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Overall shipments, grain and salt, are up on St. Lawrence Seaway 10/18 - Total cargo shipments via the St. Lawrence Seaway (March 29 to September 30) reached 25.7 million metric tons, up 4.1 percent over the same time period in 2017. In the thick of the fall harvest, U.S. grain exports on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway continue at a robust pace and are expected to remain steady for the remainder of the shipping season. U.S. grain shipments for the season totaled 1.6 million metric tons, up 45.6 percent. Salt shipments also showed significant improvement after a labor strike at the Compass Minerals, Goderich, Ont., mine ended in July. Salt shipments (from March 29 to September 30) reached 1.9 million metric tons, down 12 percent. “While salt tonnage remains down compared to 2017 volumes, we saw a positive change with a healthy increase in salt shipments in the last couple of months,” says Bruce Burrows, president of the Chamber of Marine Commerce. “As we get closer to winter, with some parts of the Midwest already experiencing snowfall, ports throughout the Great Lakes are replenishing their salt supplies to prepare for the weather. September was also a positive month for cement, stone and gypsum.” At the Port of Green Bay, total tonnage for the season is up seven percent from this time last year. In September, the top shipments were cement, coal and limestone, however gypsum made its first entrance into the port since 2014. The vessel Pere Marquette 41 brought approximately 4,700 tons of gypsum from Michigan to Green Bay for use by GLC Minerals. Also, for the first time since 2014, the port is on course for its best year, thanks primarily to coal and petroleum products. “Between the increased shipments of coal and petroleum products throughout the season, the Port of Green Bay is on pace to reach 2 million metric tons of cargo moved in 2018,” said Dean Haen, Port of Green Bay Director. “While salt deliveries are down for this time of year due to the salt mine strike in Canada this past July, we are making plans to get enough salt deliveries scheduled for winter road maintenance before the end of the year.” Grain shipments through the Port of Toledo, which include corn, wheat, oats, canola and soybeans, surpassed the 1-million-ton mark in September; up 90 percent from January to September compared to the same time in 2017. Tonnage through the Port remained steady through September, two percent greater than the same period in 2017. “Some folks may not know that the Port of Toledo is home to some very active grain terminals, including one of the largest flour mills in the world operated by Mondelez,” said Joe Cappel, VP of Business Development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “Corn and soybeans are often available from ADM (Archer Daniels Midland) or The Andersons to reload on ocean going vessels bringing breakbulk or project cargo into the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System.” Toledo also saw an uptick in salt shipments in September as companies begin to build stockpiles for the winter. The port expects a strong finish to the season and has a busy schedule of international vessel traffic at the general cargo terminal operated by Midwest Terminals. The grain facilities are also expected to be very active throughout the fall harvest as the soybean shipments transitions from the 2017 crop to the 2018 crop. The weather has slowed down the shipments to the Port of Duluth-Superior this fall, however the port reports the demand for grain and iron ore shipments remain strong. “Momentum carried over from August, with shipments of agricultural products running almost 20 percent ahead of last season, and year-to-date iron ore loadings through September already approaching 14 million short tons, a full 23 percent ahead of the five-year average,” says Adele Yorde, Duluth Seaway Port Authority spokesperson. The port’s primary agricultural products include durum and spring wheat, beet pulp pellets, and a small amount of flax and canola. Chamber of Marine Commerce |
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Port Reports - October 18
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
S. Lake Michigan ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Oct 17 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Downbound -
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Schoonmaker museum hosts Boo on the Boat Halloween event 10/18 - Toledo, Ohio – On Saturday October 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship will become the most interesting trick or treat route on the Great Lakes as hundreds of super heroes, ghosts and goblins work their way from stem to stern collecting candy and learning about Great Lakes history. "In an era of eight-year-old kids owning a cell phone that has more computing power than the computer that sent Neil Armstrong to the moon, our Boo on the Boat program gives kids a chance to return to a more simple time with simple pleasures,” said Christopher Gillcrist, executive director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes. The museum, which operates the Schoonmaker, offers discounted admission for Boo on the Boat at $11 for adults, $8 for children and free admission for children 5 and under. "Anytime we can get kids to experience the Great Lakes, even by giving away dum dums, milky ways and gob stoppers, we are fulfilling our mission ever making sure people know of the important history of the Great Lakes,” Gillcrist added. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Children with allergies will be offered a non-food treat as part of its Teal Pumpkin Program. Members of the museum receive free admission to the program. For more information contact the museum at 419-214-5000 extension 200. National Museum of the Great Lakes |
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Fundraiser to support BoatNerd 10/18 - The results of a recent survey indicated almost 70 percent of Boatnerd’s users would be willing to contribute to an annual donation drive to support the site. With that in mind, we have kicked off our first annual fall fundraising drive. We accept donations through PayPal or by mail. Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online, the non-profit support organization for the Boatnerd.com web site, was designated a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation by the Internal Revenue Service in 2006. In addition to the continuation of the regular features like the News and Photo Galleries, here are some of the projects that your donations will help fund:
Complete redesign of the site
Automated reporting system
Webcams
Contribute
If you prefer to donate by
mail: To verify our non-profit status, please click this link and search for Great Lakes and Seaway Shipping |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 18 On October 18, 1869, GERALDINE (3-mast wooden schooner, 232 tons, built in 1856, at Wilson, New York as a bark) was carrying coal from Buffalo to Detroit in heavy weather. During the night, she collided with the schooner E. M. PORTCH five miles below "The Cut" at Long Point on Lake Erie and sank in 5 minutes. The PORTCH stood by while the GERALDINE's crew got off in the yawl. No lives were lost.ALVA C. DINKEY departed Quebec City October 18, 1980, in tandem with her former fleet mate GOVERNOR MILLER, towed by the FedNav tug CATHY B., in route to Vigo, Spain, for scrapping. Tragedy struck on the WILLIAM C. MORELAND's fifth trip October 18, 1910, Loaded with 10,700 tons of iron ore from Superior for Ashtabula, Ohio, the vessel stranded on Sawtooth Reef off Eagle Harbor, Michigan, on Lake Superior. Visibility had been very limited due to forest fires raging on the Keweenaw Peninsula and the lake was blanketed with smoke as far as one mile off shore. The MORELAND hit so hard and at such speed that she bounced over the first reef and came to rest on a second set of rocks. The stern section was salvaged and combined with a new forward section she became b.) SIR TREVOR DAWSON in 1916. Renamed c.) CHARLES L. HUTCHINSON in 1920, d.) GENE C. HUTCHINSON in 1951, sold into Canadian registry in 1963, renamed e.) PARKDALE. Scrapped at Cartagena, Spain in 1970. On October 18, 1896, AUSTRALASIA (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 282 foot, 1,829 gross tons, built in 1884, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was carrying 2,200 tons of soft coal when she caught fire, burned to the waterline and sank 3 miles east of Cana Island in Lake Michigan. The Bailey's Harbor Lifesavers saved her crew. At 8 p.m., on October 18, 1844, the steamer ROCHESTER left Rochester, New York for Toronto. She encountered a severe gale about halfway there. Captain H. N. Throop had the vessel put about to return to Rochester. The gale was so severe that all thought they were lost. When they finally arrived in Rochester, the passengers were so grateful that they had survived that they published a note of gratitude to Almighty God and Captain Throop in The Rochester Daily Democrat on 19 October 1844 -- it was signed by all 18 passengers. On October 18,1876, the schooner R. D. CAMPBELL filled with water and capsized on Lake Michigan about 10 miles from Muskegon, Michigan. The crew clung to the vessel's rigging until rescued by the tug JAMES MC GORDAN. The schooner drifted to the beach some hours later. 1905: The schooner TASMANIA became waterlogged while under tow of the steamer BULGARIA and sank in the Pelee Passage 1911: ARUNDELL had been laid up at Douglas, MI, for about 2 weeks when fire Poke out, destroying the iron hulled passenger and freight vessel. 1917: ABYSSINIA had been under tow of the MARUBA when both ships stranded at Tecumseh Shoal in heavy seas. The grain-laden vessels had been following the north shore due to high winds when they struck bottom. The barge began leaking and was pounded apart but there was no loss of life but the steamer was refloated. 1933: The wooden steam barge MANISTIQUE caught fire on Lake Huron and the remains either sank or was scuttled. 1973: The AGIOS ANTONIOS first visited the Seaway in 1972 and, as a) SILVERWEIR, had come inland beginning in 1964. The ship had loaded iron ore at Coondapoor, on the southwest coast of India, and went aground leaving for Constanza, Romania. The vessel was abandoned as a total loss. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Spruceglen crewman dies after falling off Seaway dock 10/17 - Massena, N.Y. – A Canadian man is dead after he fell off the dock while tying off a freighter outside Eisenhower Lock near Massena early Tuesday morning. State police say 57-year-old Alfred Eshun from Quebec lost his balance and slipped off a dock after being lowered onto it off the side of the bulk carrier Spruceglen around 12:30 a.m. He was found in the water face down and unresponsive about three minutes later. Two St. Lawrence Seaway employees went into the water to help. Both men were treated for possible hypothermia at Massena Memorial Hospital. Eshun was pronounced dead at Massena Memorial Hospital around 2 a.m. An autopsy is scheduled. The Spruceglen was heading upriver and was waiting to go through the locks when the accident happened. The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment is assisting with the investigation The Associated Press Canada Steamship Lines’ statement: In Memory of Alfred "Freddy" Eshun It is with great sadness that that we learned of the tragic death of one our colleagues on Spruceglen in the early morning hours on October 16, 2018. That colleague was OS Alfred Eshun, known to his shipmates as “Freddy.” A long-time CSL seafarer, Freddy became permanent on Spruceglen in 2004 and had worked as a relief on a variety of CSL ships for over 20 years. Freddy was a known as hard worker, well liked and appreciated by his crewmates, and an all-around good guy. He will be missed by his wife, his son, his friends and his CSL family. In honor of Freddy’s life, CSL ships worldwide will fly the CSL flag at half-mast for the rest of the week. |
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Port Reports - October 17
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
S. Lake Michigan ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Oct 16 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Downbound -
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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‘Books and Boats’ to feature authors and more at Maritime Center Nov. 10 10/17 - Port Huron, Mich. – Join several Great Lakes authors, as well as photographers and others Nov. 10 for “Books & Boats” at the Great Lakes Maritime Center in Port Huron. On hand will be Roger LeLievre (“Know Your Ships”), Robert Campbell (“Classic Ships of the Great Lakes”), Roger P. Hulett (“A Lot More To Do: The Remarkable Life of Frank Mays”), Raymond Bawal Jr. (“The Inland Steel Fleet” and others), and Port Huron area author Pegg Thomas. All will be happy to sign copies of their books. A special guest will be Great Lakes illustrator Don Lee, whose personalized Great Lakes caricatures are popular on Facebook and other sites. He draw your likeness as your favorite boat (no charge but tips appreciated). In addition, Bob May from Lake Freighter Minis will have his paper lake vessel model kits for sale. Among maritime photographers scheduled to attend are Mary Truchan and Frank Switlicki (aluminum prints). The Great Lakes Nautical Society will be on hand with a display of model boats and model boat kits for sale for kids to build. Great Lakes Maritime Center |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 17 On this day in 1889, the whaleback 103 completed her maiden trip by delivering 86,000 bushels of Duluth wheat to Buffalo.On this day in 1936, the 252-foot sand sucker SAND MERCHANT rolled over and sank when a 50 mph gale swept across Lake Erie. The steamer THUNDER BAY QUARRIES, Captain James Healey, rescued three survivors and the steamer MARQUETTE & BESSEMER NO 1, Captain George Wilson, rescued four additional survivors. Eighteen crewmembers and one female passenger drowned in the accident. On October 17, 1887, Henry McMorran and D. N. Runnels bought the engine and boiler of the tug GEORGE HAND at the U.S. Marshall's sale in Port Huron, Michigan, for $500. The CARLTON (Hull#542) was launched October 17, 1963, at Sunderland, England, by Short Brothers, Ltd., for Chapman & Willan, Ltd. Renamed b.) FEDERAL WEAR in 1975. Purchased by Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd. in 1975, renamed c.) ST LAWRENCE PROSPECTOR in 1975. Lengthened to Seaway size and renamed d.) CANADIAN PROSPECTOR in 1979. Scrapped in 2009 at Aliaga, Turkey. The EMS ORE was launched October 17, 1959, for Transatlantic Bulk Carriers, Monrovia, Liberia. Purchased by Hall Corp. of Canada in 1976, reconstructed for lake service and renamed b.) MONTCLIFFE HALL in 1977. Renamed c.) CARTIERDOC in 1988, she sails today as d.) CEDARGLEN. With an inexperienced Taiwanese crew, boiler problems and the collapse of Lock 7's west wall in the Welland Canal on October 17th, SAVIC's (CLIFFS VICTORY) departure was delayed until December 17, 1985, when she departed Chicago under her own power. The carferry PERE MARQUETTE 19 was launched October 17, 1903. In 1893, the FLINT & PERE MARQUETTE NO 1 was damaged by fire while in Ludington. In 1988, the Society for the Preservation of the S.S. City of Milwaukee purchased CITY OF MILWAUKEE from the City of Frankfort for $2. On October 17,1871, CASCADEN (2 mast wood schooner, 138 tons, built in 1866, at Saugeen, Ontario) was carrying much needed supplies for the Cove Island Lighthouse keeper and his family who were in desperate straits. But she went ashore 3 miles below Cape Hurd near Tobermory, Ontario, in a storm and was wrecked. On October 17, 1843, the wooden schooner ALABAMA collided with a pier during a storm at the mouth of the Grand River at Fairport, Ohio, and was a total loss. On October 17, 1871, the 42-ton wooden schooner SEA HORSE stranded on Fitzwilliam Island at the mouth of Georgian Bay in a storm. She was a total loss. 1923: The bulk carrier LUZON went aground in Lake Superior, northeast of Passage Island, due to poor visibility from the dense smoke of local forest fires. The vessel sustained serious bow damage but, fortunately, the bulkhead held. It was enroute from Fort William to Buffalo with grain at the time. The ship returned to service as b) JOHN ANDERSON in 1924 and was last known as G.G. POST. 1936: SAND MERCHANT sank in Lake Erie about 13.5 miles off Cleveland with the loss of 19 lives. The ship began taking on water faster than it could be pumped out and only 7 sailors survived. 1951: GEORGE F. RAND and HARVEY H. BROWN collided just below the Huron Cut at Port Huron and the former was beached with a starboard list. After being refloated, this vessel unloaded its cargo of silica sand at Port Huron and then went to Toledo for repairs. The latter later sailed as PARKER EVANS and MARLHILL. 1980: The Canadian tanker GULF CANADA and MEGALOHARI II collided at Montreal with minor damage. The former had been built at Collingwood as a) B.A. PEERLESS in 1952 and was scrapped at Alang, India, as d) COASTAL I in 1990. The latter had begun Seaway trading in 1965 and was scrapped at Alang as b) AGIOS CONSTANTINOS in 1985. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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U.S. shipping on the Great Lakes down in September 10/16 - Duluth, Minn. – Lakers carried 9.36 million tons of cargo last month, down 8.3 percent from September 2017 and 6.6 percent below the month's 5-year average, according to the Lake Carriers' Association, which represents 13 American companies and their 45 U.S.-flag ships. But, those lower numbers shouldn't be a cause for concern, spokespeople from the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Interlake Steamship Company said. "It's virtually impossible and not a really good idea to look back one year and try to compare the same month," said Adele Yorde, director of public relations for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority said, adding that factors like weather can impact monthly totals. Brendan O'Connor, vice president of marketing and marine traffic for Interlake Steamship Company, which is operating nine ships this season, said port congestion, dock delays and other ship repairs could impact those month-to-month figures. Interlake's ships are running full, he said. "The market is pretty strong," O'Connor said. "There are some differences incrementally in commodities. I can tell you we're not moving as much coal as we had in the past." Coal shipments last month fell to 1.25 million tons, down 33 percent from September 2017, across all U.S.-flag ships while year-to-date totals of coal sit at 7.75 million tons shipped so far this year, down 17.6 percent from this time last year. "The big thing that is down is coal," Yorde said, adding that coal is used less and less for energy production. "It's reflective of energy and utility use — a change in fossil fuels." Shipments of iron ore by U.S.-flag ships totaled 4.7 million tons in September, a 3.5 percent drop from the same month last year. However, plenty of iron ore is moving through the Port of Duluth-Superior as shipments increased 3.43 percent over last year, Yorde said. Iron ore "demand is certainly up," Yorde said. Salt, which isn't moved nearly as much as other commodities on the Great Lakes, saw its cargo numbers fall from 161,498 net tons in September 2017 to 17,226 net tons in September 2018. Year-to-date totals are nearly half of what they were a year ago. The reason? A strike at the Compass Minerals' Goderich salt mine in Ontario that lasted almost three months earlier this year. "They just haven't caught up so there's less salt coming up this way," said Mike McCoshe, president of Hallett Dock Company in Duluth and Superior, which moves salt, iron ore and other commodities. He's not worried about the September number and expects October to be a better month for the Great Lakes. "I had stuff coming in, but it just wasn't going out. Well, It's all going out in October," he said. "Sometimes it's just a timing issue with the boats." Duluth News Tribune |
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Port Reports - October 16
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
S. Lake Michigan ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron,
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Oct 15 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Downbound -
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Jeff Benson |
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Michigan governor praises Coast Guard for enacting Straits ‘no anchor’ zone 10/16 - Lansing, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder Monday thanked the United States Coast Guard for approving a Straits of Mackinac “no anchor” zone, which builds on measures announced by the governor to add protections and safeguards to Michigan’s waters and the utility infrastructure in the area. “I want to thank the U.S. Coast Guard and Ninth District Commander Rear Admiral Joanna M. Nunan for taking this important action,” Gov. Snyder said. “This is one of many critical measures to provide robust short-term protections as we move forward with our long-term plan of putting Line 5 in a utility tunnel and decommissioning the existing pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac.” Gov. Snyder in May approved a temporary emergency state rule prohibiting anchoring in the Straits, since no such prohibition was in place. Boats dropping anchors in the area where there is utility infrastructure could cause severe environmental damage and threaten to disrupt critical energy and communication services between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The new “no anchor” zone, known as a regulated navigation area, goes into effect Oct. 31 and prohibits vessels from anchoring or loitering without permission within a designated area. The boundaries are longitudes 084°20′ W and 085°10′ W and latitudes 045°39′ N and 045°54′ N (NAD 83), including Grays Reef Passage, the South Channel between Bois Blanc Island and Cheboygan, and the waters between Mackinac Island and St. Ignace. Vessels will be prohibited from anchoring over any charted, submerged cable and pipeline within the “no anchor” area unless the crew has received permission from the Captain of the Port of Sault Ste. Marie, or a designated representative. The Coast Guard said loitering does not include brief stops by companies offering sight-seeing, ferrying, or tourism services. The state of Michigan and Enbridge Energy Partners, LLC, which owns Line 5, entered into an agreement this month for construction beneath the Straits of a tunnel for multiple utility connections between the peninsulas. The agreement also calls for the permanent shutdown of the current segment of Line 5 in the Straits and safety enhancements along the entire length of Line 5 in Michigan. Additional safety measures in the Straits under the agreement include installing cameras, paid for by Enbridge, to support the Coast Guard’s new regulation prohibiting ships from dropping anchor. The company also will suspend operation of the pipeline when high winds would severely hamper response to a potential oil spill. Enbridge also agreed to have at least $1.8 billion available to respond to a potential spill in the Straits or anywhere along Line 5 in Michigan. The state will provide a radar system to measure real-time wave heights. Line 5 is 645 miles long and transports up to 540,000 barrels a day of light crude oil and natural gas liquids, including propane. Below the Straits of Mackinac, the pipeline splits into two lines that lie on the lake bottom within an easement issued by the state of Michigan. A new pipeline in the tunnel would not increase volumes or alter the types of products transported through the existing Line 5. WLUC |
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Abandoned Michigan: The Alabaster Marine Tramway 10/16 - The town of Alabaster in Iosco County may still show up on maps, but many sites declare it to be a ghost town...mainly because the old businesses and worker homes have vanished, replaced by a small string of newer homes just north of the old business district. Alabaster Township was settled in 1863 and established in 1866. It got its name from a certain type of gypsum found off the shoreline around 1837. A mine was opened in 1862, and Alabaster began its prosperous boom. People journeyed to the area looking for work, including many European immigrants. By 1905 the population was 600 and homes needed to be constructed for the mineworkers and their families. Even though you wouldn't realize it when you look at current photos, the town of Alabaster once had three churches (Catholic, Lutheran & Methodist), cooper shop, three fisheries, general store, two hotels, plaster works, post office, sawmill, schoolhouse, stave mill, steamboat, wagonmaker and warehouse. By 1918 the population had reduced to 400. In 1928, a 6,350-foot marine tramway was built that jutted out into Lake Huron, supplying ships that pulled into Saginaw Bay. By 1962, the post office had shut down. In the 1990s the marine tramway was mostly demolished and abandoned, with a newer, shorter version being built about three miles north. The old tramway is still visible and is an impressive sight. It's located near the old business district of Alabaster, with all old businesses gone and disappeared. Alabaster is registered by the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. View photos at this link: http://99wfmk.com/abandoned-michigan-the-alabaster-gypsum-marine-tramway |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 16 On this day in 1950, the JOHN M. McKERCHEY of the Kelley's Island Lime and Transport Company sank at 2:30 a.m. while returning from the pumping grounds with a load of sand. Captain Horace S. Johnson went down with the boat, but the remaining 19 crewmembers were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. On October 16,1855, SENECA (wooden propeller tug, 92 foot, 73 tons, built in 1847, at Buffalo, New York) was towing the brig LANSING past the foot of Randolph Street at Chicago, Illinois, when her boiler exploded. Her skipper and engineer were killed instantly and several others were injured. The vessel was later recovered. On October 16, 1990, the JOHN B. AIRD's loop belt caught fire while loading mill scale at Inland Steel Mill, East Chicago, Illinois. Fueled by coal dust left over after unloading coal at the mill, 1,400 feet of the rubber conveyor belt burned causing nearly $500,000 in damages. ALGOWEST set a cargo record carrying 27,517 tons of grain down the Seaway October 16, 1982, to Port Cartier, Quebec. She was converted to a self-unloader in 1998, and renamed b.) PETER R. CRESSWELL in 2001. The Cayman Islands-registered tanker RIO ORINOCO grounded off Anticosti Island, Quebec on October 16, 1990, and was abandoned. Later she was salvaged by Le Groupe Desgagnes (1981) Inc., refloated, repaired and renamed d.) THALASSA DESGAGNES. Sea trials of MERTON E. FARR were successfully completed October 16, 1920. On October 16, 1954, the SCOTT MISENER of 1954 became the first laker to load a record 800,000 bushels of grain on the Great Lakes when she was loaded with barley at Fort William, Ontario, for delivery to Port Colborne. WILLIAM G. MATHER of 1925 was towed from her Cuyahoga River berth on October 16, 1990, by the Great Lakes Towing tugs IDAHO and DELAWARE. She was placed next to the 9th Street Pier of Cleveland's North Coast Harbor and now serves as a marine museum. On October 16, 1912, JAMES BUCKLEY (2 mast wood schooner-barge, 161 foot, 442 gross tons, built in 1884, at Quebec City) was carrying coal and being towed by the tug WILLIAM PROCTOR in consort with the barges H B and MENOMINEE in Lake Ontario. The BUCKLEY separated from this group in a storm and was driven into the shallows off the coast of Jefferson County, New York. The tug PROCTOR delivered MENOMINEE to Cape Vincent, then returned in time to take BUCKLEY’s crew out of the rigging - hand over hand on a heaving line - before BUCKLEY finally sank. On October 16, 1855, the brig TUSCARORA was carrying coal from Buffalo to Chicago. She anchored off Chicago's Harrison Street, but a storm dragged her in. Volunteers from shore were unable to get to the stricken vessel. A group of 9 ship captains and 4 seamen then organized a rescue party and took two new "Francis" metal lifeboats out and rescued the entire crew of eleven. By 21 October, TUSCARORA was pounded to pieces. On October 16, 1853, PHILO SCOVILLE (2-mast wooden brig built in 1853, at Sheboygan, Wisconsin) was carrying flour, wheat, pigs and barreled fish when she encountered a gale in the eastern Straits of Mackinac. She was dismasted and drifted ashore where she was pounded to pieces. Her crew was saved by floating ashore while clinging to the floating main mast. 1880: ALPENA, a wooden sidewheel passenger steamer, was lost in Lake Michigan in a violent storm. All 67 on board perished. 1928: PARKS FOSTER ran aground, due to fog, in Lake Huron near Alpena. The ship was lightered, pumped out and refloated. While declared a total loss, the vessel was rebuilt as b) SUPERIOR and eventually dismantled at Port Weller in 1961. 1940: TREVISA was torpedoed and sunk by U-124 while 600 miles off the coast of Ireland. The ship had become a straggler from convoy SC-7 that had been attacked over a period of 3 nights. Seven lives were lost when TREVISA was hit in the engineroom by a single torpedo. 1968: The NORMAN P. CLEMENT was at Collingwood for examination of the grounding damage of earlier in the month when an onboard explosion on this date injured 11. The hull was contaminated with chemicals and declared a total loss. 1969: FREDEN V. came to the Great Lakes in 1958 and returned through the Seaway in 1959. The small tanker was heavily damaged as c) YARIMCA in an engine room fire at Sinop, Turkey, but that was repaired in 1972 and the ship survived until scrapping at Aliaga, Turkey, as f) ORTAC in 2004. 1971: The Cypriot freighter UNION came through the Seaway in 1971 after prior visits as c) MICA beginning in 1965. Fire broke out in the engine room and the ship was abandoned 130 miles off Freetown, Sierra Leone, on October 10, 1971. The vessel sank on October 16 and had been enroute from Gdynia, Poland, to Chittagong, Bangladesh. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Manitoba scrap tow departs Montreal 10/15 - Nito, formerly the laker Manitoba (ex. Mantadoc, Teakglen and Maritime Trader), departed Montreal at the end of the Ocean Delta's towline on Sunday. They are bound for an overseas scrap yard. |
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Port Reports - October 15
Duluth/Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
S. Lake Michigan ports
Sarnia, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Erie, Pa. – Jeff Benson Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Oct 14 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Downbound -
Welland Canal docks:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Obituary: Davis William Helberg 10/15 - Davis William Helberg passed away on October 10, 2018, at his home in Esko. He was diagnosed with cancer in January 2018 and faced that battle with his usual high spirits, optimism and a generous amount of SISU. Davis, known as "DeeDee" growing up, was born to Bill and Mary Helberg on December 10, 1940. He graduated from Esko High School in 1958 and married his high school sweetheart, Karen, in 1961. They were married for 45 years before her death in 2006 and had three children, Bill, Heidi and Adam. At the age of 17, Davis sailed as a deckhand on a Great Lakes freighter, the LaBelle. The year he spent aboard was his entry into the Great Lakes shipping industry. He worked for the Alistair Guthrie vessel agency during the Seaway's early years and remembered vividly May 3, 1959, the day the first oceangoing ship arrived to Duluth. Davis would spend the bulk of his career in the shipping industry, but for six years was a reporter for the Duluth News-Tribune and Duluth Herald covering sports and county government. As a sports writer, he had a column showcasing high school sports and athletes titled "It's Prep-Posterous," and as a feature writer he interviewed the likes of Jack Benny, Harry Reasoner and Buddy Hackett. Davis left the newspaper in 1968 to become the port's public relations director. He joined Upper Great Lakes Pilots, Inc., in 1972 and served as president of North Central Terminal Operators beginning in 1977 before his appointment as port director in 1979. Davis retired in 2003 after 24 years as executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Davis was a past-president of the Duluth Superior Propeller Club and current president of the Duluth Superior Harbor Club. He held offices in several national maritime organizations, including as 1994-95 chairman of the American Association of Port Authorities, an organization representing all major ports of the western hemisphere. He was named Great Lakes Person of the Year in 1992, was presented the U.S. Coast Guard's Meritorious Public Service award in 1999 and received an honorary doctorate in 2003 from the University of Wisconsin-Superior. In 2007, he was inducted into the Great Lakes Marine Hall of Fame in Sault Ste Marie, Mich. After his retirement, Davis turned his focus back to Esko and served on the boards of the Esko Educational Foundation, the Esko Tree Board and the Carlton County Historical Society. In his last years, he served as secretary of the Esko Sports Alliance and organized the creation of the Esko Sports Alliance Hall of Fame. Davis was a gifted writer and storyteller and had a quick wit. During his years as port director, he was a columnist for "Lake Superior Magazine" and the "Journal of Commerce" and in retirement wrote for "Great Lakes Seaway Review." He was the editor of "Pride of the Inland Seas: The Illustrated History of the Port of Duluth-Superior" (2004), "Esko's Corner: An Illustrated History of Thomson Township" (2013) and "Thomson Township's Night of Terror" (2018). During his final months, Davis was writing his own book-he would often say "memoir" was too pretentious-a collection of life experiences and stories about the places he traveled and the people he met. The working title of the book was "Did I Ever Tell You...?" He was writing the final chapter when he died. Davis's death would have given him a chance to provide a definitive response to a frequently asked question: "Have you lived in Esko all your life?" He would respond to that question enthusiastically by saying, "Not yet!" The truth, however, is that Davis lived in Duluth for about 10 years but returned to his original home after his father died, and, despite opportunities elsewhere, chose to stay because of his love for the woods, the wildlife and the Esko community. Davis's life will be celebrated at a "Sail Away" at Pier B Resort in Duluth on Monday, November 12, beginning with a time to gather as family and friends from 10:30 am until a service at 11:30. To honor his commitment to the Esko community, family asks that donations be made to the Esko Educational Foundation and the Davis Helberg Scholarship. Donations can be sent to Esko Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 27, Esko, MN, 55733. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 15 On this day in 1893, according to reports in Buffalo newspapers, First Mate Ben Lewis was washed off the decks of the JAY GOULD during a storm. A succeeding wave picked him up and dropped him back on the deck of the GOULD.On October 15, 1871, LA PETITE (wooden schooner, 94 foot, 122 gross tons, built in 1866, at Huron, Ohio) was carrying lumber from Alpena, Michigan, to Huron, Ohio, when she was caught in a terrific gale on Lake Huron. The heavy seas carried away the lumber strapped on deck. Then the vessel sprang a leak and turned on her beam ends. Capt. O. B. Smith, his wife, and four other sailors rode out the storm on the wreck until found by the tug BROCKWAY. The schooner was towed to Port Huron and repaired. On her maiden voyage, Branch Lines new tanker LEON SIMARD was spotted traveling eastward on the St. Lawrence River on October 15, 1974. Renamed b.) L'ORME NO 1 in 1982. Sold off the lakes, renamed c.) TRADEWIND OCEAN in 1997 and d.) AMARA in 2001. The self-unloader WOLVERINE departed the American Ship Building Co., October 15, 1974, on her maiden voyage from Lorain, Ohio, light to load stone at Stoneport, Michigan, for delivery to Huron, Ohio. HERBERT C. JACKSON cleared Fraser Shipyard on October 15, 1988, after having the 1000 h.p. bowthruster motor installed from the JOHN SHERWIN. The motor from the JACKSON was later repaired and placed in the SHERWIN's cargo hold for future use. The PAUL H. CARNAHAN came out on her maiden voyage October 15, 1961. On October 15, 1984, JOHN O. McKELLAR of 1952, was sold to P.& H. Shipping of Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd., Mississauga, Ont., and renamed b.) ELMGLEN. Scrapping began on October 15, 1988, of JOHN T. HUTCHINSON at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, by Li Chong Steel & Iron Works Co. Ltd. C. H. McCULLOUGH JR was laid up on October 15, 1969, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. COVERDALE (Hull#34) was launched at Midland, Ontario, on October 15, 1949, for Canada Steamship Lines, Montreal, Quebec. Renamed b.) GEORGE HINDMAN in 1973 and c.) MELDRUM BAY in 1979. Scrapped at Lisbon, Portugal in 1985. SCOTT MISENER of 1954 struck bottom on October 15, 1973, near Whaleback Shoal on the St. Lawrence River reportedly damaging 60 of her bottom plates. She proceeded to the Port Arthur shipyard for drydocking and repairs from October 20th through the 28th. On October 15, 1980, the NIPIGON BAY, loaded with ore for Hamilton, Ontario, grounded at the "crossover" near Brockville, Ontario, on the St. Lawrence River and sustained a 100-foot rip in her bottom plates. She proceeded to Thunder Bay arriving there on October 24th where repairs were made at an estimated cost of $500,000. R. P. MASON (3 mast wooden schooner, 115 foot, 155 gross tons, built in 1867, at Grand Haven, Michigan) was bound from Chicago for Detroit when she struck a rocky reef near Waugoshance Point in the Straits of Mackinac on October 8. 1871. Water gushed in an 8-foot hole. However, she was temporarily patched and her cargo of grain, flour and meat was taken off over the next few days. The tug LEVIATHAN took her in tow, going to Little Traverse Bay when, on October 15, they encountered a gale near Cross Village, Michigan. The MASON broke free and capsized. 5 died and 4 were rescued. The MASON drifted ashore upside down. She was eventually salvaged and sailed for another 46 years. She ended her days when she burned in Lake Michigan in 1917. The tug DOUGLAS caught fire near Wyandotte while going down the Detroit River and sank. The crew all jumped overboard and was saved by the steam yacht JOSEPHINE, except for John Cassidy, one of the firemen, who drowned. A few days later, plans were made to raise and rebuild the DOUGLAS. On October 15,1871, R. G. COBURN (wooden propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 193 foot, 867 tons, built in 1870, at Marine City, Michigan) was carrying 15,000 bushels of wheat, 3,500 barrels of flour and 30 barrels of silver ore from Lake Superior to Detroit. As she came down Lake Huron, she encountered a terrific gale that had driven most vessels to seek shelter. The COBURN fought the wind at Saginaw Bay throughout the night until she lost her rudder and turned broadside to the waves. Her large stack fell and smashed the cabin area and then the cargo came loose and started smashing holes in the bulwarks. About 70 passengers were aboard and almost all were terribly seasick. As the ship began her final plunge beneath the waves, only a few lifeboats were getting ready to be launched and those were floated right from the deck as the ship sank. 32 people perished, including Capt. Gilbert Demont. No women or children were saved. On October 15, 1900, the wooden 186-foot freighter F. E. SPINNER was sunk in a collision with the steamer H. D. COFFINBERRY in the St. Marys River. She was raised from 125 feet of water, one of the deepest successful salvage operations to that time. She was later renamed HELEN C and lasted until 1922. October 15, 1910 - After the sinking of the PERE MARQUETTE 18 of 1902, built at Cleveland, Ohio, the previous September, a new PERE MARQUETTE 18 of 1911, was ordered by the Pere Marquette Railway from the Chicago Ship Building Co. On 15 October 1871, the EXCELSIOR (3-mast wooden schooner, 156 foot, 374 gross tons, built in 1865, at Buffalo, New York) was struck by a gale near Thunder Bay on Lake Huron. She sailed through the early morning hours only to sink about 4:30 a.m. Only Charles Lostrom survived. He was on the cabin roof, which blew off when the vessel went down. Mr. Lostrom remained on the floating roof-raft for two days and two nights until he was rescued by fishermen near South Hampton light on the Canadian side of Lake Huron. 1916: The wooden bulk freighter L. EDWARD HINES was sold to Nicaraguan owners and left the Great Lakes in 1916. The ship had loaded coal in New Orleans for Venezuela for its maiden voyage on this date in 1916 but got caught in a hurricane and sank with the loss of 17 lives while 45 miles east of Belize, British Honduras. 1971: SINGAPORE TRADER was upbound with general cargo from Japan to Detroit, on its first trip to the Great Lakes, when it ran aground in the Thousand Islands. The vessel was released on November 29 and towed back to Montreal on December 16. The ship was arrested there and offered for sale, by court order. The successful bidder for the 27-year-old vessel was a shipbreaker at Santander, Spain, and the ship arrived there for dismantling on June 22, 1972. 1977: The three-year old Panamanian bulk carrier GOLDEN STAR damaged its rudder when it struck the opposite bank while backing from the dock at Huron, Ohio. The vessel, bound for the United Kingdom, needed four tugs when it was towed out of the Seaway for repairs at Sorel, QC. The vessel was last noted as c) FUN JIN under the flag of Panama in 1993. 1978: The West German freighter FRANCISCA SARTORI made 21 trips through the Seaway from 1959 through 1967. It was lying at Piraeus, Greece, as f) GIOTA S. when the engine room flooded on this date in 1978. The ship departed for Chalkis on October 24, 1979, but further leaks developed and the vessel had to be beached at Laurium, Greece. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Jody L. Aho, James Neumiller, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Scrap tow of former laker Manitoba to leave Montreal Sunday 10/14 - Nito, formerly the Manitoba, will be departing Montreal at the end of the Ocean Delta's towline at 6 a.m. Sunday. The vessel was built in 1967 at Collingwood Shipyards in Collingwood, Ontario, for the N.M. Paterson & Sons fleet as Mantadoc. In 2002, Paterson left the shipping business and Mantadoc was sold to Canada Steamship Lines and renamed Teakglen, although it did not operate as such until the fall of 2002 when it made its only trip under that name with a storage load of grain for Goderich, Ontario. The ship was used as a grain storage hull from 2002 until 2005 when it was sold to a new company, Voyageur Marine Transport Ltd., which repainted the ship a bright blue and renamed her Maritime Trader. In 2011 the vessel was purchased by Lower Lakes Towing Ltd. of Port Dover, Ontario, and renamed Manitoba. With her demise, this leaves only the Cedarglen of the Canada Steamship Lines’ fleet, formerly the Cartierdoc, as the last remaining member of the Paterson fleet. Manitoba’s last full season of operation was 2015-16. She was in lay up at Hamilton before departing on April 16, 2016 for Montreal, arriving under her own power for her final lay up on April 17, 2016. |
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Sault Ste. Marie receives first shipment of road salt ahead of winter 10/14 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – It’s still peak fall color season in Northern Michigan. However one thing is reminding us winter is right around the corner: Road salt. On Saturday afternoon, the Algoma Sault unloaded just over 17,000 tons of the salt in Sault Ste. Marie. The salt will be distributed throughout the eastern Upper Peninsula. The rest of the vessel’s cargo will be unloaded in the Houghton area. This salt shipment isn’t enough for the Upper Peninsula winters. Another shipment will arrive next week. 9&10 News |
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Port Reports - October 14
Superior, Wis.
