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Port Reports - May 18 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports, Detroit, Toledo and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: There hasn't been any arrivals through Superior since the last report. As of Monday night, the Algoma Conveyor was loading at BNSF; she’s expected to depart Tuesday mid-morning. CSL Niagara and Algoma Niagara are expected around the same time Tuesday early afternoon; one of the Niagara’s will be anchoring while the other loads.
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Holland, MI – Bill Van Appledorn
Milwaukee, WI – Mke Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Monday – Bill Kloss |
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Sandusky’s Goodtime I cruise line going out of business 5/18 - Sandusky, OH – A popular cruise boat docked at Jackson Street Pier, offering seafaring voyages to nearby islands and around Lake Erie, won’t serve riders anymore. “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the Goodtime I will not return to Sandusky this summer,” according to a statement made by boat owner and operator Joe Lamb. Lamb revealed his situation on Saturday afternoon, providing some insight into the backstory and reasoning for such a drastic decision. “We took the vessel for her five-year dry dock inspection, but the repair costs (were) far beyond my reach,” Lamb said. “Between these costs and the hardships we have faced over the past few years, I am left with no choice,” he continued. “Over the past five months, I have exhausted every option possible, and it has mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted me." The pandemic effectively crippled Goodtime operations. In 2020, federal and state guidelines pushed back the Goodtime’s opening from May to July. Furthermore, those restrictions — which included limits on passenger capacity — forced Lamb to either greatly scale back or altogether eliminate various trips offered by the Goodtime, also known as Lake Erie Island Cruises. Among the more popular fares: “Sunset Bay Cruises” around Sandusky Bay; the “Daytime Island Hopping Cruise,” taking people to Kelleys Island and Put-in-Bay; and the “Friday Night Party Cruise,” often referred to as the “booze cruise.” In February 2020, Lamb and Sandusky officials entered into a five-year lease, running through Nov. 15, 2024, allowing the Goodtime to dock at Jackson Street Pier. This deal now appears null and void. Additionally, city commissioners provided grant money to Lamb’s business and made certain improvements to Jackson Street Pier this past year, which specifically accommodates the Goodtime. It’s not known when, or even if, Lamb can repay the city what he owes. “We have worked closely with the Goodtime and know the Lambs did all they could to continue to serve the community,” city manager Eric Wobser said. “We will continue to work with them to sort out any issues related to their lease with the city but right now are focused on thanking them for their many years of operations and the memories they helped create for so many from our area.” Sandusky ex officio mayor Dick Brady also offered up a response. “It is a difficult loss for our community. Joe Lamb, his family and staff have put their heart and soul into this operation. No one worked harder to make this successful. Some elements were out of their control.” So could another boat come to Jackson Street Pier and offer some of the Goodtime’s services? “We must believe that, when one door closes, another door opens,” Brady said. “Our challenge will be in finding another quality partner for this location.” Sandusky Register |
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Tall Ship series sets sail on Detroit River to teach local history, river's ecosystem 5/18 - Detroit, MI – A new ship is dotting Detroit’s River Walk. Back for its seventh season, the Detroit History Tour’s (DHT) Tall Ship series started Friday for a three-week run of educational cruises around the Detroit River. Its opening “Great Lakes Ecology and Knot Tying” tour is one of four cruise options that cover a variety of topics including biology, history, stargazing, music and an overall experience of life on a ship. “Guests are going to experience sailing on a historic vessel on the Detroit River,” said Bailey Sisoy-Moore, executive director of DHT. “They’re going to learn about the history of the river, of the city of Detroit, of Belle Isle, the Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit Windsor Tunnel, prohibition, the civil rights movement, the Underground Railroad, and what swims, eats, lives and fishes in the Detroit River.” The ecology tour, open to people ages 12 and up, focuses on the river’s ecosystem and how it has been impacted by hundreds of years of industry and change. It also provides guests with hands-on opportunities to experience life on the ship, including assisting with rigging, taking water samples and tying knots. “History Under Sail” talks about the influence of the river on Detroit’s history, learning about its role in trade and military as well as prohibition, the Underground Railroad, the Ambassador Bridge and more. It is open to people 12 and older for tours before 6 p.m., and people 18 and older for tours after 6 p.m. “Stargazing Aboard the Tall Ship” sails from 10 p.m. – midnight and is open to those 18 and older. Guests can learn about the constellations, love stories on the river and some risqué moments in Detroit’s history while enjoying the city lit skyline after dark. Its fourth tour, “Mariners Songs and Sea Shanties,” tells the musical history of the Detroit River and includes a performance from sea shanty singer Vadriel King. The cruise will discuss music ranging from the hauling songs of schooner crews to revolutionary French music to hymns from generations of Detroit’s immigrants. Ships are limited to 30 people – about half their capacity – that Sisoy-Moore says provides guests with the space for a magical experience. The Bay City–based ship, the “Appledore IV,” is an 85-foot long gaff schooner with a 76-foot mast and more than 3,500 square feet of sails. While it was built in 1989, it is traditionally-rigged with a design based on ships from more than a century before. “Any vessel that is traditionally rigged is considered historically-rigged,” said ship captain Matthew Tkach. “It’s basically big cables, deadeyes, lanyards, wooden spars. You don’t see ships like this.” Tickets for the tours begin at $71.50 and are available at www.detroithistorytours.com. Tours run several times daily until the end of the month and are selling out quickly. The ship returns for another three-week series in September. The Detroit News |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 18
On 18 May 1872, the 3-mast wooden schooner MARQUETTE was holed in northern Lake Huron by a floating log. The crew manned the hand-operated bilge pumps but could not keep up with the incoming water. The steamer ANNIE YOUNG took the MARQUETTE in tow even though she was sinking and headed for Cheboygan, Michigan. During the tow, the schooner stopped sinking and arrived in port no lower in the water than she had been earlier. An investigation revealed that a large fish got caught in the hole and plugged it. The WILLIAM C. ATWATER departed Sandusky, Ohio May 18, 1925, on her maiden voyage loaded with coal bound for Duluth, Minnesota. She was the first freighter on the Great Lakes equipped with a gyro compass. She was renamed b.) E. J. KULAS in 1936, c.) BEN MOREELL in 1953, d.) THOMAS E MILLSOP in 1955, e.) E. J. NEWBERRY in 1976, and f.) CEDARGLEN in 1982. She was scrapped at Port Maitland, Ontario in 1994. Bethlehem Steel's steamer JOHNSTOWN cleared Erie May 18, 1985, for Quebec City under tow bound for Spain for scrapping. This vessel was the first post-war built U.S. laker to be scrapped. On May 18, 1903, the MAUNALOA hit and sank the 69-foot wooden tug EDWARD GILLEN at Superior, Wisconsin. May 18, 1992 -- The BADGER made her maiden voyage for the newly formed Lake Michigan Carferry Service. On 18 May 1853, CITIZEN (wooden schooner, 54 tons, built in 1847, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was driven aground 6 miles north of Chicago. The U. S. Navy steamer MICHIGAN tried in vain to pull her off, breaking a 14" hawser in the process. She was reportedly the first vessel built at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. On 18 May 1882, AMERICAN EAGLE (wooden propeller, passenger packet & tug, 105 foot, 161 gross tons, built in 1880, at Sandusky, Ohio) was racing off Kelley's Island on Lake Erie when her boiler exploded. Six lives were lost. She was later raised and repaired and lasted until 1908. 18 May 1894: A big storm swept the Lakes on 18 May 1894. The next day, the Port Huron Times gave the following account of the shipwrecks in that storm: "The big storm on Lake Michigan has cost the lives of many men. Only 2 men were saved from the schooner M J CUMMINGS, 6 lost. The C C BARNES is ashore at Milwaukee but the crew was saved. The schooner MYRTLE was wrecked just outside the government pier within a half mile of Michigan Blvd. in Chicago with 6 lost. The schooner LINCOLN DALL went to pieces at Glencoe, 8 miles north of Chicago. She was 196 tons. The schooner JACK THOMPSON, 199 tons, wrecked off 25th Street. The schooner EVENING STAR, 203 tons, wrecked off 27th Street but her crew was saved. The schooner MERCURY of Grand Haven, 278 tons, wrecked off 27th Street and her crew rescued. The schooner J LOOMIS McLAREN, 272 tons, wrecked off 27th Street. The schooner RAINBOW of Milwaukee, 243 tons, wrecked off 100th Street; the crew was rescued. The schooner C J MIXER, 279 tons, wrecked off 100th Street; crew rescued. The schooner WM SHUPE waterlogged and ashore at Lexington, Michigan on Lake Huron. Four were drowned in an attempted rescue. The scow ST CATHARINES is ashore at Rock Falls near Sand Beach. The crew reached shore safely but the boat will fare badly." 1919 – CITY OF MEAFORD, a wooden-hulled passenger freighter was destroyed by fire at the dock in Collingwood. 1922 – GLENFINNAN, downbound with grain, and MIDLAND KING collided in fog southeast of Passage Isle, Lake Superior, and both masters received two-month suspensions. 1928 – The whaleback steamer JOHN ERICSSON was heavily damaged in a collision with the A.F. HARVEY of the Pittsburgh SS Co. in fog on Lake Huron. The latter was lost as b) CEDARVILLE in another collision on May 7, 1965. 1971 – TRANSPACIFIC was entering the harbor at the island of St. Pierre in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to get technical help for a malfunctioning radar when the ship stranded on the rocks. The West German freighter, a regular Seaway trader since 1959, was abandoned. The hull has gradually broken apart by the elements over the years. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - May 17 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports, Detroit, Toledo and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – Mke Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Sunday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Montreal, QC – Rene Beauchamp |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 17
On 17 May 1887, WILLIAM RUDOLPH (wooden propeller "rabbit,” 145 foot, 267 gross tons. built in 1880, at Mount Clemens, Michigan) was raised from Lake St. Clair. She sank in the fall of 1886. She was towed to the Wolverine Drydock in Port Huron, Michigan where she was repaired. She lasted until 1913, when she was beached as shore protection near Racine, Wisconsin. ALTON C. DUSTIN (Hull#708) was launched May 17, 1913, at Lorain, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co. for Cleveland Steamship Co. (John Mitchell, mgr.) Renamed b.) J.A. CAMPBELL in 1915 and c.) BUCKEYE MONITOR in 1965. Sank on December 16, 1973, in position 43.3N x 30.15W, in Atlantic Ocean, while in tandem tow with ROBERT S. MCNAMARA and German tug SEETRANS I, bound for scrapping at Santander, Spain. NORTHCLIFFE HALL collided with the Cuban salty CARLOS MANUEL DE CESPEDES in the St. Lawrence River above the Eisenhower Lock on May 17, 1980. Built in 1952, by Canadian Vickers as a,) FRANKCLIFFE HALL (Hull#255), renamed b.) NORTHCLIFFE HALL in 1959, and c.) ROLAND DESGAGNES in 1976, she sank after running aground on May 26, 1982, near Pointe aux Pic, Quebec. E.G. GRACE arrived at Ramey's Bend May 17, 1984, in tow of the tugs GLENEVIS and GLENSIDE for scrapping. On May 17, 1941, The Ludington Daily News reported that the former carferry PERE MARQUETTE 17, which had been purchased by the State of Michigan for use at the Straits of Mackinac, was to be renamed b.) CITY OF PETOSKEY. She was scrapped at Ashtabula, Ohio in 1961. The schooner ST. ANDREWS was launched at A. Muir's shipyard on the Black River in Port Huron, Michigan on 17 May 1875. This was a rebuild job, but Mr. Muir stated that it was the most complete rebuild he ever undertook since there was only a portion of the keel and bottom left from the old hull. Her new dimensions were 135 foot keel x 30 feet x 14 feet, 425 tons (an increase of 102 tons). At about 9 a.m., 17 May 1885, the tug E.T. CARRINGTON (wooden side-wheel tug, 76 foot, 57 gross tons, built in 1876, at Bangor, Michigan) was towing a raft of logs from L'Anse to Baraga, Michigan, when she caught fire and burned to the water's edge. The crew was rescued by the steam yacht EVA WADSWORTH. The CARRINGTON was later rebuilt and lasted until 1907. 1916 – ROCK FERRY, a wooden steamer, ran aground due to fog off Main Duck Island, Lake Ontario but was salvaged and repaired. 1924 – ORINOCO sank about 6 miles off Agawa Bay, Lake Superior, while upbound with coal. The wooden steamer had sought shelter behind Michipicoten Island while towing the barge CHIEFTAIN, but then tried to return to Whitefish Bay. ORINOCO began to leak under the stress and was lost. 1957 – The composite hulled steamer YANKCANUCK ran aground in mud at Whitby but was released in what proved to be her final season. She was laid up at Sault Ste. Marie at 1014 hours on June 27. 1969 – The tug COLINETTE sank in Toronto Bay after the hull was punctured while docking the freighter ATLANTIC HOPE at Pier 35. All on board were saved and the vessel was raised and repaired. It apparently survives as a private yacht named NOMADA. Data from: Skip Gillham, John Dunlap, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Season begins for summer tour boats 5/16 - Two popular tour boat operations began operations for the season on Saturday. In Sault Ste. Marie, MI, the lock boat tours got underway with a change in operations. After many years operating in tandem, the two lock tour companies have parted ways. The buff-colored boats now operate as Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours, while the white-colored boats are operating as the Original Soo Locks Boat Tours. In Detroit, Diamond Jack’s River Tours began service with the Diamond Queen, departing from 1340 Atwater St. in Detroit at 1 pm, 2:30 pm, 4 pm and 5:30 pm for 1 hour boat rides on Saturdays and Sundays in May. |
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Historic Lake Superior lighthouse available at no cost to right owner 5/16 - Duluth, MN – A Lake Superior lighthouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places is available at no cost to qualified owners, a federal agency announced on Thursday. The Duluth Harbor North Pierhead Light, located at the westernmost tip of Lake Superior, was listed by the U.S. General Services Agency on May 7. Built in 1910, the light is a conical-shaped, steel plate, 43-foot tower on a concrete base. Under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, the property is being made available at no cost to eligible entities such as federal agencies, state and local agencies, non-profit corporations, educational agencies and anyone using it for park, recreational, cultural, or historic preservation purposes. The U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security listed the lighthouse after it was determined that the light was in “excess to the needs,” according to a news release. The light station is located on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers navigational structure. Anyone selected to care for the structure will need required authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s district office with jurisdiction for the navigational structure. Any eligible entity with an interest in acquiring the property should submit a letter of interest by July 7. M Live |
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Port Reports - May 16 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports, Detroit, Toledo and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Burns Harbor departed at 01:20 (CST) Saturday morning with iron ore pellets for her namesake port. Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin arrived at 10:48 to load at BNSF. As of Saturday night, Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin is the only vessel in port on the Superior side; she’s expected to depart early Sunday with iron ore pellets. The next arrival for BNSF, CSL Niagara, isn’t expected until Tuesday.
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – Mke Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Midland, ON
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Saturday – Bill Kloss |
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Federal government to give away Cleveland lighthouse in Lake Erie for free 5/16 - Cleveland, OH – The federal government is giving away a famed Lake Erie lighthouse on Cleveland’s shoreline, but there is a catch. The General Services Administration announced on Thursday that the Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse “has been determined to be excess to the needs” of the United States Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security. Because of that ruling, the lighthouse will be made available at no cost, but the entity to take the structure over must meet certain criteria, per the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000: Built in 1911, the lighthouse, which has been designated as a city of Cleveland landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places list, was described by the GSA as a 50-foot tower with an attached fog signal building on a concrete base. The West Pierhead structure is known in the winter for collecting lakespray and transforming into ice-covered lighthouse. The entity responsible for taking over the lighthouse must maintain the property to certain standards and historic requirements. Information on how to acquire the property and the review process can be found here. https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/regions/welcome-to-the-great-lakes-region-5/region-5-newsroom/news-releases/gsa-announces-notice-of-availability-for-the-cleveland-harbor-west-pierhead-light-in-cleveland-ohio-05132021 |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 16
On 16 May 1894, the SHENANDOAH (wooden propeller freighter, 308 foot, 2,251 gross tons) was launched by J. Davidson (Hull #60) in West Bay City, Michigan. She lasted until 1924, when she was abandoned. CANADIAN PROSPECTOR passed upbound in the Welland Canal May 16, 1979, with Labrador ore bound for Ashtabula, Ohio. This was her first trip after being reconstructed. W. R. WOODFORD (Hull#626) was launched May 16, 1908, at West Bay City, Michigan by West Bay City Ship Building Co. for W. A. & M.A. Hawgood. Renamed b.) N.F. LEOPOLD 1911, and c.) E. J. BLOCK in 1943. She was scrapped at Port Colborne, Ontario, arriving in 1998. IRVIN L. CLYMER departed Superior, Wisconsin, on May 15, 1981, and went to Duluth, Minnesota, to load 11,154 tons of taconite ore for Lorain. On May 16, 1981, having departed Duluth in 35 mph winds and 10-foot seas, the CLYMER began taking on water in her ballast tanks. She returned to Duluth, and was quickly repaired. On May 16, 1972, in dense fog, the ROBERT HOBSON struck the Peerless Cement dock at Port Huron, Michigan when her bow was caught by the strong current at the mouth of the St. Clair River. Damage to the hull was estimated at to $100,000. In 1985, the steamer PONTIAC was towed down the Welland Canal by the Mc Keil tugs GLENEVIS, ARGUE MARTIN and STORMONT bound for Quebec City. She would later be scrapped in Spain. The tug B. W. ALDRICH burned at Ludington, Michigan, on 16 May 1874. The damage was estimated at $5,000 and she was rebuilt. May 16, 1997 - The BADGER's planned first voyage of 1997 was delayed for one day because of a faulty boiler tube. E. W. OGLEBAY (steel propeller bulk freighter, 375 foot. 3,666 gross tons) was launched at F. W. Wheeler's yard (Hull #114) at West Bay City, Michigan, on 16 May 1896. She lasted until she stranded on Shot Point, 10 miles east of Marquette, Michigan, on Lake Superior, during a heavy northeast gale and blizzard, on December 8, 1927. Shortly afterwards the hull was gutted by fire and declared a constructive total loss. The hull was removed, partially scrapped, and used as dock at Drummond Island, Michigan. 1905 – The second THOMAS W. PALMER, a composite bulk carrier, collided with HARVARD of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company off Stannard Rock, Lake Superior in dense fog and was nearly cut in two. The crew was able to walk to safety aboard HARVARD before their ship sank. 1919 – D.R. HANNA sank in Lake Huron 6 miles off Thunder Bay Light after a collision with the QUINCY A. SHAW. All hands were saved but the sinking of the grain laden 552-foot freighter was the largest insurance loss on the lakes to that time. The hull has been located upside down in 90 feet of water. 1941 – The Norwegian freighter REINUNGA began Great Lakes visits in 1926 and was forced to spend the winter of 1932-1933 at Dain City along the Welland Canal. The vessel, which dated from 1902, was bombed and sunk by German aircraft as d) KYTHERA at Suda Bay, Crete, on this date in 1941. 1962 – ARGENTEUIL, a former Canadian Coast Guard buoy tender, was rebuilt as a coastal freighter in 1961. It sank in the St. Lawrence near Lauzon, QC, with the loss of 3 lives on this date in 1962. 1975 – MANCHESTER RAPIDO provided a container shuttle service in the Seaway beginning in 1971, went aground off Pasajes, Spain, on March 15, 1975, and then sank. The hull was refloated May 16, 1975, for repairs and a return to service. 1987 – MARIA ANNA SCHULTE first came inland in 1958. It ran aground as e) LUCKY VIRGIN off San Andras Island, Colombia, while en route from Colon, Panama, to Aruba in 1974 and had to be abandoned as a total loss. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - May 15 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports, Detroit, Toledo and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: G.L. Ostrander and barge Integrity departed at 02:49 (CST) Friday morning empty for Alpena. Burns Harbor arrived at 11:15 to load iron ore pellets at BNSF. Burns Harbor is expected to depart Friday evening. Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin is due late Saturday morning to load at BNSF.
Thunder Bay, ON
St. Marys River
Northern Lake Michigan
Holland, MI – Bill Van Appledorn
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – Mke Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Friday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, N.Y. – Brian Wroblewski |
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Prayers for a safe shipping season offered in Duluth 5/15 - Duluth, MN – People prayed for a safe shipping season in the Twin Ports on Thursday. The Twin Ports Ministry to Seafarers held the annual blessing of the port. The Canal Park ceremony included a special prayer service for what's expected to be a busy shipping season. Organizers explained how this has been a tradition for many years. "It's a way to be reminded of God's blessing on this port and on these people and the work they do all the different ship crew that come into this area and a way to say thanks to all of them," said Pastor Doug Paulson, the Director of the Twin Ports Ministry to Seafarers. According to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, the shipping season is already off to a strong start. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 15
On 15 May 1901, the GILCHRIST (Hull #603) (steel propeller freighter, 356 foot. 3,871 gross tons) was launched at the West Bay City Ship Building Co. in West Bay City, Michigan, for the Gilchrist Transportation Company of Cleveland, Ohio. She lasted until 1943, when she was sunk in a collision on Lake Superior. On May 15, 1997, the "This Day in History" feature started on this web site. The PHILIP R. CLARKE, first of the AAA class of vessel, began her maiden voyage from Lorain, Ohio, on this date in 1952. After extensive renovation at Fraser Shipyard, the IRVIN L. CLYMER departed Superior, Wisconsin on May 15, 1981, and went to Duluth, Minnesota, to load 11,154 tons of taconite ore for Lorain, Ohio. On May 15, 1971, the STONEFAX was sold and was scrapped at Santander, Spain. On 15 May 1854, GARDEN CITY (wooden passenger/package side-wheeler, 218 foot, 657 tons, built in 1853, at Buffalo, New York) was sailing from Chicago to the Soo in a storm when she went on Martin Reef, west of Detour, Michigan, and was wrecked. Her passengers were picked up by the steamer QUEEN CITY. May 15, 1992 -- The BADGER was rededicated and began a new career as a non-railroad carferry. At 3:30 a.m., 15 May 1874, the tug TAWAS came along side of the schooner ZACH CHANDLER several miles off shore from Sand Beach, Michigan on Lake Huron. The boiler of the TAWAS exploded and she sank. Capt. Robinson, 2nd Engineer Dyson, Firemen Thomas Conners and James McIntyre, and Lookout Dennis Burrow were all on the tug and died in the explosion. The blast tore the CHANDLER's sails and rigging, and caused the death of one of her officers when he was struck on the head by a flying piece of debris. The CHANDLER drifted away in the heavy seas, but returned to pick up five survivors from the water. The TAWAS was built at Vicksburg, Michigan by Myron Williams in 1864. Her dimensions were 95-foot x 18-foot, 6-inches x 8-foot, 6-inches. She carried the two old engines from the tug BLISH, which when new were 11-1/2 inches x 20 inches, but having been bored out several times, were 15 inches x 20 inches at the time of the explosion. Her boiler was built by Mr. Turnbull of Corunna, Ontario. 1907 – SAXON ran aground near Caribou Island, Lake Superior, and dumped about 1,000 tons of ore overboard before being released. The ship went to the Atlantic in 1918 and was scrapped at Copenhagen, Denmark, as c) ANNE JENSEN in 1927. 1923 – PERE MARQUETTE 4 and PERE MARQUETTE 17 collided in fog off Milwaukee and the former sustained severe damage above the waterline and was laid up. 1929 – RALPH BUDD stranded at Saltese Point, near Eagle Harbor, Mich., and was abandoned to the underwriters. The grain-laden vessel was released by Reid and sold to Canadian interests. It was scrapped at Hamilton as b) L.A. McCORQUODALE of the Upper Lakes Shipping fleet in 1966. 1963 – LOBIVIA, WESTMOUNT and ROGERS CITY were in a three-way collision in the St. Clair River at Port Huron but there was only minor damage. 1967 – GOLDEN HIND was loaded with grain when it stranded off Cassidy Point, Lake Erie, and was holed in the forward compartment. 1968 – The stern cabins of HOMER D. WILLIAMS were damaged from a collision with WHEAT KING in the St. Marys River and this ship was repaired at Lorain. The latter vessel received bow damage that was repaired at Port Weller. 1972 – The Dutch freighter COLYTTO first came through the Seaway in 1963 and made 8 trips to the end of 1966. It was swept ashore by a typhoon near the mouth of the Limpopo River off the coast of Mozambique as b) CAPE NERITA on this date in 1972. All on board were rescued but the ship was abandoned on the beach as it was not feasible to dig the ship out by a canal. The nearest road was 25 miles away so the hull was not scrapped either. 1999 – The former sandsucker NIAGARA II was scuttled as an attraction to divers off Tobermory, ON. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Great Lakes’ water levels forecast to be in the ‘sweet spot’ for summer 5/14 - Dry weather is putting the Great Lakes’ water levels on a downward trend. The new lake level forecast is out for the summer. Lake levels should be in a range that most will call a sweet spot. Great Lakes’ water levels are expected to be much lower than the record-high levels over the past few years, but still above the long-term average water level. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports that precipitation over the Great Lakes basin has been below average now for six months in a row. There have been small exceptions, like Lake Superior’s drainage basin getting 125% of normal precipitation in April. The drier than normal weather has led to some significant declines in the water levels. Normally, we see the Great Lakes’ water levels go into a seasonal rise to typically a high water mark in July. So the forecasts below do show an expected rise in water levels, but to a lesser degree than normal. We have also lost a few inches of normal water rise already this spring. Read more and view graphs at this link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2021/05/great-lakes-water-levels-forecast-to-be-in-the-sweet-spot-for-summer.html |
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Cleveland-Cliffs signs go up at steel mill, hires more than 710 more workers 5/14 - Burns Harbor, IN – New Cleveland-Cliffs signs have gone up at its Burns Harbor steel mill, acquired last year from ArcelorMittal USA. ArcelorMittal signage came down shortly after the $1.4 billion deal closed in December. New Cliffs signage was just installed, identifying the mill as Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor, including at the main gate and office. "It's a new day and a new dawn," said U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, who toured the steel mill in Porter County Monday. "We welcome Cleveland-Cliffs to the community and neighborhood. To have a corporate executive who wants to work with union labor is music to my ears. We need an economy that brings workers and employers together and that's centered around our steel industry. Making sure Cleveland-Cliffs and Cleveland-Cliffs workers have everything they need to be productive going forward is extremely important to me." Cleveland-Cliffs has hired more than 710 steelworkers at former ArcelorMittal mills since it took over, Chairman, President and CEO Lourenco Goncalves said during a Zoom press conference. "We want to be here in Northwest Indiana," he said. "We believe in the Midwest and we believe in the state of Indiana. We plan to grow these mills and hire people. Since we have acquired ArcelorMittal USA we hired 710 more people and continue to hire. We're putting in more shifts. We're working to grow this company. We want to invest so we get a return on investment from these plants 10 years from now and 20 years from now." Cleveland-Cliffs is planning a series of capital investments at the Burns Harbor steel mill starting this year, Goncalves said. "Burns Harbor is one of our main plants for flat-rolled and plates," he said. "We're planning a series of investments at Burns Harbor, everything from improvements to more protection for the environment to upgrading the blast furnaces. We're going to make a series of investments in the walking beam furnace and the hearth mill. Burns Harbor is one of our flagship plants and we're going to upgrade it over the next two to three years." Cleveland-Cliffs expects to hire more, as its mills were running at capacity, Goncalves said. The steelmaker just opened applications in Northwest Indiana with the aim of getting 2,300 to 2,500 resumes on file. "It's a chance for people in our community and neighborhoods to participate in the economy," Mrvan said. "It's a chance to be able to buy a house and have the income to support small businesses. When we look at what Cleveland-Cliffs has done throughout the United States, they are welcome partners going forward." |
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Port Reports - May 14 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports, Detroit, Toledo and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Stewart J. Cort arrived at 07:16 (CST) Thursday morning to load at BNSF; she left at 13:27 for Burns Harbor. As of Thursday night, ATB G.L. Ostrander and Integrity was still unloading cement at Lafarge and Spartan/Spartan II were still unloading calcium chloride at Envirotech-Hallett #8. Next expected arrival for BNSF will be Burns Harbor late Friday morning; Edwin H. Gott is also expected once Burns Harbor finishes.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Milwaukee, WI – Mke Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Thursday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, N.Y. – Brian Wroblewski |
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8th graders paddleboard from locks to Drummond Island, raise $21K for Great Lakes 5/14 - Drummond Island, MI – Three Michigan eighth grade students recently battled 15 mph headwinds, choppy wake from 1,000-foot freighters, rain, sleet and hail to raise money for the Great Lakes. The students from Cherryland Middle School in Elk Rapids, Owen Werner, Max Ward and Jamie Peters, used standup paddleboards to travel 46.24 miles from just below the Soo Locks to Drummond Island on the St. Marys River as part of the challenge. In total, the trio raised $21,000 for Stand Up for Great Lakes, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the Great Lakes Basin. They were greeted along the way by well-wishers, cheerleaders and residents who encouraged them on their journey. The trio paddled with Kwin Morris, their science teacher, and Joe Lorenz who are co-founders of Stand Up for Great Lakes. Morris and Lorenz have paddled 4 of the 5 Great Lakes with fellow co-founder Jeff Guy. To help with the send-off, five paddlers from Bird’s Eye Outfitters of Sault Ste. Marie accompanied the group for a few miles as a show of support. The group was escorted by a safety boat with an EMT on board along with a parent and each paddler was outfitted in dry suits and PFDs (personal flotation devices). The safety boat provided a haven during their trip when the paddlers were forced to take shelter when hit with heavy rain which turned to sleet and finally hail stones. “It’s the first time in all of our paddles where we had to shelter in the safety boat,” Morris said. “Getting hit by hail was no fun.” The young men set a goal to raise $5,000 and that was accomplished before they placed their frost laden paddleboards in the river at 7 a.m. on May 1. Then at launch they surpassed $10,000 and by the time they finished on Drummond Island they hit $16,000. “One of the coolest things was that the Drummond Island Elementary School had a penny drive and raised $1,260,” Morris said. “That really kept us motivated through the entire journey.” Each of the students were asked why they wanted to raise money for the Great Lakes. “The lakes represent 84% of North America’s fresh water supply,” Werner said. “My concern is that plastic particles as small as a pin head are getting into fish and damaging the habitat as well. Over 20 million pounds of plastic ends up in the lakes each year, and those numbers will only continue to grow.” “I fish these waters with my buddies, swim, boat, ski in them and much more,” Peters said. “They are a big part of my life and the lives of thousands and thousands more.” “My goal is to inspire people around the Great Lakes to stand up for them,” Ward said. “The Great Lakes are crucial to the lives of every living thing in and around the lakes.” Stand Up for Great Lakes has raised more than $80,000 to help raise awareness of the issues facing the Great Lakes. To donate visit, https://standupforgreatlakes.com and click ‘donate.’ |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 14
On 14 May 1881, CITY OF ROME (wooden propeller freighter, 268 foot, 1,908 gross tons) was launched by Thomas Quayle & Sons in Cleveland, Ohio. She was the largest vessel on the Lakes when she was launched. She lasted until 1914, when she burned near Ripley, New York on Lake Erie. On May 14, 1959, the SHENANGO II and the HERBERT C. JACKSON both entered service. While the vessels have been fleet mates since 1967, the SHENANGO II was built by the Shenango Furnace Company. She operates today as the c.) HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR, renamed last spring. On May 14, 1943, the THOMAS WILSON entered service as the first of the sixteen vessels in the "Maritime" class. The HOCHELAGA's self-unloading boom was installed on the RICHARD REISS, which had lost her boom April 13, 1994, when it collapsed at Fairport, Ohio. The REISS’ replacement boom was installed on May 14, 1994 by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. BLACK HAWK (wooden schooner, 98 foot, 178 gross tons) was launched in East Saginaw, Michigan on 14 May 1861. Thomas A. Estes was her builder. She was active until abandoned in the Kinnickinnic River at Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1908. On 13 October 1913, she was filled with flammable material and burned off Milwaukee as a public spectacle for the Perry Centennial Celebration. On May 14, 1905, the new Anchor Line passenger steamer JUNIATA made her maiden voyage from the yards of the American Shipbuilding Company in Cleveland, Ohio to Detroit, Michigan. Sailing under the command of Capt. Edward J. Martin she left Cleveland at 7:05 in the morning and arrived at Detroit shortly before 4. On board, in addition to several officials of the line was her designer, Frank E. Kirby. Detroiters were treated to the sight of seeing both the JUNIATA and TIONESTA together for the first time as TIONESTA was loading for Duluth, Minnesota when the JUNIATA arrived from Cleveland and tied up alongside her older sister. The JUNIATA later departed for Chicago where her furnishings were installed. On 14 May 1861, COMET (wooden side-wheeler, 174 foot. 337 gross tons, built in 1848, at Portsmouth, Ontario) collided with the 2-mast wooden schooner EXCHANGE, ten miles off Nine-Mile Point on Lake Ontario. Then an explosion rocked the COMET and she was destroyed by fire 2 or 3 lives were lost, but the survivors reached Simcoe Island in a lifeboat. Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., May 14, 1900. - The tug W.A. ROOTH of the Great Lakes Towing company fleet was caught between the barge JOHN A. ROEBLING and the steamer HENRY C. FRICK in the American canal last night and sunk. The crew escaped without injury. The tug was towing the barge ROEBLING out of the canal and in some manner got between the ROEBLING and the big steamer FRICK. Her sides were crushed in and she went down immediately in twenty feet of water. 1917 – SAXONA and PENTECOST MITCHELL collided head-on in the St. Marys River near Detour and both ships sank with their bows locked together. The former was refloated and repaired as LAKETON while the latter was also salvaged and remained in the U.S. Steel fleet. 1921 – The barge MIZTEC broke loose of the steamer ZILLAH in a storm and sank with all hands in Lake Superior northeast of Vermilion Point. 1952 – JAMES NORRIS began her sailing career, loading a cargo of grain at Fort William. 1991 – The Yugoslavian bulk carrier MALINSKA ran aground off Main Duck Island, Lake Ontario, while outbound from the Great Lakes with a cargo of steel coils. It was lightered and released. The ship had been a Seaway trader since 1987 and now sails in the Algoma fleet as c) ALGOMA DISCOVERY. Data from: Skip Gillham, Chuck Truscott, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - May 13 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports, Detroit, Toledo and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Algoma Discovery departed early Wednesday morning at 01:54 (CST) with iron ore pellets for Hamilton, Ontario. American Integrity arrived at 11:24 to take a delay at Lakehead Pipeline, waiting to load at Two Harbors. As of Wednesday night, Polsteam’s Irma was loading wheat at CHS#2 and integrated tug-barge G.L. Ostrander and Integrity were unloading cement at Lafarge. Stewart J. Cort is expected Thursday morning to load at BNSF, and G.L. Ostrander/Integrity are expected to depart early afternoon empty.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Milwaukee, WI – Mke Marine Reports
Holland, MI – Bill Van Appledorn
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Tuesday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, N.Y. – Brian Wroblewski |
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Boarding a freighter in the Soo Locks to deliver 5 doses of COVID vaccine 5/13 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI – In hard hats and safety vests, the two women shimmy up aluminum boarding ladders onto a converted World War II tanker. The rumble of the ship’s 8,040-horsepower engine makes conversation near-impossible on this blue sky morning. But public health workers Charity Zimmerman, a nurse, and Jill Schaefer, a clerk, know the drill on these steel giants that travel through the Soo Locks, the iconic commercial squeeze point between lakes Huron and Superior. Public Health workers Charity Zimmerman, 48 and Jill Schaefer 49 ready to board the freighter Lee Tregurtha to vaccinate the crew. The bright colors of their vests are a startling contrast Wednesday to the red-brown steel of the Lee A. Tregurtha, an 826-foot-long vessel headed to the Marquette docks to load iron ore. The women sidestep cables and cargo holds and make their way through narrow steel-framed hallways. For about an hour, a sparsely-furnished rec room serves as a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic. They unzip a blue tote of first-dose Moderna vaccines, pull out paperwork, and go to work. There is little time for chit-chat. “It’s deadline, deadline and deadline,” First Mate Aaron McLauchlan said of round-the-clock work aboard a lake freighter. “A minute lost here and there turns into hours and days.” It didn’t take long: Just five crew members signed up for vaccine doses. Five. It’s an extreme example of the day-to-day battle that public health workers are now waging across Michigan to vaccinate hard-to-reach residents amid an ongoing health crisis. “Initially, there was an initial push for vaccines,” Schaefer said. “Now we’re getting those calls one at a time and scheduling them one at a time.” Across the state, health workers face logistical complexities as they try to connect with the most isolated, the hard-to-convince, and — in the case of Tregurtha’s cook, Matt Dillinger — the hard-to-find-time. Like many, Dillinger works on the ship for weeks at a time. “I don’t consider myself a high-risk person, so I was content to let others get theirs,” said Dillinger, 40, of Sandusky, Ohio. “Now I’m getting paid to get it. It’s right here, and so why not?” Read more at this link: https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/boarding-freighter-soo-locks-deliver-5-doses-covid-vaccine |
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State of Michigan departs Traverse City May 18 for training cruises 5/13 - Traverse City, MI – About 50 cadets at Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Maritime Academy (GLMA) will depart on the first of four training cruises Tuesday, May 18, observing coronavirus pandemic safety protocols. The cruises will keep GLMA’s training ship, the T/S State of Michigan, at sea for five months, from May 18 to Oct. 25, providing an opportunity for 140-160 cadets to earn sea time. “This plan will allow all cadets to accrue some sea time in 2021, and allow cadets who could not sail in 2020 due to COVID to make up for what they missed and graduate per their model schedules,” said Academy Superintendent Jerry Achenbach. Prior to 2020, GLMA usually operated two cruises that ran between 10-12 weeks. The pandemic shortened last year’s sailing season, and it has been more difficult to find berths aboard commercial vessels. Both contributed to this year’s longer cruise season. Cadets must earn 360 days of required sea time during their four-year program. Cadets and crew must either be vaccinated or quarantine and test negative for COVID-19 prior to departure. The first four-week cruise will visit Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, the Detroit River and the St. Mary’s River. Phase 2 departs Traverse City June 15 bound for Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, the St. Mary’s River, Lake Huron, Detroit and Lake St. Clair. Phase 3 departs Traverse City July 21 for Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, the Detroit River, the St. Mary’s River and Lake Superior. Phase 4 departs Traverse City Aug. 27 and will visit Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, the St. Mary’s River and Lake Superior, and returns Oct. 25. Northwestern Michigan College |
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Obituary: Malcolm "Mac" McAdam 5/13 - Malcolm McAdam passed away at sunrise on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Mac grew up on Irondequoit Bay near Rochester, New York, where he ran a muskrat trap line before school in the morning and sold nightcrawlers, blood suckers and fresh caught carp on the weekends for spending money. After completing a master’s degree at Purdue University, Mac came to Wayne State University for the Audiology PhD program. In 1970, right after the final oral exams were completed, Mac and his wife Carol took a weekend trip to the Bahamas where she got a taste of snorkeling on beautiful reefs. Upon returning to Detroit, they signed up for scuba certification class with the Ford Seahorse Dive Club. That led into the forming of the Ford Seahorse Great Lakes Shipwreck Festival where Mac organized the displays for 20 years. Mac insisted on promoting the historical aspects of shipwreck diving with displays from marine museums, lighthouse organizations, artists, and other pertinent preservation groups. Mac was an audiologist in practice for 51 years, but he had a keen interest in Great Lakes maritime history, and was a member of several maritime organizations, including the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, Friends of the Detroit River, and Great Lakes Maritime Institute, where he served on the board for over 30 years. He helped plan the annual Lost Mariners' Remembrance Ceremony at Dossin Museum and encouraged ISMA members to participate every year. In 2010, Mac raised $1700 for the ISMA Grand Lodge Scholarship Fund by organizing a group tour of the Detroit Salt Mine, asking all 17 tour guests to make a $100 donation. In 2016, he was instrumental in planning the recovery of the SS Greater Detroit's anchor from the bottom of the Detroit River. More recently, in the summer of 2020, Mac restored a ship's anchor for display in Detroit's Riverside Park. Mac is survived by his wife of 57 years, Carol, and sons Sean (Brenda) and Ethan. A memorial service is being planned for August of 2021. Additional details and an on-line guest book can be found at the funeral home website, https://www.howepeterson.com/obituary/malcolm-mac-mcadam |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 13
The tanker GEMINI (Hull#746) was launched at Orange, Texas by Levingston Ship Building Co. in 1978, for Cleveland Tankers Inc., a subsidiary of Ashland Oil. Renamed b.) ALGOSAR in 2005. The tanker JUPITER made her maiden voyage May 13, 1976 from Smith's Bluff, Texas loaded with lube oil bound for Marcus Hooks, Penn. She was destroyed after exploding in the Saginaw River on September 16, 1990. On May 13, 1913, Pittsburgh Steamship's THOMAS F. COLE collided with the barge IRON CITY on Lake St. Clair. The barge was cut in two. Delivered May 13, 1943, THOMAS WILSON departed under the command of Captain Henry Borgen on her maiden voyage from Lorain, Ohio, bound for Duluth, Minnesota, to load iron ore. The green-hulled schooner EMMA C. HUTCHINSON was launched at 4 p.m. on 13 May 1873, at the E. Fitzgerald yard in Port Huron. She was the largest vessel built at that yard up to that time. She was named for the wife of Mr. J. T. Hutchinson of Cleveland. Her dimensions were 195foot keel, 215 feet overall, 35 foot beam, 14 foot depth, 736 tons. She cost $55,000. Frank Leighton was her builder and Matthew Finn the master fitter. She was outfitted by Swan's Sons of Cleveland. Her painting was done by Ross & Doty of Port Huron. On 13 May 1874, the Port Huron Times reported that someone had stolen the schooner ANNIE FAUGHT and that John Hoskins, the owner, was offering a reward for her recovery. May 13, 1898 - The steamer JOHN ERICSSON, having in tow the barge ALEXANDER HOLLEY, bound down with ore, went aground while making the turn at the dark hole in little Mud Lake. She is on a sand bottom. Tugs and lighters have gone to release her. When the steamer grounded the barge ran into her, damaging the latter's bow and causing a large hole above the water line on the starboard side of the ERICSSON. Both were repaired temporarily. On 13 May 1871, NORTHERNER (wooden barge, 220 foot, 1,391 gross tons) was launched by Capt. Wescott at Marine City, Michigan. Her master builder was John J. Hill. She was towed to Detroit to be fitted out and there was talk of eventually converting her to a passenger steamer. She remained a barge until 1880, when she was converted to a propeller freighter in Detroit. She lasted until 1892, when she burned at L'anse, Mich. 1914 – The package freight carrier CITY OF OTTAWA was upbound in the Cornwall Canal when it sheered over and struck the downbound S.N. PARENT on the port side at #2 hatch. The former was part of Canada Steamship Lines but was best known as the INDIA of the Anchor Line. 1915 – VALCARTIER and A.W. OSBORNE collided in Lake Huron above Corsica Shoal. 1933 – CALGARIAN, en route from Toronto to Montreal with automobiles and general cargo, stranded at Salmon Point in Lake Ontario, and was refloated two days later. 1943 – The caustic soda tanker DOLOMITE 4 was in and out of the Great Lakes via the New York State Barge Canal system. The vessel was torpedoed and sunk by U-176 off the north coast of Cuba on the date in 1943 as b) NICKELINER. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, the Detroit Free Press and the Duluth Evening Herald. |
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Great Lakes iron ore trade up 8.2 percent in April 5/12 - Cleveland, OH – Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 5.6 million tons in April, an increase of 8.2 percent compared to last year. Shipments were 8.6 percent ahead of the month’s 5-year average. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 9.5 million tons, an increase of 15 percent compared to the same point in 2020. Through April, iron ore shipments are 10.1 percent above their 5-year average for four months of the year. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Great Lakes water levels continue seasonal rise 5/12 - Detroit, MI – Great Lakes water levels are below last year’s record levels but will continue rising before peaking in the summer months. During the spring, water levels typically begin a seasonal rise due to increased precipitation and runoff. Drier conditions so far this spring limited seasonal rises on some lakes, however, there are still a few months left in the typical seasonal rise period. “Dry conditions have continued for most of the Great Lakes region, with the exception of the Lake Superior basin, which experienced above average precipitation in April,” said Detroit District Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology Office Chief John Allis. “These drier conditions have resulted in lake levels that are much lower than the record highs of recent years. However, some lakes are still above average and coastal flooding and erosion are still possible, especially during periods of active weather and increased wave action.” The Great Lakes basin is in its sixth consecutive month of below average precipitation. April monthly mean levels ranged 14 to 17 inches below last year’s record high levels on Lakes Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie. Lake Superior was six inches below last year’s level, while Lake Ontario was 28 inches below last year’s April level. From March to April, monthly mean water levels rose by two inches on Lakes Superior and Erie, while Lake Ontario rose five inches. Lakes Michigan, Huron and St. Clair matched March’s monthly mean levels in April. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ most recent six-month forecast, covering months May through October, indicate Great Lakes water levels will remain below record high levels, but above average on all lakes, except Lake Ontario. Lake Ontario’s forecast is below average levels over the next six months. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District |
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Port Reports - May 12 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports, Detroit, Toledo and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: CSL Assiniboine arrived at 23:27 (CST) Monday night to load at BNSF; she departed at 12:37 Tuesday early afternoon with iron ore pellets for Quebec City. Algoma Discovery arrived at 14:13 to load at BNSF. As of Tuesday night the American Mariner, salty Irma, and Algoma Discovery were in port on the Superior side. Algoma Discovery is expected to depart early Wednesday morning with iron ore pellets for Hamilton.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Holland, MI – Bill Van Appledorn
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Tuesday – Bill Kloss
Toronto, ON – Gerry Ouderkirk |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 12
The CABOT (Hull#649) was launched May 12, 1965, at Lauzon, Quebec by Davie Shipbuilding Ltd., for Gulf Ports Steamship Co. Ltd. (Clarke Steamship Co. Ltd., mgr.). In 1983, the CABOT's stern was attached to the bow section of the NORTHERN VENTURE to create the CANADIAN EXPLORER. The THOMAS WALTERS, American Shipbuilding, Lorain (Hull#390) entered service on May 12, 1911, with coal from Sandusky, Ohio to Duluth, Minnesota. Renamed b.) FRANK R. DENTON in 1952, she was scrapped at Ashtabula, Ohio in 1984. The carferry GRAND HAVEN was sold to the West India Fruit & Steamship Co., Norfolk, Virginia on May 12, 1946, and was brought down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, Louisiana for reconditioning before reaching Port Everglades and the Port of Palm Beach, Florida. On 12 May 1875, the scow-schooner SEA BIRD of Chicago was driven onto the beach a half-mile south of the harbor at Holland, Michigan by a Northeaster. After the storm, she was high and dry on the beach. The wooden J.S. SEAVERNS stranded near Michipicoten Island on Lake Superior on 12 May 1884. She had been carrying passengers from Chicago to Port Arthur. She was pulled free by a tug, but then sank. She was formerly a steam barge, being built on the bottom of the side-wheel tug JOHN P. WARD in Saugatuck, Michigan in 1880. The WARD dated back to 1857, had burned in 1865, was then rebuilt as a schooner, and in 1880, was finally rebuilt as the SEAVERNS. 1975 – The tug TARA HILL was damaged by a fire set by vandals at New Orleans. This vessel had operated on the Great Lakes as NORTHERN, CHARLES R. RANDLE SR., HELEN HINDMAN, SUSAN HINDMAN and HERBERT A. Lloyds notes “continued existence in doubt” in 1997, but the hull was likely dismantled much earlier. 1978 – PHOTINIA ran aground off Milwaukee in rough seas and the crew was rescued. The ship was refloated but declared a total loss. It was towed to various Lake Michigan ports in the next two years and was eventually dismantled at Kewaunee, Wis., in 1981. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Edward L. Ryerson moved to new dock temporarily 5/11 - Superior, WI – The long-idle steamer Edward L Ryerson was moved from her space in Cumming Slip over to the Fraser Shipyards slip Monday morning so dredging could be completed where she was previously. Assisting with the move were the Heritage Marine tugs Edward H and Helen H, plus Fraser’s various smaller tugs. When the dredging is complete, it is expected she will be stored to the same dock. |
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Port Reports - May 11 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports, Detroit, Toledo and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: American Spirit departed at 22:23 (CST) Sunday night to load in Two Harbors. No vessels were at BNSF Monday night. CSL Assiniboine is expected Monday night to load at BNSF. Algoma Discovery is due Tuesday afternoon for the same dock.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan Charlevoix: Monday; 6:16 Prentiss Brown / St Marys Challenger arrived to load cement products and departed at 13:58 for Cleveland.
