal. On that trip ASHCROFT, loaded with grain from Fort William for Kingston, Ontario, was the largest vessel to traverse the canal to date.

The keel was laid for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s, GOVERNOR MILLER (Hull #810) in 1937, at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Company.

COLUMBIA STAR set a record for the Head-Of-The-Lakes coal trade. The vessel loaded 70,903 net tons of low-sulfur coal at Superior Midwest Energy Terminal in Superior, Wisconsin, on July 6, 1997. She was renamed b.) AMERICAN CENTURY in 2006.

On 6 July 1836, YOUNG LION (2-mast, wooden schooner, 73 foot, 83 tons, built in 1830, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying railroad iron and lumber. About 12 miles from Erie, Pennsylvania, in rough weather, her seams opened and she quickly sank with just her topmasts left above the water. 3 died, but 5 managed to clamber up the masts and hold on until the schooner NEW YORK rescued them.

On 6 July 1871, CASTALIA (2-mast wooden schooner, 119 foot, 242 gross tons, built in 1847, as a brig at Sandusky, Ohio) was on her way to pick up lumber at the camp at Bying Inlet, Georgian Bay, when she came too close to Cove Island Reef and stranded in 3 feet of water. Although not badly damaged, she was about a mile from deep water. Tugs could not get to her and she was sailing light, so there was no cargo to lighten. She was stripped and abandoned. She finally broke up in a storm on 12 July 1871.

On 6 July 1871, the Detroit newspapers (Detroit Free Press and Detroit Daily Post) both published articles stating that there were rumors on the docks regarding the tug TAWAS having her boiler explode on Saginaw Bay. The rumors originated with sailors from Port Huron and proved to be unfounded. However, in a sense this rumor turned into a prediction since TAWAS did blow her boiler about three years later (14 May 1874) on Lake Huron off Rock Falls, Michigan. At that time 6 crewmembers perished.

1893: ROSEDALE, upbound and light, ran aground off Knife River, Lake Superior, in dense fog and was almost on dry land. The vessel was released July 10 and went to Superior for repairs. It combined Great Lakes and ocean service until sunk in the Bristol Channel, via collision, on April 8, 1919.

1941: RAPIDS PRINCE, enroute from Prescott to Montreal, went aground in an awkward position in the Lachine Rapids and was stuck for 2 months. The 218 passengers were removed in motorboats.

1965: LAKE TRAVERSE, built at Duluth in 1918, sank off Tortuga Island, in the Caribbean after hull plates were sprung.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Port reports are compiled from reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day’s news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known).

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Erie Trader/tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort departed Duluth at 02:03 Thursday after unloading stone at Hallett #5, and headed for Silver Bay to load. Indiana Harbor was inbound at 08:30 to load coal at Midwest Energy. John G. Munson and Algoma Sault departed at 11:01 and 15:02, respectively, both with ore cargoes from Canadian National. Indiana Harbor was expected to depart at 21:00 Thursday night and her fleetmate American Integrity was due shortly thereafter to load at CN, however both vessels were expected to use the Superior entry as the Duluth ship canal was closed to traffic Thursday night for the 4th of July fireworks show. In Superior, Paul R. Tregurtha arrived at 01:20 for a somewhat rare load of ore from Burlington Northern. She departed at 18:03, and Roger Blough was expected just before midnight to load.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay, MN – Gary A. Putney
Cason J. Callaway departed Two Harbors from North of #1 on the 4th at 06:20 for Gary. Presque Isle departed Two Harbors on the 4th at 11:26 from South of #2. As of 19:30 on the 4th her AIS destination hadn't been updated. The Thunder Bay arrived Two Harbors on the 4th at 11:42 for South of #2. She had been stopped out in the lake. As of 19:30 she was still at the dock. Due Two Harbors on the 5th are the Joseph L. Block and the John D. Leitch. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader at 06:44 after unloading stone at Hallett #5 in Duluth. As of 19:30 she was still at the loading dock. Silver Bay has no traffic scheduled on July 5th.

St. Marys River
Upbound traffic on a slow Fourth of July included Walter J. McCarthy Jr., John D. Leitch and, late CSL Niagara and H. Lee White. Downbounders included Atlantic Huron, Ojibway and Hon. James L. Oberstar.

Northern Lake Huron

Meldrum Bay:
Thursday; 0:13 Saginaw arrived to load. 9:03 Cuyahoga arrived and went to anchor. 11:47 Saginaw departed down bound on Lake Michigan. Cuyahoga weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock.

Thessalon:
Wednesday; 22:55 Mississagi arrived to load gravel and departed on Thursday at 11:15 for Lorain.

Spragge:
Thursday; 4:43 John D Leitch departed for Two Harbors

Port Dolomite:
Wednesday; 7:36 Undaunted and Pere Marquette 41 arrived to load and departed at 13:19 for Grand Haven.

Calcite:
Wednesday; 23:15 H Lee White arrived to load limestone. Thursday; 2:30 Wilfred Sykes departed for Indiana Harbor. 4:12 Defiance and Ashtabula arrived to load. 17:07 H Lee White departed for Duluth Superior.

Stoneport:
Thursday; 8:13 Olive L Moore arrived to load limestone.

Alpena:
Thursday; 5:41 G L Ostrander arrived to load cement products and departed at 11:09 for Milwaukee.

Port Inland:
Thursday; 8:41 Kaye E Barker departed for Grand Haven. 8:51 Manitowoc weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. 17:24 Manitowoc departed for Cleveland.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
4th of July Arrivals: Great Republic arrived at Detroit Bulk Storage to unload stone. American Spirit arrived at Zug Island to unload ore.