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River – Joy Fett
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron Ports
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Oct 13 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Downbound -
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Server move 10/14 - Our AIS system ais.boatnerd.com and automated vessel passage systems will be moving servers early this week and service may be interrupted at times. |
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Fundraiser to support BoatNerd 10/14 - The results of a recent survey indicated almost 70 percent of Boatnerd’s users would be willing to contribute to an annual donation drive to support the site. With that in mind, we have kicked off our first annual fall fundraising drive. We accept donations through PayPal or by mail. Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online, the non-profit support organization for the Boatnerd.com web site, was designated a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation by the Internal Revenue Service in 2006. In addition to the continuation of the regular features like the News and Photo Galleries, here are some of the projects that your donations will help fund:
Complete redesign of the site
Automated reporting system
Webcams
Contribute
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mail: To verify our non-profit status, please click this link and search for Great Lakes and Seaway Shipping |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 14 On this day in 1953, Boston Metals Company of Baltimore, Maryland, submitted a successful bid of $118,111 for six retired lakers to be scrapped by the U.S. Maritime Commission. The six boats were the CHACORNAC, COLONEL, MUNISING, NEGAUNEE, YOSEMITE and AMAZON.On 14 October 1871, the LEVANT (2-mast wooden schooner, 91 foot, 115 tons, built in 1854, at Chicago, Illinois) was loaded with lumber when she was overtaken by a severe gale and went over on her beam ends off Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on Lake Michigan. The 6-man crew lashed themselves to the vessel so as not to be washed away by the waves. Throughout the night the men died one by one. At daylight, the schooner D P DOBBINS found the wreck with floating bodies tied to it and three still alive (two of them were barely alive). One died during the rescue attempt and another died within minutes of being rescued. Only Peter J. Thornum survived. DEAN RICHMOND (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 238 foot, 1,432 gross tons, built in 1864, at Cleveland, Ohio) sailed from Toledo, Ohio, on Friday the 13th of October 1893, with a load of bagged meal, flour, zinc and copper ingots. She encountered hurricane force winds of over 60 mph and battled the storm throughout the night. She was seen on 14 October 1893, off Erie, Pennsylvania, missing her stacks and battling the wind and waves. The following day, wreckage and bodies were washing ashore near Dunkirk, New York. Among the dead were the captain, his wife and three children. A few crewmembers managed to make it to shore however all but one died of exposure. The only survivor was found on the beach near Van Buren Point two days later. During the search for bodies, three volunteers lost their lives. The wreck was found in 1984. The keel to the JAMES R. BARKER was laid on October 14, 1974. 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.). On October 14, 1983, the CHI-CHEEMAUN encountered 48-knot winds after departing Tobermory with 113 passengers bound for South Baymouth. Due to high wind and waves the captain decided to find shelter rather than to continue on or return to port. The ferry made her way around the Bruce Peninsula southeast to Dyer Bay where she dropped anchor for the night, however she had no overnight accommodations. Complimentary meals were served and activities were organized by the crew. The anchor was lifted the next morning and the ferry returned to Tobermory. The GEORGE A. STINSON departed Detroit on her maiden voyage October 14, 1978, light for Superior, Wisconsin, to load iron ore pellets for delivery to the Great Lakes Steel Division of the National Steel Corp. at Zug Island in River Rouge, Michigan. Renamed b.) AMERICAN SPIRIT in 2004. On 14 October 1875, it was discovered that thieves had completely stripped the canvass and rigging from the schooner FORWARDER owned by Little & Brown. The schooner was lying about three miles below Port Huron. On 14 October 1822, APPELONA (wooden schooner, 45 foot, 37 tons, built in 1814, at Henderson, New York) was bound from Oswego for Genesee, New York, when she was struck by lightning in Lake Ontario and sank about 15 minutes. All hands were injured but abandoned her for shore and all survived. The tug NELSON burned at Chicago on Saturday, 14 October 1876. She was one of the smaller class of tugs and the damage was so great that she was not considered to be worth repairing. October 14, 1911 - The ANN ARBOR NO 4 ran aground while enroute to Manistique, Michigan, at full speed, damaging several plates. The ANN ARBOR NO 3 pulled her off. On 14 October 1876, NEW YORK (wooden propeller freighter, 183 foot, 704 tons, built in 1856, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying lumber and towing the schooner BUTCHER BOY and barges NELLIE MC GILVERAY and A. J. CORREY from Cove Island in Georgian Bay to Buffalo when they encountered a severe storm near Pointe aux Barques. The towline parted and the NEW YORK could not regain it in the heavy seas. She then sprang a leak and the water rose rapidly enough to put out her fires. The crew (15 men and one woman) abandoned in the yawl as NEW YORK was overwhelmed and sank. The open boat was adrift for five hours when the 74-foot schooner NEMESIS came upon it. NEMESIS tried twelve times to approach the yawl in the rough seas, losing a portion of her deck load of tanbark each time that she came about, but at last she got alongside the yawl. The NEW YORK's crew managed to get aboard the NEMESIS except for Fireman William Sparks, who fell between the yawl and the schooner and was lost. The other vessels in the tow all made it to Port Huron safely. On 14 October 1883, NELLIE GARDNER (wooden schooner-barge, 178 foot, 567 gross tons, built in 1873, at Marine City, Michigan) was loaded with 39,000 bushels of corn while being towed by the steamer JOHN PRIDGEON JR in a storm on Lake Huron. The GARDNER released herself from the tow in the heavy weather to run for the shelter of Thunder Bay under sail. However, she was unable to make it, and turned back for Tawas, Michigan, but struck a reef, broke in two and was wrecked 1 mile SE of Scarecrow Island. Her crew made it to shore in her yawl. 1895: The wooden steamer AFRICA struck a reef near Cove Island enroute to Georgian Bay, broke up and sank with the loss of all 13 crew. 1922: ARROW, a steel sidewheeler, partially burned at the dock in Put-in-Bay. 1954: The Dutch freighter PRINS WILLEM V. sank off Milwaukee after a collision with the barge SINCLAIR XII pushed by the SINCLAIR CHICAGO. All 30 sailors on board were rescued but the overseas vessel was never salvaged. It was replaced in 1956 by another PRINS WILLEM V. 1966: The STONEFAX and ARTHUR STOVE collided in the Welland Canal between Allanburg and Port Robinson. The former, a member of the Halco fleet, sank with its cargo of potash and remained on the bottom until November 25. The latter subsequently visited the Seaway as b) TIARET and was scrapped at Nantong, China, as c) CLARET in 1984-1985. 1983: The British freighter HOUSTON CITY visited the Great Lakes in 1966. It ran aground at Mayotte Island, part of the Comoros, while enroute from the Far East to South Africa as c) ALPAC AFRICA. The ship was stuck until October 22 and scrapped at Shanghai, China, in 1984. 1985: FURIA was trapped in Lock 7 when a section of the lock wall collapsed. The Welland Canal was closed until November 7. The vessel arrived at Shanghai, China, for scrapping as b) YRIA on November 1, 2001, after it made a final trip inland as such in 2000. 1987: GEORGE A. SLOAN sustained major bottom damage going aground in the Amherstburg Channel and was repaired at Toledo. The ship is still sailing as c) MISSISSAGI. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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U.S.-flag cargo movement on lakes down 8 percent in September 10/13 - Cleveland, Ohio – U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 9.26 million tons of cargo in September, a decrease of 8.3 percent compared to a year ago. The September float was also 6.6 percent below the month’s 5-year average. Iron ore cargos for steel production totaled 4.7 million tons, a decrease of 3.5 percent compared to a year ago. Coal loads totaled 1.25 million tons, a decrease of 33 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments of aggregate, fluxstone, chemical stone and scrubber stone totaled 2.85 million tons, an increase of 5.5 percent compared to a year ago. Year-to-date U.S.-flag cargo movement stands at 57.6 million tons, a decrease of 4.8 percent compared to the same point in 2017. Iron ore cargos total 31.25 million tons, a decrease of 3.7 percent. Coal loadings total 7.75 million tons, a decrease of 17.6 percent. Limestone totals 15.7 million tons, an increase of 2.9 percent. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Algoma cancels 4 remaining contracts at Croatia Shipyard 10/13 - St. Catharines, Ont. – Algoma Central on Friday announced that it has taken steps to cancel its remaining four new build construction contracts with a Croatian shipyard The cancellation notices have been sent to the shipyard as a result of the yard’s failure to secure refinancing and Algoma has no assurance that the shipyard will be able to complete the four vessels. The company will now initiate the process to be reimbursed for contract installments paid to date, including issuing demands under related refund guarantees. Every effort is being made to replace the cancelled vessels and the company remains confident of their ability to provide capacity in the interim. Algoma Central Corp |
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Banner year for grain shipments at the Port of Hamilton 10/13 - Hamilton, Ont. – Agricultural product shipments in Hamilton Harbour have more than doubled over the first nine months of this year compared to the same period in 2017. As further evidence of a banner year, Hamilton Port Authority officials say Friday, at one point, the harbour had 11 ships, most of them picking up agricultural products. The number of ships may have been a record, said Ian Hamilton, CEO and president of the Hamilton Port Authority. Shipments of agricultural products are up by 109 per cent in the January-to-September 2018 total, relative to the same period in 2017. Cargo overall is trending 17 per cent higher than last year. The results are noteworthy because the port authority over the past several years has been trying diversify beyond products related to steelmaking. In particular, the port authority has invested heavily with private partners in grain terminal facilities with a focus on winter wheat, corn, soya beans and canola. The terminals take the products from trucks and keep grains in silos until they are picked up by ships. One outcome of the increased terminal capacity, Hamilton said, is that Hamilton-area farmers have a "more cost effective, efficient way to get their product to international market." The port authority has three main players that operate agricultural product terminals — G3, Parrish and Heimbecker and Richardson International, said Hamilton. This year has been strong, in part, because of increasing trade as a result of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union as well as a drought in Europe leading to grain traders looking to North American markets, he said. More than 60 per cent of all the grains exported from Ontario go through the port of Hamilton, said Hamilton. "Compared to 10 or 15 years ago, our volume would have quadrupled," he said. Hamilton Spectator |
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Port Reports - October 13
Duluth/Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Oct 12 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Downbound -
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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Family tugboat business serves growing ‘saltie’ trade at Thunder Bay 10/13 - Thunder Bay, Ont. – Couched in the lee of Lake Superior’s legendary Sleeping Giant, the tugs Glenada and Miseford slipped through the water of Lakehead Harbour, fronting the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario, heading for the James Richardson International Terminal and the grain-laden ship BBC Mississippi. Capt. Nathan Dawson maneuvered the 1,200-hp Glenada to the ship’s stern. Capt. Stan Dawson, at the helm of the 900-hp Miseford, navigated to the bow, nose to nose with the ship. Both tugs put a line up to the ship and waited for the pilot to give the command to let go the ship’s mooring lines. Capt. Stan applied throttle to Miseford’s Detroit Diesel Quad-71 pack. The four Detroit Diesels wailed loudly, churning the single screw into a boil of water as the tug began to nose the ship back. Capt. Nathan took up the slack in Glenada’s line and applied only enough pull on the ship’s stern to counteract the wind’s intent to push the ship back to the dock. Too much pull and the bow of the ship could slip between the large dock fenders, potentially damaging the structure and/or the ship, and causing a headache of paperwork. Once clear of the terminal, Miseford moved to the port shoulder of the ship and Glenada to the port quarter. The tugs pushed and pulled respectively, turned the ship outbound and let go the lines. With the ship’s stern receding, the tugs headed back to their moorage at the Agricore United Terminal slip near Intercity. Historically, Intercity was the demarcation between Port Arthur and Fort William, often called the Lakehead, before amalgamating into the city of Thunder Bay in 1970. Capt. Gerry Dawson, the owner of Thunder Bay Tug Services, is Nathan’s father and Stan’s brother. Gerry’s wife, Sharon, and son Davis manage the company office. The company’s founding coincided with the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, opening up the Great Lakes to larger international ships, or “salties” as they are called. Gerry’s parents — Elliott, an engineer on a cement laker, and Wealthy, a lab worker at a Canada cement plant in Point Anne, Ontario — met, married and bought the 38-foot Joyell. “They sailed up to Thunder Bay on a whim and saw there was a need for a bum boat,” said Gerry Dawson. The couple formed Thunder Bay Marine Services in 1959 and, with Joyell, began selling goods and services, including film processing and dry cleaning, to the crew of ships at anchor. Later the couple acquired the 58-foot Rosalee D., Thunder Bay’s original pilot boat. The boat’s large stern deck lent itself to line-handling and hauling garbage from the visiting ships. “I bought my parents out in 1983,” said Gerry. “In 1989 there was a 16-month strike and there were no tugs here.” To fill the void, Capt. Roger Hurst and engineer Roland Frayne rented the tug Ivan Purvis from Purvis Marine in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and formed Thunder Bay Tug Services. Read more and view photos at this link: http://www.professionalmariner.com/March-2016/Family-tugboat-business-serves-growing-saltie-trade-at-Thunder-Bay |
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Public asked to shape the future of Lime Island 10/13 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is seeking public input as it develops an updates general management plan for the Lime Island Recreation Area. The 932-acre island tied with a 6.5 acre parcel on the mainland in Raber Township. “The park’s remote setting makes it a perfect spot for hiking, fishing swimming, wildlife watching, hunting, watching the freighters and other activities,” said Corey Butcher, park manager. “The quiet retreat offers a boat dock, cabins powered by solar panels, and tent camping on wooden platforms.” According to a DNR press release announcing this effort, Lime Island has a rich history as an industrial complex and vessel refueling depot due to its close proximity to the St. Marys River shipping lanes. Some of the original historical structures have been partially restored and repurposed as rental cabins or interpretative buildings. To better determine what the public would like to see happen at the Lime Island Recreation Area, an online survey has been created to take public input. To access the survey, which will be offered through Oct. 31, utilize michigan.gov/limeisland. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes. The questions are comprised to determine the level of use, how people come to the island and what their motivation is in making those visits. With an eye to the future, the DNR is also seeking information to determine if there should be new development to fill future recreational needs at this location including the possible creation of a new campground and perhaps even ferry service from the mainland. After compiling survey data, the DNR plans to hold an open house at a yet-to-be-determined time in 2019 to give the public the opportunity to review and comment on the draft plan. Soo Evening News |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 13 On this day in 1893, Chief Engineer J. H. Hogan left the DEAN RICHMOND in Toledo to take care of some family business. One day later, the DEAN RICHMOND burned off Dunkirk, New York, with a loss of 17 lives including the replacement Chief Engineer.On October 13, 1909, GEORGE STONE (wooden propeller freighter, 270 foot, 1,841 gross tons, built in 1893, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was sailing from Ashtabula, Ohio for Racine, Wisconsin, with cargo of coal when she stranded on Grubb Reef in the Pelee Passage on Lake Erie. She then caught fire and was destroyed. Five of the 18 crewmen were lost. The SASKATCHEWAN PIONEER made her first trip out of Thunder Bay, Ontario with grain on October 13, 1983. Renamed b.) LADY HAMILTON in 1995, sold to Voyageur Maritime in 2006, and now sailing as c.) KAMINISTIQUA for Lower Lakes Towing. The tug GLENADA towed the BROOKDALE from Port Colborne to Newman's scrap yard at Port Maitland, Ontario the week of October 13, 1980. On October 13, 1902, the MAUNALOA collided with her whaleback consort barge 129 on Lake Superior and sank it 30 miles northwest of Vermilion Point, which is between Upper Michigan's Crisp and Whitefish Points. MAUNALOA had been towing the 129, both vessels loaded with iron ore, when the towline parted in heavy seas. While trying to regain control of the barge, they came together and the steamer's port anchor raked the side of the barge, which started taking on water. The crew was taken off the barge before it sank. On 13 October 1875, off Alpena, Michigan, the tug E. H. MILLER had her boiler explode while racing with the tug CITY OF ALPENA - both in quest of a tow. The ALPENA, who was ahead of the MILLER when she blew up, immediately turned around to pick up survivors. The ALPENA sunk in minutes. The engineer, fireman and a boy were rescued, but the captain and cook were lost. The fireman was in such poor shape that it was thought that he would not live. On 13 October 1877, The Port Huron Times reported that the tug PRINDIVILLE and the 2-masted schooner PORTLAND had both gone ashore at the Straits of Mackinac and been pounded to pieces. On 13 October 1886, SELAH CHAMBERLAIN (wooden propeller steam barge, 212 foot, 1,207 gross tons, built in 1873, at Cleveland, Ohio) collided with the 222-foot wooden lumber hooker JOHN PRIDGEON, JR. in heavy fog off Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The CHAMBERLAIN had been towing the schooner FAYETTE BROWN. The CHAMBERLAIN sank quickly. Five of the crew went down with the vessel when the lifeboat davits became fouled and they were unable to launch the lifeboat. The rest of the crew made it to shore in the other lifeboat after a 3-hour pull through the fog. 1902: The wooden steamer C. B. LOCKWOOD was swamped in a storm and sank on Lake Erie with the loss of 10 lives. 1927: The ONTARIO, once the largest carferry on the Detroit River, was later reduced to a barge and it foundered on Lake Superior, near Outer Island, while carrying 1100 tons of pulpwood. It had been under tow of the tug BUTTERFIELD and all on board were saved. 1973: SCOTT MISENER damaged 60 bottom plates when it hit bottom near Whaleback Shoal in the St. Lawrence. 1976: The former T2 tanker and now bulk carrier SYLVIA L. OSSA, remembered on the Great Lakes as the MARATHONIAN that was in a head-on collision with ROLWI in Lake Michigan, disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle with the loss of all 37 members of the crew. 1990: ERNA WITT first visited the Great Lakes in 1958 and returned through the Seaway in 1962. The vessel sank off Port Sudan as k) SHIBA after a collision with the ALTAAWIN ALARABI while inbound from Aqaba, Jordan. Three members of the crew were lost. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series |
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Great Lakes shipping legend Davis Helberg passes away 10/12 - Duluth, Minn. – A Great Lakes legend – Davis Helberg– died peacefully at home in Esko on Wednesday after a courageous fight with cancer. He formerly directed the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, was a vessel agent with Guthrie-Hubner and a reporter with the Duluth News Tribune. A memorial service is being planned for Monday, Nov. 12 in the ballroom at Pier B Resort on the Port of Duluth-Superior waterfront. |
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Port Reports - October 12
Duluth/Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Oct 11 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Oct 11 - Algoma Hansa at 0633, Floretgracht (Nld) at 0818, Radcliffe R Latimer at 0851, Algoma Guardian at 0930, Algoma Discovery at 1055, CSL St Laurent at 1231 and Michipicoten eta 2105
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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Lake Superior in good shape, but not in the clear 10/12 - Houghton, Mich. – Conditions are largely good in Lake Superior, said Rob Hyde. But steps will have to be taken to keep it that way. Hyde, a Great Lakes program officer for Environmental and Climate Change Canada, Canada’s environment department, spoke Tuesday at one of two public events as part of the State of Lake Superior Conference. The three-day conference is hosted by the International Association for Great Lakes Research. The department is one of more than 30 federal, state, provincial and tribal government organizations that collaborate to restore and protect the lake through the Lake Superior Partnership Working Group. Those agencies are working with another 170 communities, businesses, nongovernmental entities and academics around the lake, including at Michigan Technological University, Hyde said. “We’re looking to make sure we understand and maintain our understanding of the condition of the lake, talk about what’s really stressing the lake, and we work together to always try to identify what additional actions are necessary to restore and protect the lake,” he said. That means listening to other members as well as outside groups with knowledge around the lake, he said. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, a compact between the U.S. and Canada, sets objectives for the Great Lakes. People should be able to swim, drink and fish. Pollutants shouldn’t be present in amounts that harm fish and wildlife. Lakes should be free of algae growth and invasive species. Lake Superior scored a “good” on most indicators, including drinking, swimming, pollutants, habitats and species, algae and miscellaneous. Two were only “fair”: eating and invasive species. Groundwater was left undetermined due to a lack of scientific consensus. (The same indicators for Lake Erie found one good, three fair, one fair to poor and four poors.) The “fair” for eating reflects fish advisory consumption in some areas. Some invasive species also continue to spread. Trends can be reversed, Hyde said. Lake trout, now plentiful, were nearly wiped out in the 50s by sea lampreys, overfishing and habitat degradation. Mercury, which is toxic, can reach humans through contaminated fish. After government clampdowns in the 1990s, emissions, from sources such as mining and fuel combustion, decreased by 82 percent from 1990 to 2015. Remaining major sources nearby are taconite mining in Minnesota and two coal-fired power plants in the U.S. The largest mercury source is atmospheric, largely coal-fired plants from the U.S. and globally. “The trend of mercury in the atmosphere is also decreasing, so that is other good news,” he said. Stressors in the lake include invasive species, climate change, chemicals, and fragmented habitats. The partnership’s management plan has commitments to enhance lamprey control efforts and to eliminate the phragmites plant, a dense wetlands plant that crowds out native species. It’s already harmed beaches and biodiversity in the lower Great Lakes, Hyde said. Climate change could increase the temperature water temperature by as much as 12 degrees by the end of the century, Hyde said. (After the panel, attendees overwhelmingly selected climate change as the greatest issue facing the lake.) Cold-water fish, such as brook trout, would be stressed. More extreme rain events are also likely, as are more algae blooms. The Daily Mining Gazette |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 12 On this day in 1976, three boats discharged a record 108,379 tons of cargo on a single day at the Pinney Dock in Ashtabula, Ohio. The three boats were the JAMES R. BARKER (57,305 tons), the WILFRED SYKES (20,678 tons), and the JOSEPH L. BLOCK (30,306 tons).On the night of October 12, 1871, the grain laden schooner PLOVER struck a reef near Whitefish Point on Lake Superior, put a hole in her hull and sank in deep water. Captain Jones and the crew of eight escaped in the yawl. They spent two days making their way to Sault Ste. Marie. The JEAN PARISIEN suffered considerable bottom damage when she ran aground near Comfort Island about a mile west of Alexandria Bay, New York. She was released October 12, 1981, and returned to service after repairs were completed at the Canadian Vickers Montreal yard. The CLIFFS VICTORY was sold October 12, 1985, to Hai International Corp. of New York for scrapping in the Orient and transferred to Panamanian registry. Her name was changed to c.) SAVIC, utilizing the "S" from CLIFFS, the "VIC" from VICTORY and inserting an "A". All the other letters were painted out. The JOHN A. KLING sailed on her maiden voyage for the Rockport Steamship Co. (Reiss Steamship Co., mgr.) on October 12, 1922, light from Manitowoc, Wisconsin to load stone at Rockport, Michigan. Sold into Canadian registry in 1981, renamed b.) LEADALE. She was scrapped at Ramey's Bend in 1983. The keel was laid October 12, 1925, for the Interlake Steamship Co.'s steamer COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS. The SYLVANIA returned to service on October 12, 1967. She sank at the Peerless Cement Co. Dock at Port Huron, Michigan in June of that year after being struck by the Canada Steamship Lines package freight steamer RENVOYLE. The tug EDNA G remained at Two Harbors, Minnesota, until October 12, 1993, when she was towed to the Fraser Shipyard at Superior, Wisconsin, by the Great Lakes Towing Co. tug KANSAS. She is now on display as a floating exhibit for the city. On October 12, 1967, the Papachristidis Company Limited's FEUX FOLLETS entered service with the distinction of being the last steam-powered vessel built on the Great Lakes. The vessel was renamed b.) CANADIAN LEADER when it was sold to Upper Lakes Shipping in 1972 It was scrapped in 2011. At 3:00 a.m., 12 October 1870, the 76-ton tug ONTARIO caught fire and burned to the waterline while lying at Harrow's dock in Algonac, Michigan. On 12 October 1901, ALVINA (wooden schooner-rigged scow-barge, 89 foot, 95 gross tons, built in 1871, at Fair Haven, Michigan) was being towed by the steamer WESTON and had a load of 700 barrels of lubricating oil. They were bound from Cleveland for Manistique. The ALVINA was overwhelmed in a storm and sank near Thunder Bay Island in Lake Huron. Her entire crew made it to shore in her yawl. Her cargo was salvaged five days later. On 12 October 1880, TRADER (wooden propeller, 115 foot, 169 gross tons, built in 1865, at Marine City, Michigan) was carrying lumber in a storm on Lake Michigan. She was battered severely and became waterlogged. Her crew abandoned her with water up to her decks. They were saved by the schooner GUIDE in a daring rescue. A few days later, in the "Alpena Storm,” her wreckage washed ashore near Holland, Michigan and she was erroneously reported as another "all-hands" victim of that storm. On 12 October 1874, on her maiden voyage, the tug MARY passed Port Huron down bound with the bark FAVORITE in tow. The tug was owned by William Hardison of Port Huron. 1912: MARENGO, a wooden schooner under tow of the LLOYD S. PORTER, broke loose in a storm, came ashore west of Port Colborne and was pounded to pieces by the waves. The anchor was salvaged and now sits on the lawn of Port Colborne High School. 1912: S.K. MARTIN began leaking in heavy weather and sank in Lake Erie off Harbor Creek, NY. The coal laden wooden steamer ran for shore but the effort fell short. The crew took to the lifeboat and were saved. The ship went down bow first and rested on the bottom in 56 feet of water. 1918: The wooden tug ELLA G. STONE was destroyed by a brush fire that swept through the town of Cloquet, MN. Several scows, tugs and a dredge as well as over 400 lives were lost. 1941: ENARE, a Great Lakes visitor in 1932-1933, sustained heavy damage in an air attack in the North Sea as h) GLYNN. The ship was subsequently sunk by a convoy escort as a hazard to navigation. It had also been a Great Lakes trader as f) FLAKS in 1933 and 1934. 1991: ZIEMIA GNIEZNIENSKA hit the wall at Lock 7 and dislodged a chunk of concrete. The Welland Canal was closed for three days. 2002: STELLANOVA and CANADIAN PROSPECTOR were in a head-on collision on the Seaway near Cote St. Catherine and both ships sustained considerable damage. The former was repaired at Les Mechins and the latter at Port Weller Dry Docks. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Proposal for new $922M Soo Lock in Trump's hands now 10/11 - Washington, D.C. – A long-proposed plan to build a new navigation lock on the Great Lakes in Michigan — and put thousands of people to work — won final approval in the U.S. Senate on Thursday, a key step toward making the project reality. The Senate voted 99-1 in favor of a $4.4 billion package of water infrastructure projects and spending that included a measure authorizing $922 million to be spent on the new lock at the iconic Soo Locks in Sault St. Marie on the Upper Peninsula. Once funded, construction of the new lock could put some 15,000 people to work. The U.S. House already approved the bill, so now it goes to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it into law. For decades, Great Lakes shippers and their supporters in Michigan have argued for the construction of a second lock capable of handling the largest vessels on the Lakes, saying that if the one lock at the Soo currently able to handle those vessels broke down, it could send ripple effects through the economy. The Soo Locks lower or raise cargo vessels and other boats between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes along what would otherwise be a dangerous 21-foot drop along the St. Marys River. The Free Press first reported some years ago on the details of a Homeland Security report that indicated that a prolonged shutdown of the existing Poe Lock could lead to a potential recession, depending on the time of year, because there would be no other adequate way to get iron ore pellets to steelmakers, in turn affecting auto and appliance manufacturers and others. Almost all of those iron ore pellets are moved on the big 1,000-footers, which only the 50-year-old Poe Lock can currently handle. James H.I. Weakley, president of Lake Carriers’ Association, the trade association representing U.S.-flag vessel operators on the Great Lakes, praised Congress for moving the lock project forward. “Many members of the Great Lakes delegation played a key role in advancing construction of the lock, but in particular I must thank Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Congressman Jack Bergman (R-MI) for their commitment to this project. Their dedication to twinning the Poe Lock pushed the project over the top.” The locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, connect Lake Superior to the lower four Great Lakes. In a typical year, as much as 80 million tons of cargo pass through the Soo Locks. However, roughly 90 percent of that cargo transits the Poe Lock. The other lock, the MacArthur, is too small to accommodate the most efficient ships in the fleet. “The American steel industry gets all its waterborne domestic iron ore through the Soo Locks,” said Weakley. “A Department of Homeland Security study found that if the Poe Lock went down for six months, domestic steel production would grind to a halt and 11 million Americans lose their jobs. A second Poe-sized lock is critical to our nation’s economic well-being and national defense capabilities.” Detroit Free Press, Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Fall storm hammering the Twin Ports 10/11 - Duluth, Minn. – Wind gusts of 50 mph were common across the region on Wednesday as a strong fall storm hit, causing power outages, swamped roads and large waves and flooding along Lake Superior’s shore. Water-swollen roads in Canal Park didn’t deter the wave-watchers from making their way to the shore, where waves crashed over the large boulder wall and the water flowed through the Lighthouse parking lot and onto Canal Park Drive. The Canadian freighter CSL Assiniboine, anchored in Lake Superior just off Duluth, reported winds up to 64 mph and 20-foot waves. But the highest gust reported came just after midnight Wednesday morning from the Canadian freighter Algowood, which measured a wind gust of 86 mph, well into hurricane force range, off the Minnesota North Shore near Castle Danger, according to the National Weather Service. The easterly winds were blowing so hard, and pushing so much Lake Superior water into the harbor that the water level in the harbor increased 10 inches Wednesday morning, the Weather Service reported. The city of Duluth advised the public to not venture to the lakeshore or into areas closed by flooding, including Brighton Beach and parts of Canal Park. Duluth officially has received more than an inch of rain in the last 24 hours on top of several recent days of rain. That’s softened the ground enough in some areas that big trees are being uprooted and falling over. Duluth News Tribune |
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Port Reports - October 11
Duluth/Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
St. Marys River
Southern Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Oct 10 - Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Downbound -
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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Tug Jane Ann IV advertised for sale for scrap 10/11 - A post on the web site Facebook Marketplace Community has solved the mystery of what will become of the long-idled tug Jane Ann IV. The tug, which was formerly mated to the barge Sarah Spencer, is for sale for scrap. The price is $100,000. Multiple items, including anchors, port holes, doors and tools, are also for sale. The tug was recently towed to Calcite, Mich., where it was recently pulled ashore. The 150-foot-long tug was built in 1978 by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding of Tokyo, Japan as Ouro Fino for Petroleo Brasilero. In 1981 she was renamed Bomare. In 1993 she was sold to Secunda Marine Canada and was renamed Tignish Sea. In 2000, the Tignish Sea was sold to Halifax Grain Elevators Ltd. and renamed Jane Ann IV. She was converted to an articulated tug with the installation of a Hydraconn coupler system. This system was removed earlier this year for possible use on another vessel. She last operated in 2009 and has suffered extensive damage since then due to sinking at her dock. This leaves the fate of the Sarah Spencer, laid up in Toledo and needing extensive steel work, even more in doubt. The Transport Canada web site still lists her owner as TGL Marine Holdings or Toronto, Ont. |
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Updated list of new saltwater visitors for 2018 10/11 - As of October 1 there were 29 new saltwater vessels that have made westbound transits into the Great Lakes/Seaway system for 2018 at the Eisenhower Lock in Massena, N.Y. The list incudes Adfines Sky, Anet, Arsland, Atlantik Miracle, BBC Luanda, BBC Polonia, Calypso, Cape Dawson, Emanuele S, Erin Schulte, Falstria Swan, Federal Dart, Federal Dee, Federal Nagara, Isabelle G, IT Intrepid, Johanna G, Kitikmeot W, Lolland, Maple Lea, Mississippi Star, Momentum Scan, MTM Antwerp, NACC Alicudi, Rike, Senja, Sichem Marseille, Sten Fjord and Tasing Swan. Three of them have had changes since their first inland voyages. They are the BBC Luanda renamed CLI Pride and registered in Antigua and Barbuda and renamed on or about August 22; the tanker Kitikmeot W, which now flies the Canadian flag and was registered Canadian on or about July 3; and the tanker Sten Fjord, renamed Kivalliq and registered Canadian on or about June 14. Denny Dushane |
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Mackinac Island listed as top U.S. island by Conde Nast Traveler 10/11 - Mackinac Island, Mich. – People around the world continue to realize what Michiganders have known for a long time. Mackinac Island is a treasure. The popular vacation spot was among the winners in this year's Conde Nast Traveler readers choice awards list of Best Islands in the United States. More than 429,000 readers submitted millions of ratings as part of the award, sharing their recent travel experiences of the world's cities, hotels, resorts, airports, islands, airlines, and cruise lines - both positive and negative. Mackinac Island was listed as No. 6 on the list, alongside tropical paradises like Maui and Oahu and picturesque getaways like Nantucket and Hilton Head. "Hold up your hand to represent the mitten shape of Michigan and imagine Mackinac Island as a speck just above the tip of your middle finger, where Lake Huron meets Lake Michigan," Conde Nast Traveler's team noted. "No motored transportation is allowed on the island, so tourists and locals alike travel by horse and carriage or bicycle. It's anchored by the stately columned porch of the historic Grand Hotel, which is looking great for 131 years old." M Live |
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Supreme Court asked to overturn ruling guaranteeing public access to beaches 10/11 - Indianapolis, Ind. – The U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to overturn the February ruling by Indiana's highest court that Lake Michigan's shoreline is open to all. Attorneys for Bobbie and Don Gunderson, who previously owned a lakefront home in the LaPorte County town of Long Beach, late last week filed a petition for a writ of certiorari that asks the nation's high court to set the water's edge as the boundary of lake-adjacent properties — with no requirement to provide public access to Lake Michigan beaches. If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, the ramifications of any decision by the justices are likely to extend well beyond Indiana's 45 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline; the Gundersons are asking the high court to apply the water's edge standard to all the land adjacent to all five of the Great Lakes. "With thousands of miles of Great Lakes beaches hosting millions of visitors every summer — and with thousands of private owners facing that public influx to land they thought was their own — the stakes are unquestionably high," the Gundersons said. "How to define the boundaries of the states' equal-footing title in the beds of the Great Lakes is an important question of federal law that has not been, but should be, settled by this court." The Indiana Supreme Court determined, through an exhaustive review of historical property law, that the ordinary high water mark — essentially the spot where beach becomes land — is the boundary between the state-owned land under Lake Michigan and the interests of private property owners. Within that shoreline area individuals are entitled to access the water for the traditional purposes of navigation, commerce or fishing, the court said. The Hoosier justices also said, at a minimum, walking on the beach is a protected public use, and the General Assembly is empowered to enlarge the public's rights on Lake Michigan's beaches. The Gundersons claim in their petition for U.S. Supreme Court review that the Indiana ruling, and a similar 2005 decision by the Michigan Supreme Court, upset a longstanding consensus in the Great Lakes states that held private ownership extended to the water's edge, wherever that edge may be at any given time. They argue that having a standard based on vegetation changes is confusing and prone to be applied differently in different states. Moreover, they posit the Indiana standard reaches well beyond the high tide public-private property boundary that applies to oceanfront land, to claim "title to a huge swathe of scenic and valuable real estate that private landowners had thought was theirs" adjacent to the non-tidal Lake Michigan. "This aggressive theory cries out for this court's intervention," the Gundersons said. "If a perception that Great Lakes beaches are public becomes widespread, that would make it much more difficult as a practical matter to unwind Indiana's new rule." The Indiana attorney general's office and other participants in the original case, including Alliance for the Great Lakes, Save the Dunes and the Long Beach Community Alliance, now have at least 30 days to respond to the Gundersons' petition for Supreme Court review. Nearly every case appealed to the nation's high court ultimately fails to garner sufficient interest from four of the nine justices and is denied certiorari, leaving the lower court ruling in force. This one, however, may attract some extra attention since Chief Justice John Roberts grew up in Long Beach. NW Indiana Times |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 11 On this day in 1923, the HENRY STEINBRENNER of 1901 collided with the J. McCARTNEY KENNEDY at 4:20 p.m. off Parisienne Island, Whitefish Bay. The accident occurred during thick, smoky weather and both boats were severely damaged.MEDINA (wooden propeller tug, 66 foot, 57 gross tons) was launched by O'Grady & Maher at Buffalo, New York on October 11, 1890. She cost $12,000. Quebec & Ontario Transportation's b.) BAIE COMEAU II cleared Sorel October 11, 1983, as c.) AGIA TRIAS, Panamanian registry #1355. Her Canadian registry was closed on October 12, 1983. Her mission was to carry grain from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Mexican and Caribbean Island ports. Subsequently she was renamed d.) OCEANVIEW in 1988, e.) SEA DIAMOND in 1989, f.) GOLDEN CREST in 1990, g.) ATLANTIC WOOD in 1991, h.) LONDON FURY in 1994 and i.) DONG SHENG in 1995. Cleveland Tankers’ MERCURY scraped the South Grand Island Bridge in the Niagara River in heavy fog on October 11, 1974. Her forward mast snapped off, the amidships mast was tilted and her smoke stack was toppled. She proceeded after the mishap to G&W Welding at Cleveland, Ohio under her own power for repairs. Upper Lakes Shipping's WHEAT KING, under tow, arrived at Chittagong Roads, Bangladesh on October 11, 1989, to be broken up. In 1911, the rail ferry CHIEF WAWATAM arrived at St. Ignace, Michigan, and began service shortly thereafter. On 11 October 1913, THOMAS H. CAHOON (3 mast wooden schooner-barge, 166 foot, 431 gross tons, built in 1881, at E. Saginaw, Michigan) was carrying lumber in tow of the steamer C. W. CHAMBERLAIN. They were bound from Sault Ste. Marie to Byng Inlet. However during a storm, the CAHOON stranded and went to pieces on 'Kenny Shoal' by the southwest corner of Innes Island in Georgian Bay. No lives were lost. On October 11, 1839, DEWITT CLINTON (wooden passenger/package freight side-wheeler, 147 foot, 413 tons, built in 1836, at Huron, Ohio) foundered off Milwaukee with the loss of 5 lives. She was recovered the following year and lasted until 1851. She and her near-twin ROBERT FULTON were reportedly the first Lake steamers built primarily as freighters with relatively few passenger accommodations. On October 11, 1866, GREAT WEST (wooden 3-mast bark, 175 foot, 765 tons, built in 1854, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying wheat in a storm on Lake Michigan when she stranded on Racine Reef. She was reported to be a total loss but she may have been recovered and then lost near Chicago in 1876. When launched, she was the largest sailing vessel on the Lakes and much was made of her beautiful lines. She was diagonally braced with iron. She stood 174 feet tall from her deck to her masthead. So if she were sailing today, although she'd be able to sail under the Mackinac Bridge, she'd be stopped at the Blue Water Bridge whose roadway is only 152 feet above the water. 1923: The canal-sized steamer GLENGELDIE, enroute from Killarney to Welland with a cargo of quartz rock, hit bottom in Georgian Bay and had to be towed to Collingwood for over $15,000 in repairs to the starboard side. The ship later sailed for Canada Steamship Lines as b) ELGIN. 1924: SENATOR DARBYSHIRE, a wooden bulk carrier upbound and in ballast, was destroyed by a fire on Lake Ontario, and sank near Point Petre Light. The crew fought the early morning blaze but eventually had to abandon the ship and was picked up by MAPLEBAY. Capt. J.W. Scarrow was later a master for Canada Steamship Lines. 1942: WATERTON was lost due to enemy action in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The former Misener freighter, operating for the Bowater Steamship Co., was attacked with 2 torpedoes from U-106 and went down in the Cabot Strait in 8 minutes. All on board got off safely. The ship was traveling from Cornerbrook, NF, to Cleveland with newsprint and pulpwood. 1982: The Israeli freighter DAGAN made 18 trips to the Great Lakes from 1959 to 1967. It ran aground on Cay Sal Bank, north of Cuba, as f) CORK and was abandoned the next day as a total loss. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Another gale takes aim at Lake Superior; waves 12-16 feet expected 10/10 - There are gale warnings in effect for western Lake Superior. There is a wave warning in effect as well. The forecast calls for northeast winds gusting to 50 knots Wednesday, with waves building to 12-16 feet by Wednesday morning. On the southern portion of Lake Superior, Duluth is expecting significant onshore waves which could cause lakeshore flooding. The water level of Lake Superior is high, making the shoreline more prone to damage from waves. |
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Great Lakes iron ore trade down 5 percent in September 10/10 - Cleveland, Ohio – Shipments of iron ore from U.S. ports on the Great Lakes totaled 5.9 million tons in September, a decrease of 5 percent compared to a year ago. However, shipments did outpace the month’s 5-year average by 4.9 percent. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 38.9 million tons, a decrease of 2.8 percent compared to the same point in 2017. The gap has been decreasing over the course of the shipping season. At the end of April, iron ore shipments were down nearly 14 percent. Through September iron ore loadings are 6.8 percent ahead of their 5-year average for the first three quarters. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Lakes limestone trade up nearly 4 percent in September 10/10 - Cleveland, Ohio – Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.6 million tons in September, an increase of 3.7 percent compared to a year ago. Limestone cargos also bettered the month’s 5-year average by 8 percent. Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.9 million tons, an increase of 1.8 percent, or 54,000 tons compared to a year ago. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 685,000 tons, an increase of 12.4 percent, or 76,000 tons. Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at 20.8 million tons, an increase of 3.6 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 17 million tons, an increase of 3.1 percent. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 3.8 million tons, an increase 5.8 percent. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Port Reports - October 10
Duluth/Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
North Shore
St. Marys River – Joy Fett
Southern Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Detroit/Rouge River – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Oct 9 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Downbound -
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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Surfer uses Beaver Island ferry's wake to ride for miles on Lake Michigan 10/10 - Charlevoix, Mich. – Catching a ride on the ferry to Beaver Island is a Michigan adventure everyone should experience. Catching a wave off the ferry to Beaver Island is something else entirely. You don't need to tell Michigan surfer Ryan Bezemek that, because that's exactly what he did on Lake Michigan on Sunday, Sept. 30. Armed with just his balance and a hydrofoil board, the Grand Rapids native surfed four miles in the wake of the Beaver Island Boat Company Ferry. The feat was captured on video by his friend Ryan Sugnet, who filmed while another friend Logan Stanley drove a jet ski owned by Tom Boike nearby. "We had this idea throughout the summer," Bezemek said. "But we weren't sure if it was achievable. We were kind of surprised when it worked. It took us a couple tries, but once I got up I did it seamlessly. I was stunned and excited that we actually made it happen." Read more and view a video at this link: https://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/10/surfer_uses_beaver_island_ferr.html |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 10 On this day in 1891, the SUSAN E. PECK collided with the schooner GEORGE W. ADAMS above the Soo Locks. The PECK, loaded with wheat for Buffalo, sank in a matter of minutes and completely blocked the navigation channel. General Orlando M. Poe, in charge of the Soo Locks, estimated that 275 boats lost an estimated 825 days and 5 hours waiting for the wreck to be cleared.On this day in 1956, two F-86 Saber Jets collided over Lake Michigan. The ERNEST T. WEIR, Captain Ray R. Redecker, rescued one of the pilots (Lt. Kenneth R. Hughes) after he spent three hours in the water. ARTHUR M. ANDERSON, WILLIAM A. IRVIN and GEORGE W. PERKINS participated in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the second pilot. On October 10, 1902, GARDEN CITY (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 133 foot, 352 gross tons, built in 1873, at Ogdensburg, New York) caught fire on the Saginaw River between Bay City and Saginaw while sailing up the river for winter lay-up. She sank four miles above Bay City near the old interurban railroad bridge. While downbound with coal in the St. Lawrence River on October 10, 1981, the JEAN PARISIEN suffered considerable bottom damage when she ran aground near Comfort Island about a mile west of Alexandria Bay, New York. She was rebuilt with a new forebody at Port Weller Drydocks and renamed b.) CSL ASSINIBOINE in 2005. BROOKDALE of 1909 was towed out of Toronto on October 10, 1980, by the tug GLENADA, assisted by the tug TERRY S. She was one her way to the cutters’ torch at Port Maitland, Ontario. CHAMPLAIN with her former fleet mate CADILLAC was towed past Gibraltar October 10, 1987, heading for Aliaga, Turkey, for dismantling by Cukurova Celik Endustrisi A.S. SAVIC b.) CLIFFS VICTORY cleared New York on October 10, 1986. HULL NO 1, b.) KINSMAN ENTERPRISE, being towed by the Polish tug JANTAR arrived in Aliaga, Turkey, on October 10, 1989, to be scrapped there. October 10, 1906 - The PERE MARQUETTE 5 was sold to The Barry Transportation Co. for $75,000. The PERE MARQUETTE 5 was the last of the "break-bulk" boats operated by the Pere Marquette Railway Co. On October 10, 1905, CHARLES H. BURTON (3 mast wooden schooner, 158 foot, 514 gross tons, built in 1873, at Bangor, Michigan) was carrying coal in a storm in Lake Erie when she was driven ashore 4 1/2 miles east of Barcelona, New York and broke up. No lives were lost. She had been built on the hull of the bark GLENBULAH that had burned in the Chicago fire of 1871. On 10 October 1877, ELIZA R. TURNER (wooden schooner, 156 foot, 409 gross tons, built in 1867, at Trenton, Michigan) was carrying wheat from Detroit to Buffalo when a storm drove her aground nine miles west of Long Point on Lake Erie where she was wrecked. The skipper and cook drowned, but the remaining 8 were saved. The tug CRUSADER of Oswego burned and sank in the middle of the Straits of Mackinac about 9 p.m. on 10 October 1878. On 10 October 1877, ABEONA (wooden scow-schooner, 100 tons, built in 1863, at Lambert, Ontario) was carrying lumber and shingles down bound on Lake Huron when she stranded during a storm one mile west of Port Austin where she reportedly later broke up. In 1877, PORTLAND (2-mast wooden schooner, 118 foot, 250 tons, built in 1847, at Pillar Point, New York) stranded and went to pieces north of False Presque Isle on Lake Huron. Salvage attempts only retrieved her anchor and chain. 1923: HURONTON, a Canadian freighter, sank in Lake Superior off Caribou Island following a collision on the foggy lake with the CETUS. The vessel went down in 800 feet of water in 18 minutes but all on board were rescued. 1927: MICHIPICOTEN, of the Owen Sound Transportation Co., was destroyed by a fire at Gore Bay, on Manitoulin Island. 1963: The wooden freighter VAUQUELIN caught fire and sank in the St. Lawrence northeast of Quebec City off Cap Saumon. The vessel had previously sailed as a) LA RIVIERE MALBAIE. 1969: The T-2 tanker CARIBBEAN SKY visited the Seaway for 3 trips in 1960-1961 before being converted to a bulk carrier. The engine exploded and disintegrated during dock trials after repairs at Antwerp, Belgium, as f) LAKE PLACID, with the loss of one life. The hull settled but was pumped out and declared a CTL. It was towed to Rotterdam in 1971, repaired and returned to service as g) GARANDA. The after end again proved to be troublesome and was cut off and scrapped. The bow was joined to after end of the Panamanian tanker AKRON and the ship returned to service under this name. It was finally dismantled in Pakistan during 1981. 1987: The wheat-laden WILLOWGLEN went aground on the north side of Ogden Island in the St. Lawrence. The ship was released on October 13 and later went to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - October 9
Duluth/Superior Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay - Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Milwaukee, Wis. - Paul Erspamer
Limestone Ports Report
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Oct 8 - Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Downbound -
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Kingston: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 9 On 08-09 October 1871, NAVARINO (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 184 foot, 761 tons, built in 1870, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was lying at a dock when the Chicago fire swept through the city. The vessel tried to pull away from the dock and get to the safety of Lake Michigan, but the wind, which was being drawn into the fire held her against the dock. She burned to a total loss; no lives were lost. Her machinery was later salvaged and used in the new propeller MENOMINEE.The CHIMO was moved onto the Port Weller Dry Dock on October 9, 1983, where workers began to cut her apart forward of her aft-located pilothouse and engine room. Upon completion Upper Lakes Shipping renamed her b.) CANADIAN RANGER. GULF MACKENZIE (Hull#435) was launched at Sorel, Quebec, by Marine Industries, Ltd. on October 9, 1976. Renamed b.) L. ROCHETTE in 1985, departed the lakes and renamed c.) TRADEWIND ISLAND in 1995 and d.) KEMEPADE in 2003. Pioneer Shipping Ltd's SASKATCHEWAN PIONEER arrived in the Welland Canal on her delivery trip October 9, 1983, en route to her formal christening at Thunder Bay, Ontario. Sold off the lakes and renamed b.) LADY HAMILTON in 1995. Brought back to the Lakes as VOYAGEUR PIONEER in 2006. Renamed KAMINISTIQUA in 2008. JAMES DAVIDSON (Hull# 288) was launched at Wyandotte, Michigan, by Detroit Ship Building Co. on October 9, 1920, for the Globe Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio (G. A. Tomlinson, mgr.) On October 9, 1984, the PATERSON was sold to Shearmet Recycling, a Thunder Bay, Ontario, ship breaker, and was broken up at their Mission River dock. COL. JAMES M. SCHOONMAKER sailed from the Great Lakes Engineering Works on her maiden voyage on October 9, 1911, to Toledo, Ohio, where she loaded coal bound for Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The SCHOONMAKER was the largest vessel on the Great Lakes when she came out. For much of the decade this vessel either broke or held many bulk cargo records. Renamed b.) WILLIS B. BOYER in 1969. Since 1987, the BOYER serves as a museum ship in Toledo, Ohio, with her original name recently restored. On 9 October 1820, ASP (wooden schooner, 57 tons, built in 1808, at Mississauga, Ontario) was carrying lumber and staves when she sprang a leak near Long Point in Lake Ontario. She waterlogged, then capsized. The upturned vessel was driven across the lake and finally went ashore off the Salmon River at Mexico Bay, New York, and broke up quickly. 9 of the 11 onboard lost their lives. She was originally built as the British armed schooner ELIZABETH. On 9 October 1931, CHARLES H. BRADLEY (wooden propeller, 201 foot, 804 gross tons, built in 1890, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was carrying pulpwood and towing the barge GRAMPIAN. She was traversing the Portage Canal in the Keweenaw Peninsula when she ran onto a bar and stranded. The barge kept coming and plowed into her stern. The BRADLEY caught fire and burned to the waterline. The wreck still lies in 6 to 17 feet of water just off the mouth of the Sturgeon River. On 9 October 1895, AFRICA (wooden propeller steam barge, 135 foot, 352 gross tons, built in 1873, at Kingston, Ontario) was towing the schooner SEVERN in a storm on Lake Huron when she struck a reef, 15 miles south of Cove Island light on Lake Huron. AFRICA broke up in the storm, all 11 of her crew were lost. SEVERN went ashore near Bradley Harbour and broke up. The crew was rescued by a fish tug from Stokes Bay. 1907: CYPRUS cleared Superior with a cargo of iron ore for Lackawanna, N.Y., on only the second trip. The vessel sank two days later and there was only one survivor. The hull was found on the bottom of Lake Superior in 2007 in 460 feet of water. 1922: TURRET CROWN ran aground off Cove Island, Georgian Bay, but was later salvaged. 1944: The German freighter LUDOLF OLDENDORFF, a Great Lakes trader as a) WESTMOUNT (i) and as e) TRACTOR, was sunk by British aircraft at Egersund, Norway. 1968: BUCKEYE, under tow for scrapping overseas, began drifting in rough weather when the anchors were unable to hold off Port Colborne. The ship was blown aground west of the city and the hull remained stuck until November 29. 2001: The Maltese flag freighter SYLVIA ran over a buoy below the Eisenhower Lock and the mooring chain was wrapped around the propeller. The cable was freed and the ship proceeded to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs arriving October 19 and returning to service on October 27. The ship had previously been inland as a) CHIMO when new in 1981 and first returned as d) SYLVIA in 2000. The vessel was noted as h) INTERCROWN and registered in Cambodia as of 2010. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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USCGC Katmai Bay heading back to the lakes 10/8 - The USCGC Katmai Bay sailed from Halifax Sunday morning en route to its home base of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. The cutter left the lakes in April 2017 for a service life extension in Baltimore. Mac Mackay |
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Port Reports - October 8
Duluth/Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Oct 7 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Oct 6 - Baie Comeau at 0550 and Patras (Mlt) (ex Gan-Sword-10) at 0901, Kaministiqua at 1001, Algoma Equinox at 1902 - Oct 7 - tug Karen Andrie & barge Endeavour at 0107, CCGS Limnos, Algoma Transport at 1704, Raba (Lbr) at 1900 and Cedarglen at 1948
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto: |
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Updated Seaway transit statistics for 2018 10/8 - As of Oct. 1 there were 366 westbound transits at the Eisenhower Lock made by 193 saltwater vessels. This is up 61 transits from the same time period of March/April through Oct. 1, 2017 and is also up 95 transits from the 5-year average period from 2013 to 2017. For September 2018, there were 63 transits, up 12 transits from September 2017 and up 19 transits from the 5-year average for September from 2013-2017. There were also 29 new saltwater vessels making their first inland voyage by October 1. A breakdown so far of the monthly transits by saltwater vessels at the Eisenhower Lock in Massena, N.Y., for the 2018 shipping season is as follows:
March/April: 68 Thus far, with the current Seaway transit statistics and the elevating transit numbers, the 2018 shipping season could by year's end be one of the highest years ever for westbound saltie transits. Denny Dushane |
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Plan to sink freighter for reef gets mixed reactions 10/8 - Port Washington Wis. – A nonprofit organization’s plan to sink a freighter two miles off the mouth of the Port Washington harbor and sculptures created by area students off the breakwater met with mixed reaction from the Common Council last Tuesday. Although the city was asked to be a co-applicant with the Shipwreck Education and Preservation Alliance in its application for a Department of Natural Resources permit to place structures at the bottom of the lake, aldermen tabled action until their Wednesday, Nov. 7, meeting saying they had too many questions to make a decision Tuesday. Aldermen asked for additional information on SEAPA itself, how it would fund the six-phase project, potential city liability and the potential impact on the fishery, among other things. “I’m not ready to vote on this,” Ald. John Sigwart said. “I’m not comfortable with it yet. “I don’t know that we know enough about the probability of success yet. It seems to me this is a very expensive project that may have value for tourism. I don’t see anything saying it’s of value to the perch. I really don’t see that here, the value to the fishery.” Ald. Jonathan Pleitner added, “It’s a great project. I would just like to get more information. I think that would go a long way.” Ald. Dan Benning also noted that aldermen received a significant amount of information about the project shortly before the meeting and they need more time to review it. Several residents at the meeting spoke in support of the project, including C.T. Whitehouse, a noted sculptor who said the artistic aspects could set Port apart from other communities and “turn it from a stopover to a destination. This is an opportunity we should embrace.” SEAPA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to shipwreck preservation, freshwater education and aquatic habitat restoration, has proposed a six-phase, $9.97 million project intended to create artificial reefs off Port’s shore that it says will improve the aquatic environment and help restore native fish levels. The initiative will also develop a public access into the lake, aid in educational efforts at local schools and colleges, help local police, fire and dive teams train for emergencies and increase tourism, said SEAPA President Tish Hase, co-owner of Port Deco Divers in Port Washington. The organization is seeking permits from the DNR and Army Corps of Engineers for the first two phases of its project, which involve sinking a 200 to 600-foot-long freighter in 110 feet of water two miles off the mouth of the harbor and having local high school students create sculptures that will be anchored to the lakebed at varying levels outside of the breakwater. The city needs to be a co-applicant for the DNR permit because it has riparian rights in the area where the sculptures would be located, officials said. We Energies has agreed to be a co-applicant for the first phase for the same reason, Hase said. These phases will create artificial reefs that would create a “supersized” habitat where native fish such as lake trout and yellow perch can thrive, said Hase and SEAPA Vice President Joe Frank, who is also co-owner of Port Deco Divers. “What we’re trying to do here is bring back healthy fish species,” Frank said. “These (structures) are all going to be habitat that brings back indigenous species. We have to take an active step to make that happen. This is probably the best, cheapest option for the community. When we do dives, we don’t see fish anymore,” Hase added. The third phase would involve submerging a 41-foot wooden fishing vessel similar to the Linda E. — the last fishing tug out of Port Washington — in 50 to 70 feet of water to create a reef for larger aquatic species to use as habitat, as well as some sculptures. The fourth phase would require sinking a number of clean vehicles to create not only fish habitat but also an area for local emergency crews to use for training and education. A 25-step staircase from the breakwater to the lakebed would be created as the fifth phase of the project, allowing public access to the lake, and fish cribs would be placed along the breakwater wall. The last phase involves long-term fundraising to support the project. The first phase of the project, sinking of the freighter, is estimated to cost between $5 million and $6.8 million, while the projected price of the second phase is $540,000. The project would also relieve pressure on shipwrecks in the area by providing divers with a destination, according to SEAPA. The DNR is reviewing the application to see if it meets standards for underwater structures, looking at the potential impact on habitat, water quality and navigation, among other things, Webb said. If it meets those standards, Webb said, the department will issue the permit. Because the project would be the first of its kind in the Great Lakes, Hase said, it would prompt interest and publicity that will draw donors. “Right now we’re not asking the city for money,” Hase said, adding she’s already applied for some grants for the project. She will find out the results of one grant application in mid-November, she said, and another application is due next month. Fundraising, she said, will begin in earnest after SEAPA obtains the permits. The organization has hired Artificial Reef International, a Florida firm that specializes in creating artificial reefs by sinking ships, to procure the freighter, which would be cleaned of anything that could contaminate the lake before being sunk, Hase said. Ozaukee Press |
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Mystery solved? Shipwreck may be oldest found in Lake Erie 10/8 - Toledo, Ohio – Shipwreck hunters who spent eight days this summer unearthing and examining the remains of a schooner in Lake Erie in Ohio think it’s most likely a sailing ship that sank nearly two centuries ago. That would make the wreckage the oldest ever found in the shallowest of the Great Lakes. But there’s a bit of debate among the marine archaeologists and shipwreck hunters who are trying to identify the wreck about how confident they are it is indeed the Lake Serpent that sank in 1829. So far, there are several signs that say it’s a match, according to the National Museum of the Great Lakes, which on Thursday released the findings from its work this summer. Divers determined the wreck’s size and stone cargo point to it being Lake Serpent, and they uncovered what appears to be a carving at the ship’s bow, the museum said. Historical records show the Lake Serpent had a serpent’s head carved near the front — an unusual feature for a vessel of that era. The site also seems to be near where the Lake Serpent was thought to go down near Kelleys Island off the Ohio shoreline. Carrie Sowden, the Great Lakes museum’s archaeology director, said it all adds up, but she was hesitant to say that it’s definitely the Lake Serpent. “I don’t know what else it could be, but there’s still enough unknown that we haven’t seen,” she said, adding that divers plan to take another look at the site next year. Some parts of the wreckage are still covered in several feet of mud and sediment. “You never know what’s under the sand,” Sowden said. Lake Erie is a graveyard for hundreds of vessels taken down by violent storms that can whip up in a hurry. Many have been found in recent years by a small, dedicated band from the museum and the Cleveland Underwater Explorers club. While identifying these wrecks often relies on circumstantial evidence, what makes their latest attempt difficult is that the Lake Serpent was constructed before ship builders began including hull numbers or name plates onboard. Also, visibility was limited around the wreck and it was torn apart more than expected, making it tough to find key features, the museum said. The schooner was built in 1821 in Cleveland at a time when the city had less than 1,000 residents. Its job was to carry cargo — produce, flour, whiskey, limestone — to ports along the lakes. It went down eight years later. The body of one crew member was spotted in the lake days later while the bodies of the captain and his brother washed up on the shore of Lorain County in the fall of 1829, according to a newspaper report. Tom Kowalczk, who spotted the wreckage on his sonar screen in the summer of 2015, said he’s pretty confident it’s the Lake Serpent because there are enough findings that line up. That includes the unique carving they found on the ship and the large stones they came across — the Lake Serpent was said to be carrying stone from a Lake Erie island. “We haven’t found anything that says it’s something different,” he said. David VanZandt, director of the Cleveland Underwater Explorers, said there’s enough evidence for him to say he’s almost certain the wreckage that sits nearly 50 feet (15 metres) below the surface is the Lake Serpent. Toronto Sun |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 8 On 08 October 1871, PHILO PARSONS (wooden side-wheel steamer, 221 tons, built in 1861, at Algonac, Michigan) burned to a total loss in the great Chicago fire. She burned so completely that her remains were not located in the Chicago River until 1877. She was the vessel commandeered by Confederate raiders in a plot to capture the iron gunboat U.S.S. MICHIGAN on Lake Erie during the American Civil War. The Chicago fire destroyed many fine vessels while they were docked in the harbor. These included the new propeller NAVARINO, the schooner GLENBULA, the schooner ECLIPSE, the schooner BUTCHER BOY, the bark VALETTA, the schooner ALNWICK, the bark A. P. NICHOLS, the bark FONTANELLA, the fore-and-aft schooner STAMPEDE, the schooner N. C. FORD, and the schooner CHRISTINA NEILSON. The only recorded casualties among the sailors were on the ALNWICK; her mate died and the captain burned his hands severely.The keel was laid October 8, 1976, for the 660-foot forward section of the BURNS HARBOR, but was completed as b.) LEWIS WILSON FOY for the Bethlehem Steel Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Purchased by Oglebay Norton and renamed c.) OGLEBAY NORTON in 1991, and d.) AMERICAN INTEGRITY in 2006. The MATHEWSTON (Hull#47) entered service on October 8, 1922. On her maiden voyage she sailed from Port Arthur, Ontario with 11,634 tons of barley and wheat. Renamed b.) RALPH S. MISENER in 1954 and c.) MATHEWSTON again in 1967. Scrapped at Vado, Italy in 1970. The Canadian registry for MENIHEK LAKE was officially closed on October 8, 1985, with the notation "sold Spain." She was scrapped at Gijon, Spain. WILLIAM G. MATHER arrived on October 8, 1988, in tow of the Great Lakes Towing Co. tugs WYOMING and ALABAMA at the G&W Shipyard at Collision Bend in the Cuyahoga River to be refurbished. On 8 October 1906, PASADENA (wooden barge, 250 foot, 1,761 gross tons, built in 1889, at Cleveland, Ohio as a propeller bulk freighter) was carrying coal, in tow of the steamer GLADSTONE, bound for Superior, Wisconsin. The PASADENA went out of control in a gale and her skipper had the tow line cut. She was thrown against a pier near the upper entry to the Keweenaw Waterway and pounded to pieces in a few hours. Two lives were lost, but 8 made it to shore on the floating wreckage. On 8 October 1854, E. K. COLLINS (wooden passenger/package freight side-wheeler, 256 foot, 1,095 gross tons, built in 1853, at Newport, Michigan) caught fire and beached near the mouth of the Detroit River where she burned to the waterline. About 23 lives were lost. About 43 persons were rescued in small boats and by the steamers FINTRY and GLOBE. There was some speculation that arson was the cause. The hull was recovered in 1857, and rebuilt as the barge ARK. On October 8, 2000 the tug UNDAUNTED and barge PERE MARQUETTE 41 departed Calumet Harbor loaded with pig iron for Marinette, Wis., under favorable conditions and were later caught by the heavy weather. During the storm, the 5,000 tons of pig iron and the barge's four pieces of heavy loading equipment were washed into Lake Michigan. Both the tug and barge suffered damage in the incident. 1899: The tug RECORD sank at Duluth after a collision with the whaleback steamer JAMES B. NEILSON and one life was lost. 1906: The barge PASADENA, loaded with iron ore for Cleveland and under tow of the steamer GLADSTONE, was cut loose approaching the Keweenaw Waterway. The anchors fail to hold. The ship smashed into the east pier of the waterway and broke up on the rocks. Seven sailors were rescued but two were lost. 1964: A fire aboard West German-flag freighter ERATO at Detroit left two dead when they were trapped in their stern quarters. Another three sailors were injured. The 2-alarm blaze was brought under control and the ship was eventually repaired at Toledo. It arrived at Bombay, India, and laid up as d) VIJAYA DARSHANA on May 26, 1983, and eventually scrapped there beginning in May 1986. 1971: DIDO went aground leaving Goole, U.K. for Porsgrunn, Norway, but returned to Goole the next day after being refloated. The 22-year-old Norwegian freighter was listed as a total loss and sold for scrap. It was taken to Hull, U.K., a year later and dismantled. The ship had been a pre-Seaway trader as early as 1951 and made 14 voyages to the Great Lakes from 1959 through 1963. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series |
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Port Reports - October 7
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
Port Huron, Mich. Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Oct 6 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Oct 6 - Baie Comeau at 0550 and Patras (Mlt) (ex Gan-Sword-10) at 0901, Kaministiqua at 1001, Algoma Equinox at 1902
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 7 On October 7, 1968, the NORMAN P. CLEMENT was damaged in a grounding off Britt, Ontario. The Canadian boat was towed to Collingwood for repairs. However, while in dry dock, an explosion occurred on October 16 that injured 11 workers and further damaged the hull. Rather than repair her, the owners had the CLEMENT towed out into Georgian Bay where she was intentionally sunk on October 23, 1968.On this day in 1939, the E. G. MATHIOTT collided with the steamer CORVUS on the St. Clair River. Damage to the CORVUS totaled $37,647.70. On this day in 1958, the WALTER E. WATSON, Captain Ralph Fenton, rescued the sailing vessel TAMARA on Lake Huron. On October 7, 1871, GEM (wooden schooner, 120 foot, 325 tons, built in 1853, at Buffalo, New York) was sailing up bound in a storm on Lake Erie with a load of coal. She began to leak and was run to shore in an effort to save her. However, she went down before reaching shoal water and settled with six feet of water over her decks. ALGOWOOD was launched October 7, 1980, at Collingwood, Ontario, for Algoma Central Marine, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. PAUL THAYER was launched October 7, 1973, for the Union Commerce Bank Trustee, Cleveland, Ohio and managed by Kinsman Marine Transit Co., Cleveland. She was built under Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970, for $12.6 million. Renamed b.) EARL W. OGLEBAY in 1995. The WILLIAM MC LAUCHLAN (Hull#793) was launched at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co., on October 7, 1926, for the Interlake Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) SAMUEL MATHER in 1966, c.) JOAN M. MC CULLOUGH in 1975 and d.) BIRCHGLEN in 1982. Scrapped at Sydney, Nova Scotia, in 1988. BLACK RIVER, a lake bulk freighter, was built as a steel barge in 1897, by the F.W. Wheeler & Co., she was launched October 7, 1896, as a.) SIR ISAAC LOTHIAN BELL (Hull# 118). HUTCHCLIFFE HALL was raised October 7, 1962, and taken to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. She had sunk after a collision a few days earlier. October 7, 1923 - The ANN ARBOR NO 4 went back into service after being overhauled and having new cabins built on her main deck. MADISON suffered a fire on October 7, 1987, while lying idle at Muskegon, Michigan, and was badly damaged. In 1903, ADVENTURE (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 108 foot, 142 gross tons, built in 1875, at Detroit, Michigan, as a schooner) caught fire while tied to the Kelleys Island Line & Transport Co. Dock. The blaze spread so quickly that those on board barely escaped. She was towed from Kelleys Island out into Lake Erie by the tug SMITH to save the dock and the adjacent schooner ANDERSON. In a severe gale and rain/hail storm on October 7, 1858, the 247-ton schooner OSPREY approached Oswego, New York. As she was about to enter the harbor, the vessel struck the east pier broadside. Her masts and rigging were carried away and she started to sink. Capt. John Parsons got his wife and child out of the cabin to try to escape to the pier. His wife was washed overboard and drowned. Capt. Parsons held on to his child, but another wave struck the wreck and swept the child into the water. George Crine, the mate, was also swept overboard. Those three were lost, but the next wave swung the wreck about with her bowsprit over the pier and the captain and the six remaining crewmen scrambled to safety. The entire town and harbor mourned those deaths and held a dockside service two days later with many prayers and all flags at half-mast. Donations were accepted for the surviving sailors since they escaped with only the clothes on their backs. On October 7,1873, the PULASKI was launched at the Archibald Muir yard on the Black River in Port Huron. Her dimensions were 136 feet x 26 feet x 11 feet, 349 gross tons. She was a three mast "full canaller", painted white and her private signal was a red M on a white ground bordered with blue. Her sails were made by Mr. D. Robeson of Port Huron, Michigan. On October 7, 1886, The Port Huron Times reported that "The old side-wheel ferry SARNIA, which was a familiar sight at this crossing [Port Huron-Sarnia] for so many years, and which is said to have earned enough money in her time to sheet her with silver, the hull of which has been for some years back used as a barge by the Marine City Salt Company, has closed her career. She was last week scuttled near the Marine City Salt Works wharf." 1902: ANN MARIA hit a sandbar approaching Kincardine while inbound with a cargo of coal and broke up as a total loss. Four crew and a volunteer rescuer were reported lost. 1917: GEORGE A. GRAHAM was wrecked off Manitoulin Island, Georgian Bay, when the cargo shifted when turning in a storm. The ship ran for the safety of South Bay but stranded on the rocks. All on board were saved but the ship was a total loss. 1919: The wooden steamer HELEN TAYLOR was damaged by a fire in the pilothouse near Hessel, Mich., but was repaired. 1937: M & F DREDGE NO. 14, Hull 39 from the Collingwood shipyard, foundered in the St. Lawrence off Batiscan, QC as b) D.M. DREDGE NO. 14. 1956: The consort barge DELKOTE of the Hindman fleet was adrift for 9 hours in a Lake Superior storm with 13 on board and waves up to 20 feet. The ship had broken loose of the GEORGE HINDMAN but was picked up by the CAPT. C.D. SECORD. 1968: EDWARD Y. TOWNSEND, under tow for scrapping in Bilbao, Spain, broke in two about 400 miles southeast of St. John's, NF, and the bow sank. The stern was apparently retrieved and towed into Santander, Spain, for scrapping on October 28. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse lens will soon retire to a new home 10/6 - Kewaunee, Wis. – After nearly 90-years of service, the Fresnel lens in the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse is about to retire to a new home. By month’s end, the lens will be removed from the lighthouse and moved to the Kewaunee County Historical Society on Ellis Street. Jayne Conard, president of the Friends of the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse, says while the lens’s working life is over it will still offer some illuminating maritime history in its new home. The Fresnel lens is one of 70 still in operation in the United States and one of 16 on the Great Lakes. Listen to the full story at this link: https://www.doorcountydailynews.com/2018/10/02/kewaunee-pierhead-lighthouse-lens-will-soon-retire-to-a-new-home |
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Programs announced for Gales of November Nov. 2-3 at Duluth 10/6 - Duluth, Minn. – The annual Gales of November conference, sponsored by the Lake Superior Maritime Museum Association, will be held in Duluth Nov. 2-3. Besides a free Friday night gala, there will speakers, exhibitors and many other events.