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Monday – Bill Kloss |
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Study: Folk songs preserve memories of Great Lakes shipwrecks 5/11 - Marquette, MI – The Edmund Fitzgerald, carrying a load of iron ore, went down in Lake Superior in 1975 and became the most famous Great Lakes shipwreck thanks to a song by Gordon Lightfoot. Lightfoot’s musical homage to the disaster a year later became an international hit, making the Edmund Fitzgerald, lost near Whitefish Point, the best-known shipwreck in Great Lakes history. “The relationship between shipwrecks and folk tradition, as represented in folk music, has served to preserve memory of the events,” say researchers at Michigan Technological University and the nonprofit Center for Maritime and Underwater Resource Management. Famous as it is now, the Edmund Fitzgerald is by no means the only vessel lost by collision, storm or fire on the Great Lakes. That toll is more than 6,000, according to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Sault Ste. Marie. Few others have spawned lasting musical memorials and “served to preserve memory of the events,” as researchers Misty Jackson and Kenneth Vrana wrote in a study of memory, preservation and the folk music tradition of Great Lakes shipwrecks. It appeared in the Journal of Maritime Archaeology. The study focuses on songs about the Edmund Fitzgerald and three other well-known wrecks: • The Lady Elgin, a side-wheel steamer that sank in an 1860 collision in Lake Michigan near Chicago, taking with it at least 380 passengers and crew. The disaster, widely reported in newspapers of the day, inspired the song “Lost on the Lady Elgin” the same year. • The Eastland, a twin-screw steamer overloaded with more than 2,600 passengers and crew, capsized in 1915 while docked on the Chicago River. Seventy-one years later, a song titled “The Eastland” paid tribute to its 844 victims. • The Rouse Simmons, a three-masted schooner, was carrying thousands of Christmas trees from the Upper Peninsula to Chicago when it sank in Lake Michigan during a 1912 blizzard and ice storm. Seventeen crew died, and decades later it became musically memorialized as “the Christmas ship.” The researchers selected those disasters because they attracted press attention, drew national and even international attention and inspired folk songs. To assess how folk music may influence public knowledge of shipwrecks and attitudes toward preserving them, the study surveyed tourists at the Tall Ship Celebration in Bay City and members of the Ten Pound Fiddle, a folk music organization in East Lansing. The survey found that exposure to traditional maritime music may influence listeners to support shipwreck preservation. Historic preservationists may be able to use the survey results as part of efforts to prevent illegal looting of shipwrecks and to widen public awareness of maritime cultural resources, it said. Illinois folk musician Lee Murdock, who specializes in songs of the Great Lakes, said people are drawn to maritime songs, partly because “sailors historically had this culture of their own. The seafaring existence is so substantially different from what you find on land.” Murdock has composed many shipwreck songs, including “The Christmas Ship” about the Rouse Simmons, and he’s found interest in Great Lakes shipwrecks among audiences as distant as California and Texas. “You can get some of the inspiration in what is driving the interest in these shipwrecks – the connection with people out there and dealing with that. The mortality of existence on open waters,” he said. “That speaks to people across all different walks of life.” The study said, “Electronic media have undoubtedly enlarged awareness and memory by making historical songs, stories, images and book and video productions more readily available to the public.” Sources including streaming services like Pandora, folk music shows on public radio and computer games. “How long is an event remembered or relevant? Folk music from hundreds of years past is still heard today, along with new compositions about Great Lakes tragedies,” it said. Mining Journal |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 11
The keel was laid March 11, 1976, for the 660-foot-long forward section of the BELLE RIVER (Hull#716) at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Bay Shipbuilding Corp. Renamed b.) WALTER J. McCARTHY JR in 1990. L'AIGLE was launched March 11, 1982, as a.) ERRIA PILOT (Hull#308) at Imabari, Japan by Asakawa Zosen Co. Renamed b.) KOYAMA 3 in 1983, c.) IONIAN EAGLE in 1989. Purchased by Soconav in 1991, renamed d.) LÕAIGLE. Sold, renamed e.) ALAM KERISI in 1996, f.) SALDA in 1999, and sails today as the tanker g.) ARAL. Sea trials were conducted on March 11, 1956, on Paterson's new canaller LACHINEDOC. The tug RIVER QUEEN was sold to Ed Recor of St. Clair, Michigan on 11 March 1886. 1904: The wooden-hull Lake Erie car ferry SHENANGO NO. 1 caught fire and burned following an engine room explosion on March 11, 1904. The vessel had been frozen in the ice off Conneaut since January 1 and one member of the crew perished in the blaze. 1912: FLORA M. HILL sank in Lake Michigan en route to Chicago after being caught in an ice floe that crushed the iron hull. The vessel had been built as at Philadelphia in 1874 as the lighthouse tender DAHLIA and rebuilt and renamed at Milwaukee in 1910 for Lake Michigan service. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports – May 10 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Baie Comeau departed at 04:36 (CST) Sunday morning with iron ore pellets from BNSF. As of Sunday night, the only vessel in port was American Spirit taking a delay at Lakehead waiting for Two Harbors. CSL Assiniboine is the next expected arrival for BNSF Monday evening.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Sunday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 10
1923 – H.A. ROCK of the Forest City Steamship Co. went aground in Georgian Bay. The vessel was taken to drydock where the plates were removed, re-rolled and put back. The ship was idle May 18 to June 1 and the cost was $13,707.60. Steamer COLUMBIA (Hull#148) was launched in 1902 by the Detroit Ship Building Co., Wyandotte, Michigan. The steamer was built for day excursions between Detroit and Bob-Lo Island. The vessel has been in lay-up since September 2, 1991 at Nicholson's Terminal. On May 10, 1981, WILLIAM J. DELANCEY entered service for Interlake Steamship Co. She became the largest vessel on the Great Lakes at that time, and at least in the last 130 years, she has held the honor of being the largest vessel on the Great Lakes longer than any other vessel. Renamed b.) PAUL R TREGURTHA in 1990. On 10 May 1858, LEMUEL CRAWFORD (3 mast wooden bark, 135 foot, 450 tons, built in 1855, at Black River, Ohio) was carrying wheat from Chicago to Buffalo. She ran into a heavy gale and went out of control near Pelee Passage and struck a reef 1-1/2 miles off East Sister Island in Lake Erie. She began to sink immediately and the 13 onboard scrambled up her masts and lashed themselves to her rigging. After two days, they were finally rescued by the tug R R ELIOTT out of Detroit. May 10, 1922 - The ANN ARBOR NO 4 ran aground at Green Isle. She was released with no damage. The first Welland Canal was opened between St. Catharine's and Lake Ontario on 10 May 1828. The first vessel to navigate this route was the schooner WELLAND CANAL. This was a new vessel having been launched at St. Catharines, Ontario on 24 April 1828. On 10 May 1898, ISAAC LINCOLN (wooden propeller freighter, 134 foot, 376 gross tons) was launched at Anderson's yard in Marine City, Michigan for A. F. Price of Freemont, Michigan and Capt. Egbert of Port Huron, Michigan. She cost $40,000. She lasted until 1931, when she was abandoned. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Soo Locks Visitor Center reopens 5/9 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The Soo Locks Visitor Center opens for the season at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 9. The Detroit District is working to safely open the Visitor Center while following federal and state COVID-19 guidelines. Exhibits are spaced to help visitors observe social distancing while learning more about the Soo Locks and hand sanitizer is available near popular hands-on exhibits. Building occupancy is limited to 90 people at a time and masks are required to enter. The Center was closed in 2020 due to COVID-19. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District |
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Port Reports – May 9 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Baie Comeau arrived at 19:49 (CST) Saturday evening to load iron ore pellets at BNSF; she should be departing early Sunday morning. The next expected arrival for Burlington Northern will be the CSL Assiniboine Monday evening.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Saturday – Bill Kloss
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 9
The JOHN J BOLAND (Hull# 417) was launched May 9, 1953 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. for the American Steamship Co. making way for the keel of the DETROIT EDISON (2) to be laid. The BOLAND was renamed b.) SAGINAW in 1999. On May 9, 1951 the CLIFFS VICTORY arrived at the South Chicago yard of the American Ship Building Co. completing her 37-day, 3,000 mile journey from Baltimore, Maryland. There her deck houses, stack, masts, deck machinery, rudder and propeller were installed and the floatation pontoons removed. The ROBERT C. NORTON (2) was laid up on May 9, 1980 for the last time at the Hans Hansen Dock at Toledo, Ohio. PETER REISS (Hull#522) was launched at Superior, Wisconsin by Superior Ship Building Co., on May 9, 1910 for the North American Steamship Co. (Reiss Coal Co.). On 9 May 1864, AMAZON (2-mast wooden brig, 93 foot, 172 tons, built in 1837 at Port Huron, Michigan as a schooner) was carrying coal from Cleveland for Lake Superior when she went out of control in a storm just as she was leaving the St. Clair River for Lake Huron. She was driven ashore near Point Edward, Ontario and was broken up by the wave action. At the time of her loss, she was considered the oldest working schooner on the Lakes. May 9, 1900: The carferry PERE MARQUETTE (15) began carferry service to Milwaukee for the Pere Marquette Railway. On Friday night, 9 May 1873, the schooner CAPE HORN collided with the new iron propeller JAVA off Long Point on Lake Erie. The schooner sank quickly. The only life lost was that of the cook. On 09 May 1872, the CUBA (iron propeller bulk freighter, 231 foot, 1526 gross tons) was launched at King Iron Works in Buffalo, New York for the Holt and Ensign Commercial Line. Innovations in her design included water-tight compartments for water ballast, 4 water-tight bulkheads that could be closed if the hull were damaged, and a new fluted signal lamp that could be seen for 13 miles. She was powered by two 350 HP engines. She was a very successful vessel and lasted until 1947 when she was scrapped. She was renamed b.) IONIC in 1906 and c.) MAPLEBRANCH in 1920. Converted to a tanker in 1935. Scrapped at Sorel, Quebec in 1946-7. 1906 – The schooner ARMENIA was wrecked in Lake Erie near Colchester Reef when it began leaking in a storm while under tow of the FRED PABST on the first trip of the season. The ore-laden barge was cut loose but all on board were saved. The wreck was later struck by the CHARLES B. PACKARD on September 16, 1906, leading to the latter's demise. 1926 – While backing from the NHB Elevator in Port Colborne, the JOHN P. REISS struck the A.D. MacBETH at the dock, damaging the latter's stem. 1964 – The small ferries JOHN A. McPHAIL and JAMES CURRAN broke loose while under tow of the G.W. ROGERS and sank in a storm off the mouth of Saginaw Bay. They were en-route to Kingston from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., for a new service to Wolfe Island. 1974 – The coastal freighter ST. PIERRE ran aground in the old Lachine Canal at Montreal, was holed, capsized and sank. The vessel was broken up on location later in the year. 2011 – The Erie, Pa.-based passenger excursion ship VICTORIAN PRINCESS sustained major fire damage when a welding torch ignited materials in the engine room. The ship was out of the water and on blocks for maintenance work when the blaze broke out. The vessel missed the 2011 season. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Thunder Bay will help build Canada's new polar icebreaker 5/8 – Thunder Bay, ON – A Thunder Bay shipyard will have a hand in building the new flagship vessel in the Canadian Coast Guard’s icebreaking fleet, with the project expected to create local jobs. The federal government announced details Thursday of plans to purchase two new heavy ice breakers for the coast guard’s Arctic operations, expanding the capabilities of its aging fleet. The flagship polar icebreaker, already designated as the CCGS John G. Diefenbaker, will be built by Vancouver-based Seaspan, the government announced. When completed, it will be the largest ship in the coast guard’s fleet, expected to cost well over $1 billion. Hamilton-based Heddle Shipyards will partner with Seaspan on the project, bringing work to facilities including a shipyard it operates in Thunder Bay. “For us, it’s huge,” said Ted Kirkpatrick, Heddle’s director of business development and government relations. “It’s certainly one of the biggest developments for Heddle.” He called the news “big win” for Ontario’s economy as well, involving the province in Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, a multi-billion dollar plan to renew the country’s combat and non-combat fleets. It’s not yet clear exactly how much work the project will bring to the Thunder Bay shipyard, which Heddle purchased in 2016, Kirkpatrick said. “We absolutely foresee there’ll be benefits to Thunder Bay,” he said. “In terms of what and when and how much, it’s too early to say.” However, he said it was certain to create some new jobs here. “This will have an impact on job creation across all of our facilities,” he said, including others in Hamilton, Port Weller, and Newfoundland. Kirkpatrick said the Thunder Bay shipyard’s proximity to Vancouver, compared to those other facilities, could offer a strategic advantage. In a release issued Thursday, Seaspan said the polar icebreaker contract would sustain around 1,400 jobs at its Vancouver shipyard, and a similar amount in the industry across the country. TBNewswatch |
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2021 Soo Locks Engineer’s Day re-engineered 5/8 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and City of Sault Ste. Marie are re-engineering the Soo Locks 2021 Engineer’s Day to protect vessel crew members and essential lock workers while complying with current federal and state COVID-19 guidelines. The city will host an event focusing on downtown city merchants, vendors, the Soo Locks and water safety. The City and the Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) welcome the public and visitors to attend Engineer’s Day Re-Engineered 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, June 25. Downtown Portage Avenue will close to vehicle traffic and open for pedestrians and vendors from Ferris Street to Osborn Boulevard 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., June 25. “The Soo Locks are so important to our history and our community, this annual event helps us celebrate that,” said Linda Hoath, director of the Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It is a great time to expand the event beyond the Soo Locks complex.” In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 Engineer’s Day visitors will not be permitted to cross the Soo Lock’s gates as tradition, however, the Soo Locks Canal Park, viewing platform, and visitor’s center are open to the public 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. As a reminder, masks are required to enter the Soo Locks Visitor Center, any indoor stores, restaurants, hotels and outdoor areas if physical distancing cannot be met to keep workers and visitors safe. Please be patient, be kind and be safe For more information on the event or to register to be a vendor, please contact the Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at 906.632.3366, pr@saultstemarie.com, or visit@saultstemarie.com. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District |
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Port Reports – May 8 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
St. Marys River
Northern Lake Michigan
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Friday – Bill Kloss
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Help wanted: AB for SS Badger 5/8 – Under the direction of the Mate on watch, the AB is responsible for assisting with supervising the deck crew. Assists in loading and unloading the ship as well as performing deck maintenance and other projects as required. Experience in line handling, winches and semi-driver a plus. The AB can expect to live aboard the ship and stand a 4 hour watch, twice a day, 7 days per week for the 2021 sailing season (mid-May to mid-Oct). Candidates must possess a Merchant Mariner Credential with AB-Unlimited endorsement, a current Medical Certificate and a valid TWIC card. Mandatory physical, drug screen and background check. Eligible for benefits after completing a 90-day probationary period. EOE Pay: $28.34 per hour OT -$43.26 p/hr. Visit www.ssbadger.com >Join the Badger Crew to submit an online application or email lbialochowski@interlakems.com for more information. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 8
The 1,000-foot COLUMBIA STAR was christened May 8, 1981, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for Columbia Transportation Div., Oglebay Norton Co. EDGAR B. SPEER (Hull#908) was launched May 8, 1980, at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. (U.S. Steel Corp., mgr.), after long delay because of labor strife. FRED R. WHITE JR was christened May 8, 1979, named for Oglebay Norton's then vice-chairman of the board. On May 8, 1979, the ASHLAND struck the north entry pier of the Duluth Ship Canal while outbound loaded. Thick ice blowing in from Lake Superior had interfered with her maneuverability. She dropped her anchor to lessen the impact but drifted over the flukes ripping a two by five foot hole in her bottom port side forward. She was inspected and repaired at the Duluth Port Terminal. One anchor was lost. CHAMPLAIN's starboard side was damaged when she sideswiped the Swedish steamer BROLAND near the lower end of the St. Clair River cut-off, May 8, 1963. May 8. 1936 – The Pere Marquette Railway Co. announced plans to construct a new $1 million ferry dock at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The 3-masted wooden schooner FRANK C. LEIGHTON was launched at 10:30 a.m. on 8 May 1875, at Dunford & Leighton's yard in Port Huron, eight months after work on her began. She was launched complete except for her mizzen mast, which was just about ready to go in position. She was named for Capt. Leighton's son. Her dimensions were 138 foot keel, 145 foot overall, 26 foot beam and 12 foot depth. She cost $20,000 and was owned by Dunford & Leighton. The 254-foot wooden freighter AMAZON was launched at A. A. Turner's yard at Trenton, Michigan, on 8 May 1873. On 08 May 1929, GEORGE W. PARKER wooden propeller sandsucker, 105 foot, 143 gross tons, built in 1903, at Marine City, Michigan by A. Anderson for Fishback Plaster Co., formerly a.) L. G. POWELL) was destroyed by fire and sank in the channel 6 miles south of Algonac, Michigan. Her crew escaped in the yawl. 1916: S.R. KIRBY was downbound in a Lake Superior storm when it was struck by two huge waves, broke its back and foundered. The composite hulled freighter sank quickly and only two of the 22 on board survived. 1918: The Norwegian freighter POLLUX came to the Great Lakes in 1907. It was torpedoed as b) DUX by U-54 about 7 miles northwest of Godrevy Lighthouse while carrying coal from Swansea, UK to LaRochelle, France. 1934: The hull of the first CANADOC was punctured when the ship went hard aground at St. Joseph's Island. The vessel was later freed, drydocked and repaired. 1938: JAMES B. FOOTE hit a dock at Chicago, under tow of the tug KANSAS, while loaded with corn for Sorel. The rudder, stock and a propeller blade were lost. 1942: The Hall Corp. canaller MONT LOUIS was torpedoed and sunk in the Caribbean by U-162 with the loss of 13 lives. Only 8 survived by clinging to the wreckage. The ship was carrying bauxite from Dutch Guiana to Trinidad when it was attacked and it sank so quickly that the lifeboats could not be launched. 1949: E.C. COLLINS and HENRY FORD II were in a collision in the St.Clair River. 1967 ELIN HOPE had been chartered to the Ontario Paper Company to carry newsprint from Baie Comeau to New York from 1950 to 1953. The ship came to the Great Lakes as b) PROCYON in 1961 and arrived at Madras, India, as c) KR ASHOK with the cargo of coal on fire on this date in 1967. The vessel settled on the bottom during firefighting operations. It was refloated May 19 and eventually scrapped at Madras in 1968. 1978: The third OUTARDE went aground in the St. Lawrence near Buoy 41-M and was not released until May 16. There was only minor damage to the ship. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Great Lakes limestone trade up in April 5/7 – Cleveland, OH – Shipments totaled 2.4 million net tons, an increase of 13 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings were also above the month’s 5-year average by 33 percent. Loadings at U.S. ports totaled 1.9 million tons, an increase of 1.8 percent. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 490,088 tons, which is nearly double last year’s total. Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at 2.5 million tons, an increase of 10.1 percent from 2020. Shipments from U.S. ports decreased by 2.3 percent from the previous year, while shipments from Canadian ports increased by 112.1 percent. The year-to-date total includes 75,751 tons shipped in March. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Port Reports – May 7 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Thursday – Bill Kloss
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Lake Express Ferry to begin daily service on May 7 5/7 – Milwaukee, WI – The Lake Express Ferry will launch its 2021 travel season on Friday, May 7 with four daily crossings on Lake Michigan between Milwaukee and Muskegon, Michigan. Officials say the four-engine powered ship provides the most daily crossings of Lake Michigan and the fastest service with each trip taking only two-and-a-half hours. “We’re hearing from travelers that they’re eager to get back to places and activities they missed last year,” said Aaron Schultz, senior vice president at Lake Express. “Early bookings have been very strong and in line with 2019 levels.” Lake Express is following guidance from state and federal health agencies to maintain a safe travel environment with protocols in place. This includes completing a series of self-assessment questions prior to arriving on site, earing a mask, and following social distancing measures. Officials say, travel specials this season include the return of Kids Ride Free for which kids under the age of 18 are able to ride free between June 17th and Sept. 6th when accompanied by a paying adult. Motorcycles Ride Free also returns for the spring and fall schedules. Normal motorcycle fares will be waived with a paid adult passenger fare between May 7 and June 16, as well as between Sept. 7 and Oct. 25. CBS 58 |
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Historic Canopus pilothouse to be auctioned off 5/7 – Vermilion, OH – Sealed bids will be received by the City of Vermilion until May 14, 2021 at 10:00 AM at City Hall, 5511 Liberty Avenue, Vermilion, Ohio 44089. Please mark envelope “Pilot House”. Bids will be opened and read publicly immediately thereafter, for the following city artifact: Pilot House from the Lake Freighter, Canopus The lake freighter Canopus carried traditional bulk cargo such as coal, iron ore and stone throughout the Great Lakes. In 1945, her owners installed a “flight deck” so she could transport automobiles from Detroit to various Great Lakes cities until she was scrapped in 1961. In 1924, the open bridge was converted to a closed bridge, or pilot house. It is thought to be one of the first such conversions on the Great Lakes. In the early ‘90’s, the pilot house found a home in Vermilion on the north side of the Inland Seas Maritime Museum. With the closing of the museum in 2011, and its subsequent demolition to make way for the Main Street Beach Revitalization Project, the city has decided to auction the pilot house. Each bidder is required to furnish with their proposal their Name, Address, Contact Information, and Bid Amount. Each bidder is reminded that the pilot house is being auctioned as is. All bids must meet or exceed the minimum bid price of $10,000.00. The City will award the pilot house based on the highest and best bid as determined in the discretion of the City. The City reserves the right to reject any, and all bids. The winning bidder must provide payment in full in the form of a cashier’s check, payable to the City of Vermilion, no later than 12:00 noon on May 17, 2021. If the winning bidder fails to provide payment within said time, the artifact will be offered to the next highest bidder. The winning bidder must have the artifact removed from City property by May 28, 2021, at his or her own expense. The pilot house is estimated to weigh between 12 and 15 tons. If the winning bid results in a tie, the winner will be determined by a coin toss. Prospective bidders may view the pilot house from Main Street Beach. Bidders will not be permitted to tour the interior, and they must not cross the construction fence. National Museum of the Great Lakes |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 7
ALGOPORT (Hull#217) was launched at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., May 7, 1979 for Algoma Central Railway. HUTCHCLIFFE HALL entered service on May 7, 1954. A.M. BYERS (Hull#448) was launched May 7, 1910 at Cleveland, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the North American Steamship Co. (R.A. Williams, mgr.). Renamed b.) CLEMENS A. REISS in 1959 and c.) JACK WIRT in 1970. May 7, 1903 - The Benton Harbor, Coloma & Paw Paw Lake Railway was purchased by the Pere Marquette Railroad. May 7, 1929 - The Pere Marquette notified Ludington it was interested in buying the frontage on Pere Marquette Lake that had been used by the Monroe Body Company. The city council asked $25,000 for the property, and the railroad agreed. Work on the No. 3 slip began a few months later. On 7 May 1874, the schooner JENNIE MATHEWS was launched at Hardison's yard in Port Huron, Michigan. The launch started very slowly but with the help of men pulling on ropes, the vessel slid into the Black River nicely. Her first skipper was Capt. McGifford and her owner was Mr. Hardison. On 07 May 1954, official ground-breaking ceremonies were held for the Mackinac Bridge. It was completed three and a half years later. 1891: The new Canadian Pacific steamer MANITOBA, although built in 1889, had been laid up due to a recession and finally sailed on her maiden voyage on this date in 1891. 1935: A fire aboard ALEXANDER LESLIE at the port of Erieau, Ont., killed one member of the crew and injured two others. 1965: CEDARVILLE and TOPDALSFJORD collided in fog in the Straits of Mackinac. Ten lives were lost when the former, a self-unloader in the Bradley fleet, sank. The latter, a Norwegian freighter, had been a Seaway trader since 1960. Later, on May 11, 1984, as d) JIN XIAN QUAN, it sank the SEA CARRIER, another former Seaway trader as SVANEFJELL, in the Strait of Formosa off Taishan Island. TOPDALSFJORD was last noted as e) CHANGHI and was deleted from Lloyd's Register in 2005. 1998: CANADIAN ENTERPRISE loaded a record 32,366 tons of road salt at Goderich for delivery to Milwaukee. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Interlake offers update on M/V Mark W. Barker construction 5/6 – Sturgeon Bay, WI – Now that winter work at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding is completed, the shipyard workers are busy installing the highly intricate structural modules for our new build, the M/V Mark W. Barker. Following is an update on her construction at the Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin shipyard: Stern modules are being placed and welded while support beams stabilize that area of the structure. There is one section left to be put in place. Most of the machinery is now installed or in position in the lower levels of the engine room. Piping and wiring is well underway in that area, including motor control centers and other electrical panels. In the accommodations, bathroom modules are in place and they are working on air conditioning ducting and pulling wire through the multi-level structure which sits beside the vessel dockside. In the pilothouse, all of the propulsion and auxiliary consoles are in position. In the 311 fabrication building, bow sections are being constructed to complete the final 150 feet of the forward end of the hull. Expected to be underway in Spring of 2022, the 639-foot vessel is making history as the first ship built on the Great Lakes for service on the Great Lakes in more than 35 years. Interlake Steamship Co. |
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Manitoulin Island ferry delays planned May 7 season start 5/6 – Tobermory, ON – Concerns about COVID-19 have pushed back the start of the 2021 season for the MS Chi-Cheemaun ferry. Operating in Georgian Bay in the upper end of Lake Huron, the vessel runs from May to October between South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island and Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula. Its season was scheduled to launch on May 7. In an April 30 news release, the Owen Sound Transportation Company, the Crown agency that operates the ferry, said services have been paused indefinitely. “In response to COVID-19, the Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC) Service will delay the start of the operating season for the MS Chi-Cheemaun,” the OSTC said in the notice. “Ferry services between Tobermory and Manitoulin Island scheduled to begin on May 7 have been delayed until further notice.” All reservations affected by the delay have been cancelled, and the OSTC said it would contact customers with reservations on sailings between May 7 and May 20 to reschedule. Reservations will be unavailable between May 1 and May 15 but will reopen after that date the agency said. This is the ferry's second consecutive year to be impacted by the pandemic. Last year, the OSTC delayed the start of the season to June 1, and limited early traffic to essential travelers only. The agency expanded access to leisure travelers on June 12. Customers can get regular updates about the Chi-Cheemaun directly to their phones by texting “OPT IN” to 613-703-9026. Sudbury.com |
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Thunder Bay shipping season off to a strong start 5/6 – Thunder Bay, ON – The Port of Thunder Bay’s 2021 shipping season is off to a solid start. Cargo shipments from the beginning of the season to April 30 were 20% higher than the 5-year average. The 1.27 million metric tonne cargo tally is down 9% from the same period in 2020. The season opened March 26, and March shipments exceeded 300,000 metric tonnes for the first time on record. Grain continues to account for most of the port’s strong cargo volumes. For the third-straight year, Western Canadian grain farmers produced near-record volumes of wheat, canola, and other grain and pulse crops in 2020. The strong production led to high volumes of winter carryover despite increased exports in 2020 resulting from the global pandemic. Marine activity at Keefer Terminal during April included two shipments of steel: structural beams and steel rails. Currently staged in newly constructed laydown area, the steel will be shipped by rail to destinations in Western Canada. Lake Superior News |
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Port Reports – May 6 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
St. Marys River
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Southern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Toronto's new bridge is on its way by barge from Nova Scotia 5/6 – Toronto, ON – The second of the four new bridges that are set to connect downtown Toronto to the future Villiers Island is officially on its way to the city, and is currently travelling from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, through the St. Lawrence Seaway. The Commissioner Street Bridge, which is being shipped to Toronto in two sections, will eventually be one of four gateways to a new island that's being created by extending the Don River through the Port Lands. The highly-anticipated Cherry Street North bridge was the first of the four to arrive in Toronto back in November 2020, and now the western half of the Commissioner Street Bridge is expected to arrive later this month. The eastern half is scheduled to arrive sometime this summer and, together, the two sections will create the longest of the four bridges — measuring 152 metres in length. Featuring the same snazzy red-and-white design as the Cherry Street North bridge, the new bridge was built with parts sent to Canada from the Netherlands and was assembled and welded together by the experts at Cherubini Bridges and Structures in Dartmouth. All four bridges will eventually lead to a brand-new mixed-use community with both residential and commercial space, 25 hectares of urban park space and enough room for a total of 45,000 residents. The $1.25-billion initiative aims to reroute the Don River and protect the city's Port Lands from excessive flooding, in part by digging a kilometre-long river valley that will flow south from the Keating Channel across Commissioners Street and then run west out of a renaturalized river mouth into the Inner Harbor of Lake Ontario. The island itself will also have a major focus on sustainability by attempting to surpass zero carbon emissions and relying on renewable energy. And while it's not expected to be completed by 2024, the arrival of the Commissioner Street Bridge represents yet another step towards the project becoming a reality. View images at this link: https://www.blogto.com/city/2021/05/torontos-snazzy-new-bridge-city-nova-scotia/?fbclid=IwAR3h3H91sm-4zmWce7rG1FBQrvIbyURZukZcmjZrKovTlBxLQGXwjMEzTfA |
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Virtual Visitor Center today: Stories behind the namesakes of Great Lakes vessels 5/5 – Who is James R. Barker or Roger Blough and why do they have vessels named after them? What does Michipicoten mean? In this episode of the Virtual Visitor Center we will examine the names behind some of the vessels that we commonly see on the Great Lakes and learn more about the people, places and things they are named after. The free on-line program begins at 12:30 EDT/11:30 CDT at https://www.gotomeet.me/VirtualVisitorCenter/whats-in-a-name The Virtual Visitor Center is possible through a partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association and the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 6
On May 6, 1984 the CANADIAN RANGER sailed from Port Weller on her maiden voyage to load coal at Toledo, Ohio. In 1944 the HILDA (2) and the barge MAITLAND NO.1 started the rescue operation of freighter GEORGE M. HUMPHREY (1) which sank in a collision with the D.M. CLEMSON (2) in the Straits of Mackinac. This day in 1923 the EDWIN E. SLICK was struck by the steamer J. LEONARD REPLOGLE in the ice on Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior. HARVEY D. GOULDER entered service on May 6, 1906. On May 6, 1934, ROYALTON (1) helped rescue the steamer TEN, which had lost power in a Lake Superior ice field and required a tow to safety. On May 6, 1975 while unloading iron ore at Conneaut, Ohio, a leg and bucket from No.2 Hulett gave way and fell into the RALPH H. WATSON's cargo hold. A crane was rigged to remove the wreckage. A nine by twelve foot patch was required on her port side tank, which was holed in the accident. On 6 May 1847, CUBA (wooden schooner, 89 foot, 139 tons, built in 1844 at Peninsula, New York as a brig) was carrying wheat near Point Breeze, New York in Lake Ontario when she was run down and sunk in a collision with the steamer GENESEE CHIEF. No lives were lost. On 6 May 1858, the bark E.S. ADAMS began her voyage from Amherstburg, Ontario to London, England with a load of walnut timber. The transatlantic portion of the voyage took only 26 days and the vessel was back on the lakes in September 1858. EASTLAND was launched on 06 May 1903 at the Jenks Ship Building Company (Hull #25) at Port Huron, Michigan for the Michigan Steamship Company. She was christened by Mrs. Frances E. Perene. 1914: CITY OF ROME caught fire in Lake Erie and the blaze spread quickly. The vessel was run aground near Ripley, NY and the 15-member crew took to the lifeboats and rowed ashore. The 33-year old wooden freighter was a total loss. 1977: The West German freighter SUSANNE FRITZEN made 19 trips through the Seaway from 1963 through 1967. The vessel arrived at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with engine trouble as c) MARGRIT B. on this date in 1977. It remained idle and had to be towed to Piraeus, Greece, and laid up in 1978. The ship left there February 15, 1979, for the scrapyard in Barcelona, Spain. 1988: The Cypriot flag freighter PONTOKRATIS was under tow and downbound in the Little Calumet River at Chicago when the CSX railroad bascule bridge ended up across the stern cabin and pilothouse. There were no injuries and both sides launched a lawsuit. The vessel was released May 16 and continued to visit the Seaway as late as 2006. It renamed NAVIGATOR M. in 2010. Data from Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports – May 5 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Southern Lake Michigan
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Tuesday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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S.S. Badger to kick off 2021 season May 20 5/5 – Manitowoc, WI – The S.S. Badger car ferry will begin its 2021 season later this month with a ceremony at the Manitowoc dock. Students in the band programs at Manitowoc Lincoln, Lutheran, and Roncalli High Schools will be on hand on May 20th, performing a march that was composed specifically for the 150th anniversary of the City of Manitowoc. Mayor Justin Nickels will also speak at the event, which will occur shortly after the Badger docks at around noon from Ludington, MI. The car ferry will then depart on its maiden voyage of the season at 3:00 PM. In celebration of the first sailing this season, and the first sailing under new ownership, Interlake Maritime Services has arranged a firework show, scheduled for 8:30 p.m. on the Manitowoc lakefront, and is expected to last approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Those wishing to view the fireworks are invited to do so anywhere on the Manitowoc shoreline. |
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Former Great Lakes Lore Museum director honored 5/5 – Rogers City, MI – Former Great Lakes Lore Museum director Dave Erickson was honored recently with a lifetime induction into the museum. Erickson, who survived the sinking of the Cedarville in the Straits of Mackinac in 1965, served as director for more than 15 years before retiring in November 2018. Presque Isle Advance |
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Virtual tour of Heritage Marine’s tug Helen H View a video at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRqWsVj0uYY |
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Welland Canal Notice to Shipping No. 3 – 2021
NIAGARA REGION
Our Facility is a MARSEC restricted (R1) zone. It is compulsory for any person gaining access to our Locks to have a valid government issued identification card with photo. It is also compulsory that the ship consents to the embarking, disembarking or visit. If the ship does not consent, or if marine security and health and safety regulations are not respected, the interface will not be permitted and the persons present will be required to leave the lock immediately. |
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Today in Great Lakes History – May 5
May 5, 1904 the Crisp Point Light on Lake Superior went into service. WILLIAM CLAY FORD (Hull#300) was launched at River Rouge, Michigan, by Great Lakes Engineering Works, May 5, 1953, for the Ford Motor Co. On May 5, 1980, the SHARON, a.) ARCHERS HOPE of 1945, grounded in the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River. She was freed on May 7th and proceeded to Monroe, Michigan, and was laid up there on May 8, 1980. No repairs were made and she never sailed again. On May 5, 1914, the GEORGE F. BAKER was traveling down bound in Lake Superior in dense fog with 10,500 tons of iron ore from Ashland, Wisconsin. She ran hard aground on Sawtooth Reef off Eagle River, on Upper Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. May 5, 1914 – An unusual cargo, two "Jack Johnsons" (Navy guns) were hauled by the PERE MARQUETTE 17. The small schooner ST PETER was loaded with grain when she sank 35 miles from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on 5 May 1874. The crew reached shore in the yawl. The steam barge KITTIE M. FORBES was launched in Bay City, Michigan, on 5 May 1883. She was owned by Capt. William Forbes and named for his daughter. Her keel was laid on 1 December 1882. Her dimensions were 195 feet keel, 209 foot overall, 35 foot beam and 14 foot depth. Her engine was built by Samuel F. Hodge. On 05 May 1902, MILWAUKEE (steel propeller freighter, 325 foot, 3,327 gross tons) was launched at the Chicago Ship Building Company (Hull #55) at South Chicago, Illinois, for the Western Transit Co. She lasted until 1940, when she was scrapped at Hamilton, Ontario. 1960: The coastal freighter FEDERAL EXPRESS had been built at Midland in 1944 as H.M.C.S. WEST YORK. It was hit at the dock in Montreal on this date in 1960 by the Swedish freighter POLARIS, drifted downstream and sank. The stern was raised August 12, 1960, and the remainder of the hull came up in pieces. 1964: The downbound bulk carrier ERNEST T. WEIR sustained damage to the port bow when it collided with tanker MERCURY in Lake St. Clair. The latter had sheered to the left, went aground after the accident and developed a list. Both ships were repaired and ERNEST T. WEIR survives today as the idle self-unloader AMERICAN FORTITUDE. 1978: JALAVIHAR first visited the Great Lakes in 1966 under the flag of India. It ran aground in the Red Sea as d) KATERINA on this date in 1978. After being released it continued to Palermo, Italy, where it was declared beyond economical repair and was eventually scrapped at Split, Yugoslavia. 2009: VICTORIA first came through the Seaway in September 2004. On May 5, 2009, the ship, loaded with 10,000 metric tonnes of rice and its crew of 11 Romanian sailors, were captured by pirates, about 75 miles south of Yemen and held hostage. After the payment of a reported $1.8 million ransom, the vessel was released on July 18, 2009. It was back on the Great Lakes in 2011. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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A matter of locks: Shipping advocates seek longer Great Lakes-Seaway season 5/4 – The chief executive officer of the American Great Lakes Ports Association likes to use an airport analogy as a way of pointing out what happens when the shipping season opens and concludes each year on the five lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. “Can you imagine if you flew across the country, connecting at different cities, and some airports were open and some not?” CEO Steven A. Fisher said. “You can rely on some and not others? It’s a bit chaotic.” But that’s what shipping companies and industries are facing along the Great Lakes-Seaway system, Mr. Fisher said. “The Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway are many things, but among the many things they are, they’re a transportation system,” Mr. Fisher said. “If you look at it as a transportation system, we have a total of 16 locks that a ship has to pass through as it comes into the Great Lakes from the Atlantic Ocean, sailing up the St. Lawrence River, into the Great Lakes. If it goes all the way to Lake Superior, it has to pass through those 16 different locks.” And at the beginning and conclusion of the shipping season, those locks are on different schedules of opening and closing.“That strikes a lot of people in the business community as being odd and also it tends to make the waterway and the transportation system less reliable because it’s not open at the same time,” Mr. Fisher said. The 2020 navigation season of the Seaway closed on Dec. 31; effectively, all vessels had to be clear of the Montreal-Lake Ontario section at noon on Dec. 31. The opening of the 63rd Seaway season this year was on March 22.In 2020, the season opened on April 1. “It’s a discretionary date each year influenced by many things, but it’s hard to plan against because it’s not a fixed date,” Mr. Fisher said. A ship transiting the Seaway’s 15 locks from Montreal to Lake Erie crosses the international border 27 times as the U.S. Department of Transportation and Transport Canada work together to manage the transit system. Of the 15 locks, eight are at the Welland Canal, connecting lakes Ontario and Erie and owned and operated by Canada. Of the seven locks from Montreal to Lake Ontario, two, Eisenhower and Snell, are operated by the U.S. with the remaining five operated by Canada. In Northern Michigan, the Soo Locks, are a set of parallel locks, operated and maintained by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. They are often referred to as the “Linchpin of the Great Lakes” because the locks, which allow traverse along St. Marys River, enable vessels to travel between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes and St. Lawrence. The Soo Locks, unlike other locks in the system, can be depended to open and close on the same dates each year: They are closed from Jan. 15 to March 25 annually for repairs. Mr. Fisher believes the other locks in the system should follow the Soo Locks schedule. “We have all these different entities running these locks and they are setting the opening and closing dates according to different criteria,” Mr. Fisher said. “We believe they should be harmonized — that the shipping system should be opened all at the same time and closed at the same time.” Mr. Fisher said that doing so would “result in a more reliable shipping system that is more economically prosperous.” The main criteria in the annual closing of the locks is for maintenance. “Clearly, those areas in Northern Michigan are as cold as anywhere on the system,” Mr. Fisher said. “What’s curious to us is why the Army Corps of Engineers are able to keep those locks open in those conditions, yet the U.S.-Canadian Seaway managers aren’t able to keep their locks open in conditions that are certainly no colder than those very frigid areas of northern Michigan. The Corps of Engineers manages to get their maintenance done during the shorter closure period.” A Welland Canal season extension pilot project has led to the extension of the Welland Canal navigation season by approximately one week, into January, for a five-year trial period. The Montreal-Lake Ontario section of the Seaway is not affected by the extension program, according to the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. At the end of the 2020-21 commercial navigation season, the Welland Canal remained open for an additional seven days. As usual, the Montreal-Lake Ontario section of the St. Lawrence Seaway closed on Dec. 31. This year's extension pilot project on the Welland Canal saw it remain open through Jan. 7. “Overall, it was a success, providing carriers and shippers more sailing time to complete final cargo movements at year-end,” said Nicolas Poirier-Quesnel, manager of government and community relations at the Cornwall, Ontario-based St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. “Twenty commercial transits were completed after December 31, 2020.” This is the third year for the pilot project. “The main factors influencing the Welland Canal closing date under this pilot project are ice management and ice breaking capacity, weather conditions, the Seaway’s maintenance schedule, as well as commercial market demand,” Mr. Poirier-Quesnel said.n Each day of an extended season makes for better economics for shipping companies and the industries that rely on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence system to ship goods, Mr. Fisher said. “We’re moving 140 tons of cargo a year on the Great Lakes,” he said. “For two or three months a year, we completely shut down. That’s a lot of stuff that isn’t moving for those months. We think the longer you can keep goods moving by water, it’s a more environmentally friendly way to move those goods with a lot less societal interaction.” Asked by the Times to comment on the idea of aligning the Seaway lock schedule with other locks in the system, a U.S. Seaway spokesperson responded in a statement: “While we are always examining ways to better utilize the Seaway’s infrastructure, we need the winter work period to repair our infrastructure and perform routine maintenance. As far as we know, the analysis of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. pilot project at the Welland Canal is not completed yet, as it is a multi-year project. We have no plans to do a similar assessment for our sector of the Seaway.” Scott Bravener, CEO of Burlington, Ontario, Canada McKeil Marine Limited, said any extension and alignment of lock schedules would benefit his company, one of Canada’s leading marine service providers, with a growing fleet of bulk carriers, tankers, tugs, barges and workboats. “We figure better aligning with the U.S. locks in the Soo with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allows for better planning,” he said. “Having that alignment, you know what your season looks like and you could plan around it.” He said he welcomes the pilot project on the Welland Canal. “I think technology has changed and it’s been proven you can operate in the harsher conditions,” Mr. Bravener said. “The extension of the Welland Canal (season) is starting to prove that out. Sault Ste. Marie is in very harsh climate, and they operate successfully until Jan. 15 of every year.” About 90% of America’s iron ore moves through the Soo Locks, its managers say. But Mr. Bravener said that the grain trade coming out of the U.S. and Canada and loaded on Lake Superior ports was very strong last year. “Particularly, Thunder Bay had their strongest year in recent history,” he said. “It portends to be another strong year if the crop is good this year.” Mr. Bravener said it would take less than a week for a ship to travel from Thunder Bay in northwest Ontario on the shores of Lake Superior to Montreal. “To get out of the Seaway now, you have to have the vessel loaded before the 24th of December,” Mr. Bravener said. “If you haven’t left Thunder Bay by that time, you’re not getting out.” Mr. Bravener and Mr. Fisher don’t think a two-week extension of the Seaway system — to match the schedule of the Soo Locks — would have a negative environmental impact.n “It’s the most environmentally friendly way of moving bulk materials over long distances,” Mr. Bravener said. “The longer we can operate that marine highway is more trucks that we’re able to take off the road.” Read more at this link: https://www.nny360.com/communitynews/business/a-matter-of-locks-shipping-advocates-seek-longer-great-lakes-seaway-season/article_6f6a0cb7-fac3-5dea-a9ca-c7bd615f9595.html |
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World War II submarine expected to visit Erie in late May 5/4 – Erie, PA – There is a new arrival date for a unique maritime visitor to Erie. The World War II submarine USS COD has been docked in Cleveland as a museum ship since the mid 1970s. The COD was supposed to come to Erie for repairs last fall, however that was delayed. The group that maintains the submarine now said that they expect the COD to be brought to Erie in late May but is waiting for Don Jon Shipbuilding to provide an exact date. YourErie.com |
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Company begins replacing underwater cables damaged by anchor 5/4 – Pewaukee, Wis. – The company whose underwater power cables were damaged by an anchor strike in Michigan's Straits of Mackinac three years ago said Monday it was beginning to install replacements. A ship anchor in April 2018 struck three of American Transmission Co.'s six cables, which moved electricity between the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. Two were severed and another was seriously damaged. About 600 gallons of insulation fluid leaked into the straits, a channel that connects Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. The portions of the cables closer to shore were underground, while those in deeper waters where the strike occurred lay on the lake floor. The company reconfigured the undamaged cables into a single circuit so the flow of electricity could continue. But two operating circuits are needed for reliability, which the $105 million replacement project will provide, the company said. Finishing removal of the old cables and laying the new ones will take about seven months. "Together with our contractor partners, we're committed to ensuring this project is completed safely and in an environmentally sensitive matter," said Tom Finco, a vice president of the company based in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. The two new cables, moving a combined 138,000 volts, will contain solid insulation with no fluids. Star Tribune |
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Port Reports – May 4 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Southern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey No report.
Lake Erie Ports for Monday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Today in Great Lakes History – May 4
On May 4, 1958, JOHN SHERWIN entered service. The SHERWIN has been in lay-up for over half of her life on the Great Lakes. She last sailed on November 16, 1981. On her maiden voyage May 4, 1976, ST. CLAIR departed Sturgeon Bay for Escanaba, Michigan, to load 39,803 gross tons of iron ore pellets for Indiana Harbor, Indiana arriving there on May 5th. OREFAX ran aground on May 4, 1963, way off course near Manistique, Michigan. She was lightered and pulled off by the Roen Salvage Co. and made her way to Toronto, Ontario, where she discharged her cargo and left for repairs. The tanker VENUS, a.) MARTHA E. ALLEN of 1928 suffered an explosion on May 4, 1972, when the crew was cleaning tanks while at anchor waiting for the fog to lift about seven miles west of the Eisenhower Lock in the Seaway. Two explosions rocked the ship, killing her skipper, Captain Stanley, and injuring three crewmen. On 04 May 1839, ATLAS (wooden schooner, built in 1836, at Dexter, New York) was carrying building stone from Chaumont Bay to Oswego, New York, when she foundered 6 miles from Oswego. The steamer TELEGRAPH rushed out of Oswego to assist her but only found a little flotsam. All five on board were lost: Capt. Asahel Wescott, Ortha Little, William Ackerman, John Lee and Asa Davis (a passenger). 1889: The new Canadian Pacific steamer MANITOBA was launched at Owen Sound. 1911: The STEPHEN M. CLEMENT sank the ERWIN L. FISHER in a collision on the Detroit River. The former last sailed as PEAVEY PIONEER and was scrapped in 1968-1969. 1968: The Swedish freighter BRORIVER made 9 trips to the Great Lakes in 1965-1966. It was sold and renamed d) THALIA later in 1966 and caught fire on the Atlantic on this date in 1968. The blaze originated in the engine room but gutted the ship. It was abandoned the next day and was eventually towed to Dakar, Senegal, where it was forced to anchor 8 miles out, as officials did not want it in the port. The vessel later sank at the anchorage. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports – May 3 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin arrived at 16:17 Sunday afternoon to load iron ore pellets at BNSF; as of Sunday night, she was the only vessel in port on the Superior side. Algoma Discovery is expected early Monday morning to anchor and load after the Martin; the Martin is expected to depart sometime early Monday morning.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Holland, MI – Bill Van Appledorn
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Sunday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Great Lakes Maritime Center reopens 5/3 – Port Huron, MI – The Great Lakes Maritime Center is now open 8am-4pm, 7 days a week. Come down and watch and learn about the ships passing by. Great Lakes Maritime Center |
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Erie Maritime Museum reopens after pandemic shutdown 5/3 – Erie, PA – When the Erie Maritime Museum opened Friday for the first time since the pandemic began more than a year ago, site director James Hall saw the museum in operation for the first time. “I started (working) here on Dec. 7,” said Hall on Saturday. “I’ve been waiting for this for five months.” The museum is currently open Friday and Saturday from 9:30 a.m to 5 p.m., as are others operated by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. The unplanned downtime allowed the staff to prepare exhibits closed for more than a year.“A lot of the electronic displays needed attention,” Hall said. “We also need to ensure the safety of all visitors, staff and volunteers as we move through the pandemic.” History buff Scott DeMill stopped by the museum Saturday. “I like the way the exhibits are displayed,” said DeMill, 53, of Cleveland. “It gives both sides of the British and American forces during the Battle of Lake Erie and gives some cultural information of the time.” Niagara League volunteer Debby Springston, 72, was just glad to see visitors in the museum again. “It’s wonderful to be back,” Springston said. Erie Times-News |
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Today in Great Lakes History – May 3
On May 3, 1959, the first large saltwater vessel to transit the new St. Lawrence Seaway arrived at Duluth. The RAMON DE LARINAGA of 1954, took the honors as the first salty, passing under Duluth's Aerial Bridge at 1:16 p.m., followed by a salty named the HERALD of 1943, sixteen minutes later. In 1922, the PERE MARQUETTE 16, as the barge HARRIET B, collided with the steamer QUINCY A. SHAW, and sank off Two Harbors, Minnesota. On 3 May 1840, CHAMPLAIN (wooden side-wheeler, 225 tons, built in 1832, at Chippewa, Ontario) was carrying general merchandise when a storm drove her ashore four miles south of St. Joseph, Michigan. Although abandoned, she was later recovered and rebuilt. On 03 May 1883, lightning struck and set fire to the barge C F. ALLEN while she was loading at North Muskegon, Michigan. She burned to the water's edge. Her loss was valued at $6,000, but she was not insured. 1905: HESPER was blown aground in 60 mph winds near Silver Bay, MN. The vessel was carried over a reef by a giant wave and broken to pieces. All on board were rescued. 1909: The EDWIN F. HOLMES hit a dredge in the Detroit River. The 108-year-old vessel still survives as the J.B. FORD. 1941: TRAJAN had been built at Ecorse, MI as a) YAQUE in 1915. It returned to the Great Lakes as b) DORIS in 1928 taking out the head gates at Lock 13 of the Welland Canal on September 23 and was back for several trips after becoming c) TRAJAN in 1932. The vessel was bombed and sunk by German aircraft in the North Sea on this date while enroute from Blyth to London with a cargo of coal. 1961: The tug BERT VERGE was towing the retired laker FORESTDALE across Hamilton Bay to the scrapyard at Stelco when it got caught by the wind, pulled over on its beam ends and sank with the loss of 2 lives. The tug was later salvaged and survives today as a pleasure craft out of Port Dover. 1982: A fire in the officer's quarters aboard the rail car barge SCOTIA II broke out at Sarnia. The damage was repaired and the ship resumed cross-river service until making its last run in April 1995. 1987: The Polish freighter ZIEMIA BIALOSTOCKA began Great Lakes service in 1980 after 8 years of deep sea trading. The ship hit the Sidney Lanier Bridge at Brunswick, GA, on this date in 1987 with major damage to the vessel and structure. The ship last visited the Great Lakes in 1996 and arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping on September 20, 1998. Data from: Skip Gillham, Al Miller, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Fednav adds two new vessels to its laker fleet 5/2 – Fednav Ltd. of Montreal has added two new vessels to its laker fleet, both built in 2021 at Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Oshima, Japan. The two vessels are 656 feet long, or about 200 meters in length, with a beam or width of 78 feet wide or 24 meters. Each will be registered in the Marshall Islands with Majuro as port of registry. The first vessel is the Federal Franklin (IMO 9866732), followed by the Federal Fraser (IMO 9866744). A previous Federal Fraser was built in 1983 at the Govan Shipbuilders Ltd. Shipyard in Govan Scotland as Selkirk Settler, which carried that name from 1983 to 1991, first visiting the Great Lakes/Seaway in 1983. The ship was renamed Federal St. Louis for a brief time in 1991, also visiting as such that year. During 1991 the ship again was renamed to the Federal Fraser and it carried that name from 1991 to 2001. It also first visited the Great Lakes/Seaway system as such in 1991 and was a regular trader throughout the Great Lakes/Seaway system. The ship again was renamed in 2001 to Fraser and it held that name from 2001 until 2002, visiting as such for the first time with that name in 2001. In 2002, the ship was sold to Canada Steamship Lines and then renamed the Spruceglen, the second vessel to carry that name. Denny Dushane |
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Port Reports – May 2 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: There was no traffic through Superior Saturday. Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin is expected early evening Sunday to load iron ore pellets at BNSF.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron There were a total of 10 commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River for the month of April, with 13 docks receiving product accounting for split loads. This is three fewer passages than in April 2020, but more than the 5-year average of 7, 10-year average of 7, and 15-year average of nine. For the total number of commercial vessel passages for the year-to-date, the number is again 10, as there were no passages in March this year. This number represents an increase of 2 passages over the 5-year average of 8, 10-year average of 7, and is equal to the 15-year average of 10.