Northeast Ohio ports – Bill Kloss
7/4 arrivals: Herbert C. Jackson to Sandusky 7/4 departures: American Courage from Ashtabula to Cleveland. Qamutik from Cleveland to Menominee.

Welland Canal and vicinity vessel report - Thursday July 4 - Barry Andersen

Nanticoke:
arrival - Jul 2 - Algoma Hansa at 0424 - Jul 4 - Algocanada at 1213, Mesabi Miner at 1738

Long Point bay anchorage:
anchored - Damia Desgagnes at 2034

Buffalo:
arrivals - tall ships - Jul 2 - Appledore IV (Ame) at 2339 - Jul 4 Denis Sullivan (Ame) at 0916, Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 1136, HMCS Oriole (Can) at 1337, Picton Castle (Cook.Islands) at 1347, Empire Sandy (Can) at 1505, St. Lawrence II (Can) at 1508 and Bluenose II (Can) at 1524 and brig Niagara (Ame) at 1710 approx.

Welland Canal:
upbound - Jul 3 - s/v HMCS Oriole, s/v Nao Santa Maria (Esp) at 0637 and s/v Empire Sandy at 1308 Jul 4 - Ocean Castle (Mlt) (ex Federal Mattawa-16) at 0154, Volgaborg (Nlds) at 0352, Algoma Guardian at 1345, Federal Ems (Mhl) at 1825

downbound - Jul 3 - Whitefish Bay at 1619, Spruceglen at 1811 and CSL Tadoussac departed wharf 16 - Jul 4 - Belasitza ( Mlt) at 0645, Algoma Niagara at 0846, Evans Spirit at 0936, CSL St Laurent at 1012, CSL ASsiniboine at 1244, Algoma Harvester at 1517, Algoma Conveyor at 1709 and tug Petite Forte & St Marys Cement at 2059

Welland Canal docks:
docked - Jun 7 - CCGS Pierre Radisson at 0925 into Heddle Dry Dock at Port Weller - Jun 24 - Algoma Transport - stopped wharf 16 at 1410

Hamilton:
arrivals - Jul 4 - G3 Marquis at 0117 and Algoma Spirit at 1543 - docked - Jun 30 - Ludogorets (Mlt) at 1906 - departures - Jul 2 - Stella Polaris (Nld) at 2353 eastbound - Jul 4 - MTM Singapore (HKg) at 1049 eastbound, Algoma Guardian at 1210, Ocean Castle (Mlt) (Federal Mattawa-16) at 1435 eastbound and Federal Ems ( Mhl) at 1631 for Cleveland

Clarkson:
arrival - Jul 4 - Robert S Pierson at 1841

Mississauga:
docked - Jun 28 - Adfines Star (Mlt) at 2040 - departed Jul 3 at 2200 for the Netherlands

Toronto:
docked - Jun 27 - Maria G (Mlt) (ex Gadwalll-17) at 0647 - Jul 1 - Maccoa (Cyp) at 2318

PAUL H. CARNAHAN was launched in 1945, as a.) HONEY HILL, a T2-SE-Al World War II tanker, for U.S. Maritime Commission.

July 5, 1991 - Charles Conrad announced he had formed a corporation to purchase the Ludington, Michigan, carferry operation from Michigan-Wisconsin Transportation Company.

JUSTIN R. WHITING was launched on 5 July 1874, at Langell's yard at the mouth of the Pine River in St. Clair, Michigan. Her dimensions were 144 feet X 26 feet 2 inches X 11 feet 6 inches. Although built to be a self-powered steam barge, she was towed as a regular barge during her first season of operation.

IDA CORNING (2-mast wooden barge, 168 foot, 444 gross tons) was launched in East Saginaw, Michigan, on 5 July 1881. She was built for L. P. Mason & Company of East Saginaw. In 1858, her rig was changed to that of a 2-masted schooner. She lasted until abandoned at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, in 1928.

1940: MAGOG, part of convoy HX-52, was hit by gunfire from U-99, torpedoed and sank stern first. The crew was eventually rescued by the Finnish freighter FIDRA. There are conflicting dates for this event but many sources agree on this date for the loss of the former C.S.L. canaller.

1969: The crew of the W.F. WHITE rescued eight from a foundering pleasure boat off Southeast Shoal, Lake Erie.

1973: The British freighter TRELEVAN visited the Seaway in 1961. It caught fire while pumping oil bilge in the engineroom at Halifax as d) BAFFIN BAY and was a total loss. The ship was sold for scrap to Marine Salvage of Port Colborne but resold to Spanish shipbreakers and arrived at Valencia, Spain, under tow for dismantling, on October 4, 1973.

1975: The T-2 tanker NASSAU CAY, formerly the IMPERIAL TORONTO, visited the Seaway in 1960. It was converted to a dry bulk carrier in 1961 and was abandoned by the crew, in sinking condition, as f) NICHOLAS C. some 200 miles off Beira, Somalia, and was not seen again. The ship was enroute from Sorel to Basrah, Iraq, when it ran out of fresh boiler water and had been drifting.

1979: The Swedish freighter MONICA SMITH was built in 1952 and came to the Great Lakes that year. It returned on a regular basis through 1966 and again, as b) MONICA S. in 1967. It sank in the Mediterranean soon after leaving Cartagena, Spain, for Port Said, Egypt, as c) MESSINA II.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series – Marine Historical Society of Detroit.