Programs include: Friday Luncheon Speaker: Brett Seymour, Deputy Chief, NPS Submerged Resources Center, on a virtual 3D Isle Royale Shipwreck Tour. Saturday Luncheon Speaker: Paul LaMarre III, executive director of the Port of Monroe, Michigan, on Saving the Col. James M. Schoonmaker. Gales of November is the LSMMA's premier fundraising event for the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. What began almost 30 years ago as a small gathering of divers sharing shipwreck pictures, has grown into a two-day educational and networking event. The winners of the annual Cruise of a Lifetime event will also be announced on Nov. 3. Lear more, or register, at this link: To register, or for more information, visit this link: https://lsmma.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=605134&module_id=314236 |
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Port Reports - October 6
Superior, Wis.
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Green Bay, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Owen Sound, Ont. – Paul Martin
Lorain, Ohio – Drew Leonard Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Oct 5 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Oct 4 -Tim S Dool at 1920 - Oct 5 - Federal Katsura (Mhl) at 0149, CSL Laurentien at 0352, Federal Ems (Mhl) at 0720, Federal Caribou (Mhl) at 1234, Baie Comeau at 1231
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Michigan lawmakers fight decision to close EPA facility on Grosse Ile 10/6 - Grosse Ile, Mich. – State lawmakers are fighting a decision to close an Environmental Protection Agency office on Grosse Ile. State Rep. Darrin Camilleri (D-Brownstown Twp.) introduced a resolution urging President Donald Trump and acting EPA head Andrew Wheeler to reverse their decision to close the EPA’s Large Lakes Research Station on Grosse Ile. Along with state Rep. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), Camilleri also sent a letter to Wheeler on Oct. 4, urging him to reconsider the move. “The EPA station in Grosse Ile plays a critical role in our state’s response to environmental emergencies,” Camilleri said. “At a time when Michigan is experiencing a flurry of environmental crises, closing this facility will result in delayed response times and, in turn, put our families and our state’s natural resources at risk.” The letter outlines several concerns with the closure, which is slated for early 2019 and would relocate operations and personnel to Ann Arbor. The resolution comes on the heels of local opposition led by Grosse Ile Township Supervisor Brian Loftus, who explained his stance to The News-Herald in August. Loftus said the on-scene coordinators currently located at the station are the first responders to any type of incident that could have an environmental impact, such as chemical spills. He pointed out that the EPA has the resources to mitigate and contain such emergencies, but time is of the essence and moving personnel to Ann Arbor could cause delays. “Sixty-five percent of their responses are between the I-75 corridor, between Detroit and Monroe,” he said. “Imagine trying to respond from Ann Arbor on a (Michigan football) game day. They would never get there on time.” The letter from Camilleri and Chang echoes this sentiment. “Every minute is critical in protecting residents in our community and our natural resources, and relocating the personnel will delay emergency response from the previous 20 minutes to over an hour. This delay could not be coming as a worse time, with the McLouth Trenton site’s southern portion potentially being added to the Superfund National Priorities List.” Aside from the vitality of quick response times — the Large Lakes Research Station has responded to 475 oil spills and releases of chemical and hazardous substances over the past 16 years, including emergencies at the McLouth Steel and Marathon refinery sites — the letter says there don’t appear to be any significant cost savings associated with the move. Furthermore, the letter states, the research station’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has played a key role in restoring “biological and physical integrity” to Michigan waterways. “The effectiveness of the Grosse Ile EPA station in mitigating environmental disasters and implementing the highly successful Great Lakes Restoration Initiative here in Michigan cannot be overstated,” Chang said. “I hope President Trump and Acting Administrator Wheeler will reconsider their decision to close the station as they reflect on its importance to the people of Michigan.” News Herald |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 6 On October 6, 1893, DAVID STEWART (3-mast wooden schooner, 171 foot, 545 gross tons, built in 1867, at Cleveland, Ohio) foundered in a gale off Pigeon Bay, Ontario, on Lake Erie. She crew clung to the frozen rigging for 14 hours until saved by the fish tug LOUISE of Sandusky, Ohio. The STEWART was carrying iron ore at the time of her loss.Herb Fraser & Associates completed repairs on the ALGOSOO at the Welland Dock on October 6 1986. She had suffered a serious fire at her winter mooring on the west wall above Lock 8 at Port Colborne, Ontario, on March 7, 1986. The bow section of the barge PRESQUE ISLE arrived Erie, Pennsylvania, on October 6, 1972 under tow of the tugs MARYLAND and LAURENCE C. TURNER. The total cost to construct the tug/barge 1,000- footer was approximately $35 million. October 6, 1981, the Reoch self-unloader ERINDALE's bow was damaged when she hit the Allanburg Bridge abutment running down bound in the Welland Canal. Built in 1915, as a.) W. F. WHITE, she was renamed b.) ERINDALE in 1976. In 1980, the LAC DES ILES grounded in the Detroit River just below Grassy Island, the result of a faulty steering mechanism. She freed herself a few hours later. The damage caused by the grounding ended her career. She was scrapped at Port Colborne in 1985. This day in 1870, the schooner E. FITZGERALD was launched at the Fitzgerald & Leighton yard at Port Huron, Michigan. Her dimensions were 135 feet x 26 feet x 11 feet. In 1875, the MERCHANT (iron propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 200 foot, 750 tons, built in 1862, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying lumber on Lake Michigan when she stranded on Racine Reef near Racine, Wisconsin. Then she caught fire and was gutted before she could be refloated. She had stranded on that same reef twice previously. She was the first iron cargo ship built on the Lakes and the first one lost. On October 6, 1873, JOHN A. MC DOUGALL (wooden schooner-barge, 151 foot, 415 gross tons) was launched at Wenona, Michigan. She was built at the Ballentine yard in only five weeks. On October 6, 1889, PHILO SCOVILLE (3-mast wooden schooner, 140 foot, 323 tons, built in 1863, at Cleveland, Ohio) was sailing from Collingwood for Chicago when a storm drove her into the shallows and wrecked her near Tobermory, Ontario. Her captain died while trying to get ashore through the rocks. The Canadian Lifesaving Service saved the rest of the crew. At first the vessel was expected to be recovered, but she broke up by 10 October. 1910: The wooden freighter MUSKEGON, formerly the PEERLESS, was damaged by a fire at Michigan City, IN and became a total loss. 1958: SHIERCLIFFE HALL hit bottom in the St. Marys River and was intentionally grounded off Lime Island with substantial damage. The ship was refloated and repaired at Collingwood. 1966: EMSSTEIN and OLYMPIC PEARL collided south of St. Clair, MI and the former had to be beached before it capsized. This West German freighter made 19 trips to the Great lakes from 1959 through 1967 and arrived at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, for scrapping as d) VIOLETTA on May 28, 1978. The latter, on her first trip to the Great Lakes, had bow damage and was also repaired. This ship arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping as b) AL TAHSEEN on May 6, 1985. 1972: ALGORAIL hit the pier inbound at Holland, MI with a cargo of salt and settled on the bottom about 12 feet off the dock with a gash in the port bow. The vessel was refloated in 24 hours and headed to Thunder Bay for repairs. 1982: CONTINENTAL PIONEER made 8 trips through the Seaway from 1960 through 1964. A fire broke out in the accommodation area as c) AGRILIA, about 20 miles north of Porto Praia, Cape Verde Islands and the heavily damaged ship was abandoned before it drifted aground in position 15.06 N / 23.30 W. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Algoma Central cancels order with Uljanik shipyard 10/5 - Zagreb, Croatia – Canada's Algoma Central Corporation last Friday terminated a contract for a bulk cargo vessel that was ordered to be built by the Uljanik Group, the Pula-based shipbuilding company said on Monday. The reason cited for the contract termination was the shipyard's inability to deliver the vessel on time, the shipyard said, noting that actual construction work on the ship had not yet begun. In early September, Uljanik's clients had terminated contracts for four other ships. The Cayman Islands-based Auto Marine Transport had cancelled an order for a car and truck carrier on September 1, after cancelling another order for the same type of ship. On that same date, Norway-based Siem Shipping also terminated contracts for car carriers, the construction of which hasn't been started. The new cancellation add to the shipyard's problems, which is trying to find a new strategic partner willing to finance a restructuring plan intended to save the company, employing more than 4,000 workers, from looming bankruptcy. Total Croatia News |
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Fight over historic Manitoulin Island ship moves from courthouse to ballot box 10/5 - A citizens group has failed in its legal fight to save a historic steamship on Manitoulin Island. But now the fate of the SS Norisle could depend on who is elected mayor of the small town where it's moored. "I think what we have to do is take a second look at what's going on here," says Dave Ham, a member of the SS Norisle Steamship Society, who is now running for mayor in the Township of Assiginack. The society spent years, and according to Ham over one million dollars, restoring the Norisle, which was a passenger ferry on Lake Huron from 1946 to 1974. In December 2016, the society filed suit against the municipality, which had announced plans to remove the ship from the Manitowaning harbour and have it sunk in the Tobermory area to entertain diving tourists. "Well, I think that's a tremendous waste," says Ham. The lawsuit was recently settled, with the township's ownership of the Norisle reaffirmed and in exchange the municipality is reimbursing the citizens group for $45,000 spent removing asbestos from the ship. Ham, who previously served nine years as the local reeve, says saving the ship was "part of the decision-making process" for throwing his hat into the mayor's race this election. He faces four other candidates, including incumbent mayor Paul Moffatt. He says taxpayers in Assiginack, a municipality of about 900 people on the eastern end of Manitoulin Island, shelled out $250,000 in legal fees to fight the failed lawsuit. "I'm glad that's it's taken care and you can't go back, but it should never have happened," says Moffatt. He says very few voters have asked him about his platform on the Norisle during this campaign. "I don't think you'd find many voters in Assiginack that would support something like that. I think any that I have spoken to are only too happy to see the stern of the Norisle heading up Manitowaning Bay," Moffatt says. It has been a rough retirement for the Norisle and its sister ship the SS Norgoma, which has also been called a rusty eyesore. Sault Ste. Marie city council has ordered that the Norgoma, which has recently served as a museum ship, be removed from the city's waterfront this spring. CBC |
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Port Reports - October 5
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont. Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Oct 4 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Oct 3 - Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 1409, Mississagi at 1642 (stopping wharf 12 at 1848 - departed at 2206 for wharf 2) and Algowood eta 2211 - Whitefish Bay at 0657 and Tim S Dool at 1920
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Port of Oswego upping ante on grain exports 10/5 - This is nothing to be taken with a grain of salt. All types of grain shipments are riding a robust wave this year, according to the latest St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation data. “Grain is, quite frankly, a new sector for us,” said William Scriber, acting executive director of the Port of Oswego Authority. “We’ve never exported this much in the last 50 years. We never reached the pinnacle of what we can actually accomplish,” said Scriber, noting that the port will be turning storage buildings over more frequently as the grain market accelerates. Now we will be turning out buildings over five times a year whereas previously, we only turned them once,” he said. Grain tonnage was up 16.3 percent from January-August this year to 5.4 million metric tons from 4.7 million in the year-ago period on the Seaway. He said the port was recently notified from Purdue Agribusiness to get ready to receive new grain. Soybeans are typically mature by late September and harvested in October and November. “They are starting to cut soybean now, so we will be ramping up in the next week and will receive over a million bushes of soybeans,” he said. The port also handles other grains such as wheat and corn. “There is a huge demand in the market right now for soybeans worldwide,” Scriber said. “Purdue Agribusiness is basically making this their major export focus in New York state.” Scriber said most all soybeans are being diverted to the port to ship. This wave of activity grew as a result of discussions centered earlier this year on creating a United States Department of Agriculture export center at the port. As a result, the port successfully applied for and received a USDA export license. Earlier this year, the port had more than 120 million bushels of soybeans on site. “We scheduled our first ships in August for offloading, and we have loaded two ships with more than 24,000 metric tons of soybean. We have three more scheduled for the remainder of the season, which is October and November,” said Scriber, noting the port — in conjunction with its partnership with Purdue — has exported 60,000 metric tons of soybeans this year Scriber said the goal is to reach 100,000 metric tons within the next year or two. Oswego County Business |
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Rand Logistics announces 2018 Marine Miracle Month program results 10/5 - Jersey City, N.J. – Rand Logistics Inc., a provider of bulk freight shipping services throughout the Great Lakes region, announced the company has raised in excess of $150,000 for children’s charities designated by its customers and vendor partners as a result of its annual Marine Miracle Month Program. Now in its third year, Rand donates $0.05 for every ton of cargo carried by its fleet during the month of August to nonprofit organizations with a primary focus on the health and wellbeing of children. Rand’s customers select the children’s charity of their choice, and Rand makes donations in each participating customer’s honor. The donation amount is based upon the total tons each customer shipped during the month of August and totals in excess of $134,000 this year. New for this year’s Marine Miracle Month, a variety of Rand’s vendor partners operating in the Great Lakes region have signed on to augment the program, donating an additional $18,000 to their own children’s charities in honor of Rand’s Marine Miracle Month. “We are overwhelmed by the continued interest and positive response that our customers, vendor partners, employees, and community organizations have shown towards the initiative, enabling us to expand the program and exceed last year’s program results,” said Aaron Degodny, Rand’s Co-President & Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer. “The support of our vendor partners to use Marine Miracle Month as a platform for their own charitable initiatives highlights how industry can collaborate to support the needs of children in our communities. With more than 35 participating customers this year, and four of our key vendor partners, Marine Miracle Month has created a vehicle for Rand to give back to the many communities in which we operate and expand the reach of our corporate social responsibility efforts, while strengthening partnerships with our valued customers and suppliers.” Qualifying not-for-profit organizations selected by Rand’s participating customers and vendors must hold 501(c)(3) status in the U.S. or be a registered charity in Canada providing services and benefits to children. Rand Logistics |
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Demolitions from Journal of the World Ship Society 10/5 - Vessels with Great Lakes / Seaway connection reported as a casualty or sold for demolition taken from October 2018 issue of Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society Casualties: None reported
Demolitions:
Brightway (8116984; Belize) (Rising Star-13, Polydefkis-11 (first trip into Seaway 2006), Arklow Dawn-03, Daisy Green-00, Uri-97, Falknes-93 (first trip into Seaway 1996), Fitnes-88 (first trip into Seaway 1986), Falknes-86- 8,351 / 1983 - general cargo. By Brightway Distribution Ltd (Credo-Plus Navigation Ltd), Belize, to Metco Shipbreakers, Pakistan and arrived Gadani Beach 04/02/2018 - commenced demolition 14.02.2018 Cyber (7721237; Palau) (Aleksandr Suvorov-17 - first trip into Seaway 1986) 16,257 / 1979 - bulk carrier. By Jupiter Shipping Inc. (Nabeel Shipmanagement FZE), St Kitts & Nevis, to Shree Sai Baba Ship Breaking, India and arrived Alang 06.02.2018 - commenced demolition 13.02.2018 Zenith Star (8405438; Panama) (Fair Swan-13, Chem Adriatic-07, Kilchem Adriatic-00 (first trip into Seaway 1993), Andreas Z-90, Shoun Jupiter-89) 4,509 / 1984 - products tanker. By Zenith Fuel & Energy Ltd (Aurum Ship Management FZC), Liberia to Ship Trade Corp India, and arrived Alang 11.02.2018 - commenced demolition 24.02.2018 Report compiled: by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 5 On this day in 1954, the GEORGE M. HUMPHREY was christened at Lorain. The HUMPHREY successfully completed her sea trials on 10/6 and carried 191,214 tons of iron ore in nine trips before laying up for the season. Upbound with a load of limestone on Lake Superior on October 5, 1965, the PETER A.B. WIDENER reported broken steering gear and possible damage to steering mechanism and screw after encountering gale force winds and high waves near Isle Royale. Fleetmates HENRY PHIPPS and HENRY H. ROGERS responded to the vessel, and dumped oil on the 10-foot seas to calm them. The USCG WOODRUSH arrived from Duluth, and towed the vessel to Duluth. On October 5,1876, GRACE GREENWOOD (3-mast wooden schooner, 124 foot, 306 tons, built in 1853, at Oswego, New York) was carrying iron ore from Escanaba, Michigan, to Michigan City, Indiana, when she foundered in a storm while coming in to St. Joseph harbor for shelter. No lives were lost. She was the first vessel built by George Rogers and her launch was initially sabotaged by someone jamming a file into the ways. On Saturday afternoon, October 5, 1997, while passing White Shoal Light on their way to Charlevoix, the MEDUSA CHALLENGER was hit by a waterspout. The only damage reported was a spotlight on the pilothouse bridge wing lifted out of its support and crews bikes stored on deck rose vertically. The 1906, built boat was also reported to have been vibrating in an unusual manner. Another boat in the area reported wind gusts of almost 100 mph in the brief storm. That same day the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan was hit with a violent storm that blew down trees a foot in diameter. The ARTHUR B. HOMER, loaded with ore, was in a head-on collision on October 5, 1972 with the unloaded Greek salty NAVISHIPPER at Buoy 83, in the Detroit River's Fighting Island Channel. NAVISHIPPER reportedly had no licensed pilot aboard at the time, a violation of maritime law. There were no injuries, but the HOMER suffered extensive bow damage up to and including part of her pilothouse. The former was repaired, operated through 1980 and was scrapped at Port Colborne in 1987. The latter was also repaired and eventually towed into Cadiz, Spain, for scrapping as f) CRYSTAL on December 2, 1981, when the tailshaft fractured on November 25, 1981. HUTCHCLIFFE HALL was in collision with steamer RICHARD V. LINDABURY on a foggy October 5, 1962, off Grosse Pointe Farms in Lake St. Clair. The canaller suffered a 12-foot gash on her port side forward of her after cabins and sank. She was raised October 7 and taken to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. On October 5, 1967, while outbound on the Saginaw River after discharging a load of limestone at Saginaw, Michigan, the J. F. SCHOELLKOPF JR's steering failed which caused her to hit the west side of the I-75 Zilwaukee Bridge. The SCHOELLKOPF JR incurred little damage but the southbound lanes of the bridge were out of service for several days until repairs were completed. The ARTHUR H. HAWGOOD (Hull#76) was launched at West Bay City, Michigan, by West Bay City Ship Building Co. on October 5, 1907, for the Neptune Steamship Co. (Hawgood, mgr.), Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) JOSEPH BLOCK in 1911, and c.) GEORGE M. STEINBRENNER in 1969. Scrapped at Ramey's Bend in 1980. On October 5,1889, BESSEMER (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 178 foot, 436 gross tons, built in 1875, at St. Clair, Michigan) was carrying iron ore along with her consort SCHUYLKILL (wooden schooner, 152 foot, 472 gross tons, built in 1873, at Buffalo, New York) in Lake Superior. They were struck by a rapidly rising gale and ran for the Portage Ship Canal. It became obvious that BESSEMER was sinking. The two collided and went onto a reef at the mouth of the canal and they both broke up quickly. The crews were able to jump onto the breakwater. The wrecks partly blocked the canal until they were dynamited the next September. On October 5,1877, TIOGA (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 549 tons, built in 1862, at Cleveland) was towing two barges in a storm on Lake Erie when she caught fire. The high winds fanned the flames. Her crew escaped to the barges and were later picked up by the steamer BADGER STATE. The burned out hulk of TIOGA sank the next day in 30 feet of water off Point Pelee. This was her first year of service as a bulk freighter; she had been built as a passenger steamer and was converted in 1877. On October 5, 1900, the lumber hooker SWALLOW was involved in a collision in the early morning hours and ended up ashore near Cherry Beach. A week later, she was lightered and freed, then taken to Detroit for repairs. She foundered in a storm one year later (18 October 1901). On October 5,1904, CONGRESS (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 267 foot, 1,484 gross tons, built in 1867, at Cleveland as the passenger vessel NEBRASKA) was seeking shelter at South Manitou Island on Lake Michigan when she caught fire. The fire spread quickly. To prevent it from destroying the dock, a courageous tug skipper got a line on the CONGRESS and towed her out on the lake where she burned for 13 hours and then sank in 26 fathoms of water. No lives were lost. 1904: HUNTER, a wooden passenger and freight steamer, was destroyed by a fire at Grand Marais, MI. There were no injuries. 1932: JOHN J. BOLAND JR., enroute from Toledo to Hamilton with coal, took on water and sank after the cargo shifted. Four lives were lost when the vessel went down about 10 miles off Barcelona, NY. 1941: MONDOC stranded off the east coast of Trinidad on her first trip on the bauxite run. The crew took to the lifeboats and was saved. 1964: DENMARK HILL went aground off the Porkkala Lighthouse in the Baltic Sea enroute from Nicaro, Cuba, for Porkkala, Finland. The vessel was refloated October 7 with considerable bottom damage. 1988: ENERCHEM REFINER struck the #1 East Outer Light while upbound in the Detroit River and received major damage that was repaired at Lauzon. 1999: MONTE AYALA, a Seaway caller in 1975, began to leak in #1 hold and then list while anchored at St. Brieuc Bay while inbound for Brest, France, as d) JUNIOR M. The cargo of ammonium nitrate was unloaded. The ship was arrested, abandoned by the owners, auctioned off for scrap and arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, on August 21, 2000. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, John Decator, Jody Aho, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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18-foot waves predicted for Lake Superior 10/4 - Strong northwest winds behind a severe weather-making storm will also produce huge waves on Lake Superior. Waves are expected to build to 14 to 18 feet in the southeastern part of Lake Superior. Winds are expected to howl at up to 60 mph for the Keweenaw Peninsula. Other parts of Lake Superior should have 45 mph to 55 mph sustained winds. With the northwesterly winds, waves will build as they move across Lake Superior from northwest to southeast. As of 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Stewart J. Cort and Hon James L. Oberstar were anchored in the lee of Whitefish Point. Cedarglen was in the lee of the southern end of the Keweenaw Peninsula, while Joyce L. VanEnkevort was stopped in the lee of the northern tip. American Mariner was anchored off the south end of Washburn Island. Roger Blough and John J. Boland were at anchor north of St. Ignace. Paul R. Tregurtha, Lee A. Tregurtha and Herbert C. Jackson were in the lower St. Marys River north of DeTour and appeared on AIS to be at anchor. Algoma Buffalo was stopped just east of St. Ignace off the lower Michigan shore, with the tug Anglian Lady and barge stopped just to the west of them. An 18-foot tall wave is about as high as a two-story house. View weather maps at this link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2018/10/18_foot_waves_predicted_for_la.html |
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Port Reports - October 4
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports Stoneport: Olive L Moore departed for Marine City. Sam Laud weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. Calcite: 11:28 Lee A Tregurtha departed for Duluth Superior but has gone to anchor in the St Marys River to wait out weather. Port Inland: Joseph L Block departed for Burns Harbor.
Northern Lake Huron
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Oct 3 - Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
Welland Canal: Downbound - Oct 2 - NACC Alicudi (Mlt)(ex Sider Alicudi-18) eta 2155 - Oct 3 - tug Petite Forte & barge St Marys Cement at 0134, Hamburg (Bhs) (ex c Columbus-12) at 0937, Federal Baltic (Mhl) at 1015, tug Sea Eagle II & barge St Marys Cement II at 1056, light tug Kimberly Anne (Ame) at 1232, Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 1409, Mississagi at 1642 (stopping wharf 12) and Algowood eta 2140
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Corps Values: Army engineers keep things moving 10/4 - Detroit, Mich. – Boats large and small pass through the many harbors along the Great Lakes most days of the year. Who ensures they can navigate those waterways safely? The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does. One of the corps’ responsibilities is to maintain navigation by dredging harbors—that is, removing silt from the bottom of rivers to prevent vessels from getting stuck. If something needs repair or replacement, such as a pier, the engineers fix it or build a new one. “We are construction experts,” says Lt. Col. Greg Turner, commanding officer of the corps’ Detroit district. That expertise will come in handy when it’s time to build a new shipping lock in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. The U.S. House authorized almost $1 billion to build a new lock in the Soo, a project that was first proposed in 1986, but never funded. President Donald Trump pledged to “fix” the lock as part of his proposal to improve America’s infrastructure. Turner says it would take at least seven years to build a lock large enough to handle the largest ships on the Great Lakes. Only one lock, the Poe, fits the bill now. Turner says building a new lock is his top priority. “Of the four locks, only two are still in working condition,” Turner says. “The other two are over 100 years old that we’ve put out of service. The remaining locks are 75 years old and 50 years old.” The C.O. notes that nearly all of the domestically produced high-strength steel comes from iron ore that passes through the Soo locks, making the St. Marys River the linchpin of the U.S economy. “It affects the automobile industry, it affects the appliance industry, it affects almost anything that we make in America with high-strength steel,” Turner says. More about the mission Navigation is just one of the Army Corps of Engineers’ responsibilities. It also helps local communities manage their flood risk and works with them on environmental restoration projects. Lt. Col. Turner’s troops are involved in the reconfiguration of Galloway Creek, a tributary of the Clinton River. “What we’re doing is taking what was a creek running through a residential area and a golf course and changing how the creek works, and make it into a more natural stream bed,” Turner says. Not just builders The Army Corps of Engineers employ about 34,000 people, not all of whom are engineers. “There are biologists, financial experts, economists, a lot world-class experts work for the corps,” Turner says. As for the future of a new lock at the Soo, the colonel says the economic benefit would be almost twice the cost to build it. Click on the audio player to hear the conversation with WDET’s Pat Batcheller. https://wdet.org/posts/2018/10/03/87354-corps-values-army-engineers-keep-things-moving |
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Interlake Steamship Co. seeks photos for 2019 calendar 10/4 - Hey Great Lakes photographers, the folks at Interlake Steamship Co. wants you to hit them with your best shots. The company is looking for fabulous pictures of the fleet’s ships taken during the last year (October 2017-the present) to feature on next year's Interlake Steamship calendar. The vessels include the Paul R. Tregurtha, James R. Barker, Mesabi Miner, Stewart J. Cort, Lee A. Tregurtha, Hon. James L. Oberstar, Kaye E. Barker, Herbert C. Jackson, and Dorothy Ann-Pathfinder. Winners will not only have their photo featured on a 2019 wall calendar, they’ll receive either a 4’x7’ or 3’x5’ Interlake house flag. How To Enter: Please email pictures (high resolution preferred) to Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@interlake-steamship.com The Details: In the email, include your full name, address, contact information and any details about the photo. You can submit as many photos as you would like. All photos must be titled with your name (i.e. Smith1, Smith2, etc) Please Note: By submitting a photo, you are giving full permission to Interlake to use this image in its calendar, on social media, website and for any external uses. Whenever possible, Interlake will credit the original photographer. Deadline: All photos must be received by 1200 Friday, October 12. Interlake Steamship Co. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 4 On October 4, 1887, ORIENT (wooden propeller tug, 60 foot, 37 gross tons, built in 1874, at Buffalo, New York) foundered three miles west of Point Pelee on Lake Erie in a storm. She was seen going down by the schooners LISGAR and GLENFORD but neither was able to help. All six on the ORIENT were lost. She was out of Marine City, Michigan.On October 4, 1979, the ST. LAWRENCE NAVIGATOR arrived at the Port Weller Dry Docks, St. Catharines, Ontario, where she was lengthened to the Seaway maximum length of 730-foot overall. A new bow and cargo section was installed including a bow thruster and was assigned Hull #66. New tonnage; 18,788 gross tons, 12,830 net tons, 32,279 deadweight tons. She was renamed c.) CANADIAN NAVIGATOR in 1980 and ALGOMA NAVIGATOR in 2012. She sails for Algoma Central Corp. She was converted to a self-unloader in 1997. TEXACO BRAVE (Hull#779) was launched October 4, 1976, by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Shimonoseki, Japan for Texaco Canada Ltd., Don Mills, Ontario. Renamed b.) LE BRAVE in 1987, c.) IMPERIAL ST LAWRENCE in 1997, and d.) ALGOEAST in 1998. On October 4, 1980, Bethlehem's ARTHUR B. HOMER was laid up for the last time at Erie, Pennsylvania. As a result of the collision between the PARKER EVANS and the SIDNEY E SMITH JR, four months earlier, alternate one-way traffic between the Black River Buoy and Buoys 1 and 2 in Lake Huron was agreed upon by the shipping companies on October 4, 1972 The JAMES E. FERRIS' last trip before scrapping was from Duluth, Minnesota, with a split load of 261,000 bushels of wheat for Buffalo, New York, arriving there October 4, 1974. The JIIMAAN, twin screw ro/ro cargo/passenger ferry built to Ice Class 1D standards had its keel laid October 4, 1991, at Port Weller Drydocks, Ltd. (Hull# 76). On October 4, 1982, the BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS laid up for the last time in Duluth, Minnesota. She was towed out of Duluth, on her way to Kahoshiung, Taiwan for scrapping, on June 17, 1988. October 4, 1940 - The Ludington Daily News reported "The Pere Marquette car ferries handled approximately 95,000 freight cars last year." (1939) On October 4,1877, BRITISH LION (3 mast wooden bark, 128 foot, 293 tons, built in 1862, at Kingston, Ontario) was carrying coal from Black River, Ohio, to Brockville, Ontario. She was driven ashore at Long Point in Lake Erie by a storm and wrecked. She was the first bark on the Lakes to be wire rigged and she was built for the Great Lakes - Liverpool trade. On October 4, 1883, JAMES DAVIDSON (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 231 foot, 1,456 gross tons, built in 1874, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was carrying coal and towing the barge MIDDLESEX in a storm on Lake Huron. She was driven onto a reef near Thunder Bay Island and ripped up her bottom. The barge was rescued by the tug V SWAIN. No lives were lost. Financially, the DAVIDSON was the most extensive loss on the Lakes in the 1883, season. She was valued at $65,000 and insured for $45,000. Her coal cargo was valued at $8,000. 1904: CONGRESS burned at the dock at South Manitou Island, Lake Michigan while loading lumber. The ship was towed away, abandoned, burned to the waterline and sank. 1966: ROBERT J. PAISLEY ran aground in heavy weather off Michigan City, IN. The ship was released the next day but went to Sarnia with hull damage and was laid up. 2008: MERKUR BAY came through the Seaway in 1984. It hit a rock as m) NEW ORIENTAL in heavy weather off Tuy An, Vietnam, and settled on the bottom with a large hole in the bow. The crew abandoned ship on October 18 when it showed signs of sinking. It was enroute from Thailand to China with iron ore and was a total loss. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Great Lakes largest cruise welcomes hundreds of Germans to shore 10/3 - Alpena, Mich. – In the distance where Lake Huron connects to the waves crashing against the rocks on shore, the largest Great Lakes cruise ship made its way to the sunrise side on Monday. It carries 420 passengers, 170 employees, all 15–thousand tons anchored in the water with many locals waiting to catch sight of the Hamburg cruise ship. “Tourism is a big thing here, and this will even make it bigger if we get more of these cruise ships coming in,” said Alpena resident Richard Lefevere. It’s been a 12-day journey for hundreds of tourists waiting to touch land. Passengers were loaded on to orange boats called tenders. Ship crews boated groups of 50 through the Thunder Bay River to the edge of the loading dock near the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Peter Wagner was one those passengers on the ship, assisting a number of German travelers to tour parts of Northeast Michigan for a day. “It’s a fantastic experience for us Germans to see the wonderful cities here.” he said, “to meet very nice and friendly people and have such a lot fun here.” The Hamburg is able to visit the Great Lakes because it’s small enough to cruise through small towns like Alpena. “I don’t remember all the places we’ve been,” said Horst Halden, “but we really enjoy where we have been.” Halden traveled with his wife. His family is no stranger to the States. A nephew lives another major city. The tourists flew to Chicago to start their journey and will dock in Montreal at the end of 21 days. “When people are traveling they want to purchase souvenirs,” said Anne Gentry, “They want to buy things from the place that they stopped.” Gentry is the executive director of Alpena’s Downtown Development Authority. She volunteered with the Maritime Heritage Center, and the Convention and Visitors Bureau to greet travelers and pass out maps. The town has worked for quite some time to orchestrate this day to fruition. Gentry said, “I think it shows that we are a viable tourist destination.” By the time the sun sets, Alpena’s new friends will be on their way. Until next time. The luxury cruise line will return later this month. WBKB11 |
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Port Reports - October 3
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Oct 2 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Environmental groups say "no" to potential Line 5 tunnel 10/3 - Several environmental groups are stepping up their efforts against an expected plan to build a tunnel for an oil pipeline that passes through the Mackinac Straits. A spokesman for Governor Rick Snyder says the state is still “reviewing studies and working through all possible options” for what to do with Line 5. But environmentalists believe the governor has already decided. “In the waning days of his administration, Gov. Snyder is trying to fast track approvals for Enbridge to build an oil pipeline through the Straits of Mackinac,” says Sean McBrearty with the group Clean Water Action. “Building a tunnel through the Straits of Mackinac would not only be unnecessary, and take too long to complete, it would also come with a significant risk of explosion,” says McBrearty. “If electrical utility lines run through the tunnel as well, everything needed to create a massive explosion under the Straits would be present.” Environmental groups expect the governor will announce the tunnel plan soon. Officials with Enbridge (one of Michigan Radio's many corporate sponsors) say it will take five to seven years to build, and they say it'll cost upwards of a half billion dollars. The company maintains that building a tunnel is one option being considered. “Our focus is and has always been the safe and reliable delivery of energy for Michigan. Line 5 is a vital part of Michigan’s energy infrastructure, having safely delivered energy for more than six decades. Improvements we have already made through our rigorous inspection and maintenance programs, along with ongoing discussions with the state, will make a safe pipeline even safer,” says Enbridge spokesman Ryan Duffy. Concerns about the aging pipeline have led to calls to shut it down. The fear is the pipeline will break and spew oil into the fragile Great Lakes ecosystem. Michigan Radio |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 3 On October 3,1887, EBENEZER (3-mast wooden schooner-barge, 103 foot, 158 gross tons, built in 1847, at Buffalo, New York) was driven ashore off the breakwater at Holland, Michigan, during a storm. She had sprung a leak in the terrific storm, lost her deck load of shingles and struck the pier trying to get into the harbor. She broke in two but was later raised and rebuilt. She lasted until 1903.On October 3,1887, CITY OF GREEN BAY (3-mast wooden schooner, 145 foot, 346 gross tons, built in 1872, at Green Bay, Wisconsin) was carrying iron ore from Escanaba to St. Joseph, Michigan, on Lake Michigan and having difficulty in a strong westerly gale. She sprang a leak and anchored four miles from South Haven and put up distress signals. The wind and waves were so bad that the crew could not safely abandon the vessel. She slipped her anchor and was driven on to a bar at Evergreen Point, just 500 feet from shore. The crew scrambled up the rigging as the vessel sank. The South Haven Life Saving crew tried to get a breeches buoy out to the wreck, but their line broke repeatedly. So much wreckage was in the surf that it fouled their surfboat. Soon the masts went by the board and the crew members were in the churning seas. Six died. Only Seaman A. T. Slater made it to shore. The ineffective attempts of the Life Saving crew resulted in Keeper Barney Alonzo Cross being relieved of his command of the station. The E. G. GRACE was delivered to the Interlake Steamship Co., Cleveland on October 3, 1943. The GRACE 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. As partial payment for each new vessel, a fleet owner surrendered the equivalent tonnage of their existing and/or obsolete vessels, along with some cash, to the Maritime Commission. October 3, 1941 - The CITY OF FLINT 32, eastbound from Milwaukee, collided with the PERE MARQUETTE 22 westbound. The PERE MARQUETTE 22 headed directly for Manitowoc for repairs while the CITY OF FLINT 32 continued to Ludington where she discharged her cargo, then headed for the shipyard in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The barges BELLE CASH and GEO W. HANNAFORD, owned by Capt. Cash of East China Township, Michigan, were driven ashore on Long Point in Lake Erie on 3 October 1875. On October 3, 1900, the steel freighter CAPTAIN THOMAS WILSON left Port Huron on her maiden voyage for Marquette, Michigan, where she loaded 6,200 tons of iron ore for Cleveland, Ohio. ARK (3-mast iron-strapped wooden scow-schooner-barge, 177 foot, 512 tons, built in 1875, at Port Dalhousie, Ontario) was in tow of the steam barge ALBION (wooden propeller, 134 foot, 297 gross tons, built in 1862, at Brockville, Ontario) on Lake Huron when a terrific storm struck on October 3,1887. Both were loaded with lumber. Both vessels were driven ashore near Grindstone City, Michigan. The U.S. Lifesaving Service rescued the crews. The ALBION was pounded to pieces the next day and the ARK was declared a total loss, but was recovered and was sailing again within the month. 1907: The wooden tug PHILADELPHIA dated from 1869 and briefly served in the Algoma fleet. It was wrecked at Gros Cap, Lake Superior, on this date in 1907. 1911: The wooden freighter A.L. HOPKINS had cleared Bayfield the previous day with a full load of lumber and foundered in a storm on this date near Michigan Island, Lake Superior. Buoyed by the cargo, the hull floated a few more days before it disappeared. All 15 on board were picked up by the ALVA C. DINKEY. 1928: The steel bulk carrier M.J. BARTELME ran aground at Cana Island, Lake Michigan. The bottom was ripped open and the ship was abandoned. It was dismantled on site in 1929. 1953: The superstructure of the idle passenger steamer PUT-IN-BAY was burned off in Lake St. Clair and the remains of the iron hull were later dismantled at River Rouge. 1963: The Liberian flag Liberty ship TRIKERI, on her only trip to the Great Lakes, swung sideways in the Welland Canal near Welland, blocked the waterway and delayed traffic for 4 hours. The ship arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for scrapping as e) DAHLIA on December 27, 1967. 1963: A fire broke out in the cargo hold of the FRED CHRISTIANSEN while downbound at Sault Ste. Marie. The stubborn blaze took 4 hours to put out and was believed caused by some of the grain igniting as it was close to a steam line. The Norwegian freighter began Seaway trading in 1959 and returned as b) HERA in 1964. It arrived at Pasajes, Spain, under this name for scrapping on May 30, 1974. 1969: JOSEPH H. ran aground at Bic Island, in the St. Lawrence while enroute from Milwaukee to Russia with a cargo of rawhides. The Liberian-flag vessel sustained heavy bottom damage. It was refloated on October 6, taken to Levis, QC, and subsequently broken up there for scrap. The ship was operating under her fifth name and had first come through the Seaway as a) GRANADA in 1959. 1980: POLYDORA first came inland for four trips as a) FERNFIORD in 1963 and returned under her new name in 1964 on charter to Canadian Pacific Steamships. The ship had been at Marina di Carrara, Italy, and under arrest as d) GEORGIOS B., when it sailed overnight without permission. A fire in the engineroom broke out the next day and, while taken in tow, the ship foundered east of Tavolara Island, Sardinia. 1999: MANCHESTER MERCURIO traded through the Seaway in a container shuttle service beginning in 1971. It was abandoned by the crew and sank off the coast of Morocco as f) PHOENIX II on this date in 1999. 2000: The tug KETA V. usually operated on the St. Lawrence for Verreault Navigation but came to the Great Lakes with barges for Windsor in 1993. It ran aground and sank near Liverpool, NS on this date in 2000 but all on board got away safely on life rafts. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series |
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Great Lakes freighters moved 10 million tons in August 10/2 - Great Lakes freighters moved 10 million tons of cargo to ports like the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor in August, roughly on par with the same time a year ago and with the five-year average float for August. The Lake Carriers' Association reported U.S.-flagged lake freighters have shipped 48.4 million tons so far this year, a decrease of 4.1 percent as compared to the same period in 2017. Iron ore cargoes decreased 3.7 percent to 26.55 million tons and coal by 13.7 percent to 6.5 million tons over the first eight months of the year, while limestone rose 2.3 percent to 12.8 million tons. In August, iron ore cargoes rose 6.8 percent to 5 million tons, the second straight month ore shipments topped 5 million tons. Shipments of iron ore, a crucial steelmaking input that Northwest Indiana's steel mills rely on, outperformed the 5-year average in August, according to the Cleveland metro-based Lake Carriers' Association. Ore cargoes on the Great Lakes are 7.2 percent ahead of the five-year average for the first eight months of the year. Shipments of coal stayed about steady at 1.6 million tons in August, while shipments of aggregate, fluxstone, chemical stone and scrubber stone fell 10 percent to 2.9 million tons. NWI Times |
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Port Reports - October 2
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Alpena, Mich. – Ben Chanda McClain
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Erie, Pa. – Jeff Benson Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Oct 1 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Decision time for Green Bay’s Renard Island 10/2 - Green Bay, Wis. – After years of discussion, the future of Renard Island, a 55-acre island just off Bay Beach in Green Bay, is about to be decided. Created from dredged sediment from the late 1970's through the 90s, it's now crunch time for the island. "It's time to put pencil to paper and make some decisions on what the end-use for that island is long term," says Dean Haen, Brown County Port Director. Haen says input during the month of October will be comprehensive and led by consulting firm SmithGroup, hired to plan and develop the island's future. "Economists, you got environmental engineers, you got waterfront planners, you got just a group of professionals that are going to help us figure out the end-use of the island and with that we'll be talking with the stakeholders, the neighbors in the area, potential users of the island, Convention and Visitors Bureau, PMI and others, as well as the public," says Haen. Public input begins during a listening session next Tuesday, October 2, at 6 p.m. at the Neville Public Museum. Haen says all ideas are welcome, and some already floating around include an amphitheater, walking trails, fishing piers, a boardwalk, an observation tower, an RV park, and miniature golf to name just a few. Haen says it's an exciting time and a unique opportunity for the community. After next Tuesday's listening session, there will be an intense three-day brain-storming session involving the public to finalize the plan. That will be held October 16 through October 18 at the T2 Accelerator space in the Rail Yard Innovation District on Broadway Street. WBAY |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 2 On her maiden trip in 1905, the PETER WHITE grounded outside the Lackawanna breakwall. After lightering 200 tons, she proceeded to the Lackawanna Steel mill where the remainder of the cargo was unloaded.On this day in 1979, the ELTON HOYT 2ND unloaded her last cargo as a straight decker at the Ashtabula & Buffalo Dock, Ashtabula, Ohio. On October 2,1901, M. M. DRAKE (wooden propeller freighter, 201 foot, 1,102 gross tons, built in 1882, at Buffalo, New York) and her consort MICHIGAN (3-mast wooden schooner-barge, 213 foot, 1,057 gross tons, built in 1874, at Detroit, Michigan) were loaded with iron ore while sailing in a strong gale on Lake Superior. The MICHIGAN began to leak and the DRAKE came around to take off her crew, but the two vessels collided. Both sank off Vermilion Point, Michigan. One life was lost. As the vessels sank, the passing steamers NORTHERN WAVE and CRESCENT CITY stood by and rescued the crews. Upper Lakes Shipping's new self-unloader CANADIAN OLYMPIC was christened on October 2, 1976, at St. Catharines, Ontario. Her name honored the Olympic Games that were held at Montreal that year. TADOUSSAC (Hull#192) departed Collingwood on her maiden voyage for Canada Steamship Lines Ltd. on October 2, 1969, to load iron ore at Fort William, Ontario. The sandsucker AMERICAN last operated in 1956, and laid up at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She was scrapped in S. Chicago in 1984. JOHN T. HUTCHINSON and CONSUMERS POWER arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan on October 2, 1988, where dismantling began on October 14t by Li Chong Steel & Iron Works Co. Ltd. On her maiden voyage October 2, 1943, E. G. GRACE cleared Lorain, Ohio, bound for Superior, Wisconsin, to load iron ore. HOCHELAGA of 1949 departed Toronto October 2, 1993, in tow of the McKeil tugs GLENBROOK and KAY COLE for Montreal, Quebec, and then to the cutter’s torch. October 2, 1954 - The PERE MARQUETTE 21 sailed into Ludington, Michigan, on her second maiden voyage of her career. On October 2,1888, OLIVER CROMWELL (wooden schooner-barge, 138 foot, 291 tons, built in 1853, at Buffalo, New York) was being towed by the steamer LOWELL in a storm in Lake Huron when she broke her towline. She rode out most of the storm at anchor, but then she snapped her anchor chains and she was driven ashore at Harbor Beach, Michigan, where she broke up. The 183 foot, 3-mast wooden schooner QUEEN CITY was launched at W. Bay City, Michigan, on 2 October 1873. The Port Huron Times reported the following shipwrecks from a severe storm that swept the Lakes over 2-3 October 1887: Schooner CITY OF GREEN BAY lost near South Haven, Michigan; the schooner-barge CHARLES L HUTCHINSON, lost near Buffalo, New York; the steam barge ALBION and her consort the schooner-barge ARK ashore near Grindstone City, Michigan; the 3-mast schooner EBENEZER ashore near Holland, Michigan; the wooden package freighter CALIFORNIA sunk in the Straits of Mackinaw; the schooner HOLMES ashore at Middle Island on Lake Huron; the schooner GARIBALDI ashore near Port Elgin on Lake Huron; the barge MAYFLOWER disabled near Grand Haven, Michigan; the schooner D. S. AUSTIN ashore at Point Clark; and the schooner HENRY W HOAG ashore at Erie, Pennsylvania. 1891: WINSLOW ran aground in fog while inbound at Duluth. The hole in the wooden hull was patched and the ship was released and able to be docked. The vessel caught fire while unloading the next day and destroyed. 1938: The first WINDOC was struck when Bridge 20, a railway bridge across the Welland Canal, was lowered prematurely and removing the stack, spar and lifeboats of the N.M. Paterson steamer. 1953: A collision occurred between PIONEER and WALLSCHIFF in the St. Clair River on this date and the latter, a West German visitor to the Great Lakes, rolled on its side and settled in shallow water. One crew member perished. PIONEER, a Cleveland-Cliffs steamer, was repaired for further service and was later scrapped at Genoa, Italy, in 1961. WALLSCHIFF, on her first and only trip to the Great Lakes, was refloated and departed for permanent repairs overseas in 1954. The vessel was still sailing as g) GOLDEN MERCURY in 2011. 1973: A head-on collision in fog off Gull Island, Lake Michigan between the T-2 tanker MARATHONIAN and Norwegian freighter ROLWI left both ships with massive bow damage. The former had begun Seaway service as f) MARATHON in 1960 and was repaired at South Chicago. It disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle as h) SYLVIA L. OSSA in October 1976. ROLWI, a Norwegian salty, was also repaired and returned inland as b) DOBERG in 1974 and c) LORFRI in 1976. It arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping as e) PEROZAN on February 6, 1996. 1992: The Canadian coastal freighter SIR JOHN CROSBIE was built in St. Catharines by Port Weller Dry Docks in 1962. It sank in the Gulf of Mexico off the west coast of Florida as c) HOLSTEN on this date but all on board were rescued. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - October 1
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Muskegon, Mich.
Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Cleveland, Ohio
Fairport, Ohio
Erie, Pa. Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Sep 30 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Windsor Port Authority planning new outdoor marine museum 10/1 - Windsor, Ont. – Soon, a new community space will open in West Windsor that celebrates the city’s maritime and economic history. The Windsor Port Authority is teaming up with the Sandwich Teen Action Group to create an outdoor marine museum that will display indigenous and marine artifacts along a tree-lined path that will open up into a space for community events, socialization, relaxation and an annual Christmas Tree display. “More than a dozen display panels will trace port development from the traditional lands of the First Nations to the arrival of European settlers, to the major port of national strategic interest that is Windsor today,” the port authority said in a news release. The project is made possible with funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Port Windsor has contributed to a dozen community projects over the past year including neighbourhood cleanups, the Sandwich Teen Action Group, Open Streets, and sculptures of Chief Tecumseh and Hiram Walker. It is the third largest port in Ontario. Blackburn News |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 1 In 1986, the HERBERT C. JACKSON rescued Carl Ward and his nephew after they had been adrift on lower Lake Michigan for 80 hours.On October 1,1888, the ST CLAIR (3-mast wooden schooner, 156 foot, 296 gross tons, built in 1859, at Montreal as a bark) was carrying coal in a storm on Lake Huron as part of a 5-barge tow of the tug CHAMPION. She broke loose and came to anchor off Harbor Beach, Michigan. The anchor dragged and she sank near the mouth of the harbor. The crew was rescued by the U.S. Life Saving Service. However, this rescue was ill fated since all were taken in the lifesavers surfboat and the boat was rowed 23 miles to Port Sanilac. 100 yards from shore, just a half mile from Port Sanilac, the surfboat capsized and five lives were lost. The wreck of the ST. CLAIR was later lightered, raised and towed out into the lake and re-sunk. CHICAGO TRADER, a.) THE HARVESTER of 1911, was laid up on October 1, 1976, at the Frog Pond in Toledo, Ohio. Dismantling commenced October 1, 1974, on the KINSMAN INDEPENDENT a.) WILLIAM B. KERR of 1907, at Santander, Spain. October 1, 1997 - The CITY OF MIDLAND 41 was towed out of Ludington to be converted to a barge. On October 1, 1843, ALBANY (wooden brig, 110 tons, built in 1835, at Oswego, New York) was carrying merchandise and passengers when she went aground in a storm and was wrecked just a few miles from Mackinaw City, Michigan. The steam barge C. H. GREEN was launched at E. Saginaw, Michigan, for Mason, Green & Corning of Saginaw on October 1, 1881. She was schooner rigged and spent her first year as a tow barge. The following winter her engine and boiler were installed. Her dimensions were 197 feet X 33 feet X 13 feet, 920 tons. She cost $70,000. On October 1,1869, SEA GULL (wooden schooner, 83 tons, built in 1845, at Milan, Ohio) was carrying lumber in a storm on Lake Michigan. She was driven ashore and wrecked south of Grand Haven, Michigan. The wreck was pulled off the beach a few days later, but was declared a constructive loss, stripped and abandoned. She was owned by Capt. Henry Smith of Grand Haven. 1918: The Canadian bulk carrier GALE STAPLES was blown ashore Point au Sable about 8 miles west of Grand Marais. All on board were saved but the wooden vessel, best known as b) CALEDONIA, broke up. 1942: The former CANADIAN ROVER, Hull 67 from the Collingwood shipyard, was torpedoed and sunk as d) TOSEI MARU in the Pacific east of Japan by U.S.S. NAUTILUS. 1946: KINDERSLEY, loaded with 2074 tons of excess munitions, was scuttled in the deep waters of the Atlantic. The former C.S.L. freighter had been on saltwater to assist in the war effort. 1984: ANNEMARIE KRUGER arrived at Finike, Turkey, as e) BANKO with engine damage on this date and was laid up. The ship, a frequent Seaway visitor in the 1960s, was sold for scrap and arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, under tow on August 3, 1986, and was dismantled. 1998 The tank barge SALTY DOG NO. 1 broke tow from the tug DOUG McKEIL and went aground off Anticosti Island the next day. The vessel was released and it operated until scrapping at Port Colborne in 2005. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Lawsuit settled; former passenger ship Norisle to become a dive site 9/30 - Assiginack, Ont. – A lawsuit leveled against the Township of Assiginack by the S.S. Norisle Steamship Society for $10 million has been settled, but at considerable cost to the municipal coffers. As was reported previously, after the municipality entered discussions with the Tobermory Maritime Association for the group to take away the aging passenger ferry to sink as a dive site, the Steamship Society launched a lawsuit claiming that the Norisle was theirs by way of “constructive trust.” The Society also accused Assiginack of breaching a joint venture agreement between the town and the Society, a breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment and constructive trust, negligence and damages. A press release from the municipality states that, “as part of the resolution, the township will make a payment of $45,000, equal to the amount paid by the Steamship Society for the removal of asbestos on the ship, a necessary part of its decommissioning. No other compensation will be made. The ship will not be restored. Negotiations are underway to have it removed as soon as reasonably possible.” “When you’re sued you have to defend yourself,” said Mayor Paul Moffatt, noting that it cost the municipality $250,000 in lawyers’ fees. “We’re glad to have it finally settled,” the mayor added, “but I am sorry that this happened and at the cost to the taxpayers.” “The town gave them (the Steamship Society) every chance they had,” Mayor Moffatt continued. “We were really blindsided by the suit. We had no alternative but to defend the municipality,” he reiterated. Mike Marcotte, president of the Tobermory Maritime Association, said it will take some time before the regulatory processes are in place, but he hopes to have the Norisle towed to Tobermory next fall. “We are going to preserve her just outside the Fathom Five Park,” he told The Expositor. The Norisle will be scuttled in Little Cove Harbour in 120 feet of water, 100 metres from the shore. The area is a 25-minute boat ride from Tobermory. The Norisle will be the Association’s third sunken site outside the Fathom Five Park. Plans are in the works for a special plaque to be fastened to the Norisle that would share with divers the good works of the Steamship Society and the Friends of the Norisle in keeping her so well maintained. “We don’t want to damage the ship at all,” Mr. Marcotte assured, explaining that the Association will be speaking with engineers on the best way to sink the Norisle. “If the ship was to be sent off for scrap, we would much rather it be preserved somewhere,” Mr. Marcotte continued. Her history connecting Manitoulin with Tobermory before the Chi-Cheemaun came into service in late 1974 makes the vessel a fitting addition to the park’s dive sites, he added, and one they are honored to have. Approximately 5,000-6,000 divers come to Tobermory each year, making it Canada’s scubadiving capital and a major economic driver in the area. A comment from the Steamship Society was not available for press time. Manitoulin Expositor |
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Duzgit Endeavour crew refused patriation, have been without pay for two months 9/30 - Montreal, QC – The Seafarers’ International Union of Canada is calling on the Government of Canada to enforce the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) standards aboard the vessel Duzgit Endeavour, where foreign seafarers have been subject to abuse under the TFWP. After multiple visits by Port State Control officers and interventions by International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) Inspection Officers, the SIU has learned that the crew of the Turkish-flagged Duzgit Endeavour have not received pay since July 1, 2018. Furthermore, it has been brought to our attention that there are issues regarding the repatriation of two crew members. The crew members had asked to go home at the end of their contract more than two months ago but their request was refused by the ship’s operator, who instructed them to remain onboard for the unforeseeable future, despite receiving no pay. “The situation on board the vessel is essentially the same thing we’ve seen from every vessel under the program in the past few years. The seafarers have been given no information and haven’t been paid for over two months,” explained Vince Giannopoulos, an inspector with the ITF, who has received multiple complaints from crew aboard the ship. The situation is urgent. The SIU of Canada is therefore calling on the federal government to move swiftly and ensure that the crew receives their hard-earned wages and are not subject to additional labour abuse. “We applaud the actions of Port State Control and ITF Officers in finding these major abuses,” stated James Given, President of SIU Canada. “Further, we ask ESDC to take a hard look at everyone involved with this vessel, while engaged in Canadian Cabotage, and ban them from the program for this continued abuse of international seafarers.” Under the Government of Canada’s new TFW Maritime Guidelines for Seafarers, which came into effect September 11, 2018, abuses such as these will be easier to deal with as foreign seafarers are required to know their rights and have new employment contracts outlining the company’s obligations when operating in Canada. About the SIU of Canada: The Seafarers’ International Union of Canada (SIU) is affiliated with the Seafarers’ International Union of North America serving unlicensed sailors since 1938. The most important sailors’ union in Canada, the SIU represents the majority of unlicensed sailors working aboard vessels on the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River, on the East and West coasts. In addition to vessels operated in Canadian waters, SIU members also have the opportunity to work aboard vessels delivering cargoes in the United States, Europe and South America. Seafarers’ International Union of Canada |
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Port Reports - September 30
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Sep 29 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Coast Guard rescues man from grounded sailing vessel on Manitou Island 9/30 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – A Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Traverse City rescued a 73-year-old man from a sail boat that ran aground on Manitou Island near the Keweenaw Peninsula Saturday morning. At 5:30 a.m. EST, Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie Command Center recieved an uncorrelated “mayday” distress radio call from a sailing vessel stating that it was hard aground on rocks. The command center immediately launched a MH-60 helicopter from Air Station Traverse City. The helicopter established communications with the mariner at 8:35 a.m. and employed direction finding radio equipment to locate the aground sailboat. The helicopter deployed a rescue swimmer who assisted the distressed mariner and hoisted him to safety. The man was then transported to emergency services. USCG |
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Duluth Seaway Port Authority names new facilities manager 9/30 - Duluth, Minn. – The Duluth Seaway Port Authority welcomes Dean Lembke as its new facilities manager Monday, Oct. 1. He will serve as the agency’s liaison with tenants, service and government agencies, private contractors and other property users to derive safe and efficient use of all Port Authority-owned land, structures, equipment and other assets. Lembke previously was a site supervisor with North Shore Track overseeing rail construction and maintenance projects. For 13 years prior, he was a senior project coordinator at Krech Ojard and Associates, during which time he provided 20 months of onsite construction oversight during the Port Authority’s $18 million redevelopment project on the Clure Terminal Expansion (formerly known as Dock C&D). Lembke will be responsible for establishing cost-effective, environmentally sound asset-management programs for all Port Authority properties. He also will work closely with the executive director and CFO on long-range planning with regard to capital improvement programs and new construction projects. Lembke, a graduate of Wrenshall High School, earned his degree in civil engineering technology from Duluth Technical College. He, his wife Laura and son Joel live in Wrenshall. Duluth Seaway Port Authority |
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Amherstburg’s marine past explored at gallery exhibit 9/30 - Amherstburg, Ont. – The Gibson Gallery in Amherstburg currently has an exhibit titled "Ahoy: Amherstburg's Marine Past." The exhibit, through a collection of art, artifacts, and photos, showcases the marine industries that have flourished in the Port of Amherstburg since the 1800s. A highlight of the show is the colorful history of the salvage company McQueen Marine Ltd based in Amherstburg for over 60 years. See the many McQueen Marine artifacts, dating back to the late 1800s. Come aboard to hear the stories told by crew members of McQueen’s famous tug, the Atomic. The photo collection spans from the late 1800s to 2018 and includes many salvage jobs. The exhibit runs to Oct 21. For details: www.gibsonartgallery.com Gibson Gallery |
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Volunteers needed for many roles in support of the BoatNerd site 9/30 - The results of the recent survey are in, and BoatNerd is staying, with our redesign process moving forward. Many of those responded indicated that they would be willing to help with different aspects of the site. Please e-mail moderator@boatnerd.net if you are interested in volunteering. Here are some of the areas that need to be covered.
BoatNerd Site Content
BoatNerd News Photo Gallery
News Page Port Reports
Automated Vessel Passage Fact Checker Because this is an automated system we need volunteers to help with verifying data and entering cargo information. You could help out once a week or once a day, our hope is to get a strong group of volunteers to help keep the additional information accurate and up to date.
AIS receivers
These areas have the largest gaps: We’d like to thank everyone for responding to the survey. We will do our best to keep all volunteers up to date on the redesign process. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 30 On September 30, 1896, SUMATRA (wooden schooner-barge, 204 foot, 845 gross tons, built in 1874, at Black River, Ohio) was loaded with railroad rails in tow of the steamer B.W. ARNOLD in a storm on Lake Huron. The SUMATRA was blown down and foundered off the Government Pier at Milwaukee. Three of the crew was lost. The four survivors were rescued by the ARNOLD and the U.S. Lifesaving Service. The SUMATRA was owned by the Mills Transportation Company.The 660-foot forward section of the BELLE RIVER (Hull#716) was side launched on September 30, 1976, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, by Bay Shipbuilding Co. Renamed b.) WALTER J. McCARTHY, JR. in 1977. ARTHUR SIMARD entered service on September 30, 1973, sailing to Montreal, Quebec, to load gasoline. GOVERNOR MILLER was towed down the Welland Canal on September 30, 1980, in tow of TUG MALCOLM, STORMONT and ARGUE MARTIN on her way to Quebec City. ROBERT C. STANLEY departed light on her maiden voyage from River Rouge, Michigan, on September 30, 1943, bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota, to load iron ore. On September 30, 1986, the Canadian Coast Guard vessel CARIBOU ISLE struck a rock in Lake Huron's North Channel and began taking on water. C.C.G.S. SAMUEL RISLEY arrived and helped patch the ship. The pair then departed for Parry Sound, Ontario. On September 30, 1888, AUSTRALIA (wooden schooner, 109 foot, 159 gross tons, built in 1862, at Vermilion, Ohio) was carrying cedar posts from Beaver Island to Chicago when she encountered a gale. She was laid on beam ends and sprung a leak. She headed for shelter at Holland, Michigan, but struck a bar and foundered in the mouth of the harbor. The wreck blocked the harbor until it was removed on October. 5 Her crew was rescued by the U.S. Lifesaving Service. On September 30, 1875, AMERICAN CHAMPION (wooden scow-schooner, 156 tons, built in 1866, at Trenton, Michigan) dropped anchor to ride out a gale near Leamington, Ontario, on Lake Erie. The chains gave way and she struck a bar and sank to the gunwales. The crew of eight spent the night in the rigging and the next day a local woman and her two sons heroically rescued each one. 1906: The first FAYETTE BROWN ran into the pier entering Lorain, became disabled and stranded on the beach. The ship was refloated with considerable damage. It last operated as c) GLENMOUNT in 1923 and was scrapped about 1928. 1913: CITY OF LONDON sank off Point Pelee, Lake Erie after a collision with the JOE S. MORROW. The hull was later dynamited as an obstacle to navigation. 1964: DUNDRUM BAY was a pre-Seaway visitor to the Great Lakes on charter to the Hall Corporation. The vessel was driven aground on this date as f) ESITO near Necochea, Argentina, while traveling in ballast. The hull broke in two and was a total loss. 1965: PROTOSTATIS, a Greek Liberty ship, went aground on Traverse Shoal, Lake Ontario, while enroute from Detroit to Genoa, Italy, with a cargo of scrap. The vessel was lightered and refloated with the aid of tugs. It went to Kingston to anchor and reload in the shelter of Wolfe Island. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Jody Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II, Father Dowling Collection, and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Steam whistle fans will have a blast in St. Clair 9/29 - St. Clair, Mich. – Who knew that an event that encourages people to let off steam would be celebrating its 10th anniversary on Saturday. Certainly not the organizers of that inaugural Whistles on the Water event. "We’re all kind of shocked," said Dave Michelson, a steam whistle enthusiast from New Baltimore. "It seems like yesterday that this whole thing was just a concept. We had a group of people who were interested in putting this together, and 10 years later here we are. I think we have put together quite an event." Whistles on the Water is a celebration of the steam whistles that graced Great Lakes freighters and passenger liners. As a connecting water, many of those graceful ships from another era steamed along the St. Clair River. And many of them passed by what would become St. Clair's Palmer Park, which is the site of the 2018 Whistles on the Water. The free event will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Michelson said the event started with a small trailer that was barely adequate to get a sound from the steam whistles. "Now we have a massive boiler and everything necessary to produce nearly unlimited steam at 180 pounds per square inch, which is what is necessary for these big ship whistles," he said. The largest whistles are more than 6 feet of gleaming brass weighing about 600 pounds, and getting a deep roar out of them is an equally gargantuan effort. Michelson said the big whistles will use 20 gallons of water per minute in the form of pressurized steam. The boiler will burn through about 300 gallons of fuel oil on Saturday and will use close to 2,000 gallons of water. "We do primarily ship whistles," Michelson said. "That’s been our primary mission: To lure various museums and collectors to bring relevant whistles to St. Clair, those of course being the ships that would have passed up and down the St. Clair River. But we don’t rule out anything. We have a huge whistle that comes from the Fort Leavenworth (Kansas) Penitentiary. It’s a marvelous sounding thing." He said the event will include the steam whistle from the SS South American, a passenger liner that operated on the Great Lakes beginning in 1914. "We have a couple of generations of people now who have never experienced the South American," Michelson said. "She stopped running in 1967, but she was very, very popular with the folks along the river. Many people had the opportunity to take a cruise as part of their senior trip." The featured whistle is from the SS Christopher Columbus, the only whaleback passenger ship ever built. Whalebacks were almost exclusively freighters, Michelson said, and resembled floating cigars. "The Columbus began its career in 1893 with the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and it ended its career with the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago," Michelson said, noting the ship was demolished in 1936. Many artifacts were preserved from it because it was a popular ship," he said. Michelson is the narrator and whistle operator for the event, which will be in the traffic turnout at the north end of the park. But there will be opportunities for members of the public to let off a little steam. "We have the small manifold down on the boardwalk," he said. "It’s fitted with live steam whistles, and anyone in the public is welcome to come down and give it a pull." He said people who blow a whistle can get a free photo of their experience. Whistles on the Water will also provide free ear protection, a necessity when some of the whistles are loud enough to shake the ground. "If you are going to be near the event, it's highly recommended to avoid bringing small children or pets," Michelson said. "At 100, 120 decibels of sound with no protection, that's painful for a dog." He said he will again be exchanging salutes with passing freighters on the river — one long blast and two short blasts. "The response has been overwhelming," Michelson said. "I've been told personally it’s quite a thrill for the guys on the ships. There has not been an operating steam whistle on the Great Lakes for 22 years." There will also be a maritime flea market from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 29 inside the north and west corridors of the St. Clair Mall at St. Clair, Mich., across the road from the whistle blow. View a video at this link: https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/local/st-clair/2018/09/27/steam-whistle-fans-have-blast-st-clair/1441342002 Times Herald |
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Port Reports - September 29
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports: Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Sep 28 ¬–¬ Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
Welland Canal: Downbound - Sep 27 - Victory I (Bhs) (ex St Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-09) at 0721, Atlantic Huron at 1035, tug Sea Eagle II & barge St Marys Cement II at 0757, Federal Barents (Mhl) at 0937, Thunder Bay at 1333 - Sep 28 - John D Leitch at 0510, Baie Comeau at 0659, tug Everlast & barge Norman McLeod at 0841, Bro Anna (Sgp) at 1207, Algoma Sault at 1229, CSL Welland at 1544 and Algoma Transport at 1735
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks
Hamilton: Docked - Aug 29 - CCGS Martha L Black (icebreaker) at 0618 (Heddle Marine) - Sep 24 - Andean (Cyp) at 0028, Raba (Lbr) at 0640 - Sep 26 - Stella Polaris (Nld) at 1645 - Set 27 - Algoma Enterprise at 1527- Departure - Sep 28 - Algoma Enterprise at 0010, Federal Dee (Mhl) at 0311 for Oshawa
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 29 The EDMUND FITZGERALD's first cargo of taconite pellets was loaded September 29, 1958 at Silver Bay, Minnesota for Toledo, Ohio.The PERE MARQUETTE 22 entered service September 29, 1929. In early morning fog on the St. Clair River on September 29, 1962, the J.L. REISS was hit three glancing blows by U.S. Steel's SEWELL AVERY. The AVERY had lost control just below Robert's Landing and crossed the channel from the Canadian side and struck the REISS, which was proceeding slowly by radar on the U.S. side. On September 29, 1952, the CHARLES L. HUTCHINSON entered service. This vessel was renamed b.) ERNEST R. BREECH when it was sold to the Ford Motor Company in 1962, and it was renamed c.) KINSMAN INDEPENDENT, when it was sold to Kinsman Lines in 1988. Sold Canadian in 2005, and renamed d.) VOYAGEUR INDEPENDENT. She sails today as the motorship e.) OJIBWAY. September 29, 1929 - The PERE MARQUETTE 22 arrived at Ludington, Michigan on her maiden voyage. On 29 September 1902, H.A. BARR (3 mast wooden schooner, 217 foot, 1,119 gross tons, built in 1893, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was in tow of the saltie THEANO with a load of iron ore in a storm 30 miles off Port Stanley in Lake Erie. She broke her towline in giant waves and foundered. THEANO rescued her crew. On 29 September 1879, the tug URANIA was towing the schooner S V R WATSON into Sand Beach at about noon when the schooner struck the tug amidships, cutting a hole in the hull and sinking her in three fathoms of water. No lives were lost. 1901: M.M. DRAKE was towing the schooner barge MICHIGAN across Lake Superior when the latter began to sink. The steamer came alongside to take off the crew when a towering wave bashed the two vessels together resulting in heavy damage. Both vessels went down, but all except one sailor were rescued by the passing ships NORTHERN WAVE and CRESCENT CITY. 1915: WESTERN STAR ran aground on Robertson Rock, Georgian Bay, while enroute to Little Current with a cargo of coal. The ship was badly damaged and early attempts to refloat the freighter failed. It was not released until September 18, 1917, and was rebuilt at Detroit. The ship returned to service as b) GLENISLA in 1918 and was scrapped at Hamilton as c) PRESCOTT in 1962-1963. 1937: NEEBING foundered with the loss of 5 lives in western Lake Superior while towing the barge COTEAU in a heavy storm. The crane-equipped ship was approaching the Nipigon Strait, with a load of gravel for Red Rock, ON at the time. Nine sailors were rescued. 1947: MILVERTON, downbound with a cargo of coal, and TRANSLAKE, upbound with crude oil, collided near Iroquois, ON. The latter got caught in the current and veered to port resulting in the collision. The former, one of the few oil-burning canal ships, had the fuel lines rupture, caught fire, drifted downstream and grounded at the head of Rapide Plat. The ship burned for two days and 11 sailors were killed. Despite the heavy damage, MILVERTON was refloated, repaired and later sailed as c) CLARY FORAN and d) FERNDALE (i) before being scrapped at Hamilton in 1963. 1952: BAYTON was loading at Pool 4A Elevator at the Canadian Lakehead when there was an explosion at the elevator and chunks of concrete rained down on the deck of the Colonial Steamship Co. (Misener) steamer. One person was killed and nine more were injured. 2008: DRAGOMIRESTI was a Romanian freighter that first visited the Seaway in 1992 to load a food aid cargo in Thunder Bay for Sudan & Yemen. The ship was driven aground as j) CHUN JIANG, about 22 miles from Macao in Typhoon Hagupit. The crew were removed by helicopter. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, James Neumiller, Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. September 29, 1930, for the first time in the history of Pittsburgh Steamship Company, the boats of the fleet loaded more than one million tons in a seven-day period. The 64 Pittsburgh boats loaded 1,002,092 tons of cargo between 9/23 and 9/29. The J. H. SHEADLE (Hull#22) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works, was launched September 29, 1906, for the Grand Island Steamship Co. (Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co., Cleveland, Ohio, mgr.) Renamed b.) F. A. BAILEY in 1924, c.) LA SALLE in 1930. Sold Canadian in 1965, renamed d.) MEAFORD, and e.) PIERSON INDEPENDENT in 1979. She was scrapped at Santander, Spain, in 1980. Henry Ford II, 70, of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, passed away on September 29, 1987. Mr. Ford's namesake was the Ford Motor Company self-unloader. On September 29, 1986, the Polish tug KORAL left Lauzon, Quebec with the JOHN E. F. MISENER and GOLDEN HIND enroute to Cartagena / Mamonal, Columbia, for scrapping. September 29, 1892 - The ANN ARBOR NO 1 was launched. On 29 September 1872, ADRIATIC (3-masted wooden schooner-barge, 139 foot, 129 net tons, built in 1865, at Clayton, New York as a bark) was in tow of the tug MOORE along with three other barges in Lake Erie in a heavy gale. She became separated from the tow and foundered. The entire crew of 7 was lost. The wooden schooner DERRICK was used in salvage operations. On 29 September 1854, she had just positioned herself above the wreck of the steamer ERIE off Silver Creek, New York on Lake Erie when she went down in a gale. She had spent the summer trying to salvage valuables from the wreck of the steamer ATLANTIC. On 29 September 1900, the steamer SAKIE SHEPARD was re-launched at Anderson's shipyard in Marine City. She had been thoroughly rebuilt there during the summer. 1974: J.A.Z. DESGAGNES and HAVRE ST. PIERRE collided while trying to pass on the St. Lawrence. The former often visited the Great Lakes but was scrapped in Croatia as e) A. LEGRAND in 2003-2004. The latter, originally a Dutch coastal vessel, worked on the St. Lawrence and around Eastern Canada but was deleted from Lloyds Register in 1999. 1982: ATLANTIC SUPERIOR went aground off Wellesley Island in the American Narrows of the St. Lawrence. This new member of the Canada Steamship Lines fleet was released October 1 and repaired at Thunder Bay. It was back on the Great Lakes in 2012. EASTERN FRIENDSHIP first came to the Great Lakes in 1986. It had been stranded off the coast of Bangladesh as d) TONY BEST since April 10, 1993. While refloated on June 21, the anchors dragged on July 24 and the ship went aground again. The hull later cracked and the ship sank on this date in 1993. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - September 28
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan ports
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Sep 27 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Komatsu's $285 million complex will provide boost to Milwaukee's Harbor District 9/28 - Milwaukee, Wis. – In a huge boost to Milwaukee’s redeveloping Harbor District, Komatsu Mining Corp. will create a new corporate campus on a desolate former industrial site with around 1,000 jobs that include 600 local employees who will move there. Komatsu's future $285 million development will house manufacturing operations now based at 4400 W. National Ave., West Milwaukee, as well as corporate offices at Honey Creek Corporate Center, 135 S. 84th St., on Milwaukee's far west side. They will move by 2022 to a 60-acre site overlooking the inner harbor at the end of East Greenfield Avenue, it was announced Thursday by company executives and state and local officials. It’s the largest development site in the Harbor District, where work is underway to convert vacant lots and underused buildings into a hub of industrial jobs, housing, retail space and other new uses. Komatsu hopes to break ground by fall 2019. For Komatsu, the Harbor District site provides space for future growth as well as improved logistics. Currently, when Komatsu ships out large pieces of mining equipment by Great Lakes freighters, those products travel between the West Milwaukee factory complex and the harbor by a slow, circuitous route to handle wide loads. With the South Harbor campus, the equipment can be more efficiently loaded on to freighters. |
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Feds arrive in Amherstburg unannounced and remove Boblo Dock roof 9/28 - Amherstburg, Ont. – Without giving town officials any prior notice, a work detail from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans descended on the decrepit Boblo Dock in Amherstburg Tuesday and removed what was left of the sheet metal roofing. The DFO owns the dock, which once served as the jumping off point for passenger ferry service to the island amusement park. The wooden superstructure that supported the metal roof remains. Mayor Aldo DiCarlo said administration only got an update from the DFO Wednesday after town hall received a media inquiry regarding the roofless pier. “They didn’t let us know ahead of time. They said someone was supposed to call us,” DiCarlo said. “You really don’t know whether to laugh or cry.” The town has been after the federal government to address the decaying condition of the defunct dock since Coun. Diane Pouget asked for a report on it back in February 2016. At the time, Pouget described the dock as an “eyesore” and said residents complained about sections of the roof blowing off in high winds, ending up in the Detroit River and then washing up on local beaches. A spokesman for the DFO confirmed Wednesday it was their staff who “recently removed the metal roofing panels from the Boblo dock in order to address potential health and safety concerns.” In June, another DFO spokesperson told the Star the Canadian Coast Guard had an interest in the dock and was doing a study to determine possible future uses for the site. DiCarlo believes the government is loathe to make a decision and then have to pay for it. “My best guess is that they’ll let it fall in the water and then nobody has to pay for anything,” DiCarlo said. “Now we’ve got a shell of a dock just sitting there.” The DFO completed its own condition assessment and option study for the dock in March 2017 and shared that information with council that same spring. Part of that report said “it is recommended that the pier either be demolished and the site restored to a natural state or a new pier, including new piles, be constructed in its place to enable public access.” The problem, as DiCarlo has noted before, is that the land adjacent to the dock’s entrance on the west side of Front Road South is privately owned. “There is no land access,” he said again Wednesday. “You can only access it from the water so why would they want it? Which means, they don’t want it and they don’t want to pay to remove it.” Rachelle Smith, a DFO communications advisor, said Wednesday a final decision on the dock’s fate isn’t likely to come before 2020. “The Canadian Coast Guard is currently undergoing a multi-year, strategic infrastructure assessment that includes assessing the potential use of the Boblo Dock for operations. A final decision on ownership is not anticipated before spring of 2020,” Smith wrote. Windsor Star |
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Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority announces updates to board of directors 9/28 - Detroit, Mich. – The Board of Directors of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority (DWCPA) has announced the election of Shannon Price as its new chairman and Jonathan C. Kinloch as its new vice chairman. Price replaces Lorron James, who was first elected to the position in June 2016 and stepped down from the Board in May 2018. Kinloch replaces Fred Hoffman, who continues to serve as a board member. Price joined the board in April 2018 for a four-year term, replacing the Honorable Alisha Bell, who had served since 2012. He has worked with non-profit organizations and local municipalities, where he has a proven track record in developing and implementing a variety of initiatives. Prior to this work, Price performed constituent relations for the attorney general’s office for Mike Cox and Bill Schuette. Price has also served as an elected official serving as a Wayne County Commissioner from 2013-2015 and Plymouth Township Supervisor from 2015-2016. In both of these roles, he was responsible for developing and managing multi-million budgets, economic development, and collaborating with neighboring communities. The DWCPA Board of Directors also unanimously approved the appointment of Jonathan C. Kinloch to the position of vice chairman. Kinloch joined the board in 2014 and has been engaged in Detroit’s social and civic community for more than 20 years. He previously served as vice chairman from May 2014 to June 2016. In addition to his role with the DWCPA, Kinloch also serves on the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners, is chairman of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, and sits on the Wayne County Economic Corporation board. Kinloch is president of The Kinloch Group, a multi-faceted entertainment and media company. The five-member DWCPA Board of Directors also includes Bryan Powell, who serves as secretary treasurer, and a future appointee who has yet to be determined. Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 28 On September 28, 1980, BURNS HARBOR entered service, departing Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, bound for Superior, Wisconsin, to load pellets.THOMAS WILSON left Toledo on September 28, 1987, in tow of the tug TUSKER for overseas scrapping. WILSON had been laid up since December 16, 1979. On 28 September 1891, THOMAS PARSONS (2 mast wooden schooner, 135 foot, 350 tons, built in 1868, at Charlotte, New York) was carrying coal out of Ashtabula, Ohio, when she foundered in a storm a few miles off Fairport in Lake Erie. On 28 September 1849, W.G. BUCKNER (wooden schooner, 75 foot, 107 tons, built in 1837, at Irving, New York) was carrying lumber in a storm on Lake Michigan when she sprang a leak, then capsized. The man to whom the cargo belonged was aboard with his wife and five children. One child was washed overboard while the wife and three children died of exposure. The schooner ERWIN took off the survivors plus the bodies. 1921: The W.H. RITCHIE caught fire and sank at Port Arthur, ON where it had become a bulk grain transport vessel. The remains were uncovered during dredging work in 1961. 1946: BRIG. GEN. M.G. ZALINSKI, built at Lorain in 1919 as a) LAKE FROHNA and later operated inland in the package freight trade as b) ACE, hit the rocks off Pitt Island, British Columbia. The vessel was enroute from Seattle to Whittier, Alaska, with a cargo of army supplies, and sank in 20 minutes. All on board were rescued by the tug SALLY N. and taken to the fishing village of Butedale.. The hull was located in June 2011 and is upside down. 1960: CHICAGO TRIBUNE and SHENANGO II were both damaged in a collision in the St. Clair River off Marysville. 1973: FRANK R. DENTON and FEDERAL SCHELDE (i) collided in the St. Marys River with minor damage to both ships. The former was scrapped at Ashtabula in 1985-1986. The latter began Seaway service when new in 1968, returned as b) C. MEHMET in 1977 and was delivered to the scrappers at Nantong, China, on March 16, 1999. 1998: ANDROS TRANSPORT, a Fortune Class cargo ship, first came through the Seaway in 1978. Flooding occurred in the engineroom in the Caribbean off Trinidad as d) GRIGOROUSSA on this date while traveling in ballast. The crew of 15 were removed and the ship was towed into Port au Spain. It was declared a total loss, sold to Mexican shipbreakers, and arrived at Tuxpan, under tow for dismantling on December 4, 1998. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series |
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Port Reports - September 27
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Alpena, Mich. – Ben & Chanda McClain
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Sep 26 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Updates - September 27 Saltie Gallery updated with pictures of the Chem Norma, Chembulk Kobe, Ebony Ray, Erieborg, Federal Dart, Fivelborg, Flevoborg, Hamburg, Mississippi Star, Morgenstond I, MTM Antwerp, NACC Alicudi, NACC Argonaut, Onego Rotterdam, Raba, Selasse, Senja, Sichem Marseille, and Vitosha. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 27 September 27, 1959: The West Neebish Channel, through which downbound traffic normally passes, was temporarily closed to permit dredging to the maximum Seaway depth of 27 feet. Two-way traffic was instituted in the Middle Neebish Channel until dredging was completed.On 27 September 1877, the HIPPOGRIFFE (wooden schooner, 295 tons, built in 1864, at Buffalo, New York) had just left Chicago for Buffalo, loaded with oats, on a fine day with clear weather. The crew saw EMMA A. COYNE (wooden schooner, 155 foot, 497 tons, built in 1867, at Detroit, Michigan) approaching from a long way off loaded with lumber. The two vessels' skippers were brothers. The two schooners collided about 20 miles off Kenosha, Wisconsin. The COYNE came along side and picked up the HIPPOGRIFFE's crew a few minutes before that vessel rolled over and dove for the bottom. The CITY OF GENOA arrived with the first cargo of iron ore for the new factory at Zug Island, reported The Detroit Free Press on September 28, 1903. The H. M. GRIFFITH experienced a smoky conveyor belt fire at Port Colborne, Ontario on September 27, 1989. Repairs were completed there. ROGER M. KYES proceeded to Chicago for dry-docking, survey and repairs on September 27, 1976. She struck bottom in Buffalo Harbor September 22, 1976 sustaining holes in two double bottom tanks and damage to three others. GEORGE M. HUMPHREY under tow, locked through the Panama Canal from September 27, 1986, to the 30th on her way to the cutter’s torch at Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The tanker IMPERIAL COLLINGWOOD (Hull#137) was launched September 27, 1947, at Collingwood, Ontario by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. for Imperial Oil Ltd., Toronto, Ontario. Renamed b.) SEAWAY TRADER in 1979, sold off the Lakes in 1984, renamed c.) PATRICIA II, d.) BALBOA TRADER in 1992. September 27, 1909 - The ANN ARBOR NO 4 entered service after being repaired from her capsizing at Manistique, Michigan the previous May. On 27 September 1884, WALDO A. AVERY (wooden propeller, 204 foot, 1,294 gross tons) was launched at West Bay City, Michigan. Her construction had been subcontracted by F. W. Wheeler & Co. to Thomas F. Murphy. On 27-29 September 1872, a big storm swept the lower lakes. On Lake Huron, the barges HUNTER and DETROIT were destroyed. The tug SANDUSKY rescued the 21 survivors from them. The schooner CORSAIR foundered off Sturgeon Point on Saginaw Bay at 4 p.m. on Sunday the 29th and only 2 of the crew survived. The barge A. LINCOLN was ashore one mile below Au Sable with no loss of life. The barge TABLE ROCK went ashore off Tawas Point and went to pieces. All but one of her crew was lost. The schooner WHITE SQUALL was sunk ten miles off Fish Point -- only one crewman was saved. The schooner SUMMIT went ashore at Fish Point, 7 miles north of Tawas with two lives lost. 1911: The water-logged wooden steamer THREE BROTHERS was beached off South Manitou Island, Lake Michigan. The cargo of lumber was salvaged but the 23-year-old vessel was left to rot. 1912: The wooden steamer GEORGE T. HOPE, loaded with 2,118 tons of iron ore, foundered in Lake Superior near Grand Island when it began leaking in heavy weather. All on board were saved. 1934: SASKADOC departed Erie, Pa., for the short run to the Welland Canal with 7,500 tons of coal and the hatches left open. The vessel encountered a storm on the lake, developed a list and arrived 11 hours late. 1943: NORMAN B. MACPHERSON, a small canaller in the Upper Lakes fleet, went aground on Hammond Shoal in the American Channel of the St. Lawrence near Alexandria Bay, N.Y. 1969: OPHELIA was a Great Lakes caller before the Seaway opened. The West German freighter also made 16 trips inland from 1959 to 1964. It was under Greek registry when it was abandoned off Sibu, Sarawak, with a fire in the engine room, on this date in 1969. The vessel was enroute from Sibu to Kuching, China, and the hull drifted aground as a total loss. 1991: OGDENSBURG was built as a barge to ferry rail cars across the St. Lawrence between Prescott and Ogdensburg. The vessel had joined McKeil as a regular deck barge in 1988 and broke loose in a storm on this date in 1991 while working off Blanc Sablon, Q.C. carrying heavy construction equipment. Refloated, the hull was towed to Hamilton and became one of three former railway barges rebuilt as a floating drydock. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Thunder Bay port terminal upgrading hits new phase 9/26 - Thunder Bay, Ont. – Keefer terminal was originally designed for package freight, which consisted of food, furniture, clothing and other retail type items that arrived by ship at its port for many years. Package freight is now transported by truck. “That (type of cargo) no longer exists on the lakes,” said Tim Heney, chief executive officer of the Thunder Bay Port Authority. Now, the terminal is getting a big makeover. The port has received a $7.5-million federal grant from the National Trade Corridor Fund, which has made it possible to accelerate a program to modernize Keefer Terminal. “We’ve been working on that for the last 10 years and we have now moved into a new phase with a new rail yard. We are building new laydown areas, and a heated storage facility,” said Heney. Chronicle Journal |
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Port Reports - September 26
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan Ports
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Sep 25 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Port of Oswego economic impacts study released 9/26 - Washington, DC – The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership has released Economic Impacts of the Port of Oswego, a report documenting the many contributions made by the Port and Great Lakes Seaway Shipping to the City of Oswego, Oswego County, State of New York and Great Lakes region. The study reports that in 2017 the Port of Oswego and maritime commerce supported: 209 jobs $26.7 million in economic activity $13.8 million in personal income and local consumption expenditures $5.8 million in federal and state tax revenue As the first U.S. port of call and deep-water port on the Great Lakes from the St. Lawrence Seaway, we are accessible from any international port in the world, says William Scriber. Acting Executive Director, Port of Oswego. “That’s why we are one of the most productive ports in North America, with more than one million tons of cargo moving through the port on an annual basis. This report reinforces the economic impact that our port has globally and more importantly, locally here in Oswego and the great State of New York.” “The significant economic activity of the Port of Oswego is proof positive that the Port remains a catalyst for the Central New York economy,” says U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer. “I will continue to work side-by-side with the Port of Oswego officials to ensure they have the resources needed to continue to grow for years to come.” "The study reflects the important contributions the Port of Oswego provides to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region,” says Steven A. Fisher, Executive Director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association. “The jobs supported by the maritime industry include not only those located directly on the waterfront – shipyard workers, stevedores, vessel operators, terminal employees, truck drivers and marine pilots – but also grain farmers, construction works, miners and steelworkers. Many of these jobs would vanish if not for a dynamic maritime industry.” Port of Oswego |
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Final report released on potential cost of a Straits oil spill 9/26 - Petoskey, Mich. – Researchers have released their final report on the potential cost of a worst-case scenario oil spill from Enbridge's Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. The report comes as environmental groups wait for Governor Rick Snyder to announce a decision on what to do with Line 5 moving forward. The Independent Risk Analysis for the Straits Pipelines says Enbridge could be liable for almost $2 billion in the event of a worst-case scenario oil spill from the pipeline. A worst-case oil spill would mean up to 2.4 million gallons leaking into the Straits, affecting hundreds of miles of shoreline and dozens of species. Researchers said the combined the costs of cleanup, recreational damages, loss of tourism and other damages could add up to almost $2 billion. To environmental groups, that's not worth the risk. “Why are we risking all of this?" asks Liz Kirkwood, the executive director of the group For Love of Water, or FLOW. "Why are we risking our very sense of being, our existence here in Michigan for a Canadian oil pipeline?" In part of a response to the study, an Enbridge spokesperson said “The scenarios presented in this report are purely hypothetical and the probability of the events actually occurring is extraordinarily unlikely because Enbridge operates our pipelines with multiple layers of safety in mind.” Snyder is expected to make an announcement soon on the future of Line 5. One alternative that Enbridge has put forward is to build a tunnel under the Straits to house the pipelines. Enbridge said, “Additional assessments have shown that constructing a tunnel to house Line 5 is feasible and makes the chances of a leak into the Great lakes virtually zero. The tunnel option would also protect the pipeline from damage from an anchor." FLOW says building a tunnel would be too little, too late. “Responses that discuss a tunnel really fail to address this issue of we have an imminent threat, right now," Kirkwood said. Snyder's office said Monday that the Governor is waiting for a responsible agreement to be made between the state and the companies that have infrastructure in the Straits. Enbridge has said building a tunnel could take six years to complete. WPBN/WGTU |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 26 September 26, 1930, the schooner OUR SON, launched in 1875, sank during a storm on Lake Michigan about 40 miles WSW of Big Sable Point. Seventy-three year old Captain Fred Nelson the crew of OUR SON were rescued by the self-unloader WILLIAM NELSON.September 26, 1937, the Canadian Seaman's Union signed a tentative wage contract. Sailors would continue a two watch system (working 12 hours every 24 hours) and be paid the following monthly wages: Wheelsmen and Oilers - $72.50, Watchmen and firemen - $67.50, Second Cooks - $52.50, deckhands and coal passers - $50.00, porters - $45.00, Chief Cooks on the Upper Lakes - $115.00, and Chief Cooks on Canal boats $105.00. September 26, 1957, Taconite Harbor, Minnesota loaded its first cargo of 10,909 tons of taconite pellets into the holds of the Interlake steamer J. A. CAMPBELL. On 26 September 1892, JOHN BURT (3-mast wooden schooner, 138 foot, 348 gross tons, built in 1871, at Detroit, Michigan) was carrying grain in a strong northwest gale. Her rudder broke and she was blown past the mouth of Oswego harbor and was driven hard aground. Two died when the vessel struck. The U.S. Lifesaving Service rescued the remaining five crewmembers. The vessel quickly broke up in the waves. CHI-CHEEMAUN cleared the shipyard on September 26, 1974. H. M. GRIFFITH was christened on September 26, 1973 at Collingwood for Canada Steamship Lines. C.C.G.S. GRIFFON (Hull#664) was launched September 26, 1969 by Davie Shipbuilding Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec for the Canadian Coast Guard. ROGER M. KYES returned to service on September 26, 1984; she had grounded off McLouth Steel and ended crosswise in the Detroit River's Trenton Channel a month before. She was renamed b.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS in 1989. The BELLE RIVER was sideswiped by the Liberian FEDERAL RHINE, of 1977, at Duluth on September 26, 1985. Both vessels received minor damage. On 26 September 1914, MARY N. BOURKE (wooden schooner-barge, 219 foot, 920 gross tons, built in 1889, at Baraga, Michigan) was docked at Peter's Lumber Dock in St. Mary's Bay, 15 miles north of St. Ignace, Michigan. The crew was awakened at 9:30-10:00 p.m. by smoke coming from her hold and they escaped. The BOURKE burned to the waterline and the fire spread ashore, destroying the dock and a pile of lumber. At 3 a.m., 26 September 1876, the steam barge LADY FRANKLIN burned while moored near Clark's dock, about three miles from Amherstburg, Ontario in the Detroit River. One life was lost. This vessel had been built in 1861, as a passenger steamer and ran between Cleveland, Ohio and Port Stanley, Ontario. In 1874, she was converted into a lumber freighter, running primarily between Saginaw, Michigan and Cleveland. The burned hull was rebuilt in 1882. 1979: MAHONI, an Indonesian-registered freighter, went aground on the west coast of Taiwan and was abandoned by the crew. The ship was refloated in June 1980 and sold to Taiwanese shipbreakers for scrapping at Kaohsiung. It had been a Seaway saltie as b) CLARI beginning in 1968 and returned as c) ARNIS in 1970. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Ahoy & Farewell II, Father Dowling Collection, and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - September 25
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont. St. Marys River
Lake Michigan Ports
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Northern Lake Huron
Ohio Ports Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Sep 24 – Barry Andersen
Erie, PA.