Lake Erie Ports for Saturday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Saltie Casualties & Demolitions 5/2 – Vessels with Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway connections reported as a Casualty or Sold for Demolition, taken from May 2021 issue of Marine News, Journal of the World Ship Society Casualties: None reported Demolitions: AL FAHED (6922327; Tanzania (Zanzibar) (Captain Murad-15, Al Reda-07, Khaled T-01, Rivala-99, Muhieddine V-99, UB Prudent-93, Poly Prudent-92, Astor-88, Tegelersand-81 – 1st seaway passage 1969) – 2,511 / 1969 – Livestock Carrier. By Mazyd Shipping Co SA (Gulf Coast Shipping & Trading SA) Marshall Islands, to Dewan Shipbreaking Pvt Ltd., Pakistan and arrived Gadani Beach 26.11.2020 – commenced 09.12.2020 LIBER (8907589; St. Kitts & Nevis) ( GT Liberty-20, Prime Senator-20, Fujigawa-10 – 1st seaway passage 1993) – 10,826 / 1990 – Chemical Products tanker. By Holborn Shipping Inc. (Marchtrans Ship Management Pvt Ltd) Marshall Islands, to Rajendra Shipbreakers Pvy Ltd., India and arrived 25.10.2020 – commenced 5.11.2020 POLINA (8321931; Cameroon) (Federal Adi-20, Federal Fuji-14 – 1st seaway trip 1986) – 17,814 / 1986 – Bulk Carrier. By Antalaya Shipping Ltd (T Fleet Management Ltd), Marshall Islands, to S.S. Enterprises Pakistan and arrived Gadani Beach 02.11.2020 – commenced 14.11.2020 SKIPPER-Y (8312095; Sierre Leone) (Island Skpper-14 – 1st seaway passage 1987) – 17,065 / 1984 – Bulk Carrier. By Shippers Ship-Trade Ltd., Marshall Islands, to Abdul Sattar Noor Muhammad & C., Pakistan and arrived Gadani Beach 13.11.2020 – commenced 18.11.2020 ZARA (8206284; Togo) (Plori-99, Liski-07 – 1st seaway passage 1993, Lux Conqueror-89 – 1st seaway passage 1989, Vinuesa-88) 5.869 / 1983 – General Cargo ship. By A T Mar Ltd SA (Buzzard Marine SA) Panama, to Dewan Shipbreaking Pvt Ltd., Pakistan and arrived Gadani Beach 27.11.2020 – commenced 5.12.2020 Report prepared by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp |
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Today in Great Lakes History – May 2 The STEWART J. CORT created a sensation as she passed Detroit/Windsor on mid-day on May 2, 1972, amid throngs of people lining both sides of the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers, whistling acknowledging salutes on her up bound maiden run.ADAM E. CORNELIUS (Hull#53) was launched at St. Clair, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works on May 2, 1908. Renamed b.) DETROIT EDISON in 1948, c.) GEORGE F. RAND in 1954. Sold Canadian in 1962, renamed d.) AVONDALE. She was scrapped at Castellon, Spain, in 1979. On 2 May 1874, the steamer 8TH OHIO was chartered by Magner & Company to carry their circus to various Great Lake ports throughout that season. The 3-mast schooner EDWARD KELLEY was launched at Dunford & Leighton's yard in Port Huron on 2 May 1874. She was built for the Lake Superior Transportation Company of Cleveland, Ohio. A. O. Miller's coronet band played at the launching. On 02 May 1903, ACADIA (wooden schooner-barge, 102 foot, 188 tons, built in 1873, at Smith's Falls, Ontario) was carrying coal from Oswego, New York to Kingston, Ontario, when she went aground in a storm near the Duck Islands on Lake Ontario. She was later recovered, but foundered again in July 1908. Again she was recovered and this time rebuilt as a barge. 1895 N.K. FAIRBANK was traveling from Chicago to Ogdensburg, NY with 50,000 bushels of corn when it stranded, due to fog and smoke, off Morgan's Point 6 miles west of Port Colborne. The wooden steamer caught fire and burned to the waterline. The hull was later refloated and, in 1899, rebuilt as the ELIZA H. STRONG only to burn again in October 1904. 1967 SHELTER BAY went aground in the Brockville Narrows when a bolt in the steering gear sheared off and the vessel veered off course, was holed by rocks and had to be beached off Royal Island. This member of the Q. & O. fleet was bound for Chicago with iron ore, but had to be lightered and then sailed to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. Data from: Skip, Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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3 Great Lakes water levels now at least one foot lower than last year 5/1 – The Great Lakes water levels are continuing to trend downward. Here’s a look at the remarkable drop in water levels. Before we talk about Great Lakes water levels, we have to put each month’s water level move in the perspective of what normally happens in that month. April is normally a month with larger water level rises. April’s water level rises are due to winter snowmelt and warmer air bringing heavier spring rain compared to winter moisture. So when we talk about Lake Michigan and Lake Huron going up only one-tenth of an inch in April, that’s significant. We would normally have a several-inch rise on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. There is one simple explanation to the falling Great Lakes water levels – lack of precipitation, both this past winter and so far this spring. |
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Fednav welcomes MV Arvik I, its newest icebreaking bulk carrier 5/1 – Quebec, QC – Fednav Limited has taken delivery of its latest Polar Class 4 icebreaking bulk carrier, the MV Arvik I. This new state-of-the-art vessel replaced the 43-year old MV Arctic. The Canadian-flagged Arvik I will trade between St. Lawrence River ports and Deception Bay, servicing Glencore’s Raglan Mine, commencing mid-May 2021. Ordered through Sumitomo Corporation and built by Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) shipyards Japan, the 31,000-DWT mine resupply vessel is a sister ship to Fednav’s two other Polar Class 4 icebreaking bulk carriers, the MV Nunavik, delivered in 2014 and the Canadian-flagged MV Umiak I delivered in 2006, currently the most powerful icebreaking bulk carriers in the world. This new vessel is equipped with the latest technology, which includes Tier III main and auxiliary engines, and compliant with the latest stringent IMO nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission regulations. The MV Arctic made its final voyage in April and is being recycled in Turkey following strict green recycling protocols. The vessel had an impressive career and will be remembered by generations of Canadian seafarers for its role in opening the Canadian Arctic to year-round shipping. |
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Port Reports – May 1 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Stewart J. Cort arrived at 06:55 (CST) for her usual iron ore pellet load at BNSF; she departed at 14:11 for Burns Harbor. As of Friday night, no vessels were in port; the next expected arrival will be Sunday evening.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Traverse City, MI – Nathan Gonzalez
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Friday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski Erie, PA – The Flagship Niagara was supposed to be back in the water this summer after not setting sail in 2020 because of the pandemic. But now, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission says they never agreed upon that plan. This is pretty devastating news for the Niagara League and for tourism. We spoke to press secretary Howard Pollman about this whole situation and why the Niagara isn’t setting sail. “Prior to the March 23rd Flagship Niagara League (FNL) board meeting, PHMC’s Site Administrator, Jim Hall, and FNL Executive Director Billy Sabatini had agreed on an approach to FNL’s sailing operations this season. Because of the pandemic and the inherent challenges in operating the ship in accordance with CDC and DOH guidelines, they had agreed that the Niagara would not sail this summer. Instead, they agreed that in the fall a crew would sail the ship to be dry-docked (location to be determined). There it could be inspected and the first phase of two of Keystone-funded repairs to the Niagara would be made. Though the FNL board voted to sail the Niagara at their March 23rd meeting, PHMC never agreed to that. PHMC endorses the plan originally agreed upon – to sail the Niagara to dry dock in the fall for inspection and repairs.” The decision is not only affecting the Erie Maritime Museum, but tourism in Erie as well. “We were really hoping to hear that the Niagara would be sailing this season because it is such a huge part of Erie’s tourism product. It’s one of our top attractions, you can’t go to places like Pittsburgh or Cleveland or Buffalo and see the Niagara… she’s only here,” said Christine Temple, Director of Communications, VisitErie. Fox 66, YourErie.com |
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Today in Great Lakes History – May 1
EDMUND FITZGERALD collided with the Canadian steamer HOCHELAGA at the mouth of the Detroit River, May 1, 1970, suffering slight damage at hatches 18 and 19. STEWART J. CORT departed Erie on her maiden voyage at 0400 May 1, 1972. She was delayed by fog in Western Lake Erie. The steel-hulled bulk carrier SHENANGO (Hull#62) was launched on May 1, 1909, by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse, Michigan. Scrapping began on the CHICAGO TRADER at Ashtabula, Ohio, on May 1, 1978. The JOHN T. HUTCHINSON (Hull#1010) was launched at Cleveland, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. on May 1, 1943. The IRVING S. OLDS sustained an eight-foot long crack across her spar deck and eight inches down one side in a storm on Lake Huron May 1, 1963. LIGHTSHIP 103 (HURON) was launched at Morris Heights, New York by Consolidated Shipbuilding Corp. on May 1, 1920, for the U.S. Lighthouse Service. The SOO RIVER TRADER brought the first shipment of bulk cement to open the $18 million St. Lawrence Cement distribution dock at Duluth, Minnesota on May 1, 1982. May 1, 1903 – The ANN ARBOR NO 1 sighted a burning vessel about 15 miles out of the Sturgeon Bay Ship canal, the steamer JOHN EMERY OWEN. The crew had already been picked off after the fire started, so the ANN ARBOR NO 1 put out the fire with her fire hoses. The NO 1 then towed the abandoned steamer to Sturgeon Bay and tied her up at the west end of the canal. On 1 May 1875, CONSUELLO (wooden schooner, 103 foot, 142 gross tons, built in 1851, at Cleveland, Ohio) left Cleveland with a load of black stone for Toledo. Near Kelley's Island, a storm caused the cargo to shift and the ship capsized and sank. When she hit bottom, she jerked upright so the tops of her masts were above the water. Two of the crew, Fred Donahue and James King, were able to cling to the masts and they were rescued after about an hour and a half. Five others, including the captain and his wife, were drowned. On 1 May 1876, the little steamer W.D. MORTON, which for two years had run as a ferry between Port Huron's Black River and Sarnia, left her dock for the Delaware River where she ran on a centennial excursion route for the exposition held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania She left the Lakes via the Erie Canal. On 01 May 1858, OGONTZ (wooden propeller steamer, 343 tons, built in 1848, at Ohio City, Ohio) was purchased by Capt. A. E. Goodrich and George C. Drew for $5,600. This was the second vessel in the Goodrich Line. Just two years later, Capt. Goodrich had her machinery removed and she was sold to W. Crostin for $500. He converted her to a sailing vessel and she operated for two more years before she foundered in a storm. 1892: CELTIC, enroute from Fort William to Kingston with wheat and general cargo, sank in Lake Erie east of Rondeau after a collision with the steamer RUSSIA. The accident occurred in fog and one life was lost. 1909: ADELLA SHORES foundered with the loss of 14 lives in a Lake Superior storm while enroute from Ludington to Duluth with barreled salt. 1917: CASE began leaking on Lake Erie and was beached at East Sister Island, near Point Pelee and the ship caught fire when a lantern was knocked over. Some cargo was salvaged in August but the hull was left to break up in place and today the remains are scattered on the bottom. 1933: WILLIAM SCHUPP stranded on a shoal off Cockburn Island, Lake Huron, while enroute to Fort William in ballast. Once released, the vessel was repaired at Collingwood. It became MONDOC (ii) in 1945 and was scrapped at Deseronto, ON in 1961. 1940: ARLINGTON foundered in a Lake Superior storm on the second trip of the 1940 season. The wheat laden steamer was bound for Owen Sound went down stern first, taking Capt. Burke to his death. The rest of the crew survived and were picked up by the COLLINGWOOD. 1963: CAPE TRANSPORT was mauled overnight in a wild storm on Lake Huron off Harbor Beach. The steering gear was damaged, the radio knocked out and pilothouse windows were smashed. The HOLMSIDE, and later the RALPH S. MISENER, stood by. The ship reached a safe anchorage on May 2. Fleetmate OREFAX sustained damage to the forward cabins while upbound on Lake Huron in the same storm. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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19,000 tons of rock unloaded for Soo Locks construction 4/30 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The barge Menominee unloaded rock for Kokosing-Alberici, contractors that are starting on the second phase of the Soo Locks project this year, last Friday afternoon. It was announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers new lock at the Soo project is on schedule and initiated phase two last week. Kokosing Construction Company is one of the largest family-owned contractors in the midwest. “Kokosing-Alberici will use some of the rock to form a parking lot at the end of West Pier and use the rest for new lock construction projects,” said Carrie Fox, public affairs specialist at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Fox said it took approximately two hours total to unload 19,000 tons of rock. Trade West Construction, Inc., and joint venture Kokosing-Alberici began moving equipment to the site last week. Trade West continues phase one, deepening the upstream channel to the Sabin and Davis Locks, which will be replaced by the new lock. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials expect phase one completion in November. Kokosing-Alberici is starting phase two this year, rehabilitating the upstream approach walls. This will stabilize the existing approach walls allowing modern vessels to tie up and wait their turn to pass through the new lock. Phase two is anticipated to be complete by fall 2023 with winter seasonal breaks. The Menominee is a bulk carrier that was built in 1952 and has undergone many name changes since its birth, formerly named Lewis J. Kuber, Buckeye and Sparrows Point. For more information about the new Soo Lock, visit www.lre.usace.army.mil/about/highlighted-projects/new_soo_lock/. The Sault News |
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New Captain Henry Jackman departs China on delivery trip 4/30 – Captain Henry Jackman (IMO 9619294) built in 2021 at the Jiangsu Yangzi-Mitsui Shipbuilding Company in China departed the shipyard on April 29 on its delivery trip to Canada. She is the fifth Equinox Class gearless dry-bulk carrier and the tenth Equinox Class vessel to join Algoma since 2013 when their fleet renewal program started with the arrival of the Algoma Equinox in late 2013. Captain Henry Jackman was launched at the Jiangsu Yangzi-Mitsui Shipbuilding Company in China on Christmas Day, December 25, 2020. It was delivered to Algoma Central Corporation with them accepting the vessel on April 5, 2021. Upon departing the shipbuilder’s yard in China they will cross the Pacific Ocean near the Equator, eventually transiting through the Panama Canal and from there make their way home to Canada. It is registered in Tuvalu and has a foreign crew aboard for the delivery trip. Once the ship arrives in Canada, it will be registered Canadian and the foreign crew will disembark and a Canadian crew will take over operations of the vessel. The length of the voyage and time to arrive from China to Canada is expected to take approximately 60 days. It is expected that the vessel will begin service for Algoma sometime in late June or early July. The new Captain Henry Jackman is the most efficient vessel in Algoma’s domestic fleet. The vessel’s design, which is described as “Equinox 3.0,” is an evolution of the original Equinox Class, incorporating improvements in cargo deadweight capacity and equipment while maintaining the numerous performance efficiencies of the original design. These improvements include innovations such as lighter weight aluminum hatch covers and the adoption of an improved twin rudder design that significantly increases the displacement of the vessel and enables the ship to achieve increased cargo capacity without requiring an increase in the vessel’s power and fuel consumption. The result is an estimated 1,200 MT increased deadweight of the ship, furthering the vessel’s advantage in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions compared to competing transportation modes. As with all Equinox Class ships, the new Captain Henry Jackman has a closed loop exhaust gas scrubber. The new Captain Henry Jackman will be the second vessel to carry that name in the Algoma Central Corporation fleet. A former Capt. Henry Jackman ,built in 1981 as the Lake Wabush later to join Algoma in 1986, was renamed Capt. Henry Jackman in 1987. That vessel served Algoma until it was retired at the end of the 2018 shipping season. It was towed to Aliaga, Turkey where it was scrapped in 2019. Denny Dushane |
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Senate commerce committee supports Great Lakes icebreaking 4/30 – Cleveland, OH – The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has approved “The Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act” (S.576), which solidifies the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaking mission in law and authorizes $350 million for the procurement of a new Great Lakes icebreaker as capable as the current heavy icebreaker USCGC Mackinaw (WLBB-30). The Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act provides the framework to correct years of inadequate icebreaking on the Great Lakes. Over the past seven years, the economy lost over $2 billion and more than 10,000 jobs due to Great Lakes cargo being delayed or even left at the dock with no assistance available to safely move ships through the ice. With the authorization of $350 million for construction of another heavy Great Lakes icebreaker, the next logical step is to appropriate a significant amount of funding to start cutting steel and building the ship, so the Great Lakes navigation system remains resilient during the ice season and companies can continue to reliably move their cargo using the most environmentally friendly and economically efficient mode of transportation on the largest freshwater navigation system in the world. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Port Reports – April 30 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Escanaba, MI – Nathan Gonzalez
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Thursday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 30
30 April 1894 – The TRUANT (wooden propeller tug, 73 foot, 28 gross tons, built in 1889 at Toronto, Ontario) burned to a total loss near Burnt Island in Georgian Bay. The fire started under her ash pan. On 30 April 1890, the wooden dredge MUNSON and two scow barges were being towed from Kingston, Ontario, by the tug EMMA MUNSON to work on the new Bay of Quinte bridge at Rossmore, Ontario, six miles west of Kingston when the dredge started listing then suddenly tipped over and sank. No lives were lost. IRVIN L. CLYMER returned to service April 30, 1988, after a two-season lay-up. HOWARD HINDMAN of 1910, grounded heavily when her steering cable parted at Little Rapids Cut in the St. Marys River, April 30, 1969. Due to the extensive damage, she was sold in May of that year to Marine Salvage Ltd., Port Colborne, Ontario, for scrap and was scrapped at Bilbao, Spain in 1969. The RED WING tow arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan on April 30, 1987, for dismantling. On 30 April 1842, the side-wheeler COMMODORE BARRIE collided with the schooner CANADA about 10 miles off Long Point in Lake Ontario. The COMMODORE BARRIE became disabled and then sank about an hour and a half later. Her passengers and crew were rescued by the CANADA. On 30 April 1878, ST. LAWRENCE (2-mast wooden schooner, 93 foot, 111 tons, built in 1842, at Clayton, New York) was carrying timber when she caught fire from the boiling over of a pot of pitch which was being melted on the galley stove. The vessel was well out on Lake Michigan off Milwaukee. The fire spread so rapidly that the crew had no time to haul in canvas, so when they abandoned her, she was sailing at full speed. The lifeboat capsized as soon as it hit the water, drowning the captain and a passenger. The ST. LAWRENCE sailed off ablaze and was seen no more. The rest of the crew was later rescued by the schooner GRANADA. 1909: RUSSIA foundered in heavy weather in Lake Huron not far from Detour, MI. The ship was en route from Duluth to Alpena and ran into a heavy gale. Sources vary on the loss to life. 1929: D.M. PHILBIN ran aground in a high winds and snow 6 miles west of Conneaut after mistaking the airport beacon for the Conneaut Light and stranding on a sandbar off Whitman's Creek. The hold was flooded to keep the hull safe and it was released with the aid of tugs on May 7. The vessel was renamed c) SYLVANIA prior to returning to service 1984: The fish tug STANLEY CLIPPER sank in a storm on Lake Erie southeast of Port Dover, near Ryerson Island and all three men on board were lost. The hull was located, refloated and rebuilt as the tug NADRO CLIPPER. It currently operates as c) A.I.S. CLIPPER and is often moored below Lock 1 of the Welland Canal when not in service. 1991: The hull of BEECHGLEN buckled while unloading corn at Cardinal, ON, with the bow and stern settling on the bottom. The ship was strapped together, refloated and towed to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs arriving at the shipyard on May 26. 1999: GLORY MAKOTOH, a Panamanian general cargo carrier, sank in the South China Sea off Hainan Island as d) FELIZ TRADER on this date in 1999. The vessel had been a Seaway trader in 1983 under the original name. Eight crewmembers were rescued from the lifeboats but 13 sailors were lost. 2000: The small passenger ship WORLD DISCOVERER visited the Great Lakes in 1975. It hit a reef or large rock off the Solomon Islands on April 30, 2000, and had to be beached on the island of Ngella. The 127 passengers and 80 crew were saved, but the ship was a total loss and potential salvors were driven off by a hostile local population. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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NTSB Report: Improperly installed screw led Atlantic Huron accident at Soo Locks 4/29 – The incorrect installation of a single set screw led to the loss of propulsion control on the Canadian-flagged, 736-foot-long Atlantic Huron, causing the ship to strike a pier at 6.8 knots, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday. The NTSB issued Marine Accident Brief 21/10 on the July 5, 2020, contact between the self-unloading bulk carrier and a pier associated with the Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, resulting in $2.2 million in damage. There were no injuries. According to the NTSB, while on approach to the locks and attempting to slow, there was a propulsion problem involving the vessel’s controllable pitch propeller system that resulted in the ship moving forward with increasing speed instead of slowing or moving astern, as ordered by the captain. In a controllable pitch propeller, the blades are not fixed in position but are fastened to the hub in a way that allows them to rotate and thereby change pitch, the NTSB said. The blade pitch determines both the vessel’s speed and its direction. NTSB investigators traced the problem back to a small set screw that was installed in a piece of the controllable pitch propeller machinery that controlled pitch. Vessel maintenance records show the set screw was last removed and reinstalled during a shipyard period more than four years before the accident. When the set screw was examined post-accident, technicians found no evidence that any manufacturer-required thread-locking fluid had been applied. As a result, the set screw was able to back out, beginning a sequence of mechanical failures that resulted in the ship moving ahead when it was supposed to be doing the opposite, while still indicating an astern pitch on the ship’s bridge. NTSB investigators also noted there was a delay between the onset of the propulsion problem and the order to stop the engine. At the time of the accident, the company’s safety management system procedures aboard the Atlantic Huron did not contain a policy addressing how to respond to a loss of propeller pitch control, NTSB investigators found. Part of a safety management system should address potential emergency shipboard situations and establish ways to respond to them. If the company provided an SMS vessel-specific policy pertaining to the loss of propeller pitch control, crewmembers trained in and familiar with the policy would be better prepared to act quickly and, in this accident, may have been more apt to stop the main engine. “Loss of propulsion control in a critical phase of operation demands crewmembers act quickly to mitigate potential accidents,” the report said. “Due to their unique blade control, vessels with controllable pitch propellers should have specific procedures for loss of engine and loss of pitch control. These emergency procedures should be well understood and practiced by crewmembers both on the bridge and in the engine room.” G Captain Download a PDF of the brief at this link: https://go.usa.gov/ |
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Port Reports – April 29 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
St. Marys River
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Northern Lake Michigan
Muskegon, MI – Shipwatcher News
Southern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Wednesday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Sandusky Maritime Museum to host nautical flea market 4/29 – Sandusky, OH – On May 8, there will be a Nautical Flea Market at the Sandusky Maritime Museum, Sandusky, OH, featuring prints, de-accessed artifacts, boats, engines, spare parts, and a variety of nautical nick-knacks and tchotchkes. Reserve space by contacting museum at 419-624-0274 or jmay@sanduskymaritime.org. 9 am -2 pm |
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Great Lakes Seaway photo contest winners announced 4/29 – The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership today announced the winners of their third annual photo contest. This announcement also marks the beginning of the organization’s fourth annual photo contest only a few weeks after the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway on March 24, 2021. Each year, to celebrate the start of the Great Lakes navigation season, the Great Lakes Seaway Partnership invites boatnerds and shipping fans alike to submit their favorite photos of Great Lakes freighters, tugboats and barges across the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System. In 2020, the Great Lakes Seaway Partnership received over 300 entries throughout the submission period, which began 4/1/20 and ended 12/31/20. The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership thanks all 2020 contest participants and invites them to participate in 2021’s third annual photo contest by submitting original photos to greatlakesseaway.org/resources/photo-contest. The contest begins on May 1, 2021 and will end when the St. Lawrence Seaway closes for the 2021 Great Lakes navigation season. Winners will be announced May 1, 2022.
View photos of the first, second and third place winners as well as honorable mentions at this link: |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 29
29 April 1896 – W. LE BARON JENNEY (steel tow barge, 366 foot, 3422 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler & Company (Hull #120) at West Bay City, Michigan for the Bessemer Steamship Company of Cleveland, Ohio. She went through eight owners during her career, ending with the Goderich Elevator and Transit Company, Ltd. who used her as a grain storage barge under the name K.A. Powell. She was scrapped in Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1974. On 29 April 1875, the wooden schooner CLARA BELL of Sandusky was wrecked in a gale off Leamington, Ontario. Captain William Robinson was drowned. On April 29, 1975, American Steamship’s SAM LAUD entered service. Launched this date in 1976, was the a.) SOODOC (Hull#210) by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. Renamed b.) AMELIA DESGAGNES in 1990. On April 29, 1977, while inbound at Lorain, the IRVING S. OLDS hit a bridge on the Black River, which extensively damaged her bow, tying up traffic for several hours . A fender boom fell on the pilothouse of the steamer GEORGE M. HUMPHREY in the Poe Lock at the Soo in 1971. On 29 April 1865, L.D. COWAN (wooden schooner, 165 tons, built in 1848, at Erie, Pennsylvania) was driven ashore near Pointe aux Barques, Michigan, in a storm and wrecked. 1909: AURANIA was the only steel hulled ship sunk by ice on the Great Lakes. The vessel was lost in Whitefish Bay after being holed and then squeezed by the pressure of the ice pack near Parisienne Island. The crew escaped onto the ice and pulled a yawl boat to the J.H. BARTOW. 1952: W.E. FITZGERALD hit the Burlington Lift Bridge at the entrance to Hamilton Bay after a mechanical problem resulted in the structure not being raised. The north span of the bridge was knocked into the water, resulting in traffic chaos on land and on the water. 1959: PRESCOTT went aground near Valleyfield, Quebec, while downbound in the Seaway only four days after the waterway had been opened. It got stuck trying to avoid a bridge that had failed to open and navigation was blocked until the CSL bulk carrier was refloated the next day. 1969: HOWARD HINDMAN ran aground at the Little Rapids Cut in the St. Marys River after the steering cables parted. The ship was released and temporarily returned to service but the vessel was badly damaged and soon sold for scrap. It came down the Welland Canal with a cargo of road salt on June 6, 1969, and was towed to Bilbao, Spain, with the HUMBERDOC, arriving on September 6, 1969. 1976: The British freighter GLENPARK was three years old when it first came through the Seaway in 1959. It was sailing as c) GOLDEN LEADER when it ran aground off Goto Island, southwest Japan while on a long voyage from Chungjin, China, to Constanza, Romania. The hull broke in two and was a total loss. 1998: The Panamanian freighter DENEBOLA first visited the Seaway in 1973. The ship was sailing as d) TAE CHON, under the flag of North Korea, when it was in a collision with the YANG LIN in thick fog on the Yellow Sea and sank. The vessel was enroute from Yantai, China, to Chittagong, Bangladesh, when the accident occurred and one life was lost. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Ottawa tables legislation to send striking Port of Montreal workers back on the job 4/28 – Montreal, QC – Federal Labour Minister Filomena Tassi has tabled back-to-work legislation for the Port of Montreal's 1,150 dock workers, who have been on strike since Monday morning. The legislation would require employees to return to work after the bill passes. It would also extend their previous collective agreement until a new one is negotiated. The legislation would also prevent any strikes or lockouts until a new agreement is signed and impose a mediator-arbitrator on both parties if negotiations fail again. Workers at the port also walked off the job seven months ago. The strike has effectively halted operations at one of the country's busiest ports and threatened the supply chains of thousands of businesses. Tassi indicated last week she was willing to legislate the workers' return to work if negotiations with their employer, the Maritime Employers Association (MEA), went poorly during the strike. The minister released a statement on Tuesday saying the strike is affecting supply chains already impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. "My colleagues and I have been in contact with the parties on numerous occasions to urge them to work with mediators to reach a deal," she said in the statement. "All other efforts have been exhausted and a work stoppage is causing significant economic harm to Canadians — the government must act." Tassi added that the federal government isn't taking sides and that the parties could still choose to come to an agreement on their own terms under the legislation. CBC |
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Port Reports – April 28 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Monday night, Hon. James L. Oberstar departed empty from Graymont at 20:30 (CST) to load iron ore pellets in Marquette, Michigan. Manitoulin arrived at 13:30 to load iron ore pellets at BN#5. Frontenac arrived to anchor late afternoon, waiting in line for BN. As of Tuesday night, Manitoulin continues to load for Algoma Steel; she’s expected to depart late evening. Besides the anchored Frontenac, CSL Tadoussac is expected to arrive off Superior early Wednesday morning.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Northern Lake Michigan
Southern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Tuesday – Bill Kloss Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski No traffic to report. |
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View of the former Fednav vessel Artic being beached for scrapping at Alang https://www.facebook.com/daniekpols/videos/3930872550363926/ |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 28
28 April 1856 – TONAWANDA (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 202 foot, 882 gross tons) was launched by Buell B. Jones at Buffalo, New York. On 28 April 1891, the whaleback barge 110 (steel barge, 265 foot, 1,296 gross tons) was launched by the American Steel Barge Co. in W. Superior, Wisconsin. In 1907, she went to the Atlantic Coast and lasted until she suffered an explosion, then sank after burning, near the dock of Cities Service Export Oil Co., at St. Rose, Louisiana, on March 3, 1932. The 660-foot-long forward section of Bethlehem Steel's a.) LEWIS WILSON FOY (Hull#717) was launched April 28,1977, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Renamed b.) OGLEBAY NORTON in 1991 and c.) AMERICAN INTEGRITY in 2006. Nipigon Transport Ltd.'s straight deck motorship a.) LAKE WABUSH (Hull#223) by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., was christened and launched April 28, 1981. Renamed b.) CAPT HENRY JACKMAN in 1987, and converted to a self-unloader in 1996. On April 28, 1971, while up bound from Sorel, Quebec, for Muskegon, Michigan, with a load of pig iron, LACHINEDOC struck Rock Shoal off Little Round Island in the St. Lawrence River and was beached. On April 28, 1906, Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s J. PIERPONT MORGAN (Hull#68) by Chicago Ship Building Co., was launched. Renamed b.) HERON BAY in 1966. April 28, 1897 – The F&PM (Flint & Pere Marquette) Steamer NO 1, bound from Milwaukee for Chicago, ran ashore just north of Evanston. She released herself after a few hours. The barge LITTLE JAKE was launched on 28 April 1875, at East Saginaw, Michigan. She was owned by William R. Burt & Co. Her dimensions were 132 feet x 29 feet x 9 feet. On 28 April 1877, the steam barge C S BALDWIN went ashore on the reef at North Point on Lake Huron during a blinding snow storm. The barge was heavily loaded with iron ore and sank in a short time. The crew was saved by the Lifesaving Service from Thunder Bay Station and by the efforts of the small tug FARRAR. 1971 ZENAVA, the former REDFERN, ran aground, caught fire and sank off Burin, NF while under tow from Rose Blanche, NF to Marystown, NF. The former bulk canaller was being used to transport, freeze and store fish. 1976 The first ALGOSEA was inbound on its first trip to the Great Lakes when it hit the wall below Lock 1 of the Welland Canal and then, below Lock 2, the ship was blown sideways across the canal after problems with the cables. The ship was enroute to Port Colborne for conversion to a self-unloader; it was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, in 2011 as SAUNIERE. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II, the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Montreal port strike imperils supply chains; Ottawa poised to legislate end to dispute 4/27 – Montreal, QC – Port of Montreal workers began an open-ended strike Monday morning, effectively halting operations at one of the country's busiest ports and threatening the supply chains of thousands of businesses. It is the second labour dispute in less than a year at the port. A 19-day strike last August cost wholesalers an estimated $600 million in lost sales. Under pressure from both the Ontario and Quebec governments, federal Labour Minister Filomena Tassi signaled on Sunday she was prepared to legislate an end to the work stoppage. A mediation session got underway Monday, shortly after the strike began, but the union said the government's intention to legislate has killed the employer's incentive to reach a deal. "I have no hope there will be a resolution today. The employer will just sit on their hands and wait to see the content of Minister Tassi's special legislation," said Michel Murray, a representative of local 375 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). "The government has completely unbalanced the relations between the two parties. They resorted to the atomic bomb." The 1,150 dock workers have been without a contract since 2018. The union says the current dispute was triggered when their employer, the Maritime Employers Association (MEA), extended the workday without consulting them. The MEA says it needs more flexibility from its workers to adapt to the changing demands on the port, which is the second largest in the country and a key transit point for goods destined for businesses in Eastern Canada. CBC |
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Maritime museum to host bell ringing May 1 to mark Cedarville sinking anniversary 4/27 – Rogers City, MI – The Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum in Rogers City, Mich. will be hosting a Memorial Bell Ringing for the sailors lost during the sinking of the freighter Cedarville. The ceremony will be held at the museum at 1 p.m. on May 1, 2021. Due to the COVID-19 virus and the resulting state restrictions, the number of people allowed in the museum will be limited to 30 people maximum. Please call the museum at 989-734-0706 to make a reservation. If the museum is closed, please leave your name and the person you will ring for in a message. Organizers ask that families limit the number of attendees to one or two. Priority will be given to family members. Masks must be worn and social distancing will be practiced, according to recommendations. If conditions deteriorate, the museum may be forced to do a virtual ceremony. It will keep everyone informed as the date approaches. on its Facebook page. The Alpena News |
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Emergency dredging coming to St. Joseph harbor from Army Corps 4/27 – St. Joseph, MI – With major roadwork on the connection of US-31 and I-94 looming, tons of materials will be coming to the local harbor, and to provide clear passage for aggregate materials and beyond, Congressman Fred Upton has announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is providing an emergency $500,000 to dredge the St. Joseph Harbor after his request. The harbor, which is essential to jobs and economic activity in Southwest Michigan and across the state, needed the emergency funding to deepen the channel into the St. Joseph river. Upton has been in close contact with local business leaders and Berrien County officials concerning the issue, and originally the Army Corps had not planned any dredging this summer. Upton says, “This is welcome news for jobs, economic growth, and everyone who calls southwest Michigan home,” adding, “The Harbor needs this emergency funding for dredging to ensure our harbors and communities remain open and ready for business. The Army Corps remains a strong partner in our efforts to support critical, pro-jobs efforts here in southwest Michigan. I’d add that without the funding, additional sand and gravel required for the start of the final construction for the completion of US 31 could well have been delayed yet another year as the Lake Michigan freight carriers told me they would not go beyond the railroad bridge without dredging. Bottom line – this announcement is a huge victory for the people of southwest Michigan.” Keeping the St. Joseph harbor open to commercial traffic has long been a top priority for Upton, as the Great Lakes harbors are essential to economic growth, infrastructure development, and countless local jobs. |
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Port Reports – April 27 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Walter J. McCarthy Jr. arrived at 15:08 (CST) Monday afternoon to wait at Lakehead Pipeline; she’s next in line to load at CN#6 once the Mesabi Miner finishes. Frontenac is expected Tuesday evening to load iron ore pellets at BNSF.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Monday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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National Museum to present program on St. Marys Challenger May 12 4/27 – Toledo, OH – Thought to be the oldest self-propelled bulk freighter in the world, the St. Marys Challenger began her remarkable freshwater career on the Great Lakes in 1906 as the William P. Snyder—a sister ship of NMGL’s Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship. On Wednesday, May 12, at 7 p.m., the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to step inside the past, present, and future of this historic vessel (whose pilothouse will soon join the museum grounds as our newest artifact!) during our virtual lecture St. Marys Challenger: Centennial the Sequel. About the Presenter: Christopher Winters is a freelance photojournalist and staff photographer at Discovery World Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Smitten at the age of nine with the lore of lakeboats and the legend of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Winters is a lifelong student of Great Lakes maritime history and culture. Event registration is FREE but required. Donations are welcome and can be given upon registration. In addition, the book Centennial: Steaming through the American Century can be purchased when registering. Do you have questions or need help registering? Call us at 419-214-5000. National Museum of the Great Lakes |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 27
27 April 1889 – ROMEO (wooden propeller excursion steamer, 70 foot, 61 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler (Hull #51) at West Bay City, Michigan, for service on the Òinland route (Oden, Michigan to Cheboygan, Michigan & Bois Blanc Island) along with her sister JULIET (wooden propeller excursion steamer, 70 foot, 61 gross tons), launched the following day. The vessels had twin screws for maneuverability along the northern rivers. ROMEO lasted until 1911, when she was abandoned at Port Arthur, Texas. JULIET was converted to a steam yacht and registered at Chicago. She was abandoned in 1912. The H.A. HAWGOOD (4-mast wooden schooner, 233 feet) was launched at 2:00 p.m. on 27 April 1886, at F.W. Wheeler's shipyard in W. Bay City, Michigan. On April 27, 1993, the WOLVERINE ran aground on Surveyors Reef near Port Dolomite near Cedarville, Michigan, and damaged her hull. The ASHCROFT, up bound on Lake Erie in fog, collided with Interlake's steamer JAMES H. REED on April 27, 1944. The REED, fully loaded with ore, quickly sank off Port Burwell, Ontario, with a loss of twelve lives. The ASHCROFT suffered extensive bow damage below the water line and was taken to Ashtabula, Ohio, for repairs. Later that morning on Lake Erie fog still prevailed and the PHILIP MINCH of the Kinsman fleet collided with and sank the crane ship FRANK E. VIGOR. This collision occurred at 0850 hours and the ship, loaded with sulphur, sank in the Pelee Passage in 75 feet of water. All on board were saved. On April 27, 1973, the bow section of the SIDNEY E. SMITH JR was towed to Sarnia by the Malcolm tugs TABOGA and BARBARA ANN. The two sections of the hull were scuttled and landfilled to form a dock facing. Shenango Furnace's straight deck steamer WILLIAM P. SNYDER JR left Ecorse, Michigan, in ballast on her maiden voyage April 27, 1912, for Duluth, Minnesota, to load iron ore. On April 27, 1978, the TROISDOC was down bound with corn for Cardinal, Ontario, when she hit the upper end of the tie-up wall above Lock 2, in the Welland Ship Canal. On April 27, 1980, after loading pellets in Duluth, the ENDERS M. VOORHEES stopped at the Seaway Dock to load a large wooden stairway (three sections) on deck which, was taken to the AmShip yard at Lorain. It was used for an open house on the newly built EDWIN H. GOTT in 1979. On April 27, 1953, the steamer RESERVE entered service. On April 27, 1984, the CHARLES M. BEEGHLY struck the breakwall while departing Superior, Wisconsin on her first trip since the 1981 season. The vessel returned to Fraser Shipyards in Superior for repairs. On 27 April 1876, the Port Huron Times reported, "The steam barge MARY MILLS arrived up this morning and looks 'flaming'. Her owner said he did not care what color she was painted so long as it was bright red, and she has therefore come out in that color." On 27 April 1877, the 40-foot 2-mast wooden schooner VELOCIPEDE left Racine, Wisconsin, for Muskegon, Michigan, in fair weather, but a severe squall blew in and it developed into a big storm. The little schooner was found capsized and broken in two off Kenosha, Wisconsin, with her crew of 2 or 3 lost. 1914 – The BENJAMIN NOBLE disappeared with all hands in Lake Superior. The wreck was finally located in 2004 and it lies 10 miles off Two Harbors, MN. The discovery was confirmed in July 2005. 1915 The COLLINGWOOD stranded near Corsica Shoal while downbound in Lake Huron with a load of grain. 1965 After being forced to spend the winter at Toronto when an early build up of ice prevented it from leaving the Great Lakes, the Greek freighter ORIENT MERCHANT ran aground near Port Colborne and required repairs at Port Weller Dry Docks. The ship had begun Seaway trading in 1960 and was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, arriving on November 17, 1967, as ZAMBEZI. 1970 The Israeli freighter ESHKOL began Great Lakes trading right after being built in 1964. The ship was in a collision with the fishing boat MELISSA JEAN II in the Cabot Strait on this date in 1970. It arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for scrapping as ESKAT on September 29, 1982. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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General strike at Port of Montreal set to begin on Monday: dockworkers' union 4/26 – Montreal, QC – A general strike at the Port of Montreal is set to begin on Monday after the union representing dockworkers issued the required 72-hour notice to the Maritime Employers Association. Barring a last-minute reprieve, the 1,150 port workers affiliated with the Canadian Union of Public Employees will be in a legal strike position as of Monday at 7 a.m., which would paralyze the port. The dockworkers have been on an overtime strike and have refused to work on weekends since April 17 and 18. They say the actions are in response to a change in work shifts the Maritime Employers Association wants to impose as of Monday. That would see them work seven-hour shifts – up from five hours and 20 minutes. The union said it is responding to "frontal attacks'' from the employer "to try to bend'' the workers. "If the employer agrees to lift its measures, we would normally lift our overtime strike, our weekend strike and our Monday morning indefinite general strike notice and operations would resume immediately in the port,'' said Michel Murray, CUPE union adviser, at a Friday news conference. Quebec's minister of the economy and innovation, Pierre Fitzgibbon, on Twitter called on the federal government to "intervene quickly,'' without specifying exactly what he wants. The port is "a strategic public service for the revival of our economy,'' he tweeted. "Now is not the time to cripple it with a strike. Our companies have already suffered enough from this labor dispute.'' The dockworkers at the Port of Montreal have been without an employment contract since December 2018. They started a first strike last summer, which ended in a truce that lasted seven months. CBC |
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Port Reports – April 26 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Early Sunday morning, Algoma Discovery departed at 05:15 (CST) with iron ore pellets from BN#5 bound for Hamilton, Ontario. The next expected arrival through the entry is Frontenac sometime Tuesday.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Sunday – Bill Kloss |
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Huron County's lighthouses to reopen after year of COVID closures 4/25 – Harbor Beach, MI – After a year of being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Huron County’s three lighthouses are working on plans to reopen to the public later this year, with the right precautions in place. The Harbor Beach Lighthouse Preservation Society plans on having the lighthouse fully open for tours on the last Saturday of June, with plans to have the tours take place on every weekend until Labor Day weekend. The tours will be altered to accommodate social distancing and mask requirements. Those tours also require riding a boat out to the lighthouse, so social distancing will be accommodated on the boats as much as possible. The city of Harbor Beach owns the lighthouse, so whatever city officials decide with regard to the lighthouse opening up, the society will follow. Skip Kadar, the president of the Harbor Beach Lighthouse Preservation Society, said tours start that late in the year because of the amount of work needed to get it ready. This time of year also still has some ice out on the lake, so they also put the work off until they can get out there. “If it were on shore, we could work on it year-round, but we are limited by the distance.” Kadar said. Kadar does imagine the number of people who come out to the lighthouse will be hampered because the pandemic is still ongoing, but there are still those willing to come out. He also recommends getting tickets for tours in advance, with the best place to get them on the lighthouse’s website, at www.harborbeachlighthouse.org. The Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse plans on opening on Memorial Day weekend, with its season continuing to the end of September. The Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Society hopes that the museum and gift shop will be open for guests, along with the regular lighthouse tours. The Port Austin Lighthouse will reopen for tours starting on Memorial Day weekend and run on Saturdays until Labor Day weekend. The charter boats that take groups out to the lighthouse can hold as many as 12 people. Lou Schillinger, the president of the Port Austin Reef Lighthouse Association, said that since the lighthouse is an offshore building that is occupied 24/7 by birds, there were already a limited number of things people could do there. The tour groups were already given plastic gloves to avoid touching any refuse in the lighthouse. Mask wearing will be voluntary and hand sanitizer will be provided when entering and leaving the boat transporting the tour groups. The groups going out to the lighthouse will also be reduced in size. “Social distancing will not be possible on the boat, so it's up to the individual to make the decision on what to do,” Schillinger said. Unlike the other lighthouses, the Port Austin Lighthouse received refurbishment work throughout the summer 2020, where volunteers continued to work when able. This included finishing exterior ironwork with more exterior and interior work to continue through this year. The lighthouse also applied for a $750,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation for continuing work through the fall of 2022. The association will hear from MDOT what the requirements are and how much they will receive sometime in May. Schillinger said the goal of these renovations is to eventually set up a Lightkeeper Program, where people can stay at the lighthouse overnight to see how it was being a lighthouse keeper back when it was operational. Huron Daily Tribune |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 26
26 April 1891 NORWALK (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 209 foot, 1007 gross tons) was launched by William DuLac at Mount Clemens, Michigan. At first, she was not able to get down the Clinton River to Lake St. Clair due to low water. She lasted until 1916, when she was sold to Nicaraguan buyers and was lost in the Caribbean Sea that autumn. On 26 April 1859, the wooden schooner A. SCOTT was carrying limestone blocks for a large Presbyterian church being built at Vermilion, Ohio. The vessel was driven ashore near Vermilion by a gale and was quickly pounded to pieces. Her insurance had expired about ten days earlier. No lives were lost. Algoma's new straight deck bulk freighter ALGOWEST (Hull#226) of Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., was launched April 26, 1982. She was converted to a self-unloader in 1998, and renamed b.) PETER R. CRESSWELL in 2001. Sea trials were conducted April 26, 1984, on Lake Ontario for the CANADIAN RANGER. An unfortunate incident happened on the SEWELL AVERY as four crew members were injured, one critically, when a lifeboat winch housing exploded shortly after a lifeboat drill in 1978. Paterson's CANADOC (Hull#627) by Davie Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., was launched April 26, 1961. BENSON FORD (Hull#245) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works was launched in 1924. In 1982, carferry service from Frankfort, Michigan ended forever when railroad service to that port was discontinued and the remaining boats (ARTHUR K. ATKINSON, VIKING, and CITY OF MILWAUKEE) were laid up. CITY OF MILWAUKEE is preserved as a museum ship by the Society for the Preservation of the CITY OF MILWAUKEE. On 26 April 1902, M. P. BARKLOW (wooden schooner, 104 foot, 122 gross tons, built in 1871, at Perry, Ohio), loaded with salt, was anchored off South Bass Island in Lake Erie to ride out a gale. Nevertheless she foundered and four lives were lost, the skipper, his wife, their son and one crewman. On 26 April 1926, THOMAS GAWN (2-mast wooden schooner-barge, 171 foot, 550 gross tons, built in 1872, at Lorain, Ohio as a 3-mast schooner) sprang a leak and sank at River Rouge, Michigan in the Detroit River. The wreck was removed the following month and abandoned. She had a 54-year career. 1902 The wooden schooner barge GRACE B. GRIBBLE was holed by ice and sank in Lake Erie off Point Pelee after the hull was punctured by an ice flow. Three sailors were lost. 1958 CIANDRA, a Great Lakes visitor from West Germany as early as 1953, ran aground in the St. Clair River at the south end of Stag Island on this date in 1958. Due to a dispute, there was no pilot on board at the time. The ship was stuck for about 3 hours. It later burned and capsized at Singapore as e) MESONGO on September 9, 1977, and was refloated and then scrapped in 1979. 1981 The Norwegian freighter ASKOT visited the Great Lakes from 1959 to 1962 and returned under the flag of Greece as DIAKAN MASCOT in 1972. It was observed lying off Aden, as c) TYHI with the engine room flooded on this date in 1981. The hull was later refloated and arrived at Gadani Beach, Pakstan, for scrapping on April 28, 1982. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Longer seaway season would be beneficial to Thunder Bay port, says shipping company 4/25 – Thunder Bay, ON – The company opening up the Port of Thunder Bay for two years in a row says the Great Lakes shipping industry would benefit from the St. Lawrence Seaway following the schedule of the locks at Sault Ste. Marie. Scott Bravener, the CEO of McKeil Marine Limited, said an additional two weeks of being able to move cargo through the Welland Canal and St. Lawrence Seaway would bring a boost to cargo volumes, and also make it easier for prairie crops to be shipped after the fall harvest. "It could increase the tonnage through the Port of Thunder Bay up to close a half a million tonnes in a year," Bravener said. "It would basically extend the season by two weeks. It would also benefit the agricultural sector." Bravener said he brought up the topic for the first time in a virtual address during the opening of the shipping season in 2021. In an interview with CBC News, he said there is a pilot project underway to improve icebreaking, which would extend the season. "In combination with government efforts to reinvest in icebreaking resources with the Canadian Coast Guard, it's proven the Port of Thunder Bay does operate as close to Jan. 15 of each year for shipping, and to domestic, for commodities that are being shipped above the Welland Canal, it's proven that it can work," Bravener said. The locks at Sault Ste. Marie are operated from March 25 to Jan. 15 annually. While the shipping season for access westward to Thunder Bay is determined by the operations in the Sault, Bravener said more cargo would move, if it could go through the Welland Canal. "The Port of Thunder Bay represents almost 20 per cent of the total tonnage that moves through St. Lawrence Seaway in any given year. It could provide particular value to the port to allow that additional volume to flow out during that time of the year. CBC |
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Port Reports – April 25 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Early Saturday morning, Stewart J. Cort departed at 03:12 (CST) with iron ore pellets bound for her usual destination of Burns Harbor, Indiana. Baie Comeau arrived from anchor at 03:35 to take her place at the BNSF dock to load for Nanticoke, Ontario. Algoma Discovery anchored off the Superior Entry around 12:00 waiting to load after Baie Comeau. Baie Comeau departed at 16:15 Saturday evening, and Algoma Discovery arrived at 17:04 to also load iron ore pellets. As of Saturday night, Algoma Discovery had just began loading at BNSF for Hamilton, ON. No lakers are expected at the Superior Entry until Tuesday.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Muskegon Ships – Shipwatcher News
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Saturday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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SS City of Milwaukee museum open for 2021 4/25 – Manistee, MI – The SS City of Milwaukee will open for the season today with the following schedule. Covid protocols remain in place for tours. The opening for the USCGC Acacia will be in May. The City of Milwaukee is a guided tour, the Acacia is self-guided.
Schedule Bob Strauss |
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Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center will remain closed at least until mid-summer 4/25 – Duluth, MN – The Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Duluth will remain closed at least until mid-summer according to press reports. However, with the return of springtime weather, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel who staff the center have begun setting up an outdoor information table at the entrance to the Visitors Center. The plan is to set up outside whenever weather permits so that the staff can let folks know when ships are coming and going under the bridge and can answer any questions about the area, its maritime activity or about Lake Superior. When the center – and its museum and public restrooms – will open remains uncertain, though hopes are for at least a mid-summer entry. In the meantime, the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association will operate a sidewalk gift shop near the Visitors Center again this year. Association for Great Lakes Maritime History |
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Obituary: Captain John Richard Tackaberry 4/25 – It is with gratitude for a long life well lived that we announce the passing of our husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather on April 21 at the age of 91. John was a captain of lake boats until he became a marine pilot for the St. Lawrence Seaway from 1971 until retirement in 1994. He loved anything and everything about boats and ships, particularly enjoying foreign cuisine, and learning of other cultures, while aboard ocean-going vessels. He was a member of many marine historical societies, including those in Toronto and Niagara. John made lifelong friends with a number of his "boat buff" friends, and never tired of sharing stories and experiences with them. He was a member of I.S.M.A. Lodge # 20 Niagara. He was the much-loved husband of Doreen for over 68 years. As per John's wishes, cremation will take place, and there will be no funeral or memorial service. If so inclined, donations to Community Cares , Lincoln County Humane Society or charity of your choice would be appreciated. Member of I.S.M.A. Lodge # 20 Niagara |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 25
25 April 1890 – The Collins Bay Rafting Company’s tug ALANSON SUMNER (wooden propeller tug, 127 foot, 300 gross tons, built in 1872, at Oswego, New York) burned at Kingston, Ontario. She had $25,000 worth of wrecking machinery onboard. The SUMNER was repaired and put back in service. On 25 April 1888, JESSIE MAGGIE (wooden schooner, 63 foot, 49 gross tons) was re-registered as a 2-masted schooner. She was built on a farm in Kilmanagh, Michigan, in 1887, as a 3-masted schooner and she was launched near Sebewaing, Michigan. It took 16 spans of oxen to haul her over frozen ground to the launch site. She lasted until 1904. Interlake Steamship’s WILLIAM J. DE LANCEY (Hull#909) of American Ship Building Co., was christened April 25, 1981. Renamed b.) PAUL R. TREGURTHA in 1990. On April 25, 1973, the self-unloading boom on Canada Steamship Lines a.) TADOUSSAC of 1969, collapsed while she was at Sandusky, Ohio. She sails today as b.) CSL TADOUSSAC. In 1925, the ANN ARBOR 4 was back in service after running aground on February 13th off Kewaunee, Wisconsin. In 1973, it was announced that the CITY OF SAGINAW 31, would be scrapped, after a fire which destroyed her cabin deck in 1971. Hall Corp. of Canada's bulk canaller a.) ROCKCLIFFE HALL (Hull#615) by Davie Shipbuilding & Repair Ltd., was launched April 25, 1958. Converted to a tanker in 1972, renamed b.) ISLAND TRANSPORT, and c.) ENERCHEM LAKER in 1987. Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS (Hull#824) by American Ship Building Co., was launched April 25, 1942. Mutual Steamship Co.'s WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE (Hull#41) by Great Lakes Engineering Works, was launched April 25, 1908. Renamed b.) S B WAY in 1936 and c.) CRISPIN OGLEBAY in 1948. She was scrapped at Santander, Spain in 1974. The PERCIVAL ROBERTS JR sailed light on her maiden voyage April 25, 1913, from Lorain to load ore at Two Harbors, Minnesota. On April 25, 1954, CSL's, T.R. MC LAGAN entered service. At 714 feet 6 inches, she took the title for longest vessel on the Great Lakes from te JOSEPH H. THOMPSON, beating the THOMPSON by three inches. The THOMPSON had held the honor since November 4, 1952. MC LAGAN was renamed b.) OAKGLEN in 1990, and was scrapped at Alang, India in 2004. Whaleback a.) FRANK ROCKEFELLER (Hull#136) by the American Steel Barge Co., was launched in 1896, for the American Steel barge Co., Pickands, Mather & Co., mgr. Converted to a sand dredge and renamed b.) SOUTH PARK in 1927, and converted to a tanker and renamed c.) METEOR in 1945. On April 25, 1949, CSL's, GRAINMOTOR collided with the abutment of the railroad bridge above Lock 2 of the Lachine Canal. The wooden schooner OTTAWA was launched on 25 April 1874, at Grand Haven, Michigan. She was owned by Capt. William R. Loutill and could carry 180,000 feet of lumber. T S CHRISTIE (wooden propeller, 160 foot, 533 gross tons) was launched at F. W. Wheeler's yard (Hull #22) in W. Bay City, Michigan, on 25 April 1885. She was built for the Bay City & Cleveland Transportation Company at a cost of $45,000. Originally built as a double-deck vessel, she was cut down to a single decker at Chicago in 1902. 1941 The CANADIAN SIGNALLER was built at Collingwood as Hull 63 in 1919. It was torpedoed and sunk as d) POLYANA by U-103 en route from from Sunderland, UK to Freetown, Sierre Leone, with a cargo of coal. It was attacked just before midnight April 24 and sank in the early hours on this date with all 25 on board being lost. 1968 The Misener steamer EVERETTON ran aground in the St. Lawrence on this date in 1968. Although the damage was considered minor, the ship was sold to Marine Salvage for scrap, resold to Spanish shipbrakers and arrived under tow at Bilbao, on September 23, 1968, for dismantling. 1998 The wooden goelettes MONT NOTRE DAME and MONT ROYAL were destroyed by a fire at St. Joseph-de-la-Rive, Quebec, where they were being preserved ashore as museum ships. MONT NOTRE DAME was one of the first units in the Transport Desgagnes fleet while MONT ROYAL was known to have been a Great Lakes visitor. 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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Star Line Ferry opens Mackinaw City port for the season 4/24 – Mackinaw City, MI – Summer is quickly approaching, and Star Line Ferry is seeing more and more passengers come their way. They run their St. Ignace ferry through the winter but they just opened their Mackinaw City port for the season on Wednesday. Last year they weren’t able to transport as many passengers as they wanted because of COVID restrictions, but they were still able to take about 12-thousand trips to Mackinac Island. The restrictions aren’t as tough this year and already they’re seeing more people than expected. CEO of Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry, Jerry Fetty said they expect more passengers this year. “All of our indicators are showing us that we’re going to be busy,” he said. “As a matter of fact we had quite a few tourists yesterday when we first opened which is unusual. So, we’re expecting a busy year.” Currently the ferries run from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m |
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Port Reports – April 24 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Late Thursday night, Burns Harbor departed at 22:38 (CST) with iron ore pellets bound for her namesake port of Burns Harbor, Indiana. American Spirit shifted over from Lakehead Pipeline to BNSF to load and departed late Friday morning at 11:54 bound for Conneaut, Ohio. As of Friday night, Stewart J. Cort is loading iron ore pellets at BNSF and expected to depart sometime early morning for Burns Harbor. Baie Comeau will come in from anchor once she departs. Algoma Discovery is expected to arrive late Saturday morning and will most likely anchor waiting to load after Baie Comeau.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
St. Marys River
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Friday – Bill Kloss Seaway The U.S. tug Sarah Dann was upbound in the St. Lawrence River Friday with an ETA early on April 28th for Manitowoc. She is picking up a large crane built in Manitowoc. |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 24
24 April 1882 – The ferry HAWKINS (wooden propeller ferry, 73 foot, 86 gross tons, built in 1873, at Au Sable, Michigan) was renamed JAMES BEARD. She had received a thorough overhaul and was put in service between Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario, on 25 April 1882. She lasted until 1927, when she was abandoned. On 24 April 1872, the 3-mast wooden schooner JENNIE GRAHAM was sailing up Lake Huron to pick up a load of lumber. She was light and at full sail when a sudden squall caused her to capsize. Two crewmembers were trapped below decks and died. Captain Duncan Graham was washed away and drowned. The remaining seven crewmembers clung to the overturned hull for about an hour and then the vessel unexpectedly turned upwards and lay on one side. The crew was then able to cut away a lifeboat and get in it. They were later picked up by the schooner SWEEPSTAKES. The GRAHAM was salvaged and taken to Port Huron for repairs. ONTADOC sailed from Collingwood, Ontario, on her maiden voyage on April 24, 1975, for Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to load steel for Duluth, Minnesota. She was renamed b) MELISSA DESGAGNES in 1990. Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s D.M. CLEMSON (Hull#716) of the American Ship Building Co., departed Lorain on her maiden voyage April 24, 1917, to load iron ore at Duluth, Minnesota. The B.F. JONES left Quebec on April 24, 1973, in tandem with her former fleet mate EDWARD S. KENDRICK towed by the Polish tug KORAL heading for scrapping in Spain. The wooden schooner WELLAND CANAL was launched at Russell Armington's shipyard at St. Catharines, Ontario. She was the first ship built at St. Catharines and the first to navigate the Welland Canal when it opened between St. Catharine's and Lake Ontario on 10 May 1828. 1948 A collision between the HARRY L. FINDLAY and the Canadian tanker JOHN IRWIN occurred in the St. Clair River, near Recors Point on this date. The stem bar was twisted and plates set back on the American bulk carrier and these were repaired at Lorain. It later sailed as c) PAUL L. TIETJEN. The tanker saw further service as c) WHITE ROSE II, d) WHITE ROSE and e) FUEL MARKETER (ii). 1975 The Canadian self-unloader SAGUENAY sustained minor damage in a collision in Lake St. Clair with the Panamanian freighter FESTIVITY on this date. The latter had begun coming to the Great Lakes in 1966. It had been damaged in a grounding on July 18, 1977, and arrived at Bilbao, Spain, for scrapping on November 9, 1977. 1989 GENERAL VARGAS arrived at Green Bay and was being towed by the tug MINNIE SELVICK when the latter was crushed against pilings around a railway bridge and sank. All on board were rescued but the tug was a total loss. The Philippine registered freighter had begun Great Lakes trading as a) BRUNTO in 1977 and reacquired that name in 1994. It was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, as f) LINDEN after arriving on July 19, 2011. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports – April 23 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area. Welcome to our new Duluth/Superior port reporter Scott Bjorklund! Scott is a Museum Technician at the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center.
Duluth-Superior – Scott Bjorklund Superior Entry: Algoma Transport departed early Thursday at 02:12 (CST) with iron ore pellets destined for Hamilton, Ontario. Burns Harbor, which had been waiting at Lakehead Pipeline, shifted over to BNSF#5 to begin loading after the Transport’s departure. American Spirit arrived through the entry at 05:50 to take Burns Harbor’s waiting place at Lakehead Pipeline. Stewart J. Cort and Baie Comeau arrived and anchored off the Twin Ports during the day to wait in line for BNSF. Burns Harbor is expected to depart Thursday evening for her namesake port, and American Spirit should be next to load.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney Thunder Bay, ON Wednesday; 21:23 CSL Welland departed for Montreal. 23:28 Saginaw shifted to Viterra A to finish loading. Thursday; 5:31 Federal Seto weighed anchor and proceeded to the Superior Elevator to load grain. 12:04 The saltie Isa arrived and went to anchor 18:16 Saginaw departed and is down bound.
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports Polsteam’s Jamno arrived at 06:11 Thursday (04/22). With an assist from G-tugs North Dakota and Louisiana, she backed into south slip one, outer harbor, and tied up at the Federal Marine Terminals dock. Jamno is Milwaukee’s first seaway vessel of 2021, and brings European steel from IJmuiden, Netherlands. Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Challenger arrived from Grand Haven at 17:38 with cement for the Kinnickinnic River terminal. Algoma Sault is expected late Friday (04/23) with salt from Compass Minerals, Goderich.
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Thursday – Bill Kloss
Erie, PA – Erie Shipping News |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 23
23 April 1907 – The SEARCHLIGHT (wooden propeller fish tug, 40 foot, built in 1899, at Saginaw, Michigan) capsized and sank while returning to Harbor Beach, Michigan, with a load of fish. The vessel had been purchased by Captain Walter Brown and his son from the Robert Beutel Fish Company of Toledo, Ohio, just ten days before. The sale agreement stated that the tug was to be paid for with fish, not cash. All six crew members drowned. On 23 April 1883, STEPHEN S. BATES (wooden schooner, 97 foot, 139 tons, built in 1856, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was bound from Horne's Pier, Wisconsin, with posts and hardware for Chicago when she was driven into the shallows just north of Grosse Point, Illinois, by a storm and broke up. No lives were lost. In 1953, the PERE MARQUETTE 22 was cut in half, then pulled apart and lengthened by 40 feet, as part of a major refit at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Also during this refit, her triple-expansion engines were replaced with Skinner Unaflows, and her double stacks were replaced with a single, tapered stack. The refit was completed August 28, 1953. On April 23, 1966, the b.) JOSEPH S. WOOD, a.) RICHARD M. MARSHALL of 1953, was towed to the Ford Rouge complex at Dearborn, Michigan by her new owners, the Ford Motor Company. She was renamed c.) JOHN DYKSTRA. Canada Steamship Lines’ FORT YORK was commissioned April 23, 1958. On April 23, 1980, the ARTHUR B. HOMER's bow thruster failed while maneuvering through ice at Taconite Harbor, Minnesota, resulting in a grounding which damaged her bow and one ballast tank. The a.) GRIFFIN (Hull#12) of the Cleveland Ship Building Co. was launched April 23, 1891, for the Lake Superior Iron Mining Co. Renamed b.) JOSEPH S. SCOBELL in 1938, she was scrapped at Rameys Bend, Ontario, in 1971. On April 23, 1972, PAUL H. CARNAHAN arrived at the Burlington Northern Docks at Superior, Wisconsin, to load 22,402 gross tons of iron ore bound for Detroit, opening the 1972, shipping season at Superior. On 23 April 1859, at about midnight, the schooner S. BUTTLES was fighting a severe gale. She was carrying staves from Port Burwell, Ontario, to Clayton, New York, and sprang a leak while battling the gale. While manning the pumps, one man was washed overboard, but his shipmates quickly rescued him. Capt. Alexander Pollock beached the vessel to save her about 10 miles east of the Genesee River. On 23 April 1882, GALLATIN (2-mast wooden schooner, 138 foot, 422 tons, built in 1863, at Oswego, New York) was carrying pig iron from St. Ignace, Michigan, to Erie, Pennsylvania, when she sprang a leak in a storm on Lake Erie. She struck bottom on Chickanolee Reef and foundered in shallow water at Point Pelee. Her crew was saved from the rigging by the fishing sloop LIZZIE. 1916 The grain laden COLLINGWOOD stranded in Whitefish Bay due to ice and fog and was not released until April 27. 1929 The canaller IMARI was on its delivery trip from Port Talbot, Wales, to Canada when it lost the propeller blades, due to ice, off Scaterie Island, Nova Scotia. The vessel later sailed the Great Lakes as b) DELAWARE, d) MANICOUAGAN, e) WASHINGTON TIMES HERALD and f) MANITOULIN. 1945 EFTYCHIA, a Greek freighter, came to the Great Lakes for one trip in 1961. Earlier, as the British freighter RIVERTON, it had been torpedoed by U-1023 off southwest England on April 23, 1945, and three lives were lost. The vessel arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, as c) BOAZ ESPERANZA for scrapping on March 20, 1969. 1975 WESTDALE (ii) ran aground at the entrance to Goderich harbour while inbound with grain and was stuck for 15 hours before being pulled free. 1988 QUEDOC (iii) was upbound in the Seaway when it was in a collision with the BIRCHGLEN (I) under tow for scrap, and went aground in Lake St. Louis near Buoy 2A. Four tugs were needed to pull the ship free and it went to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. 1991 MARINE TRANSPORT operated around Maritime Canada but had come to the Great Lakes as c) C. OMER MARIE. It ran into ice and sank on April 23, 1991, about 10 miles off Cape Race, NF. The vessel was under R.C.M.P. surveillance when it was lost and all on board were rescued only to be arrested. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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2 Lake Michigan car and passenger ferries ready for full seasons 4/22 – Muskegon, MI – Lake Michigan’s two car and passenger ferries that connect Michigan to Wisconsin are setting course to begin normal season in May. The Milwaukee-based Lake Express begins daily ferry service May 7. The Lake Express offers passengers a 2.5 hour trip between the Muskegon terminal in the Lakeside neighborhood and downtown Milwaukee. The high-speed ferry’s 2020 season was delayed until early June due to COVID-19. The ship is being prepared for a full 2021 season running from May 7 to Oct. 25. During the summer, from June 17 through Sept. 6, the Lake Express makes three round trip crossings. During the early and late season two round trips are offered. Pre-season booking are tracking similar to 2019, which was a record year for the Lake Express. The Lake Express continues to monitor COVID-19 and will have practices in place to reduce the risk of transmission. Passengers are asked to complete a self-assessment and not travel if they’ve been exposed to anyone who tested positive for COVID in the past 14 days. Temperature screenings will be done before passengers board the ship. Once onboard, passengers will be required to wear face masks and social distance. Capacity on the ship will also be reduced to 50 percent to facilitate physical distancing. Passengers may remove masks while on the ship’s sun deck as long as they are abiding by physical distance requirements. And to begin the 2021 season the Lake Express is accepting only cashless transactions from credit cards, debit cards and gift cards. In Ludington the new owners of the S.S. Badger say very little will change as a result of the change in ownership. Interlake Holding Company announced in Dec. 2020 the purchase of Pere Marquette Shipping Company’s assets including the Lake Michigan Car Ferry Company. Interlake Holdings, based in the Cleveland area, operates a fleet of vessels on the Great Lakes and high-speed passenger ferries operating in New York's harbor and various locations on the east coast including New Bedford, Mass. The 2021 season begins with one round trip across Lake Michigan daily from May 20 to Oct. 10. The Badger departs Ludington at 9 a.m. and arrives in Manitowoc, Wis., at noon after the four-hour trip. The return trip to Ludington leaves Manitowoc at 2 p.m. and arrives at the Ludington dock at 7 p.m. Ticket sales for 2021 crossings are underway. Badger passengers are required to take wear a face mask while onboard, and practice social distancing between people from different traveling groups. The Badger will have hand sanitizers available, and additional outside seating will be offered. Paperless transactions for ticketing and on-board purchases is preferred. Buffet meal service in the Upper Deck Café will be closed until COVID-19 restrictions are modified. Read more and view video at this link: https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/2-lake-michigan-car-and-passenger-ferries-ready-for-full-seasons/69-3e0a5a54-f6f2-4172-8650-15a7ec724ccc |
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Port Reports – April 22 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Jim Conlon
Green Bay, WI
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Wednesday – Bill Kloss
Picton, ON – Tom Brewer |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 22
22 April 1873 – ST. JOSEPH (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 150 feet, 473 gross tons, built in 18,67 at Buffalo, New York) was sold by the Goodrich Transportation Company to Charles Chamberlain and others of Detroit, Michigan, for $30,000. On 22 April 1872, Capt. L. R. Boynton brought the wooden propeller WENONA into Thunder Bay to unload passengers and freight at Alpena, Michigan. The 15-inch-thick ice stopped him a mile from the harbor. The passengers got off and walked across the ice to town. Later, because of the novelty of it, a couple hundred people from Alpena walked out to see the steamer. In the evening, Capt. Boynton steamed back to Detroit without unloading any of the cargo. American Steamship Co.'s, ST. CLAIR (Hull#714) was christened April 22, 1976, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Bay Shipbuilding Corp. CHICAGO TRIBUNE of 1930, laid up for the last time at Toronto on April 22, 1986. CSL's HOCHELAGA lost her self-unloading boom during a windstorm at Windsor, Ontario, on April 22, 1980. As a consequence, she made 10 trips hauling grain as a straight-decker. CHARLES M. WHITE was commissioned April 22, 1952, at South Chicago, Illinois. She was soon recognized as one of the fastest ships on the Great Lakes because of her ability to reach speeds in excess of 17 knots (19.6 mph). On 22 April 1871, the 210-foot, 4-masted wooden schooner JAMES COUCH was launched at Port Huron, Michigan. She was named for a prominent Chicago businessman of the time. On 22 April 1872, EVA M. CONE (wooden schooner, 25 tons, built in 1859, at Oconto, Wisconsin) was carrying lumber from Port Washington to Milwaukee on an early-season run when she struck on ice floe, capsized and sank just outside of Milwaukee harbor. Her crew made it to safety in her lifeboat. 1917: NEEPAWAH, formerly part of Canada Steamship Lines, was captured by U53 a German submarine and sunk by timed bombs. The vessel had been carrying pyrites from Huelva, Spain, to Rouen, France, and went down about 120 miles west of Bishop's Rock. 1924: BROOKTON lost her way in heavy snow and ran aground on Russell Island Shoal near Owen Sound. The vessel was released the next day with the help of a tug. Her career ended with scrapping at Hamilton as g) BROOKDALE (i) in 1966-1967. 1947: HARRY YATES (ii) stranded on Tecumseh Reef, Lake Erie, but was soon released. The vessel became c) BLANCHE HINDMAN (ii) in 1960 and was scrapped at Santander, Spain, in 1968. 1955: Fire destroyed the historic wooden passenger steamers MAID OF THE MIST and MAID OF THE MIST II at their winter quarters in Niagara Falls, ON. The blaze broke out due to an errant welding spark during the annual fit-out and the Niagara Falls Fire Chief suffered a heart attack and died at the scene. 1968: ALHELI, a Lebanese registered Liberty ship, made three trips to the Great Lakes in 1964. The vessel began leaking 900 miles east of Bermuda while en route from Almeria, Spain, to Wilminton, DE, with fluorspar on this date and was abandoned by the crew. The ship went down April 24. 1972: CHAMPLAIN arrived in Canada from overseas in 1959 and saw occasional Great Lakes service. It became f) GILANI in 1970 and toppled on her side at Vercheres due to the swell from a passing ship on April 22, 1972. The ship was refloated several days later. 1973: An explosion in the engine room of the C.P. AMBASSADOR blew a six-foot-hole in the side of the hull during a storm about 420 miles east of Newfoundland. The ship was abandoned, save for the captain and chief engineer, and was towed into St. John's, NF on May 4. It had been a Great Lakes visitor as a) BEAVEROAK beginning when new in 1965. The damage was repaired and the vessel resumed service on July 14, 1973. It was eventually scrapped as f) FLAMINGO at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, following arrival on April 30, 1984. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Duluth's first saltie celebrated for reaching Duluth from Turkey 4/21 – Duluth, MN – From the deck of the Federal Biscay on Tuesday, one could see the gulls by looking down. A cold breeze reddened the ears of everyone aboard the ship – the first Atlantic Ocean crosser to reach Duluth during the 2021 shipping campaign. An annual ceremony, scrubbed last year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, was met with glee by Duluth's mayor and a host of shipping industry dignitaries. "This is a happy occasion, to be here together at an event," said Duluth Seaway Port Authority spokesman Jayson Hron, who conducted the program and made note of the ubiquity of masks being worn. The Biscay, owned by Montreal-based Fednav, arrived Sunday from Turkey, transiting the Duluth shipping canal and sailing under the Aerial Lift Bridge shortly after 4 p.m. Docked at the CRH Cement Terminal on Rice's Point, the Biscay was scheduled to unload 21,000 metric tons of cement – the first of six foreign ships ticketed this season to unload cement to be used in transportation infrastructure projects throughout the Midwest and as far north as Edmonton. "It’s a perfect example of how Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway shipping delivers the critical raw materials of our everyday life," Port Authority Executive Director Deb DeLuca said. Mayor Emily Larson, dressed appropriately for the weather and occasion in a sailor's peacoat, noted the way the world comes to Duluth via the ships affectionately known as "salties." "We are proud to be connected to you today," Larson told Master Melwyn Dias and the crewmembers flanking him. "We're grateful for you connecting us and our economy to the world." A native of India, Dias reported the voyage couldn't have gone more smoothly. Though he'd been to Duluth once before, he'd never been part of a first-ship ceremony, he said, noting that he'd followed his grandad and father into work behind the ship's wheel. "It's not just me," Dias said. "A lot of generations of us have been doing this profession." From CRH, the vessel will move about the port to load grain — canola, specifically — and be bound for Mexico. The News Tribune asked vessel agent Stephen Sydow, of Duluth-based Daniel's Shipping Services, how that transition was made, going from raw materials to food source. "You've got to broom it, pressure wash it and squeegee it," Sydow said. "You're putting food in there, so it's got to be clean." DeLuca made sure the 21 sailors aboard the Biscay didn't leave without satisfying their sweet tooth. The Port Authority presented the crew with a salted-caramel chocolate ship. "A fitting tribute," DeLuca said, "for our first saltie of 2021." Visit Duluth capped the ceremony by announcing the winner of the 38th annual First Ship Contest. More than 20 contestants out of 4,500 submissions guessed April 18, but Amanda Eccles, of North Mankato, guessed April 18 at 4:04 p.m., missing the Biscay's Aerial Lift Bridge transit by a mere 8 minutes. She received a two-night Duluth getaway. "She was super excited," Visit Duluth spokeswoman Maarja Anderson Hewitt said, a hint of normalcy on the cold air. View images at this link: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/transportation/6991163-Seasons-first-ship-celebrated-for-reaching-Duluth-from-Turkey |
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New Lock at the Soo 2021 construction begins 4/21 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of New Lock at the Soo project is on schedule as construction resumes on phase one and is initiated on phase two this week. Trade West Construction, Inc., and joint venture Kokosing-Alberici began moving equipment to the site the week of April 12 and 19. Trade West continues phase one, deepening the upstream channel to the Sabin and Davis Locks, which will be replaced by the new lock. USACE officials expect phase one completion in November 2021. Kokosing-Alberici is starting phase two this year, rehabilitating the upstream approach walls. This will stabilize the existing approach walls allowing modern vessels to tie up and wait their turn to pass through the new lock. Phase two should be complete by fall 2023, with winter seasonal breaks. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District |
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Port Reports – April 21 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Tuesday – Bill Kloss
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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EPA Great Lakes research vessel Lake Guardian makes a stop in Duluth 4/21 – Duluth, MN – The EPA’s largest research vessel, Lake Guardian, has made a stop in Duluth today behind the DECC. After grabbing some supplies in the area, their plans are to pull anchor tomorrow and head back out onto Lake Superior to continue their research. During the spring and summer months, the crew gathers data about the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the Great Lakes. “We collect those data to understand, um, you know, sort of the long term health of the lakes and ecological status,” said Matt Pawlowski, a physical scientist aboard the vessel. Later this week, they will wrap up their month-long research of the Great Lakes and return the Lake Guardian to its home port in Milwaukee. |
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Seafarers’ union warns of shutdown to Canadian shipping over COVID risk 4/21 – The Seafarers’ International Union of Canada (SIU) is demanding a meeting with the federal Minister of Health and an immediate action plan to vaccinate Canadian seafarers’ against COVID-19 or risk a total stoppage to the Canadian shipping industry. After countless attempts to get direct answers from provincial health officials, the Union is warning of dire consequences to the Canadian economy if the shipping industry is forced to shut down due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The federal government must step in now to ensure the flow of critical goods continues. A recent outbreak of COVID-19 on board the CSL owned Atlantic Huron, which saw 18 of 25 crew members test positive for the COVID-19 virus, has highlighted the complete disregard that provincial public health units have shown for those working in the maritime sector, and unfortunately demonstrates just how quickly the virus can spread through a ship’s crew despite precautions already in place. A number of those infected that are developing more serious symptoms have been taken to hospital, alone and thousands of kilometres from their home. The SIU of Canada, along with other marine sector labor organizations have issued multiple letters, the first being sent on December 17, 2020, to all provincial public health officials across the country, pleading for a plan to vaccinate seafarers against the COVID-19 virus. Not a single adequate response has been given, and no such plan to vaccinate seafarers has been put forward. The union is now being forced to consider all options including pulling all seafarers in its membership off of their ships and forcing the Canadian shipping industry to a halt if a concrete plan is not developed immediately to vaccinate Canadian seafarers and address what is becoming an increasingly unsafe work environment for all workers across the sector. The health and safety of those onboard Canadian vessels is being jeopardized by the lack of action by governments across the country and the Union is prepared to do what is necessary to help protect its membership against the COVID-19 virus. “The provincial health officials have made it abundantly clear that they do not have a clue how our industry operates, or how seafarers who all reside in different provincial and local jurisdictions can get a vaccine. We have made every possible attempt to try to get answers as to when and how seafarers will be vaccinated against COVID-19 and the answer of ‘wait and see’ will no longer cut it. With seafarers constantly sailing across provincial lines, the logistics need to be determined immediately as to how they plan to vaccinate these essential workers,” stated James Given, President of the Seafarers’ International Union of Canada. The SIU of Canada is calling on the federal government to put a plan in place to vaccinate seafarers and is requesting an urgent meeting with the Federal Minister of Health, Patty Hajdu, immediately or risk shutting down a major sector of the Canadian economy. “The provincial governments, the federal government, and the public health officials across the country are letting our seafarers down. If a plan is not developed immediately, the Union will be forced to take dramatic steps to ensure the health and safety of our members.” Seafarers’ International Union of Canada |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 21
21 April 1907 Peter West, a fireman on the JOHN C. GAULT (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 218 foot, 519 gross tons, built in 1881, at Buffalo, New York, converted to a bulk freighter in 1906, at Detroit, Michigan) fell overboard and drowned in Lake Huron. The news was reported to Capt. J. W. Westcott when the GAULT sailed past Detroit, Michigan, on 23 April 1907. On 21 April 1863, SEABIRD (wooden side-wheel steamer, 638 tons, built in 1859, at Newport [Marine City], Michigan) was purchased by Capt. A. E. Goodrich from Capt. E. Ward for $36,000. She served primarily on the Lake Michigan west-shore and Lake Superior routes until she burned in 1868. EDWIN H. GOTT cleared Two Harbors, Minn., with her first cargo, 59,375 tons of iron ore, on April 21, 1979, bound for Gary, Indiana. Interstate Steamship's a.) WILLIS L. KING (Hull#79) by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, departed on her maiden voyage with a load of coal from Toledo, Ohio on April 21, 1911, bound for Superior, Wisconsin. Renamed b) C. L. AUSTIN in 1952 and was scrapped at Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1985. On April 21, 1988, P & H Shipping Ltd.'s, d.) BIRCHGLEN, a.) WILLIAM MC LAUGHLIN, was towed off the Great Lakes by the tugs ELMORE M. MISNER and ATOMIC bound for Sydney, Nova Scotia, to be scrapped. Panda Steamship Co., G. A. Tomlinson, mgr.'s a.) WILLIAM H. WARNER (Hull#784) by American Ship building Co., was launched April 21, 1923. Renamed b.) THE INTERNATIONAL in 1934, c.) MAXINE in 1977, d.) J. F. VAUGHAN in 1981 and e.) OAKGLEN in 1983. Scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, in 1989. Pittsburgh Steamship Co's, HOMER D. WILLIAMS (Hull#720) by American Ship Building Co., Lorain, Ohio, was launched in 1917. April 21, 1998 – PERE MARQUETTE 41 (former CITY OF MIDLAND 41) was towed to Sturgeon Bay from Muskegon for the remainder of the conversion. She was towed by the tugs MARY PAGE HANNAH and the CARL WILLIAM SELVICK. On 21 April 1868, GERTRUDE (2-mast wooden schooner, 137 foot, 268 tons, built in 1855, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying corn from Chicago to Buffalo when she was cut by the ice four miles west of Mackinaw City and sank in deep water. Her crew made it to shore in the yawl. 1963: The hull of the Swedish freighter HELGA SMITH cracked en route from Montreal to Kristiansand, Norway, and the crew abandoned the ship. The vessel was taken in tow but sank April 23 while ten miles off Cape Broyle, Newfoundland. The ship had been completed in December 1944 and had been a Seaway trader since 1960. 1981: The Italian freighter DONATELLA PARODI first came inland in 1965 at the age of 8. It was sailing as f) MARIKA K. when a fire broke out in the engineroom on this day in 1981. The vessel was en route from Varna, Bulgaria, to Karachi, Pakistan, when the blaze erupted on the Mediterranean some 60 miles east of Crete. The ship was abandoned by the crew but towed to Eleusis, Greece. It was laid up, later put under arrest and was partially sunk. Following an auction, the hull was pumped out, towed into Aliaga, Turkey, on May 18, 1987, and broken up. 1986: ALGOPORT was inbound at Grand Haven, MI with a cargo of salt when it hit the seawall. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Gale slows traffic on Lake Superior 4/20 – Monday, with a north gale blowing and a freezing spray warning, several boats on Lake Superior opted to travel the north shore route. A few went to anchor to wait out the weather. Herbert C. Jackson dropped the hook in the lee of Whitefish Point. Eeborg and Hon. James L. Oberstar and were anchored off Paradise on the west shore of Whitefish Bay, with Cuyahoga, Saginaw, H. Lee White, Algoma Transport and Michipicoten possible candidates to anchor there as well. CSL Tadoussac was anchored in Bete Grise Bay on the northeast shore of the Keweenaw Peninsula. |
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Port Reports – April 20 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Marinette, WI
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Monday – Bill Kloss
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
Port Weller, ON |
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LNG-powered ship sighting on St. Lawrence Seaway signals a small wave of the future 4/20 – Watertown, NY – The Ramelia, a nearly 500-foot ship in brilliant red and white, turned some heads this month when it headed west on the St. Lawrence Seaway, toward Lake Ontario. Observant ship watchers noticed two large tanks on its deck, with the letters LNG painted on them. LNG — liquefied natural gas — is making major inroads for ocean-going vessels, but a much smaller one for those on the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes. Ramelia, homeported in Sweden, was launched in 2019 and was making its maiden voyage on the Seaway. It’s more environmentally friendly than the traditional ships on the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes, many which burn “bunker” fuel oil. Bunker oil, distilled from crude oil, can be broken down into different categories. A 2018 report published by the Yale School of Environment described the fuel as being made “from the dregs of the refining process. It’s also loaded with sulfur — the chemical that, when burned, produces noxious gases and fine particles that can harm human health and the environment, especially along highly trafficked areas.” Seeing a LNG-powered ship cruising on the Seaway and Great Lakes remains a rarity. They are more common in European countries, especially Norway and Sweden. According to data collected by Statista, “As of 2019, Norway accounted for roughly half of the LNG-fueled fleet in use worldwide. The number of ships on order is tipped to reach 135 units by 2025. The global demand for liquefied natural gas-propelled vessels is expected to grow considerably in the coming years, as a response to the increasing pressure on the shipping industry to reduce its emissions.” Christian Nilsson, a spokesman for Rederi AB Älvtank, the Donsö, Sweden-based owner of Ramelia, said the company’s normal trade route is in Northern Europe. On her most recent trip that found her in the Seaway, he said the Ramelia, a chemical tanker, loaded in Amsterdam, partly unloaded in Montreal with her remaining load to be taken off in Mississauga, Ontario. As of Friday morning, the ship was at anchor at Port Weller, Ontario, on the southwest end of Lake Ontario. Mr. Nilsson said the Ramelia, under LGN power, emits 85% less nitrogen oxide (NOx) particulates and 99% less sulfur oxide (SOx) particulates and 55% less carbon dioxide. “They’re definitely more environmentally friendlier and a good way to reduce emissions,” Mr. Nilsson said in an email. “Hopefully, in the future, LBG (biogas) could be more available and then, our CO2 emission will be eliminated.” The Ramelia also has the capabilities for its engine to be fueled by diesel fuel. It can hold about 400 tons of diesel. Each LNG gas tank on Ramelia’s deck, Mr. Nilsson said, can hold 125 tons of LNG. “With a speed of 11.5 knots, the consumption is about 10 tons of LNG per day,” Mr. Nilsson said. “That means fully bunkered and with a safety margin of 50 tons, the range will be about 20 days at sea.”Read more at this link: |
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Museum Ship Col. James M. Schoonmaker, Museum Tug Ohio re-open for 2021 season 4/20 – The National Museum of the Great Lakes will be reopening the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and Museum Tug Ohio for the season beginning May 1. The museum ships close annually over the winter and re-open for public tours between May 1 and October 31. Visitors can climb onboard the 617-foot cargo ship and historic tug to experience what life was like on the lakes in the early 1900s while also visiting the museum galleries. The inside of the museum features awe-inspiring stories of our Great Lakes through breathtaking photography, over 300 incredible artifacts, a number of powerful audiovisual displays and 40 hands-on interactive exhibits. ADMISSION: $17.00 (Museum & Ship) / $11.00 (Museum Only) – Adults (18-64) $16.00 (Museum & Ship) / $10.00 (Museum Only) – Seniors (65+) $14.00 (Museum & Ship) / $8.00 (Museum Only) – Youth (6-17) FREE – Children 5 and under FREE – GLHS/NMGL Members National Museum of the Great Lakes |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 20
On 20 March 1885, MICHIGAN (Hull#48), (iron propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 215 foot, 1,183 tons) of the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railroad was sunk by ice off Grand Haven, Michigan. The sidewheeler NEW YORK was sold Canadian in 1877, hopefully at a bargain price, because when she was hauled out on the ways on 20 March 1878, at Rathburn's yard in Kingston, Ontario, to have her boiler removed, her decayed hull fell apart and could not be repaired. Her remains were burned to clear the ways. On 20 March 1883, the E. H. MILLER of Alpena, Michigan (wooden propeller tug, 62 foot, 30 gross tons, built in 1874, at East Saginaw, Michigan) was renamed RALPH. She was abandoned in 1920. 1938: ¬ A fire of an undetermined cause destroyed the passenger steamer CITY OF BUFFALO while it was fitting out for the 1938 season at the East 9th St. Pier in Cleveland The blaze began late the previous day and 11 fire companies responded. The nearby CITY OF ERIE escaped the flames, as did the SEEANDBEE. 2011” ¬ The Indian freighter APJ ANJLI was built in 1982 and began visiting the Great Lakes in 1990. It was sailing as c) MIRACH, and loaded with 25,842 tons of iron ore, when it ran aground 3 miles off the coast of India on March 20, 2011. Four holds were flooded and the crew of 25 was removed. The hull subsequently broke in two and was a total loss. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Crews pump 33,000 litres of water out of sinking James Whalen tugboat 4/19 – Thunder Bay, ON – A city official said more than 33,000 litres of water had to be pumped out of the 116-year-old James Whalen tubgoat. Cory Halvoren, manager of parks and open spaces for the City of Thunder Bay, on Thursday said there’s still work to do to ensure the vessel is ship shape, noting some water still remains on board and crews have yet to figure out how it flowed inside. A passerby on Wednesday noticed the tugboat, which has moored at a dock at the Kaministiquia River Heritage Park since 1992, had started sinking into the water. He noted its rear section dipping lower and lower beneath the water line. “We immediately deployed some resources to access the boat so we could see. We expected it had been taking on water and that was the cause. When we got inside we confirmed that. We assessed the mooring connections,” Halvorsen said. “At first the mooring connections looked submerged and it looked possibly out of place, but upon further inspection we realized it was likely in place.” Halvorsen said their inspection showed small amounts of water were still seeping inside, which is why they decided to act immediately. “Rather than let it sit overnight, taking on more water, we obviously wanted to address that so we had some pumping facilities come and pump out the water – and it rose about two feet back up into position in its existing moorings,” Halvorsen said. “At that point it had stabilized, so we locked it up for the night and had security on it to keep an eye on it. No change came overnight.” Halvorsen said they marked the water levels to confirm where the historic tug was sitting on the water, just to be sure. Next steps include removing the remainder of the water on board and trying to determine the location of the leak and how to fix it. At this time, it’s not possible to say how much it might cost to make any repairs that could be necessary. Halvorsen said the city has had talks with the Lakehead Transportation Museum about the possibility of moving the James Whalen near the Alexander Henry on the Pool 6 property, but no decisions have yet been made at this time. TBWatch.com |
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Port Reports - April 19 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – David Schauer
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Marinette, WI
Muskegon, MI – Shipwatcher News
South Chicago, IL – Shipwatcher News
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lorain, OH – Drew Leonard
Lake Erie Ports for Sunday – Bill Kloss
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Help wanted: Chief Engineer, MV Pelee Islander II 4/19 – The Owen Sound Transportation Company / Pelee Island Transportation Service is currently accepting applications for the position of Chief Engineer on the MV Pelee Islander II vehicle / passenger ferry. In service since the fall of 2018 the Pelee Islander II is a 62 metre RORO ferry capable of carrying 36 vehicles from the Ontario mainland (Leamington / Kingsville) to Pelee Island Ontario on Lake Erie. A typical work rotation consists of 7 days on / 7 days off during the sailing season. The Pelee Islander II is powered by a Schottel steer prop (Z Drive) system. Compensation OSTC offers a competitive wage, generous benefit plan and enrollment in the OPB Pension plan. The OPB Pension plan is a defined benefit pension plan. Qualifications A First Class Engineer's certificate is desired, but, OSTC will also give consideration to Second Class Engineer's certificates. The successful candidate must also demonstrate leadership abilities for both people and processes. The ability to work in a customer service environment is very important. A copy of your CoC is to be included with your resume. The Owen Sound Transportation Company is an Agency of the Province of Ontario and an equal opportunity employer. Resumes are to be forwarded to Stephen Shaw – VP – Operations at stephen.shaw(at)ontarioferries.com. The email title is to be called – Resume – Chief Engineer – Pelee Islander II. |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 19
19 April 1884 – The KASOTA (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 246 foot, 1660 gross tons, built in 1884 at Cleveland, Ohio) was launched by Thomas Quayles & Sons at Cleveland, Ohio for Capt. Thomas Wilson of Cleveland, Ohio. The hull was painted green with white bulwarks and upper works. On 19 April 1956, the newly-converted cement carrier E.M. FORD had her steering equipment break when she was abeam of Harsens Island on the St. Clair River. She plowed head-on into the down bound freighter A.M. BYERS which was loaded with dolomite for Buffalo, New York. The BYERS sank in just 17 minutes and the FORD anchored. No lives were lost. Sea trials were completed for Upper Lakes Shipping's CANADIAN TRANSPORT on April 19, 1979, and she departed Port Weller Dry Docks Ltd., on her maiden voyage the next morning. The GEORGE A. STINSON's self-unloading boom 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 most of the year until it was replaced on September 20. She sails today as b.) AMERICAN SPIRIT. On April 19, 1951, the CLIFFS VICTORY began her much publicized 1,000 mile journey up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers through the Illinois Waterway pushed by a towboat to Lockport, Illinois where two Great Lakes Towing Co., tugs took up the tow through the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Hall Corp. of Canada's a.) HUTCHCLIFFE HALL (Hull#261) by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, was launched April 19, 1954. Pittsburgh Steamship's steamer RICHARD TRIMBLE (Hull#707) of the American Ship Building Co., Lorain, Ohio, was launched April 19, 1913. She was scrapped at Duluth, Minnesota between 1978 and 1981. On April 19, 1950, the WILFRED SYKES entered service, departing Lorain, Ohio for Toledo to load coal on her maiden voyage. The SYKES also became the largest vessel on the Great Lakes, taking the honor from Pittsburgh Steamship Company's LEON FRASER class (the "Supers"), which had held it since June 21, 1942. April 19, 1917 – ANN ARBOR NO 5 broke off her starboard shaft and bent the rudder stock on the rocky corner of the old Goodrich dock in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. On 19 April 1880, the Port Huron Times reported the results of a severe gale: "The schooner CHRIS GROVER, ashore near Oscoda, Michigan, is reported going to pieces. The crew is aboard. The schooner ATHENIAN, lumber laden, is reported to have gone ashore off Au Sable and to be a complete wreck. The schooner HATTIE JOHNSON is abandoned on Goose Island shoal. The cabin and part of her deck are gone. The stern is gone from her mizzen and the gale probably broke her up completely and her outfit and cargo may prove a total loss." The GROVE and the JOHNSON were later recovered and put back in service. On 19 April 1884, EUROPE (wooden propeller, passenger/package freight vessel, 136 foot, 628 gross tons, built in 1870 at St. Catharines, Ontario) was almost totally destroyed by fire at St. Catharines. The remains of her hull were later rebuilt as the barge REGINA. 1915: PALIKI of the Algoma Central Railway fleet was carrying steel rails to Chicago when it ran aground on Simmons Reef near the Straits of Mackinac. 1922: LAMBTON, a steel lighthouse tender, was last seen on the date by the MIDLAND PRINCE. It was lost with all hands on Lake Superior somewhere south of Michipicoten Island while delivering lighthouse keepers to their stations. Wreckage was later located but no bodies were ever found. 1927: DAVID S. TROXEL was damaged in a storm on Lake Superior. Plates and rivets worked loose and there were problems with the rudder. The ship was renamed c) SONOMA later in 1927 and was scrapped by Stelco in Hamilton as d) FRED L. HEWITT in 1962. 1938: REDRIVER had loaded coal at Charlotte, NY and was crossing Lake Ontario when it ran aground, due to fog, near Point Petre. 1939: VALLEY CAMP ran aground on Cole's Shoal, near Brockville, due to fog and part of the cargo of coal had to be lightered before the ship was refloated with the help of the tug SALVAGE PRINCE on April 24. 1940: SANDLAND battled through heavy ice to open the port of Port Colborne on this date in 1940. The ship had a cargo of scrap steel from Detroit for the Algoma Steel mill. 1956: A.M. BYERS was loaded with limestone and bound from Drummond Island to Buffalo when it sank in the St. Clair River following a collision with the E.M. FORD on this date in 1956. The ship was hit on the port side abreast of the pilothouse but all on board were rescued. The ship was later salvaged and repaired becoming b) CLEMENS A. REISS (ii) in 1959 and c) JACK WIRT in 1970. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Enbridge settles with tug and barge firm 3 years after anchor strike on Line 5 4/18 – Detroit, MI – Three years after a tug and barge accidentally dragged its anchor over the controversial Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, Enbridge and the tug company have reached an undisclosed settlement. The settlement money was wire-transferred from Van Enkevort to Enbridge Thursday, and the parties are expected to submit a proposed order of dismissal of the federal case in the coming days, according to a Thursday court filing. The court record contains no other information about the settlement, which comes almost six months after Van Enkevort Tug & Barge and MOM Erie Trader argued that Enbridge should be held at fault because it failed to locate its dual pipeline in an environment protected from anchor strikes. Enbridge would not comment on the settlement except to say it was reached through mediation. "The risk of an incident in the Straits involving a vessel’s anchor is extremely small and has been made even smaller through implementation of Enbridge’s coordinated system of safety measures," Enbridge spokesman Ryan Duffy said. Enbridge sued the tug and barge company in July 2018, almost four months after the Erie Trader barge and Clyde S. Van Enkevort tug accidentally dropped and dragged a 12,000-pound anchor through the Straits of Mackinac. The anchor scraped and gouged the dual oil pipeline and severed three transmission cables, releasing dielectric fluid from the cables into the Straits of Mackinac. The U.S. Coast Guard determined the cause of the inadvertent anchor deployment was a mix of the improper installment of an anchor brake pad, the unexplained disengagement of two backup brakes, a series of communication errors and icy, rough waters that jostled the anchor loose. Enbridge argued in its 2018 suit that Van Enkevort Tug and Barge and MOM Erie Trader should pay any interest, costs or attorney fees associated with the anchor drag because the companies were negligent when they "failed to take all necessary actions and precautions to avoid the allision." The tug and barge company responded more than two years later in November 2020 in federal court, arguing that Enbridge was the one guilty of negligence. Van Enkevort argued Enbridge should have better located, maintained or shielded its pipelines in a way that would have avoided anchor strikes. The Canadian company also should have had a protective cover of gravel over the pipeline or should have had a system to warn vessels of the pipelines, Van Enkevort wrote in its response. "The aforementioned negligence, misconduct, wrongdoing and/or fault of Enbridge contributed in whole or in part to proximately cause the alleged injuries and damages for which it seeks recovery," the company said. The 2018 anchor strike heightened an already fevered debate over Line 5's future. Environmental advocates have long urged the closure of the roughly 4-mile dual pipeline segment along the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac, arguing an oil spill in the straits would be catastrophic to the Great Lakes. Read more at this link: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/04/16/enbridge-settles-tug-and-barge-firm-3-years-after-anchor-strike-line-5/7240630002/ |
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Port Reports - April 18 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Holland, MI – Bill Van Appledorn
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Saturday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
Oswego, NY – Ned Goebricher |
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Legislator urges colleagues to keep historic ship Keewatin at Port McNicoll 4/18 – Orillia, ON – Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton has made his bid to keep the SS Keewatin in Port McNicoll. The long-time MP presented an e-petition in the House of Commons Wednesday afternoon. The petition was signed by 1,585 residents with most living in Simcoe County. In his presentation, Stanton first outlined how the Keewatin was built in 1907 and is now the world’s last remaining passenger steamship of the Edwardian era – “that is the same ilk of another famous vessel you’ll know,” the RMS Titanic. Stanton noted that the Keewatin is a beautifully restored museum ship moored in the same port from which she sailed as a CPR ship from 1912 to 1965, and gave passage to tens of thousands of residents and new Canadians making their way to Canada’s west. “Keewatin is a touchstone of our region’s marine history, a major tourist attraction and a community treasure of national significance, but the petitioners point out that she is at risk of being moved away from Port McNicoll, on a technicality,” Stanton said. “The signatories are calling on the Government of Canada to work with the community and the Friends of Keewatin Foundation to ensure the SS Keewatin remains in the port to which her service and history are most known and celebrated.” Wayne Coombes, who’s president of Friends of Keewatin which operates the ship, said he’s happy with response to the Commons petition that was initiated by local resident and history professor Dan Travers. “MP Bruce Stanton’s presentation of the petition was brilliant,” Coombes said, pointing out the government now has 45 days to respond to the petition, which asks the Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault to intercede. At the moment, the ship's owner Skyline Investments is looking to remove the Keewatin from its home berth and donate it as a Canadian cultural property to a museum in Kingston – something that requires Guilbeault's concurrence. “This is a significant, potentially pivotal step, and one of several initiatives,” Coombes said, referring to Stanton's petition. “Popular support is critical, and the growing response to the Keep Keewatin Home campaign… currently with over 12,500 signatures…is heartening.” Coombes said the move to keep the ship in Port McNicoll continues to gain momentum. “Lawn and window signs are appearing everywhere, not only in North Simcoe but also in adjacent communities,” he said. The sign campaign evolved from the work of a public-action group that’s also created a twitter feed and website, which was spurred on in part by a MidlandToday story in November that outlined how the ship’s owner Skyline Investments had given its approval to a project headed by a Kingston museum to move the vessel there. “Hopefully, the story will be told outside the region as well. Like SS Keewatin herself, it deserves national, if not international, attention," Coombes added. That said, Coombes pointed out he’d much rather be spending his time telling the “amazing” story of the Keewatin and the CPR Upper Lakes service in Port McNicoll. “Instead, I’m dealing with the consequences of the ship’s owner deciding, inexplicably, to abandon its commitments,” he said. “We intend the ship stay right here, in Port McNicoll… where her history lives." Orillia Matters |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 18