Long Point Bay:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Sep 23 - tug Wilf Seymour & barge Alouette Spirit at 1741, tug Rebecca Ann & barge Oyster Bay at 1927 (stopped West Street - barge on maiden voyage from Donjon in Erie, PA., Whitefish Bay at 1936 and Federal Mackinac (Mhl) eta 2346 - Sep 24 - tug Rebecca Ann with barge Oyster Bay departed West Stret early morning, Frontenac at 1244 (to wharf 19-E), Tim S Dool at 1307, CSL St Laurent at 1529, Cinnamon (Cyp) at 1724 and Patras (Mlt) (ex Gan-Sword -10) at 1752
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks:
Bronte:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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LCA president testifies on Canadian Transportation And Logistics Strategy 9/25 - Cleveland, Ohio – Jim Weakley, president of Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA), the trade association representing U.S.-flag vessel operators on the Great Lakes, on Monday testified before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities at its hearing in Niagara Falls, Ont. This appearance was in relation to the committee’s study regarding a Canadian Transportation and Logistics Strategy (Trade Corridors). Weakley told the committee that “the words ‘harmonization’ and ‘interoperability’ are frequently used when discussing Canada-U.S. trade. The only way to fully enable the incredible economic potential of trade and commerce between our two nations, particularly here in the Great Lakes region, is to ensure that decisions are made with these two key tenets in mind.” To illustrate how interwoven the Great Lakes trade corridor is, Weakley noted that when a U.S.-flag laker transits the Detroit/St. Clair River system, it crosses the border between the two nations 17 times. Cargo movement on the Lakes between the U.S. and Canada is significant. It can annually total more than 40 million tons. Total Great Lakes commerce can top 160 million tons. Weakley told the committee that in terms of capital investment, “a new transportation and logistics strategy should take into account critical capability needs such as enhanced and more reliable icebreaking services, and deploy strategic capital accordingly.” During the winter of 2017/2018, lack of adequate icebreaking recourses in both the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards resulted in LCA members having nearly 6.5 million tons of cargo delayed or cancelled. “In terms of regulation, taking a bi-national approach to air emissions, ballast water, and protection of species at risk, through the lens of cross-border integration and harmonization, adds to our ability to generate economic development and good-paying jobs on both sides of the border.” Weakley concluded his testimony by pledging to work with Canadian Parliamentarians and government officials to keep Great Lakes shipping a benefit to both nations. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Life on a laker: a Seaway trip on the CSL Welland 9/25 - The steel hull of the CSL Welland glided through the Welland Canal in Ontario as crewmen in red coveralls and hard hats prepared for a journey across Lake Ontario and into the St. Lawrence Seaway. Their steel-toed boots clanged on the hot decks and they prepared for what can be a bumpy ride in the open lake. Capt. Wilson Waters, at the helm July 13, piloted the 739-foot laker, or ship built specifically for the Great Lakes, through the 27-mile system of locks between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. With great concentration, his eyes scanned from windows to radar and charts. Engineers below deck watched over the engine and power system, its hum echoing through the otherwise silent vessel. Mr. Walters, Thorold, Ontario, is a captain for Canada Steamship Lines, a division of the international shipping company CSL Group Inc. The company is one of many worldwide that rely on the 2,300-mile Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system to ferry grain, soybeans, iron ore, steel, stone and other goods from the heart of the United States to the Atlantic Ocean from March to December. The CSL Welland is one of the newest of the company’s Canadian fleet of 18 ships. On this assignment, the red freighter transported 31,000 metric tons, or more than 68 million pounds, of grain from Thunder Bay, Ontario, to Quebec City – a five-day trip. In his 13th season as a captain, Mr. Walters has worked for CSL for 25 years and has been in shipping for four decades. “There is no job on land that I even think I fit into. I think I just was built for this,” Mr. Walters said. “I was born to be a sailor.” Mr. Walters was joined by 14 crew members, a reserve master, or captain in training, and cadets from Canada and the Philippines, who work in shifts to keep the vessel moving 24 hours a day. Journalists from the Watertown Daily Times and WPBS spent 30 hours on the freighter, with the crew and captain from the Welland Canal to the Eisenhower Lock in Massena. Read more and view images at this link: http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?avis=WD&date=20180923&category=NEWS03&lopenr=180929393 |
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Liner Hamburg making lakes visit: International partnership aims to boost tourism 9/25 - Traverse City, Mich. – A view of the bay soon will feature more floating steel. One passenger vessel, the M/S Hamburg, already stops here twice a year, and is scheduled to anchor in Traverse City this fall on Sept. 30 and Oct. 15, from 2-7 p.m. Another cruise ship, still under construction, in 2020 will begin stopping in Traverse City twice a year. Those short visits offer local residents an interesting but fleeting view of huge vessels in West Grand Traverse Bay. But visits to Traverse City are just a drop in the Great Lakes bucket of passenger cruising. "For Traverse City, we're never going to be a large port of entry for these ships," said Trevor Tkach, Traverse City Tourism president and CEO. "We don't have a place where a large cruise ship could easily dock. We don't have the infrastructure." On Monday, Hamburg was tied up at the Port Weller industrial dock before entering the Welland Canal on an 18-day cruise that started in Montreal. Other communities in the Great Lakes already see more cruise ship traffic than Traverse City. Ships can tie up to shore in Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland and Toronto. That means passengers can access those cities simply by walking down a gangplank. Various companies offer cruises that stop at those ports, and at Mackinac Island and Sault Ste. Marie. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder on Aug. 30 held a press conference on Mackinac Island to help launch a new initiative to bring more cruise ships to the Great Lakes. Snyder is the chair of the Chicago-based Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers, which recently launched its Cruise the Great Lakes Initiative. The group wants to bring more ships to more ports in the Great Lakes. “We think we have some of the finest destinations in the world if you look at the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence," Snyder said. Snyder on Aug. 30 took a tour of the Victory I, in its third year of bringing 200 passengers per trip to Mackinac Island and other Great Lakes destinations. A release from the conference of governors and premiers states Cruise the Great Lakes is a marketing partnership, a collaboration of eight states, two provinces and partners who together want to expand regional cruising. Its mission is to promote cruising in the region through branding efforts. Travel Michigan Vice President David Lorenz serves as chair of Cruise the Great Lakes. Cruising on the Great Lakes is poised for major growth in the coming years, the release states, with significant economic benefits for the region. Eight vessels operated in the region in 2018, including ships from Victory, Blount Small Ship Adventures and Pearl Seas Cruises. The cruises together represent nearly a million port visits by passengers. Two more ships plan to enter the region by 2020. Victory Cruise Lines founder Bruce Nierenberg told the Associated Press his company is building more ships like the Victory I. “They need a place to go," said Nierenberg. "A lot of them have been built to go to Antarctica in the winter and we have the perfect place to send them in the summertime." Communities with existing nautical infrastructure will benefit most from cruising activity growth. Tkach said Traverse City is not officially part of the Cruise the Great Lakes initiative, but Traverse City Tourism is "providing input and thoughts on the matter when appropriate." Passengers of the MS Hamburg must ride a small launch from the anchored ship to shore in Traverse City. The Hamburg, which can carry up to 400 passengers, usually stays in the bay just a few hours, enough time to give passengers a taste of Traverse City. That taste, in the long run, can be valuable for the town, Tkach said. "The cruise business is a nice introduction to the area," he said. "This introduces international travelers to the area. Quite likely there will be a handful of them who will come back." Many passengers on Great Lakes cruises are from Europe. Germany-based Hapag Lloyd Cruises is building two new ships, one of which will in 2020 begin stopping in Traverse City. The vessel will stop twice each season. The 450-foot-long ship will carry up to 230 passengers and have three on-board restaurants. The new Hapag Lloyd vessel will be marketed to German-speaking travelers, said Stefanie Kulpe, owner of Ann Arbor-based Michigan Travels LLC. The MS Hamburg has been operated by Plantours Cruises since 2012. The ship previously was operated by Hapag Lloyd, and visited Traverse City several summers when it carried the name c. Columbus. The vessel's name was changed in 2012. The MS Hamburg specifically was designed to operate in the Great Lakes and is the largest cruise ship operating here, said Kulpe. The vessel will visit Traverse City twice more in 2019, on Sept. 24 and Oct. 10, she said. The website www.cruisemapper.com displays the current locations of passenger ships around the globe. Traverse City's location in Grand Traverse Bay places it at the end of a nautical dead-end street. Ships must make a 60-mile round trip away from the main body of Lake Michigan. But international visitors from the cruise ships who do come here may return for longer shore-based visits. And they might talk about the region with their friends back home. Traverse City may not instantly benefit from the new international marketing partnership. But it eventually could. "With limited resources in the bay, we're waiting to see what types of boats we can handle, what volume," Tkach said. "We're just patiently waiting any interest that comes our way." Record Eagle |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 25 In tandem tow, MENIHEK LAKE and LEON FALK JR. arrived at Vigo, Spain, on September 25, 1985. The MENIHEK LAKE was scrapped at Vigo, and the FALK was towed to Gijn, Spain, for scrapping. HENRY C. FRICK departed Bay City on her maiden voyage on September 25, 1905 and rammed and damaged the Michigan Central Railroad Bridge at Bay City. On 25 September 1869, COMMENCEMENT (2-mast wooden schooner, 75 foot, 73 tons, built in 1853, at Holland, Michigan) was carrying wood in her hold and telegraph poles on deck from Pentwater, Michigan, for Milwaukee when she sprang a leak 20 miles off Little Sable Point on Lake Michigan. The incoming water quickly overtook her pump capacity. As the crew was getting aboard the lifeboat, she turned turtle. The crew clung to the upturned hull for 30 hours until the passing steamer ALLEGHENY finally rescued them. COMMENCEMENT later washed ashore, a total wreck. 1922: AUBE, on her first trip back under this name, went aground off Carleton Island, while carrying 65,000 bushels of grain. Tugs released the stranded vessel the following day. 1978: FRANQUELIN (ii) went aground in the Seaway below Beauharnois. Once refloated, the ship went to Canadian Vickers in Montreal for repairs and was caught there in a labor dispute. 1980: DERWENTFIELD, a British-flag freighter, first came through the Seaway in 1975. The ship grounded on this date as c) CAVO ARTEMIDI off Brazil, while enroute from Vitoria, Brazil, to Rotterdam, Holland, with a cargo of pig iron and broke in two as a total loss. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Maritime flea market Sept. 29 in St. Clair 9/24 - A maritime flea market will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 29 inside the north and west corridors of the St. Clair Mall at St. Clair, Mich. It will run in conjunction with the annual Whistles on the Water event across the road at Palmer Park on the St. Clair River. Last year, the late marine artist Jim Clary organized the flea market to run in conjunction with the whistle blow happening across the street. His family and shop (Cap’n Jim's Gallery) has decided to continue what he started and hope it becomes a tradition. For more information contact Cap’n Jims Gallery, Pam Malane, 810-329-7447. Or email pmalane@comcast.net |
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Port Reports - September 24
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Jim Conlon
Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Sep 23 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher
Lake Ontario – Tom Chambers |
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Obituary: Historian Wayne H. Garrett Jr. 9/24 - Great Lakes maritime historian Wayne H. Garrett Jr. died Sept. 20 at age 89. A longtime member of The Marine Historical Society of Detroit, he served as a board member and past president and was an author of many of the group’s publications. He was voted the group’s Historian of the Year (along with co-author Skip Meier, who also passed away this year) in 2009 for his work writing and editing the MHSD’s definitive book “The Great Lakes Engineering Works: The Shipyard And Its Vessels.” He was also instrumental in selecting photos for the group’s annual calendar, was part of the team of authors who compiled the books “Ahoy & Farewell” and “Ahoy & Farewell II,” and was the long-time dinner meeting chairman for the society. “Wayne was a true gentleman. He will be remembered for his passion for researching the histories of lake vessels, especially the passenger steamer Tashmoo, which was his favorite,” said Roger LeLievre, current MHSD president. “He was a kind and gentle man who always had a twinkle in his eye. We will miss him.” Wayne was born January 17, 1929 in Detroit Michigan, the son of Dorothy and Wayne Garrett Sr. He was a proud Army Veteran who served in the Korean War. He worked for General Motors and Chevrolet for several years before starting his career at Eaton Corporation as a mechanical engineer; a career he enjoyed up until his retirement. Predeceased by his wife Virginia, and his parents, he is survived by his children: Marianne (Tim) LeVigne, Jeanne (Ian) Paton, Jim (Bob) Garrett-Pesavento, Paul (Heather Eads) Garrett. He is the proud grandfather of five, brother of Dolly (Bill) Johnson and brother-in-law Virginia Garrett. All services will be private. Memorials may be made to Beaumont Hospice, 1410 E 14 Mile Rd., Madison Heights, MI 48071, or The Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Memorials to the MHSD may be sent c/o Robert Pocotte, Treasurer, 435 Strouse Lane, Sandusky, OH 44870. |
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Annual night at Forty Mile Point Lighthouse planned for Oct. 5 9/24 - The Forty Mile Point Lighthouse Society is hosting the 17th annual night at the lighthouse – an evening of fun, music and light refreshments – Friday, Oct. 5, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The lighthouse is located in Lighthouse Park, U.S. 23N, 7 miles north Rogers City, Mich. The Huron Barber Shop Chorus will perform at 6:30 p.m., followed by an acoustic jam at 7 p.m. directed by Al Gross. If you play an acoustic instrument bring it along and join in. The Kiwanis Fish Shack will be on hand selling whitefish sandwiches and other goodies. Complementary hot spiced cider, coffee, hot chocolate and cookies will be available in the Fog Signal Building. Wander along the lantern-lit walkway to visit the seasonally decorated lighthouse and the Bunkhouse Gift Shop. A baked goods sale will help support cancer research. The event is open to all. For more information, visit www.40milepointlighthouse.org |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 24 The EDMUND FITZGERALD's first cargo of taconite pellets was loaded September 24, 1958 at Silver Bay, Minnesota for Toledo, Ohio.The PERE MARQUETTE 22 entered service September 24, 1924. In early morning fog on the St. Clair River on September 24, 1962, the J.L. REISS was hit three glancing blows by U.S. Steel's SEWELL AVERY. The AVERY had lost control just below Robert's Landing and crossed the channel from the Canadian side and struck the REISS, which was proceeding slowly by radar on the U.S. side. On September 24, 1952, the CHARLES L. HUTCHINSON entered service. This vessel was renamed b.) ERNEST R. BREECH when it was sold to the Ford Motor Company in 1962, and it was renamed c.) KINSMAN INDEPENDENT, when it was sold to Kinsman Lines in 1988. Sold Canadian in 2005, and renamed d.) VOYAGEUR INDEPENDENT. She sails today as the motorship e.) OJIBWAY. September 24, 1924 - The PERE MARQUETTE 22 arrived at Ludington, Michigan on her maiden voyage. On 24 September 1902, H.A. BARR (3 mast wooden schooner, 217 foot, 1,119 gross tons, built in 1893, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was in tow of the saltie THEANO with a load of iron ore in a storm 30 miles off Port Stanley in Lake Erie. She broke her towline in giant waves and foundered. THEANO rescued her crew. On 24 September 1879, the tug URANIA was towing the schooner S V R WATSON into Sand Beach at about noon when the schooner struck the tug amidships, cutting a hole in the hull and sinking her in three fathoms of water. No lives were lost. 1901: M.M. DRAKE was towing the schooner barge MICHIGAN across Lake Superior when the latter began to sink. The steamer came alongside to take off the crew when a towering wave bashed the two vessels together resulting in heavy damage. Both vessels went down, but all except one sailor were rescued by the passing ships NORTHERN WAVE and CRESCENT CITY. 1915: WESTERN STAR ran aground on Robertson Rock, Georgian Bay, while enroute to Little Current with a cargo of coal. The ship was badly damaged and early attempts to refloat the freighter failed. It was not released until September 18, 1917, and was rebuilt at Detroit. The ship returned to service as b) GLENISLA in 1918 and was scrapped at Hamilton as c) PRESCOTT in 1962-1963. 1937: NEEBING foundered with the loss of 5 lives in western Lake Superior while towing the barge COTEAU in a heavy storm. The crane-equipped ship was approaching the Nipigon Strait, with a load of gravel for Red Rock, ON at the time. Nine sailors were rescued. 1947: MILVERTON, downbound with a cargo of coal, and TRANSLAKE, upbound with crude oil, collided near Iroquois, ON. The latter got caught in the current and veered to port resulting in the collision. The former, one of the few oil-burning canal ships, had the fuel lines rupture, caught fire, drifted downstream and grounded at the head of Rapide Plat. The ship burned for two days and 11 sailors were killed. Despite the heavy damage, MILVERTON was refloated, repaired and later sailed as c) CLARY FORAN and d) FERNDALE (i) before being scrapped at Hamilton in 1963. 1952: BAYTON was loading at Pool 4A Elevator at the Canadian Lakehead when there was an explosion at the elevator and chunks of concrete rained down on the deck of the Colonial Steamship Co. (Misener) steamer. One person was killed and nine more were injured. 2008: DRAGOMIRESTI was a Romanian freighter that first visited the Seaway in 1992 to load a food aid cargo in Thunder Bay for Sudan & Yemen. The ship was driven aground as j) CHUN JIANG, about 22 miles from Macao in Typhoon Hagupit. The crew were removed by helicopter. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, James Neumiller, Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Coast Guard finds no damage on vessel after grounding in Round Island Passage 9/23 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Coast Guard marine inspectors inspected the vessel Defiance and barge Ashtabula and did not find any damage or sources of pollution related to its grounding that occurred on Friday afternoon. The integrated tug and barge has been cleared to proceed on its voyage. The Coast Guard conducted overflights with a pollution responder on Friday evening and Saturday morning and did not identify any signs of pollution. The Coast Guard rescinded the safety zone in Round Island Passage and the waterway is open for all traffic. The vessel Defiance and barge Ashtabula departed Cedarville, Michigan and was transiting to its next port of call in Buffington, Indiana when it ran aground Friday afternoon. The cause of the grounding is under investigation. USCG |
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Irvin's inch-by-inch voyage: Ship moves across harbor for first time in 30 years 9/23 - Duluth, Minn. – As crews worked into the night to ensure the William A. Irvin could safely move out of the Minnesota Slip Friday, hundreds of onlookers in Canal Park stood waiting to see the 611-foot ship make its first voyage in about 30 years. Although the floating museum was scheduled to depart at 8 p.m., the move was delayed several hours as surveyors worked to ensure two barges crucial to the Irvin move were properly positioned outside the Minnesota Slip. Finally, at about 9:50 p.m., the ship started to slowly move toward the harbor. "No complications. We're just running a little bit behind with the weather and getting the equipment and barges moved into place," said Chad Scott of AMI Consulting Engineers, the company overseeing the move, during a 9 p.m. news conference. The ship could only be moved in 5- to 6-mph winds. The Irvin made it safely to Fraser Shipyards just before 4 a.m. Saturday. Passing through the Minnesota Slip Bridge, the Irvin had just 7 inches of clearance on either side. Two winches — a pulling winch and a braking winch — controlled the ship's forward movement, about 1 foot every 4 seconds. Meanwhile, the new seawall on the DECC side was used as a straight edge to guide the ship. Excavators with lines tied to the Irvin kept the ship up against the seawall. After passing through the slip bridge, the Irvin headed toward Fraser Shipyards in Superior, about a three-mile trip, for drydocking and fresh paint. While it's gone, contaminated sediments in the slip will be capped in place and stabilized as part of a $10 million project to revitalize the slip. Most of the funding is being provided by the state of Minnesota and the Environmental Protection Agency. The Irvin is slated to return to Duluth in spring 2019. Read more and view a video at this link: http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4503084-irvins-inch-inch-voyage-ship-moves-across-harbor-first-time-30-years |
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St. Lawrence Seaway shipping up 4 percent: Grain leads the way 9/23 - As the fall harvest approaches for many farmers in the Midwest, grain shipments continue to be strong on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System. According to the latest figures from the Chamber of Marine Commerce, grain shipments via the St. Lawrence Seaway from March 29 to Aug. 31 topped one million metric tons, up 31 percent over the same period last year. The majority of U.S. exports originated from the Port of Toledo and were carry-over from the 2017 grain season. The grain rush has helped boost overall cargo shipments on the St. Lawrence Seaway for the season to 21.4 million metric tons, a four percent increase over this time last year. Liquid bulk shipments at 2.8 million metric tons are also up 33 percent, with coal at 1.5 million metric tons, up 30 percent. Dry bulk shipments reached 5.5 million metric tons, down four percent. “Total cargo shipments through the St. Lawrence Seaway are now ahead of last year’s very strong shipping season,” says Bruce Burrows, president of the Chamber of Marine Commerce. “We anticipate this momentum to continue into fall as the new harvests head to market and other commodities benefit from the strength of the American economy.” Grain and coal shipments to the Port of Toledo in August helped move total tonnage for 2018 ahead of 2017. Grain shipments are up 80 percent over 2017 due to increasing global demand for soybeans. Increased volumes are also moving through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway as an alternative to the U.S. Gulf, where grain export facilities are reaching capacity. “With a steady stream of inbound ocean-going traffic, there is significant capacity for backhaul opportunities of grain through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System this year,” said Joe Cappel, vice president of business development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “Shippers are taking advantage of our inland waterway system to access global markets with inbound and outbound cargo and, as a result, our saltwater traffic has doubled this year mainly due to outbound grain shipments.” According to a new study released this summer, cargo shipments to ports on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River waterway support 147,500 jobs and generate U.S.$25.6 billion in economic activity in the eight Great Lakes states. NorthCountryNow.com |
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Port Reports - September 23
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan Ports
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Sep 22 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Whistles on the Water to raise ghosts of bygone steamships in St. Clair 9/23 - St. Clair, Mich. – Venture back in time via sound waves, the swells of super-loud sound. Ear-splitting, stomach-quivering, time-traveling sound. It's time for the 10th annual Whistles on the Water, one of the most unique attempts on the Great Lakes to vault visitors back to the era when steamships plied the waters and used their mighty whistles to alert other ships — and anybody within earshot — of their impending presence. "Before Great Lake freighters used radios, steamship captains used their whistles to communicate," said Dan Lockwood, one of the organizers of the event, in a statement. "Captains would tune their steam whistles to create a unique pitch that would identify their ships." In the black of night, on storm-tossed waters and in fog banks, the whistles of steamships signaling to each other were critical in avoiding collisions. Besides the huge variety of steam whistles at the event, the fact that the whistles are blown with live steam makes the event one not to miss. Al Johnson, who owns Johnson Hydraulics Inc. in St Clair, built and maintains perhaps the largest portable steam boiler in the world, designed specifically to blow ship whistles. The boiler stands 13 feet high and features a movable manifold with 20 ports for mounting and blowing 20 whistles in succession amid blasts of sound and clouds of steam. Whistles on the Water is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 29 at Palmer Park on the St. Clair River in downtown St. Clair. The event is free, and earplugs are included. Each year, Dave Michelson, an aficionado of Great Lakes shipping and a resident of New Baltimore on the north shore of Lake St. Clair, known locally as the sixth Great Lake, narrates the event over loud speakers. "Please do not bring your pets," said Michelson. "The loud sound is harmful to them." Attendees are also advised against bringing small children to the event. Michelson lines up unusual whistles to headline each event. The star whistles this year are from two passenger steamers, the Christopher Columbus and the City of Erie. Read more at this link: http://www.voicenews.com/life/whistles-on-the-water-to-raise-ghosts-of-bygone-steamships/article_aab738ee-bddd-11e8-b14c-1bae35d7c815.html |
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Crewmember of Carisbrooke vessel arrested in drug bust 9/23 - A crewmember of Jacqueline C, a general cargo ship owned by Carisbrooke Shipping, was arrested by Canadian authorities during a drug bust in Valleyfield, Canada. “The vessel underwent a customs search resulting in a number of bags being removed and the crew member being detained,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday, September 18. “Canadian authorities have identified the contents of the bags as cocaine, and we can confirm that the crew member, a Philippine national, has been arrested with further charges pending investigation. Carisbrooke Shipping has a zero-tolerance to drugs and is cooperating fully with the Canadian authorities.” The vessel was not arrested and was cleared to resume its voyage with the remaining crewmembers on board. Jacqueline C, a UK-flagged 12,914-dwt general cargo vessel, built 2009, was sailing from Linden, Guyana to Canada, when the inspection occurred. World Maritime News |
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Study: Port of Toronto generates upwards of $378 million to Ontario 9/23 - Toronto, Ont. – Marine cargo arriving and managed at the Port of Toronto generated $377.7 million in economic activity and 1,566 jobs in Ontario in 2017 as confirmed in a new report – Economic Impacts of the Port of Toronto – published in September 2018 by Martin Associates. These results are part of wider regional study released in July – Economic Impacts of Maritime Shipping in the Great Lakes – that confirmed cargo shipments to ports on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River waterway generated 181,000 jobs in Canada and CDN $26 billion in economic activity in Ontario and Quebec. The report, Economic Impacts of the Port of Toronto, isolates the economic impacts created by all cargo and vessel activity at the Port of Toronto and highlights the Port of Toronto's vital part in Ontario's transportation infrastructure and economic strength. The analysis includes the economic impacts generated by marine cargo activity in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River region, including Canadian and U.S. domestic commerce, bi-national commerce between the two countries, and international traffic moving between the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region and overseas destinations. The impacts are measured for the year 2017 and are presented in terms of total economic impacts at the bi-national regional level, the country level, and the provincial level. "The Port of Toronto provides Canadian and international businesses with a convenient, sustainable and cost-effective way to bring goods, and people, into the heart of the city," said Geoffrey Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, PortsToronto. "Economic Impacts of the Port of Toronto further confirms the Port's position as a vital component of Toronto's economic and transportation infrastructure." This report comes on the heels of the best year in more than a decade for the Port of Toronto, which moved 2,172,750 metric tonnes of cargo in 2017. Key findings of the study: • The marine cargo handled at the Port of Toronto marine terminals generated $377.7 million in economic activity in Ontario. • 1,566 jobs in Ontario are supported by the cargo moving via the marine terminals located at the Port of Toronto. • 482 jobs are directly generated by the marine cargo and vessel activity at the marine terminals at the Port of Toronto. • The 482 individuals directly employed as a result of the cargo handled at the marine terminals of Port of Toronto received $24.5 million in wages and salaries. These individuals, in turn, used these earnings to purchase good and services, to pay taxes, and for savings. • A total of $42.9 million in provincial and federal taxes were generated by cargo and vessel activity at the Port of Toronto, with $11.7 million generated at the provincial level and $31.1 generated at the federal level. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 23 September 23, 1922, the 306-foot NEPTUNE loaded the first Head-of-the-Lakes cargo of pig iron at Zenith Furnace, Duluth, Minnesota. The 5,000 tons of malleable pig iron was delivered to Buffalo, New York.September 23, 1975, HERBERT C. JACKSON lost power while upbound on Lake Superior. She was towed back to the Soo by the USS straight decker D.G. KERR. September 23, 1952, the steamer CHARLES L. HUTCHINSON became the first boat christened at Cleveland since the early years of World War II. The 644-foot HUTCHINSON, Captain T. A. Johnson, was the new flagship of the Pioneer fleet and one of 35 boats in the three fleets operated by Hutchinson & Co. Renamed b.) ERNEST R. BREECH in 1962, c.) KINSMAN INDEPENDENT in 1988. Sold Canadian in 2005, and renamed d.) VOYAGEUR INDEPENDENT. She sails today as the motorship e.) OJIBWAY. On 23 September 1910, the BETHLEHEM (steel propeller package freighter, 290 foot, 2,633 gross tons, built in 1888, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying general merchandise when she went ashore in a gale on the SW side of S. Manitou Island in Lake Michigan. Lifesavers and the crew unloaded her over several days. Although battered by several storms while ashore, she was eventually pulled free and repaired. She lasted until 1925, when she was scrapped. The scow WAUBONSIE was launched at the Curtis yard in Fort Gratiot, Michigan on 23 September 1873. 1935: HURRY-ON was a Great Lakes visitor in 1934 when it loaded bagged flour at Port Colborne. The ship was lost off Port Hood Island, near Judique, NS, after developing leaks and a list. The lifeboat swamped twice and five were lost. 1961: CRYSTAL JEWEL, inbound for London in thick fog, was in a collision with the B.P. Tanker BRITISH AVIATOR. The captain was seriously injured and his daughter was killed. The vessel first visited the Great Lakes in 1960 and was enroute from Duluth to London with a cargo of grain at the time of the accident. The vessel grounded and, after being released, was taken to Rotterdam where the entire mid-ship superstructure was replaced. The ship made many more trips through the Seaway and returned as b) MELTEMI in 1970. It was scrapped at Busan, South Korea, after arriving as d) TETA on July 17, 1979. 1980: FERNLEAF first visited the Seaway in 1965 and returned as b) AALSUM in 1974. The ship was detained at Basrah, Iraq, in 1981 as c) INICIATIVA on this date in 1980 and declared a total loss in December 1981. It was salvaged in 1993 and renamed d) DOLPHIN V but perhaps only for a trip to the shipbreakers. The vessel arrived at Gadani Beach December 27, 2003, and dismantling began at once. 2000: Vandals attacked the museum ship NORGOMA at Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., breaking windows, light fixtures and setting off fire extinguishers, leaving an estimated $15,000 in damage. On September 23, 1991, J.W. MC GIFFIN rescued several people in a 24-foot pleasure craft off Presque Ile State Park. The group had been disabled since the day before. They were taken aboard the McGIFFIN and their boat taken under tow. The MC GIFFIN was rebuilt with a new forward section and renamed b.) CSL NIAGARA in 1999. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Defiance refloated in the Straits of Mackinac 9/22 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – At 4:31 a.m. Saturday, after Friday's high winds and waves abated, the current freed the tug Defiance and barge Ashtabula from the clay bottom in Round Island Passage in the Straits of Mackinac where they had run aground Friday afternoon. AIS shows them at anchor between Mackinac Island and St. Ignace, likely for inspection. The Coast Guard has rescinded the safety zone in Round Island Passage and the waterway is open for all traffic. Traffic on the St. Marys River is back to normal with all vessels again on the move. Original report: The tug Defiance and barge Ashtabula, a 720-foot integrated unit, ran aground in Round Island Passage between Mackinac Island and Round Island in the Straits of Mackinac Friday afternoon. The incident was reported to watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie command center at 2:52 p.m. At the time, winds were gusting near 60 mph in the area and waves were estimated at 9-10 feet. As of late Friday, the pair was still there, as wind and waves had not gone down enough to attempt to free them. Winds were reported gusting to 64 mph at Stannard Rock (50 miles north of Marquette in Lake Superior) around 3:30 p.m. Friday. At the Soo Locks, waves were washing over the lock gates, prompting the closure of the locks about 4 p.m., delaying vessel traffic. They reopened about 8 p.m., and traffic began moving shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard has established a safety zone prohibiting the transit of vessels over 100 gross tons through Round Island Passage and prohibiting all vessels from navigating within 200 yards of the Ashtabula/Defiance. The vessel departed Cedarville, Mich., and was transiting to its next port of call in Buffington, Ind., when it ran aground. The cause of the grounding is under investigation. High winds were present in the area at the time. The Defiance has 97,918 gallons of diesel fuel onboard. The vessel is taking precautionary measures to assess any damage and has not reported any injuries, pollution, or flooding. |
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Port Reports - September 22
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay
Marquette, Mich.
St. Marys River
Straits
Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
Lake Michigan Ports
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Sep 21 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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William A. Irvin move set for Friday night 9/22 - Duluth, Minn. – The long-awaited move of the William A. Irvin was expected to begin Friday evening. The move of the tourist ship, moored for decades in the Minnesota Slip, was expected to begin around 9 p.m., an updated time from the initial 8 p.m. move. An official with the City of Duluth says that is because crews are still in the preparation stage. AMI Consulting Engineers are overseeing the project while Wren Works LLC are making the move. The process is expected to take four hours if there are no weather delays or complications. Co-owner of AMI Engineers Chad Scott said, “we need the wind to drop to close to 5 or 6 miles an hour to make it safe to move the vessel out. So, as long as weather permits and weather cooperates, we’ll be able to move out of the slip here tonight.” The Irvin will be guided by barges and towed methodically and very slowly to Fraser Shipyards in Superior, where the Irvin will undergo rehabilitation work while the slip is cleaned. The original motivation for the move was to clear the slip for a project by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. “The vessel had to be moved out already so that they could cap the slip of all its contaminants," Scott explained. "When the vessel’s out, you might as well actually take the time and do the repairs and maintenance to the vessel.” City officials say the Irvin is planned to return back to the slip next spring. The Minnesota Slip Bridge between the DECC and Canal Park will be pinned in the up position until Monday. During the move, there will be no marine traffic allowed with the exception of the U.S. Coast Guard vessels and the barges. The Aerial Lift Bridge will not lift for water vessels during this move Friday night. Duluth News Tribune |
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New Federal Dee makes first Seaway / Great Lakes visit 9/22 - Federal Dee (IMO 9805269), built in 2018 at the Oshima Shipbuilding Ltd. shipyard in Oshima, Japan, made its first Great Lakes/Seaway visit on Friday transiting the St. Lambert Lock in Montreal with a destination of Oshawa, Ont., where it is expected to arrive sometime Saturday. The ship arrived in Sorel, Que., on September 18 to unload cargo and departed on Sept. 21. Federal Dee is one of four new vessels built in 2018 at Oshima Shipbuilding, the others being the Federal Dart IMO 9805245, which made its first inland visit in August, and Federal Nagara IMO 9805257, which also made its first inland visit in August. Federal Delta IMO 9805271 and a sistership to Federal Dee, has not yet made an inland voyage however it is expected to do so before year's end. Each of the new vessels have a length of 199.98 meters and width of 23.800 meters and also have four deck cranes, whereas some of their earlier predecessors from Oshima have had three deck cranes. Denny Dushane |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 22 On September 22, 1958, the EDMUND FITZGERALD entered service, departing River Rouge, Michigan for Silver Bay, Minnesota on its first trip. The FITZGERALD's first load was 20,038 tons of taconite pellets for Toledo. The vessel would, in later years, set several iron ore records during the period from 1965 through 1969.While in ballast, the ROGER M. KYES struck bottom in Buffalo Harbor September 22, 1976, sustaining holes in two double bottom tanks and damage to three others, whereupon she proceeded to Chicago for dry docking on September 27, 1976, for survey and repairs. Renamed b.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS in 1989. While being towed from Duluth, Minnesota by the Canadian tug TUSKER on September 22, 1980, the D. G. KERR rammed into the breakwater at Duluth causing $200,000 in damages to the breakwater. The tow apparently failed to make the turning buoy leaving Duluth Harbor. On September 22, 1911 the HENRY PHIPPS collided with and sank her Steel Trust fleet mate, the steamer JOLIET of 1890, which was at anchor on the fog-shrouded St. Clair River near Sarnia, Ontario. The JOLIET sank without loss of crew and was declared a total loss. The PHIPPS then continued her downbound journey and collided with the Wyandotte Chemical steamer ALPENA, of 1909, but incurred only minor damage. The T.W. ROBINSON and US.265808 (former BENSON FORD) departed Quebec City in tow of the Polish tug JANTAR bound for Recife where they arrived on September 22, 1987. Scrapping began the next month in October. MATHILDA DESGAGNES was freed from polar ice in the Arctic on September 22, 1988, by the West German Icebreaker Research Vessel POLARSTERN. September 22, 1913 - The ANN ARBOR No. 5 struck bottom in the Sturgeon Bay Canal and damaged her rudder and steering gear. After undergoing repairs at Milwaukee, she was back in service the following October. On 22 September 1887, ADA E. ALLEN (wooden propeller steam barge, 90 foot, 170 gross tons, built in 1872, at Walpole Island, Ontario.) caught fire while moored at Amherstburg, Ontario. She was cut loose and set adrift to prevent the fire from spreading ashore. She drifted to Bois Blanc (Bob-Lo) Island and burned to a total loss. On 22 September 1882, Mr. H. N. Jex accepted the contract to recover the engine and boiler from the MAYFLOWER, which sank in the Detroit River in 1864. He was to be paid $600 upon delivery of the machinery at Windsor, Ontario. He succeeded in raising the engine on 12 October and the boiler shortly thereafter. 1917: The wooden steamer WILLIAM P. REND, a) GEORGE G. HADLEY, foundered off Alpena while carrying livestock. All 9 crewmembers were rescued. 1951: The Liberty ship THUNDERBIRD visited the Seaway in 1959. Earlier, on this date in 1951, the ship received major bow damage from a head-on collision with the Chinese freighter UNION BUILDER (built in 1945 at Brunswick, GA as a) COASTAL RANGER) at the entrance to Colombo, Ceylon. THUNDERBIRD was also a Great Lakes trader as d) NEW KAILING in 1964 and scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in 1967. 1979: OCEANIC KLIF first visited the Seaway in 1971. The ship stranded near Las Palmas, Canary Islands, while on a voyage from Kamsar, Guinea, West Africa, to Port Alfred, QC with calcinated bauxite and was abandoned by the crew. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, James Neumiller, Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Defiance aground in Round Island Passage in the Straits of Mackinac 9/21 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – The tug Defiance and barge Ashtabula, a 720-foot integrated tug and barge, ran aground in Round Island Passage between Mackinac Island and Round Island in the Straits of Mackinac on Friday. The incident was reported to watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie command center at 2:52 p.m. local time. The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone prohibiting the transit of vessels over 100 gross tons through Round Island Passage and prohibiting all vessels from navigating within 200 yards of the ship. The vessel departed Cedarville, Mich., and was transiting to its next port of call in Buffington, Ind., when it ran aground. The cause of the grounding is under investigation. High winds were present in the area at the time. The Defiance has 97,918 gallons of diesel fuel onboard. The vessel is taking precautionary measures to assess any damage and has not reported any injuries, pollution, or flooding. |
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Gales of September could bring up to 15-foot waves; some vessels seek shelter 9/21 - Gaylord, Mich. – Buckle up for the gales of September. Gale watches and warnings are kicking in across much of Lake Superior, and flanking Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Strong winds topping 40 mph are expected to hit the coastlines between Thursday night and late Friday. These winds and their accompanying storms could cause beach erosion and even flooding in some areas, the National Weather Service said. In some areas of Lake Superior, 12 to 15-foot waves are forecast on Friday. On Thursday, Herbert C. Jackson was taking shelter near Madeline Island, while Cason J. Callaway was anchored near Sand Island. Burns Harbor anchored Thursday in the lower St. Marys River near the Pipe Island Twins. Mesabi Miner, John G Munson, American Century and Erie Trader / Clyde S. VanEnkevort were moving but hugging the north shore of Lake Superior. The gale-force winds are taking aim at Michigan ahead of a cold front that's forecast to push through the area tonight and into Friday. "Winds will become southwest and gusty across northern Michigan Thursday afternoon into Thursday night in advance of the approaching system, before trending northwest Friday on the backside of the exiting storm system," according to the NWS staff in Gaylord. "The gusty winds combined with higher than normal Great Lakes water levels may create lakeshore flooding in some coastal areas along Lake Michigan." A gale-force wind is characterized as sustained winds between 39 and 54 mph. On Lake Michigan, the gale warning area will be largely north of Pentwater. Waves up to 10 feet are expected at those northern beaches. Elsewhere along the coast will have small craft advisories. On Lake Superior, the first round of gales was expected to whip up late Thursday. "Across western Lake Superior, winds will funnel from Isle Royale down into Duluth, with northeast gales up to 40-45 knots at times later this evening and tonight," according to the NWS in Marquette. "Across eastern Lake Superior, winds ahead of the system will start off easterly, increase in speed, then become more southerly as the low tracks across central Lake Superior tonight. A screaming low-level jet of 50 to 60 knots out of the south-southwest tonight into early Friday morning will allow the gales to hold on across eastern Lake Superior into Friday morning. ... During this time period, the large waves are expected across the west half of Lake Superior and will build upwards of 12 to 15 feet across far western Lake Superior. M Live |
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Port Reports - September 21
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay and North Shore North Shore: Thursday September 20th: With a strong low pressure system moving over the Great Lakes and a gale warning in effect for Lake Superior, these upbound vessels have opted for the northern route along the Canadian coast: Mesabi Miner, John G Munson, American Century and Erie Trader / Clyde S. VanEnkevort.
Marquette, Mich.
St. Marys River
Cedarville, Mich.
Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Sep 20 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks :
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 21 On 21 September 1892, the whaleback steamer JAMES B. COLGATE (steel propeller whaleback freighter, 308 foot, 1,713 gross tons) was launched by the American Steel Barge Co. (Hull #121) at W. Superior, Wisconsin. She only lasted until 1916, when she foundered in the "Black Friday Storm" on Lake Erie with the loss of 26 lives.ALGOWAY left Collingwood on her maiden voyage in 1972, and loaded salt for Michipicoten, Ontario, on Lake Superior. On 21 September 1844, JOHN JACOB ASTOR (wooden brig, 78 foot, 112 tons, Built in 1835, at Pointe aux Pins, Ontario but precut at Lorain, Ohio) was carrying furs and trade goods when she struck a reef and foundered near Copper Harbor, Michigan. She was owned by Astor’s American Fur Company. She was reportedly by the first commercial vessel on Lake Superior. On 21 September 1855, ASIA (2-mast wooden schooner, 108 foot, 204 tons, built in 1848, at Black River, Ohio) was carrying corn from Chicago for Buffalo when she collided with the propeller FOREST CITY off the mouth of Grand Traverse Bay. ASIA went down in deep water in about 10 minutes, but her crew just had enough time to escape in her boat. The schooner HAMLET picked them up. 1907: The passenger ship PICTON, a) CORSICAN caught fire and burned at the dock in Toronto. The hull was later converted to a barge and was, in time, apparently abandoned near the Picton Pumping Station. 1907: ALEX NIMICK, a wooden bulk freighter, went aground near west of Vermilion Point, Lake Superior, and broke up as a total loss. The vessel was enroute from Buffalo to Duluth with a cargo of coal and six lives were lost 1921: The 3-masted schooner OLIVER MOWAT sinks in Lake Ontario between the Main Duck and False Duck Islands after a collision with KEYWEST on a clear night. Three lives were lost while another 2 sailors were rescued from the coal-laden schooner. 1924: The whaleback self-unloader CLIFTON, the former SAMUEL MATHER, foundered in Lake Huron off Thunder Bay while carrying a cargo of stone from Sturgeon Bay to Detroit. All 25 on board were lost. 1946: A second typhoon caught the former Hall vessel LUCIUS W. ROBINSON as b) HAI LIN while anchored in the harbor at Saipan, Philippines, on a voyage to China. 1969: AFRICAN GLADE, a Seaway caller in 1963, lost power in the Caribbean as c) TRANSOCEAN PEACE and was towed into Port au Spain, Trinidad. The repaired ship departed for Durban, South Africa, in April 1970 only to suffer more boiler problems enroute. The vessel was sold for scrapping at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, later in the year. 1977: HELEN EVANS suffered steering problems and went aground on Whaleback Shoal while upbound with iron ore in the St. Lawrence. There was minor damage and the vessel was released September 23. 1982: CALGADOC left the Great Lakes in 1975 and saw service in the south as b) EL SALINERO. The ship sank on this date in 1982 on the Pacific off the coast of Mexico. 1985: ELTON HOYT 2ND struck the 95th Street Bridge at Chicago and headed to Sturgeon Bay for repairs. 1988: The small tug MARY KAY sank in a Lake Ontario storm enroute from Rochester to Oswego. The former b) CAPT. G.H. SWIFT had recently been refitted and went down after a huge wave broke over the stern. It had seen only brief service on Lake Ontario after arriving from the Atlantic in 1987. 1993: The tug DUKE LUEDTKE sank in Lake Erie about 12 miles north of Avon Point when the ship began taking water faster than the pumps could keep up. One coastguardsman was lost checking on the source of the leak when the vessel rolled over and sank. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Miller Boat Line will name new ferry in honor of family matriarch 9/20 - Put-in-Bay, Ohio - Miller Ferries, which offers service to Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass Island on Lake Erie. has contracted with Fraser Shipyards of Superior, Wis., to build a new drive-on, drive-off passenger/vehicle ferry for delivery in fall 2019. The new ferry will be delivered from Lake Superior to Lake Erie and her new home port of Put-in-Bay, Ohio. The vessel will be christened Mary Ann Market in honor of the family matriarch and the company’s late owner (1935-2010). The new 140 foot long, 38.5 foot wide ferry will accommodate 26 standard sized vehicles or 600 passengers and will join Miller’s present fleet of four passenger/vehicle ferries. The Mary Ann Market will feature enhanced propulsion and maneuverability, a main deck ADA accessible passenger cabin and restroom, and a 20% increase in cargo capacity over Miller’s largest vessel. The vessel will be built in modules and assembled at Fraser Shipyards beginning fall 2018 and throughout 2019. The Miller Boat Livery was founded in 1905 in the island harbor of Put-in-Bay as a water taxi, fishing charter and ice harvesting company. The company evolved under owners Lee and Mary Miller during the late 1940’s, ’50’s and ’60s into a ferry boat line with a fleet of four passenger/vehicle ferries. William E. Market (Bill) and his wife Mary Ann, of Put-in-Bay, purchased the Miller Boat Line in 1978 from Mary Miller. The Markets chose to keep the name “Miller” in honor of the founding family. Bill Market oversaw the construction of four new ferries; the M/V Islander (built 1983), M/V South Bass (built 1989), M/V William Market (built 1993), and M/V Put-in-Bay (built 1997, lengthened 2010). These newer, larger vessels were designed to accommodate more passengers, carry longer and taller construction-type vehicles, as well as increased speed to maintain a more frequent trip schedule. During the 1980s and ’90s the older vessels were sold to other Great Lakes ferry companies. Today, Miller Boat Line is owned and operated by Bill and Mary Ann’s children, Julene Market, Billy Market and Scott Market. Billy and Scott Market’s children work within the company. Put-in-Bay Daily |
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William A. Irvin move delayed 9/20 - Duluth, Minn. – Due to inclement weather, the William A. Irvin’s move to Fraser Shipyards in Superior has been delayed. The Irvin will need to exit Minnesota Slip to allow for crews to begin working on a project designed to stabilize and contain contaminated sediments there. Plans to move the 611-foot laker require calm winds and lake conditions, since the ship has no propulsion mechanism. However, the city has determined that weather conditions do not look favorable and the contractor is looking at rescheduling the move for the week of Sept. 24. After the Irvin leaves the slip, it will be moved to Fraser, where its hull will be painted. Due to the reschedule, the Minnesota Slip Bridge in Canal Park will operate during normal hours for the remainder of the week. The slip bridge will be pinned up a day prior to the move. |
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Port Reports - September 20
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Jim Stiefvater
Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Sep 19 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Sep 18 - Irma (Cyp) at 1357, Baie St Paul at 1844, Algoma Niagara at 1929 and Thunder Bay eta 2141 - Ebony Ray (Mlt) (ex Millennium Park-14) at 0224, tug Sea Eagle II & barge St. Marys Cement II at 0918, tug Undaunted & barge Pere Marquette 41 at 2200 (to wharf 16) and tug Karen Andrie & barge Endeavour at 2345 (to wharf 16)
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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See when you can expect freighters at the Port of Cleveland 9/20 - We love to watch freighters. As long as the Terminal Tower is tall, the ships are eye-catching, mesmerizing, romantic vestiges of industrial glory days. We can’t get over their size, whether they’re powering through Lake Erie or pivoting around the hairpin curves of the Cuyahoga River. They’re more than a pretty sight on the horizon. Shipping on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway supported $35 billion in economic activity last year, $3.8 billion of that in Ohio, according to a July report by the Great Lakes Seaway Partnership. Lakers make up 95 percent of the freighter traffic on the Great Lakes. Much of them unload at the Port of Cleveland’s bulkhead terminal west of Whiskey Island, then transfer their goods to slightly smaller, river-class ships that can navigate the river up to the ArcellorMittal steel mill, including the Buffalo and the Dorothy Ann-Pathfinder. The laker schedules are not published and are constantly changing, though you can see ships’ locations on the BoatNerd live feed located at http://ais.boatnerd.com/ Saltwater vessels (salties) also arrive about 10 times a month. Ships make about 450 round trips on the Cuyahoga each year, a floating conveyor belt of iron ore, stone, cement, asphalt, and salt, among other commodities. Here are the saltwater ships scheduled to visit Cleveland, according to the Port of Cleveland:
Sept. 26: Victory I, cruise ship http://www.portofcleveland.com/maritime-logistics/vessel-arrival-schedule/ RockTheLake.com |
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Gales of November planned Nov. 2-3 at Duluth 9/20 - Duluth, Minn. – The annual Gales of November conference, sponsored by the Lake Superior Maritime Museum Association, will be held in Duluth Nov. 2-3. There will speakers, exhibitors and many other events. Gales of November is the LSMMA's premier fundraising event for the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. What began almost 30 years ago as a small gathering of divers sharing shipwreck pictures, has grown into a two-day educational and networking event. The winners of the annual Cruise of a Lifetime event will also be announced on Nov. 3. Lear more, or register, at this link: https://lsmma.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=605134&module_id=314236 |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 20 John Jonathon Boland was born on 20 September 1875, in New York. Along with Adam E. Cornelius, he formed the partnership of Boland and Cornelius in 1903, and was one of the founders of the American Steamship Company in 1907. He died in 1956.On September 20, 1986, vandals started a $5,000 fire aboard the laid up NIPIGON BAY at Kingston, Ontario, where she had been since April 1984. GEORGE A. STINSON's self-unloading boom was replaced on September 20, 1983. The boom had collapsed onto her deck due to a mechanical failure on the night of April 19, 1983, at Detroit, Michigan. No injuries were reported. She continued hauling cargoes without a boom until replacement could be fabricated. She was renamed b.) AMERICAN SPIRIT in 2004. On September 20, 1980, EDGAR B. SPEER entered service for the U.S. Steel Fleet. CHARLES E. WILSON sailed light on her maiden voyage from Sturgeon Bay September 20, 1973, bound for Escanaba, Michigan, to load ore. She was renamed b.) JOHN J. BOLAND in 2000. CHARLES M. WHITE was christened at Baltimore, Maryland, on September 20, 1951. On 20 September 1873, W. L. PECK (2 mast wooden schooner-barge, 154 foot, 361 gross tons) was launched at Carrollton, Michigan. On 20 September 1856, COLONEL CAMP (3-mast wooden bark, 137 foot, 350 tons, built in 1854, at Three Mile Bay, New York) was carrying wheat to Oswego, New York, when she collided with the wooden steamer PLYMOUTH and sank in just a few minutes. No lives were lost. 1970: MARATHA ENDEAVOUR, enroute from Chicago to Rotterdam, broke down in the Atlantic and sent out a distress call. The ship was taking water but survived. The 520-foot long vessel had been a Seaway trader since 1965 and returned as b) OLYMPIAN in 1971. The ship arrived at Huangpu, China, for scrapping as c) HIMALAYA on January 9, 1985. 1980: The Canadian coastal freighter EDGAR JOURDAIN was built at Collingwood in 1956 as MONTCLAIR. The ship had been a pre-Seaway trader to the lakes and returned as b) PIERRE RADISSON in 1965, c) GEORGE CROSBIE in 1972 and d) EDGAR JOURDAIN beginning in 1979. It was wrecked at Foxe Basin, off Hall Beach in the Canadian Arctic, after going aground. The ship was abandoned, with the anchors down, but disappeared overnight on December 15, 1982, while locked in shifting pack ice. It is believed that the vessel was carried into deeper water and, at last report, no trace had ever been found. 1982: BEAVERFIR served Canadian Pacific Steamships as a Seaway trader beginning in 1961. The ship stranded off Barra de Santiago, El Salvador, as d) ANDEN in a storm on this date in 1982 after dragging anchor. Sixteen sailors from the 26-member crew perished. 2011: MINER, a) MAPLECLIFFE HALL, b) LEMOYNE (ii), c) CANADIAN MINER broke loose of the tug HELLAS and drifted aground off Scaterie Island, Nova Scotia, while under tow for scrapping at Aliaga, Turkey. The ship was a total loss and, in 2013, was still waiting to be dismantled and removed. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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U.S.-flag cargo movement on lakes tops 10 million tons in August 9/19 - Cleveland, Ohio – U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 10 million tons of cargo in August, a near repeat of a year ago. The August float was also largely in line with the month’s 5-year average. Iron ore cargos for steel production totaled 5 million tons, an increase of 6.8 percent compared to a year ago, and the second consecutive month in which ore shipments topped 5 million tons. Coal loads totaled 1.6 million tons, a slight increase over a year ago. Shipments of aggregate, fluxstone, chemical stone and scrubber stone totaled 2.9 million tons, a decrease of 10 percent compared to a year ago. Year-to-date U.S.-flag cargo movement stands at 48.4 million tons, a decrease of 4.1 percent compared to the same point in 2017. Iron ore cargos total 26.55 million tons, a decrease of 3.7 percent. Coal loadings total 6.5 million tons, a decrease of 13.7 percent. Limestone tops 12.8 million tons, an increase of 2.3 percent. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Port Reports - September 19
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Sep 18 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Transportation Safety Board releases report of Thunder Bay shipping incident 9/19 - Thunder Bay, Ont. – The national transportation safety board has wrapped up an investigation into an incident at the Thunder Bay port where a sailor had to be rescued from frigid water after being unable to climb back up the ship’s ladder. The incident happened on Dec. 8, 2017 at Thunder Bay Terminals while the Federal Champlain was loading potash. The third officer, who was continuously monitored, climbed down a ladder to the side of the ship to read draft measurements after an on-deck device used to take measurements failed when its water and antifreeze mixture froze. The third officer, who was wearing winter clothing, was seated on the second last step of the ladder, one metre from the surface of the water, with his feet pressed against the hull of the ship. After 20 minutes, the sailor said he was uncomfortable and asked to be relieved. He was unable to climb up the ladder and was said to be in severe pain. He was then lowered into the water, put the life buoy around his neck and floated on his back. Crew members launched a rescue boat, while a small craft was launched from shore. That small craft boat rescued the sailor and eventually transported him to an ambulance. The sailor was taken to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, where he was briefly hospitalized with moderate hypothermia. The air temperature had been measured at – 12C, with wind chill values of – 14C. The water temperature was – 2C, though there was no ice present in the harbour. The investigation determined that neither the ship’s risk assessment nor its permit to work overboard included provisions for recovery or rescue in case of emergency. The company conducted an internal investigation and has since encouraged crews to use a small craft vessel to measure seaward draft in cold weather conditions and that using a ladder to read draft marks in cold weather should be kept to a minimum. TBNewswatch |
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Craft brewery tanks pass through Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor 9/19 - A Bell's 12-pack arrived at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor last week — a 12-pack of 25,353-pound brewery tanks that stretch 40 feet long and can hold 800 barrels of beer. The Federal Mackinac shipped in a dozen stainless steel brewery tanks that each can hold 198,400 pints of beer and collectively weigh 304,235 pounds, according to the Indianapolis-based Ports of Indiana. The cargo headed from the deepwater port on Lake Michigan to Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo, a Midwestern favorite best-known for its popular Two-Hearted Ale and Oberon Ale. "When you consider our port's strategic location in the U.S., its logistical access to ocean vessels, river barges, rail and truck transportation, and our experienced cargo-handling services, our port is uniquely qualified to handle oversized cargoes," port director Ian Hirt said. "For large shipments of beer tanks, wind turbines or machinery, shippers can realize significant savings by keeping the cargo on water as long possible, rather than dealing with the hassle, permitting and costs to drive oversized loads to or from the East Coast or West Coast. Having ocean access in Indiana is a tremendous advantage for Midwest shippers." Federal Marine Terminals used a crane to lift the massive tanks, which will be loaded onto heavy-haul semi-trucks for the journey to one of Michigan's best-known craft breweries. The stevedore, along with workers from the International Longshoremen's Association and the International Union of Operating Engineers, unloads "heavy lift" and "project cargoes" that have become increasingly common at the port. Over the last three years, the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor has unloaded dozens of brewery tanks in five different shipments from Europe, the center of the brewery tank manufacturing industry. NW Indiana Times |