18 April 1907 – At least 20 freighters were anchored at De Tour, Michigan, waiting for the frozen St. Marys River to break up. The vessels found their provisions running low after waiting for about a week and they bought everything edible in De Tour. The U.S. Lighthouse Service Tender ASPEN (steel propeller tender, 117 foot, 277 gross tons, built in 1906, at Toledo, Ohio) was sent to Cheboygan, Michigan to get more provisions. De Tour did not have railroad facilities at this time and therefore was compelled to stretch the provisions from the last boat in the fall through winter until a boatload of supplies was delivered in the Spring. On 18 April 1889, the CITY OF RACINE (wooden propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 220 foot, 1,041 tons) was launched by Burger & Burger at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, for the Goodrich Transportation Company. The vessel was ready for service three months later. Her total cost was $125,000. On her maiden voyage April 18, 1980, the AMERICAN MARINER left Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in ballast for Escanaba, Michigan to load 31,322 gross tons of taconite pellets for Ashtabula, Ohio and arrived there on April 26th. Hall Corp. of Canada’s b.) MONTCLIFFE HALL began trading on the Great Lakes on April 18, 1978. Renamed c.) CARTIERDOC in 1988 and d.) CEDARGLEN in 2002. Built in 1959 in Germany as the a.) EMS ORE, she was purchased by Hall Corp. in 1977. Converted to a bulk carrier with the addition of a forward cargo section at Davie Shipbuilding in Lauzon, Quebec. PATERSON (Hull#231) was launched April 18, 1985, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. She was the last straight deck bulk freighter built on the Lakes and was built to the maximum size permitted to lock through the Seaway. Renamed b.) PINEGLEN in 2002. Johnstown Steamship's a) MIDVALE (Hull#167) of Great Lakes Engineering Works was launched April 18, 1917. Renamed b.) BETHLEHEM in 1925 and scrapped at Santander, Spain in 1974. Problems occurred on the ALASTAIR GUTHRIE's first trip of the year on April 18, 1979, when she began taking on water in the engine room while loading grain at the International Multifoods elevator at Duluth, Minnesota. Her stern settled to the bottom of the slip with 12 feet of water in the engine room. Upper Lakes Shipping's RED WING was sold for scrap on April 18, 1986. On April 18, 1960, the ROBERT C. STANLEY struck Vidal Shoal in St. Marys River about 1.5 miles above the Soo Locks, and tore a hole in her bottom. Superior Steamship Co.'s a.) SINALOA (Hull#609) of the West Bay City Shipbuilding Co., was launched April 18, 1903, as a straight deck bulk freighter. Renamed b.) WILLIAM F. RAPPRICH in 1924, c.) SINALOA in 1927. Converted to a self unloader in 1931. Renamed d.) STONEFAX in 1960. Scrapped at Santander, Spain in 1971. April 18, 1936 – Albert W. Ackerman, chief engineer of the Pere Marquette car ferries for 35 years, died (Friday afternoon) at the Paulina Stearns hospital. On 18 April 1848, the wooden schooner TRIBUNE went missing in lower Lake Michigan. Her fate was unknown until native fishermen discovered her masts standing upright off Cathead Point in November 1849. All 10 of her crew were lost. On 18 April 1885, the schooner-barge ELEANOR was launched at Mount Clemens, Michigan. Her dimensions were 185 foot overall, 32 foot beam and 11 foot 3 inch depth. She had three spars and was the consort of the steam barge A WESTON. She was built for the Tonawanda Barge Line and was named after Capt. William Du Lac's wife. 1945 The steel barge GEORGE T. DAVIE, en route from Oswego to Kingston with 1,100 tons of coal and under tow of the SALVAGE PRINCE, began leaking and sank off Nine Mile Point, Lake Ontario, in 85 feet of water. The hull was located by divers in 1999. The ship had once been part of Canada Steamship Lines. 1989 ENERCHEM AVANCE spent 7 hours aground in the St. Marys River below the Soo Locks on this day in 1989. At last report the ship was under Nigerian registry as e) ERINGA. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Algoma fined $500,000 after dumping oily wastewater into Lake Ontario 4/17 – The Algoma Central Corporation, headquartered in St. Catharines, Ontario, has been fined $500,000 after pleading guilty to dumping wastewater into Lake Ontario. Algoma operates a fleet of dry and liquid bulk carriers on the Great Lakes. One of the vessels in the defendant’s fleet os the M/V Algoma Strongfield. Built in China, the Strongfield was delivered to Canada on May 30, 2017, by a crew from Redwise Maritime Services, B.V., a vessel transport company based in the Netherlands. During the Strongfield’s delivery voyage, while manned by a Redwise crew, the oily water separator and oil content monitor malfunctioned or failed on multiple occasions, which resulted in an accumulation of unprocessed oily bilge water. On May 5, 2017, an Algoma employee directed Redwise to transfer and store the unprocessed oily bilge water in the Strongfield’s used wash water tank to avoid an overboard discharge of unprocessed bilge water into the Pacific Ocean. The wash water tank was intended to store deck and cargo hold wash water and is not listed on the Strongfield’s International Oil Pollution Prevention certificate. Between May 5, 2017, and the Strongfield’s arrival in Canada, the Redwise crew made several additional transfers of unprocessed oily bilge waste into the wash water tank to avoid overboard discharges of untreated bilge water. On May 19, 2017, as the Strongfield was transiting the Panama Canal, an Algoma employee boarded the vessel and remained onboard until the vessel’s arrival in Canada, where he assumed the duties of Chief Engineer. On May 30, 2017, the Strongfield arrived in Sept-Iles, Quebec, Canada, where the Redwise crew handed over operation of the vessel to an Algoma crew. Although some of the Algoma crew were advised that the wash water tank contained unprocessed oily bilge water, Algoma acted negligently in failing to inform all onboarding Algoma crewmembers and the inspectors of the contents of the wash water tank. On June 6, 2017, the Stongfield was transiting Lake Ontario. While in the waters of the United States within the Western District of New York, the 3rd officer on board the Strongfield requested permission to empty the contents of the wash water tank into Lake Ontario, and the captain approved the discharge. Because Algoma had negligently failed to inform the 3rd officer and the captain what the wash water tank contained, approximately 11,887 gallons of unprocessed oily bilge water were released into Lake Ontario. The discharge was stopped when another Algoma employee learned of the discharge and informed the 3rd officer and captain that the wash water tank contained unprocessed oily bilge water and instructed them to stop the discharge immediately. After the incident, Algoma contacted Canadian and U.S. authorities to report the discharge. In addition to the fine, Algoma was put on probation for a period of three years during which it must implement an environmental compliance plan. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Cindy C. Buckley, Buffalo, New York, and Resident Agent in Charge Edward L. Songer, Detroit, Michigan. U.S. Dept of Justice |
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Port Reports - April 17 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Fred A. Tijan
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Marinette, WI
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Lake Erie Ports for Friday – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 17
17 April 1871 – The wooden brig ST. JOSEPH was carrying lumber from Ludington, Michigan, to Chicago, Illinois. Her hold was filled and lumber was stacked on deck so she was indeed overloaded. A gale developed and the deck load shifted, then was lost. ST. JOSEPH became waterlogged in mid-lake. Her crew remained with her until 19 April when the propeller ST. LEWIS found them 35 miles southwest of Pentwater, Michigan, and took them there. The tug ALDRICH towed the waterlogged brig in for repairs. The first vessels through the Straits of Mackinac for the 1870 season were the CITY OF BOSTON and the CITY OF NEW YORK, both owned by the Northern Transportation Company. They passed through the Straits on 17 April 1870. The following day they passed Port Huron but could only go as far as Algonac, Michigan, since the St. Clair River had an ice jam which raised the water level by two feet and was causing flooding. The Collingwood-built, 610-foot aft section of the JOHN B. AIRD passed up bound through the St. Marys Falls Canal on April 17, 1983, in tow of the tugs WILFRED M. COHEN and JOHN MC LEAN heading for Thunder Bay, Ontario, where it was assembled with the 120-foot bow section. Canada Steamship Lines a.) STADACONA (Hull#24) was launched April 17, 1929, by Midland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. She was renamed b.) NORDALE in 1969 and was scrapped at Port Colborne, Ontario, in 1983. She was the first vessel scrapped at the old Algoma Steel Dock in Port Colborne. April 17, 1970 – CITY OF FLINT 32 was sold to the Norfolk & Western Railway for $100,000. On 17 April 1840, the wooden side-wheeler CATARAQUI was burned to a total loss during a great fire, which destroyed much of the waterfront area of Kingston, Ontario. On 17 April 1874, CHARLES J. KERSHAW (wooden propeller, 223 foot, 1,324 gross tons) was launched at the Ballentine shipyard at Bangor, Michigan. 1961: FREEMAN HATCH was built at Sturgeon Bay and completed in December 1942. It left the Great Lakes the following spring for service for the British Ministry of War Transport. It was sold and renamed b) CHARLES M. in 1950 and became c) HOUSTON in 1953. The vessel was sunk on this date in 1962 during the attempted, anti-Castro, Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. 1982: CHEMICAL TRANSPORT ran aground in the St. Lawrence near Dark Island as channel markers were out of position due to the wind and ice conditions. The vessel lightered some cargo to fleetmate JAMES TRANSPORT and then went to Sorel for repairs. In 2009, the ship was reported as lying burned out and derelict near Lagos, Nigeria, after an explosion and fire as c) REAL PROGRESS on June 1, 2001. 1990: RESERVE ran aground in the St. Marys River while downbound with a load of iron ore for Toledo on this date in 1990. The ship stranded in a snowstorm and had to be lightered to the WILLIAM R. ROESCH before going to Fraser Shipyard for repairs. 1997: ALGOLAKE got stuck on Vidal Shoal, St. Marys River while bound for Algoma Steel with a cargo of iron ore. The ship was lightered and released. After unloading, the vessel went to Thunder Bay for repairs. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II, Father Dowling Collection and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Great Lakes iron ore trade up slightly in March 4/16 – Cleveland, OH – Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 1.3 million tons in March, a near match to 2020. However, loadings trailed the month’s 5-year average by 13.5 percent. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 3.9 million tons, an increase of 26.3 percent compared to last year. Iron ore shipments are 12.2 percent ahead of their 5-year average for the first three months of the year. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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James Whalen tug partially breaks free of its mooring 4/16 – Thunder Bay, ON – City officials are scrambling to figure out how to reattach the historic James Whalen Tug to its dock at the Kaminisitiquia River Heritage Park. The anchoring system of the 116-year-old tugboat appears to have ripped from its mooring and its partner anchoring system at the front end of the boat appears to be twisting. The rear of the boat has started sinking into the river. Cory Halvorsen, manager of parks and open spaces for the City of Thunder Bay, said it’s clear the boat seems to be out of level and he’s in the beginning stages of figuring out how to right the situation and ensure the boat doesn’t further tear itself away from the dock. “The connection anchoring system to the dock, it’s hard to see, some of it is underneath the water, but it’s definitely moved in position and the boat itself looks lower at the back end of it,” Halvorsen said. Halvorsen called it a time-sensitive situation. “We’re trying to get the appropriate resources here to be able to observe and assess and correct what we can in a timely manner,” Halvorsen said. It’s too early to say exactly what those resources might be. “It could be some pumping of water out of the actual vessel, if that’s what’s happening. It could be taking on water. Or it could be assessment of the actual anchoring and docking system. But definitely we want to do something to see what we can do to adjust the actual boat. It’s out of level right now.” A passerby spotted the situation while walking with his wife, saying they had walked by on Tuesday and everything looked fine. A city parks supervisor was also at the park earlier on Wednesday and said nothing was amiss at that time. The Whalen was built in 1905 for the Canadian Towing and Wrecking Company of Port Arthur and was named for company president James Whalen. It served for 50 years, was sent to southern Ontario in in the late 1950s and was returned Thunder Bay in 1992, refurbished and turned into a waterfront attraction. TBNewswatch |
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Port Reports - April 16 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Fred A. Tijan
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan:
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Thursday – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 16
16 April 1907 – In a blinding snowstorm, the LOUIS PAHLOW (wooden propeller package freighter, 155 foot, 366 gross tons, built in 1882, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was towing the DELTA (wooden schooner, 134 foot, 269 gross tons, built in 1890, at Algonac, Michigan) on Lake Michigan. She went off course and ran onto the rocks at the Clay Banks, six miles south of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The DELTA made it to anchorage before she also grounded. The Lifesaving Service rescued both crews. Both vessels were eventually freed, repaired and put back in service. On 16 April 1872, the THOMAS W. FERRY (wooden schooner, 180 feet) was launched at the J. Jones yard at Detroit, Michigan. She cost $40,000 and was owned by P. J. Ralph & Son and A. C. Burt. ALGOWOOD departed on her maiden voyage April 16, 1981, from Owen Sound, Ontario, in ballast for Stoneport, Michigan, taking on limestone there for Sarnia, Ontario. ALGOLAKE's sea trials were held April 16, 1977. BURNS HARBOR's keel was laid at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, as (Hull#720) for Wilmington Trust Co., Bethlehem Steel Co., manager, on April 16, 1979. CEMENTKARRIER (Hull#175) of the Furness Shipbuilding Co. Ltd at Haverton Hill-on-Tees, England, was launched April 16, 1930, for Canada Cement Transport Ltd. Reiss Steamship Co.'s a.) W.K. BIXBY entered service on April 16, 1906. Renamed b.) J. L. REISS in 1920 and c.) SIDNEY E. SMITH JR in 1971. She sank in a collision with the Hindman steamer PARKER EVANS under the Blue Water Bridge on June 5, 1972. On April 16, 1986, U.S. Steel's steamer WILLIAM A. IRVIN was sold for $110,000 to the Duluth Convention Center Board. On 16 April 1870, the fore-and-aft schooner L.W. PERRY was launched at the Fitzgerald & Leighton yard in Port Huron, Michigan. She was owned by J. L. Woods of Lexington, Michigan and commanded by Capt. M. Hyde. Her dimensions were 128 foot keel, 133 foot overall, 26 foot beam and 9 foot depth. She cost $29,000 and was built for the lumber trade. On 16 April 1873, DAVID BALLENTINE (wooden propeller, 221 foot, 972 gross tons) was launched at Bangor, Michigan. She was built by Thomas Boston. 1897: The wooden schooner INGEBORG FORREST was a total loss in a spring gale near the entrance to Pentwater, Michigan, on this date in 1897. 1906: EUGENE ZIMMERMAN was upbound with coal on its maiden voyage when it collided with the SAXONA in the Mud Lake section of the St. Marys River on this day in 1906. The new bulk carrier was hit on the port bow and sank. The hull was raised on May 20, repaired and returned to service. It was renamed b) GRAND ISLAND in 1916 and last operated in 1960. After work as a grain storage hull named c) POWEREAUX CHRIS, the vessel was towed to Hamburg, West Germany, for scrapping in 1964. 1959: T.R. McLAGAN of Canada Steamship Lines ran aground on a shoal off Amherst Island, Lake Ontario, and was released on April 18. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Port Reports - April 15 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Fred A. Tijan I need to correct my report for April 13. The ore loadings at the BNSF ore terminal are not at Allouez Ore Dock #1. The ore docks have not been used to load the boats for several years. All ore boats loading at the BNSF Railroad are loading from the new land loading facility at 40th Ave. East in Superior. BNSF uses a 2.20 mile-long conveyor belt system to transport the taconite ore pellets from the rail yard unloading site to the current land/peninsula loading facility at 40th Ave. East in Superior. The last functioning Ore Dock #1 needed extensive repairs that were determined too costly. Building the new land loading facility would be the most cost effective for the next 20 or more years.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Soo Locks
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Wednesday – Bill Kloss |
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Bill Moran is Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s Historian of the Year 4/15 – Detroit, MI – William P. Moran has been named the Marine Historical Society of Detroit 2021 Historian of the Year. Born in Sarnia, Ontario, 1969, Bill had an interest in history and ships since early grade school. He graduated with a degree in marine engineering technology Georgian College, Owen Sound, Ontario, in 1990. He went to work for the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station – Ontario Hydro in May 1990 (the company was renamed Ontario Power Generation in 1997). He retired in December 2020 and lives in Corunna, Ontario. He enjoys spending time with his wife Dawna and their nine-year-old old twins Frederick and Rosalyn. Bill is a long-time member of Marine Historical Society of Detroit and the Toronto Marine Historical Society where he is a member of the executive committee. He has written several lengthy features for the TMHS publication The Scanner, and wrote two books in 1996 and 1997 titled “Moran’s Shoreside Companion.” He has assisted many people with their historical projects and research. In addition to his interest in ships and industrial history, he is passionate about architecture, local history and model trains. MHSD |
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"Great Lakes Icebreaking" in Virtual Visitor Center Thursday 4/15 – Operation Taconite completed this winter’s icebreaking mission on the upper Great Lakes at the end of March. Mr. Mark Gill, director of Vessel Traffic Services on the St Marys River for the U.S. Coast Guard will share the history behind the domestic icebreaking mission, the resources involved and the results of this season’s icebreaking activities. The free program begins at 12:30 EST (11:30 CST), today, Thursday, April 15 in the Virtual Visitor Center, use a Chrome browser to join on the web: https://www.gotomeet.me/VirtualVisitorCenter/icebreaking. For those unable to attend live, the program will be recorded and posted later on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqtbMFyAaYYO9TIAaaK2HTLr0Ph4A5FRF. The Virtual Visitor Center is a cooperative endeavor between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association and Lake Superior Marine Museum Association. The facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/463196914943493/ |
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New Magdalen Islands ferry features bedrooms, bar – but pool off limits 4/15 – Magdalen Islands, QC – A new $155-million ferry that features 30 bedrooms, a bar and up-to-date technology will offer a more pleasant trip for passengers travelling between Souris, P.E.I., and the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence this summer, says the ship's captain. "She's a beauty," Valmont Arsenault said of the Madeleine II, which will begin operation June 1 and make at least one crossing a day. The ferry is about 18 metres longer and three metres wider than the existing ferry, which is now 39 years old. It can accommodate twice as many passengers — about 1,000 — and travel at faster speeds, though Arsenault said to maximize fuel efficiency, the trip will still take about 4.5 hours unless they get delayed and have to make up time. The ferry also has a pool, but it is too small for the number of passengers and instead will be covered up and used as a seating area, Arsenault said. The ferry has 30 bedrooms available to rent for passengers on the 4.5-hour trip. The ferry has been in use since 2019 in the Canary Islands and Spain. The Madeleine II will be in service until 2026, when its permanent replacement is expected to be completed. Read more and view images here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-souris-magdalen-islands-new-ferry-1.5985817 |
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Seaway Visitors' Center to remain closed 4/15 – Massena, N.Y. – The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation has announced that the Dwight D. Eisenhower Visitors' Center, located at the U.S. Eisenhower Lock in Massena, NY, will remain closed to the public until further notice. In the past, the facility has typically opened on Memorial Day weekend. A north overlook parking lot near the Eisenhower Lock is always available for visitors to view ships. The address of the north overlook is 190 B Barnhart Island Rd., Massena, NY 13662.
There are several ways to obtain up-to-date information on estimated vessel transit times:
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 15
15 April 1907 – The Rutland Line’s OGDENSBURG (steel propeller package freighter, 242-foot, 2329 gross tons, built in 1906, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying 50,000 bushels of corn, a big consignment of flour and general merchandise from Chicago to Ogdensburg when she stranded on Point aux Barques on Lake Huron in a storm. Although she was leaking in her forward compartment, she was freed after some cargo was jettisoned. 15 April 1907 – The Welland Canal opened for the season with the first vessel being the SAMUEL MATHER (steel propeller bulk freighter, 530 foot, 6,751 gross tons, built in 1906, at Wyandotte, Michigan) carrying coal from Cleveland, Ohio to Prescott, Ontario. On 15 April 1881, the Market Street Bridge in Mount Clemens, Michigan, was taken down to allow the newly built VIRGINIUS to pass down the Clinton River to Lake St. Clair, where she was taken in tow by the CITY OF NEW BALTIMORE. The VIRGINIUS was towed to Port Huron where her engine was installed and she was fitted out for service. Misener's CANADA MARQUIS (Hull#257) of Govan Shipyards Ltd, Govan, Scotland, was launched April 15, 1983. Renamed b.) FEDERAL RICHELIEU in 1991, c.) FEDERAL MACKENZIE in 1991, d.) MACKENZIE in 2001 and CSL's e.) BIRCHGLEN in 2002. American Steamship Co.'s SAM LAUD was christened April 15, 1975. On April 15, 1977, the CONALLISON's, a.) FRANK C. BALL of 1906, self-unloading boom collapsed while unloading coal at the Detroit Edison Trenton, Michigan, power plant in the Trenton Channel on the lower Detroit River. W. W. HOLLOWAY suffered a fire in the fantail while in dry dock following her re-powering at AmShip on April 15, 1963, causing $15,000 damage. Pittsburgh Steamship's steamer J. P. MORGAN JR left Lorain in ballast April 15, 1910, on her maiden voyage to load iron ore at Duluth, Minnesota. Masaba Steamship's steamer JOE S. MORROW entered service April 15, 1907. The steamer JOHN P. REISS left Lorain, Ohio on her maiden voyage on April 15, 1910 with coal for Escanaba, Michigan. She was the first of three bulkers built in 1910 for Reiss interests. The other two were the steamers A. M. BYERS and the PETER REISS. The tanker IMPERIAL COLLINGWOOD began service April 15, 1948. On April 15, 1955, American Steamship's steamer DETROIT EDISON entered service, departing Manitowoc, Wisconsin, for Port Inland, Michigan, on her maiden trip. On April 15, 1985, the e.) WILLIAM CLAY FORD, formerly d.) WALTER A. STERLING and presently f.) LEE A. TREGURTHA) departed Fraser Shipyards for the D. M. & I. R. ore docks in West Duluth for her first load in Ford Motor Company colors. April 15, 1930 – While going up the Manitowoc River to dry dock, the WABASH rubbed the parked steamer THEODORE ROOSEVELT and damaged her upper works forward. On 15 April 1862, ELISHA C. BLISH (wooden propeller tug, 81 foot, 107 tons, built in 1857, at Black River, Ohio) sank near shore at Algonac, Michigan, when a steam pump was accidentally left in an open position and she flooded. She was raised and lasted another two years when she "went missing" on Lake Huron. On 15 April 1872, The Port Huron Daily Times announced that the HURON was chartered by a circus company for the season. They intended to perform at many lakes ports throughout the summer. 1967: MAPLE HILL began visiting the Great Lakes in 1959. The British-flag freighter had been built at Montreal in 1943 as a) FORT VERCHERES and was renamed c) DIOPSIDE in 1966. It collided with and sank the Swedish freighter IREVIK in the Baltic Sea on this day in 1967. MAPLE HILL was renamed d) ENTAN in 1969 and arrived at Hirao, Japan, for scrapping on June 30, 1970. 1987: An attempt to steal navigation equipment using a cutting torch resulted in a fire that caused major damage to the upper deck of the GRAND RAPIDS. The retired Lake Michigan carferry had been idle at Muskegon since 1971. It was eventually sold for scrap in 1989 and broken up at Port Maitland, ON in 1994. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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County Health Department helps vaccinate Great Lakes ship crews 4/14 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The Chippewas County Health Department (CCHD), in collaboration with the Lake Carrier’s Association and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are helping to make sure crew members on Great Lakes’ area ships are vaccinated against COVID-19. Karen Senkus, Health Officer with CCHD, said last week they were contacted by the Lake Carriers’ Association, asking if they could help with vaccinating crew members. Some were called back to work before they were able to receive the vaccine in their own community. In some cases, people had received their first dose of the Moderna vaccine and were trying to schedule a second dose while on the job. By last Monday afternoon, CCHD met with the Lake Carriers’ Association and the Army Corps of Engineers at the Soo Locks. By Tuesday morning, crew members on a Great Lakes ship were receiving vaccines. “I was impressed with our nurses. They stepped right up to the plate. They weren’t scared to get on that ship. As of Monday, CCHD will have vaccinated about 70 people on seven different ships. Two ships were scheduled to receive doses on Monday,” said Senkus. Senkus said 90 percent of those vaccinated on the ships are Michigan residents. The other 10 percent come from the Ohio area. “We, at the start of the pandemic, as public health, we prepared for and talked about what to do if there were an outbreak of COVID-19 on one of the vessels, how we would work with the crew in quarantine.” Senkus continued, “We never expected to be the one’s offering the vaccine. So its been really nice to do this because we do no how important the shipping industry is, not just to our community, not just to the state of Michigan, but nationwide and globally.” View the complete news report at this link: https://www.upmatters.com/news/local-news/eastern-up/chippewa-county-health-department-helps-vaccinate-great-lakes-ship-crews |
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Port Reports - April 14 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth-Superior – Fred Tijan
Superior, WI – Glenn Blaszkiewicz
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Northern Lake Michigan:
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Tuesday – Bill Kloss
Port Weller, ON
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 14
14 April 1965 The GEORGE A. SLOAN (steel propeller bulk freighter, 603 foot, 9057 gross tons, built in 1943, at River Rouge, Michigan) was the first commercial vessel through the Soo Locks. The SLOAN (now MISSISSAGI) received Sault Ste. Marie's official tri-centennial flag to fly all season. The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce in turn received the Pittsburgh Fleet flag, and it flew below the United States flag on the flagpole on top of the Ojibway Motor Hotel all season. On 14 April 1872, the MESSENGER (wooden propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 150 foot, 444 gross tons, built in 1866, at Cleveland, Ohio) left Manistee, Michigan in a storm for Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After battling ice flows near shore, she made it to open water but the heavy seas snapped her rudder post. She was unmanageable and four members of the crew left in the yawl to try to get help. Although they were only a few miles from port, the men struggled for hours against the wind, waves and ice before they finally made it back to Manistee, Michigan, where they got a tug to go out and tow the MESSENGER in for repairs. On April 14, 1961, FORT CHAMBLY departed Toronto, Ontario, on her maiden voyage bound for the Canadian Lake head. Interlake Steamship's COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS (Hull#791) sailed on her maiden voyage April 14, 1926, clearing Lorain for Toledo, Ohio, to load coal. CSL's steamer GLENEAGLES lost her self-unloading boom April 14, 1977, while unloading at the CSL stone dock at Humberstone, Ontario. Renamed b.) SILVERDALE in 1978, she was scrapped at Windsor, Ontario, in 1984. On April 14, 1984, vessels around the Great Lakes were battling one of the worst season openers for ice in recent memory. The ERNEST R. BREECH (now OJIBWAY) and HERBERT C. JACKSON spent the entire day battling ice off the Duluth entry, while the St. Clair River was choked with ice. On 14 April 1873, The Port Huron Daily Times gave the following report of shipbuilding work going on in Port Huron: "Mr. Fitzgerald is up to his eyes in business with a large barge in process of construction and a good sized schooner still on the stocks. Mr. Thomas Dunford has in hand the repairs of the large scow T S SKINNER and she is being rapidly healed of the damage done to her in the collision with the INTERNATIONAL last fall. At Muir's yard the [schooner] canaller on the stocks is rapidly approaching completion. At the [Port Huron] Dry Dock Company's yard, they are busy as bees docking and repairing vessels and work upon the new tug for Moffat & Sons is [being] pushed ahead very rapidly." Unfortunately, later that year the "Panic of 1873" struck and all shipyard work was stopped while the country tried to recover from that economic depression. 1965: Fire broke out in the #2 hold of the CAPETAN VASSILIS en route from Madras, India, to Rotterdam with a cargo of sunflower seeds while 60 miles off the Mediterranean island of Crete. The crew abandoned the vessel and it sank on April 16. The ship had been built at Superior, Wisconsin, as TULLY CROSBY in 1944 and returned to the lakes as c) SPIND in 1952-1953, as d) HEILO in 1953 and e) CAPETAN VASSILIS in 1956. 1977: CANADIAN OLYMPIC ran aground in the St. Lawrence off Heather Point near Brockville. The ship was loaded with ore and en route from Sept Iles to Ashtabula. The navigation channel was blocked. The vessel was lightered to MAPLEHEATH and released at 1057 hours on April 16. The ULS self-unloader spent three weeks at Port Weller Dry Docks undergoing repairs to the damage. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy and Farewell”. |
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Port Reports - April 13 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Port Inland, MI – Denny Dushane
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports Milwaukee’s liquid cargo pier was rebuilt in 2017, but traffic has been light: three vessels in 2019 and only two last year. US Oil received an Air Pollution Control Operation Permit for its Jones Island facility in November 2020 and tanker traffic appears to be picking up. This is the third visit by Michigan/Great Lakes in 2021.
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
Lake Erie Ports for Monday – Bill Kloss
Welland Canal – Russell Milland
Hamilton, ON – Gerry Ouderkirk |
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Flooding on Lake Ontario & St. Lawrence River not likely this year 4/13 – Canton, NY – Lake Ontario is eight inches lower than average for this time of year. That’s the lowest it’s been in early April since 2015. The chance of flooding on the lake and the St. Lawrence River this summer is relatively low. Spring came early, exposing low wetlands and shorelines along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. "But this is really the lowest part of water levels for the year," says Tony David, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's environment director and a member of the International Lake Ontario St. Lawrence River Board, which oversees water flows from below Niagara Falls to Montreal. "It’s also the time when Lake Ontario begins its seasonal rise." He says the chance of flooding is low right now. However, the board is still keeping an eye on snowmelt into the Ottawa River and Lake Erie's persistently above-average levels upstream. David says the long-term forecast calls for average or below-average precipitation this spring. "Things are looks pretty good for high water events. But there’s just as much evidence that we could be heading into another dry and low supply situation." Flooding in 2017 and 2019 caused millions of dollars in damage to shoreline properties and led homeowners to complain about the board’s water levels management. But the board always says Mother Nature is the real driver of water levels. This summer, it’s possible high docks and exposed shoals are a bigger headache for boaters and homeowners than high water. North Country Public Radio |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 13
13 April 1872 – The schooners MARY TAYLOR and ANTELOPE wooden were racing to Oswego, New York, trying to beat a large block of drifting ice. The ice won and blocked the harbor entrance. The ANTELOPE became icebound about a quarter of a mile from the piers and remained there for one day. The MARY TAYLOR got within 500 feet of the pier and remained there for five days until the tug MAJOR DANA broke through the ice. RICHARD REISS lost her boom April 13, 1994 when it collapsed at Fairport, Ohio. On 13 April 1872, the wooden schooner-barge JOSEPH PAIGE was launched at the Wolf & Davidson yard in Milwaukee. Her dimensions were 190 feet x 32 feet x 12 feet, 626 gross tons. The passenger/package freight vessel OCEAN was launched at Andrews & Sons shipyard in Port Dalhousie, Ontario, on 13 April 1872. She was placed in service on 27 April 1872, loading iron at Kingston for Chicago. 1917: The steel canaller STRATHCONA was built at Dundee, Scotland, in 1900 and came to the Great Lakes that summer. The ship had several owners before being requisitioned for war service in 1915. It was stopped by U-78 near Ronaldshay, England, while traveling from Tyne, England, to Marseilles, France, with a cargo of coal on this date in 1917. Enemy bombers attacked sinking the ship. Nine crew members were lost while another 3 were taken prisoner. 1937: The Norwegian freighter REIN was a frequent pre-Seaway caller to the Great Lakes. It had been built in 1900 and was inland as early as 1908. The ship was carrying wood pulp when it was wrecked off Helman Island, 2 miles south of Wick, Scotland, while traveling from Lyngor, Norway, to Preston, UK on this date in 1937. REIN was a total loss. 1956 Winds and ice pushed the ore laden GEORGE M. HUMPHREY on a shoal in Whitefish Bay en route from Superior to Zug Island. The vessel was salvaged and taken to Lorain for repairs. 1959: GLENEAGLES was proceeding through ice in Lake Erie when it abruptly stopped. The trailing WESTMOUNT could not stop as quickly and rammed the stern of its CSL fleetmate. GLENEAGLES had to be towed to Lorain for repairs that included a new rudder. 2010: The rebuilt ALGOBAY went aground while upbound in the St. Marys River on its first trip to the upper lakes. The vessel had to go to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. 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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Crew on ship docked in Thunder Bay positive for COVID-19 4/12 – Thunder Bay, ON – Crew members aboard a cargo ship docked in Thunder Bay have tested positive for COVID-19, Canada Steamship Lines has confirmed. According to a statement provided to Tbnewswatch, “several” crew members on board the Atlantic Huron tested positive on April 8, the day the ship arrived in Thunder Bay. The crew members are self-isolating at a local hotel and have so far reported only mild symptoms, the company said. “CSL is providing ongoing support to the seafarers whose safety, comfort and well-being is of paramount importance.” The Atlantic Huron remains berthed at the port while a two-day disinfection occurs in accordance with Health Canada guidelines, CSL said. Once cleared by Transport Canada, a new crew will board and continue the scheduled voyage to Quebec City. The company said it was still investigating how the infections occurred, given extensive COVID-19 precautions. All crew members were pre-screened prior to boarding the ship on March 31 in Sarnia, and all returned negative results from a PCR test administered the following day, CSL said. Crew members were also provided PPE including masks, gloves, and sanitizer, and instructed to practice social distancing on board for 14 days, it added. “CSL is not aware of any breach to its pre-boarding or onboard COVID-19 protocols and is working with health authorities to determine the cause of transmission.” The company said it was working with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and other health authorities. TBNewswatch |
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Port Reports - April 12 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth/Superior – Fred A Tijan
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Sunday – Bill Kloss
Rochester, NY– Tom Brewer |
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Door County Lighthouse Festival tickets are now on sale 4/12 – Sturgeon Bay, WI – Tickets are on sale for the annual Door County Lighthouse Festivals sponsored by the Door County Maritime Museum. The 28th annual Spring Lighthouse Festival is scheduled for June 11 to 13 and the Fall Lighthouse Festival will take place from Oct. 1 to 3. The festivals annually draw more than 5,000 lighthouse buffs who travel from around the globe to take part in these tours. Visitors engage with knowledgable docents and volunteers to learn stories of past lightkeepers, their duties and their families. The festivals offer airplane, land, boat, adventure and self-guided tours that when taken together reach all of the Peninsula's 11 lighthouses along with three more south of the county that are new to the festival: Algoma Pierhead and Kewaunee Pierhead lights in Kewaunee County and Grassy Island Range Lights in Green Bay. Visitors can have access to lighthouses that are not typically open to the public, such as the Chambers Island, Kewaunee Pierhead, Plum Island and Sherwood Point (fall festival only) lights. Tours are for all levels of activity and accessibility. Some involve hiking, while others have guests ride in a trolley or small airplane. Boat tours depart from a variety of locations around the Peninsula, including Sister Bay, Gills Rock, Fish Creek and Baileys Harbor. All proceeds from tour ticket sales support the Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society. For tickets or more information, including schedules, call the museum at 920-743-5958 or visit doorcountytickets.com. |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 12
On 12 April 1896, PETER DALTON (propeller tug, 63 foot 49 gross tons, built in 1880, at Grand Haven, Michigan) caught fire off Grosse Pointe, Illinois, while returning to Chicago with the salvaged schooner A.J. DEWEY in tow and the boiler of the JOHNSON. The fire burned her in two before she finally sank. The DALTON's crew and the DEWEY were rescued by the tug WELCOME. On 12 April 1874, the tug D.N. RUNNELS was launched Runnel's yard at the north end of the 7th Street Bridge in Port Huron, Michigan. As the tug splashed into the Black River, the flag at her bow was unfurled with her name on it. Commodore Runnels distributed oranges to the crowd of onlookers. The tanker a.) LANA (Hull#151) was launched April 12, 1967, by Aktiebolaget Lodose Varv A/B at Lodose, Sweden. Renamed b.) NEW ORLEANS in 1988 and c.) NANCY ORR GAUCHER in 1989, she departed the Lakes in 1994. Renamed d.) PETRAWAK in 1996 and e.) TONGA in 2000. Tanker LAKESHELL (Hull#389) of Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel, Quebec, was launched April 12, 1969, for Shell Canada Ltd. Pioneer Steamship's steamer a.) A.A. AUGUSTUS (Hull#374) of American Ship Building Co., Lorain, Ohio, departed Cleveland on her maiden voyage April 12, 1910, bound for Green Bay, Wisconsin, with a load of coal. She was sold to Canadian registry in 1961, and renamed b.) HOWARD HINDMAN. She was scrapped at Bilbao, Spain, in 1969. Hall Corp. of Canada's tanker HUDSON TRANSPORT (Hull#629) of the Davie Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec, was launched April 12, 1962. On April 12, 1955, while upbound from Monroe, Michigan to load iron ore at Duluth, the ENDERS M. VOORHEES had the honor of opening the second century of navigation through the St. Marys Falls Ship Canal, celebrated with great pomp and ceremony. On 12 April 1880, the wooden 2-mast schooner-barge JUPITER was launched at Marysville, Michigan, after being rebuilt under the supervision of James Bowers. She was originally built in 1857, at Irving, New York, and after this rebuild, she lasted another 21 years. On 12 April 1892, UGANDA (wooden propeller, 291 foot, 2,053 gross tons) was launched at W. Bay City, Michigan, at F.W. Wheeler's yard (Hull #88). 1949: The corvette H.M.C.S. BATTLEFORD was Hull 95 from the Collingwood Shipyard and it was commissioned at Montreal on July 31, 1941. The ship was sold to the Venezuelan Navy becoming b) LIBERTAD in 1946 and was wrecked on this date in 1949. 1991: CHANDA hailed from India and first came to the Great Lakes in 1978. The ship was laid up Bombay, India, on May 5, 1988, after 20 years of service. It was moved to the scrapyard on April 11, 1991, but a major fire erupted in the engine room April 12 during dismantling operations. 1993: MELISSA DESGAGNES ran aground in the St. Lawrence, two miles east of the Eisenhower Lock, at 2352 hours. The ship was en route from Windsor to Newfoundland with wheat and floated free, after being lightered, on April 15. 2009: SCARAB was 16 years old when it first came through the Seaway in 1999. The ship was sold and renamed JASPER in 2002 and never returned to our shores. It was anchored off Fatsa, Turkey, when it got blown aground on this date in 2009. Some 2000 tons of fertilizer had to be removed for the ship to float free and it went to Tuzla, Turkey, for repairs. 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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Federal Caribou opens Sarnia’s oceangoing shipping season for 2021 4/11 – Sarnia, ON – Federal Caribou became the first ocean-going vessel for the 2021 shipping season to arrive in Sarnia. Federal Caribou docked at the Cargill Grain Elevator early on Monday, April 5. Federal Caribou is one of six vessels that make up the C-series of ships built in Japan for Fednav. Federal Caribou departed in the early afternoon on Friday, April 9. Denny Dushane |
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Goderich welcomes first vessel for 2021 navigation season 4/11 – Goderich, ON – During the navigation season, it’s a Goderich tradition that the first vessel is formally welcomed and its captain greeted with a Top Hat Ceremony. Algoma Intrepid, captained by Capt. Kirk Lake, was welcomed in a COVID-19 pandemic-appropriate way on the dockside by Mayor John Grace; Peter Baker, VP Operations at The Compass Goderich Mine and Rowland Howe, President of Goderich Port Management Corp. Also present were Harbor Master Ian MacAdam and Sean Thomas, Director of Operations for the Town of Goderich. Goderich welcomes over 250 vessels per season. This year the Algoma Intrepid docked the mine to pick up a load of road salt. Algoma Niagara was previously loaded with salt but only after having spent time berthed in the port during the annual suspension of navigation and as such did not qualify to be the first vessel. Goderich Signal Star |
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Port Reports - April 11 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the Duluth/Superior, St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth/Superior – Fred A Tijan
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Cedarville, MI – Denny Dushane
Port Inland, MI – Denny Dushane
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
Lake Erie Ports for Saturday – Bill Kloss
Oswego, NY – Ned Goebricher |
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Marine News from World Ship Society for April 2021 4/11 – Vessels with Great Lakes / Seaway connection reported as a casualty or sold for demolition taken from April 2021 issue of Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society:
Casualties: None Report compiled: by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 11
In 2015, 18 vessels that had been stuck in 35 square miles of crushed ice up to eight feet thick on Eastern Lake Superior were moving again with the Wednesday arrival of the heavy Canadian icebreaker Pierre Radisson. 11 April 1890 – CHENANGO (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 176 foot, 696 gross tons, built in 1887, at Detroit, Michigan) was carrying 40,000 bushels of wheat from Toledo, Ohio, to Buffalo, New York, when she caught fire off Erie, Pennsylvania. She was partially consumed by the fire and sank in four fathoms of water with no loss of life. She was later raised at great expense and rebuilt as the steamer LIZZIE MADDEN. On 11 April 1882, GALATEA (3-mast wooden schooner, 180 foot, 606 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler (Hull#13) at W. Bay City, Michigan. She lasted until she stranded and broke up at Grand Marais, Michigan, in the "Big Storm" of 1905. The tanker IMPERIAL ST. CLAIR (Hull#57) of the Port Weller Drydocks Ltd., entered service on April 11, 1974, running light for Montreal, Quebec. Canada Steamship Lines’ J.W. MC GIFFIN (Hull#197) was christened at Collingwood on April 11, 1972. Port Weller Drydocks attached a new forebody in 1999, and she was renamed b.) CSL NIAGARA. Pioneer Steamship's steamer PHILIP D. BLOCK sailed on her maiden voyage April 11, 1925, with coal from Huron, Ohio, bound for delivery at Indiana Harbor, Indiana. Wilkinson Transportation Co.'s steamer A.E. NETTLETON (Hull#176) of the Detroit Ship Building Co., was launched April 11, 1908. She was scrapped at Santander, Spain in 1973. On April 11, 1970, in Lake Superior's Whitefish Bay, CSL's steamer STADACONA of 1952 encountered thick ice and suffered bow damage. She developed a hairline crack in her bow and to alleviate the leakage her cargo was shifted from her forward hold to her after compartments using her self-unloading equipment. This maneuver raised her bow enough to keep her from sinking before she reached safety. Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s steamer ENDERS M. VOORHEES (Hull#288), of the Great Lakes Engineering Works, was launched on April 11, 1942. She was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey in 1989. On April 11, 1964, while upbound on Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior, a boiler burst on board the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s WILLIAM A. IRVIN, killing one of the crew and injuring two others. April 11, 1948 – ANN ARBOR NO 7 ran aground just south of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. On 11 April 1874, the new tug E.H. MILLER burned at her dock at Willow Island in the Saginaw River. Her loss was valued at $9,000 and there was no insurance. Although considered to be a total loss, she was rebuilt and lasted another 46 years. On 11 April 1878, ALASKA, a wooden bulk freighter, was launched at J. P. Clark's yard in Detroit, Michigan. Her dimensions were 180 feet overall, 28 foot beam, and 10 foot depth. The navigation season at the Canadian Sault Canal was unofficially opened on 11 April 1955, at 7:15 a.m., when the MANZZUTTI (steel crane ship, 246 foot, 1,558 gross tons, built in 1903, at Buffalo, New York as J.S. KEEFE) locked up bound for the Algoma Steel dock. Because the MANZZUTTI wintered over at the Soo, its captain, John B. Perry, was not eligible for the traditional top hat and silk gloves presented to the first captain through the locks. So this was not the official opening of navigation at the Soo. The first boat through the American locks was expected the following day. 1964: NORCO had been used to carry pulpwood from Michipicoten to Green Bay from about 1938 to 1957. The vessel had been built at Ecorse, Michigan, for deep-sea service as INCA in 1915, and returned inland in the 1920s. It went back to the sea in 1959 and stranded at Little Corn Island, Nicaragua, on this date in 1964 while en route from Tampa to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, with a cargo of phosphate. 1994: AMERICAN MARINER was downbound in the St. Marys River when it struck a rock above the Soo Locks and had to go to the shipyard in Erie to repair the damage. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II,” the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Chippewa County Health Department vaccinates sailors at Soo Locks 4/10 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – This week Chippewa County Health Department (CCHD) was approached by the Lake Carriers’ Association and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to collaborate on vaccinating crew members on the Great Lakes’ area ships as they passed through the Soo Locks. Since that proposal, which was presented on Monday, CCHD staff will have vaccinated approximately 50 crew members on five ships with additional crew members to be vaccinated next week. The crews are receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccine and second dose Moderna vaccine. CCHD staff are honored to participate in this venture and have embraced this experience as another reason they love public health. The timing of this vaccine opportunity came during National Public Health Week and is a truly unique example of community partners working together to provide a critical service. Without this collaboration, crew members may not otherwise be able to receive the vaccine. Chippewa County Health Department |
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Thank to dry winter, lakes Michigan, Huron down almost one foot 4/10 – This past winter was drier than normal over the Great Lakes drainage basin. As a result, the Great Lakes water levels continue to decline faster than the typical late winter decline. At this time last year, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron were at all-time record high water levels for late March and early April. A good comparison is the lake level currently to the lake level last year at this time. Lakes Michigan and Huron are the same lake level because of the free flow of water through the Mackinac Straits. Lakes Michigan and Huron are 10.8 inches lower at the end of March 2021 compared to one year ago. This drop in water levels has put a significant distance between the current water level and the devastating record high water level last year. Read more an view graphs at this link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2021/04/dry-winter-impacted-great-lakes-water-levels-lakes-michigan-huron-down-almost-one-foot.html |
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Port Reports - April 10 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the Duluth/Superior, St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth/Superior
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Muskegon, MI – Muskegon Ships
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports for Friday – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 10
10 April 1868 The ALPENA (wooden side-wheel passenger-package freight steamer, 653 tons, built in 1867, at Marine City, Michigan) was purchased by Capt. A. E. Goodrich from Gardner, Ward & Gardner for $80,000. On 10 April 1861, UNION (wooden propeller, 170 foot, 465 tons) was launched and christened at the Bates yard in Manitowoc, Wisconsin for the Goodrich Line. She cost $19,000. The engines, machinery and many of the fittings were from the OGONTZ of 1858. This was the first steamer built by the Bates yard. The tanker TEXACO CHIEF (Hull#193), was christened April 10, 1969. She was renamed b.) A G FARQUHARSON in 1986 and c.) ALGONOVA in 1998. She was sold Panamanian in 2007 and renamed PACIFICO TRADER. The d.) GODERICH of 1908 was sold April 10, 1963, to the Algoma Central & Hudson Bay Railway Co. and renamed e.) AGAWA. Renamed f.) LIONEL PARSONS in 1968, and served as a storage barge at Goderich, Ontario until 1983, when she was scrapped at Thunder Bay, Ontario. The keel was laid April 10, 1952, for the steamer WILLIAM CLAY FORD (Hull#300) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works. The SINCLAIR GREAT LAKES (Hull#1577) of the Ingalls Iron Works, Decatur, Alabama, was christened on April 10, 1963. On April 10, 1973, the ARTHUR B. HOMER departed the shipyard at Lorain, Ohio, with a new pilothouse. She had suffered extensive damage on October 5, 1972, in a head on collision with the saltie NAVISHIPPER on the Detroit River. April 10, 1912 – ANN ARBOR NO 5 struck her stern against the channel in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, bending her rudder, and damaging her port shaft. On 10 April 1875, the propeller EMMA E. THOMPSON was launched at East Saginaw, Michigan. She was built for Capt. D.F. Edwards of Toledo and cost $20,000. Her dimensions were 125 feet x 26 feet x 10 feet. In 1880, she was rebuilt as a schooner and then returned to a propeller in 1881, when she was given the engine from the propeller AKRON. On 10 April 1882, ESPINDOLA (wooden schooner, 54 tons, built in 1869, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was carrying railroad ties when she was overwhelmed by a storm and went to pieces one mile north of the Chicago waterfront. No lives were lost, but four crewmen were rescued by a tug after having been in the water for some time. MANZZUTTI (steel crane ship, 246 foot, 1558 gross tons, built in 1903, at Buffalo, New York as a.) J S KEEFE) of the Yankcanuck Steamship Ltd., was the first vessel through the Canadian locks at the Soo for the 1954 navigation season. She entered the Canadian canal on 10 April about 8:15 a.m. The locking of the MANZZUTTI was not considered the official opening of the season at the Soo since she wintered in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and the first vessel must come up the St. Marys River from Lake Huron or Michigan. President Dave Bows of the Kiwanis Club, pointed out the club’s $1,000 marine contest is based on the first such vessel though the Michigan Sault locks only. The U.S. Coast Guard reported six-inch ice in the lower St. Marys River. 1905: The 400-foot steel-hulled bulk carrier GEORGE B. LEONARD arrived in Cleveland with ice damage and leaking bow seams. 1941: The first CEDARBRANCH ran aground at the mouth of the Etobicoke Creek, west of Toronto and had to be lightered to float free. 1949: The former J.H. PLUMMER, once part of Canada Steamship Lines, was reported wrecked, due to stranding in fog, while six miles southwest of Shaweishan on this date in 1949. The vessel was sailing as f) TUNG AN, and was en route from Tsingtao to Shanghai, with scrap steel. 1953: The Finnish freighter ANGELA came to the Great Lakes in 1952 and was wrecked on April 10, 1953, at Frisland, Isle of Coll, due to heavy weather. The vessel was travelling in ballast from Larne, Northern Ireland, to Goole, UK, and was a total loss. 1965: A collision in the Lake St. Peter section of the St. Lawrence involved the TRANSATLANTIC and HERMES. The former, a West German freighter, caught fire and capsized with the loss of three lives. The vessel was salvaged in August and eventually scrapped at Sorel. It had been coming to the Great Lakes for the Poseidon Line since 1961. The latter, a Dutch carrier, never came through the Seaway and was scrapped at Calcutta, India, as NIKI R. in 1985-1986. 1977: HILDA MARJANNE ran aground on a sandbar at Sarnia after leaving the Government Dock with a cargo of corn. It was released the next day with the help of the tug DARYL C. HANNAH. 1989: The canal-sized bulk carrier IROQUOIS, b) TROISDOC (ii), was built in 1955 but left the Seaway as c) KOBA in 1983. That vessel foundered in the Gulf of Mexico, near Isla de Lobos, on this date in 1989 while en route from Tampico to Progresso, Mexico. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II,” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Port Reports - April 9 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the Duluth/Superior, St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth/Superior
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Northern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Calcite, MI – Denny Dushane
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
Lake Erie Ports for Thursday – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 9
09 April 1890 – W.H. SAWYER (wooden propeller freighter, 201 foot, 746 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler (Hull #66) at West Bay City, Michigan. She lasted until 1928, when she sank off Harbor Beach, Michigan. On 09 April 1868, SEABIRD (wooden side-wheel steamer, 638 tons, built in 1859, at Newport (Marine City), Michigan, was sailing on her first trip of the season from Manitowoc to Chicago. At 6 a.m. off Waukegan, Illinois, the porter cleaned out the ashes in the cabin stove and threw the hot coals overboard into the wind. The coals were blown back aboard and a blaze quickly engulfed the vessel. Only two survived. They were picked up by the schooner CORNELIA. 102 were lost. The vessel was uninsured and this was a severe financial blow to the new Goodrich Transportation Company. On April 9, 1960, Canada Steamship Lines Ltd.'s a.) MURRAY BAY (Hull#164), of Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., entered service as the first Canadian 730-footer. Renamed b.) COMEAUDOC in 1963, she was scrapped at Port Colborne in 2003. LAWRENDOC (Hull#174) was christened jointly with her Collingwood-built sister ship MONDOC (Hull#173) on April 9, 1962. The Wilson Marine Transit Co., Cleveland purchased the b.) FINLAND, a.) HARRY COULBY (Hull#163) of the Detroit Ship Building Co., on April 9, 1957, and resold her the same day to the Republic Steel Corp., Cleveland with Wilson Marine acting as manager. Renamed c.) PETER ROBERTSON in 1969 and d.) MARINSAL in 1975. On April 9, 1930, the CITY OF FLINT 32 entered service under the command of Estan Bayle. On 9 April 1871, the wooden "rabbit" BAY CITY (152 foot, 372 gross tons, built in 1867, at Marine City, Michigan) had just loaded 270,000 feet of lumber in Bay City for Tonawanda, New York, when a fire broke out ashore. The ship was set adrift at 11 a.m. to get away from the lumberyard blaze. However, as the crew watched the shore fire, sparks smoldered in the ship's cargo. At 2 p.m., she burst into flame. Four tugs and a steam-powered fire engine brought alongside on a lighter fought the blaze to no avail. The vessel was scuttled to put out the fire. A few days later she was raised and repaired at a cost of $4,000. On 9 April 1885, the laid-up vessels BURLINGTON and CHURCH were hit by the barge ALLEN and forced into the Military Street bridge at Port Huron, Michigan, crashing into the structure and completely blocking the Black River and disabling the bridge. The blame was placed on the spring thaw. 1913: Ice sliced through the wooden hull of the steamer UGANDA in the Straits of Mackinac and the vessel sank near White Shoal. The crew was rescued by the JOHN A. DONALDSON, and there was no loss of life. 1962: On November 28, 1961, fire had broken out aboard the IQUITOS off the coast of Mexico while the ship was en route from Callao, Peru, to Manzanillo, Mexico, with a cargo of fishmeal. The vessel had been a pre-Seaway trader as RUTENFJELL beginning in 1936 and as POLYRIVER beginning in 1951. The blazing freighter was abandoned by the crew. The ship did not sink and drifted for weeks before being spotted February 2, 1962. The hull was considered a hazard to navigation and was sunk on this date, southeast of the Christmas Islands by a U.S. destroyer, in 1962. 1968: MENIHEK LAKE was in a minor collision with the anchored PETITE HERMINE in the Lake St. Francis section of the St. Lawrence, and the latter's anchor chain damaged the propeller of MENIHEK LAKE. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Port Reports - April 8 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the Duluth/Superior, St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth/Superior
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Northern Lake Michigan
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Detroit, MI
Lake Erie Ports for Wednesday – Bill Kloss |
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Spring programs at National Museum 4/8 – Toledo, OH – Sign up now for these two free virtual programs.
• “An Illustrated History of the Soo Locks” – Wednesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. This lecture features Michelle Briggs who has served as the Soo Locks’ Chief Park Ranger since 2009. National Museum of the Great Lakes |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 8
08 April 1871, NAVARINO (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 184 foot, 761 tons, built in 1871, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) entered service for the Goodrich Transportation Company. She only lasted until 09 October 1871, since she burned in the Great Chicago Fire. BAY CITY (wooden propeller stem barge, 152 foot, 262 gross tons, built in 1867, at Newport [Marine City], Michigan) had just been rebuilt at Bay City and then refitted at Fitzgerald & Leighton’s yard in Port Huron, Michigan. On 08 April 1871, (some sources give the date as 10 April 1871), on her first trip out from the shipyard, she caught fire and burned to the water line. She was rebuilt again and lasted until 1891, when she burned again. The sea trials for AMERICAN REPUBLIC were conducted in Green Bay on April 8 thru 10, May 4 thru 11 and 18, 1981. Interlake Steamship Co.’s steamer J. A. CAMPBELL of 1913, was the first bulk carrier to load taconite pellets that were shipped from Reserve Mining’s Davis Works at Silver Bay, Minn., on April 8, 1956. In 1957, Great Lakes Steamship stockholders voted to sell the entire 16-ship fleet to four fleets. In 1977 at Toledo, G.A. TOMLINSON required an estimated $235,000 to outfit her machinery for the upcoming season. On April 8, 1905, Pittsburgh Steamship Co.’s steamer a.) ELBERT H. GARY (Hull#66) was launched by the Chicago Ship Building Co. Renamed b.) R.E. WEBSTER in 1963, she was scrapped in 1973 at Santander, Spain. In 1969, LEON FALK JR. entered Duluth harbor to become the first vessel to arrive from the lower lake region opening the 1969, shipping season at the head of the lakes. She loaded almost 20,700 tons of iron ore bound for Great Lakes Steel’s Zug Island in Detroit. April 8, 1998 – An unidentified worker was injured in a fall aboard the CITY OF MIDLAND 41, while it was being converted to a barge in Muskegon. April 8, 1871, was a bad day on the St. Clair River. The schooner A MOSHER had favorable winds, so the captain decided to save the cost of a tow and sail up the St. Clair River without assistance from a tug. In the strong current at Port Huron, the vessel hit some old dock timbers, went out of control and collided with the down bound 3-masted schooner H.C. POST. The POST's main and fore masts were carried away in the collision. After some vehement arguing, the MOSHER sailed on while the POST anchored in mid-river while her skipper went ashore. The schooner JESSE ANDERSON then sailed out of the Black River and rammed right into the side of the POST. This finished the wrecking of the POST's aft mast. The ANDERSON went out of control and went aground on the riverbank. The tug GEORGE H. PARKER tried to assist the ANDERSON, but she also got stuck on the mud bank. It was several hours before everything got cleaned up and river traffic was back to normal. The steam ferry JULIA, owned by C. Mc Elroy of St. Clair, Michigan, started running between St. Clair and Courtright, Ontario on 8 April 1878. She was formerly named U S SURVEYOR. Before JULIA took over this service, the ferries R.F. CHILDS and MARY MILLS served in this capacity. The steamer f.) MANCOX (steel propeller crane freighter, 255 foot, 1,614 gross tons, built in 1903, at Superior, Wisconsin, as a.) H.G. DALTON) of Yankcanuck Steamship Lines was first through the Soo Locks for the 1958, season at 7:05 a.m. on 8 April 1958. In locking through the Canadian lock, the MANCOX became the first ship to come through the new lock gates, which were installed during the winter months. The American Soo Locks had been ready for traffic since March 26, but the Canadian lock had the first ship. 1941: The newly-built PRINS WILLEM II first came to the Great Lakes in May 1939. There was a mutiny on board at Sandusky, Ohio, in June 1940, as the crew did not want to return to their now-occupied homeland. The ship was torpedoed off Cape Farewell, Greenland, on April 8, 1941, while travelling from Halifax to London. An estimated 10-12 members of the crew perished. 1942: The first NOVADOC was sailing as g) ARA when it hit a mine and sank off Borkum, Germany, while en route from Gothenburg, Sweden, to Rotterdam, Holland in 1942. The ship had been built as CANADIAN PATHFINDER and was listed as Hull 69 of the Collingwood shipyard. It had also sailed the Great Lakes as b) NORMAN M. PATERSON and c) NOVADOC (i) before being sold to British interests in 1927. 1982: The Canadian-owned QUEBEC came through the Seaway in 1969. It had been built in 1959 as ALICE BOWATER but never came inland under that name. It was sailing as d) BLUE SEA when there was an engine room explosion and fire on April 8, 1982, in the Mediterranean near the Kerkennah Islands in the Gulf of Gabes off Tunisia. The gutted hull was towed to Sfax, Tunisia, on April 12. It was sold for scrap and arrived at Bizerta, Tunisia, for dismantling on July 7, 1984. 2001: The CHERYL C., the fifth name for the ship, was carrying a cargo of steel when it sank on April 8, 2001. The vessel ran aground near Peniche, Portugal, north of Lisbon, due to a navigational error. The 1597 gross ton ship had been built in 1983 and came through the Seaway, under Barbados registry, for the first time on April 22, 1998, with clay for Ashtabula. It made its last inland voyage in November 1999. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II, the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University, and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Federal Cedar opens ocean-going shipping in port of Thunder Bay 4/7 – Thunder Bay, ON – The Marshall Islands-registered Federal Cedar became the first ocean-going vessel to enter the Port of Thunder Bay during the 2021 navigation season. The vessel berthed at the Richardson International Main Elevator Sunday morning, April 4, marking the earliest opening to saltwater vessel traffic at the Port in 5 years. The vessel is loading 12,000 metric tonnes of Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) Wheat for direct export to Puerto Rico. The five-year old Federal Cedar is owned and operated by Fednav, Canada’s largest ocean-going, dry-bulk shipowning and chartering group. The agent for the vessel is Thunder Bay Shipping Inc. Federal Cedar Captain Pradeep Dattajirao Nalawade and Chief Engineer Kalyan Kumar Roy have earned the Port’s Top Hat honors for 2021, however, no ceremony will be held due to pandemic protocol. The marine shipping industry continues to maintain measures to prevent the potential spread of infection and enable the essential movement of food and supplies to consumers |
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Port Reports - April 7 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the Duluth/Superior, St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth/Superior
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
St. Marys River
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Stoneport, MI – Denny Dushane
Calcite, MI – Denny Dushane
Northern Lake Huron
Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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New Tankers arriving 4/7 – Two new foreign-flagged saltwater vessel tankers are making their first inland trips into the Great Lakes/Seaway system. The first to arrive is the tanker Lillo Swan IMO 9390329 built in 2007 and registered and flagged in Malta. This vessel is 99.9 meters in length and 15 meters in width. Lillo Swan arrived in Montreal early on April 5 and departed the same day enroute to Clarkson, ON. They are also the first new saltwater visitor to enter the Seaway for the 2021 shipping season. Due in Montreal on April 7 is the tanker Ramelia IMO 9818280 registered in Sweden. This vessel is about 150 meters in length and about 23 meters in width and was built in 2019. It looks very similar in appearance to the former saltwater tanker Ramira now the Algonorth but is longer than the. The Ramelia departed from Ijmuiden, Netherlands on March 24 and is enroute to Clarkson, ON. Denny Dushane |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 7
On April 7, 1997, LEE A. TREGURTHA suffered an 18-foot hull fracture in her port bow near the bowthruster tunnel while downbound in the upper St. Marys River due to heavy ice. She proceeded to the De Tour Coal Dock, where repairs were made overnight and she continued on her trip on April 8, 1997. On 07 April 1906, the Goodrich Transportation Company, which was incorporated under the laws of the State of Wisconsin in 1868, was dissolved and a new company, the Goodrich Transit Company, was incorporated under the laws of the state of Maine. This was just for financial reasons, and other than the name and the port of registry of the vessels, everything else remained the same. The vessels in the company at the time were CHICAGO, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, CITY OF RACINE, GEORGIA, INDIANA, IOWA, SHEBOYGAN, VIRGINIA, and tug ARCTIC. Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd.'s new CANADIAN TRANSPORT was christened April 7, 1979. The tanker ROBERT W. STEWART, b.) AMOCO MICHIGAN was delivered to Standard Oil Co. on April 7, 1928, as the second largest tanker in service at the time of her launch. JAMES LAUGHLIN (Hull#16) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works was launched April 7, 1906, for the Interstate Steamship Co., Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. Later renamed b.) HELEN EVANS, she was scrapped at Cartagena, Columbia, in 1983. The EMORY L. FORD was sold on April 7, 1965, to the Reiss Steamship Co., and renamed b) RAYMOND H. REISS, the last vessel purchased by Reiss. TEXACO BRAVE of 1929 arrived at Ramey's Bend from Toronto on April 7, 1975, in tow of tugs G. W. ROGERS and BAGOTVILLE for scrapping. In 1974, the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s steamer THOMAS W. LAMONT loaded the initial shipment of ore for the season at the D.M. & I.R. ore docks in Duluth. On 7 April 1871, the tug S.V.R. WATSON was towing the schooner S.G. SIMMONS out of Chicago harbor at noon when the WATSON stalled. The schooner plowed into her broadside, causing the tug to tip on her beam ends, take on water and sink. Four men were trapped below decks and drowned; two survived. The WATSON was later raised and returned to service. On 7 April 1873, the contract for the building of a new carferry, MICHIGAN, for the Great Western Railway was awarded to the Jenkins Brothers of Windsor, Ontario. The new vessel was planned for service on the Detroit River. Her engines were built at Montreal by Canada Engine Works for a cost of $100,000. The hull alone cost $600,000. Although the locks are not scheduled to open until Thursday, 12 April 1962, the Canadian Sault harbor was officially opened Saturday, 7 April 1962, when the tanker IMPERIAL LONDON pulled into the Imperial dock between the two hospitals. Captain Russell Knight accepted the traditional silk top hat. The IMPERIAL LONDON, carrying almost 1,000,000 gallons of gasoline, led the IMPERIAL SIMCOE, loaded with 19,000 barrels of fuel oil for household heating, up the St. Marys River to the Sault. 1941: The PORTADOC had been requisitioned by the British Ministry of War Transport and was en route from Saint John, NB, to Sierra Leone with a cargo of coal when it was torpedoed by U-124 off the coast of Africa. The crew spent six days on the open sea before landing at French Guinea. They were taken prisoner by the Vichy French forces and the Chief Engineer died before there was a prisoner of war exchange. The vessel, part of the Paterson fleet, had also sailed on the Great Lakes as a) EUGENE C. ROBERTS and b) JAMES B. FOOTE. 1968: CAPTAIN LEONIDIS ran aground in the Messier Channel, Chile, while travelling from Santos, Brazil, to Valparaiso, Chile. The vessel stranded April 7, 1968, and became a total loss. It had first come to the Great Lakes as the Norwegian freighter d) FANA in 1964 and returned as e) CAPTAIN LEONIDIS in 1966. The hull remains aground and appears to have been used by the Chilean Navy for target practice. 1979: GEHEIMRAT SARTORI dated from 1951 and had been a pre-Seaway caller to the Great Lakes. It returned through the new waterway for three trips in 1959 and was sailing as c) SEA ROVER when it was lost on this date in 1979. The cargo shifted in heavy weather on the Mediterranean while the ship was en route from Civitavecchia, Italy, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It sank about eight miles off Punta Cornacchia. Data from: Skip Gillham Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Quarantined ship Presque Isle docks at Port Milwaukee 4/6 – Milwaukee, WI – Presque Isle, a ship quarantined due to a COVID-19 outbreak, has docked at Port Milwaukee. Officials announced last week a number of crew members tested positive for COVID-19. Sick crew members will enter isolation and the ship will be disinfected. How long the freighter stays depends on how long it takes to clean it. Officials say the ship was making one of its first runs in the Great Lakes shipping season when COVID struck. CBS 58 |
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Algoma Central takes delivery of Captain Henry Jackman 4/6 – St. Catharines, ON – Algoma Central Corporation has taken delivery of the Captain Henry Jackman, the fifth Equinox Class gearless dry-bulk carrier and the tenth Equinox Class vessel to join the fleet. The ship is expected to begin her voyage to Canada from the Jiangsu Yangzi-Mitsui Shipbuilding Company in China in mid-April. The vessel will cross the Pacific Ocean near the equator, transit through the Panama Canal and from there will make her way to Canada. The vessel is expected to begin trading on the Great Lakes in late June. The Jackman is the most efficient vessel in Algoma’s domestic fleet. The vessel’s design, described as “Equinox 3.0,” is an evolution of the original Equinox Class, incorporating improvements in cargo deadweight capacity and equipment while maintaining the numerous performance efficiencies of the original design. These improvements include innovations such as lighter weight aluminum hatch covers and the adoption of an improved twin rudder design that significantly increases the displacement of the vessel and enables the ship to achieve increased cargo capacity without requiring an increase in the vessel’s power and fuel consumption. The result is an estimated 1,200MT increased deadweight of the ship, furthering the vessel’s advantage in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions compared to competing transportation modes. As with all Equinox Class ships, the Captain Henry Jackman has a closed loop exhaust gas scrubber. “The domestic dry-bulk segment has been our core business for over 100 years and we have invested over $500 million in sustaining that business since the launch of the Equinox Class fleet renewal plan in 2010,” said Gregg Ruhl, President and CEO of Algoma. “The arrival of the Captain Henry Jackman on the Great Lakes will be a proud moment for Algoma as we introduce our tenth and most efficient Equinox Class vessel yet, making us more than ever your marine carrier of choice,” continued Mr. Ruhl. “I would like to thank everyone from the team in China to our team here in Canada for their hard work and dedication in making this possible in the face of a global pandemic. I would also like to wish the crew on board safe sailing; let’s bring her home,” concluded Mr. Ruhl. View in image at this link: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210405005176/en/Algoma-Central-Corporation-Takes-Delivery-Captain-Henry |
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Port Reports - April 6 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the Duluth/Superior, St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth/Superior
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Manistee, MI
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Lake Superior water levels expected to remain high through summer 4/6 – Duluth, MN – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is forecasting a three-inch rise in Lake Superior water levels during April and expects the lake to remain above average through summer. The level changed little during March, which is typical for the month. The lake's level falls every winter and rises every summer. In its update Friday, the Corps said Lake Superior is about seven inches above the long-term monthly average for April. However, it's six inches below the level seen last April, which was three inches below the record high set in 1986. Elsewhere, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie are even more above average than Lake Superior but have fallen from last year's record levels. Conversely, Lake Ontario is 13 inches below the long-term average and down more than two feet over the past year. The Corps said high water levels are expected to continue for at least the next six months and flood-prone areas are expected to remain vulnerable. High water levels have led to increased erosion and flooding around Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes in recent years. WDIO |
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All hands on deck: Milwaukee Clipper preservation needs volunteers 4/6 – Muskegon, MI – Once a Lake Michigan passenger ferry but now a museum, the Milwaukee Clipper has been docked in Muskegon for decades. “You’re going back in time, basically,” volunteer coordinator Brock Johnson said. “When you come on board you just fall in love with the ship. There’s just so much to see, so much to do.” Despite the vessel’s designation as a National Historic Landmark, it’s in rough shape. You can help save it. In 1997, Milwaukee Clipper Preservation Inc. paid $1 to buy the 361-foot-long cruise vessel. Now, visitors can tour it for a few bucks each. As they look around, it’s clear it needs work — paint is peeling and metal is rusting. “We need to preserve this ship for the future generations,” Johnson said. “I would like to see everything restored to how it was originally. There’s always work to be done, you know? Countless projects. Work from anything from painting to welding, there’s so much to do.” Read more and view a video at this link: https://www.woodtv.com/news/muskegon-county/all-hands-on-deck-milwaukee-clipper-preservation-needs-volunteers/amp/ |
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Appledore IV returns for historic sailing tours on the Detroit River 4/6 – Detroit, MI – Detroit History Tours announced the return of its legendary boat tours on the eighty-five-foot-long tall schooner Appledore IV following the cancelation of last year's boat season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Appledore IV will sail from Bay City to the Port of Detroit on May 8, and tours are scheduled to go from May 13-30 and again in Sept. 10-27. Detroit History Tours was founded in 2015 by Bailey Sisoy-Moore, providing fun and educational walking and bus tours throughout Detroit ever since. “In 2016 we brought the boat down from Bay City for what ended up being two weekends,” Sisoy-Moore says. “From that year to this year, we have added more weeks in Detroit each year.” The boat is owned and operated by nonprofit BaySail. Detroit History Tours is offering four different types of sailing experiences this year: History Under Sail, Great Lakes Ecology and Knot Tying, Mariners Songs and Sea Shanties, and last but certainly not least, the Stargazing Sail. “On all of the tours, guests are welcome at the captain’s invitation, to BYOB,” Sisoy-Moore says. “Everyone can bring their own drinks and snacks, but we do ask no glass containers or bottles. In addition to that we provide Vernors, diet Vernors, bottled water, Better Made chips, and a homemade sailor’s dessert, which is an oatmeal hand pie.” The History Under Sail tour, updated from the previous years’ experience, is a three-hour long tour jam packed with stories and the history of the Detroit River. According to the tour website, “You will depart from the Port of Detroit and sail up the river and under the Ambassador Bridge as our award-winning guides share the stories of the city's skyscrapers, the wars for control of the river, and the secret hiding spots of mischief makers.” Next on the list is the Great Lakes Ecology and Knot Tying tour, a new addition to the tours this year that is a three-hour sail down the river. “Together with your historian and ecologist you’ll learn the history of tall ships on Michigan waters and what’s swimming, slithering, crawling, and flying around the Detroit River,” the Detroit History Tours website says. “The crew will do knot tying with the guests so they can learn some common sailor knots,” Sisoy-Moore says. “They are also going to help raise the sails and a few lucky guests will help steer the ship with the captain.” Sisoy-Moore says Mariners Songs and Sea Shanties is by far the most popular tour being offered this year, featuring the award-winning musician Vadriel King during a three-hour sail. Read more at this link: https://www.metrotimes.com/the-scene/archives/2021/04/02/the-appledore-iv-returns-for-historic-sailing-tours-on-the-detroit-river |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 6
The a.) LOUIS R. DAVIDSON (Hull#95) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works was launched April 6, 1912, for the American Steamship Co. Later renamed b.) DIAMOND ALKALI in 1932, c.) DOW CHEMICAL in 1939 and d.) FERNDALE in 1963. She was scrapped at Castellon, Spain in 1979. April 6, 1931 – The CITY OF FLINT 32 set a world record sailing 101,000 miles in her first year of service. On 6 April 1872, the schooner I.N. FOSTER was launched from the Fitzgerald & Leighton yard at Port Huron, Michigan. She was classified as a "full-sized canaller" since she was as large as a vessel could be to pass through the Welland Canal. Her dimensions were 143 foot overall, 26 foot inch beam, 11 foot 6 inch depth, 437 tons. 1942: The CANADIAN FARMER was Hull 65 of the Collingwood shipyard and it was launched there on December 27, 1919. The vessel was sailing as c) SHIN KUANG when it was sunk by Japanese surface naval forces on the Bay of Bengal. 1949: FORT WILLDOC of the Paterson fleet and the JAMES E. McALPINE of the Brown Steamship Co. collided in Lake Superior, above Whitefish Point, on this date. Both ships were damaged and needed repairs. 1972: The freighter STAR OF REWIAH had been built at Collingwood as Hull 105 and launched as the corvette H.M.S. COMFREY on July 28, 1942. The ship was later converted to a cargo carrier and was sailing under this sixth name when it ran aground off the Ashrafi Lighthouse in the Gulf of Suez and declared a total loss on this date in 1972. It was traveling in ballast from Suez, Egypt, to Safaga, Egypt, at the time. 1978: The self-unloader TARANTAU was blown aground due to the wind and shifting ice pack in Lake Huron above Port Huron and had to be freed by the tug BARBARA ANN. 1979: A violent spring storm found LABRADOC (ii) on Lake Erie where the cargo shifted and the vessel took on a precarious list. All on board were removed fearing the ship would roll over and sink. But it survived and was towed to safety eventually undergoing repairs at Port Weller Dry Docks. The vessel left Great Lakes service in 1988 and operated on deep sea runs as b) FALCON CREST until scrapping at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, in 1994. 1992: An explosion and fire in the tunnel of HALIFAX occurred while the CSL ship was upbound in the St. Marys River. One sailor was killed and two more injured while the ship sustained internal damage. It went to Thunder Bay for repairs. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, “Ahoy & Farewell II,” the Father Dowling Collection, the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University, and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Port Reports - April 5 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the Duluth/Superior, St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth/Superior
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas |
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New book by St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre outlines canal history 4/5 – St. Catharines, ON – After eight years of research and writing, the latest publication about the Welland Canal is now available. “Triumph & Tragedy: The Welland Ship Canal” chronicles the story of the canal’s late workers, as well as documenting the canal’s construction. “Over three dozen authors with specialized backgrounds and expertise contributed to this sizable writing effort,” said supervisor of historical services Kathleen Powell. “Together, they effectively present many of the stories of the people, places and projects associated with this engineering wonder.” “It is much more than a local story — it is a broader history of Canadian labor, immigration, transportation, economic development and the hardships of construction,” Powell said. The book includes illustrated biographies of the 138 workers who died, plus 17 other chapters that expand on topics such as the construction railway, medical service, equipment used, labor, mission services, geology and communities of the Welland Ship Canal. The 386-page book is full-color hardcover and has over 440 illustrations. “Triumph & Tragedy: The Welland Ship Canal” is published by the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre. This publication is available at the museum gift shop, located at 1932 Welland Canals Pkwy., St. Catharines, ON. The museum is currently open Wednesday to Sundays and by appointment. |
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Obituary: David Norwood Falconer 4/5 – David N. Falconer, age 66, passed away peacefully on March 30, 2021 at his home in East Lansing, MI. He graduated from the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City in 1980, subsequently obtaining his U.S. Merchant Marine Engineers license. He worked as an engineer for various Great Lakes, river, and international shipping companies for several years, serving on a variety of vessels including Great Lakes freighters, tugboats on the Mississippi river and saltwater ships in the Caribbean. He later was employed as an engineer at the Michigan State University T.B. Simon Power Plant, where he was active in his union, serving as steward and other advisory roles. He retired from MSU in 2015. He was also a train enthusiast, a proud owner of a rail passenger car with the LM&M Railroad Company. He made use of Amtrak travel whenever possible |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 5
On 05 April 1890, INDIANA (wooden propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 220 foot, 1,178 gross tons) was launched by Burger and Burger at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, for the Goodrich Transportation Company. The total cost of the vessel was $135,000. On April 5, 1984, the joined sections of the HILDA MARJANNE and CHIMO emerged from Port Weller Dry Dock Ltd., as the b.) CANADIAN RANGER. Sea trials for Canada Steamship Lines new bulk freighter, PRAIRIE HARVEST (Hull#227) of Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., were complete on April 5, 1984. She operates on the Lakes today as the self-unloader d.) ATLANTIC HURON. The a.) LUZON (Hull#54) of the Chicago Ship Building Co. was launched for the Erie Steamship Co., E.D. Carter, mgr., on April 5, 1902. Renamed b.) JOHN ANDERSON in 1924 and c.) G. G. POST in 1933. She was scrapped at Izmir, Turkey, in 1972. April 5, 1977 – The Chessie System announced that the CITY OF MIDLAND 41 would be withdrawn from service and only the SPARTAN and BADGER would run for the season. On 5 April 1854, AMERICA (wooden side-wheeler, 240 foot, 1,083 tons, built in 1847, at Port Huron, Michigan) was bound for Cleveland from Detroit. After the captain had set her course and gone to bed, the 2nd mate changed the course to the north. The 1st and 2nd mates disagreed about the course and as they awoke the captain, the ship ran aground near Point Pelee, Ontario. Wave action reduced the vessel to rubble but no lives were lost. On 5 April 1879, the 3-mast wooden schooner RESUMPTION was launched at the Wolf & Davidson yard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her dimensions were 143 foot x 29 foot x 10 feet, 294 gross tons, 279 net tons. April 5, 1962, the tanker ROBERT W. STEWART was renamed b.) AMOCO MICHIGAN, The WILLIAM P. COWAN was renamed b.) AMOCO ILLINOIS, the EDWARD G. SEUBERT was renamed b.) AMOCO WISCONSIN and the RED CROWN was renamed b.) AMOCO INDIANA, after being transferred from Standard Oil Company in a sale to the American Oil Company for $10 for each ship. Each ship traded in their names and their well-known red superstructure for a typical white paint job which stuck with them until their end. The only change came to the AMOCO INDIANA when she traded in her black hull for the blue paint of c.) MEDUSA CONQUEST, d.) SOUTHDOWN CONQUEST, e.) CEMEX CONQUEST and f.) ST MARYS CONQUEST. She operates today as a self – unloading cement barge. 1921: The Imperial Oil tanker IMPOCO (ii) had combined Great Lakes and coastal trading and had gone as far afield as the Mediterranean Sea and the Falkland Islands during World War One. The 8-year old vessel stranded at Blonde Rock, Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, on this date in 1921 while en route from Halifax to Saint John with a cargo of gasoline. The ship was lightered, salvaged on May 4, and beached at Charles Harbour and then at Halifax as not worth repair. The hull was apparently not scrapped until 1953. 1983: The small Finnish freighter KENITRA visited the Great Lakes in 1957. It was abandoned by her crew in the Red Sea while sailing as d) ALASKA on this date in 1983. It had developed a severe list while traveling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Mersin, Turkey, and sank the same day. 1996: The Liberian freighter STEEL FLOWER ran aground in the St. Lawrence near Wellesley Island while upbound on this date in 1996 and was stuck for two days. The ship had also been a Seaway trader as a) FEDERAL RHINE (i) from 1978 to 1992, as STEEL FLOWER from 1994 to 1996 and as c) NARRAGANSETT from 1997 to 1999 before going to Alang, India, for scrap later in 1999. 1999: The PATERSON (ii) ran aground in Lake St. Francis and was stuck for two days. The ship went to Les Mechins, QC for repairs and returned to work on May 13. The vessel now sails for Canada Steamship Lines as b) PINEGLEN (ii). 1999: ALGONTARIO ran aground at Johnsons Point in the St. Mary's River while upbound with a load of cement from Clarkson to Duluth. The ship was released April 7 and, after unloading, was laid up at Thunder Bay until eventual repairs and a return to service on October 10, 2004. The vessel was towed to Aliaga, Turkey, for scrapping in 2011. Data from: Skip Gilham, Steve Haverty, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection and the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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John D. Leitch back at Hamilton with mechanical issues 4/4 – Hamilton, ON – John D Leitch returned to Hamilton Saturday morning two days after leaving her winter berth. The Leitch barely got into Lake Ontario when an engine problem developed. There was no quick fix and Friday’s high winds kept her at anchor. Saturday morning the tug Ocean A Gauthier led her back for repairs with Omni Coastal on her stern. The Leitch is now at Berth 23. It's not known how long she will be out of service. |
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Port Reports - April 4 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the Duluth/Superior, St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Duluth/Superior
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
St. Marys River
Calcite, MI – Denny Dushane
Stoneport, MI – Denny Dushane
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Sarnia, ON
Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Scientists document first-of-its-kind meteotsunami On Great Lakes 4/4 – A wave of water known as a meteotsunami surged across Lake Michigan and damaged homes and boat docks in the beach town of Ludington, Michigan, almost exactly three years ago. Now, scientists say it was the first of its kind ever documented in the Great Lakes. Identified through photos and video, experts had already determined it was a meteotsunami, named because such waves are generated by meteorological conditions versus the seismic activity that causes more well-known tsunamis. A meteotsunami event isn't uncommon in the Great Lakes. Usually, such waves are generated by a change in atmospheric combined with wind. But the April 13, 2018, wave was the first-ever known to have occurred without the influence of wind. Not only does that make it unique, it opens the door for forecasters to be able to predict such events in the future, according to Eric Anderson, a physical scientist who specializes in hydrodynamics and forecast models at NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. The discovery and its potential implications for forecasting are detailed in a study by Anderson and colleague Greg Mann, published the journal Natural Hazards. Meteotsunamis occur around the world, but until now scientists believed it took two ingredients for one to form on the Great Lakes: a spike in wind and a jump in pressure. “In the Great Lakes region that generally means things like thunderstorms or squall lines," Anderson said. "When those come across the water they have outflows with high wind speeds associated with the front of them and they also often have pressure changes associated with them, too. Through both of those mechanisms, we can get large meteotsunami waves that are initiated in the Great Lakes.” On the ocean, though, meteotsunamis are generally driven only by atmospheric disturbances that have a big pressure jump associated with them, Anderson said. “This event we had in 2018 was just that," Anderson said of the environment that created the Ludington meteotsunami. "It was a series of atmospheric pressure waves that were generated over the Midwest and moved east northeast over Lake Michigan and had about a 12 millibar pressure change associated with them, so a very large pressure change in just a few minutes.” Read more at this link: https://weather.com/science/nature/news/2021-04-02-meteotsunami-great-lakes-first-of-its-kind |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 4
04 April 1903: The first steamer to pass upbound through the Straits of Mackinac was the LUZON (steel propeller bulk freighter, 353 foot 3,582 gross tons, built in 1902 at Chicago, Illinois). She was heavily coated with ice, even to the top of the pilothouse due to fighting a gale on Lake Huron. On 04 April 1908, ALEXIS W. THOMPSON (steel propeller bulk freighter, 504 foot, 6,437 gross tons) was launched by West Bay City Shipbuilding Co. (Hull #625) at W. Bay City, Michigan for Valley Steamship Co. (W.H. Becker, Mgr.). She lasted until 1962, when she was towed to Hamilton, Ontario, for scrapping by Steel Co. of Canada, Ltd. The keel was laid at Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on April 4, 1978, for the Columbia Transportation Div., Oglebay Norton Co.'s FRED R. WHITE JR (Hull#722). Sea trials of the tanker ROBERT W. STEWART (Hull#802) of American Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, Ohio were run on April 4, 1928. Renamed b.) AMOCO MICHIGAN in 1962, she was sold off the lakes in 1969 and renamed c.) SHUKHEIR. Scrapped in Egypt in 1989. WILLIAM C. ATWATER (Hull#249) was launched on April 4, 1925, by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, for the Wilson Transit Co. Renamed b.) E. J. KULAS in 1936, c.) BEN MOREELL in 1953, d.) THOMAS E. MILLSOP in 1955. Sold Canadian in 1976, renamed e.) E. J. NEWBERRY and f.) CEDARGLEN 1981. Scrapped at Port Maitland, Ontario in 1994. FRED G. HARTWELL (Hull#112) was launched April 4, 1908, by the Toledo Shipbuilding Co., for the Mutual Steamship Co., G. A. Tomlinson, mgr. Renamed b.) HARRY W. CROFT in 1917. Scrapped at Santander, Spain in 1969. Interlake Steamship's E.G. GRACE became the first Maritimer to be sold for scrap when she was acquired by Marine Salvage on April 4, 1984. JEAN-TALON was launched April 4, 1936, as a.) FRANQUELIN (Hull#1517) by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. for the Quebec and Ontario Transportation Co. Ltd. The harbor tug and fire boat EDNA G was launched April 4, 1896, by the Cleveland Ship Building Co., as (Hull#25), for the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railroad Co. On April 4, 1983, and on April 4, 1984, the WILLIAM CLAY FORD, opened the shipping season at Duluth, Minnesota. While the WILLIAM CLAY FORD was traditionally among the first vessels to visit Duluth-Superior, it was coincidence that she opened the port on the same day during her last two seasons in service. On 4 April 1872, the schooner JOHN WESLEY was launched from Bailey's yard at Toledo, Ohio. She was built for Skidmore & Abairs. She was classed as a full-sized canaller and cost $22,000. On 4 April 1881, the last two vessels of the Northern Transit Company, CHAMPLAIN and LAWRENCE, were sold to D. H. Day & Company of Grand Haven, Michigan. 1969: The Liberty ship CORINTHIAKOS made three trips to the Great Lakes beginning in 1960. It had been built as a tanker but rebuilt as a bulk carrier in 1955. The ship was sailing under Liberian registry as h) PACSTAR when it ran aground in a storm on the north shore of Toshima, Tokyo Bay en route from Kure, Japan, to Portland, Oregon, in ballast. The bottom was opened to the sea and the engine room was flooded. Salvage efforts were unsuccessful and the ship was abandoned as a total loss and sold for scrap. 1969: The self-unloader HOCHELAGA of Canada Steamship Lines hit the breakwall stern first while turning with the help of tugs at Conneaut, Ohio. The cargo of coal was lightered to MANITOULIN and HOCHELAGA had to go to Port Colborne for repairs. 1997: ELIJIANNI, a Greek bulk carrier, had visited the Great Lakes in 1979. It was sailing as d) KEKOVA when it was in a collision with the VASILIOS III, a Greek tanker, in the Sea of Marmora on this date in 1997. There were temporary repairs to the port bow but the 27-year-old vessel was sold for scrap and arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, for dismantling on June 2, 1997. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze , Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II,” the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Presque Isle and crew remain quarantined at Milwaukee due to COVID-19 outbreak 4/3 – Milwaukee, WI – There is a coordinated effort underway to help a vessel in distress after a number of its crew members tested positive for COVID-19. The rush is on the find appropriate quarantine quarters for seven crew members still out on the water. The Port Milwaukee took the initial call and called for help from Milwaukee's Health Department, CDC and the Coast Guard. The big red barge is one of the largest of its kind in the Great Lakes. Wednesday, March 31, the Presque Isle pulled into the Port of Gary to drop a load of iron ore with about 22 on board. Two of its mariners were so ill they had to be hospitalized. Twenty-four hours later, the 1,000-foot articulated tug-barge vessel had seven more COVID cases and needed safe harbor. It was a plea for help that we were happy to answer," said Adam Tindall-Schlicht, Port of Milwaukee Director. The vessel will anchor in open water for the next several days as a thorough cleaning and crew exchange are planned. "When it’s time for her to come an on-land docking for that crew exchange to take place she will come under the Hoan Bridge and actually dock on the northwest corner of Jones Island," said Tindall-Schlicht. How long the freighter stays depends on how long it takes to get it disinfected. “Any day lost does impact our ability to move cargo and we’ll continue to try to make up for that best we can," said Eric Peace, Lake Carriers Association Director of Operations and Communications. This is the first reported case of COVID on one of the 46 vessels belonging to the Lake Carriers' Association, after strict guidelines were enacted. “Those preventative measures were put in place back in March of 2020 and they were pretty significant including temperature checks," said Peace. The Presque Isle will get closer to shore in the coming days. "If you are out taking a walk, I know tomorrow’s going to be quite lovely, if you see a vessel in Milwaukee harbor that’s anchored, we’re asking for thoughts and prayers for the sailors onboard to make sure that they remain healthy for Easter weekend," said Tindall-Schlicht. With an abundance of caution, healthy ship members will also quarantine for 14 days. WDJT |
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John D. Leitch back at Hamilton with mechanical issues 4/3 – Hamilton, ON – John D. Leitch, which wintered in Hamilton and left April 1 for what was to be her first trip of the season, to Thunder Bay, was towed by two Groupe Ocean tugs back to port on Friday due to mechanical difficulties. The Leitch was anchored off Hamilton due to winds and will be towed to dock as soon as the weather allows. |
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Port Reports - April 3 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the Duluth/Superior, St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 3
In 1969 the RALPH MISENER (steel propeller bulk freighter, 730 foot, 19,160 gross tons, built in 1967, at Montreal, Quebec) suffered serious fire damage to her engine room during fit-out at Port Colborne, Ontario. She went overseas for scrap in 2012 as b.) GORDON C. LEITCH (ii). On April 3, 1991, the pilothouse of the WILLIAM CLAY FORD of 1953 was moved by a barge towed by Gaelic tug's CAROLYN HOEY and placed on a specially built foundation at the Dossin Museum for display facing the Detroit River as a fully equipped pilothouse. The tanker a.) TEMBLADOR (Hull#15) of the Barnes Ð Duluth Shipbuilding Co., was launched April 3, 1943, for the Creole Petroleum Corp, for off lakes use. She later sailed on the lakes as b.) LIQUILASSIE. On 3 April 1872, the passenger/package freight steam barge ROBERT HOLLAND was launched at Marine City, Michigan. She was towed to Detroit by the propeller TRADER to have her machinery installed. On 3 April 1876, the Port Huron Times reported "The wreck of the schooner HARMONICA, which has been missing for a month or more, has been discovered on the beach near Whitehall, Michigan completely buried in the ice. Four are supposed to have perished." On 3 April 1894, WILLIAM H. BARNUM (wooden propeller freighter, 219 foot, 937 gross tons, built in 1873, at Detroit, Michigan) was carrying corn on her first trip of the season. She was reportedly in poor condition and was insured only for this voyage. Her hull was cut by floating ice and she sank in the Straits of Mackinac about two miles east of present Mackinac Bridge. The tug CRUSADER got her crew off before she sank. 1942: The second TABORFJELL to visit the Great Lakes for the Fjell Line was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic east of New Jersey on this date by U-576. The vessel was en route from Matanzas, Cuba, to New York and Montreal with sugar. The three survivors waited for 20 hours before being rescued. Another 17 crewmates perished. The 1339 gross ton vessel first came inland shortly after being delivered in August 1938. 1975: The self-unloader J.W. McGIFFIN of Canada Steamship Lines was blown aground in the Welland Canal near Thorold. Two holes were punched in the hull and they were repaired at Port Weller Dry Docks. The ship was rebuilt as CSL NIAGARA in 1999. Data from: Skip GIllham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection and the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Presque Isle quarantines at Milwaukee after crew members test positive for COVID-19 4/2 – Milwaukee, WI – A 1,000-foot tug/barge combination entered quarantine at Port Milwaukee Thursday after crew members tested positive for COVID-19. According to MarineTraffic.com, the Presque Isle was at anchor off the port Thursday evening. Port Director Jeff said the ship was waiting for choppy conditions to end before coming into port. A spokesperson for the City of Milwaukee said in a statement that the once the Presque Isle arrives, it will remain at the city's heavy-lift dock for the duration of the quarantine. Some of the articulated tug/barge vessel's crew members will remain on the vessel, while others are expected to be isolated in temporary housing in the Milwaukee area. The port will be working with the city's health department to make sure COVID-19 protocols are in place and the virus does not spread. The owner of the vessel is following established plans for the "possibility of a viral outbreak among its crew," according to the city spokesperson. WTMJ |
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Ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon will start making trips May 7 4/2 – Milwaukee, WI – The Lake Express Ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon will start making high-speed trips across Lake Michigan on May 7. The ferry announced in a news release Wednesday that it would make multiple trips a day starting in May. This means the ferry will operate a full season in 2021. Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the season. The ferry didn't start operating until June in 2020. The Lake Express Ferry will make four crossings daily between Milwaukee and Muskegon from May 7 through June 16. The ferry will make up to six crossings from June 17 through Sept. 6. The trip is about two and a half hours between Milwaukee and Muskegon. The ferry can carry cars, motorcycles, bicycles and pets. The ferry can carry up to 250 passengers, 46 vehicles and 12 motorcycles. Journal Sentinel |
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Mississagi, believed to have been retired, heads to Sarnia 4/2 – The veteran self-unloader Mississagi, widely believed to have been retired in January, sailed for Sarnia, ON, Thursday evening. It is unknown at this time if she will continue her layup there or be refurbished for a return to service. |
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Port Reports - April 2 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the Duluth/Superior, St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Oswego, NY – Ned Goebricher |
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Joseph L. Block captain sails into retirement 4/2 – G Escanaba, MI – An iron ore ship captain sailed into retirement after his four-and-a-half-decade career. He describes the moment as “bittersweet.” Captain Raymond Sheldon has always been interested in ships and water. “I would read books; different books of shipwrecks and survival and ghost stories of the Great Lakes,” said Captain Ray Sheldon, retired Captain of the MV Joseph L. Block. For his whole life, Captain Sheldon has been working on a boat. After four decades on the water, he has quite a few stories to tell. But one in particular stands out to him the most. “Well, my favorite story is how Peggy and I, we got married on the boat on June 30, 2019,” said Captain Sheldon. After Captain Sheldon married, his wife Peggy, also known as “Mrs. Captain”, sailed with him during their first year together. “I was able to ride with him quite a bit and that was really, really fun. I got to experience what he experiences out there,” said Mrs. Captain. When the pandemic began, Mrs. Captain wasn’t allowed on the boat, but she still found ways to spend time with her husband. “I would get in our truck and go to wherever he was, pick him up, we would go to exploring and then I bring him back. He’d get back on and I would go home,” said Mrs. Captain. Captain Sheldon sailed through the Soo Locks for the last time last week with several people watching in support. “It’s nice to have all those memories by people who care about him, who care about the boat, who care about us and who follows us,” said Mrs. Captain. Now, the couple plan to sail to Florida in their own boat. “I’m just really glad to have them home and I’m looking forward to our new captain adventures on our boat called Captains’ Adventure,” said Mrs. Captain. “It’s time to move on to new adventures,” said Captain Sheldon. After a lifetime sailing, to Captain Sheldon, it’s more than just a career. WLUC |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 2
A total of 60 ore boats departed Cleveland between March 31 and April 2 to start the 1948 shipping season. On 02 April 1900, the JOHN MINER (wooden 3-mast schooner, 134 foot, 273 gross tons, built in 1866, at Detroit, Michigan as a bark) was purchased by S. R. Chamberlain from Frank Higgie for $800. She only lasted until 19 October 1902, when she was lost in a storm on Lake Huron. On April 2, 1951, CLIFFS VICTORY was towed, bound for New Orleans, Louisiana, with her deck houses, stack, propeller, rudder and above deck fittings stored on or below her spar deck for bridge clearance. She was outfitted with two 120-foot pontoons, which were built at the Baltimore yard, that were attached to her hull at the stern to reduce her draft to eight feet for passage in the shallow sections of the river/canal system. LEON FALK JR. was launched April 2, 1945, as a.) WINTER HILL, a T2-SE-Al, World War II, a single-screw fuel tanker for U.S. Maritime Commission. CLIFFORD F. HOOD was launched April 2, 1902, as the straight deck bulk freighter a.) BRANSFORD for the Bransford Transit Co., (W. A. Hawgood, mgr.). SENATOR OF CANADA sailed under her own power on April 2, 1985, to Toronto, Ontario, where she was put into ordinary next to her fleet mate the QUEDOC. She was scrapped in Venezuela in 1986. WHEAT KING was lengthened by an addition of a 172 foot 6 inch mid-section (Hull #61) and received a 1,000 h.p. bowthruster. This work reportedly cost $3.8 million Canadian and was completed on April 2, 1976. On April 2, 1953, the straight deck bulk freighter J. L. MAUTHE (Hull#298) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works entered service for Interlake Steamship Co. She operates currently for Interlake as the self-unloading barge PATHFINDER. April 2, 1975 – The State of Michigan filed a Federal Court suit to stop the Grand Trunk Railway from selling the GRAND RAPIDS. It was felt that selling the ferry would build a stronger case for abandonment of the entire ferry service. On 2 April 1874, A. H. HUNTER (wooden propeller tug, 58 foot, 28 gross tons) was launched at Saginaw, Michigan. She was built for Donnelly & Clark of Saginaw by Wheeler. The engine was built by Bartlett & Co. of Saginaw. Her boiler and some other equipment were from the almost new tug KATY REID that burned at Salzburg, Michigan in October 1873. 1976: WHEAT KING was refloated at Port Weller Dry Docks. It had arrived on December 12, 1975, and was lengthened to 730 feet over the winter. The ship would only sail six years with the new dimensions and was retired at the end of the 1981 season. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Jody Aho, Russ Plumb, “Ahoy & Farewell II,” Father Dowling Collection and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series |
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Brushless ship wash coming to Soo Locks 4/1 – The U.S. Army Corpse of Engineers announced today that they are partnering with Holidaze Gas Station and Convenience Stores to bring new, touch-less ship-washing technology to da Soo. Corpse Media Technician Coe Essayons said that the massive automated equipment will be installed in a 100-foot-long translucent-sided building. The building will straddle the west (upstream) end of the new navigation lock being built at the Soo. This will allow transiting vessels to be washed in either the upbound or downbound direction while allowing any soap residue to be skimmed off the water in the lock before the next lockage. A basic wash and rinse will cost about $1 per foot of vessel length. Additional products will be available, such as taconite dust-removing foam and spray wax. Transiting tugboats may wish to pay extra to have Armorall applied to their tires and other rubber fendering. While captains can pay for a wash themselves, kiosks will also be installed at the nearby public viewing platforms. “We think the ship wash will be a huge hit with visiting BoatNerds,” Essayons added. “They are always complaining about the appearance of certain vessels. This way, for a nominal fee, they will be able to ensure that the ships are squeaky clean when they pass the photographer’s hangout at Mission Point.” |
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Interlake chooses the nuclear option
She is the only vessel on the lakes to have had the distinction of having been powered by steam, diesel and nuclear engines. An added bonus: She glows in the dark, making her much easier to spot at night, and that goes for her crew as well. (Photo by Kathryn Lafreniere) |
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Greaseburgers hold the cure for COVID
Repeat daily, if not more frequently, to maintain protection. Studies at the Anchor Bar in Superior, WI, are also underway with promising results. In a related (but not all that surprising move if you know him), Know Your Ships’ head honcho Roger “The Dodger” LeLievre has announced that he has taken a summer job as under chef de cuisine at Clyde’s. “They offered to pay me in Big C burgers,” he said, “All I can eat. That was an offer I could not refuse, plus my vaccination will never expire. Why can argue with that?” |
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Rust is COVID nemesis; Sherwin, Ryerson to become hospital ships 4/1 – Superior, Wis. – In other promising COVID news, researchers have also discovered that rust stops the virus in its tracks. Therefore the retired salt carrier Manistee, idle at Toledo for more years than can be counted by man, will be pressed into immediate service. Reports indicate there is enough rust on board to vaccinate the entire state of Ohio. In a related note, and in an effort to boost Boatnerd participation in getting vaccinated, the idle John Sherwin and Edward L. Ryerson will be converted to hospital ships to transport the vaccine around the Great Lakes. People are expected to line up for miles for a chance to visit these legendary lakers and get their vaccines at the same time. |
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Ugly ducklings need love too 4/1 – In an effort to end discrimination against tug/barge units and other so-called Ugly Ducklings on the Great Lakes, a committee has been formed in Escanaba to discuss the disparaging references directed against combos such as Ashtabula/Defiance and the motor vessel Juan D. Leech. “Ugly boats need love too,” said a crew member on the Leech who asked to remain anonymous. “Beauty is all in the eye of the beholder,” he added. “One man’s pile of doggy poo might be another’s idea of a real pants-wetter.” Ugly boat advocates have also been lobbying the editors of the highly disrespected pamphlet “Know Your Shitz” for greater coverage in the annual publication up to and including a cover photo. "Our efforts have so far fallen on deaf eyes and blind ears" according to spokes-nerd Rave Dobby, “but serious vessel watchers are aware it's only a matter of time before our favorites get their day in the spotlight. I mean, really. How many photos of stylish, cabin-forward straight-deckers with fresh paint can people even tolerate?” |
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HELP WANTED: Armchair Captains
Is that ship broken? Aground? On fire? Why is it going in circles? You can instantly speculate right along with hundreds of others about what might be wrong and immediately blame the captain. Or crew. Or whatever. Up to you, really. The beauty of this job, which takes place from home and involves dozens of social media websites, is you don’t have to let the facts stand in the way of uninformed opinions. Start rumors, offer crackpot theories or just plain stir the pot. The opportunities are endless. Actually, you don’t even need to apply, just log onto Facebook and you are on your way. The job doesn’t pay real money, but you get the satisfaction of being able to spout your opinions to your heart’s content, all the while watching the comments roll in. Growth opportunities available, with Armchair Admiral positions opening up soon. |
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HELP WANTED: Stay At Home Steamship Co. 4/1 - Stay At Home Steamship Co. has immediate openings for unqualified individuals in the deck department. Past work experience helpful but not necessary. In fact the less you know may help you rapidly advance up the hawespipe all the way to the front window. Communication proficiency on social media with an emphasis on screenshots is highly desirable. Working knowledge of Great Lakes webcams a plus. Applicants must demonstrate a proven ability to second guess orders from upper management. “Never Take Anyone's Word For It” is our company motto. |
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Pandemic a winch boon for IMS 4/1 – Internecine Marine Salvage of Port Colborne has been recycling ships for over 50 years. The past 12 months have been boom times for the company. In addition to having a large number of ships to dismantle, they have seen a run on certain used components. “All of our salvaged winches, fairleads, and mooring lines have sold out” stated Ace Tylene, IMS spokesman. The reason for the huge demand in mooring winches is simple: social distancing. “Most mariners are, by nature, pretty anti-social to begin with,” said Rusty Bulwark of LEIU Seaman’s Local 203. “Throw in a global pandemic, and they want nothing to do with their shipmates, even if that just means working together on deck. If six feet of distance is recommended for landlubbers, 100 feet is preferable to most sailors.” The union successfully petitioned shipowners to install additional winches on each vessel to allow crews to quickly tie up in locks or in port, while maintaining social distancing on deck. The sale of mooring winches isn’t the only pandemic-related trend IMS has seen. T he company has also taken advantage of the nationwide surge in jigsaw puzzle sales. “When we scrap a vessel, all we are really doing is creating a giant 3D puzzle” Ace Tylene said. “We saw a market for mind-stimulating backyard recreational activities. So we cut up old vessels into 500 to 1,000 pieces and truck it to your backyard. We even provide a framed photo of the vessel before it was cut up. All you really need to re-assemble the giant 3D puzzle is a crane and some welding experience. A front-end loader is useful for moving and sorting the pieces.” Single screw tugboat puzzles have been the company’s best sellers, given the relatively small area needed to re-assemble them. |
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Ryerson gets a rename thanks to new owner T-Cliffs
The vessel will be repainted in the traditional T-Cliffs’ fleet colors – coal black hulls with baby puke green cabins. The stack will display a large red “C.” Boatnerd traditionalists were dismayed, yet hopeful the steam-belching, whistle-blowing old favorite will soon return to service. “Change is good, except when it isn’t,” said Nerd-In-Chief Rusty Bottums, speaking from his usual haunt, the Anchored Bar in Subperior, WI, while hoisting a frosty pint of Grain Belt beer. |
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A more versatile Rodger Blowh is in the works
Booms will be removed from fleet mates Philerup Clark and Karson J. Cutaway. One boom will be placed forward, the other aft. “We’ll be able to unload anything anywhere,” enthused fleet spokesman “Boom Boom Room” LaFlamme, who said he got the info from his mother via her brother who is related to a highly-spaced industry souse. “We can even unload on the head of a pin, though why anyone would want to do that is beyond me.” April Foolishness brought to you by Roger LeLievre, Tom Hynes, Dave Nobbe and Don Lee |
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Mark W. Barker moved back into dry dock as work continues 4/1 – Sturgeon Bay, WI – Interlake Steamship Co.’s new build, Mark W. Barker, was floated back into the dry dock Wednesday at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding. She is expected to be underway in spring 2022. Interlake Steamship Co. |
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Man charged with setting historic WWII vessel adrift in Oswego Harbor 4/1 – Oswego, N.Y. – Police charged a man Monday with untying a historic World War II tugboat from its mooring and setting it adrift in Oswego Harbor. Shawn M. Moore, 43, was charged with criminal tampering in the third degree, reckless endangerment in the second degree and reckless endangerment of property, Oswego Police said. Police said they were called to the H. Lee White Maritime Museum at 1 W. First St. about 9:40 a.m. Sunday for a report of an “unsecured vessel” in the harbor. Officers found the LT-5 tugboat drifting in the harbor with nobody on it, police said. The Oswego Fire Department’s Marine Unit responded and was able to secure the vessel. With assistance of private contractors, the tugboat was returned to the pier, according to police. Syracuse.com |
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American Mariner, H. Lee White get Grand River stack markings 4/1 – American Mariner, which is still in layup at BayShip in Sturgeon Bay, WI, are in the process of receiving Grand River Navigation stack markings. The same goes for H. Lee White, laid up at Ashtabula. It was announced earlier this year that the smaller American Steamship Co. vessels have been chartered to Grand River. Both companies share the same parent company, Rand Logistics. |
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Port Reports - April 1 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Caden Gonzalez, Isaac Pennock
Milwaukee, WI – Mke Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – April 1