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Canada to assess shipping's impact on coastal marine ecosystems 9/19 - Transport Canada has awarded a contract to ESSA Technologies to look at ways of assessing the cumulative impacts of marine shipping on coastal marine ecosystems. The $95,000 initiative will involve collecting data from six pilot sites: Northern British Columbia, Southern British Columbia, the St. Lawrence River (Quebec), the Bay of Fundy (New Brunswick), the South Coast of Newfoundland, and Cambridge Bay (Nunavut). In August, Canada's Minister of Transport Marc Garneau announced an investment of over $175 million in seven measures to help protect Arctic waters as part of the Oceans Protection Plan. These measures include: • $94.3 million over five years to support safer and more efficient Arctic resupply operations through the Federal Investments in Safety Equipment and Basic Marine Infrastructure in Northern Communities Initiative. • The Government of Canada will enhance partnerships with Indigenous communities and Arctic stakeholders to establish Low Impact Shipping Corridors. The shipping routes established through these initiatives will provide the infrastructure, navigational support and emergency response services needed for safer marine navigation, while respecting the environment and local ecology and cultures. • $29.9 million to build a new Arctic National Aerial Surveillance Program Complex in Iqaluit, Nunavut, featuring a hangar and accommodations unit, to further improve spill prevention. This investment will enhance Transport Canada's National Aerial Surveillance Program Arctic operations to keep watch over the growing number of ships operating in Canada's Arctic waters. • $21 million over five years for Transport Canada's Marine Training Contribution Fund. This investment will enhance and expand marine training and opportunities to underrepresented groups, including Indigenous people, Northerners and women in Canada's Arctic. • $16.89 million over five years to establish Transport Canada's Office of Incident Management, which will modernize and standardize the department's incident response processes. The Office will oversee implementation of the Incident Command System, a widely recognized and used response tool. This will improve the department's response capability in emergency situations and improve seamless coordination with other response partners. • $13.4 million over five years to expand Transport Canada's Community Participation Funding Program. This investment will facilitate meaningful partnerships with Indigenous groups and increase their participation and input into decisions affecting Canada's marine transportation system. • The continued expansion of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary in the Arctic to bolster the nation's collective ability to respond to maritime all-hazard incidents in the future. The Coast Guard Auxiliary is made up of trained volunteers who use their own vessels to respond to incidents in Canadian waters. Earlier this year, Garneau announced a range of coastal protection measures under the Oceans Protection Plan. Among them, Aqua-Guard Spill Response from British Columbia was awarded a $1.2 million contract for new multi-cassette portable skimmer packages to recover marine pollution spills. Over $167 million has been assigned to whale research, including the survival risks faced by the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale. The ultimate aim is to implement regulatory and other measures to reduce underwater noise from vessels. To date, the Government of Canada has announced approximately $800 million in investments under the Plan. Maritime Executive |
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A slow-moving ‘disaster’ is threatening Lake Superior and way of life 9/19 - Gay, Mich. – A slow-moving environmental catastrophe unfolding in Lake Superior starts beneath the shadow of an old smokestack. That’s where the Mohawk Mining Co. left a heaping pile of waste when it shuttered its stamp mill 86 years ago in the far western Upper Peninsula. As much as 23 million metric tons of crushed rock sat along the shore — enough to fill more than 1.4 million commercial dump trucks today. Line up those trucks end to end, and the queue would stretch more than 7,000 miles, circling more than a quarter of the globe. Whittled down by winds and waves, the pile now weighs in at 2.4 million metric tons (more than 150,000 trucks) and is shrinking. But none of the dark, coarse sands actually vanished. Instead, they’ve seeped into the lake, bringing along metals like arsenic and copper – as well as the potential to decimate fisheries and a way of life for Native American tribes who rely on them along the Keweenaw Peninsula. “It’s a man-made natural disaster,” said Jeff Ratcliffe, executive director of the nonprofit Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance. “People have been kind of ignoring it for a long time.” Left over from the mining bonanza that gave the western Upper Peninsula its “Copper Country” nickname, the waste now covers five miles of coastline along the corner of Lake Superior known as Grand Traverse Bay. Drifting southward from Gay, a tiny unincorporated community, the mining waste is damming stream outlets, covering wetlands and jeopardizing one the lake’s most productive spawning grounds for lake trout and whitefish. That’s Buffalo Reef. The waste already covers more than 35 percent of the reef and could blanket up to 60 percent by 2025 without major intervention, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Stretching 2,200 acres beneath the bay, Buffalo Reef supports a roughly $5 million-a-year recreational and commercial fishery around the Keweenaw Peninsula in the western Upper Peninsula. Nearly a quarter of the lake trout caught in Michigan’s portion of Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake, comes from within 50 miles of the reef, according to the DNR. The reef produces 22 percent of commercial fish in southern Lake Superior. “There’s almost as much harvest in Keweenaw Bay as there is the entire eastern half of Lake Superior,” said Dave Caroffino, a fisheries biologist in the DNR’s tribal coordination unit. “The Keweenaw Bay is a very important area.” But life is vanishing in waste-covered sections of the reef. That’s because stamp mill sands are smothering crevices between the reef’s cobbles, where fish lay, fertilize and incubate eggs. The metals in the sand, particularly copper, are toxic to tiny organisms that grow on the reef and are at the bottom of the food chain. The trend worries the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and other Ojibwe tribes. The tribes fished Superior — called gitchi-gami— long before miners swooped in to strip away earth’s metal. “Every single tribal member is affected by what goes on on this reef,” said Evelyn Ravindran, natural resources director of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, a 3,600-member tribe whose L'Anse reservation includes 19 miles of Lake Superior shoreline. Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/slow-moving-disaster-threatening-lake-superior-and-way-life |
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Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon shipments set historic record 9/19 - – Record-breaking demands for coal and agriculture products propelled the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon into historic territory with more barge shipments in the first six months of 2018 than any port in the history of Indiana’s ports. Approximately 4.7 million tons of cargo moved through the port in the first six months of 2018, an increase of 36 percent from the same time last year. Key drivers of the record shipments included maritime shipping increases in coal, grain, dried distillers grain, calcined coke, salt and soy products. This achievement follows the port’s highest first quarter volume ever recorded at any of the state’s three ports, a new all-time monthly tonnage record in May 2018 and a record-breaking shipping year in 2017. The 2018 six-month volume would rank as the eighth highest annual total in the port’s 42-year history even if shipments stopped June 30. The port also recorded its third-highest monthly total of the year in July at a robust 812,128 tons, putting the port on track for an unprecedented volume of shipping this calendar year. “Our previous six-month record occurred in 2016 when port shipments registered 4 million tons,” said Phil Wilzbacher, port director for the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon. “As the sixth largest inland port district in the country, this port serves a significant region of the Midwest by providing multimodal infrastructure for industries requiring access to river, rail and roadway logistics. It is very encouraging to see substantial growth continue to build over the past three years as our southwestern Indiana port serves as a hub for global and domestic markets.” The Great Lakes-Seaway Partnership |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 19 At Rush Street in Chicago, Illinois, a hand-operated ferry carried pedestrians across the Chicago River. The ferry operator would pull on a rope, hand over hand, to move the ferry across the river. At a signal from schooners, the rope was dropped and the schooner would sail over it. On 19 September 1856, the rope was dropped but the impatient passengers picked it up to move the ferry themselves. The incoming schooner snagged the rope and the ferry was spun around and capsized. 15 people were drowned.When Cleveland Tankers’ new SATURN entered service and made her first trip to Toledo, Ohio, on September 19, 1974, she became the first of three tankers built for the fleet's modernization program. EDGAR B. SPEER departed the shipyard on her maiden voyage for U.S. Steel on September 19, 1980, bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota, where she loaded her first cargo of taconite pellets. The twin-screw rail car ferry GRAND HAVEN of 1903, was laid up in the spring of 1965, at the old Pennsylvania Dock at Cleveland, Ohio and later at dockage on the Old River Bed where she sank on September 19, 1969. September 19, 1997 - officials at Lake Michigan Carferry, Inc. announced that the CITY OF MIDLAND 41 would be converted to a barge. On 19 September 1893, SAMUEL BOLTON (wooden schooner-barge, 150 foot, 330 gross tons, built in 1867, at Bangor, Michigan as a schooner) was loaded with lumber and being towed in fog in Lake Huron. She got lost from the tow and drifted ashore near Richmond, Michigan where she broke in two and was then torn apart by waves. She was owned by Brazil Hoose of Detroit. On Saturday, 19 September 1891, at 11 a.m., the whaleback steamer CHARLES W. WETMORE left Philadelphia, Pennsylvania loaded with the materials to build a nail mill, iron smelter and shipyard for the new city of Everett, Washington. Her skipper was Captain Joseph B. Hastings and she had a crew of 22. On 19 September 1900, the Great Lakes schooner S.L. WATSON foundered off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She had been sent to the Atlantic the previous autumn by her owner, J. C. Gilchrist of Cleveland. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Irvin move to temporarily close pedestrian bridge 9/18 - Duluth, Minn. – The William A. Irvin, Duluth’s floating museum, will be moved out of Minnesota Slip sometime this week between Tuesday and Friday. To allow for the vessel’s passage, the city of Duluth announced that it will be necessary to pin the pedestrian lift bridge that spans the slip in an upright position. The bridge will be out of commission until the laker has completed its transit out of the slip. The timing of the ship’s movement will depend on weather conditions, with calm conditions desired to execute what will be a tight squeeze for the 611-foot-long vessel. Duluth News Tribune |
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Port Reports - September 18
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Sep 17 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Rep. Jack Bergman named 2018 Great Lakes Legislator of the Year 9/18 - Toledo, Ohio – Michigan Congressman Jack Bergman (R) has been named 2018 Great Lakes Legislator of the Year by the largest labor/management coalition representing shipping on America’s Fourth Sea Coast. The award is presented annually by Great Lakes Maritime Task Force (GLMTF) to a legislator who has helped advance waterborne commerce on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway and will be presented on September 18 at Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City, Michigan. “Although this is just his first term, Rep. Bergman has quickly become recognized as a leader on Great Lakes and Seaway issues,” said Jim Weakley, President of GLMTF in 2018. “This reflects that his district fronts on three of the five Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan and Huron.” Weakley, who is also President of the Lake Carriers’ Association, said GLTMF is especially grateful that Rep. Bergman spoke directly to President Trump about the need for a second Poe-sized lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. “Within hours of Congressman Bergman talking to the President, our nation’s leader publicly declared his support for fixing the Soo Locks. That support, coupled with the new benefit/cost ratio of 2.42, puts the project in the best spot it’s been in years.” Congressman Bergman’s commitment to adequate U.S. Coast Guard icebreaking resources is another reason for his selection. With his selection as Great Lakes Legislator of the Year, Rep. Bergman becomes the tenth Michigan legislator to receive the award since its inception in 1998. Previous recipients are Senators Debbie Stabenow, Carl Levin and Spencer Abraham, and Representatives Bill Huizenga, Candice Miller, Dave Camp, Vernon Ehlers, Bart Stupak, and Dave Bonior. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 18 On September 18, 1855, SEBASTOPOL (wooden side-wheel steamer, 230 foot, 863 tons, built in 1855, at Cleveland, Ohio) was sailing on Lake Michigan in a gale. Her cargo included copper, tin, lead and iron ingots, safes and general merchandise. Her skipper misread the shore lights while she was coming in to Milwaukee and she stranded 500 feet from shore, broadside to the storm waves which pounded her to pieces. Most of the crew and 60 passengers were saved with the help of small boats from shore, but about 6 lives were lost. This was the vessel's first year of operation. Her paddlewheels were 50 feet in diameter.On September 18,1679, GRIFFON, the first sailing ship on the upper Lakes, left Green Bay with a cargo of furs. She left the explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, behind. GRIFFON never reached her planned destination. E J BLOCK, a.) W. R. WOODFORD of 1908, returned to service on September 18, 1946, as the first large bulk freighter powered by a diesel-electric power plant and one of the first equipped with commercial radar on the Great Lakes. She lasted until scrapped at Ramey's Bend in 1988. On September 18, 1959, the HENRY FORD II ran aground in the St. Marys River and damaged 18 bottom plates. LAKE WINNIPEG was the first vessel to enter the Nipigon Transport fleet. She loaded her first cargo of 22,584 gross tons of iron ore clearing Sept Isles, Quebec, on September 18, 1962, bound for Cleveland, Ohio. The Pere Marquette carferry CITY OF MIDLAND 41 (Hull#311) was launched on September 18, 1940, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She was built by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Corporation at a cost of $2 million. She was named after Midland, Michigan, for one of the Pere Marquette Railway's biggest customers, Dow Chemical Co. She was christened by Miss Helen Dow, daughter of Willard H. Dow, president of Dow Chemical Co. Converted to a barge in 1998, renamed PERE MARQUETTE 41. On September 18, 1871, E. B. ALLEN (wooden schooner, 111 foot, 275 tons, built in 1864, at Ogdensburg, New York) was carrying grain when she collided with the bark NEWSBOY and sank off Thunder Bay Island in Lake Huron. On September 18, 1900, the large steamer CAPTAIN THOMAS WILSON was taken from her launch site on the Black River in Port Huron out to the St. Clair River. The tug HAYNES was at the bow and the tug BOYNTON at the stern. It took an hour and a half to maneuver through the various bridges. Newspapers estimated that a couple thousand persons watched the event. Once the WILSON made it to the St. Clair River, she was towed to Jenks Shipbuilding Company where she was completed and received her machinery. 1909: LACKAWANNA lost steering and sank in the St. Clair River with a hole in the starboard bow after a collision with the wooden schooner CHIEFTAIN off Point Edward. 1918: BUFFALO, formerly the Great Lakes package freighter a) TADOUSAC, b) DORIC, was torpedoed by U-117 and sunk off Godfrey Light and Trevose Head, Cornwall, UK 1942: ASHBAY traded on the Great Lakes for Bay Line Navigation from 1923 until 1935 when it was sold for Brazilian coastal service. The ship was sunk by gunfire from U-516 on this date at the mouth of the Marowyne River, Brazil, as c) ANTONICO and 16 lives were lost. 1942: NORFOLK, enroute from Surinam to Trinidad, was hit, without warning, by two torpedoes from U-175, on the starboard side near the British Guiana Venezuela border. The Canada Steamship Lines ship went down in minutes. Six lives were lost was well as the cargo of 3055 tons of bauxite destined for Alcoa. 1958: ASHTABULA sank in Ashtabula harbor after a collision with the inbound BEN MOREELL. All on board were rescued but there were later two casualties when the captain committed suicide and an insurance inspector fell to his death while on board. 1970: HIGHLINER was heavily damaged amidships as d) PETROS in a fire at Tyne, UK. The vessel was not repaired and, after being laid up at Cardiff, was towed to Newport, Monmouthshire, for scrapping on June 12, 1972. 1978: The British freighter DUNDEE was a pre-Seaway trader into the Great Lakes and returned through the new waterway on 14 occasions from 1959 to 1962. It foundered in the Mediterranean as g) VLYHO near Falconera Island after an engine room explosion caused leaks in the hull. The vessel was enroute from Chalkis, Greece, to Tunis, Tunisia, at the time. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Canadian ports and terminal operators target Midwest 9/17 - Mention the Midwest, and it does not take long for key Canadian ports and terminal operators on the east and west coasts, along with various transportation providers, to rapidly target the region as a major strategic market in North America. Indeed, for the Midwest, Canada is the leading trading partner. Bilateral trade between the 12 Midwest states led by Michigan and Canada approaches US$200 billion (US) annually. And Canada accounts for more than one third of the Midwest’s international trade. In the past few decades, the Port of Montreal has represented a significant gateway for Midwest import and export cargo, competing with such U.S. East Coast ports as New York and Baltimore. The Midwest generates roughly13 percent of the port’s total box throughput of 1.5 million TEUs. Regular customers have been such large Midwest shippers as Caterpillar, John Deere and Ford. “The US Midwest is a key market for us,” says Michael Fratianni, president and CEO of Montreal Gateway Terminals Partnership. “Shippers for decades have availed themselves of the Montreal gateway’s premium offering in terms of low dwell times, fast transit and competitive overall cost. “The US Midwest market, has been historically a ‘battleground’ with plenty of rivals competing for discretionary cargo that moves in and out of the region. Admittedly, over the last few years the competition and challenges to service the US Midwest have intensified and the big cargo owners are now looking more at door-to-door logistic supply chain solutions. One thing is for sure, we are more than ever committed to playing our part to remain a reliable and predictable link in the supply chain.” Read more at this link: https://www.ajot.com/premium/ajot-canadian-ports-and-terminal-operators-target-midwest |
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Port Reports - September 17
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Sep 16 - Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal dock: (updated information)
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Sep 15 - Barry Andersen Long Point bay anchorage:Anchored - Sep 13 - tug Everlast & barge Norman McLeod at 0638
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 17 On September 17, 1898, KEEPSAKE (2-mast wooden schooner, 183 foot, 286 gross tons, built in 1867, at Newport [Marine City], Michigan) was carrying coal from Ashtabula when she was struck by a terrible storm on Lake Erie. Her rudder was damaged, a sail torn away and her bulwarks were smashed. The CITY OF ERIE saw her distress signals at 3:30 a.m. and came to help. With the CITY OF ERIE's searchlight shining on the doomed schooner, a huge wave swept over the vessel taking away everything on deck and snapping both masts. The crew, some only half dressed, all managed to get into the lifeboat. They rowed to the CITY OF ERIE and were all rescued. Three days later, the other lifeboat and some wreckage from the KEEPSAKE were found near Ashtabula by some fishermen.GRIFFON (Hull#18) was launched September 17, 1955, at St. Catharines, Ontario by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. for Beaconsfield Steamship Ltd., Montreal, Quebec. Renamed b.) FRANQUELIN in 1967, c.) EVA DESGAGNES in 1987. Sold foreign in 1989, renamed d.) TELCHAC, scrapped at Tuxpan, Mexico, in 1992. On September 17, 1985, PATERSON suffered a crankcase explosion as she was bound for Quebec City from Montreal. She was repaired and cleared on September 21. Renamed b.) PINEGLEN in 2002. On September 17, 1830, WILLIAM PEACOCK (wood side wheel steamer, 102 foot, 120 tons, built in 1829, at Barcelona, New York) suffered the first major boiler explosion on Lake Erie while she was docked in Buffalo, New York. 15 - 30 lives were lost. She was rebuilt two years later and eventually foundered in a storm in 1835, near Ripley, Ohio. On September 17, 1875, the barge HARMONY was wrecked in a gale at Chicago, Illinois, by colliding with the north pier, which was under water. This was the same place where the schooner ONONGA was wrecked a week earlier and HARMONY came in contact with that sunken schooner. No lives were lost. On September 17, 1900, a storm carried away the cabin and masts of the wrecked wooden 4-mast bulk freight barge FONTANA. The 231-foot vessel had been wrecked and sunk in a collision at the mouth of the St. Clair River in the St. Clair Flats on August 3,1900. She had settled in the mud and gradually shifted her position. She eventually broke in two. After unsuccessful salvage attempts, the wreck was dynamited. Tragedy struck in 1949, when the Canada Steamship Lines cruise ship NORONIC burned at Pier 9 in Toronto, Ontario. By morning the ship was gutted, 104 passengers were known to be dead and 14 were missing. Because of land reclamation and the changing face of the harbor, the actual site of Noronic's berth is now in the lobby of the Harbour Castle Westin hotel. 1909: The towline connecting the ALEXANDER HOLLEY and SIR WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN broke in a Lake Superior storm and the former, a whaleback barge, almost stranded on Sawtooth Shoal. The anchors caught in time and it took 5 hours to rescue the crew. 1980: HERMION began Great Lakes trading shortly after entering service in 1960. The vessel stranded as d) AEOLIAN WIND, about a half mile from Nakhodka, USSR, during a voyage from North Vietnam to Cuba. The ship was refloated on October 8, 1980, and scrapped in 1981 at Nakhodka. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Coast Guard: Pilots of foreign ships may not refuse to work during labor disputes 9/16 - Toledo, Ohio – Reversing a policy statement from 24 years ago, the Coast Guard has told representatives of Great Lakes ports, ship operators, and labor unions it will no longer allow pilots who provide navigational guidance for foreign ships to refuse to work during labor disputes. “The Coast Guard is committed to ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable pilotage service for foreign merchant vessels transiting the Great Lakes System to facilitate commerce,” Michael Emerson, the Coast Guard’s director of marine transportation systems, wrote in a letter dated Friday to announce a policy which took effect Wednesday. The announcement followed a meeting Monday in upstate New York of the Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee, attended by representatives of various ports — including Toledo’s — plus several associations representing American pilots and the International Longshoremen’s Association. The issue arose in large part because of the mid-spring detention at Toledo’s docks of three ocean-going freighters because pilots called out to direct their navigation refused to pass a picket boat deployed by the ILA. The longshoremen have been embroiled in a long-running dispute with Midwest Terminals of Toledo International, the stevedore at the port authority-owned facility. The ships’ owners were estimated to have lost tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars in operational time before they made arrangements to have tugs tow the vessels away from the dock as “dead ships,” allowing pilots to then board without having to pass the ILA picket. Fear of similar situations afterward prompted foreign vessel owners to steer cargo away from Toledo’s port. Alex Johnson, Midwest Terminals’ president, said Friday he had already received several calls from ship operators with prospective cargoes to deliver between now and the year’s end. “I think we’re open for business,” Mr. Johnson said before thanking local businesspeople and labor leaders whom he said weighed in on the issue in support of his operation. Read more at this link: http://www.toledoblade.com/news/local/2018/09/14/Coast-Guard-Pilots-of-foreign-ships-may-not-refuse-to-work-during-labor-disputes/stories/20180914203 |
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Port Reports - September 16
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Port Inland, Mich.
Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Sep 15 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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Halifax Shipyard launches Canada’s lead Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel 9/16 - Halifax, N.S. – Canada’s lead Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel, the future HMCS Harry DeWolf, was launched Sept. 15, 2018, marking a significant milestone for the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) and the revitalization of the Royal Canadian Navy’s combatant fleet. At 103 metres and 6,615 tonne, the future HMCS Harry DeWolf is the largest Royal Canadian Navy ship built in Canada in 50 years. The ship was transitioned from our land level facility to a submersible barge yesterday, Sept. 14, 2018, and launched in the Bedford Basin today. The lead ship in the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship program is now pier side at Halifax Shipyard where our shipbuilders will continue working to prepare the ship for sea trials in 2019. HMCS Harry DeWolf is scheduled to be turned over to the Royal Canadian Navy in summer 2019. Construction of the second and third ships, the future HMCS Margaret Brooke and Max Bernays, are well underway at Halifax Shipyard. Later this month, the first two major sections of the future HMCS Margaret Brooke will be moved outside. The National Shipbuilding Strategy was created to replace the current surface fleets of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard. Through a competitive, open and transparent process, Irving Shipbuilding was selected to construct the Royal Canadian Navy’s future combatant fleet—Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels followed by Canadian Surface Combatants. As a result of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Irving Shipbuilding has become one of Atlantic Canada’s largest regional employers, with thousands of Canadians now working in skilled, well-paying jobs. The Halifax Shipyard, long at the centre of Canadian shipbuilding, is now revitalized and home to the most modern, innovative shipbuilding facilities, equipment, and processes in North America. |
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‘More to the Story’ will present a day in the life of a St. Lawrence Seaway freighter 9/16 - Watertown. N.Y. – WPBS-TV and the Watertown Daily Times will present “More to the Story: Life on a Freighter,” airing on WPBS-TV at 6 p.m. Sept. 23. The accompanying written story will appear in the Watertown Daily Times on Sept. 23. In July, Watertown Daily Times reporter Marcus Wolf, photographer Daytona Niles, and WPBS-TV producers Tracy DuFlo and Ryan Proven boarded the freighter CSL Welland at Lock 7 in the Welland Canal, near Niagara Falls, and rode it to Eisenhower Lock in Massena. As the ship made its way through the locks, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence Seaway, the captain and crew members discussed what it is like to live and work on a freighter. The Times and WPBS-TV worked in cooperation with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. in Canada, St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. in the U.S., the Canada Steamship Lines company, and Transport Canada to arrange the trip. The reporting team spent approximately 30 hours aboard the ship. The freighter was in the midst of a five-day voyage delivering grain from Thunder Bay on the coast of Lake Superior to Quebec City, which borders the St. Lawrence River. “WPBS had the added challenge of wanting to film video from the lock walls at the Welland Canal, and we also wanted to use our drone camera on-board the ship as we traveled through the Canal and the Seaway,” said Tracy DuFlo, director of production and executive producer at WPBS-TV. “Because the Welland Canal is in Canada, we had to obtain special permits through Transport Canada and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation. It involved lots of paperwork and required lots of insurance. But the end result was well worth it.” Still photography from Ms. Niles will accompany Mr. Wolf’s extensive story on the seamen’s work lives in the Times story. “The video images are absolutely stunning, and the documentary is an effective portrayal of life on board a CSL ship,” said Brigitte Hébert, director of communications at the shipping company. “Congratulations to WPBS-TV on a great program.” The program will be rebroadcast at 6 p.m. Sept. 29 and will begin streaming online at watch.wpbstv.org beginning at 6 a.m. Sept. 23. Watertown Daily Times |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 16 On September 16, 1893, HATTIE EARL (wooden schooner, 96 foot, 101 gross tons, built in 1869, at South Haven, Michigan) was driven ashore just outside the harbor of Michigan City, Indiana, and was pounded to pieces by the waves. No lives were lost.At about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, September 16, 1990, the inbound motor ship BUFFALO passed close by while the tanker JUPITER was unloading unleaded gasoline at the Total Petroleum dock in the Saginaw River near Bay City, Michigan. As the BUFFALO passed the dock's aft pilings broke off and the fuel lines parted which caused a spark and ignited the spilled fuel. At the time 22,000 barrels of a total of 54,000 barrels were still aboard. Flames catapulted over 100 feet high filling the air with smoke that could be seen for 50 miles. The fire was still burning the next morning when a six man crew from Williams, Boots & Coots Firefighters and Hazard Control Specialists of Port Neches, Texas, arrived to fight the fire. By Monday afternoon they extinguished the fire only to have it re-ignite that night resulting in multiple explosions. Not until Tuesday morning on the 18th was the fire finally subdued with the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard's BRAMBLE and BRISTOL BAY. The tanker, which was valued at $9 million, was declared a total constructive loss, though the engine room was relatively untouched. Unfortunately the fire claimed the life of one crew member, who drowned attempting to swim ashore. As a result the Coast Guard closed the river to all navigation. On October 19th the river was opened to navigation after the Gaelic tugs SUSAN HOEY and CAROLYN HOEY towed the JUPITER up river to the Hirschfield & Sons Dock at Bay City (formerly the Defoe Shipyard) where a crane was erected for dismantling the burned out hulk. Her engines were removed and shipped to New Bedford, Massachusetts, for future use. The river opening allowed American Steamship's BUFFALO to depart the Lafarge dock where she had been trapped since the explosion. JUPITER's dismantling was completed over the winter of 1990-91. Subsequent investigation by the NTSB, U.S. Coast Guard and the findings of a federal judge all exonerated the master and BUFFALO in the tragedy. Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd. purchased all nine of the Soo River's fleet on September 16, 1982, for a reported C$2.5 million and all nine returned to service, although only four were running at the end of the season. The NORISLE went into service September 16, 1946, as the first Canadian passenger ship commissioned since the NORONIC in 1913. On September 16, 1952, the CASON J. CALLAWAY departed River Rouge, Michigan, for Duluth, Minnesota, on its maiden voyage for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. On September 16, 1895, ARCTIC (2 mast wooden schooner, 113 foot, 85 gross tons, built in 1853, at Ashtabula, Ohio) was rammed and sunk by the steamer CLYDE in broad daylight and calm weather. ARCTIC was almost cut in half by the blow. The skipper of CLYDE was censured for the wreck and for his callous treatment of the schooner's crew afterwards. Luckily no lives were lost. On September 16,1877, the 46 foot tug RED RIBBON, owned by W. H. Morris of Port Huron, Michigan, burned about 2 miles below St. Clair, Michigan. Capt. Morris ran the tug ashore and hurried to St. Clair to get assistance, but officials there refused to allow the steam fire engine to go outside the city. The tug was a total loss and was only insured for $1,000, half her value. She had just started in service in May of 1877, and was named for the reform movement that was in full swing at the time of her launch. On September 16, 1900, LULU BEATRICE (2-mast wooden schooner, 72 foot, 48 gross tons, built in 1896, at Port Burwell, Ontario) was carrying coal on Lake Erie when she was wrecked on the shore near the harbor entrance at Port Burwell in a storm. One life was lost, the captain's wife. 1892 The wooden propeller VIENNA sank in foggy Whitefish Bay after beiing hit broadside by the wooden steamer NIPIGON. The latter survived and later worked for Canada Steamship Lines as b) MAPLEGRANGE and c) MAPLEHILL (i) but was laid up at Kingston in 1925 and scuttled in Lake Ontario in 1927. 1901 HUDSON was last seen dead in the water with a heavy list. The steeel package freighter had cleared Duluth the previous day with wheat and flax for Buffalo but ran into a furious storm and sank in Lake Superior off Eagle Harbor Light with the loss of 24-25 lives. 1906 CHARLES B. PACKARD hit the wreck of the schooner ARMENIA off Midddle Ground, Lake Erie and sank in 45 minutes. All on board were rescued and the hull was later dynamited as a hazard to navigation. 1937-- The large wooden tug G.R. GRAY (ii) of the Lake Superior Paper Co., got caught in a storm off Coppermine Point, Lake Superior, working with GARGANTUA on a log raft and fell into the trough. The stack was toppled but the vessel managed to reach Batchawana and was laid up. The hull was towed to Sault Ste. Marie in 1938 and eventually stripped out. The remains were taken to Thessalon in 1947 and remained there until it caught fire and burned in 1959. 1975 BJORSUND, a Norwegian tanker, visited the Seaway in 1966. The 22--year old vessel began leaking as b) AMERFIN enroute from Mexico to Panama and sank in the Pacific while under tow off Costa Rica. 1990 JUPITER was unloading at Bay City when the wake of a passing shipp separated the hose connection spreading gasoline on deck. An explosion and fire resulted. One sailor was lost as the ship burned for days and subsequently sank. 2005 Fire broke out aboard the tug JAMES A. HANNAH above Lock 2 of the Welland Canal while downbound with the barge 5101 loaded with asphalt, diesel and heavy oil. City of St. Catharines fire fighters help extinguish the blaze. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Jody L. Aho, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - September 15
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Port Inland, Mich.
Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
St. Clair River – Denny Dushane
Ashtabula, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Sep 14 - Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto: |
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For $890k, a historic U.P. lighthouse and 49 acres of wild Lake Superior frontier 9/15 - Ontonogon, Mich. – It was October 1894 when the then-brand-new red brick lighthouse at 14 Mile Point, a wild tract of Upper Peninsula property accessible only by boat, first beamed its beacon out over the dark waters of Lake Superior. One hundred and 24 years later, the now privately owned parcel of land the lighthouse sits on is still almost every bit as remote and rugged as it was during the light's earliest days. That lighthouse and that parcel -- 49 untamed acres, including rare old-growth forest and a 4,000-foot stretch of pristine Lake Superior shoreline -- is for sale. The listing, with Century 21 North Country Agency, is priced at $890,000. "You're kind of on an island without being on an island," said listing agent David Jukuri. "Some of the sunsets you'd see there are absolutely second to none. It's definitely spectacular." Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.mlive.com/expo/life-and-culture/erry-2018/09/5aba2ca64b7523/for-890k-a-historic-up-lightho.html |
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Dossin Great Lakes Museum marks three disastrous anniversaries 9/15 - Detroit, Mich. – This year is the anniversary of several significant Great Lakes maritime disasters. Join the folks at Dossin Great Lakes Museum for a three-part program exploring a few of these significant losses. Perhaps most clearly remembered is the loss of the bulk-carrier Carl D. Bradley in Lake Michigan on November 18, 1958. Of the 35 crewmen, only two survived. Sadly, 23 of the sailors lost that night hailed from Rogers City, Michigan, and the shipwreck devastated that town. Frank Mays, the lone remaining survivor, will discuss the tragedy with amateur historian Jeffrey Brasie. Underwater footage of the wreck will illustrate the program. During World War I, a foundry in Fort William (today Thunder Bay), Ontario, built three minesweepers for the French navy. On their maiden voyage to Sault Ste. Marie a century ago, two of the vessels foundered in a November storm. The 74 men who perished represent the greatest single loss of life on Lake Superior. This disaster will be explained by Detroit Historical Society Senior Curator Joel Stone. When it comes to marine disasters, few years were as bad as 1868. As commerce around the lakes rebounded from years of war, a series of storms, collisions and explosions claimed more than 15 vessels and over 200 mariners and passengers. Historian Mac McAdam will examine the long list of wrecks and put the year in perspective. Tickets are $5 for members (DHS or GLMI) and $10 for non-members. This program is produced in partnership with the Detroit Historical Society and the Great Lakes Maritime Institute. For more information, visit this link: https://detroithistorical.org/dossin-great-lakes-museum/events-calendar/events-listing/three-disastrous-anniversaries |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 15 On 15 September 1886, F. J. KING (wooden schooner, 140 foot, 280 tons, built in 1867, at Toledo, Ohio) was carrying iron ore from Escanaba, Michigan, to Chicago, Illinois. She sprang a leak and sank in a heavy southwesterly gale three miles off Rawley Bay, Wisconsin. Her crew reached shore in the yawl. Her loss was valued at $7,500.The A. H. FERBERT of 1942 was towed out of Duluth by the Sandrin tug GLENADA September 15, 1987; they encountered rough weather on Lake Superior and required the assistance of another tug to reach the Soo on the 19th. On the 21st the FERBERT had to anchor off Detour, Michigan, after she ran aground in the St. Marys River when her towline parted. Her hull was punctured and the Coast Guard ordered repairs to her hull before she could continue. Again problems struck on September 24th, when the FERBERT went hard aground at the Cut-Off Channel's southeast bend of the St. Clair River. Six tugs, GLENADA, ELMORE M. MISNER, BARBARA ANN, GLENSIDE, SHANNON and WM. A. WHITNEY, worked until late on the 26th to free her. The FERBERT finally arrived in tow of GLENSIDE and W. N. TWOLAN at Lauzon, Quebec, on October 7th. The steamer WILLIAM A. AMBERG (Hull#723) was launched September 15, 1917, at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the Producers Steamship Co., (M. A. Hanna, mgr.). Renamed b.) ALBERT E. HEEKIN in 1932, c.) SILVER BAY in 1955, d.) JUDITH M. PIERSON in 1975 and e.) FERNGLEN in 1982. Scrapped at Port Maitland, Ontario, in 1985. On September 15, 1925, the JOHN A. TOPPING left River Rouge, Michigan, light on her maiden voyage to Ashland, Wisconsin, to load iron ore for delivery to Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) WILLIAM A. REISS in 1934, she was scrapped at Alang, India, in 1994. On September 15th, lightering was completed on the AUGUST ZIESING; she had grounded above the Rock Cut two days earlier, blocking the channel. September 15, 1959, was the last day the U.S. Coast Guard Buoy Tender MESQUITE was stationed at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. MIDDLETOWN suffered a fire in her tunnels on September 15, 1986. Second and third degree burns were suffered by two crew members. She was renamed f.) AMERICAN VICTORY in 2006. In 1934, the ANN ARBOR NO 6 collided with the steamer N. F. LEOPOLD in a heavy fog. September 15, 1993 - Robert Manglitz became CEO and president of Lake Michigan Carferry Service after Charles Conrad announced his retirement and the sale of most of his stock. On 15 September 1873, IRONSIDES (wooden propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 220 foot, 1,123 tons, built in 1864, at Cleveland, Ohio) became disabled when she sprang a leak and flooded. The water poured in and put out her fires. She sank about 7 miles off Grand Haven, Michigan, on Lake Michigan. Reports of the number of survivors varied from 17 to 32 and the number lost varied from 18 to 28. On 15 September 1872, A. J. BEMIS (wood propeller tug, 49 tons, built in 1859, at Buffalo, New York) caught fire while underway. The fire originated under her boiler. She ran for shore but sank about six miles from Alpena, Michigan. No lives lost. 1882: The wooden passenger steamer ASIA got caught in a wild storm crossing Georgian Bay, fell into the trough and sank stern first. There were 123 passengers and crew listed as lost while only two on board survived. 1915: ONOKO of the Kinsman Transit Company foundered in Lake Superior off Knife Point, while downbound with wheat from Duluth to Toledo. The crew took to the lifeboats and were saved. The hull was located in 1987, upside down, in about 340 feet of water. 1928: MANASOO, in only her first season of service after being rebuilt for overnight passenger and freight service, foundered in Georgian Bay after the cargo shifted and the vessel overturned in heavy weather. There were 18 casualties, plus 46 head of cattle, and only 5 survived. 1940: KENORDOC, enroute to Bristol, UK, with a cargo of lumber was sunk due to enemy action as part of convoy SC 3 while 500 miles west of the Orkney Islands. The ship had fallen behind the convoy due to engine trouble, and was shelled by gunfire from U-48. There were 7 casualties including the captain and wireless operator. H.M.S. AMAZON completed the sinking as the bow of the drifting hull was still visible. 1940: The Norwegian freighter LOTOS came inland in 1938 delivering pulpwood to Cornwall and went aground there in a storm. The ship was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine while about 15 miles west of Rockall Island, Scotland, while inbound from Dalhousie, NB for Tyne, UK. 1962” A collision between the HARRY L. FINDLAY of the Kinsman Line and the Greek Liberty ship MESOLOGI occurred at Toledo. The latter began Seaway service that year and made a total of six inland voyages. It was scrapped at Aioi, Japan, as f) BLUE SAND after arriving in November 1969. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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U.S. House approves authorization for replacement Soo Lock 9/14 - Washington, D.C. – The U.S. House voted Thursday to approve legislation including authorization for $922.4 million to build a large replacement lock at the Upper Peninsula's Soo Locks. The water-infrastructure bill, which passed on a voice vote, next heads to the U.S. Senate, where its passage and the president's signature would be the first concrete step in decades toward building the new lock. Lawmakers said funding will still need to be appropriated next spending cycle. "This modernization project is long — as in decades — overdue," said Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, whose district includes the locks. "We’ve accomplished more in the first 18 months of this session than was done in the last 18 years." The progress is due in part to a study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released this summer that recommended a 1,200-foot-long lock to mirror the 49-year-old Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie. The Army Corps provided an economic analysis that will allow the project to compete for construction funding, estimating the cost at $922 million at next year's pricing level, or $1 billion over the seven-year to 10-year construction period. The Poe is the only one of the four aging locks operated by the Army Corps in the Soo is big enough to handle the largest freighters that carry 89 percent of the cargo through the corridor. An unexpected outage of the Poe could cause a bottleneck with a rippling disruption through the supply chain for steel production and, thus, manufacturing across the country. Republican Rep. Paul Mitchell said he helped push for the project's inclusion in the authorization bill as a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. "It’s an issue nationally in terms of the economy and national defense,” said Mitchell of Dryden. “Turns out it was authorized in 1986, and there’s been studies and discussion but nothing got done.” He noted the findings of a 2015 Department of Homeland Security report that found no alternative transportation mode exists for getting iron ore from Minnesota mines to steel mills on the lower Great Lakes. The same study concluded the Poe Lock is a weak link in the North American industrial economy, and an unplanned, six-month closure could plunge the U.S. economy into recession, costing up to 11 million jobs. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, who worked to include authorization in the Senate version of the bill, applauded Thursday's House vote. She and Bergman had co-sponsored a bill last year with the objective of authorizing the lock. "The locks are vital to commerce in Michigan and our national defense," Stabenow said in a statement. "This is a significant step toward finally getting this done.” Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, pledged to work with his colleagues on the House Appropriations Committee to fund the Soo Locks upgrade. "Today's legislation makes it crystal clear: President Trump, Republicans, and Democrats support a new lock in the Soo," he said. The Detroit News |
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Port Reports - September 14
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan Ports
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, Ohio
Lake Erie |
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St. Lawrence Seaway system need upgrades, according to government report 9/14 - Ogdensburg, N.Y. – A new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office has found that shipping along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway system does not live up to its potential, and that traffic along the international waterway has dropped off significantly since 1980. The GAO report, issued to members of Congress, found that the tons of cargo moved by both Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway traffic have declined since 1980 by 32 and 48 percent, respectively. Great Lakes traffic is generally defined as U.S. flagged ships that move cargo exclusively between Great Lakes ports. The ships are often referred to simply as “lakers.” Seaway traffic, on the other hand, is comprised mostly of foreign flagged ships that move goods to and from international destinations, according to officials. The most recent government report on shipping along the international waterway was issued on Sept. 5. The GAO investigation was launched to look at efforts to modernize the Great Lakes- Seaway system. The report examines how Great Lakes-Seaway shipping trends have changed since 1980 and what factors have shaped those trends. In compiling the report, government officials solicited the opinions of approximately 24 so-called stakeholders in the shipping industry, asking how modern challenges and aging infrastructure are affecting the nearly 60-year-old waterway. They also spoke to Army Corps of Engineers and Seaway Corp. officials regarding progress on lock infrastructure renewal efforts and what the agencies are doing to measure the results performance of the improvements. Trends that have influenced the downward spiral in commodities traversing the seaway system include a shift away from traditional cargo hauls of iron ore and coal and growth in the commodities being transported in shipping containers. The seaway system is also antiquated in design, according to officials, in that the locks that allow ships to traverse the waterway are in some cases too narrow to accommodate the more modern and larger Great Lakes oceangoing vessels used today. Since 1959, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway navigation system has provided an important transportation route to the manufacturing and agricultural heartland of North America, according to the report. The system extends 2,300 miles from Duluth, Minn., to the Atlantic Ocean and serves more than 100 ports in eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, officials said. In 2007, a joint U.S.-Canadian study found that the Great Lakes-Seaway system was operating at about half of its potential capacity and could absorb additional traffic. “Further, in 2016 the Congressional Research Service reported that U.S. domestic cargo volume within the Great Lakes was about half that of the 1950s and 1960s,” the report stated. The 2007 study also led to U.S. asset renewal plans to improve the system’s lock infrastructure condition — at the time, the first coordinated effort to assess and improve the system’s infrastructure in its 50-year existence. But despite lagging shipping numbers, the waterway still has potential, according to officials. “Now over a decade after the 2007 report and almost 60 years since the opening of the system, the Great Lakes-Seaway’s potential as America’s ‘fourth coast’ remains, as it provides direct access to a region that is home to 107 million people, including major cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and Toronto,” the study said. Watertown Daily Times |
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Canadian ports navigate through global trade challenges 9/14 - When 2018 began, Canadian port officials were much encouraged by rising cargo trends thanks to firm demand in bulk and general cargo in global trade with Europe, China-led Asia and the United States, by far Canada’s leading commercial partner. But the overall outlook rapidly became seriously complicated when the Trump Administration ignited trade wars on “national security” grounds” with Canada, the European Union (EU), Mexico and China. As this issue of the American Journal of Transportation was going to press, Canada and the United States had resumed tense negotiations in Washington on Sept. 5 to amend the North American Free Trade Agreement soon after President Trump had announced a separate deal with Mexico and threatened to impose punitive tariffs on auto imports from Canada if Canada did not accept his proposals. The talks were expected to continue, with Prime Minister Trudeau insisting on the retention of a dispute resolution mechanism -qualified a “red line” - while showing some flexibility in its supply management system to allow greater access to US dairy farmers. Beginning on June 1, the Washington administration imposed import taxes of 25 percent on Canadian steel and 10 percent on Canadian aluminum – tariffs also applied to the EU. Canada reluctantly applied counter-measures on July 1, including tariffs on steel, aluminum and various other products. At this early stage, the ripple effect appears much more substantial on Canadian metals manufacturers dependent on selling products in the United States than on Canadian ports. The Great Lakes were off to strong start in 2018. Following an excellent year in 2017, the Port of Hamilton got off to a good start in the early months of the 2018 season, declared Ian Hamilton, president and CEO. “Now with three grain terminals running at full capacity, exports of Ontario grain were lined up and ready to go from day one,” he said, pointing out that more than half a million metric tons of Ontario grain were exported overseas by mid-June. “With the continued growth in agri-food, we expect to have a great year in 2018.” Last year saw Hamilton record its highest volume since 2014 at 9.9 million tons. More stability at port-adjacent steel company Stelco sparked a rebound in coal tonnages (up 21 percent in 2017 over 2016). “The port’s overall cargo mix continues to rebalance, with agricultural commodities now making up 23 percent of the total cargo compared with 12.5 percent in 2010,” Mr. Hamilton said. “This agri-food growth has been driven by an influx of private sector investment in the port – to the tune of $200 million in recent years.” For the Port of Thunder Bay on the tip of Lake Superior, the early months of the 2018 Seaway season featured a brisk opening on the heels of a full-year total of 8.8 million tons in 2017. For example, commodity shipments of grain, coal and potash in May were consistent, with over 1.0 million tons of bulk cargo being loaded for outbound shipment. Thunder Bay is the primary Seaway export port for Western Canadian bulk commodities. The port’s project cargo activity remains in full swing. At Windsor, the third largest Canadian port on the Great Lakes, there’s a new CEO at the helm: Steven Salmons, who formerly worked with the City of Windsor. Within 12 to 18 months, he sees total traffic attaining 6 million tons compared with the current 5.1 million tons. “We are anticipating some expansion in aggregates, steel and construction supplies with the start-up of the Howe Bridge construction.” Read more at this link: https://www.ajot.com/premium/ajot-canadian-ports-navigate-through-global-trade-challenges |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 14 September 14, 1962, the HORACE S. WILKINSON was involved in a collision with the Canadian freighter CAROL LAKE in the Welland Canal. Rather than repair the WILKINSON, Wilson Marine had her towed to Superior, Wisconsin, for conversion to a barge. All cabin superstructure, the engine, boilers, and auxiliary machinery were removed. The stern was squared off and notched to receive a tug. The WILKINSON was renamed WILTRANCO I and re-entered service in 1963, as a tug-barge combination with a crew of 10, pushed by the tug FRANCIS A. SMALL of 1966.September 14, 1963, the BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS, Captain Earl C. Bauman, received a National Safety Council Award of Merit for operating 1,001,248 consecutive man-hours without a lost time accident. This accomplishment required 15 years, 600 round trips, and 1,200 passages through the Soo locks. Captain Albert Edgar Goodrich died on September 14,1885, at the age of 59, at his residence in Chicago. He was a pioneer steamboat man and founded the Goodrich Transportation Company, famous for its passenger/package freight steamers on Lake Michigan. The J. J. SULLIVAN (Hull#439) was launched September 14, 1907, at Cleveland, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the Superior Steamship Co. (Hutchinson & Co., mgr.). Renamed b.) CLARENCE B. RANDALL in 1963. She was scrapped at Windsor, Ontario in 1988. On September 14, 1871, R. J. CARNEY (wooden barge, 150 foot, 397 gross tons) was launched at Saginaw, Michigan. The 203-foot wooden schooner KATE WINSLOW was launched at J. Davidson's yard in East Saginaw, Michigan, on 14 September 1872. The steamer ASIA sank in a storm off Byng Inlet on Georgian Bay September 14, 1882. Over 100 people lost their lives with only two people, a man and a woman, rescued. ASIA was built in St. Catharines, Ontario, in 1873, and was bound from Collingwood, Ontario, to the French River and Canadian Sault. 1960: The Bahamas registered vessel ITHAKA stranded 10 miles east of Chhurchill, Manitoba, after the rudder broke and the anchors failed to hold in a storm. The ship had served on the Great Lakes for Hall as a) FRANK A. AUGSBURY and e) LAWRENCECLIFFE HALL (i), for Canada Steamship Lines as b) GRANBY and for Federal Commerce & Navigation as f) FEDERAL PIONEER. 1965: FORT WILLIAM, which recently entered service as a package freight carrier for Canada Steamship Lines, capsized at Pier 65 in Montreal. There was an ensuing fire when part of the cargo of powdered carbide formed an explosive gas and five were killed. The vessel was refloated on November 22, 1965, repaired, and still sails the lakes a b) STEPHEN B. ROMAN. 1970: The barge AFT, the forward part of the former STEEL KING (ii), arrrived at Ramey's Bend, Port Colborne, under tow of the tug HERBERT A. for dismantling. The barge had been part of a tandem tow with the dipper dredge KING COAL but the latter broke loose in a Lake Erie storm and sank. 1998: The Cypriot-registered STRANGE ATTRACTOR first came through the Seaway in 1989 as a) LANTAU TRADER. It returned under the new name in 1996 and lost power on this date in 1998 while leaving the Upper Beauharnois Lock and had to be towed to the tie up wall by OCEAN GOLF and SALVAGE MONARCH. The ship was soon able to resume the voyage and continued Great Lakes trading through 2003. It arrived for scrapping at Aliaga, Turkey, as d) ORIENT FUZHOU on August 7, 2009. Data from: Skip Gillham, Clive Reddin, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - September 13
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan Ports
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Sep 12 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, N.Y. – Tom Brewer |
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Port of Erie economic impacts study results released 9/13 - Washington, D.C. – The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership has released “Economic Impacts of the Port of Erie,” a report documenting the many contributions made by the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority and Great Lakes / Seaway shipping to the City of Erie, Erie County, the state of Pennsylvania and the Great Lakes region. The study reports that in 2017 the Port of Erie and maritime commerce supported:
• 757 jobs “This report demonstrates the significant impact that the maritime industry has on our region,” says Brenda A. Sandberg, executive director, Port of Erie. “We are proud to have served Erie for close to 50 years; supporting industrial, commercial and recreational opportunities. With over $90.8 million in annual economic activity, we will continue to serve as a powerful economic engine for Erie and the state of Pennsylvania in the future.” “The study reflects the important contributions the Port of Erie provides to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region,” adds Steven A. Fisher, executive director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association. “The jobs supported by the maritime industry include not only those located directly on the waterfront – shipyard workers, stevedores, vessel operators, terminal employees, truck drivers and marine pilots – but also grain farmers, construction works, miners and steelworkers. Many of these jobs would vanish if not for a dynamic maritime industry.” The “Economic Impacts of Port of Erie” full report can be downloaded at www.greatlakesseaway.org/economy “Economic Impacts of the Port of Erie” is a companion report to the broader Great Lakes-St. Lawrence study titled “Economic Impacts of Maritime Shipping in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region,” a year-long study of the economic impacts of the entire Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway navigation system. The study reports that in 2017 in the United States and Canada, maritime commerce supported:
• 237,868 jobs |
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Multi-agency, industry pollution response exercise planned for Manistique Harbor 9/13 - Manistique, Mich. – The Coast Guard, along with federal, state, tribal and local partners, is slated to participate in a full-scale pollution response exercise in Manistique Harbor Saturday through September 21. A plethora of agencies will arrive in the area in preparation for the exercise. Boats, helicopters, unmanned aerial systems and pollution response equipment, such as oil containment boom and skimmers, are scheduled to be deployed in and around Manistique Harbor during the week of the event. The full-scale exercise is conducted in accordance with the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program, which was developed to establish a workable exercise program to meet the federal oil pollution response exercise requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The Coast Guard will apply, test, and evaluate the effectiveness of the Northern Michigan Area Contingency Plan, which details the strategy for a coordinated federal, state, tribal and local response to a discharge or substantial threat of a discharge of oil, or a release or substantial threat of a release of a hazardous substance within the boundaries of Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie’s Coastal Zone. USCG |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 13 On 13 September 1894, the GLOBE (steel propeller package freighter, 330 foot, 2,995 gross tons) was launched by the Globe Iron Works (Hull #53) at Cleveland, Ohio. She was lengthened to 400 feet and converted to a bulk freighter in 1899, when she was acquired by the Bessemer Steamship Company and renamed JAMES B. EADS. She lasted until 1967, when she was scrapped at Port Weller Drydocks.On 13 September 1872, the wooden schooner RAPID left Pigeon Bay, Ontario bound for Buffalo, New York with 5000 railroad ties. While on Lake Erie, a storm blew in and Capt. Henderson decided to turn for Rondeau. While turning, the vessel capsized. Annie Brown, the cook, was trapped below decks and drowned. The seven other crew members strapped themselves to the rail and waited to be rescued. One by one they died. Finally, 60-hours later, the schooner PARAGON found the floating wreck with just one man, James Low, the first mate, barely alive. The EDMUND FITZGERALD's sea trials occurred on September 13, 1958. The HOFFMAN (United States Army Corps of Engineers Twin Screw Hopper Dredge) collided with the Japanese salty KUNISHIMA MARU at Toledo, Ohio, September 13, 1962. Reportedly the blame was placed on the pilot of the Japanese salty. Apparently the damage was minor. On September 13, 1968, the AUGUST ZIESING grounded in fog 200 yards above the Rock Cut in the St. Marys River. The grounded vessel swung into the shipping channel blocking it until September 15th when lightering was completed. September 13, 1953 - PERE MARQUETTE 22 made her second maiden voyage since she was new in 1924. She was cut in half, lengthened, had new boilers and engines installed. On 13 September 1875, CITY OF BUFFALO (wooden schooner, 91 foot, 128 tons, built in 1859, at Buffalo, New York, as a propeller canal boat) beached and sank after striking a rock in the St. Marys River. The tug MAGNET worked for days to release her before she went to pieces on 19 September. No lives were lost. On 13 September 1871, the bark S D POMEROY was anchored off Menominee, Michigan, during a storm. Archie Dickie, James Steele, John Davidson and James Mechie were seen to lower the yawl to go to shore. Later the empty yawl drifted ashore and then the bodies of all four men floated in. 1967 – The former Great Lakes passenger ship NORTH AMERICAN sank in the Atlantic (40.46 N / 68.53 W) while under tow for a new career as a training ship at Piney Point, Maryland. 1988 – The Cypriot freighter BLUESTONE, at Halifax since August 19, had 3 crewmembers jump ship at the last minute claiming unsafe conditions due to corrosion in the tank tops, but this could not be checked as the vessel was loaded. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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New bosses for Sault’s Essar Steel move in Sept. 30 9/12 - Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. – Essar Steel Algoma indicates it looks like clear sailing toward new ownership and bringing the company out of creditor protection after almost three years. The Sault Ste. Marie steelmaker – rebranded as Algoma – announced that an agreement in principle has been reached regarding its port, one of the last outstanding issues between the steel company and the port company that needed resolution before the sale to new ownership could proceed. The company receives most of its raw materials via Great Lakes vessels. An Essar Steel Algoma statement released late on Aug. 22 indicated Superior Court Justice Glenn Hainey, who is overseeing the restructuring process, recommended the approval of the asset purchase agreement and congratulated the parties on reaching an agreement in principle, “noting that the sale is in the best interests of Algoma and its stakeholders.” "Resolution of the port matter was the final hurdle standing between us and a successful sale transaction,” said Algoma CEO Kalyan Ghosh in a company statement. “This agreement will position Algoma securely as an advanced steel manufacturer with the liquidity and wherewithal to make the investments necessary to secure the next generation of steel makers." The steel company will seek an approval and vesting order once the agreement between (its lenders) GIP and the consenting creditors regarding the port has been documented. The sale of the steelmaker to a British Columbia numbered company - 1076318 B.C. Ltd. - is expected to be finalized Sept. 30. The numbered company is associated with Essar’s term lenders and consenting senior secured noteholders. The transaction will cover worker pensions, city taxes, a co-generation plant, the port and lenders who covered the steel company’s expenses through the CCAA process. It will reduce Essar’s debt, provide up to US$300 million in financing, plus up US$125 million in available loans for plant upgrades. The company filed for creditor protection under the Company's Creditors Arrangement Act in November 2015. Northern Ontario Business |
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Port Reports - September 12
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Brevort, Mich.
Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Sep 11 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Downbound -
Wellland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Sudden spike in temperature of the Great Lakes has scientists worried 9/12 - The Great Lakes are getting hotter, seeing a rise in some parts of three degrees. Aaron Fisk, a professor with the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor, spoke with the CBC's Julianne Hazlewood about why temperatures are on the rise and what that means for the Great Lakes and the things that live in it. Read more or play the interview at this link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/lakes-ontario-hot-1.4817127 |
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As Lake Superior rises, alder trees die in wetlands 9/12 - Houghton, Mich. – Experts say alder trees in Lake Superior wetlands are dying due to high water levels. Rodney Chimner, an ecologist at Michigan Technological University, says it's all part of a natural process, but he's never seen such a dramatic change. He tells The Daily Mining Gazette that wetlands and alder trees began to emerge in 2007 when Lake Superior had low lake levels. Chimner says the cycle has been changing since 2015. The newspaper reports that dead alder can be seen all around Lake Superior in the Houghton area and other waters such as Portage Lake. Invasive species, including purple loosestrife, are taking root instead in Nara Nature Park. The Associated Press |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 12 On 12 September 1903, the R E SCHUCK (steel propeller bulk freighter, 416 fott, 4713 gross tons) was launched by the American Ship Building Company (Hull #327) at Lorain, Ohio for the Gilchrist Transportation Company. She was purchased by the Interlake Steamship Co. (Pickands, Mather & Co., Mgrs.) in 1913, and renamed b.) HYDRUS. However, she foundered in the "Big Storm" of 1913, on Lake Huron with all hands; 24 lives were lost.On 12 September 1902, EXPERIMENT (2-mast wooden schooner, 65 foot, 50 gross tons, built in 1854, at St. Joseph, Michigan) was carrying firewood in a storm on Lake Michigan when she went out of control in the harbor at St. Joseph, Michigan after swerving to miss an unmarked construction crib. She wrecked and was declared a total loss. Her crew was rescued by the Lifesaving Service. Three days later she was stripped and abandoned in place. ROGER BLOUGH was laid up at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin from September 12, 1981, through 1986, because of economic conditions. CANADIAN PIONEER was christened at Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. on September 12, 1981, by Mrs. Louise Powis, wife of the Chairman and President of Noranda Mines for Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd. Renamed b.) PIONEER in 1987. CARTIERCLIFFE HALL, a.) RUHR ORE, was towed by the tug WILFRED M. COHEN to Collingwood, Ontario for repairs from a June 5th fire and arrived at Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. on September 12, 1979. Renamed c.) WINNIPEG in 1988, and d.) ALGONTARIO in 1994. Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Limited at Collingwood, Ontario closed the yard on September 12, 1986, after 103 years of shipbuilding. Collship was famous for its spectacular side launches. 214 ships were built at Collingwood. While unloading steel in South Chicago from the a.) CANADA MARQUIS on September 12, 1988, a shoreside crane lifting a payloader into the hold collapsed onto the ship. CANADA MARQUIS had a hole in her tank top and damage to her hatch coaming. She sails today on the ocean and lakes as e.) BIRCHGLEN, for CSL. On 12 September 1900, ALBACORE (2 mast wooden schooner, 137 foot, 327 tons, built in 1872, at Port Dalhousie, Ontario) had a storm blow out her sails, driving her into the seawall at Fort Bank just east of Oswego, New York where she broke up. The tug J NAVAGH tried unsuccessfully to save her. Her crew of seven was rescued by the U.S. Lifesaving Service. After an extremely dry summer, forests were burning all over the Great Lakes region in the autumn of 1871. The smoke from these fires affected navigation. Newspaper reports stated that on 12 September 1871, 38 ships and four strings of barges anchored near Point Pelee on Lake Erie due to the restricted visibility caused by the smoke from the forest fires. On 12 September 1900, the schooner H. W. SAGE was raised by the McMorran Wrecking Company and was then towed to Port Huron for repairs. She had sunk near Algonac, Michigan in a collision with the steamer CHICAGO on 30 July 1900. 1889: ROTHESAY, a wooden sidewheel passenger vessel, collided with the tug MYRA in the St. Lawrence between Kingston and Prescott. The latter sank with the loss of 2 lives. The former was beached on the Canadian shore where it settled and was abandoned. The wreck was dynamited in 1901 and part of it remains on the bottom in 35 feet of water. 1900: The wooden steamer JOHN B. LYON began taking water in a storm about 25 miles east of Ashtabula and sank in Lake Erie. There were 9 lost with only 6 rescued from the 19-year old vessel. 1917: GISLA was built at Wyandotte, MI in 1916 and went overseas for war duty. The vessel was hit by gunfire from U-64 in the western Mediterranean off Cape Palos, Spain, and sunk by a timed bomb. The ship was carrying nuts and vegetable oil from Kotonou, Dahomey, for Marseilles, France, when it was attacked. 1919: The wooden barge CHICKAMAUGA began leaking in huge seas off Harbor Beach, MI while under tow of the CENTURION and the ore laden vessel sank the next day. The crew of 10 was rescued by the JAMES WHALEN and the wreck was removed the following year. 1928: B.B. McCOLL was virtually destroyed by a fire at Buffalo while loading and had to be abandoned as a total loss. The ship was salvaged, rebuilt and last sailed as h) DETROIT. The ship was scrapped in 1982-1983 at Lake Calumet, IL. 1953: MARYLAND was mauled by a storm on Lake Superior and 12 hatch covers were blown off. The ship was beached near Marquette and all 35 on board were saved. The ship was abandoned but the extensive bottom damage was repaired and the ship resumed service as d) HENRY LALIBERTE. 1989: POLARLAND began visiting the Great Lakes in 1968 and returned as b) ISCELU in 1980, c) TRAKYA in 1981 and d) TRAKYA I in 1982. The ship was lying at Hualien, Taiwan, as e) LUNG HAO during Typhoon Sarah and got loose in the storm prior to going aground. The hull broke in two and was a total loss. 1989: SACHA, Liberian registered SD 14, began Seaway trading in 1973. It returned as b) ERMIONI in 1982. The ship stranded on the wreck of the ORIENTAL PEARL while approaching Bombay, India, from Tampa as d) SAFIR on December 22, 1984, and sustained considerable damage. This was repaired but SAFIR was lost after stranding on a reef off Tiran Island in the Red Sea on September 12, 1989. 2006: TORO went aground in the St. Lawrence off Cornwall Island with damage to the bulbous bow and #2 hold. The ship, enroute from Thunder Bay to Progresso, Mexico, with a cargo of wheat, was released September 18 and repaired at the Verreault shipyard in Les Mechins, QC before resuming the voyage on October 27. The vessel had previously visited the Great Lakes as a) LA LIBERTE, c) ASTART and d) ULLOA. It was still sailing as g) XING JI DA as of 2011. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Duluth bets on a new wave of cruise ships 9/11 - Duluth, Minn. – Passengers are cruising Alaska’s icy coast in record numbers. Cruise ships have been making more waves in the rivers of Europe. Even the outer Great Lakes are drawing more and more luxury vessels. With the cruising industry booming across the globe, officials in Duluth are betting that someday soon their ships will come in, too. In hopes of establishing the Lake Superior port city as a destination for passenger ships, the city and local agencies are investing in port infrastructure while tourism leaders are promoting the area’s natural beauty, history and culture to cruise lines. “It’s definitely an industry that’s in expansion mode,” said Anna Tanski, president and chief executive at Visit Duluth, the city’s tourism arm. “Lake Superior is now sort of at the forefront of being the new and fresh itinerary to develop. … For us, it just opens up a whole new market that we’re very excited about.” Cruise line operators and promoters say they believe interest in Great Lakes voyages will surge in the years ahead as high-earning baby boomers look for new, unusual travel experiences. Lake Superior’s history and wilderness will make it a hot destination, they contend. Next August, one such ship will make two stops in Duluth. Cruise companies are planning for several more stops in 2020, though many are still in the preliminary stages. Duluth tourism leaders have an ultimate goal of 20 visits a season, trusting that once a few cruises are filled and deemed a success, others will follow. “The Great Lakes is on the verge of an opportunity that is mind boggling,” said Bruce Nierenberg, chairman and founder of Victory Cruise Lines, which will add Lake Superior to a couple of its Great Lakes itineraries starting next summer. “Lake Superior for us is going to be, I believe, one of our real gems.” Others in the industry agree that Great Lakes cruising might soon have its moment. “There is a hunger for something different,” said Colleen McDaniel, senior executive editor at Cruise Critic, a website that assesses cruises all over the world. “Duluth is a special city … I think that a lot of people would love to visit by cruise ship.” While Duluth, which sits at the westernmost point of the Great Lakes, hasn’t seen a cruise ship in its harbor for five years, it’s no stranger to luxury ship passengers. About a century ago, the city welcomed thousands of passengers over two decades, some from opulent vessels commissioned by railroad executive James J. Hill. A postwar boom in car ownership, superhighways and jets was later blamed for killing the popularity of cruising on the Great Lakes. Trips on Lake Superior have been especially scarce, though Duluth saw a few cruise ship stops in the mid-1990s and some in the first decade of the 2000s. Like those of years past, today’s luxury ships sliding under the Duluth Lift Bridge will be relatively small because they must be able to pass through existing locks. Nierenberg’s Miami-based Victory Cruise Line has launched its Victory I and Victory II ships, approximately 300-foot vessels each holding about 200 passengers and nearly 85 crew members. Unlike the behemoth megaships that float in the tropics and hold thousands of people, Great Lakes cruises are designed to offer more intimate experiences for well-traveled passengers who want to go places where big ships can’t, Nierenberg and others explained. “They love authentic. They love real,” Nierenberg said of the target clientele. “They like uncrowded.” The Victory ships feature fine dining and onboard enrichment such as lectures about each port from historians and naturalists. The price tag for an 11-day cruise between Detroit and Thunder Bay ranges from about $6,000 to more than $10,000. Shipmakers continue to build new cruise ships, but only about 60 ships in the world will be sized for the Great Lakes, said Stephen Burnett, executive director of the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition. It’s unclear how many could end up in Lake Superior in 2020 and beyond. Duluth is listed as a June 12, 2020, stop for a ship called Hanseatic Inspiration. Officials expect more will follow. Jeanne Psychas, passenger service representative for the Great Lakes Cruise Co., which acts as a booking agent for many ship operators, said most recent passengers on Great Lakes cruises have hailed from Florida, Texas, California and the West. But operators hope to draw interest from all over the world. Industry watchers say Duluth’s goal of 20 cruise stops a year is plausible. If that happens, it could mean a boost for the local economy. A conservative estimate projects that passengers disembarking from Great Lakes luxury ships would spend about $200 each — an estimated $40,000 per day, said Tanski of Visit Duluth. What passengers would do in and around Duluth would be up to the tour companies, Tanski said. It could include taking history tours to browsing art galleries to watching birds on Hawk Ridge. They could go deep inside mines on the Iron Range or bicycle, kayak, hike or fish along the North Shore. Passengers would still have time to explore shops, restaurants and art galleries in the city, operators said. Duluth has been identified as one of four passenger ports of clearance in the Great Lakes. Others are Cleveland, Detroit and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. A key step in getting cruise traffic will be establishing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at a cruise terminal where customs agents can clear passengers coming from a foreign port. To get a facility, Duluth must first establish an information technology connection. The Duluth Economic Development Authority, the local port authority and the City Council have dedicated $85,000 to make that happen. In the end, officials hope a new wave of cruise traffic will bring more attention to Duluth and help build its reputation around the country and the world. “It’s what it does beyond just the immediate economic impact,” Tanski said of the expanded promotion. “It’s exposure to an entirely new market and demographic.” Minneapolis Star Tribune |
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Port Reports - September 11
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Port Inland, Mich.
Green Bay, Wis.
Southern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Toledo, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Sep 10 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Wellland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 11 1872, at Milwaukee, the Wisconsin, which was transferred to the Atlantic coast from Lake Erie in 1898, struck Romer Shoal off the shore of Staten Island and was wrecked. She was sailing from Norfolk, Virginia to Saco, Maine at the time. Her crew managed to reach the Life Saving Station through the heavy surf.September 11, 1969, the Bethlehem steamer LEHIGH, Captain Loren A. Falk, delivered the first cargo to the new Bethlehem Steel mill at Burns Harbor, Indiana. The cargo consisted of 15,700 tons of taconite pellets loaded at Taconite Harbor, Minnesota. On 11 September 1883, EXPLORER (2-mast wooden schooner, 48 foot, 33 gross tons, built in 1866, at Chatham, Ontario) struck rocks and went down on Stokes Bay on the outside of the Bruce Peninsula. Her crew was visible from shore clinging to the wreck until the vessel broke up. All five were lost. The GEORGE M. HUMPHREY, of 1927, was patched and refloated on September 11, 1944. She had sunk in 80 feet of water after a collision with the steamer D.M. CLEMSON, of 1916, off Old Point Light, on June 15, 1943. On May 6, 1944, the barges MAITLAND NO. 1 and HILDA were employed as pontoons for the salvage operation positioned over the sunken hull. Cables were attached to the HUMPHREY's hull and to the barges. The hull was raised through a series of lifts, which allowed it to be brought into shallower water. Partial buoyancy was provided by the HUMPHREY's ballast tanks, which were pumped out to about 25 percent of capacity. The HUMPHREY was patched and refloated on September 11, 1944. She was taken to the Manitowoc Ship Building Co. first for an estimate of repairs, which totaled $469,400, and then was towed to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for reconditioning which was completed at a reported cost of $437,000. Captain John Roen's Roen Transportation Co. assumed ownership on September 18, 1944, and the next year the ship was renamed b.) CAPTAIN JOHN ROEN. She re-entered service on May 1, 1945, chartered to the Pioneer Steamship Co. on a commission basis. Renamed c.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS in 1948, and d.) CONSUMERS POWER in 1958. She was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1988. September 11, 2001, the former Bob-Lo boat STE. CLAIRE was towed from Detroit to Toledo by Gaelic's tug SHANNON. In August 2005, she was taken to Belanger Park in River Rouge and in the spring of 2006 she was returned to Nicholson's Slip in Ecorse by Gaelic's tugs PATRICIA HOEY and CAROLYN HOEY. Carrying cargoes off the lakes, CANADA MARQUIS departed Halifax bound for Philadelphia with a cargo of grain. HON. PAUL MARTIN departed Halifax the same day on her way to Tampa with a load of gypsum. HORACE JOHNSON sailed on her maiden voyage light from Lorain, Ohio, on September 11, 1929, bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota to load iron ore. On 11 September 1895, S.P. AMES (2 mast wooden schooner, 61 foot, 43 gross tons) was driven ashore at Pointe aux Barques, Michigan, in a storm. She was quickly stripped before she went to pieces. She had been built in 1879, at Montrose, Michigan, in farm country, well inland, on the Flint River by Mr. Seth Ames. He wanted to use her to return to sea, but he died the day before her hull was launched. On 11 September 1876, the schooner HARVEST HOME sank on Lake Michigan while bound from Chicago for Cleveland with a load of scrap iron. She was about 26 miles off Grand Haven, Michigan. The crew was taken off by the schooner GRACIE M. FILER just as the boat was going down. 1942: H.M.C.S. CHARLOTTETOWN, a Canadian naval corvette built at Kingston, ON in 1941, was torpedoed and sunk by U-517 on the St. Lawrence near Cap Chat, QC. Nine of the 64 on board were lost. 1946: The former Hall freighter LUCIUS W. ROBINSON, heading for new service in the Far East as b) HAI LIN, ran into a typhoon on the Pacific during its delivery voyage but was unscathed. 1961: The retired PERSEUS, under tow for scrapping overseas, broke loose of the tug ENGLISHMAN, and was abandoned in rough seas near the Azores. It was later found drifting and taken in tow only to sink on September 21. 1968: GRINDEFJELL, a pre-Seaway and Seaway-era visitor for the Norwegian Fjell Line from 1953 to 1965, put into Mozambique as b) LENRO after fire had broken out in a cargo hold. The flames spread and, at one time the hull glowed red hot. The ship was gutted, later capsized and was abandoned as a total loss. The vessel was enroute from Assab, Ethiopia, to Rotterdam, with a cargo of bagged niger seed expellers and had to take the long way around due to the Suez Canal being closed. The hull was either scrapped or scuttled. 1987: An arson fire gutted the bridge and top deck of the laid up former C.S.L. package freighter FORT YORK at Sarnia. There had been another suspicious fire three weeks earlier that had been extinguished. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Jody L. Aho James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Survey says Boatnerd stays 9/10 - Almost 3,000 users responded to our recent survey. The results will be used to determine the future direction of Boatnerd. We had mostly positive results and will continue the site. On the question “Would You Like to See Boatnerd Continue?,” 99.4 percent of the respondents said yes. More than 55 percent said they visit the site daily and 18 percent said they visited it multiple times daily. The majority of respondents said they visit the site as much as they ever did, 27 percent said they visited it more. Nearly 90 percent identified as hobbyists, while the rest were commercial users. The News Page was the most popular part of the site, followed by Vessel Passages, the photo galleries and the AIS system. Just over half said they would not be interested Boatnerd News Photo Gallery Group on Facebook. Almost 70 percent would be willing to contribute to an annual donation drive to support the site. Nearly 90 percent said they would be fine seeing relevant advertising on the site in order to support it. For now all features will continue unless there are cost issues or usage falls. We will try to bring back the heavily requesed News Photo Gallery based on volunteers being able to help process and post pictures and the ability to use the technology. For support, we will hold a fundraising event this fall where we will ask users to contribute. Long term there was positive feed back for advertising and we will announce that when we have the technology in place to properly show ads.
How you can help:
AIS/Vessel Passage: |
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Port Reports - September 10
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Green Bay, Wis.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Southern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report for Sunday 9 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Wellland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 10 On 10 September 1890, the PORTER CHAMBERLAIN (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 134 foot, 280 gross tons, built in 1874, at Marine City, Michigan) was floated free of the Wolverine Drydock in Port Huron, Michigan where she had steel arches installed. When she floated free, the arches broke in three places and she stayed in Port Huron to have them repaired.September 10, 1952, the forebody and afterbody of the future JOSEPH H. THOMPSON arrived at the American Shipbuilding yard in South Chicago. The two sections were delivered to the lakes via the Mississippi River and Chicago Ship Canal. The afterbody departed Baltimore, Maryland on August 2 and the forebody departed Pascagoula, Mississippi on August 21. On 10 September 1884, the 137-foot steam barge HENRY HOWARD was sailing up bound with the schooner-barge GEORGE WORTHINGTON in tow when she caught fire near Harsens Island at the mouth of the St. Clair River. The fire broke out near the HOWARD's engine room and spread rapidly. The vessel was beached on the island but the WORTHINGTON ran against her and was thus scorched. No lives were lost. The HOWARD was valued at $5,000, but only insured for $3,000 by her owners, B. Hoose and Julia Miner. The whaleback tanker METEOR was towed from Manitowoc, Wisconsin by the tug JOHN ROEN IV to Superior, Wisconsin on September 10, 1972. The KINSMAN ENTERPRISE turned 75 years old on September 10, 2002. When she entered service as a.) HARRY COULBY, on this date in 1927, the 631-foot bulk freighter was the third largest on the Great Lakes. While up bound in the Welland Canal on September 9, 1986, it was noted that the port anchor of the J. W. MC GIFFIN was missing, her chain was almost touching the water. Rebuilt with a new cargo hold section by Port Weller Drydocks, Ltd., in 1999, renamed b.) CSL NIAGARA. On 10 September 1909, COLUMBUS (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 136 foot, 439 gross tons, built in 1874, as the tug JOHN OWEN) burned to a total loss at her dock at Gargantua, Ontario, in Lake Superior. She was cut loose and allowed to drift out into the bay where she sank. The top of her engine reportedly still shows above the water. September 10, 1979 - The SPARTAN was laid up. She remains in Ludington, Michigan. The barge N. MILLS was launched at P. Lester's yard in Marysville, Michigan on 10 September 1870. Her dimensions were 164 feet x 30 feet x 12 feet. 1910: PERE MARQUETTE 18, inbound for Milwaukee with 29 rail cars, began leaking and sank 30 miles off Sheboygan, Wis. There were 33 survivors but 29 were lost including the captain. 1918: The barge SANTIAGO, under tow of the small bulk carrier JOHN F. MORROW, sank in Lake Huron off Pointe aux Barques without loss of life. 1940: A.E. AMES was once part of Canada Steamship Lines. The vessel was sold for saltwater service about 1917 and was lost, via enemy action, as c) GINETTE LEBORGNE on this date in 1940 when it struck a mine on the Mediterranean, west of Sardinia, while returning demobilized troops from North Africa to France. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Jody L. Aho, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - September 9
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Charlevoix, Mich.
Southern Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont.
Northern Lake Huron
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Sep 8 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Wellland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Edmund Fitzgerald wreck to be focus in Mackinaw City lecture 9/9 - Mackinaw City, Mich. – Bruce Lynn, executive director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, will be the next featured speaker in the Mackinaw Area Historical Society’s monthly lecture series, with a presentation scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 10, at the Mackinaw Area Public Library in Mackinaw City. The presentation will be a reflection on the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and the subsequent creation of the Shipwreck Society’s latest publication, "The Legend Lives On." The program, expected to last 45-60 minutes, will review the basic elements of the ship’s untimely loss, as well as the story that has developed over the years since Nov. 10, 1975. Lynn will also highlight the programs and exhibits of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, which have become a focal point for individuals looking to learn more about the famous shipwreck. Lynn’s co-author Christopher Winters will be unable to attend the event. |
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Survey: The Future of BoatNerd 9/9 - BoatNerd turned 22 last year and is in dire need of a makeover the extent and expense of which has us questioning if the site is still relevant in today’s world. It has grown so large that it is very difficult to remake into a new site, and our outdated technology makes it almost impossible for us to take on volunteer help. The site is costly to maintain, and our main source of funding, freighter trip raffles, are no longer easy to come by. The rise of social media has made many parts of the site obsolete; our volunteers put a great number of hours into compiling news and photos, much of which has already been posted across social media. The immediacy and ease of use of social media make the use of those platforms attractive. One big drawback of social media is a lack of archiving. Once you see something, it is difficult to locate again. BoatNerd is archived, and posts and photos can be easily revisited at any time. The tentative plan is to continue the site and adjust which features continue based on user feedback. You will still be able to view the information on the site, such as photos and vessel histories, the features that require extensive volunteer hours like the News Page and AIS system will be discontinued unless demand is there. Based on what our users say, and the potential for self-supporting revenue (such as selling ads, or an annual donation drive), we will move forward with the appropriate action by either modernizing or discontinuing the website. While we still have strong viewership, we would like to ask our users if you think BoatNerd is still relevant. Please help us plan for the future by taking this 60 second survey: https://www.questionpro.com/t/AN1MLZcemM |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 9 On 09 September 1889, the FOLGER (wooden propeller wrecking tug, 69 foot, 64 gross tons, built in 1881, at Kingston, Ontario) was sailing upbound past St. Clair, Michigan when fire was discovered in her engine room. Her wheelsman stuck to his post as long as possible, trying to beach her at Courtright, Ontario, but the flames engulfed the vessel and all hands had to abandon her.September 9, 1936. For the second consecutive day, boats of the Interlake and Pittsburgh fleets collided. The SATURN collided with the HENRY H. ROGERS in heavy fog above Whitefish Bay. The SATURN continued upbound to repair damage at Superior Shipbuilding. The ROGERS continued downbound to South Chicago where the anchor of the SATURN was removed from the Mate's starboard cabin. September 9, 1940, the steamer MARITANA, Captain Charles E. Butler, went to anchor in Whitefish Bay due to weather. When they retrieved their anchor the next day, they also recovered a second anchor. The second anchor had an oak stock 12 feet across and 17 inches in diameter. The 8 foot forged metal shank was stamped with a date of 1806. On 09 September 1886, GENERAL WOLSELEY (wooden side-wheel steamer, 103 foot, 123 tons, built in 1884, at Oakville, Ontario) caught fire on her way to Dyer's Bay, Ontario. She was run ashore for the crew to escape near Cape Croker on Georgian Bay and burned to the water's edge. The WOLVERINE (Hull#903) was launched September 9, 1974, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. for the Union Commerce Bank (Ohio), Trustee (Oglebay Norton Co., mgr.), Cleveland, Ohio. DETROIT EDISON (Hull#418) was launched September 9, 1954, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Manitowoc Ship Building Co. for the American Steamship Co. (Boland & Cornelius, mgr.) Buffalo, New York. The Steamer PERE MARQUETTE 18 sank on September 9, 1910, with a loss of 29 lives. No cause for the sinking has ever been determined. The PERE MARQUETTE 17 picked up 33 survivors, losing 2 of her own crew during the rescue. The first of two fires suffered by the Grand Trunk carferry GRAND RAPIDS occurred on September 9, 1980. The cause of the fire was not determined. On 9 September 1929, the ANDASTE (steel propeller self-unloading sandsucker, 247 foot, built in 1892, at Cleveland, Ohio) was probably overloaded with gravel when she 'went missing' west of Holland, Michigan. The entire crew of 25 was lost. When built, she was the sister of the 'semi-whaleback' CHOCTAW, but was shortened 20 feet in 1920-21, to allow her to use the Welland Canal. On 9 September 1871, Captain Hicks of the schooner A H MOSS fired the mate, a popular fellow, in a fit of anger the same time that a tug arrived to tow the schooner out of Cleveland harbor. The crew was upset to say the least, and when the towline was cast off and Capt. Hicks ordered the sails hoisted, the crew refused to do any work. The skipper finally raised the signal flags and had the tug tow his vessel back into the harbor. When the MOSS dropped anchor, he fired the entire crew then went ashore to hire another crew. The ROY A. JODREY (Hull#186) was launched in 1965, at Collingwood, Ontario by Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. for Algoma Central Railway Ltd. 1924: A fire aboard the ship SOUTH AMERICAN at Holland, MI destroyed the upper works of the popular passenger steamer. 1964: A collision between the GEORGE R. FINK and the Swedish freighter BROHOLM occurred in zero visibility on Lake Huron just north of the Bluewater Bridge. The latter, on her only voyage through the Seaway, received a gash on the starboard side above the waterline while the former had only minor damage. BROHOLM arrived at Hsinkang, China, for scrapping as d) PROODOS on September 2, 1974. 1977: The British freighter PERTH began service to Canada in 1951 and ooperated into the Great Lakes until 1960. The ship ran aground about 200 miles south of Suez as e) GEORGIOS on this date but was later refloated and taken to Suez. The ship was arrested there and subsequently sank on October 1, 1979. The hull was likely refloated and dismantled at that location. 1993: INDIANA HARBOR received major hull damage when it struck Lansing Shoal. The ship was repaired at Sturgeon Bay. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Great Lakes iron ore trade up nearly 2 percent in August 9/8 - Cleveland, Ohio – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 6.4 million tons in August, an increase of 1.8 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments outperformed the month’s 5-year average by nearly 13 percent. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 33 million tons, a decrease of 2.4 percent compared to the same point in 2017. The gap has been steadily decreasing over the course of the shipping season. At the end of April, iron ore shipments were down nearly 14 percent. Through August iron shipments are 7.2 percent ahead of their 5-year average for the eight months of the year. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Toledo museum to add tug Ohio to its floating exhibit 9/8 - Toldeo, Ohio – A tugboat more than a century old soon will join the Col. James M. Schoonmaker freighter as a display vessel at the National Museum of the Great Lakes. The tug Ohio, built in 1903 as a fireboat for the city of Milwaukee and converted to a tug half a century later, has been donated by the Great Lakes Towing Company for display, officials at the East Toledo museum announced Friday. The tug, 106 feet long and 26 feet wide, “will fill a void in the museum’s exhibition program that currently does not adequately explore the importance of tugboats on the Great Lakes,” the museum’s announcement reads in part. “When we opened the museum, we did not have a feature artifact that could tell the tugboat story. Now we do,” said Christopher Gillcrist, the museum’s executive director. Larger than the harbor tugs Toledoans might see guiding freighters up and down the Maumee River, the vessel was a “Lake Class” tug assigned to long hauls across the Great Lakes, along with occasional ice-breaking, wrecking, or salvage duties. The Ohio is believed to have traveled more miles for Great Lakes Towing than any other tug in company history, according to the museum. Paul LaMarre III, who represented the museum in securing the tug from Great Lakes Towing, said the tugboat company approached the museum about a donation after determining the Ohio could not economically be brought in compliance with stricter inspection procedures recently adopted by the Coast Guard because of its age. “After finally reaching the end of her useful commercial life, we are delighted that the famous tug Ohio has found a new home at the museum. ... The tug is rich in history with a wonderful story to tell,” the museum’s announcement quoted Joseph Starck, Jr., Great Lakes Towing’s president, as saying. Mr. LaMarre said the tug is currently at the George Gradel Co. shipyard in Toledo, where it will receive hull repairs and restoration this fall followed by sandblasting and a fresh coat of paint before being moved to the museum’s wharf. “We will moor it in front of the Schoonmaker, as if she [the tug] is beginning a tow,” Mr. Gillcrist said. A public opening is planned next spring, following interior restoration over the winter by volunteers, the museum director said. The tug may be opened to museum members and guests before then as part of efforts to raise $30,000 toward its restoration expenses, he said. Mr. LaMarre, now the Port of Monroe’s director, a decade ago shepherded the preservation of what was then the Willis B. Boyer museum ship after the city of Toledo declared it could no longer afford the vessel’s upkeep. It was cosmetically restored and rechristened to its original name, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker, in 2011 and towed the following year — by Great Lakes Towing tugs on donated time — to the wharf next to what was to become the Great Lakes museum, a Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority-owned building initially built to be a ferry terminal. The Ohio’s restoration will allow museum visitors “to experience the tugboat environment ... and what life is like aboard a tugboat,” Mr. LaMarre said. It will keep its engine but will not be operational. Tugs “have aesthetically pleasing lines and a romantic appeal that many other vessels don’t often have,” Mr. LaMarre observed. “The Ohio is not our largest artifact, but tugboats have always had a special place in people’s hearts, and we are proud to bring this icon to Toledo,” Mr. Gillcrist said. Read more and view a photo at this link: http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2018/09/07/Toledo-museum-to-add-tugboat-to-its-floating-exhibit/stories/20180906144 |
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Port Reports - September 8
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Goderich, Ont.
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Sep 7 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Wellland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Montreal, Que. |
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Duluth-Superior supports nearly 8,000 jobs, generates $1.4 billion in activity 9/8 - Duluth-Superior – The Port of Duluth-Superior generated $1.4 billion in economic activity and supported 7,881 jobs last year. Handling 35 million short tons of cargo generated over $504 million in total wages, salaries and purchases of goods and services in the regional economy. Cargo movement and vessel activity at the port also generated a total of nearly $240 million in federal/state tax revenues. The full report for the Port of Duluth-Superior, released Friday by the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, spotlights local port activity gleaned from a much broader study released last month about the economic impacts of the entire Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway (GLSLS) system conducted by Martin Associates. “The Port of Duluth-Superior anchors the westernmost point of this entire 2,340-mile System– a binational waterway that connects the heartland of North America to the global marketplace,” said Duluth Seaway Port Authority Executive Director Deb DeLuca. “As the largest tonnage port on the Great Lakes, we have long known the key role this port plays in the economic vitality of the entire region. Not only does this study validate that message, it also provides relevant data to share with policymakers, investors, business leaders and residents alike illustrating how indispensable our working waterfront is to job growth and economic sustainability in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.” Some 35 million tons of iron ore, coal, limestone, salt, cement, grain, steel, wind turbines, and heavy machinery move through the Port each year, helping to keep businesses running in adjoining states and in communities along the U.S.-Canadian border. Farmers, miners, steel producers, construction companies, food manufacturers, utility companies and street maintenance departments depend on this System to move raw materials and finished products to market. Employment figures reported in this local study reflect direct jobs generated by moving marine cargo such as longshoremen, terminal employees, crane operators, steamship agents, vessel operators and crews, freight forwarders and stevedores plus railroad workers and truckers. Induced jobs are created when individuals spend their wages locally in grocery stores, restaurants, shopping centers and on home purchases. The study also captured indirect jobs created when marine-related businesses purchase goods and services from office supply companies, maintenance and repair contractors, equipment suppliers and the like. “The value of the Port of Duluth-Superior cannot be overstated,” said Jason Serck, City of Superior economic development, planning and port director. “We do the heavy lifting here in the Twin Ports in terms of tonnage. When you look at the number of jobs in this area related to maritime commerce, it is clear that the working waterfront drives the economies of this entire region.” The nearly 20 privately owned bulk cargo docks in the Port of Duluth-Superior, plus one general cargo terminal operated by Duluth Cargo Connect, altogether account for the 35 million short tons of cargo moved during the 2017 navigation season. “Add in shipments of iron ore from Two Harbors (18.3M short tons) and Silver Bay (6.4M short tons), and it becomes readily apparent that the western end of the entire Great Lakes-Seaway system is a vital transportation link for the mines in northeastern Minnesota, for the farmers to the west, and for steelmakers and utilities to the east,” said DeLuca. “This marine highway is our lifeline to Canada, Europe, the Baltic, North Africa and beyond.” Duluth Seaway Port Authority |
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J H Jones wreck found off Cape Croker, Ont. 9/8 - A team of divers, including some involved in finding the wreck of the Jane Miller in Colpoy’s Bay last year, have discovered another previously lost shipwreck off the Bruce Peninsula. This time the coastal steamer J H Jones, which went down in a storm off Cape Croker on Nov. 22, 1906, has been found. All passengers and crew were lost. Ken Merryman, who was part of the team that found the J H Jones on July 1, said he has been involved in finding many wrecks, but this one was special because they had the great-grandson of the ship’s captain was there to experience the find. “I have never hunted for a wreck with one of the descendents of the captain or of the people that perished on the wreck,” Merryman said Thursday. “We really enjoy finding these wrecks, but when you make a connection with the descendents of the people involved it really makes it special.” Merryman and Jerry Eliason of Minnesota, who found the Jane Miller, set out on the trail of the J H Jones along with maritime historian and diver Cris Kohl from Windsor, Ont., after they were contacted by the ship captain’s great-great grandson Dan Crawford. He had learned of the discovery of the Jane Miller last summer and asked if they would come back and look for the J H Jones. “The Jones was kind of on our shortlist anyway, but being able to make a connection with one of the descendents made it a very important thing to do,” said Merryman. “It has been a dream of Dan’s as a little kid to find it, and we helped him do that, so that feels pretty good.” While Dan Crawford couldn’t make the trip up from Warren, Mich., for their search, his 83-year-old father Robert Crawford, who was ship captain J.V. Crawford’s great-grandson and still owns property on the peninsula, joined the team. While the ship had remained lost for almost 112 years, it didn’t take them long to find it, after Kohl had done considerable research about the wreck. Merryman, who had a archaeological licence issued by the province of Ontario, said they found the wreck on the third pass with their sonar, after less than two hours of searching in under 200 feet of water. Merryman said it was an exciting moment for both the searchers and for Crawford. “He was very excited,” Merryman. “He never thought it would be found in his lifetime.” The team made a video of the wreck, which can be seen at https://vimeo.com/286302072 Read more at this link: https://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/news/local-news/j-h-jones-wreck-found-off-cape-croker |
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Coast Guard seeks mariner input for Lake George, Mich. 9/8 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie is seeking input for a Waterways Analysis and Management System (WAMS) study of Lake George, located east of Sugar Island, Michigan. The WAMS study will review the short range Aids to Navigation system that covers Lake George, and the surrounding waters including the North Channel and East Neebish Channel. Aids to Navigation assist mariners to determine their position, chart a safe course, and steer clear of hazards. The purpose of the WAMS is to ensure that Lake George and the surrounding waters are the safest, most effective, and most efficient waterways possible. Interested mariners and maritime stakeholders can provide input by taking the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FVFXKYH The survey will be available until October 31, 2018. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 8 September 8, 1936, the Interlake steamer CRETE and the Pittsburgh steamer CORNELL collided in heavy fog above Whitefish Point. After temporary repairs were made in the Weitzel lock, the CRETE proceeded to Chicago Shipbuilding to repair a damaged bow. The CORNELL proceeded to Manitowoc to repair damage to her starboard side just forward of her boiler house.On September 8,1868, HIPPOCAMPUS (wooden propeller, 152 tons, built in 1867, at St. Joseph, Michigan) stranded in a storm off St. Joseph and was pounded to pieces. 36 of the 41 passengers were lost. Litigation continued until November 10,1884, when the owner was held innocent of blame in the U. S. Court at Grand Rapids, Michigan. GEMINI (Hull#745) sailed on her maiden voyage in August, 1978, from Levingston Shipbuilding Co., at Orange, Texas, to load fuel oil at Baytown, Texas, for delivery at Detroit, Michigan. Passing up bound the next month on September 8 through the Welland Canal, GEMINI became the largest U.S. flagged tanker on the Great Lakes with a capacity of 76,000 barrels. GEMINI was renamed b.) ALGOSAR in 2005. The W. E. FITZGERALD (Hull#167) was launched September 8, 1906, at Wyandotte, Michigan, by Detroit Ship Building Co. for the Chicago Navigation Co., Chicago, Illinois (D. Sullivan, mgr.). The bulk freighter HENRY A. HAWGOOD was launched on September 8, 1906, at Cleveland, Ohio, by the American Ship Building Co. for Minerva Steamship Co. (W. A. & H.A. Hawgood, mgr.), Cleveland. Renamed b.) C. RUSSELL HUBBARD in 1912, and c.) W. W. HOLLOWAY in 1935. RADIANT departed the shipyard September 8, 1913, light on her maiden voyage bound for Montreal, Quebec. September 8, 1970 - MILWAUKEE CLIPPER made her last run from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On September 8, 1985, the downbound the Panamanian NORCHEM collided with the upbound CANADIAN PROSPECTOR near Kanawake, Quebec. PROSPECTOR had little damage but NORCHEM was ripped open near her port anchor. On September 8,1885, ADVANCE (wooden schooner, 119 foot, 180 gross tons, built in 1853, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was carrying wood when she became waterlogged and capsized in a gale and blinding rain near Port Washington, Wisconsin, in Lake Michigan. All but one of her crew of seven drowned when her yawl capsized in the surf. On September 8,1871, the schooner MORNING LIGHT was sailing from Kelley's Island on Lake Erie with a cargo of stone for Marquette, Michigan, in heavy weather. Trying to enter the Detroit River, the crew miscalculated their position and ran the ship aground on Pointe Mouille, just below Gibraltar. The crew scuttled the vessel in the shallow water to save her from harm. The following day, the tug GEORGE N. BRADY was sent out with steam pumps and hawsers and the MORNING LIGHT was raised and towed to Detroit for repairs. 1860: The wooden passenger and freight steamer LADY ELGIN sank in Lake Michigan following a collision with the schooner AUGUSTA with an estimated 297 lost their lives. 1979: The Norwegian carrier INGWI first came through the Seaway in 1960 and made about 10 trips inland through 1967. The hull was reported to have fractured as b) OH DAI enroute from Singapore to Calcutta. The ship foundered in the Bay of Bengal but there was speculation at the time that this was an insurance fraud. 1980: The idle rail car ferry GRAND RAPIDS sustained fire damage from a blaze in the pilings at Muskegon, buckling plates on the car deck. It was extinguished by the U.S.C.G. and Fire Department. 2010: The tug MESSENGER came to the Great Lakes for the Gaelic Tugboat Co. in 1984 and was renamed b) PATRICIA HOEY. It was later sold and became c) NEW HAMPSHIRE and then d) SEA TRACTOR II before leaving the lakes, via Oswego, about 1991. It was known as e) SHARK when scuttled as an artificial reef near Miami, on this date in 2010. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Al Miller, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Tug arrived to tow former laker Manitoba to scrap 9/7 - The deep-sea tug Ocean Delta (IMO 7235707), built in 1973 and registered in Panama, arrived in Montreal at Section 56 North on Wednesday to tow the retired laker Nito, now of Panamanian registry, to Aliaga, Turkey, for scrap. Nito was the former Lower Lakes Towing Ltd. vessel Manitoba, which had its registry closed on July 31. At about that same time, the vessel's name was shortened to Nito. Nito has an interesting history. She was built in 1967 at Collingwood Shipyards in Collingwood, Ont. for the first of four different owners, the N.M. Paterson & Sons Ltd. It carried the name Mantadoc for them from 1967 until 2002 when Paterson sold three of its vessels to Canada Steamship Lines, with the Mantadoc being one of them. The ship sat idle in Montreal for most of 2002 before it was reactivated, renamed Teakglen, and loaded a grain storage cargo from Quebec City to be taken to Goderich, Ont., in September of that year. That was her only trip under that name. From 2002 until 2005 the ship was used as a grain storage hull before being sold to its third owner, Voyageur Maritime Trading Inc. in 2005. It left Sarnia in late July 2005 and departed in early September for Thunder Bay where it was repainted and renamed Maritime Trader. It carried that name for its owners from 2005 until 2011 when it was acquired by its fourth and final owner, Lower Lakes Towing Ltd. in 2011. At that time the ship was renamed the Manitoba. As the Manitoba, the vessel last operated during the 2015/16 shipping season arriving in Hamilton, Ont., to unload a grain cargo and layup on December 30, 2015. The ship departed from Hamilton under its owner power on April 16, 2016 and sailed to Montreal where it arrived for layup on April 17, 2016 and never sailed again. Manitoba is one of the last traditional-style lakers built at Collingwood with the fore and aft cabin design. The Manitoba also had a close sistership, the Vandoc (ex-Sir Denys Lowson), which was scrapped in 2002 at Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Denny Dushane |
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Port Reports - September 7
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont. Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Sep 6 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Wellland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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National Museum hosts maritime history conference this weekend 9/7 - Toledo, Ohio – Museum professionals and historians from around the Great Lakes will gather in Toledo Sept. 6 - 8. Four lectures on Great Lakes maritime history will be held on Saturday in addition to the Saturday evening dinner which features a presentation by Dr. David Bush entitled “The Role of Lake Erie at the Johnson’s Island Civil War Military Prison: View from the Bottom of a Latrine.” For more information call 419-214-5000, extension 0, or visit www.inlandseas.org |
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Free concert celebrates Detroit’s Rich Maritime History 9/7 - Detroit, Mich. – Detroit’s role in maritime history has been largely forgotten. It was there that French priests first came ashore after discovering that all of the Great Lakes were connected. That opened a major transportation corridor to treasures – first fur and then copper and ore. It was there in Detroit that wooden schooners and eventually the largest steel ships in the world were built. Hulls launched there fought wars and were lost in unforgiving gales. On Sept. 15th the most famous of Detroit’s maritime stories will be told in a free concert sponsored by the Wayne County Community College District in Taylor, Mich. Prechter Arts Center will host 300 years of maritime stories told with a massive video screen, captivating storyteller and a musical sound track by guitarist/vocalist Dan Hall. From the sinking of Le Griffon to the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald, each story will include rare interviews, archive footage and new details that are sure to be of interest to all. Ric Mixter, a diver that has visited over 150 shipwrecks around the lakes and oceans, hosts STORM. He’s been on expeditions to three of the lake’s largest: The Carl D Bradley (Lake Michigan), the James Reed (Lake Erie) and the Edmund Fitzgerald (Lake Superior) where he spent nearly an hour and a half visiting the wreck. He has studied the ship for over 25 years, recording interviews including shipyard workers (Fitz was built in River Rouge by the Great Lakes Engineering Works), he has also talked with investigators from the Coast Guard, Canadian search crews, and every dive team to visit the wreck including Cousteau. STORM also features Detroit’s most famous shipwreck, the Montrose. The ship collided with a barge and sank below the Ambassador Bridge in July of 1962. It took several months to raise the vessel and Ric will share a strange connection between the shipwreck’s cargo and Jimmy Hoffa. Dan Hall was featured on PBS this month with a documentary about lighthouses. Ric Mixter is the president of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association in addition to a board member for the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History and a board member with the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, which operates the famous shipwreck museum at Whitefish Point. STORM is Sept 15 at 7 pm. Tickets are free but must be obtained prior to the show through the college at https://thestorm.brownpapertickets.com Video Teaser: https://youtu.be/QOLakrafzHI |
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Obituary: Captain Wayne Bratton 9/7 - Captain Wayne Bratton died on August 31 at age 84. He sailed for Gartland Steamship Co, (Sullivan Bros. and Hennepin) and for Cleveland Cliffs on the Michigan, Edward B. Greene and others. He was Manager of Operations for Marine Fueling Inc., past president of The International Shipmasters Association’s Cleveland Lodge No. 4, advisor to the MAST Board, a long-time member of the board of directors of The Great Lakes Historical Society, and advisor to Sea Scout Ship 600. He was instrumental in bringing the steamer William G. Mather to Cleveland's North Coast Harbor as a museum. He was an active, popular figure on the Cleveland waterfront – knowledgeable about marine history, a great story-teller with a wry sense of humor, and always willing to answer questions and help with marine projects. He was also a marine consultant, known informally as the "Mayor of the Cuyahoga River." Captain Bratton operated the harbor/river cruise boat Holiday, narrating tours for Trident Marine for many years. Visitation will be on Friday, Sept. 7, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Craciun Berry Funeral Home, 7200 Detroit Ave. Cleveland, Ohio. A church service will be on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 10 a.m. at Grace Church, 2503 Broadview Rd., Old Brooklyn, Ohio. Greg Rudnick |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 7 On September 7, 1978, the ROGER M. KYES lost all power in Lake St. Clair requiring tug assistance from the Great Lakes Towing Co. tugs MARYLAND and MAINE, which escorted her to the Great Lakes Steel dock. Renamed b.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS in 1989.CADILLAC of 1943 was laid up on September 7, 1981, for the last time at Toledo, Ohio. She was later transferred to a West coast marine operation in preparation for conversion for a proposed container ship for service between Chicago, Detroit and Quebec City. However these plans never materialized. On September 7, 1921, the D. G. KERR pulled up to the ore dock at Two Harbors, Minnesota to load exactly 12,507 gross tons of iron ore in the record-breaking time of 16 and a half minutes. This was accomplished through the cooperation of the dock superintendent, the dock employees concerned, the ship's captain and crew and the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. as a means of "showing up" the competition. Her time of arrival and departure to and from the dock took only 19 minutes. For comparison, a good average loading time at that time was about three hours and 45 minutes. On September 7, 1975, on the St. Marys River loaded with iron ore pellets, WILLIAM G. MATHER, forced out of the channel by a saltwater vessel, struck bottom. Upon proceeding further onto Lake Huron it was discovered that her pumps were unable to cope with incoming water caused by the damage. She was beached at Frying Pan Island (De Tour, Michigan) in 19 feet of water when it became evident they couldn't make dock. On 7 September 1883, LAURA BELL (wooden schooner, 138 foot, 269 gross tons, built in 1870, at Toledo, Ohio) was carrying coal from Cleveland, Ohio to Marquette, Michigan when she stranded off Shot Point, east of Marquette in Lake Superior. Her crew spent 3 days in her rigging and all but one was rescued by a tug from Marquette. September 7, 1916 - The PERE MARQUETTE 3 ran aground 10 miles north of Milwaukee. September 7, 1996 - The American Society of Mechanical Engineers designated the propulsion system of the BADGER a mechanical engineering landmark. The launch of the 188-foot wooden schooner ELIZABETH A. NICHOLSON was set for 4 p.m., on 7 September 1872, at E. Fitzgerald's shipyard in Port Huron, Michigan. Just before 4 p.m., a telegram was received at the shipyard from Capt. Nicholson, the owner of the new vessel, which read, "Wait a while. We are coming." The launch was delayed until another dispatch was received which said to go ahead anyway. The boat Capt. Nicholson was on had broken down. The launch went well. The vessel was painted deep green with her name in gilt. All present cheered the sight, but there was no party afterwards. All of the food and beverages for the celebration were with Capt. Nicholson on the disabled vessel. On 07 September 1883, the COLORADO (wooden schooner-barge, 118 foot, built in 1866, at Fairport, Ohio) was in tow of the steamer DON M. DICKINSON along with the schooner-barge N. P. GOODELL in a gale on Lake Huron. As the gale worsened, the string of vessels went to shelter in the harbor at Sand Beach (now Harbor Beach), Michigan. The COLORADO broke loose as they entered the harbor. Deckhand Abbot Way jumped on to the breakwater with a line to secure the COLORADO, but the line broke as soon as it went taut. It broke three times and the barge drifted out into the gale, stranding Mr. Way on the breakwater with six-foot waves washing over it. He managed to get to the harbor light at the end of the breakwater and climbed up above the waves where he was stranded for two hours until the crew of the Lifesaving Station got to him. COLORADO beached herself with no loss of life. She was later recovered and lasted until 1902 when she was abandoned. 1901: WAWATAM ran aground on Gratiot Beach above Port Huron with the whaleback barge #102 in tow. 1929: CHARLES C. WEST went aground on Gull Rock Reef damaging both frames and plates. The repair bill topped $46,000. 1942: OAKTON of the Gulf & Lake Navigation Co. was torpedoed and sunk in the St. Lawrence by U-517 about 15 miles west of Cape Gaspe. It was struck amidships on the port side and went down stern first without any loss of life except the ship's St. Bernard dog. The ship had a load of coal on board from Sandusky, Ohio, to Cornerbrook, NF when hit. Two other Greek ships, MOUNT TAYGETUS and MOUNT PINDUS were struck in the same attack with the loss of 6 lives. 1956: The former Canada Steamship Lines freighter WINONA stranded on a sand bank at Aparii, Philippines, island of Luzon, as b) EDDIE while enroute to Japan with a cargo of logs. The ship broke in two and was a total loss. 1965: AMARYLLIS was driven ashore about 1.5 miles north of Palm Beach Inlet, Florida, during Hurricane Betsy. The crew lived on board for another 4 months keeping up steam in hope of being refloated but the ship was eventually abandoned as a total loss. The vessel, enroute from Manchester, England, to Baton Rouge, LA in ballast, visited the Great Lakes in 1959. The hull became increasingly unpopular with local residents and, in 1975, a gravel road was built to the ship to truck the scrapped steel away. The remains were later floated off and sunk off West Palm Beach as an artificial reef. 1979: INDIANA HARBOR loaded a record 61,649 tons of iron ore at Two Harbors. 1997: NORTH ISLANDS, a Cypriot flag SD14, came through the Seaway in 1994 and loaded peas at Thunder Bay for Cuba. The vessel went aground near San Antonio, Chile, after losing her propeller. The ship broke in two, but all 30 on board were rescued by a helicopter from the Chilean Navy. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Tin Stackers - The History of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships. We Remember series |
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Lakes limestone trade steady In August 9/6 - Cleveland, Ohio – Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3,941,085 tons in August, a near carbon copy of both a year ago and July of this year. Limestone cargos also bettered the month’s 5-year average by 5.8 percent. Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 3.248 million tons, a decrease 3.3 percent, or 110,000 tons, compared to a year ago. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 693,003 tons, an increase of 9.4 percent or roughly three loads in a mid-sized laker. Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 17.2 million tons, an increase of 3.5 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 14.1 million tons, an increase of 3.3 percent. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 3.1 million tons, an increase 4.5 percent. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Port Reports - September 6
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont. Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Sep 5 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Wellland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Maritime archaeologists recover artifacts from WW II plane crash in Lake Huron 9/6 - Alpena, Mich. – A group of maritime archaeologists may have come up empty handed in their search for new shipwrecks and plane crashes in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, but they didn’t leave empty handed. The group of four traveled five hours south to Port Huron. There, the archaeologists headed 30 feet beneath the waves to the P-39Q plane crash site of Tuskegee Airman Lieutenant Frank Moody. Moody’s plane crashed on April 11, 1944. Maritime archaeologist Justine Benanty traveled from Brooklyn, New York to help with the recovery project. Divers discovered the wreck back in 2014, exactly 70 years from the crash. The group needed approval from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corp of Engineers before taking the artifacts out of the lake. The tedious process of mapping and planning began in 2015. On Friday, the crew began its work. The process took almost 2 days to complete. Once safely removed and put into preserving tanks, the artifacts were transported back up to Alpena for more preservation. The archaeologists will help remove zebra and quagga mussels and write down their observations. The pieces of history will be shipped down to the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum in Detroit. “You want people to know those things because they can tell their grandkids you know that they saw Lt. Moody’s aircraft wreck in the Tuskegee Museum,” said Benanty. “That’s so cool.” The specific artifacts and items have not been released yet as archaeologists record data from their recovery. WBKB |