On 01 April 1887, W. T. Botsford & Company of Port Huron, Michigan bought the COLORADO (wooden propeller package freighter, 254 foot, 1,470 gross tons, built in 1867, at Buffalo, New York). She was added to their two other vessels: DEAN RICHMOND and ROANOKE. STEWART J. CORT was commissioned on April 1, 1972. In April 1965, Interlake's steamer J. A. CAMPBELL was renamed c.) BUCKEYE MONITOR after being purchased by the Buckeye Steamship Co. Realizing that the bulk trades were too competitive, Captain John Roen's Roen Transportation Co. sold the CAPTAIN JOHN ROEN to the American Steamship Co. (Boland & Cornelius, mgr.) on April 1, 1947, for $915,000. ROY A. JODREY started her first full season opening navigation at the Soo Locks April 1, 1966, with a load of stone for Algoma Steel. Dismantling of the G. A. TOMLINSON, a.) D. O. MILLS, began in Ashtabula, Ohio, on April 1, 1980, and was completed eight months later. April 1, 1903 – Gus Kitzinger of the Pere Marquette Line steamers, acquired the PERE MARQUETTE 3 & 4 from the Pere Marquette Railway Co. Sailors at Chicago went on strike on 1 April 1871, for an increase in pay. They were getting $1.50 a day. Some ship owners offered $1.75 but when word came that the Straits of Mackinac were clear of ice, the sailors demanded the unheard of daily wage of $3.25. Although some ships stayed in port, the $1.75 wage was accepted and the barks MARY PEREW, J G MASTEN and C J WELLS, along with the schooners DONALDSON, PATHFINDER and CHAMPION set sail on 1 April 1871 On 1 April 1904, CONDOR (2-mast wooden schooner, 58 foot, 22 gross tons, built in 1871, at Sheboygan, Wisconsin), while lying at anchor in the Kalamazoo River at Singapore, Michigan, was crushed by ice moving out in the spring breakup. 1941: ROBERT W. POMEROY had served the Eastern Steamship Co. as well as Upper Lakes & St. Lawrence Transportation Co. while on the Great Lakes from 1923 to 1940. It went overseas and worked for the British Ministry of War Transport hauling coal on coastal routes. While north bound on April 1, 1942, the ship hit a mine and, four minutes later, a second mine and went down in the North Sea off Norfolk, U.K. Twenty-two survived although two were injured when the boiler exploded. 1942: The Norwegian salty GUDVANG came to the Great Lakes in 1939. It was intercepted by a German patrol boat between Denmark and Norway, while trying to escape to England, on this date in 1942. The ship was sunk by gunfire and the crew became prisoners of war. 1968: GHISLAIN was more at home on the St. Lawrence, but had delivered pulpwood to the Great Lakes in the late 1960s. It had several escapades during these years including a grounding while entering Yarmouth, NS with 1400 tons of herring on this date in 1968. The vessel was repaired at Liverpool, NS. It was listed as g) ANIK in 1974 and in need of repairs. While it was not deleted from LR until 1986, the ship was likely broken up in the mid-1970s. 1983: REGENT MARIGOLD visited the Great Lakes in 1975 under Panamanian registry. It was sailing as d) LEXINGTON when the hull fractured in a storm while en route from Bukpyong, South Korea, to Bangladesh. It went down on this date about 200 miles northwest of Penang, Malaysia. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Ahoy & Farewell II, Father Dowling Collection and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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John J. Boland, H. Lee White get Grand River stack marking 3/31 – John J. Boland, which is still in layup at BayShip in Sturgeon Bay, WI, was spotted Tuesday receiving Grand River Navigation stack markings. The same goes for H. Lee White, laid up at Ashtabula. It was announced earlier this year that the smaller American Steamship Co. vessels have been chartered to Grand River. Both companies share the same parent company, Rand Logistics |
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Arctic starts trip to scrapyard 3/31 – The former Fednav vessel Arctic, sold for scrap recently, departed Quebec Tuesday under her own power heaved for Aliaga, Turkey. |
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Port Reports - March 31 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
St. Marys River
Stoneport, MI – Denny Dushane
Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Transport Canada says Norgoma does not fit its plans for Owen Sound port 3/31 – Owen Sound, ON – The M.S. Norgoma’s future in Owen Sound as a proposed tourist destination and floating commerce hub may be dead in the water. In a letter to the City of Owen Sound, Transport Canada manager of airports and ports Patricia Moniz wrote “We regret to advise that we cannot support the proposal at this time as it is not compatible with our land management considerations at the port.”The letter goes on to say the permanent relocation of the Norgoma within the inner harbor “does not align with our plan for the port at this time”. “These considerations include carrying out due diligence and other work in support of a future divestiture of the port pursuant to our Port Asset Transfer Program,” Moniz writes in the letter. Mike Goman of Tobermory Real Estate Investors Inc. (TREII) went in front of Owen Sound’s Community Development, Tourism and Culture Advisory Committee earlier this month and proposed an ambitious plan to tow the 71-year-old ship to Owen Sound from Sault Ste. Marie where it sits in a marine yard awaiting either salvation or scrap. Goman and his business partner originally floated the plan before Northern Bruce Peninsula council, but a feasibility study showed Little Tub Harbour in Tobermory would be too small and too busy to be host to the historic Great Lakes ship. The docking location proposed for the Norgoma in Owen Sound is on the west side of the federal harbor slightly south of the winter docking location of the M.S. Chi-Cheemaun. City councillor Richard Thomas, who chairs the city’s Community Development, Tourism and Culture Advisory Committee, said he was disappointed with Transport Canada’s response to the proposal. “Transport Canada, to this point, hasn’t shown an awful lot of interest in anything in the Owen Sound Harbour,” he said. “We finally got a proposal here, that, quite honestly, drew a lot of enthusiastic response.” Thomas said he was perplexed by Transport Canada’s position the ship wouldn’t fit into their future plans for the harbor. “As far as I’m aware, they certainly haven’t shared any future plans for the harbor so I don’t know what they have in mind,” he said. The letter states Transport Canada may plan to off-load the harbor in the future. Thomas said those talks have been had previously with the city, but never went anywhere. “I was trying to figure out how many times the city has had divestiture talks with them and I think it’s been at least twice, and both times the talks have concluded with no conclusions,” Thomas said. City manager Tim Simmonds said the city has no ongoing or planned formal discussions with Transport Canada regarding divestiture. “Based on the correspondence received, city staff are seeking clarification as to Transport Canada’s ‘Land Management Considerations at the Port'” Simmonds said in an e-mail Monday. Requests for comment made to Transport Canada Monday morning were not immediately returned. In their letter, Transport Canada said they would support commercial, heritage and other activities conducive to a working port. Built in the 1950s in Collingwood, the 188-foot Norgoma was a package freighter and passenger ferry once operated by the Owen Sound Transportation Company. In 1974, the Norgoma and her sister ship the Norisle were replaced by the Chi-Cheemaun, which still does the run today. Sault Ste. Marie bought the vessel for a dollar from the Ontario government in 1975 and the Norgoma has called the waterfront in Sault Ste. Marie home for decades, where it was operated as a museum for much of that time. Last year the city took back ownership of the ship from the volunteer organization that had operated it. It was moved from the city’s Roberta Bondar Marina to a private dock in June 2019 and put up for sale later in the year. “We know that the Norgoma’s days are numbered,” Thomas said. “If something can’t be put together if a home can’t be found for her, she is going to the scrap yard. And here we have an investor who is willing to go out on a line to make this happen and Transport Canada for whatever mysterious reason says no . . . I never say never.” Owen Sound Sun Times |
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No dock available, so Ludington tour boat is likely heading north 3/31 – Ludington, MI – Ludington Harbor Tours’ Al Laaksonen said he is taking his tour boat Princess of Ludington to Manistee after being unable to find a location to dock in Ludington for 2021. “I’ve been looking for five months. I don’t think I’ve missed an inch of space in that harbor,” Laaksonen said of Ludington. The City of Ludington denied Laaksonen a space at one of the two marinas, stating there was not a space for the vessel to dock. At the March 22 city council meeting, discussion indicated that the two sides could seek a place off of the city’s public utilities land that is sandwiched between Lake Street Marina and Thompson Marina on Pere Marquette Lake, a few dozen feet away from where the Princess of Ludington docked in 2020. There are two vessels tied up in those spaces on the city property, and City Manager Mitch Foster said those vessels are owned by Native Americans. He believed the city was required to have space for Native American vessels, and that particular location needed some work done, too. “There had to be rules set up because there is no real parking there. There’s no infrastructure,” Foster said. “Folks would need to park in the street. And he’d have to figure how out to tie up a vessel. There’s not a walkway there. It’s all grass. I told (Laaksonen) two Native American vessels are on that wall. We’ve been told for a generation that we’re required to provide space for them.” Foster said there was a treaty in place that he believed was between the tribes and the state that requires municipalities such as Ludington to have spaces available for Native Americans so they may fish in the waters. Foster said he was still in the process of determining the facts surrounding the treaty as he was unable to locate any written documentation to that effect. Laaksonen said he attempted to contact the owners of both vessels that are tied up along the property, and he was able to get a hold of one, but not the other. He was unable to come to an agreement with either vessel owner, he said. Foster said the city reached out to others that have property along the shore, including Lake Michigan Carferry and Lake Street Marina, but neither location would work. He said he also asked if Laaksonen contacted Pere Pointe Marina and Crosswinds for space. Laaksonen, though, said he looked throughout Ludington’s harbor, and he requested the city to allow him to dock the Princess of Ludington at Harbor View Marina. He was denied by the City of Ludington, though. Even with the location off of Lake Street, Laaksonen believed that getting everything set up with the city, including contracts, may take longer than what he desired. Foster expressed that the city was still working on the potential sites on Monday when he received word from Laaksonen that the Princess may be on its way to Manistee. Laaksonen said he believed the vessel would be back from repairs and storage in Grand Haven by mid-April. The tourboat company is finalizing the language with the City of Manistee to dock the vessel along the Manistee River, Laaksonen said. According to Laaksonen, the vessel will be docked behind the renovated West Shore Community College building. Manistee City Manager Thad Taylor said a tour was given to Laaksonen of the city for available locations, but nothing has yet to be signed, and the two sides are still negotiating a contract. Laaksonen said he thought tours in Manistee could include into Manistee Lake, along the Lake Michigan shoreline south to Big Sable Point Lighthouse and north toward Onekama and Portage Lake. He also said there will continue to be a sunset tour, too. The Princess of Ludington began offering tours in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Harbor Tours and Laaksonen bought the vessel — a one-time ferry for Mackinac Island and then a ferry around the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior — and brought it to Ludington in late May 2020. The company tried to get the ship into Harbor View Marina initially, but later found a place to tie up at Lake Street Marina in Ludington’s Fourth Ward. It began offering tours in July with limited capacity because of the pandemic, and it went to storage in November 2020. Lake Street Marina informed Harbor Tours that the Princess would need to find a new home for 2021, and that pushed Laaksonen and his company to try to find a new home for the vessel. It attempted to get into the state-owned and city-managed Harbor View Marina, but spaces were available. Debate ensued about tying up on the inside of Harbor View Marina, tied up to Waterfront Park, but that, too, was denied. Ludington Daily News |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 31
On 31 March 1971, the American Steamship Company's RICHARD J. REISS grounded at Stoneport, Michigan, while moving away from the dock. She damaged her number nine tank. Christening ceremonies took place at St. Catharines, Ontario, on March 31, 1979, for d.) CANADIAN PROSPECTOR, lengthened by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. ROGER M. KYES (Hull#200) was launched March 31, 1973, at Toledo, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. Renamed b.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS in 1989. WILLIAM R. ROESCH was renamed b) DAVID Z. NORTON in christening ceremonies at Cleveland, Ohio, on March 31, 1995. The PAUL THAYER was also renamed, EARL W. OGLEBAY, during the same ceremonies. JOSEPH S. WOOD was sold to the Ford Motor Co. and towed from her winter lay-up berth at Ashtabula, Ohio, on March 31, 1966, to the American Ship Building's Toledo, Ohio, yard for her five-year inspection. A 900 h.p. bowthruster was installed at this time. She would be rechristened as c.) JOHN DYKSTRA two months later. The steamer b.) J. CLARE MILLER was launched March 31, 1906, as a.) HARVEY D. GOULDER (Hull#342) at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co., for W.A. & A.H. Hawgood of Cleveland, Ohio. On March 31, 1927, the WILLIAM MC LAUGHLAN entered service for the Interlake Steamship Co. when she departed Sandusky, Ohio for Superior, Wisconsin, on her maiden trip. Later renamed b.) SAMUEL MATHER in 1966, sold Canadian in 1975, renamed c.) JOAN M. MC CULLOUGH, and finally d.) BIRCHGLEN in 1982. Scrapped at Point Edward, Nova Scotia, by Universal Metal Co. Ltd. On 31 March 1874, E. H. MILLER (wooden propeller tug, 62 foot, 30 gross tons) was launched at Chesley A. Wheeler's yard in E. Saginaw, Michigan. The power plant from the 1865, tug JENNIE BELL was installed in her. She was renamed RALPH in 1883, and spent most of her career as a harbor tug in the Alpena area. She was abandoned in 1920. 1974: The nine-year old Liberian freighter CAPE PALMAS first came through the Seaway in 1969 after it had been purchased from Swedish interests. The vessel was at Bilbao, Spain, undergoing repairs, on March 31, 1974, when a blaze broke out aft and caused extensive damage. This was repaired and the ship resumed trading. It was converted to the cement carrier c) ASANO in 1978 and served until arriving at Shanghai, China, for scrapping on September 10, 1993. 1999: VARADERO was the first new ship of the 1991 season to use the Seaway. It was bound for Toronto with a cargo of sugar. This bulk carrier was sailing as e) MANPOK, and under North Korean registry, when it sank on this date in 1999 following a collision with HYUNDAI DUKE some 500 miles off Colombo, Sri Lanka, while inbound from Jakarta, Indonesia, with a cargo of cement. Two crew members were rescued while another 37 were posted as missing. 2011: BBC STEINHOEFT got stuck in the Seaway on this date in 2011. The Liberian registered freighter had just been renamed at Toronto, having entered the lakes as BELUGA FUSION. It lost power near the St. Lambert Lock and ended up sideways and blocking the channel until she was refloated and realigned. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection and the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Port Reports - March 30 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. We are particularly looking for reporters for the St. Marys River, Southern Lake Michigan ports and the Hamilton/Toronto area.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Stoneport, MI – Denny Dushane
Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 30
The tanker CHEMICAL MAR arrived at Brownsville, Texas on March 30, 1983, in tow of the tug FORT LIBERTE to be scrapped. Built in 1966, as a.) BIRK. In 1979, she was renamed b.) COASTAL TRANSPORT by Hall Corp. of Canada, but never came to the lakes. She was sold by Hall and was renamed c.) CHEMICAL MAR in 1981. March 30, 1985 – CITY OF MIDLAND's departure was delayed when her anchor snagged one that she had lost in Pere Marquette Lake the previous summer. March 30, 1900, the carferry ANN ARBOR NO 2, grounded on the rocks east of the approach to the channel at Manistique, Michigan. She was pulled off quickly by the ANN ARBOR NO 3 and the tug GIFFORD. She was found to have bent a propeller shaft and broken rudder, resulting in a trip to the drydock at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 1917: GERMANIC was the last wooden passenger ship built in Collingwood. It was completed there in 1899 and burned there, at the dock, on this date in 1917. The ship was part of Canada Steamship Lines at the time of loss. The hull settled on the bottom but was raised, towed towards Wasaga Beach, and run aground. The remains were torn apart for firewood during the Depression. 1940: The first THORDOC, a) J.A. McKEE, stranded at Winging Point, 10 miles southwest of Louisbourg, N.S., due to heavy fog. The ship was abandoned on April 1 and declared a total loss. This member of the Paterson fleet had been travelling in ballast and had been involved in Great Lakes trading since 1908. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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2021 edition of “Know Your Ships” released as new shipping season starts 3/29 – The new shipping season is at hand, and so is the release of "Know Your Ships 2021,” the 62nd edition of the popular annual field guide to boats and boatwatching on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway. This year’s 200-page book includes information on U.S., Canadian and international-flag cargo vessels, tugs, excursion boats and barges in regular Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway service, including owner and port of registry, year and shipyard where built, length, beam, depth, cargo capacity and former names, plus type of engine, horsepower and more. The book also includes many photos and stories of Great Lakes ships and shipping. Standard and spiral bindings are available. Order at this link: www.knowyourships.com |
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Port Reports - March 29 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Charlevoix, MI – Tristin Woolf
Northern Lake Michigan
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Stoneport, MI – Denny Dushane
Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss Sandusky: Kaye E. Barker departed Saturday night for Detroit. George Gradel left for Cleveland. Cleveland: New was at Marathon and NACC Capri was at LaFarge. Sunday arrivals were George Gradel from Sandusky and Manitowoc from Nanticoke. Nanticoke: Sunday departures were Algoma Hansa for Sorel-Tracy, Algonorth for Sarnia and Manitowoc for Cleveland. Algoterra was at Imperial Oil. Algocanada, Algonova and Algosea were all at anchor. |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 29
N. M. Paterson & Sons, PRINDOC (Hull#657) of Davie Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec, was sold off-lakes during the week of March 29, 1982, to the Southern Steamship Co., Georgetown, Cayman Islands and was renamed b.) HANKEY. Later renamed c.) CLARET III in 1990, d.) S SARANTA in 1992, e.) PLATANA IN 1997, Scrapped at Alaiga, Turkey in 1997. On 29 March 1888, D. D. JOHNSON (wooden propeller tug, 45 foot, 17 gross tons) was launched at E. Saginaw, Michigan. She was built for Carkin, Stickney & Cram and lasted until 1909. 1973: MANCHESTER TRADER, the second ship of this name to visit the Great Lakes, was owned by the Prince Line when it first came inland, on charter to Manchester Liners Ltd., in 1964. The ship was renamed e) WESTERN PRINCE in 1969 and also transited the Seaway that year. It became f) MARINER in 1971 and was abandoned in the Pacific on this date in 1973. The ship was leaking in heavy weather en route from Havana, Cuba, to Kobe, Japan, and was presumed to have sunk about 35.00 N / 152.47 E. 1973: DAVID MARQUESS OF MILFORD HAVEN, one of the longest named saltwater ships to visit the Great Lakes, was the first saltwater ship of the season upbound in the Seaway. 1990: The MAYA FARBER visited the Great Lakes in 1981. It arrived at Alang, India, under tow for scrapping on this date following an explosion and fire off Port Sudan as d) RAAD AL-BAKRY VIII on January 15, 1990. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series |
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Tug Theodore Too coming to Port Dover 3/28 – Port Dover, ON – A famous tugboat will make Port Dover its summer home once the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Friday, developer and marine operator Blair McKeil confirmed he has purchased the Theodore Too, an imposing 60-foot craft based on a television series that is popular with children the world over. “He will spend part of the summer in Port Dover,” McKeil said. “He will be up there July and August. It’s a perfect place for him.” Ambassatours Gray Line of Halifax, previous owner of Theodore Too, put the tug up for sale last year. Ambassatours had been thinking of a sale beforehand but the pandemic forced it to act. Social-distancing rules and other pandemic protocols meant it was no longer economical to offer the tug for harbour tours, the company said last year at the time of the listing. The Theodore Too will travel the Great Lakes and elsewhere as a thrill for children and to promote careers in marine industries. McKeil’s family owns McKeil Marine, which has numerous shipping interests on the Great Lakes and which got its start in Nova Scotia. While the Theodore is in Port Dover, McKeil intends to moor it on the west side of the Lynn River across from the Port Dover Yacht Club. McKeil wants to keep the Theodore out of the harbour because the water there can get rough at times, which can be hard on hulls. McKeil added the Theodore will also spend time in the harbor in Hamilton in a high-profile location accessible to families. Interest from buyers and media was intense last year when Ambassatours announced Theodore Too was on the market. Ambassatours fielded numerous offers, but felt McKeil Marine understood the boat and had its best interests at heart. “When we listed Theodore for sale several months ago, we focused on helping him create a new chapter that would harmonize with his roots,” Dennis Campbell, CEO of Ambassatours Gray Line, said in a news release. “While fielding inquiries from all over the world, it was the offer from Blair McKeil that felt like the best fit for Theodore’s personality, experience and potential.” The Theodore Too looks like a novelty boat. But beneath the animated exterior is a well-maintained working vessel. The tug is 60 feet long, 22 feet in the beam and has a draft of nearly nine feet. The Theodore Too is rated for 49 passengers. The boat has two single cabins, two double cabins, a laundry room, a shower, a galley with sink, a refrigerator, a freezer, an oven, a range and a microwave station. The onboard cistern holds 681 gallons of freshwater. It is also fully outfitted with nautical electronics, including two VHF radios, radar, GPS, a hailer, a chart plotter, auto pilot, remote joystick steering, a depth sounder, compass, a rudder angle indicator, closed-circuit TV, a public-address system, and two flat-screen TVs. The Theodore Too also comes with an assortment of life preservers. McKeil says the boat requires a crew of three. He sees the tug making guest appearances at port towns on the north shore of Lake Erie when those communities are having special events and festivals. He says Theodore Too will make its presence felt in Port Dover during Canada Day festivities, fair-weather Friday the 13th motorcycle rallies, and Summerfest. The Theodore Too was inspired by the CBC television program Theodore Tugboat, which ran from 1993 to 2001. |
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Port Reports - March 28 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Michigan
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Owen Sound, ON – Paul Martin
St. Clair, MI – Denny Dushane
Ashtabula, OH – George Luoma |
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Three historic Michigan lighthouses awarded $126K in preservation grants 3/28 – Three historic Michigan lighthouses have been awarded $126,667 in lighthouse preservation grants for repairs and restoration. “Dozens of lighthouses stand sentinel along Michigan’s shorelines and represent an important piece of Michigan’s maritime history. And with the summer travel season fast approaching, lighthouses offer a unique opportunity for tourists to discover and explore off-the-beaten-path destinations,” said Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Martha MacFarlane-Faes in a press release. “Through our lighthouse preservation program, we can help restore these beacons, preserving their beauty and keeping them shining bright for years to come.” The Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program was established to assist in the preservation, rehabilitation, and protection of historic lighthouses in Michigan. To qualify for an MLAP grant, applicants must have at least 50 percent of the MLAP grant amount in matching funds. The 2021 MLAP grant recipients are:
Crisp Point Light Historical Society
North Manitou Light Keepers, Inc.
St. Clair County Parks and Recreation WXYZ |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 28
N. M. Paterson & Sons, PRINDOC (Hull#657) of Davie Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec, was sold off-lakes during the week of March 29, 1982, to the Southern Steamship Co., Georgetown, Cayman Islands and was renamed b.) HANKEY. Later renamed c.) CLARET III in 1990, d.) S SARANTA in 1992, e.) PLATANA IN 1997, Scrapped at Alaiga, Turkey in 1997. On 29 March 1888, D. D. JOHNSON (wooden propeller tug, 45 foot, 17 gross tons) was launched at E. Saginaw, Michigan. She was built for Carkin, Stickney & Cram and lasted until 1909. 1973: MANCHESTER TRADER, the second ship of this name to visit the Great Lakes, was owned by the Prince Line when it first came inland, on charter to Manchester Liners Ltd., in 1964. The ship was renamed e) WESTERN PRINCE in 1969 and also transited the Seaway that year. It became f) MARINER in 1971 and was abandoned in the Pacific on this date in 1973. The ship was leaking in heavy weather en route from Havana, Cuba, to Kobe, Japan, and was presumed to have sunk about 35.00 N / 152.47 E. 1973: DAVID MARQUESS OF MILFORD HAVEN, one of the longest named saltwater ships to visit the Great Lakes, was the first saltwater ship of the season upbound in the Seaway. 1990: The MAYA FARBER visited the Great Lakes in 1981. It arrived at Alang, India, under tow for scrapping on this date following an explosion and fire off Port Sudan as d) RAAD AL-BAKRY VIII on January 15, 1990. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 28
N. M. Paterson & Sons, PRINDOC (Hull#657) of Davie Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec, was sold off-lakes during the week of March 29, 1982, to the Southern Steamship Co., Georgetown, Cayman Islands and was renamed b.) HANKEY. Later renamed c.) CLARET III in 1990, d.) S SARANTA in 1992, e.) PLATANA IN 1997, Scrapped at Alaiga, Turkey in 1997. On 29 March 1888, D. D. JOHNSON (wooden propeller tug, 45 foot, 17 gross tons) was launched at E. Saginaw, Michigan. She was built for Carkin, Stickney & Cram and lasted until 1909. 1973: MANCHESTER TRADER, the second ship of this name to visit the Great Lakes, was owned by the Prince Line when it first came inland, on charter to Manchester Liners Ltd., in 1964. The ship was renamed e) WESTERN PRINCE in 1969 and also transited the Seaway that year. It became f) MARINER in 1971 and was abandoned in the Pacific on this date in 1973. The ship was leaking in heavy weather en route from Havana, Cuba, to Kobe, Japan, and was presumed to have sunk about 35.00 N / 152.47 E. 1973: DAVID MARQUESS OF MILFORD HAVEN, one of the longest named saltwater ships to visit the Great Lakes, was the first saltwater ship of the season upbound in the Seaway. 1990: The MAYA FARBER visited the Great Lakes in 1981. It arrived at Alang, India, under tow for scrapping on this date following an explosion and fire off Port Sudan as d) RAAD AL-BAKRY VIII on January 15, 1990. 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. Coast Guard ends ice breaking operations on Western Great Lakes Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Commander, Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie concluded its domestic ice breaking operation, also known as Operation Taconite. With the ice throughout the Western Great Lakes nearly melted, ice breaking in support of commercial navigation is no longer required. In the 95 days (21 Dec-26 Mar) of the 2021 Domestic Icebreaking Season, the eight ice breaking assets assigned to Op Taconite combined to deliver 468 hours of icebreaking assistance to the benefit of 109 vessel transits; 19 of these movements (5 US, 14 CA) required direct ice breaking assistance to ensure commercial vessel safety. These same ice breaking assets put forth an additional 1,600 hours of preventative icebreaking support to establish and maintain tracks in the ice hampered waterways of western Lake Superior, the Straits of Mackinac, Green Bay, Georgian Bay and the St Marys River. It is estimated more than two million tons of dry bulk cargoes were assisted during the 95 days of 2021 domestic icebreaking season. This translates to roughly $77 million of cargo critical to power generation, industrial productivity and public safety, aided during the period of ice cover. |
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First saltwater vessel for 2021 enters Seaway 3/27 – Federal Cedar, IMO 9671101, built in 2016 at the Oshima Shipbuilding Co. in Oshima, Japan, arrived in Montreal, Quebec early on March 26, becoming the first official saltwater vessel to enter the St. Lawrence Seaway for the 2021 season. They are enroute to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., where they are expected to arrive sometime around March 31. Federal Cedar was built in 2016 as part of the C-series of vessels built for Fednav Ltd. at the Oshima Shipbuilding. |
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Port Reports - March 27 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Northern Lake Huron
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Halifax's life-sized Theodore Tugboat is moving to Ontario 3/27 – Halifax, ON – Theodore Too, Nova Scotia's life-sized TV replica tugboat, will soon start a new chapter promoting marine careers while based out of Hamilton, Ont., according to a release from current owner Ambassatours Gray Line. The tug has been sold to marine industrialist Blair McKeil, who has strong ties to Nova Scotia. In his new role, Theodore will embark on promotional missions throughout the Great Lakes and Atlantic Canada to get people excited about the marine industry, McKeil said. While many Atlantic Canadians grew up with friends or family working on the ocean or in marine jobs, McKeil said that's not the case for millions of people in Ontario. "Ideally, we're going to use Theodore as a bit of a mascot and to sort of create awareness toward the whole industry, whether it's transportation or shipyards themselves," McKeil said Friday. "It had to be Theodore. He's the only guy who could do that." Theodore Tugboat was the title character of a children's television show that aired on CBC from 1993 to 2001. The replica boat was built in Dayspring, N.S., in 2000. McKeil is a regular visitor to Nova Scotia with business interests in the province, the release said. His paternal grandfather and his father are from Pugwash, while his maternal grandfather was from Cape Breton. Theodore, who was named as Halifax's welcoming ambassador by Mayor Mike Savage in 2016, was put on the market for $495,000 last July. Dennis Campbell, CEO of Ambassatours, said at the time that the company had been subsidizing Theodore's operation for several years. With a severe reduction in waterfront visitors due to COVID-19, it decided to launch the tugboat into new waters. McKeil said he'd had his eye on Theodore long before this. He had offered to buy the tugboat a few years ago, but Campbell wasn't interested at the time. When he heard that Theodore was being sold, McKeil said he called Campbell right away. He's also glad to see Ambassatours come through "a heck of a hard time" with the pandemic.) "You know, we don't own anything. We spend time with things for a while and then we're gone," McKeil said. "Theodore … will be a big part of our life for a while. So we're excited about that." McKeil said his sons, now 25, grew up watching the show and his whole family is excited to welcome the famous tug. Theodore will also be involved in promoting the preservation and protection of freshwater, McKeil said, as well as philanthropic projects like taking kids along for rides. In the release Friday, Campbell said the company was looking for a buyer that would "harmonize" with Theodore's roots. "While fielding inquiries from all over the world, it was the offer from Blair McKeil that felt like the best fit for Theodore's personality, experience and potential," Campbell said. There was a local crowdfunding campaign launched in an attempt to buy Theodore and keep him in the province, but that closed in September 2020. The $2,100 raised was given to United Way Halifax instead, the page states. Although the smiling vessel will soon be based in Ontario, Campbell said he's confident that Maritimers will see Theodore again during his promotional tours. McKeil said he is hopeful that will happen at some point, "but Nova Scotia is always going to be his home." Theodore's departure date from Halifax has yet to be decided, since it will be influenced by weather and interprovincial COVID-19 regulations. But McKeil said Theodore will stick around Halifax for the next couple months, before he starts working his way up the Nova Scotia coast en route to Ontario in June. Before becoming a Halifax harbor tour vessel operated by Murphy's and Ambassatours, Theodore spent many summers on the Great Lakes, other Canadian ports, and down the U.S. Eastern Seaboard promoting Nova Scotia as a destination. CBC |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 27
On 26 March 1922, OMAR D. CONGER (wooden passenger-package freight, 92 foot, 200 gross tons, built in 1887, at Port Huron, Michigan) exploded at her dock on the Black River in Port Huron with such violence that parts of her upper works and engine were thrown all over the city. Some said that her unattended boiler blew up, but others claimed that an unregistered cargo of explosives ignited. She had been a Port Huron-Sarnia ferry for a number of years. The CITY OF MOUNT CLEMENS (wooden propeller "rabbit,” 106 foot, 132 gross tons) was launched at the Chabideaux yard in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, on 26 March 1884. She was towed to Detroit to be fit out. She was built for Chapaton & Lacroix. She lasted until dismantled in 1921. 1935: A fire destroyed the small wooden bulk carrier ALICE M. GILL that had been laid up at Sandusky since the end of the 1926 season. The ship had been built as a tug for the logging industry and later served as a lighthouse tender and then a small bulk carrier. The remains were scrapped. 1971: The former CLEMENS SARTORI stranded off the coast of Algeria in bad weather as b) PIRAEUS while en route from Antwerp, Belgium, to Mersin, Turkey, and was abandoned by the crew as a total loss. The vessel was a pre-Seaway visitor to the Great Lakes for the West German firm of Sartori and Berger and, in July 1958, was the first westbound salty to use the recently opened American locks at Massena, NY. It made 20 trips to the Great Lakes (1959-1965) mainly on charter to the Hamburg-Chicago Line. 1976: RAMON DE LARRINAGA is remembered as the first Seaway era saltwater vessel into the port of Duluth-Superior, arriving amid great fanfare on May 3, 1959. The ship was sailing as c) MARIAN when it sustained hull damage clearing the port of Lisbon on this date in 1976. Portuguese authorities ordered the vessel towed out to sea and it foundered off Cascais, Portugal, the following day. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Strong steel demand fuels hopes for solid Great Lakes shipping season 3/26 – Duluth, MN – The Edgar B. Speer was one of about a dozen Great Lakes cargo ships taken out of service last year as the pandemic sapped the steel industry and demand for the Minnesota-mined iron ore that feeds it. Now the thousand-foot vessel will be among the first ships to arrive in Two Harbors on Thursday afternoon to fill up on taconite bound for Midwestern steel mills. "We've seen a huge uptick in demand for raw materials," said Eric Peace, spokesman for the Lake Carriers' Association, which represents U.S. vessels on the Great Lakes. "We're ready and raring to go, and while we can't predict what's going to happen with the economy, things are looking up." The Great Lakes shipping season kicked off this week with high hopes for a much-improved year following rough waters while the pandemic ravaged the economy. Last season the Port of Duluth-Superior saw its lowest tonnage levels in more than 80 years. With taconite operations now back to full production — the iron ore pellets comprise the majority of shipments out of the port — it should be a busy, or at least normal, year on the waterfront. "The Iron Range mines are open and active, the nation's blast furnace utilization rate has climbed back to pre-pandemic levels and there's an increasingly healthy demand for steel. All of that bodes well for the Port of Duluth-Superior," said Deb DeLuca, the port's executive director. Analysts expect Cleveland-Cliffs and U.S. Steel, which own and operate the six active mines on the Iron Range, to turn a profit this year after losses in 2020. Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves told investors earlier this year that "demand is good. That's the most important thing, demand is fantastic." The company's mines now include Hibbing Taconite and Minorca after the purchase of ArcelorMittal USA last year. U.S. Steel, which lost $1.17 billion last year, expects to earn $265 million in the first quarter of 2021. "Solid market fundamentals, low steel supply chain inventories, continued consumer-driven demand, and pent-up infrastructure demand has us increasingly bullish," CEO David Burritt said in a news release this month. Last year the Port of Duluth-Superior shipped 15.3 million tons of taconite, the lowest level since 2015 and 2016 when mines were idled for an extended period due in part to foreign steel dumping. The port moved a total of 25.8 million tons of cargo in 2020, the lowest level since 1938. An increase in grain exports through the Twin Ports was a bright spot, and that trend could continue — depending on a host of global factors. "If Europeans are getting grain somewhere else or Ukraine has a great crop, that affects us in Duluth," said Stephen Sydow, operations manager with Daniel's Shipping Services. "There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to forecasting shipments. I'd live in one of those houses on top of the hill if I had all the answers." On Monday the St. Lawrence Seaway opened to international ships, the first of which could arrive in Duluth within a week or so. Last year imports of wind turbine parts set a record, and DeLuca said the "early-season grain outlook appears to be business as usual, which is promising." Already domestic ships loaded with coal and iron ore have left the port, bound for the Poe Lock on the eastern end of Lake Superior that opened at noon on Wednesday, 12 hours earlier than normal to help the Coast Guard break lingering and free-floating ice "The ice is moving around, so when it starts shifting in and out of routes it can be more challenging," said Peace with the Lake Carriers' Association. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the lock, was "able to accommodate an early opening request due to being ahead of schedule and completing all required maintenance tasks during our annual winter season closure," the Corps said in a statement. The smaller of the two Soo Locks that connect Lake Superior to the lower lakes will remain closed until mid-April. Peace said that could cause congestion depending on how many international ships are headed in and out of Lake Superior early this season. Work toward a new Poe-sized lock — large enough to fit the ore-carrying lakers — is "looking good," Peace said. Dredging began last year on the $922 million project that is seen as vital for keeping commerce moving on the water should the one gateway connecting Minnesota iron ore to steel mills unexpectedly close. Star Tribune |
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First ship of the season arrives at Hamilton harbor 3/26 – Hamilton, ON - The first ship of the season, Baie St. Paul, pulled into the harbor early Wednesday morning. The Hamilton port authority says navigating the rocky waters of the pandemic has shown the world the importance of sustainable supply chains. View the news report here: youtube.com/watch?v=LQf9sSeeezA |
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Port Reports - March 26 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary Putney
Thunder Bay, ON
Marquette, MI – Fred A Tijan
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Marine City, MI – Rod Burdick
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski |
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Fednav’s Arctic sold for scrap 3/26 – Fednav's multi-purpose vessel Arctic currently in Quebec City has been sold for demolition and recycling in Aliaga, Turkey. It is listed as a tanker / bulk carrier / ore carrier.(OBO carrier) Built at Port Weller in 1978 as a bulk carrier only, it was lengthened by the same shipyard in 1985 and converted. René Beauchamp |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 26
On 26 March 1922, OMAR D. CONGER (wooden passenger-package freight, 92 foot, 200 gross tons, built in 1887, at Port Huron, Michigan) exploded at her dock on the Black River in Port Huron with such violence that parts of her upper works and engine were thrown all over the city. Some said that her unattended boiler blew up, but others claimed that an unregistered cargo of explosives ignited. She had been a Port Huron-Sarnia ferry for a number of years. The CITY OF MOUNT CLEMENS (wooden propeller "rabbit,” 106 foot, 132 gross tons) was launched at the Chabideaux yard in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, on 26 March 1884. She was towed to Detroit to be fit out. She was built for Chapaton & Lacroix. She lasted until dismantled in 1921. 1935: A fire destroyed the small wooden bulk carrier ALICE M. GILL that had been laid up at Sandusky since the end of the 1926 season. The ship had been built as a tug for the logging industry and later served as a lighthouse tender and then a small bulk carrier. The remains were scrapped. 1971: The former CLEMENS SARTORI stranded off the coast of Algeria in bad weather as b) PIRAEUS while en route from Antwerp, Belgium, to Mersin, Turkey, and was abandoned by the crew as a total loss. The vessel was a pre-Seaway visitor to the Great Lakes for the West German firm of Sartori and Berger and, in July 1958, was the first westbound salty to use the recently opened American locks at Massena, NY. It made 20 trips to the Great Lakes (1959-1965) mainly on charter to the Hamburg-Chicago Line. 1976: RAMON DE LARRINAGA is remembered as the first Seaway era saltwater vessel into the port of Duluth-Superior, arriving amid great fanfare on May 3, 1959. The ship was sailing as c) MARIAN when it sustained hull damage clearing the port of Lisbon on this date in 1976. Portuguese authorities ordered the vessel towed out to sea and it foundered off Cascais, Portugal, the following day. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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New shipping season underway at Soo Locks 3/25 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The Soo Locks opened for the season just after noon on Wednesday. The first upbound passage was the tug Laura L. VanEnkevort / barge Joseph H. Thompson. Capt. Daniel Deady and Chief Engineer Randy Steen, greeted by a small group of local dignitaries, were presented with two plaques, First Boat 2021 ball caps and copies of Know Your Ships. Boatwatchers filled the observation stand and Soo Locks Park grounds despite a steady rain as the vessels locked through. They were followed up by fleetmates Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader. Joseph L. Block was next, with Capt. Ray Sheldon, retiring when the vessel arrives at Two Harbors after more than 44 years on the lakes. Capt. Sheldon blew multiple salutes to friends and family, including his wife Peggy, who was holding a large banner wishing her husband well in retirement and signed by many of the Boatnerds on hand for the event. The next vessels were Indiana Harbor, followed by Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader, Edwin H. Gott, Sharon M 1 / Huron Spirit, Presque Isle, Walter J. McCarthy Jr., James R. Barker, Stewart J. Cort and Edgar B. Speer. American Spirit and Spruceglen were nearing DeTour at 10 p.m. Burns Harbor was above the locks Wednesday night and will be the first downbound for the season. View reports about opening day at this link: https://www.9and10news.com/2021/03/24/mtm-on-the-road-soo-locks-open-early-for-the-season |
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Port Reports - March 25 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Thunder Bay, ON
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Northern Lake Huron:
Lake Erie Ports Wednesday – Bill Kloss, David Nolan |
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Museum extends spring series to include 2 new virtual lectures 3/25 – Toledo, OH – Due to the success of their previous presentations, the National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) is announcing the addition of two more lectures to their 2021 Spring Virtual Lecture Series. The first added lecture titled “An Illustrated History of the Soo Locks” will take place Wednesday, April 14, at 7 p.m. and features Michelle Briggs, who, since 2009, has served as the Soo Locks’ Chief Park Ranger. “Our virtual lectures have surpassed our expectations. We’re breaking attendance records well beyond any we ever saw pre-pandemic,” explains Carrie Sowden, the museum’s Archaeology Director and virtual lecture moderator. “Additionally, because our membership extends across the nation and beyond, the virtual presentations have allowed us to continue spreading our mission to individuals who previously might not have been able to join us due to distance barriers.” Traditionally, the museum’s Spring Lecture Series consists of three presentations. This season the museum will host five virtual lectures after consistently reaching 250-500 registrants, for every lecture since kick-off. Not included in that total is the number of individuals also connecting to their lectures post-production via YouTube. The upcoming Soo Locks lecture will showcase hundreds of historic photos to lead an in-depth exploration of the National Historic Landmark and linchpin of Great Lakes navigation. Then on May 12 at 7 p.m., Great Lakes vessel historian and photographer Chris Winters will highlight the St. Marys Challenger (a sister ship of NMGL’s Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship) whose pilot house will soon join the museum grounds as their newest artifact. For more information on both lectures or to register for the events, visit nmgl.org. Event registration is required but free. Donations are encouraged and can be given at registration. National Museum of the Great Lakes |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 25
HENRY G. DALTON (Hull#713) was launched March 25, 1916, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co., for the Interlake Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio – the company's first 600 footer. FRANK R. DENTON was launched March 25, 1911, as a.) THOMAS WALTERS (Hull#390) at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. for the Interstate Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio. On March 25, 1927, heavy ice caused the MAITLAND NO 1, to run off course and she grounded on Tecumseh Shoal on her way to Port Maitland, Ontario. Eighteen hull plates were damaged which required repairs at Ashtabula, Ohio. The steamer ENDERS M. VOORHEES participated in U.S. Steel's winter-long navigation feasibility study during the 1974-75 season, allowing only one month to lay up from March 25th to April 24th. March 25, 1933 – Captain Wallace Henry "Andy" Van Dyke, master of the Steamer PERE MARQUETTE 22, suffered a heart attack and died peacefully in his cabin while en route to Ludington, Michigan. 1966: The French freighter ROCROI made one trip through the Seaway in 1959. The ship arrived at Halifax on this date in 1966 with interior damage after the 'tween decks, loaded with steel, collapsed crushing tractors and cars beneath. The vessel was repaired and survived until 1984 when, as e) THEOUPOLIS, it hit a mine en route to Berbera, Somalia, on August 14, 1984. The vessel was badly damaged and subsequently broken up in India. 1973: The former MONTREAL CITY caught fire as b) RATCHABURI at Bangkok, Thailand, on March 24, 1973. It was loading a cargo of jute and rubber for Japan on its first voyage for new Thai owners. The vessel was scuttled and sank on March 25 in Pattani Bay, South Thailand. The ship began coming through the Seaway for the Bristol City Line when new in 1963. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Great Lakes shipping season poised for rebound 3/24 – Duluth, MN – As indicators go, this week's 12-hour head start to the 2021-22 Great Lakes shipping campaign is viewed as a positive sign for an industry coming off historic losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. "It happened because industry partners requested to open early in order to accelerate the resupply of iron ore to steel mills on the lower lakes," Duluth Seaway Port Authority Executive Director Deb DeLuca said last week. "It bodes well for our port." The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the opening of the Soo Locks, on the eastern end of Lake Superior, for 11 a.m. Wednesday — a half-day ahead of the industry's usual start under the cover of midnight. The announcement was met with vigor. The vessel traffic website Harbor Lookout shows a dozen ore boats arriving at loading docks in the Twin Ports, Two Harbors and Silver Bay beginning Thursday afternoon. All of the arrivals are set to leave with loads of taconite iron ore. Mines on the Iron Range are open and active. Blast furnaces at steel mills on the lower lakes are being used at rates nearing 80% and rising. "2021 does seem poised for a rebound in tonnage," DeLuca said. "There's an increasingly healthy demand for steel. So, that's all positive." Iron ore is the primary cargo in the Twin Ports, accounting for roughly two-thirds of all cargoes. Last season, 15.4 million tons of iron ore moved through the port of Duluth-Superior — the worst total since illegal foreign steel created a glut in the domestic market in 2015 (13.9 million tons) and 2016 (14.8 million tons). The ore slump left total tonnage through the port of Duluth-Superior at 25.8 million short tons last season — the lowest single-season total since 1938, when 23 million tons of cargo left the port. "Shipments of some construction materials, petroleum, and iron ore took a heavy hit from the pandemic," said Bruce Burrows, president and CEO for the Canada-based Chamber of Marine Commerce, noting improvements by season's end. "Key cargo segments like iron ore and construction materials will continue to improve, but the extent will be dependent on the pace of economic recovery in both countries, and how governments handle vaccination distribution and economic stimulus measures." While the pandemic saw to it that cargo movements suffered last year, workers aboard the boats appeared to stay healthy. The U.S. Coast Guard reported no positive COVID-19 cases on ships transiting Duluth-Superior last season. To keep that record intact, the industry needs to have its workers vaccinated, Burrows said. "These workers are just as much frontline workers as those in trucking, rail, airline and other essential services that have ensured our supply chains continue to operate," Burrows said. "Vaccinations will be important to ensure the mobility of our workers and to improve opportunities for crews to have shore leave, which is incredibly important for their health and well-being." Grain movements buoyed the Great Lakes system last season with a banner year, driven by a 27% surge in exports. "Ports with strong grain volumes were able to make up for declines in other cargo volumes," Burrows said. That wasn't the case in Duluth-Superior, where grains came in slightly under 2019's figure — 1.4 million tons last year compared to 1.5 million tons the year prior. "It's a commodity prone to fluctuation," DeLuca said. "We're expecting business as usual." One cargo for which a rebound isn't a given: coal. Coal tonnage through the Twin Ports peaked at 22.1 million short tons in 2008. The intervening years have not been kind to the Superior coal dock, Midwest Energy Resources Co., where coal totals fell to 5.4 million short tons in 2020. The retiring of coal-fueled power plants is one reason, said Detroit-based spokesperson Renee McClelland. "We anticipate having a better season than last year as the winter was not as mild as the previous year, and the pandemic really impacted us during the first half of last year," McClelland said. She noted the loss of coal exports — once a staple, but now a forgotten cargo for outgoing foreign ships. "The export market has dried up for MERC at this time as the cost of coal we were competing against has come down dramatically in the past six to seven years," McClelland said. The dock has been able to deliver new coal types to new customers, "but not enough to cover the volume losses we have experienced due to customers retiring their power plants that utilize coal," McClelland said. For now, coal continues to have a loyal customer in the steel-makers. "Coal is still an important input for steel-making, so that domestic market continues," Burrows said. Finally, after back-to-back record-breaking years for windmill components, DeLuca doesn't expect wind energy parts to reach those levels this year. In fact, project cargoes figure to be down, DeLuca said, explaining that general cargoes come in chunks at a time. "It depends on having projects in the region we can serve," she said. "We'll have a decent year, but nothing like last year." Asked if there were other indicators that could spell a recovery from last year's pandemic-addled shipping campaign, DeLuca pointed to the Port Authority's annual First Ship Contest. Conducted with Visit Duluth, the winner of the contest is the person who correctly guesses the arrival of the first foreign vessel to Duluth-Superior. The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System opened for transit on the East Coast earlier this week. Contest entries have closed, and the winner of the contest receives a weekend stay in Duluth. "We've already surpassed entries from last year," DeLuca said. "We've got about 4,000 guesses. Obviously, lots of people are excited about the shipping season." Duluth News Tribune |
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Soo Locks to open at noon Wednesday 3/24 – Sault Ste. Marie, MIG – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District’s Soo Area Office will open the Poe Lock at noon Wednesday, marking the start of the 2021 Great Lakes shipping season. First upbound passage will be the tug Laura L. VanEnkevort / barge Joseph H. Thompson. They are expected to be followed by fleetmates Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader. Both combos were tied up at the lower piers Tuesday night. Joseph L. Block and Indiana Harbor with follow the VanEnkevort vessels upbound. They were anchored at Nine Mile Tuesday evening. Boatwatchers at the Soo for first boat will have access to the Soo Locks park and viewing platform. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working on plans to open the Soo Locks Visitor Center on May 9, depending on health condition as well as CDC, federal and state requirements. |
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Port Reports - March 24 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
Duluth-Superior – David Schauer
Thunder Bay, ON
St. Marys River – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Michigan
Monroe, MI
Lake Erie Ports Tuesday – Bill Kloss, David Nolan |
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More vessels fit out for the season
3/24 –
Here are the fit-outs for March 23. Denny Dushane |
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Man facing charges for untying tugboat from Oswego maritime museum 3/24 – Oswego, NY – On Sunday, the Oswego Police Department was called to the H. Lee White Maritime Museum for an unsecured vessel. Around 9:40 a.m., an LT-5 tugboat that was tied at the museum in the harbor was found drifting unattended. The Oswego Fire Department’s Marine Unit responded, and with the help of private contractors, the tugboat was secured. An investigation identified Shawn M. Moore, 43, as the person responsible for untying the tugboat. Moore has been charged with criminal tampering and reckless endangerment of property. The LT-5 tugboat, maintained and operated by the H. Lee White Maritime Museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The LT-5 tugboat participated in the D-Day Invasion of World War II, leaving Exmouth, England as part of a fleet of tugs, barges, merchant ships, and concrete caissons with the mission of establishing artificial harbors to ensure the steady supply of men and materials needed for the continued assault of German forces. Delayed by heavy winds, the LT-5 arrived off the coast of Normandy in the early morning of June 7th, 1944. After remaining in service throughout World War II, the LT-5 returned to the United States and helped with the maintenance of harbors and worked on construction projects including the St. Lawrence Seaways. The LT-5, now part of the maritime museum, serves as a regional attraction, open for tours and display in Oswego throughout the year. “It is unfortunate that a person had the urge to take such time and energy trying to destroy a local, unique and iconic landmark like the LT-5 tugboat. Regardless, we pledged yesterday to do whatever it takes to track down whoever was responsible for this thoughtless act and let’s hope the justice system holds this individual accountable,” said Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow. WIBV |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 24
ALPENA (Hull#177) was launched on March 24, 1909, at Wyandotte, Michigan, by Detroit Ship Building Co. for the Wyandotte Transportation Co. IRVIN L. CLYMER was launched March 24, 1917, as a.) CARL D. BRADLEY (Hull#718) at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. the third self-unloader in the Bradley Transportation Co. fleet. The SAMUEL MATHER was transferred on March 24, 1965, to the newly-formed Pickands Mather subsidiary Labrador Steamship Co. Ltd. (Sutcliffe Shipping Co. Ltd., operating agents), Montreal, Quebec, to carry iron ore from their recently opened Wabush Mines ore dock at Pointe Noire, Quebec to U.S. blast furnaces on Lakes Erie and Michigan. She was renamed b.) POINTE NOIRE. PETER ROBERTSON was launched March 24, 1906, as a) HARRY COULBY (Hull#163) at Wyandotte, Michigan, by Detroit Ship Building Co. for the L. C. Smith Transit Co., Syracuse, New York. On 24 March 1874, the 181-foot, 3-mast wooden schooner MORNING STAR was launched at E. Saginaw, Michigan, by Crosthwaite. On 24 March 1876, CITY OF SANDUSKY (wooden side-wheel passenger/package freight vessel, 171 foot, 608 gross tons, built in 1866, at Sandusky, Ohio) burned and sank in the harbor at Port Stanley, Ontario. On 24 March 1876, MINNIE CORLETT (wooden scow-schooner, 107 gross tons, built before 1866) was sailing light from Chicago, Illinois, to Two Rivers, Wisconsin, on Lake Michigan when she stranded and then sank. No lives were lost. 1905: The wooden passenger and freight carrier LAKESIDE was built in Windsor in 1888. It spent most of its life operating between Niagara and Toronto. During fit out on this date in 1905, the ship sank at the dock in Port Dalhousie when water was sucked in through the seacock after the engine filling the boiler shut down. The hull was refloated and returned to service until the DALHOUSIE CITY was built in 1911. 1981: The West German freighter ANNA REHDER first came through the Seaway in 1967 when it was two years old. It was sold and renamed LESLIE in 1973. The captain last reported his position on this date in 1981 and that they were encountering heavy weather while en route from Boulogne, France, to Umm Said, Qatar. There was no further word and it is believed that the ship went down with all hands in the Atlantic off the coast of Spain. A ring buoy was later found north of Cape Finnestere. 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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Soo Locks to open early: Shipping season begins this week 3/23 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District’s Soo Area Office will open the Poe Lock at noon Wednesday, marking the start of the 2021 Great Lakes shipping season. The office believes the start will provide a safer timeframe for vessels to transit Whitefish Bay and the St. Marys River. It also facilitates U.S. Coast Guard ice breaking prior to and after the initial lock transits, said James Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers Association, in a news release. “The efficiency of icebreaking for the first transits is the primary driver for this request,” Weakley said. “The shipping industry requested an early season opening to ensure safety of the vessels, officials said. The Detroit District accommodated an early opening request due to being ahead of schedule and completing all required maintenance tasks during the annual winter season closure, said District Commander Lt. Col. Scott Katalenich in a news release. The locks officially closed Jan. 15 to undergo critical repairs and maintenance during the 10-week winter shutdown. Maintenance crews performed a variety of tasks on the Poe Lock, including dry docking and repairing a barge, performing upstream and downstream miter gate structural repair work, replacing ice flushing valves on the upstream miter gates and making repairs to a filling valve and an emptying valve. Other work included intermediate gate sill repairs, cleaning the Poe Lock’s underfloor drainage system, replacing fender timbers on the piers, and inspecting and performing preventative maintenance on electrical and mechanical systems for the Poe and MacArthur locks. “We worked hard to accelerate work up front during our annual closure, with crews working 10 hours for six days straight to optimize the short time available for critical maintenance and repairs,” Katalenich said. “Due to the hard work of our maintenance crews and some mild weather at the beginning of our closure period, we’ve been able to accomplish all required work ahead of schedule.” Poe Lock rewatering began March 15, which will support U.S. Coast Guard ice breakers preparing the shipping channels for the opening of the navigation season. nThe MacArthur Lock, located south of the Poe, will remain closed until mid-April. “We welcome visitors into the park for the 2021 Soo Locks season opening,” Katalenich said. “The park and viewing platform will be open, but we ask everyone entering the park follow (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines and (Department of Defense) instructions to wear masks on federal property, including outdoor shared spaces when social distancing cannot be maintained.” The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working on plans to open the Soo Locks Visitor Center on May 9, depending on health condition as well as CDC, federal and state requirements. “We’re excited about the possibility of opening the visitor center and have several new exhibits for visitors to enjoy,” chief park ranger Michelle Briggs said in a news release. The Mining Journal |
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Baie St. Paul opens Seaway, other vessels sail on first trips of the season 3/23 – Baie St. Paul was given the Top Hat for first upbound ship at Montreal and the St. Lambert Lock Monday, however the Tim S. Dool was the first overall upbound vessel, departing Cote Ste. Catherine where they were laid-up for the winter.