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Lakes lawyer Mark Ruge to be inducted into Great Lakes Marine Hall of Fame 9/6 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Mark Ruge, a native of Menominee, Mich., who has risen to be a leading advocate for a strong U.S.-flag merchant marine in our nation’s capital, has been named Marine Man of the Year and will be inducted into the Great Lakes Marine Hall of Fame in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., on Sept. 7. With this selection Ruge joins the ranks of the individuals who have made Great Lakes shipping the safest and most efficient mode of transportation in North America. Ruge spent a decade as a staffer on Capitol Hill, as the chief of staff to former Michigan Congressman Bob Davis and on the House of Representatives Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. Davis, who represented Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and a large portion of northern Michigan, was a leading advocate for Great Lakes shipping. In 1993 Ruge joined the law firm that would become K&L Gates, renowned for its maritime practice. K&L Gates is consistently ranked as one of America’s top maritime policy firms, and Ruge is ranked among the top U.S. maritime policy lawyers. He is the first lawyer selected for the Hall of Fame. During his career, Ruge has been involved in a broad range of legislative initiatives to promote Great Lakes shipping. His work with Rep. Davis and others in blocking the decommissioning of the Mackinaw, the U.S. Coast Guard’s only full-powered icebreaker stationed on the Lakes, set in motion a campaign that would culminate in the christening of a new Mackinaw in 2006. When misapplication of the North American Emissions Control Area threatened to decimate the fleet of U.S.-flag steamships on the Great Lakes in 2008, Ruge and others worked with Congress to develop a new program that encouraged repowering of the vessels rather than a premature retirement that would have resulted in capacity shortfalls on the Great Lakes. Ruge has been a tireless advocate for a second Poe-sized lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and this year has seen President Trump endorse the project. Ruge is probably best known for his staunch defense of the Jones Act and other U.S. maritime cabotage laws. He serves as counsel to the American Maritime Partnership and its forerunner, the Maritime Cabotage Task Force, which have turned back repeated attempts to gut the laws that require domestic waterborne commerce be conducted in vessels that are U.S.-owned, U.S.-built and U.S.-crewed. Since 1997 Ruge has served as D.C. counsel for the Lake Carriers’ Association. He has also advocated for the three American Great Lakes Pilots Associations, the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City, Mich., and five other U.S. State Maritime Academies. Ruge is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and Northern Michigan University. In 2008 he received an Executive Certificate in Leadership and Management from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. “It is fitting that Mark be inducted into the Great Lakes Marine Hall of Fame,” said John Wellington, president of Sault Historic Sites, the organization that hosts the event and operates the Hall of Fame. “Great Lakes shipping has greatly benefited from his body of work.” James R. Barker, Chairman of The Interlake Steamship Co., one of the largest U.S.-flag carriers operating on the Great Lakes, credited Ruge with raising Great Lakes shipping’s profile in the halls of Congress and the White House. “Great Lakes shipping was not fully appreciated in Washington until Mark took the legislative helm. Words cannot express my admiration for Mark.” Barker will give the keynote address at Ruge’s induction ceremony. “Mark’s advocacy for Great Lakes shipping has been an important part of our success,” said James H.I. Weakley, President of the Lake Carriers’ Association, the trade association representing Interlake and other U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleets. “His skills and wisdom have benefited out industry in countless ways.” “Mark played an important role in saving the carferry Badger,” said Bob Manglitz, President of Lake Michigan Carferry Service, Inc. in Ludington, Mich. “He and the K&L Gates team skillfully helped us reach an arrangement that allowed the vessel to continue to operate while we surmounted some engineering challenges that could have led to the Badger’s retirement.” More information on the Marine Hall of Fame, including past inductees going back to 1955, can be viewed at its website – www.saulthistoricsites.com. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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NOAA research lab uses underwater vessel to monitor algal blooms 9/6 - Toledo, Ohio – They call it MACAI. It's a torpedo-looking vessel that acts as an underwater laboratory. It spent six days gathering information about microsystin and the algal blooms in the western basin of Lake Erie before being recovered Monday afternoon. "The vehicle has been wandering around the western basin measuring the toxicity of the harmful algal bloom that's out there right now," said Steve Ruberg, an observing systems researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "So this can stay out in pretty much any kind of weather out there and it can collect data just 24/7 and feed it back to the scientists in near real-time," said Brian Kieft, a software engineer with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California. "And they can make decisions based on that data, and follow these interesting patches of water, and in this case following a bloom of algae, seeing where it goes and how it develops." It's smaller and more cost-effective than a boat with scientists aboard. Because of MACAI, those scientists can be back on land discovering information and reacting as necessary. "It's really these really tight temporal and spatial events that happen out there that these robots are great at capturing," Kieft said. "Things move very quickly. The wind can change, it can come up, it can calm down, and that really affects what's happening out there on the water." As for what it found, the data is yet to be fully analyzed, but there are already positive preliminary results. "We were able to collect some samples along some bloom edges, and we were able to determine high and low concentrations," Ruberg said. It's an important task at hand: using technology to explore, analyze and ultimately help solve a critical problem. "It's a really big deal for folks in this area and for this lake, for everything from fisheries to drinking water, and we're hoping these robots can help," Kieft said. WTOL |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 6 On September 6,1872, nine days after she set sail from Port Colborne for Detroit, the schooner J. W. SARGENT was listed as missing in the Detroit newspapers, probably a victim of a August 29 storm that struck Lake Erie. Later on the same day that the newspaper announcement was published, the SARGENT arrived in Detroit. Captain William Simms stated that the storm drove him south to Erie, Pennsylvania, where he sheltered for a few days. He sent a telegraph message to the ship's owner but the news was not relayed to Detroit. The SARGENT only lasted another three months. In November 1872, a storm got her on Lake Erie.The BADGER was launched on September 6, 1952, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. A christening ceremony included the SPARTAN (launched earlier that year). The BADGER was named in honor of the University of Wisconsin. The BADGER was built by Christy Corporation, and is powered by two Skinner 4 cylinder Steeple Compound Uniflow Marine Steam engines, developing over 7,000 horsepower. She was the last of the large, coal-fired steamers to be built in the United States, and the only ship of her type still operating on the Great Lakes. The BADGER offers seasonal passenger service from Ludington, Michigan, to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, from mid May to early October. BELLE RIVER began her maiden voyage when she loaded 56,073 long tons of western coal at Superior, Wisconsin, on August 31, 1977, and arrived at Detroit Edison Co.'s Belle River power plant at Recors Point on September 6, 1977. Renamed in 1990, she sails today as b.) WALTER J. McCARTHY, JR. On September 6, 1992, H. LEE WHITE was in tow of the "G" tugs COLORADO and LOUISIANA entering the Trenton Channel when she struck a section of the toll bridge at Grosse Ile, Michigan, knocking down a 150 foot span immediately east of the main river channel. The WHITE was not damaged but a new section of the bridge had to be installed at a cost of $1.7 million. The bridge was back in service in late January 1993. The U.S. Coast Guard investigated this casualty and their report states that it was the failure of the bridge tender to operate and open the bridge that caused this casualty. The Coast Guard found that the master of the WHITE was operating his vessel in a prudent and lawful manner including the use of whistle signals. CHARLES E. WILSON completed her sea trials in 1973. Renamed b.) JOHN J. BOLAND in 2000. GEORGIAN BAY collided with the steamer CHARLES HUBBARD in the fog-covered lower St. Marys River September 6, 1955. On September 6, 1989, the twin-screw rail car ferry GRAND RAPIDS left Muskegon, Michigan, in tow of the tugs ANGLIAN LADY and PRINCESS NO 1, and arrived at Port Maitland, Ontario, on September 11th. Scrapping was completed in the fall of 1994. On September 6, 1887, BLUE BELL (2-mast wooden scow-schooner, 84 foot, 122 gross tons, built in 1867, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was carrying lumber from Wilt's Bay, Michigan, to Milwaukee when she missed the harbor entrance at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, in a storm. She was driven ashore where she broke up. Her crew made it to the beach with the aid of the local U.S. Life Saving crew. The total loss was valued at $5,000. On September 6,1871, the wooden schooner ROSA STEARNS, loaded with coal, was battling a storm for hours off Cleveland, Ohio. The ship was driven on the stone breakwater about 1 a.m. and was pounded to pieces. The crew jumped onto the breakwater and crawled to safety as the waves crashed over them. 1908: The wooden steamer CHAUNCY HURLBUT began leaking and was beached at Whitefish Point, Lake Superior, along a rough and rocky shore. It became a total loss and the hull was removed in August 1910 and sunk in deep water. 2009: ALGOPORT ran into heavy weather from tropical storm DeJuan while under tow of the PACIFIC HICKORY, broke up and sank in the Philippine Sea about a week's tow from the destination of Jiangyin, China. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Jody L. Aho, Max S. Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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U.S. ports, including some in Wisconsin, feeling effects of Trump tariffs 9/5 - The Associated Press is reporting that retaliatory tariffs from China and other countries will affect $27 billion in United States exports, but while some Wisconsin ports are seeing the impacts of tariffs, others aren't. President Donald Trump announced tariffs of up to 25 percent on steel and aluminum in March. Those tariffs went into full effect in June. The European Union responded with its own 25 percent tariffs on U.S. products like corn. Adam Schlicht, Port of Milwaukee director, said now they're seeing more corn storage. "We're already seeing the Canadian corn market respond to the need in Western Europe because under the current tariff regime, customers including some that work at Port Milwaukee, just aren't exporting corn right now," said Schlicht. CHS Inc., which provides grains and energy resources to customers worldwide, expects to see more utilization of their storage capacity to store farmers' crops as a result of tariffs, according to John Griffith, the company's senior vice president of global grain marketing and renewable fuels. "I think it's safe to assume that more of the storage space at harvest will get filled up with the entire harvest of all crops this year," he said. "CHS's space availability would be included in that statement." Griffith said the tariffs have changed the flow of grain to international markets. "The Port of Duluth-Superior could ship soybeans to Europe, for example, this harvest season, which would be a very unusual move," he said. "But that's because the beans aren't flowing ... to China." China placed a retaliatory tariff of 25 percent on U.S. soybean imports in early July. Around 774,000 tons of grain and byproducts moved through the Twin Ports in 2017, which is down from around 1.1 million tons in 2016. Jason Serck, Superior port and planning director, said earlier this month that port officials are still gauging the impacts of tariffs. "Sometimes, it takes a while for these to kind of adjust and we may not see that until next year or the year after because these economic swings just don't happen overnight," said Serck. "Hopefully, these numbers will go up. I think the latest report just came out that we're above last year on some of our exports out of here so that’s a good thing." Iron ore exports in the Twin Ports, as of July this year, were up slightly over the same time last year, and domestic shipments were higher as well. But in Milwaukee, Schlicht said he's worried about steel imports. He said last year was one of the best they've had with around 180,000 metric tons of steel imported. "My anxiety comes in in 2019," he said. "What will these tariffs and just the proposal of tariffs — even if they're not fully enacted — mean for existing trade relationships and trade patterns coming into the Great Lakes, including the Port of Milwaukee?" However, Dean Haen, director of the Port of Green Bay, said they don't generally handle cargo that's currently affected by tariffs. "Current commodities that we're moving in and out through the port are not impacted by any tariffs that are being placed on foreign goods," said Haen. Haen said they handle mostly coal, cement and limestone. From the West Coast to the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico, at least 10 percent of imports at many ports could be hit by new tariffs if Trump's proposals take full effect, according to an exclusive analysis of government data by The Associated Press. Ports and ground terminals in nearly every state handle goods that are now or will likely soon be covered by import tariffs. And port officials fear this could mean a slowdown in shipping that would have ripple effects on truckers and others whose jobs depend on trade. Since March, the U.S. has applied new tariffs of up to 25 percent on nearly $85 billion worth of steel and aluminum and various Chinese products, mostly goods used in manufacturing. Wisconsin Public Radio, Associated Press |
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Ship recycling company expects work to keep coming 9/5 - Port Colborne. Ont. – With five vessels currently awaiting or undergoing recycling, Marine Recycling Corp. founder Wayne Elliott doesn't see work coming to an end at any time soon in Port Colborne. "We believe there's work in Canada for us for the next 20 years and beyond," said Elliott in an interview during a tour of the facility on the east pier at the entrance of the Welland Canal. "We're pretty busy." The five vessels at the yard include the cement carrier Paul H. Townsend, formerly part of the Inland Lakes Management fleet; the cement carrier English River, formerly part of the Lafarge Ltd. fleet; the medium-sized self-unloading bulk carriers Algorail and Algoway, formerly part of Algoma Central Corp.'s fleet; and the Princess of Acadia, a roll-on/roll-off passenger and motor vehicle ferry that travelled between Digby, N.S. and Saint John, N.B. In addition to Port Colborne, the company's yard in Sydney, N.S. is busy with recycling vessels as well. "We're currently focused on warships there … still working some of those and looking at other government bids. We're good and busy." Elliott's start in the ship recycling business began when he started working summers with his father. "My dad started with another family in Hamilton in 1959. I learned how to run a crane and use a torch." In 1983, father and son teamed up and started their own company, carrying out ship conversion work for Upper Lakes Shipping in Hamilton first. "We came to Port Colborne and started ship breaking … Upper Lakes was our partner at the time. We went on until 1990 when at that point we had cleaned up all of the surplus ships available." For that seven-year period work was carried out on the east pier of the Welland Canal. "We went dormant until 1993, and then started up again and have been going ever since." From 1994 to 1997 recycling work was carried out at a yard off the Grand River in Port Maitland, and from 1997 on the company has been operating in Port Colborne. "We worked on two submarines and a naval destroyer at Port Maitland." Elliot said the Port Colborne yard will continue to be busy with at least 12 lakers he knows of slated for recycling, which would take them to the next round of lakers down the road. "We're here to stay in the lakes and on the East Coast and look forward to another generation of work." In addition to lakers and naval vessels, Elliott said a new stream of marine recycling through the federal government's abandoned and wrecked vessel program could one day help the company. "We've heard different numbers … there could be 2,000 abandoned vessels in Canada, mostly pleasure craft, sailboats, wooden boats, plastic boats. Many are sunk or tied to a dock and abandoned." Figuring out how to deal with and recycle those vessels is something Marine Recycling Corp. is consulting with federal agencies like Transport Canada, Public Works, Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. "Department of Fisheries and the Coast Guard have their own vessels that need to be retired and recycled … vessels beyond their ideal date of service." Elliott said in talks with the federal government, the company has been encouraged to set up on Canada's West Coast and is exploring its options and potential locations. "There hasn't been a ship recycling company out there for the last 25 years. There are a lot of ships out there, ferries and other vessels and there are no options for recycling them." He said there's no way to justify an ocean tow across the Pacific to recycling yards in Asia, and added Canada has decided its own vessels won't leave the country to be recycled. Elliott said Chinese yards will stop taking foreign vessels and that many of those yards took a big hit like Marine Recycling did when the scrap market crashed in 2015 reaching an all-time 50 year low. "The Chinese will only do Chinese-flagged vessels now," he said, adding many of yards there were doing things right when it came to safety and the environment. Elliott said taking apart and recycling a ship is not easy and there are many precautions around safety and the environment that come into play. Work on the Princess of Acadia in terms of asbestos abatement will cost the company at least $1 million. "It's one of the largest asbestos abatement jobs we've ever hard. We knew that at bid time though. We do a thorough inspection of the vessels. The single biggest thing in our experience in terms of both the time it takes and the cost is asbestos, it always has been. "We're really an environmental company," he said. In addition to asbestos, Marine Recycling crews have to be aware of and properly remove and dispose of things PCBs, oils, fuel, chemicals, grease, and paint. Samples and testing programs are carried out so the company knows what it is dealing with inside a vessel. Having vessels docked along the canal makes it easier for crews to get on board and remove everything that needs to be before a ship is ever cut apart. In places like Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, vessels are broken on the shore with the vessel still in the water and the stern, where many potential contaminants are located, the last piece to be recycled, said Elliott. "Alongside the docks here we can deal with the pollutants first." As to why companies, including Canadian ones, will sell their vessels for scrap overseas to scrapyards in countries like Turkey, it comes down to money. "They can pay more and absorb the ocean tow, which I find surprising." The rules in terms of both safety and the environment are lax as compared to Canada, as are the wages, he added. "We can never compete with the low wages and conditions of those yards. We can't change our standards or cut back when it comes to safety and the environment … it's against our company culture." Elliott said safety is taken very seriously at both recycling yards, it comes first. "We can't have our people injured. Our guys are very conscious and aware of what they are doing. One day there may be a stairway heading down (inside a ship) and the next it might be gone." The most serious incident involving an employee and injury in Port Colborne took place in 2004. A chain anchor moved and trapped the 21-year-old man inside. It took Port Colborne Fire and Emergency Services and firefighters from Buffalo Fire Department's heavy rescue company five hours to free the man, who ended up with a broken lower leg and foot. Elliott said every precaution is taken when employees are dealing with the removal of various contaminants, as well. "We remove things that our guys could snag and rip their environmental suits on during asbestos removal." He said that's why people may not see much in the way of progress when a vessel is brought in to Port Colborne. Read more and view a photo gallery at this link: https://www.wellandtribune.ca/news-story/8876972-ship-recycling-company-expects-work-to-keep-coming |
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Port Reports - September 5
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Northern Lake Huron
Owen Sound, Ont. – Paul Martin Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Sep 4 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Sep 3 - CSL Niagara at 1531, Tim S Dool at 1623 and Algoma Buffalo at 1947 - Sep 4 - Federal Alster (Mhl) at 0516, Algoma Guardian at 0623, Algoma Equinox at 0825, tug Sharon M I & barge Huron Spirit at 1145 (stopping wharf 16 to unload), Algosea at 1812 and tug Petite Forte & barge St Marys Cement at 2004 and Algoma Sault eta 2320
Wellland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 5 September 5, 1899, the DOUGLASS HOUGHTON grounded at Sailors Encampment and sank when rammed by her barge, JOHN FRITZ. The HOUGHTON completely blocked St. Marys River traffic for five days. More than 300 boats were delayed at an estimated loss of $600,000.On 05 September 1898, the MONTGOMERY (wooden schooner-barge, 204 foot, 709 tons, built in 1856, at Newport [Marine City], Michigan as a passenger/package freight steamer) sank in 21 feet of water on Lake St. Clair after colliding with the whaleback barge 137 (steel barge, 345 foot, 2,480 gross tons, built in 1896, at W. Superior, Wisconsin) which was being towed by the ALEXANDER McDOUGALL (steel propeller semi-whaleback freighter, 413 foot, 3,686 gross tons, built in 1898, at West Superior, Wisconsin). The MONTGOMERY was raised and repaired. She lasted another two years before breaking up in a storm in 1901. CHI-CHEEMAUN completed her sea trials on September 5, 1974, and then cleared the Collingwood shipyard on September 26th. BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS cleared Lorain on her maiden voyage September 5, 1942 for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. J. P. MORGAN, JR. returned to service September 5, 1948, after repairs suffered in an accident in June. NEW QUEDOC arrived at McLouth Steel, Trenton, Michigan, on her maiden voyage September 5, 1960, with a load of Labrador iron ore. Renamed b.) QUEDOC in 1963. QUEDOC was scrapped at Curacao Island, Lesser Antilles in 1985. The WYANDOTTE of 1916, a.) CONNEAUT, was towed down the Welland Canal on September 5- 6, 1973, on her way to the cutter’s torch at Santander, Spain. On 5 September 1905, ABERCORN (wooden propeller 'rabbit', 126 foot, 261 gross tons, built in 1873, at Marine City, Michigan) burned at the dock at Goderich, Ontario, while unloading coal. She reportedly caught fire from the explosion of a signal lamp. The schooner CALEDONIA, wrecked the previous autumn near the Fishing Islands on Lake Huron, was raised and arrived in Port Huron, Michigan, on September 5, 1882, under tow to be rebuilt. 1896: The Canadian passenger ship BALTIC, built in 1867 as FRANCES SMITH, burned at the dock in Collingwood. The hull drifted to shallow water and remained there for several years. 1964: A. & J. MID-AMERICA, a Seaway caller in 1963, was driven ashore at Lantau Island near Hong Kong by typhoon Ruby. The vessel was refloated October 5 but came ashore again days later during typhoon Dot on October 13. Refloated October 21, the vessel returned to service and was scrapped as e) UNION TIGER at Inchon, South Korea, after arriving in April 1968. 1964: The former HEMSEFJELL, a pre-Seaway trader, was also blown aground at Hong Kong as d) PROSPERITY during typhoon Ruby but released on October 5. It was scrapped in Thailand during 1972. 1964: The three-year old bulk carrier LEECLIFFE HALL sank in the St. Lawrence, 65 miles below Quebec City, following a collision with the APOLLONIA. Efforts to beach the ship failed and three lives were lost. The hull was dynamited as a hazard to navigation in 1966. The latter, a Greek freighter, had been a Seaway trader in 1964 and was repaired at Levis, QC. The ship was scrapped at Shanghai, China, as c) MAYFAIR after arriving on May 3, 1985. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Jody L. Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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American Victory scrap tow arrived in Turkey 9/4 - The tug VB Hispania, towing the former American Victory reached Aliaga, Turkey, Monday at 2:01 EDT. |
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Homeless Norgoma has nowhere else to go 9/4 - Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. – As of midnight Aug. 31, the lady is a tramp. M.S. Norgoma is no longer welcome at Roberta Bondar Marina, finally banished from the prominent city-owned berth she's occupied for more than four decades. The former steamer is now officially homeless, but there's no indication the Norgoma will be going anywhere soon. It's one thing to serve an eviction notice, but getting your hippie-era love child to actually move out can be considerably more complicated than that. Built in Collingwood in 1950, the Norgoma has been a fixture on the Sault waterfront since 1975, just as Canada's version of the hippie love-generation movement was winding down and the 364-foot Chi-Cheemaun had replaced the 185-foot Norgoma on the Tobermory-to-South Baymouth passenger ferry route. Exasperated by the vessel's deteriorating condition, Mayor Christian Provenzano declared one year ago: "That boat has to go." In April of this year, Provenzano got his wish, with City Council voting to end the museum ship’s berthing rights at Roberta Bondar Marina effective Aug. 31. But the St. Mary's River Marine Heritage Centre, which has owned the Norgoma since 1981, is continuing to fight to keep its ship in the Sault. Earlier this month, the centre's board launched an online petition aimed at getting City Council to reconsider its April decision. The issue is expected to come back to City Council on Sept. 10 with an updated report to be presented by Tom Vair, the city's deputy chief administrative officer for community development and enterprise services. It's not known what Vair will recommend, but any reconsideration of council's original decision must be moved by a councillor who voted in April with the prevailing side, and seconded by a member who either voted on the prevailing side or was absent then. As of 9 p.m. Aug. 31, the online petition to save the Norgoma had more than 780 signatures, with more than 400 additional hard-copy signatories. Louis Muio, president of the St Mary's River Marine Heritage Centre says he wants to present the petition to City Council on Sept. 10, together with a strategic plan for the ship prepared by Sean Meades at the NORDIK Institute. Muio's group met on Aug. 17 with city officials and asked to be allowed to keep the Norgoma at Roberta Bondar Marina until the end of next summer. "We're having a difficult time finding a space to moor the Norgoma," Muio tells SooToday. Parks Canada, Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre and the S.S. Valley Camp site in the Michigan Soo have all said they're unable to accommodate the Norgoma, even for just the winter. Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority is expected consider a request from Muio at its September meeting. The city wants the Norgoma out of Roberta Bondar Marina this fall so it can replace the deteriorating wooden docks there. "We can't get the Norgoma out of there until they move the docks," Muio told us. City staff have advised that the docks can't be moved until Sept. 11, so they've informally agreed to allow the Norgoma to stay until Sept. 15, Muio said. Read more and view a photo gallery at this link: https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/unwelcome-as-of-midnight-tonight-norgoma-has-nowhere-else-to-go-788585 Soo Today |
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Port Reports - September 4
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Northern Lake Huron Welland Canal and regional report for Monday Sept. 3 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Wellland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, N.Y. – Tom Brewer |
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Mother is the only survivor after a family of five's kayak capsizes on Lake Superior 9/4 - Apostle Islands, Wisconsin – A family's vacation on Lake Superior took a tragic turn when a kayak capsized, killing the father and three young children and leaving the mother as the sole survivor. Cari Mews, 29, and Erik Fryman, 39, took their children on an end-of-the-summer trip to visit the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin. The family of five from Loyal, Wis., vacationed in the area last year and looked forward to visiting again, Bobi Jo Mews, Cari's sister, told CNN affiliate WCCO. "They loved to go camping together and they took their kids everywhere and explored the world," she told the TV station. They were kayaking from Madeline Island to Michigan Island on Thursday afternoon when the wind and waves started picking up and caused water to get into the kayak, U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Alan Haraf told CNN. The family's 13 ½-foot craft tipped over and all five, each wearing a life jacket, fell into the open water, Haraf said. Cari Mews was able to use her cell phone, which was stored in a water-proof bag, to text her sister. "I got a text message that said '911,' and then immediately following, 'Michigan Island.' I knew that they were going kayaking that day. ... I just knew I had to call the police to see if they could go look for them," Bobi Jo Mews told WCCO. The text message did not reach Cari Mews' sister until about five hours later because there was no cell service in the area, according to Haraf. After the sister contacted authorities, a half-dozen agencies mobilized to aid in rescue efforts in search of the family. The Coast Guard issued an emergency broadcast to all boats in the area asking them to divert to where the kayak had capsized. USGS Research Vessel KIYI was the first boat to arrive on the scene. Around 10 p.m. CT, crews aboard the vessel spotted a small light coming from the water near Michigan Island. It was from Cari Mews, who had been submerged in 60-degree water for nearly six hours. "She was holding what was possibly a cell phone light," Haraf told CNN. "She was exhausted and was suffering from hypothermia." While attempting to swim to Michigan Island, Mews became separated from her husband and their children, ages 3, 6 and 9, in the choppy waters of Lake Superior, according to the Ashland County Sheriff's Office, which aided in the rescue. "It was shortly after (midnight) when a Coast Guard crew located the bodies of the father, the little boy and one of the little girls," Haraf told CNN. Thunderstorms in the area hampered rescue efforts until Friday morning. At that time, the body of the 9-year-old daughter was located on the shore of Michigan Island by the National Park Service. "Even with all the required safety equipment and all the right training, anything can happen when you get out on the lake," the Coast Guard's Justin Sickler told WCCO. CNN |
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Manitou Island Transit hopes to keep tradition going 9/4 - Manitou Island Transit has been a family business since 1917. Every 10 years their contract is up for renewal with the National Park Service. “Our family started running this in 1917,” says Megan Munoz, co-owner of Manitou Island Transit. “It’s important to us because my great grandfather lived out on North Manitou and my grandfather went to school there so it’s all a part of our family heritage,” says Munoz. It’s a family heritage that’s been ferrying more than 10,000 people to the islands each year. The self-described once in a lifetime experience once again faces an uncertain future, with its renewal up this year. “It’s what we’ve known and educated people about our whole lives teaching people the history, cultural history and natural history on the island,” says Michael Grosvenor, co-owner of Manitou Island Transit. They will be sitting down with the National Park Service in the next month to discuss renewing the contract, The hope is the family’s ferries continue running into century number two. “It would be heartbreaking to us (if it didn’t) because so much of our family heritage is involved in the islands,” says Munoz. The family says they’ve always had a great relationship with the National Park Service and that the renewal is standard every 10 years. 9 & 10 News |
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Obituary: Capt. Wayne Bratton 9/4 - Well-known Cleveland area mariner Capt. Wayne Bratton passed away Sunday morning. He had a long and colorful Great Lakes career and most recently was owner and operator of the Cleveland passenger vessel Holiday. He served as president of Cleveland International Shipmasters’ Association Lodge #4 for several years. Visitation will be on Friday, Sept. 7, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Craciun Berry Funeral Home, 7200 Detroit Ave. Cleveland, Ohio. A church service will be on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 10 a.m. at Grace Church, 2503 Broadview Rd., Old Brooklyn, Ohio. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 4 On September 4,1889, the new steamer CHEROKEE (wooden propeller freighter, 209 foot, 1,002 gross tons) arrived in Port Huron, Michigan, from M. P. Lester's yard in Marine City, Michigan, for the Phoenix Iron Works in Port Huron to installed the engine and boiler. Her outfitting was completed by Carleton and Cole of Port Huron.On September 4, 1876, CITY OF PORT HURON, a wooden steam barge, sank a few miles off shore near Lexington, Michigan, at about noon. She was heavily loaded with iron ore and sprang a leak at about 11 o'clock. Most of the crew managed to get on top of the cabin while two were in the forward rigging as she went down in 6 fathoms of water. The heavy seas washed over those on the cabin. Captain George Davis and two others floated ashore on wreckage while a fish boat picked up the five others. No lives were lost. 1921: The former laker RANDOLPH S. WARNER was cut in two to leave the Great Lakes during World War One. It was rebuilt with the pilothouse amidships and sank on this date about 40 miles off the Bosporus after reportedly striking an unrecovered mine. 1926: HARSEN, loaded with a cargo of sand, capsized and sank in a storm 3 miles northeast of the Pelee Passage Light in Lake Erie. The wooden-hulled vessel was a total loss. 1961: IMPERIAL HAMILTON caught fire while loading ethyl gasoline at Sarnia and sustained considerable damage. Six on board were injured. 1963: The Egyptian freighter SALAH ELDIN, a former Victory ship, caught fire in the crew quarters in Hamilton but the blaze was extinguished before it reached the cargo hold. The vessel almost capsized due to the weight of water but it remained upright. Two crew were injured and the Chief Steward died. The ship was towed out by GRAEME STEWART and JAMES BATTLE on November 22, 1963, for Quebec City and sold as is, where it became d) MERCANTILE VICTORY after a refit at Houston, Texas. Another fire on April 23, 1964, this time in the engine room on the Red Sea shortly after re-entering service in March 1964, led to an eventual resale to Spanish shipbreakers. The vessel arrived at Castellon for dismantling on May 10, 1965. 1967: The tugs MICHAEL McALLISTER and AMERICA towed the retired passenger ship NORTH AMERICAN through the Welland Canal enroute to a new career as a training ship for the S.I.U. at Piney Point, MD. 1972: NORSE CORAL was new when it entered the Seaway in 1962 and returned as b) TOTEM STAR in 1963. The ship opened the Seaway season on April 8, 1964, and returned to our shores as c) SILVERBEACH in 1965. It sustained heavy damage off Victoria, BC while inbound from Hong Kong to Vancouver on this date due to a collision with the C.E. DANT. The two ships were locked together. They were towed to Victoria the next day and then separated September 6. The damage was repaired and the former lakes trader survived until scrapping at Xingang, China, in 1986. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Jody L. Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - September 3
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Northern Lake Huron
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher
Welland Canal and area report |
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Initiative aims to bring more cruise passengers to Great Lakes 9/3 - Mackinac Island, Mich. – Against the backdrop of a cruise ship docked at Mackinac Island, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder recently helped launch “Cruise the Great Lakes,” a new international partnership to bring more cruise passengers to the Great Lakes. “Cruise the Great Lakes” is the newest project of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers, (GSGP) of which Governor Snyder is the chair. “I am excited to bring more cruise ships to our wonderful Great Lakes so visitors can experience our fantastic shoreline communities,” Snyder said. “Cruising on the Great Lakes is poised for major growth in the coming years, with significant economic benefits for the entire region. In 2018, our waterways saw nearly 100,000 port visits by passengers. This initiative aims to increase those numbers, which in turn, increases the amount of economic impact.” The news conference, attended by executives representing the Great Lakes travel industry, coincided with a port of call by Victory Cruise Line’s luxury ship, Victory I, which is in its third year touring the Great Lakes. Victory Cruise Lines operates two identical 84-crewmember, 202-passenger ships in the Great Lakes, Victory I and Victory II. “This is an exciting time for Victory Cruise Lines as we are in the midst of doubling our capacity on the Great Lakes within a very short period of time,” said Bruce Nierenberg, chairman and founder, Victory Cruise Lines. “We are committed to taking advantage of the unprecedented demand for our type of cruising in all five Great Lakes and St. Lawrence in particular.” The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers is the organizing body for Cruise the Great Lakes. The initiative is led by representatives from Great Lakes States and Canadian Provinces, and includes partners representing travel and tourism professionals across the region. David Lorenz, vice president of Travel Michigan, serves as the chair of Cruise the Great Lakes. “The mission of Cruise the Great Lakes is to promote cruising in the Great Lakes through an optimized and unique brand targeted toward current and potential passengers,” said Lorenz. “Our immediate focus is on marketing to potential consumers, both passengers and tour operators, in North America, but we’ll also target cruise operators. There is room for more cruise lines in our waters.” In 2018, eight ships operated in the region, including ships from Victory, Blount Small Ship Adventures and Pearl Seas Cruises. Two additional lines plan to enter the region by 2020. Soo Evening News |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 3 September 3, 1919, the WILLIAM A. McGONAGLE loaded a record 15,160 tons of soft coal at Toledo, Ohio for delivery to Gary, Indiana. The record lasted less than 24 hours as the D. G. KERR, Captain Harry Harbottle, loaded 15,532 tons of coal at the same Toledo dock for delivery to Gary.September 3, 1942, the 250-foot STEEL VENDOR, Captain G. L. Kane, sank at 3:45 a.m. on Lake Superior with a cargo of 3,000 tons of iron ore. The lone casualty was Oiler John N. Sicken. Twenty-two survivors were rescued by the CHARLES M. SCHWAB, Captain Alfred Drouillard, and 2 survivors were rescued by the WILLIAM G. CLYDE, Captain David M. LeRoy. Other boats standing by were the B. F. AFFLECK, ELBERT H. GARY, JOLIET, and EUGENE P. THOMAS. September 3, 1957, the HARRIS N. SNYDER of the Boland & Cornelius fleet, Captain Elmer Murray and Chief Engineer Frank Mc Cabe, rescued 2 from the waters of Lake Michigan. Not only did the crew rescue Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Colby, but the crew used the unloading boom to recover their sailboat and place it on the deck of the SNYDER. The entire maneuver only required 55 minutes. On September 3, 1899, the Great Lakes Towing Company's RED CLOUD (wooden propeller tug, 62 foot, 40 gross tons, built in 1883, at Buffalo, New York) was sailing on Lake Erie for Lorain, Ohio, when a storm forced her to head for port at Cedar Point, Ohio. However she was thrown on a reef and broke in two - a total loss. The crew made it to Sandusky, Ohio. On September 3, the BELLE RIVER (now WALTER J. McCARTHY, JR.) set a then Great Lakes record for coal when it loaded 62,802 tons of coal at Superior Midwest Energy Terminal on its maiden voyage. This record has since been surpassed many times. At Lorain, Ohio keel-laying ceremonies for the 437-foot bow section of the ROGER BLOUGH (Hull#900) took place on September 3, 1968, and was float-launched December 21, 1968, less ballast tanks because the existing dry dock wasn't wide enough to accommodate her 105-foot width. SOODOC (Hull#210) of 1976, on her maiden voyage from Collingwood, Ontario, loaded salt at Goderich, Ontario, on September 3, 1976. Renamed b.) AMELIA DESGAGNES in 1990. U.S. Steel's SEWELL AVERY was laid up for the last time September 3, 1981, at Superior, Wisconsin. She was towed to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in 1987, where the superstructure was removed and the hull was sunk for use as a dock. THOMAS W. LAMONT was laid up for the last time at Duluth’s Hallett dock #6A on September 3, 1981. She was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, in 1987. H. H. PORTER sailed on her maiden voyage for the Brier Hill Steamship Co. (Pickands Mather, mgr.) on September 3, 1920, light from Lorain, Ohio, to load iron ore at Two Harbors, Minnesota. Renamed b.) WALTER E. WATSON in 1957 and c.) NATIONAL TRADER in 1973. She was scrapped at Thunder Bay, Ontario, in 1978. On September 3, 1985, PHILIP R. CLARKE plowed into the Drawbridge Cove Marina in Lorain's Black River, damaging 5-10 small craft and sinking one at the steel dock. CLARKE managed to stop before hitting the Route 6 drawbridge. On September 3,1887, BULGARIA (wooden propeller, 280 foot, 1,888 gross tons) was launched at West Bay City, Michigan, by J. Davidson, as their hull number 16. September 3, 1910 - The MARQUETTE & BESSEMER NO 2 (Hull#450) was launched in Cleveland, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co. for the Marquette & Bessemer Dock & Navigation Co. She was the replacement for MARQUETTE & BESSEMER NO 2 of 1905, (Hull#428), which foundered on Lake Erie, December 7, 1909. On September 3, 1869, the 167-foot wooden propeller BOSCOBEL burned about two miles below St. Clair, Michigan. Three lives were lost. The ship was only about two years old and was in service of the New York Central Railroad, though owned by the Peshtigo Lumbering Co. of Chicago. The burned hulk was raised in 1876 and rebuilt as a schooner-barge at Algonac, Michigan. She lasted until 1909, when she sank on Lake Huron. 1905: The GEORGE STEPHENSON was blown aground at Pointe Aux Pins, Lake Superior and struck by her consort barge JOHN A. ROEBLING. Both were released and returned to service. 1942: DONALD STEWART, a canal trader for Canada Steamship Lines, was torpedoed by U-517 and sunk while in a convoy on the Gulf of St. Lawrence while carrying barrels of aviation fuel and bulk cement for the air base at Goose Bay, Labrador. Three members of the engine room crew were lost. 1944: LIVINGSTON, a former Great Lakes canal ship, was torpedoed and sunk by U-541 in the Atlantic about 80 miles east of Cape Breton Island. Fourteen lives were lost but another 14 were spared and rescued. 1965: The tanker EASTERN SHELL sank the small wooden goelette MONT BLANC in a collision blamed on fog about 20 miles from Trois Rivieres. All crewmembers of the pulpwood carrier were rescued. 1970: KENNETH made a single trip to the Great Lakes in 1959. It caught fire in the engine room on this date off the coast of Israel while enroute from Alexandria, Egypt, to Tripoli, Libya, as h) CHRISTINA MARIA. The ship was abandoned by the crew, towed into Haifa, Israel, September 6 and sold to Israeli shipbreakers later in the year. 1998: ORKANGER, a chemical tanker that first came through the Seaway in 1977, began leaking while inbound at Rio Grande, Brazil, as e) BAHAMAS with 12,000 tons of sulphuric acid and sank in the harbor. The hull was eventually refloated but never repaired although it had subsequent renames and was reported as broken up in 2003 as h) ORIENT FLOWER. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Jody L. Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - September 2
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Daniel Lindner
Southern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Nanticoke, Ont.
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 2 On 02 September 1902, the White Star Line’s TASHMOO (steel side-wheel excursion steamer, 308 foot, 1,344 gross tons, built in 1900, at Wyandotte, Michigan) hosted President Theodore Roosevelt when he came to Detroit, Michigan, to speak to Spanish American War veterans. The vessel took the president and his party on a sightseeing tour up and down the river while flying the president's blue and gold flag from the main mast.The BROOKNES (Hull #1177) was launched on September 2, 1970, at Glasgow, Scotland by Lithgows Ltd. for "Langra" Schiffahrsges G.m.b.H. & Co., Hamburg, Germany. Brought to the Lakes in 1976, converted to a self-unloader and renamed b.) ALGOSEA. She sailed most recently as c.) SAUNIERE. ROBERT KOCH's first trip was on September 2, 1977, up the Welland Canal bound for Buffalo with cement. The W. F. WHITE was one of the earliest ships built as a self-unloader on the Great Lakes. On her maiden voyage September 2, 1915, the WHITE loaded coal at Erie, Pennsylvania, and sailed for Menominee, Michigan. She was the largest self-unloading bulk carrier on the Lakes at that time with a cargo capacity of 10,500 tons. The RALPH H. WATSON departed light September 2, 1938, from Detroit, Michigan, upbound to load iron ore at Duluth, Minnesota. She was built as part of a fleet modernization plan for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio, of four new "GOVERNOR MILLER' class bulk carriers, the other two were the JOHN HULST and the WILLIAM A. IRVIN. The WATSON was only the fourth steam turbine powered vessel on the Lakes HUBERT GAUCHER ran aground in the lower St. Lawrence on September 2, 1988. It took three tugs to free her; repairs took place at Quebec City. ZIEMIA TARNOWSKA lost her engine while docking at Pier 24, in Cleveland, ramming the dock and caused about $100,000 in damage on September 2, 1988. The Polish vessel had minimal damage to her bulbous bow. On 2 September 1851, BUNKER HILL (wooden sidewheeler, 154 foot, 457 tons, built in 1835, at Black River, Ohio) burned to a total loss at Tonawanda, New York. The COLONEL ELLSWORTH (wooden schooner, 138 foot, 319 gross tons, built in 1861, at Euclid, Ohio as a bark) was beached on Whitefish Point in Lake Superior the entire winter of 1895-96. She was repaired and put back into service late in the summer of 1896. Then, on 2 September 1896, the newly rebuilt vessel collided with the schooner EMILY B. MAXWELL about 6 miles from White Shoals on Lake Michigan and sank at about 4:00 a.m. Her crew escaped in the yawl and was picked up by the MAXWELL. 1905 The large wooden schooner PRETORIA, which cleared Superior with ore under tow of the VENEZUELA, hit a fierce storm and the steering gear failed. The vessel fell into the trough after the tow line snapped and the barge broke up off Outer Island. Five crew were rescued and another five were lost. 1905 IOSCO and the schooner OLIVE JEANETTE foundered off Huron Island, Lake Superior, with the loss of 19 lives on the former and another 7 on the latter. Both were downbound with iron ore and were last seen near Stannard Rock. Also, the SEVONA stranded on a reef in a Lake Superior storm and broke in two as a total loss. Seven drowned from the bow section when they tried to come ashore on hatch rafts. The wreck was dynamited in 1909 after the boilers had been salvaged. 1914 THOS. R. SCOTT became waterlogged and sank during a storm in the deepest part of Georgian Bay off the east coast of the Bruce Peninsula. The ship was swamped in a storm while carrying lumber from Cockburn Island to Owen Sound and all on board were saved. The hull was located using sidescan sonar in 1994. 1926 BURT BARNES, a wooden three-masted schooner, foundered in Lake Ontario while carrying 210 tons of coal from Sodus Point to Picton. The crew abandoned the ship in the yawl boat near Picton and were blown across the lake and came ashore safely 12 miles west of Rochester. 1972 The Cypriot freighter AEGIS WISDOM and the Italian vessel LIBRA collided in fog on the St. Lawrence near Les Escoumins. The former, which had been launched in March, was on her first trip outbound from the Seaway and was heavily damaged aft. The vessel was towed to Lauzon for repairs and survived until scrapping at Alang, India, as d) ANGELIKI II following arrival on January 14, 1997. LIBRA, dated from 1965 but did not come to the Great Lakes until 1975. It was scrapped in Mainland China as b) DEPY in 1986. 1975 CHICAGO TRIBUNE, enroute from Thunder Bay to Collingwood with grain, went aground in Georgian Bay and had to be lightered by the CHARLES W. JOHNSON, working with the tug ROD McLEAN. After being released and unloaded, the ship went to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Jody L. Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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The Tregurtha, Queen of the Lakes, makes it maiden voyage to Cleveland 9/1 - Cleveland, Ohio – She's been the reigning Queen of the Lakes since setting sail in 1981. The Paul R. Tregurtha is the longest freighter to sail on the Great Lakes. Owned and operated by the Interlake Steamship Company. the Tregurtha backed into Cleveland Harbor earlier this week to unload iron ore. While the ship has been to Cleveland before, this was her maiden voyage bringing cargo to the city. She and her crew of about 25 crisscross the lakes from March to January making more than 40 trips in a season carrying raw materials for the power generation and steel making industries. The Paul R. Tregurtha is 1,013.5 feet long, spanning more than three football fields. It would take 700 train cars or 2,800 trucks to carry what the Great lakes freighter Paul R. Tregurtha can carry in a single trip. Shipping on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway generates $35 billion annually, $3.8 billion in Ohio, as well as supports 33,000 jobs in Ohio. View a video at this link: http://www.cleveland19.com/story/38987004/the-queen-of-the-lakes-the-tregurtha-makes-it-maiden-voyage-to-cleveland |
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Elected officials, labor groups weigh in on dispute at Toledo Port 9/1 - Toledo, Ohio – A collection of elected officials and labor leaders turned up the pressure on an already tense labor dispute that has effectively stopped overseas cargo shipments at the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority’s general cargo docks. Toledo’s mayor, Lucas County commissioners, port authority officials, the president of CMM Inc., and representatives from the Northwest Ohio Building Trades Council, Laborers’ Local 500, and Teamsters Local 20 all signed what Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz called an open letter imploring the Coast Guard to step in and allow overseas vessels to travel to and from the docks. The International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1982 has been in a years-long dispute with Midwest Terminals of Toledo, which the port authority contracts with to manage its docks. The strife has spilled over to navigational pilots — which help guide international ships to and from the docks — refusing to bring in or take out those vessels calling on the Port of Toledo or the Port of Monroe, Mich. “On behalf of the region’s business, labor, and governmental leadership we call upon the United States Coast Guard, who oversees pilotage in the Great Lakes, to change its policy to require these pilots be available to guide international vessels 24/7 — after notice is given by the shipper regardless of any condition except safety,” the letter, dated Aug. 22, states. Two days later, the president of Midwest Terminals had the ear of the highest office in the country and took the opportunity to bring up his issue with the Coast Guard. Alex Johnson caught President Trump at the Republican Party’s annual state dinner in Columbus and said he was sympathetic to his position. “It’s not the labor issue that I talked to the President about, it’s the Coast Guard. What needs to happen is pretty straight forward. Pilots need to do their job. They have a monopoly on the Great Lakes and they need to do their job, come in, and move commerce,” Mr. Johnson said. “I got 30 seconds of talking and he gave me 30 seconds of answer.” Mr. Johnson added that he was “glad to have the support” of the parties who wrote the open letter. Paul Toth, the port authority’s president and chief executive, was one of several to sign it. He said community and labor leaders sent the message following “just pure frustration” in exhausting their efforts for a resolution. The Great Lakes Pilotage Office, under the Coast Guard, oversees U.S. pilots. Mr. Toth said the group is asking the Coast Guard to require that pilots do their jobs. “Sitting back and not doing anything is not an option at this point,” he said. Mr. Kapszukiewicz said the labor dispute is blocking economic progress in Toledo, and he is particularly concerned about disrupting the expected arrival of machinery for the construction of Cleveland-Cliffs, a $700 million iron-concentration plant now under construction near the port. “It would be devastating to Toledo’s economy. There probably is not a single project more exciting for Toledo’s future than the Cleveland-Cliffs project, and so anything that would jeopardize it is a real threat to the long-term health of our economy,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said. “That’s why it is important to me that we get this resolved.” Bill Yockey, the International Longshoremen’s Association trustee who is managing Local 1982, said the letter will have no direct effect on the labor dispute with Midwest Terminals or the impending iron ore plant project. “It takes an act of Congress to change the Coast Guard policy and there would have to be public hearings. It’s all there in the Great Lakes Pilotage Act of 1960 — that covers it,” Mr. Yockey said. Additionally, “I called the director of pilotage for the Coast Guard’s Ninth District today. He said they have no pressing agenda to change anything,” Mr. Yockey said. But the ILA trustee said asking the Coast Guard to intervene in a local labor dispute “is just a bad thing for labor.” He issued his own letter Thursday in response to the group’s open letter, refuting the notion that shipping in the lower Great Lakes has been “paralyzed” because of the dispute. He also questioned why elected officials and other labor leaders waited until now to weigh in if they were “truly concerned about the Shipping on the Great Lakes.” Dawn Christen, a labor attorney representing the Building Trades, said the purpose of the group letter is to let the Coast Guard know that it can, should it choose, allow ships to sail to the Interlake Docks without a pilot aboard. “Under the Great Lakes Pilotage Act there is a rule that says if a pilot is unavailable for more than six hours, then the Coast Guard can allow the vessel to sail without the pilot,” Ms. Christen said. “The [Coast Guard] commandant issued an instruction in the 1990s interpreting the six-hour rule to say that a pilot would not be deemed ‘unavailable’ if there’s a labor dispute. We’re asking them to suspend that instruction,” she said. “At this stage, there has not been any dispute at the site of the project,” Ms. Christen said. “But obviously for the Building Trades Council, we do recognize there is a dispute by ILA and Midwest Terminals.” George Tucker, the executive secretary-treasurer of the Greater Northwest Ohio AFL-CIO, said he was aware of the letter asking the Coast Guard to intervene, but his organization — which includes both the ILA and unions that make up the Building Trades — would not take sides in the issues surrounding the impending project at the Interlake Docks. “We don’t take sides. The only thing we do is try to tell the union and the employer to get it settled and offer help if needed,” Mr. Tucker said. Toledo Blade |
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Port Reports - September 1
Two Harbors, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Cedarville, Mich.
Manistee, Mich.
Manitowoc, Wis.
Southern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas |
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Two cruise ships dock in Milwaukee; Effort underway to attract more 9/1 - Milwaukee, Wis. – Two passenger cruise vessels are docking in Milwaukee today, a rare occurrence that Port Milwaukee and tourism officials hope will become more common as they make a concerted effort to attract more cruise ships to the city. The Pearl Mist arrived Friday morning at the dock east of the Lake Express ferry terminal. Representatives with Port Milwaukee and Visit Milwaukee welcomed visitors from the 210-passenger Pearl Mist, the flagship vessel of Pearl Seas Cruises, at the dock east of the Lake Express ferry terminal on Friday morning. Also set to arrive in Milwaukee today, the 100-passenger Grande Mariner of the Great Lakes Cruise Company is expected to dock adjacent to Discovery World in downtown Milwaukee later this evening. It’s the first time in recent history that two cruise ships have ported simultaneously in the city. Adam Schlicht, director of Port Milwaukee, said the arrival of the two ships is an indicator of what’s to come. “Milwaukee has historically seen some cruise activity; it’s been on an occasional, ad-hoc basis,” Schlicht said. “You’ll see a vessel like the Hamburg coming to Milwaukee every year or every other year, but the reason why we’re excited today is I believe this is the start of consistent ongoing activity for cruise ships coming into Milwaukee.” Port Milwaukee and Visit Milwaukee have joined a coalition of business and government entities in an initiative to attract cruise ships to the Great Lakes. The effort, coined “Cruise the Great Lakes,” was formally announced Thursday as the newest project of Chicago-based Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers. Early indications suggest Milwaukee’s cruise-related activity could soon pick up steam. Read more and view videos at this link: https://www.biztimes.com/2018/industries/hospitality-tourism/two-cruise-ships-docking-in-milwaukee-today |
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Today in Great Lakes History - September 1 September 1, 1880, the Cleveland Vessel Owners Association, later Lake Carriers’ Association, was created, with Alva Bradley as its first president.September 1, 1892, the upbound WESTERN RESERVE, flagship of the Kinsman fleet, sank approximately 60 miles above Whitefish Point. There were 31 casualties among the crew and passengers. The lone survivor was Wheelsman Harry W. Stewart. On 01 September 1891, EDWARD H. JENKS (wooden propeller freighter, 119 foot over all, 180 gross tons, built in 1882, at Port Dover, Ontario as the passenger/package freight steamer E.M. FOSTER) was carrying limestone up the Detroit River during a foggy night when she collided with GEORGE W. MORLEY (wooden propeller freighter, 193 foot, 1,045 gross tons, built in 1888, at W. Bay City, Michigan) in a misunderstanding of passing signals. Three were killed in the collision and the JENKS quickly sank at Ballard's Reef on the Detroit River. Her cargo kept her in place until she was recovered the following month and rebuilt. Tragedy struck four days after the launch of the AGAWA CANYON, September 1, 1970, when the ship was rocked by an engine room explosion, killing one of the crew and injuring seven more. The AGAWA CANYON entered service in November, 1970, equipped with four 10 cylinder, two stroke cycle, single acting opposed piston diesel engines, built in 1970, by Fairbanks, Morse (Canada), Kingston, Ontario. Total bhp 6,680. Rated service speed: 12 knots (13.8 mph). The TEMPLE BAR (Hull#101G) was launched September 1, 1970, at Govan, Scotland by the Govan Division of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd. for Lambert Bros. (Shipping) Ltd., London, England. Renamed b.) LAKE NIPIGON in 1977, c.) LAKETON in 1984, d.) LAKE NIPIGON in 1986, and e.) ALGONORTH in 1987. Upon her arrival at Quebec City on September 1, 1962, the LAKE WINNIPEG was the first vessel of the Nipigon Transport Ltd. (Carryore Ltd., mgr.) fleet. The self-unloader B.H. TAYLOR (Hull#787) was launched September 1, 1923, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co., the third self-unloader built for the Bradley Transportation Co., Rogers City, Michigan. Renamed b.) ROGERS CITY in 1957. Scrapped at Recife, Brazil in 1988. From September 1, 1947, to September 15, 1959, the U.S.C.G.C. MESQUITE was stationed at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. On 1 September 1854, ABIAH (2-mast wooden schooner or brig, 134 foot, 353 tons, built in 1848, at Irving, New York) was sailing light from Chicago, Illinois, to Oconto, Wisconsin, when she capsized and sank in a squall about 10 miles off Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The schooner L. LUDDINGTON rescued her crew and 2 passengers. The 135-foot wooden schooner JOSEPH E. SPARROW was launched at Bangor, Michigan, on 1 September 1873. On 1 September 1900, the Canadian steamer ADVANCE (wooden propeller package freighter, 168 foot, 1,178 gross tons, built in 1884, at St. Catharines, Ontario) was placed in service. In August 1899, when she was named SIR S. L. TILLEY, she had caught fire off shore, about 7 miles from Fairport, Ohio, and was destroyed. However, the hull was later recovered and used as the basis of the steamer ADVANCE. She lasted in this role until 1903, when she burned again. September 1, 1919 - A switchman was killed in the yard at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, while the ANN ARBOR No. 6 was being loaded. This caused a delay of four hours in her sailing time. September 1, 1931 - W. L. Mercereau retired as superintendent of steamships, a position he had held since 1899. 1916 DRONNING MAUD, a Norwegian freighter visited the Great Lakes on charter to Keystone Transports beginning in 1909. It hit a mine in the North Sea on this date and sank off the east coast of England, between Southwall and Lowestoft. 1929 EDWARD BUCKLEY caught fire and was destroyed in the North Channel of Georgian Bay. The blaze broke out aft while enroute to Little Current to load pulpwood. The hull burned to the waterline and sank near Narrow Island Lighthouse. Local fishermen rescued the crew. 1936 The Canadian canaller BENMAPLE of the Port Colborne & St. Lawrence Navigation Company, sank in the St. Lawrence at about 0400 hours, near Father Point, after being hit in fog by the inbound liner LAFAYETTE. A wheelsman was killed but all others on board were rescued. 1983 INDIANA HARBOR sets a record loading 67,896 tons of iron ore at Escanaba. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Jody L. Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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