Departures from layup included: It was a busy opening day at the Seaway locks, with Thunder Bay sailing from Montreal and Spruceglen from Toronto. Algoma Mariner and Algonorth were also upbound in the Seaway Monday. Denny Dushane |
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Port Reports - March 23 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
St. Marys River
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Daniel Lindner
Holland, MI – Bill Van Appledorn
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Michigan
Lake Erie Ports Monday – Bill Kloss
Toronto, ON – Gerry Ouderkirk |
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Museum tug LT-5 rescued after drifting into harbor, police investigating 3/23 – Oswego, NY – The Port City’s historic harbor tugboat was successfully returned to its dock after becoming unmoored this past weekend, and authorities are investigating if someone deliberately set the vessel adrift. Crews from the Oswego Fire Department, Oswego Police Department, H. Lee White Maritime Museum, Port of Oswego Authority and other agencies gathered at the end of the West First Street Pier on Sunday morning to attempt the recovery of the U.S. Army Transport LT-5, also known as the Elisha K. Henson. The 78-year-old tugboat was built in New York City and saw action in the English Channel during World War II. It's also a National Historic Landmark and was granted more than $350,000 for maintenance under the federal "Save America's Treasures" effort. The United States Coast Guard first reported the ship was untethered from its seasonal moorings, according to Oswego Fire Department (OFD) Chief Randy Griffin. “We’re not sure how much of it is sitting aground,” Griffin told The Palladium-Times as two of his officers approached and boarded the LT-5 from the department’s light watercraft. “When (the LT-5) broke free, or was let free, she started to drift away and she’s pretty steady on the sand right now.” The portion of the Oswego Harbor adjacent to the West First Street Pier is dredged to allow the Coast Guard and United States Geological Survey to enter and exit, but the LT-5 drifted far enough to become stuck. OFD personnel secured the ship’s lines, then brought the lines back to shore where they were attached to a waiting tow truck. The truck’s torque, combined with guidance from firefighters and other first responders, was able to guide the ship gently back to its berth. The entire process took roughly 15 minutes. Officials said they’re investigating how the ship broke free. The LT-5's ropes were recently purchased and installed by the museum, and the lack of damage to the ropes raised immediate questions regarding the circumstances. “(The LT-5) was here, like she has been all winter, and the lines were intact,” Griffin said. “If the rope was still here and broken in the middle, I’d think maybe it broke free. But it’s pretty clean.” The LT-5 is owned by the Port of Oswego Authority, which also oversees the H. Lee White Maritime Museum. City officials confirmed that they are treating the matter as a potential criminal act, and on Sunday said the police department was pulling security footage from nearby cameras. The investigation is ongoing. |
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CSL focuses on testing green fuels and technologies as 2021 season begins 3/23 – Montreal, QC – On Monday, Canada Steamship Lines’ Trillium Class self-unloading ship Baie St. Paul was the first vessel to transit St. Lambert Lock, marking the official beginning of the St. Lawrence Seaway’s 63rd navigation season. This is the second Seaway opening for Baie St. Paul, which began operating on the Great Lakes in 2013 as the first in a new class of smarter, cleaner and more efficient ships. During the Seaway Opening ceremony, Louis Martel, President and CEO, The CSL Group, announced that CSL will be testing second generation biodiesel on half of its fleet over the course of the 2021 navigation season – a first for the Great Lakes shipping industry. These tests are a follow-up to the successful trials of B100 biodiesel fuel on the main engines of two CSL ships last year. “Replacing fossil fuel with biodiesel on vessels requires no modification of existing equipment and provides a viable carbon neutral fuel source over its lifecycle, Mr. Martel explained. “This is what makes biofuels a very attractive option to reduce our environmental footprint, and we are eager to continue testing them and other solutions that offer the potential to contribute to cleaner air and waterways.” CSL has aligned with Canada’s nationally determined targets under the Paris Climate Agreement with a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% below 2005 levels by 2030. To achieve this ambitious objective, CSL is taking concrete actions by building more efficient ships, investing in R&D and innovation, and exploring and testing new technologies, fuels and digital solutions. Among them, CSL is building a new 26,000 DWT diesel-electric self-unloading ship, purpose-built for Windsor Salt with the most advanced environmental technologies. The vessel will service Windsor Salt’s Mines Seleine located in the eco-sensitive marine environment of the Magdalene Islands. “The pace of transformation and digitalization we are witnessing in shipping today is a game-changer, and we are fully committed to modernizing and investing in the long-term viability, sustainability and success of our company and sector,” said Louis Martel. “Marine transportation continues to be the most efficient, reliable and eco-responsible choice for shipping large cargos, and investments made today in green solutions will have positive impacts for generations to come.” CSL |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 23
The National Transportation Safety Board unanimously voted on March 23,1978, to reject the U. S. Coast Guard's official report supporting the theory of faulty hatches in their EDMUND FITZGERALD investigation. Later the N.T.S.B. revised its verdict and reached a majority vote to agree that the sinking was caused by taking on water through one or more hatch covers damaged by the impact of heavy seas over her deck. This is contrary to the Lake Carriers Association's contention that her foundering was caused by flooding through bottom and ballast tank damage resulting from bottoming on the Six Fathom Shoal between Caribou and Michipicoten Islands. On 23 March 1850, TROY (wooden side-wheel passenger/package freighter, 182 foot, 546 tons, built in 1845, at Maumee, Ohio) exploded and burned at Black Rock, New York. Up to 22 lives were lost. She was recovered and rebuilt the next year and lasted until 1860. On 23 March 1886, Mr. D. N. Runnels purchased the tug KITTIE HAIGHT. The 3,280 ton motor vessel YANKCANUCK commanded by Captain W. E. Dexter, docked at the Canadian Soo on 23 March 1964, to officially open the 1964 navigation season for that port. Captain Dexter received the traditional silk hat from Harbormaster Frank Parr in a brief ceremony aboard the vessel. The ship arrived in the Sault from Windsor, Ontario. Captain Dexter said the trip from Windsor was uneventful and he had no trouble with ice. This was the first time a ship from the Yankcanuck line had won the honor of opening the Sault Harbor. 1986: EBN MAGID visited the Seaway in 1970 as a) ADEL WEERT WIARDS and was on the cover of Know Your Ships for 1971. Following 2 explosions and a fire at sea at the end of January, the vessel docked this day at Milford Haven, U.K. to be unloaded. It was then sold to Belgian shipbreakers. 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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Tanker Dara Desgagnés sold for off-lakes service 3/22 – Reported for sale a few weeks ago, was the tanker Dara Desgagnés wintering in Montreal. It was recently sold to Soonoil, a company in the Dominican Republic. On paper, she was renamed Caribbean Energy and will sail under the Mongolian flag, port of registration Ulaanbaatar. As of Saturday morning, only the Desgagnés logo on the stack had been removed René Beauchamp – Seaway News |
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Port Reports - March 22 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
St. Marys River
Northern Lake Michigan
Courtright, ON – Rod Burdick
Lake Erie Ports Sunday – Bill Kloss, Michael Hopkins Cleveland: Sunday arrivals were the tugs George Gradel from Sandusky at 14:53 and Sea Eagle II at 20:12. She proceeded to St. Marys Cement to unload. Ashtabula: Indiana Harbor departed for Toledo Sunday afternoon at 16:11. Nanticoke: Harvest Spirit arrived Sunday at 05:28 to load steel coils destined for Monroe, MI.
Seaway – Rene Beauchamp |
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USS The Sullivans saved from sinking thanks to generous donations 3/22 – Buffalo, NY – USS The Sullivans, named for five Irish-American brothers who perished together in WWII, has received emergency funding to prevent it from sinking. The Buffalo and Erie County Military & Naval Park announced on March 2 that it had exceeded its fundraising goal for emergency hull repairs for USS The Sullivans (DD-537), but noted that there is more work to be done to help preserve the historic ship. A total of $230,000 has so far been raised, more than doubling the initial $100,00 goal, with more donations coming in. The fundraising campaign is now being extended to raise $1,000,000 to permanently repair USS The Sullivans. USS The Sullivans (DD-537), a retired United States Navy Fletcher-class destroyer that was commissioned in September 1943, was named for the five Irish-American Sullivan brothers, George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert. It was the first ship commissioned in the Navy that honored more than one person. The five brothers, aged 20 to 27, all died when the USS Juneau, the ship on which they were all serving, was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942. The death of the Sullivan brothers was the greatest military loss by any one American family during World War II. Irish Central |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 22
On 22 March 1922, the Goodrich Transit Company purchased the assets and properties of the Chicago, Racine and Milwaukee Steamship Company. This sale included two steamers: ILLINOIS (steel propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 240 foot, 2,427 gross tons, built in 1899, at S. Chicago, Illinois) and PILGRIM (iron propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 209 foot, 1,921 gross tons, built in 1881, at Wyandotte, Michigan). The GULF MACKENZIE sailed light March 22, 1977, on her maiden voyage from Sorel to Montreal, Quebec. The tanker COMET (Hull#705) was launched March 22, 1913, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. for the Standard Transportation Co. of New York. THOMAS W. LAMONT (Hull#184) was launched March 22, 1930, at Toledo, Ohio by Toledo Shipbuilding Co. for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. March 22, 1885 – The Goodrich steamer MICHIGAN was crushed in heavy ice off Grand Haven, Michigan and sank. Captain Redmond Prindiville was in command, Joseph Russell was the first mate. On 22 March 1873, TYPO, a wooden schooner/canaller, was launched at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She cost $25,000 and was commanded by Captain William Callaway. On 22 March 1871, Engineer George Smith and two firemen were badly scalded on the propeller LAKE BREEZE when a steam pipe they were working on blew away from the side of the boiler. They were getting the engines ready for the new shipping season. On 22 March 1938, CITY OF BUFFALO (steel side-wheeler passenger/package freight vessel, 340 foot, 2,940 gross tons, built in 1896, at Wyandotte, Michigan) caught fire during preparations for the spring season while at her winter moorings at the East Ninth Street dock in Cleveland, Ohio. She was totally gutted. The hulk was towed to Detroit for conversion to a freighter, but this failed to materialize. She was cut up for scrap there in 1940. On 22 March 1987, the pilothouse of the 1901, steamer ALTADOC, which was used as a gift shop and 2-room hotel near Copper Harbor, Michigan, was destroyed by fire. 1973: The Swedish built NORSE VARIANT first came to the Great Lakes in 1965 just after completion. On March 22, 1973, the vessel was en route from Norfolk, VA, to Hamburg, Germany, with a cargo of coal when it ran into an early spring storm with 40 foot waves southeast of Cape May, N.J. The vessel was overwhelmed and sank with the loss of 29 lives. Only one man survived. 2006: The Collingwood-built Canadian Coast Guard ship SIR WILFRID LAURIER came to the rescue of those aboard the passenger ship QUEEN OF THE NORTH when the latter sank with the loss of two lives off the coast of British Columbia. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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U.S. Coast Guard to open West Neebish Channel in the St. Marys River 3/21 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The Coast Guard will open the West Neebish Channel in the St. Marys River Tuesday morning, March 23. Ice throughout the St Marys River is deteriorating rapidly. To prevent a collapse of the ice field that would hinder Neebish Island ferry operations, Coast Guard ice breaking tugs will carefully carve a track to the ferry crossing then begin flushing the rotten ice down river. Forecasted rain and above normal air temperatures will aid this endeavor. Prior to announcing these plans, Coast Guard officials conferred with the Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority (EUPTA) and the local ferry operator to collect their input. For up-to-date information on ferry operations call the Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority (EUPTA) delays, cancellation, and updates hotline at (906) 632-1516, check the local ferry Facebook pages, or the EUPTA website at EUPTA.net. |
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Sharon M I, barge Huron Spirit start season 3/21 – The McKeil tug Sharon M I with barge Huron Spirit backed out of the Grand River at Port Maitland, ON, Saturday morning bound for Detroit MI, Courtright, ON and Thunder Bay, ON. |
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Port Reports - March 21 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
St. Marys River
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Muskegon, MI – Muskegon Ships
Northern Lake Huron
Lake Erie Ports Saturday – Bill Kloss
Picton, ON: – Tom Brewer |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 21
The c.) CHEMICAL MAR of 1966 sustained severe damage when sulfuric acid leaked into the pump room while she was discharging her cargo at the island of Curacao on March 21, 1982. Flooding occurred later and the vessel was declared a constructive total loss. She was scrapped at Brownsville, Texas in 1983. From 1979 until 1981, CHEMICAL MAR was named b.) COASTAL TRANSPORT for the Hall Corp. of Canada. She never entered the lakes under that name. NOTRE DAME VICTORY was floated from the drydock on March 21, 1951, three months and two days after she entered the dock, and was rechristened b.) CLIFFS VICTORY. MARLHILL was launched on March 21, 1908, as a.) HARRY A. BERWIND (Hull#40) at Ecorse, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works for G. A. Tomlinson of Duluth, Minnesota. Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s GEORGE F. BAKER was sold to the Kinsman Marine Transit Co., Cleveland, Ohio on March 21, 1965, and renamed b) HENRY STEINBRENNER. On 21 March 1874, the two schooners NORTH STAR and EVENING STAR were launched at Crosthwaite's shipyard in East Saginaw, Michigan. They were both owned by John Kelderhouse of Buffalo, New York. On 21 March 1853, GENERAL SCOTT (wooden side-wheeler, 105 foot, 64 tons, built in 1852, at Saginaw, Michigan) was tied up to her dock on the Saginaw River when she was crushed beyond repair by ice that flowed down the river during the spring breakup. One newspaper report said that while the vessel was being cleaned up for the new navigation season, a seacock was left open and she sank before the spring breakup. 1959: The retired sidewheel steamer WESTERN STATES, known as S.S. OVERNIGHTER, caught fire while waiting to be scrapped in 1959. The vessel had last sailed in 1950 and had briefly served as a flotel at Tawas, MI, before being sold for scrap. Final demolition of the hull was completed at Bay City later in the year. 1970: The West German freighter WILHELM NUBEL made one trip through the Seaway in 1959. It sustained machinery failure as c) SAN GERASSIMOS following an engine room fire on this date in 1970. The vessel was traveling from Galatz, Romania, to Lisbon, Portugal, with a cargo of maize and had to be abandoned by the crew. While taken in tow by the tanker STAVROS E., the ship sank in heavy weather in the Ionian Sea. 1998: Three crewmembers were killed by phosphine gas when they went to assess flooding damage in #1 hold after the MARIA A. encountered heavy weather on the South Atlantic. The ship, en route from Argentina to Jordan with wheat, put into Paranagua, Brazil for repairs. The ship had been a Seaway caller as RIGHTEOUS beginning in 1979 and as AFSAR in 1986. While renamed ARIA later in 1998, the British built bulk carrier was never repaired and was either scuttled or scrapped. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Picton company to begin container service to Great Lakes from Halifax 3/20 – Picton, ON – A new company based in Picton, ON, Doornekamp Lines, will begin container ship service in the Great Lakes from Halifax in May and a secondhand vessel has been purchased. This is the Gesina Schepers built in China in 2007. She sailed under the name Eemsdijk until 2018. She will be renamed Peyton Lynn C. René Beauchamp Seaway News |
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Welland Canal opens for the season 3/20 – Port Colborne, ON – Florence Spirit was the first upbound vessel for 2021 at the Welland Canal and at Lock 3. CSL Tadoussac was the first downbound vessel. They were the first downbound at Lock 3 in 2020 as well. CSL Tadoussac wintered in Port Colborne and departed their lay-up dock heading downbound in the canal to Bowmanville to load cement clinkers for Detroit. Traditionally, a top hat ceremony would be held to mark the occasion, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, the yearly event was not possible. The Montreal-Lake Ontario section doesn't open until Monday, March 22nd. Denny Dushane |
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Port Reports - March 20 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
St. Marys River
Green Bay, WI – Jon
Northern Lake Huron
Lake Erie Ports Friday – Bill Kloss
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Significant changes to ATONs in Saginaw Bay channel listed 3/20 – Lake Huron – Saginaw Bay Channel – Chart 14867 The following will be made to Saginaw Bay Channel Aids to Navigation during the week of 11 April 2021. In summary between Saginaw Bay Channel Light "1" and "12" the unlighted buoy gates will be eliminated. The lighted buoy gates will repositioned from their current distance of 2 miles to 1.7 miles and the range of the light will be increased from 4 statute miles to 6 statute miles. From Light "12" to Lighted Buoy "28" the physical unlighted buoy gates will be eliminated and replaced with VAIS. The aids will be renumbered as described below: Saginaw Bay Channel Buoy "3" (LLNR 10590) move the buoy to approximant position 43-46-52.020N / 083-44-23.280W. Change the buoy from an unlighted buoy to a seasonal lighted buoy maintained from April 21 to December 1 replaced by a can winter mark. The light characteristic will be Fl G 4s with a nominal range of 5 statute miles. Saginaw Bay Channel Buoy "4" (LLNR 10595) move the buoy to approximant position 43-46-53.763N / 083-44-27.273W gated with Lighted Buoy "3". Change the buoy from an unlighted buoy to a seasonal lighted buoy maintained from April 21 to December 1 replaced by a nun winter mark. The light characteristic will be Fl R 4s with a nominal range of 5 statute miles. Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy "5" (LLNR 10600) move the buoy to approximant position 43-45-22.814 / 083-45-38.213W. The buoy will be seasonal maintained from April 21 to December 1 replaced by a can winter mark. The characteristic will remain Fl G 4s with a nominal range of 5 statute miles. Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy "6" (LLNR 10605) move the buoy to approximate position 43-45-24.338N / 083-45-42.298W gated with Lighted Buoy "5". The buoy will be seasonal maintained from April 21 to December 1 replaced by a nun winter mark. The characteristic will remain Fl R 4s with a nominal range of 5 statute miles. Saginaw Bay Channel Buoy "7" (LLNR 10610) move the buoy to approximant position 43-43-54.183N / 083-46-51.978W gated with Light "8" (same position as lighted buoy "11" LLNR 10640). Change the buoy from an unlighted buoy to a seasonal lighted buoy maintained from April 21 to December 1 replaced by a can winter mark. The light characteristic will be Fl G 2.5s with a nominal range of 5 statute miles.
Saginaw Bay Channel Buoy "8" (LLNR 10615) permanently discontinue the aid. USCG |
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Chapter seven of Seaway Queens now available 3/20 – Thank you for your ongoing support of Seaway Queens. Chapter seven is ready for order at this link: https://mailchi.mp/452cb60ba14a/seawayqueens The Seaway Queens Crew |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 20
On 20 March 1885, MICHIGAN (Hull#48), (iron propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 215 foot, 1,183 tons) of the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railroad was sunk by ice off Grand Haven, Michigan. The sidewheeler NEW YORK was sold Canadian in 1877, hopefully at a bargain price, because when she was hauled out on the ways on 20 March 1878, at Rathburn's yard in Kingston, Ontario, to have her boiler removed, her decayed hull fell apart and could not be repaired. Her remains were burned to clear the ways. On 20 March 1883, the E. H. MILLER of Alpena, Michigan (wooden propeller tug, 62 foot, 30 gross tons, built in 1874, at East Saginaw, Michigan) was renamed RALPH. She was abandoned in 1920. 1938: ¬ A fire of an undetermined cause destroyed the passenger steamer CITY OF BUFFALO while it was fitting out for the 1938 season at the East 9th St. Pier in Cleveland The blaze began late the previous day and 11 fire companies responded. The nearby CITY OF ERIE escaped the flames, as did the SEEANDBEE. 2011” ¬ The Indian freighter APJ ANJLI was built in 1982 and began visiting the Great Lakes in 1990. It was sailing as c) MIRACH, and loaded with 25,842 tons of iron ore, when it ran aground 3 miles off the coast of India on March 20, 2011. Four holds were flooded and the crew of 25 was removed. The hull subsequently broke in two and was a total loss. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Port Reports - March 19 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
Northern Lake Huron
Lake Erie Ports Thursday – Bill Kloss
Welland Canal – Barry Andersen
Toronto, ON – Gerry Ouderkirk
Seaway News – René Beauchamp |
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Shifting sand, water reveal shipwreck 3/19 – Whitehall, MI – A change in Lake Michigan water levels has revealed a shipwreck from the 1880s that is visible in western Michigan for the first time since 2018. Experts believe it’s the wooden spine of the Contest, said Craig Rich, director of the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association. The wreckage is along the shore in Muskegon County, near where the White Lake channel meets Lake Michigan. In 2018, parts were seen for the first time since 1974, a result of changes in lake current, water levels and sand. Now the wreckage is visible again. “The lake is a very living organism and it changes every day, basically,” Rich said Wednesday. “Things get covered and uncovered all the time.” Traverse City Record Eagle and AP |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 19
W. R. STAFFORD (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 184 foot, 744 gross tons, built in 1886, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was freed from the ice at 2:00 a.m. on 19 March 1903, by the Goodrich Line’s ATLANTA. When the STAFFORD was freed, the ice then closed around the ATLANTA and imprisoned her for several hours. Both vessels struggled all night and finally reached Grand Haven, Michigan, at 5 a.m. They left for Chicago later that day in spite of the fact that an ice floe 2 miles wide, 14 miles long and 20 feet deep was off shore. CARTIERCLIFFE HALL was launched March 19, 1960, as a.) RUHR ORE (Hull # 536) at Hamburg, Germany, by Schlieker-Werft Shipyard. INDIANA HARBOR (Hull#719) was launched March 19, 1979, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, by Bay Shipbuilding Corp. CITY OF GREEN BAY was launched March 19, 1927, as a.) WABASH (Hull#177) at Toledo, Ohio, by Toledo Ship Building Co., for the Wabash Railway Co. ALFRED CYTACKI was launched March 19, 1932, as a.) LAKESHELL (Hull#1426) at Newcastle-on-Tyne, England by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd. On 19 March 1886, the PICKUP (wooden passenger/package freight steamer, 80 foot, 136 gross tons, built in 1883, at Marine City, Michigan, was renamed LUCILE. She lasted until she sank off the Maumee River Light (Toledo Harbor Light), Toledo, Ohio, Lake Erie, on August 8, 1906. 1916 The canal-sized PORT DALHOUSIE saw only brief service on the Great Lakes. It was built in England as TYNEMOUNT in 1913 and came to Canada as PORT DALHOUSIE in 1914. It left for saltwater in 1915 and was torpedoed and sunk by UB-10 while carrying steel billets to Nantes, France. It went down March 19,1916, south and west of the Kentish Knock Light vessel and 12 lives were lost. 1978 BELKARIN was a Norwegian cargo carrier that made one trip inland in 1963. It struck a sunken warship in Suez Bay on March 19, 1978, as c) NAHOST JUMBO and the engine room was holed. The vessel, en route from Aqaba, Jordan, to Holland, settled in shallow water. The hull was refloated in January 1979 and sold for scrap. 1990 On March 19, an explosion in a container on board the Norwegian freighter POLLUX at La Baie, QC, killed two sailors, seriously injured a third as well as 7 Alcan dock employees. The ship made its first trip up the Seaway coming to to Port Weller Dry Docks May 18 for repairs. It was renamed there and left the lakes in August as d) NOMADIC POLLUX. This ship returned inland in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and was back as e) BALTICLAND in May 2004. 1993 An explosion and fire rocked the tanker SHIOKAZE in the North Sea en route to Rotterdam killing one member of the crew. The vessel had first been a Seaway trader in 1986 and returned in 1998 as DILMUN TERN bound for Hamilton with palm oil. It was scrapped, after 30 years of service, arriving at Alang, India, on June 14, 2010, as c) THERESA III. 2002 A hull crack of close to 13 feet was found on LAKE CARLING off Cape Breton Island while traveling from Sept-Iles to Trinidad with iron ore. Originally ZIEMIA CIESZYNSKA, the vessel first came to the Great Lakes in 1993 and was renamed LAKE CARLING at Chicago in October. The crack widened to 25 feet before the vessel could reach safety but the damage was repaired and it returned to service. The original name was restored in 2004 and the vessel was last on the lakes in 2009. 2003 A fire in the after end of the CALEDONIA on the Heddle Dry Dock in Hamilton was contained to one deck. The vessel was there for conversion to a sailing ship and the work was eventually completed. The ship had visited the Great Lakes as the coastal freighter PETREL in the late 1970s but was much more at home around Maritime Canada and Hudson Bay. As a sailing ship, it carries 77 passengers and visits Caribbean ports. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, The Marine Historical Society of Detroit, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - March 18 Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.
Thunder Bay, ON
St. Marys River – Know Your Ships
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron:
Lake Erie Ports Wednesday – Bill Kloss
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
Seaway – Yvan Gingras and René Beauchamp |
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Milwaukee Clipper calls for volunteers to renovate historic passenger steamer |
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Boatnerd lay-up list 3/18 – Please send fit-out information to news@boatnerd.com. Please include date of departure. View the list at this link: http://www.boatnerd.com/layup/layup20-21.htm |
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Virtual Visitor Center event: Centuries of Innovations: Great Lakes Vessel Evolution 3/18 – From the Griffon to the Paul R. Tregurtha, Great Lakes ships have carried innovation through time. Join Rangers Kasey and Scott from the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center to explore the trials and triumphs of Great Lakes vessel evolution. The free program begins at 12:30 EST (11:30 CST), today, Thursday, March 18 in the Virtual Visitor Center, use a Chrome browser to join on the web: https://www.gotomeet.me/VirtualVisitorCenter/vessel-evolution. The Virtual Visitor Center is a cooperative endeavor between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association and Lake Superior Marine Museum Association. https://www.facebook.com/events/2782583908724178/ For those unable to attend live, the program will be recorded and posted later on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqtbMFyAaYYO9TIAaaK2HTLr0Ph4A5FRF. |
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Obituary: John Meyland 3/18 – Our friend and Boatnerd John C. Meyland of Clarkston, MI, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 14th at the age of 80. John was a very active participant in Boatnerd activities and events for many years. He may be best remembered for his photography skills and was proud to share them with anyone interested. A private family funeral will be held this week. |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 18
In 1967, under the command of Captain Ray I. McGrath, the Columbia Transportation Company's HURON (steel propeller self-unloader bulk freighter, 415 foot, 4,810 gross tons, built in 1914, at Ecorse, Michigan) cleared Fairport, Ohio, and headed to Toledo, Ohio for a load of coal. She was the first freighter to sail in the new season. She sailed on the same day that the U. S. Steel's Bradley Fleet of seven vessels started fitting out. On 18 March 1906, the Goodrich Line's ATLANTA (wooden propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 200 foot, 1,129 gross tons, built in 1891, at Cleveland, Ohio) was sailing from Sheboygan, Wisconsin for Milwaukee. When she was 14 miles south of Sheboygan, fire was discovered in the aft hold and quickly spread to the engine room. She ran out of steam, making the fire pumps inoperable. There were 65 persons aboard and Capt. Mc Cauley gave the order to abandon. The fish tug TESSLER came to help and only one life was lost. As the TESSLER was steaming to port, the Goodrich Line's GEORGIA came into view and took on all of the survivors. The hull of the ATLANTA was beached by the TESSLER. Later, the burned hull was purchased by D. O. Smith of Port Washington. ARSENE SIMARD (Hull#404) was launched March 18, 1972, at Sorel, Quebec, by Marine Industries Ltd., for Branch Lines Ltd. PERE MARQUETTE 21 (Hull#209) was launched March 18, 1924, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. She was christened by Mrs. Charles C. West, wife of the president of Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. The straight-deck bulk carrier SYLVANIA (Hull#613) was launched March 18, 1905, at West Bay City, Michigan by West Bay City Ship Building Co., for the Tomlinson Fleet Corp. On 18 March 1890, CITY OF CHICAGO (steel sidewheeler, 211 foot, 1,073 gross tons) was launched at West Bay City, Michigan by F. W. Wheeler & Co. (Hull#68) for the Graham & Morton Line. CITY OF CHICAGO was lengthened to 226 feet at Wheeler's yard one year later (1891). She was again lengthened in 1905-06, this time to 254 feet. On the same day and at the same yard the 3-mast wooden schooner A.C. TUXBURY was stern launched. On 18 March 1928, M. T. GREENE (wooden propeller freighter, 155 foot, 524 gross tons, built in 1887, at Gibraltar, Michigan) burned to a total loss near Brigdeburg, Ontario, on the Niagara River. 1923 The wooden steamer JAMES P. DONALDSON was built in 1880 and often worked in the lumber trade. At the end, it was used by N.M. Paterson & Sons Ltd. to bring wet grain to the company elevator for drying. The ship caught fire at the Canadian Lakehead on this date and the remains were sunk off Isle Royale, Lake Superior, on May 6, 1923. 1991 The Canadian Coast Guard ship GRIFFON collided with the fishing trawler CAPTAIN K. sinking it in Lake Erie. Three lives were lost. Data from: Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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100-year-old tugboat being used as Bayview Yacht Club's temporary clubhouse sinks 3/17 – Detroit, MI – An old tugboat that the Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit was using as a temporary clubhouse while it renovates its permanent one sank Sunday to the bottom of Connor Creek. Images of the Queen City going down were captured by a local captain, Alex Haggart, who happened to be in the area. Photos show the boat listing and then sinking. "I couldn't tell you what happened," Haggart said late Monday morning, noting that he doesn't think anyone was injured. "Except, the boat is supposed to be in the creek, not the creek in the boat." The boat took on water overnight, but it's unclear how or why, the club said late Monday. The boat began listing heavily to starboard, broke free of her moorings and then settled on the creek bottom. There is no engine, fuel tanks or hazardous material on the boat, the club added. The boat is more than 100 years old and was recently renovated. It is unknown why the boat sank or whether it is salvageable. Detroit Free Press |
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Port Reports - March 17
Thunder Bay, ON
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Coast Guard veterans who served on historic cutters to gather in Port Huron 3/17 – Port Huron, MI – A local group is seeking veterans who served on the three U.S. Coast Guard cutters that completed the historic Northwest Passage in the summer of 1957. Veterans who served aboard the Bramble, Storis and Spar are invited to a reunion being held this July at the Blue Water Convention Center in Port Huron. “It’s a matter of bringing together the crews and their families, in some cases their surviving family members, to celebrate the history of the ships and the history they all made together,” said Jon Ottman, one of the event’s organizers. “Through thick and thin, the good times and the bad times sailing together and the various missions they executed through the years.” Several veterans who sailed on the ships during the Northwest Passage voyage are planning to attend, Ottman said. “There’s so much history between those three ships and their service,” he said. During the three-day event, a meet-and-greet will be held, as well as a banquet. Stories will be shared, and a documentary about the cutter Storis will be screened. The event runs July 18 thru 21 at the Blue Water Convention Center. Registration is $100, $50 for children under 16, and includes the Sunday and Tuesday night meals. To RSVP, email coastiephreunion21@gmail.com. COVID precautions will be observed. Times Herald |
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Online Event: Webinar on the development of the Soo Locks 3/17 – Wed, April 14, 2021 – 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM Join NMGL for the webinar "Illustrated History of the Soo Locks". The Soo Locks are one of North America’s engineering marvels. The first lock on the St. Marys River opened in 1798, the largest opened in 1969 and work began last year to build a new lock. The story of this amazing manmade behemoth is constantly evolving. Using hundreds of historic images, some dating from the 1860s, Michelle Briggs, chief park ranger at the Soo Locks, leads an in-depth exploration of the National Historic Landmark facility and the lynch pin of Great Lakes navigation. Michelle Briggs has been the Chief Park Ranger at the Soo Locks since 2009. Before joining for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers she spent 15 years working in museums throughout the Great Lakes region and earned Bachelors’ and Masters’ degrees in history from Western Michigan University focusing on Great Lakes Maritime history and museum studies topics. Once you register, you will receive multiple emails in the days prior to the presentation as a reminder. You should receive an email about 10 minutes before it starts with directions to connect to the zoom. National Museum of the Great Lakes |
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Help wanted: Captain, Owen Sound Transportation Co. / Pelee Island Transportation 3/17 – The Owen Sound Transportation Co. / Pelee Island Transportation Service is currently accepting applications for the position of Captain on the Pelee Islander II vehicle / passenger ferry. In service since the fall of 2018 the Pelee Islander II is a 62 metre RORO ferry capable of carrying 36 vehicles from the Ontario mainland (Leamington / Kingsville) to Pelee Island Ontario on Lake Erie. A typical work rotation consists of 7 days on / 7 days off during the sailing season. The Pelee Islander II is powered by a Schottel steer prop (Z Drive) system. Compensation: OSTC offers a competitive wage ($93 600.00 – Currently under review), generous benefit plan and enrollment in the OPB Pension plan. The OPB Pension plan is a defined benefit pension plan. Qualifications: The position requires a valid TC approved Master, Near Coastal certificate. The successful candidate must also demonstrate leadership abilities for both people and processes. The ability to work in a customer service environment is very important. A copy of your CoC is to be included with your resume. Shiphandling experience with steer prop (Z Drive) systems is beneficial. The Owen Sound Transportation Company is an Agency of the Province of Ontario. The Owen Sound Transportation Company is an equal opportunity employer. Resumes are to be forwarded to Stephen Shaw – VP – Operations at stephen.shaw@ontarioferries.com. The email title is to be called – Resume – Captain – Pelee Islander II. |
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Boatnerd lay-up list 3/17 – Please send fit-out information to news@boatnerd.com. Please include date of departure. View the list at this link: http://www.boatnerd.com/layup/layup20-21.htm |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 17
On 17 March 1995, a fire started on the AMERICAN MARINER's self-unloading conveyor belt from welding being done on the vessel at the Toledo Ship & Repair Company in Toledo, Ohio. About $100,000 in damage was done. The Toledo fire department had the blaze out in half an hour. The tanker LAKESHELL reportedly leaked over 21,000 gallons of Bunker C oil into the St. Lawrence River on March 17, 1982, after suffering a crack in her cargo compartment caused by striking an ice floe. GEORGE R. FINK was launched March 17, 1923, as a.) WORRELL CLARKSON (Hull#174) at Toledo, Ohio, by Toledo Ship Building Co., for the Kinsman Transit Co. On 17 March 1916, CITY OF MIDLAND (wooden propeller passenger-package freighter, 176 foot, 974 tons, built in 1890, at Owen Sound, Ontario) burned at the Grand Trunk Railway dock at Collingwood, Ontario, while fitting out for the coming season. No lives were lost. In 1945 Stadium Boat Works of Cleveland Ohio launched the SOUTH SHORE (US. 247657) for Miller Boat Line of Put-In-Bay, Ohio. She carried 6 autos and 120 passengers. In 1973, she was sold to Beaver Island Boat Company until retired at the end of the 1997 season. In April of 1999, sailed to Chicago where she was docked at the foot of Navy Pier as a storage vessel for Shoreline Cruises. 1906: SOVEREIGN, a steel hulled passenger ship that operated on the St. Lawrence in the Montreal area, was destroyed by a fire at Lachine, Quebec. The vessel was rebuilt that year as IMPERIAL and remained in service until 1928 when the boilers and hull were condemned. 1916: CITY OF MIDLAND, a passenger and freight steamer for Canada Steamship Lines, caught fire at the Grant Trunk Railway Dock in Collingwood and was a total loss. 1973: A wild late winter storm swept into Goderich off Lake Huron on March 17-18. Eleven ships got loose, while only the PATERSON (i) remained fast at the dock. It sustained bow damage when struck by fleetmate MONDOC (iii). Varying amounts of damage were inflicted to other ships. 1980: SUNPOLYNA was built in 1956 and provided service for Saguenay Shipping between Eastern Canada and the West Indies. The ship first came through the Seaway in 1963 and, on May 16, 1967, it ran aground near Thorold. It was sailing as d) TEMERAIRE when abandoned by the crew on March 17, 1980, in position 28.16 S / 21.04 W after the hull had cracked. The ship was en route from Santos, Brazil, to Mina Qaboos, Oman, and, after drifting to northwest for several days, sank on March 21. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Michigan mariners kick off shipping season with Blessing of the Fleet 3/16 – Detroit, MI – The Mariners' Church of Detroit and mariners from around the state are welcoming the shipping season, starting with its annual Blessing of the Fleet service on Sunday, hosted with certain COVID-19 restrictions in place. Due to the pandemic, in-person attendance was limited to about 70 guests and was by reservation only. Usually, the church sees close to 300 people. Face masks and social distancing between families were required throughout the service. The Blessing of the Fleet is a historic tradition that includes an honor guard of members of the International Ship Masters Association, the Coast Guard and military personnel who participate in a procession alongside Michigan Sea Cadets. The Rev. Jeffery Hubbard, rector of the Mariners' Church of Detroit, said the event is "kind of a spiritual kickoff to the shipping season." Participants "pray prayers of blessing at the end of the service," Fr. Hubbard said. "It's a prayer for everyone who will sail our Great Lakes in the upcoming season. Everyone from the Coast Guard, to recreational boaters, to commercial freighters and everything in between. We pray prayers of blessing for a safe and prosperous shipping season." The service included a memorial for deceased mariners. "Everyone who's part of the maritime community that has died in the last year, we remember them," Hubbard said. "We also present the Captain Lewis Ludington Award, (which) was established in the 1990s." This year, the award was presented to Captains Lee Barnhill, Jay M. Downen and Thomas Foster for their efforts to promote and perpetuate the virtues and good works of the International Ship Masters’ Association, according to the church. Each year, local boaters are invited to bring their burgees, colors, pennants and pennons to the church for a blessing. Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2021/03/14/boaters-celebrate-blessing-fleet-mariners-church/4665060001 |
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Port Reports - March 16
St. Marys River – Know Your Ships
St. Joseph, MI – St. Joseph and Benton Harbor Shipping News
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Denny Dushane |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 16
Today in Great Lakes History March 16 On 16 March 1901, ARGO (steel passenger/package freight propeller, 173 foot, 1,089 gross tons) was launched at the Craig Ship Building Company (Hull #81) at Toledo, Ohio, for the A. Booth Company. She left the Lakes in 1917, and was last recorded in 1938, out of Brest, France. BUFFALO (Hull#721) was launched March 16, 1978, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Bay Shipbuilding Corp., for the American Steamship Co. On 16 March 1883, The Port Huron Times announced that the passenger and package freight steamer PICKUP would be built in Marine City, Michigan and would run on the St. Clair River between Port Huron and Algonac. The machinery from the burned steamer CARRIE H. BLOOD was to be installed in her. In fact, her construction was completed that year and she went into service in September 1883. Her dimensions were 80 foot x 19 foot x 7 foot, 137 gross tons, 107 net tons. The Niagara Harbor & Dock Company, a shipbuilding firm, was incorporated on 16 March 1831, at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. On 16 March 1886, the tug MOCKING BIRD was sold by Mr. D. N. Runnels to Mr. James Reid of St. Ignace, Michigan. Mr. Runnels received the tug JAMES L. REID as partial payment. 1924: MOHAWK of the Western Transit Co. was known as a fast ship. It was built at Detroit in 1893 and was renamed AMERICA in 1916. It was cut in two to exit the Great Lakes and re-assembled at Montreal for East Coast service. The ship was renamed BERMUDEZ in 1921 and sank in the Erie Basin at Brooklyn on March 16, 1924, with the stern resting on the bottom and the bow afloat. The hull was pumped out but scrapped at New York in January 1925. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Interlake prepping all 9 ships for 2021 season 3/15 – The Interlake Steamship Co. is prepping its entire fleet of nine freighters for the 2021 shipping season as the Soo Locks prepares to reopen – signaling the start of the season – later this month. The fact that none of the big lakers are sitting out the season is a good sign for the economy, maritime watchers are saying. The company’s self-unloading bulk carriers haul goods throughout the Great Lakes and beyond. The Ohio-based, family-owned company is one of the largest U.S.-flagged fleets operating on the Great Lakes. It carries about 20 million tons of bulk cargo annually. Cargoes include iron ore, low-sulfur coal, grain and limestone. “The 2021-2022 shipping season is upon us as our mariners start reporting to work this week to begin fitting out our fleet of nine working freighters,” the company said in an announcement last week. M Live |
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USCGC Alder expected to begin clearing ice at Thunder Bay Tuesday 3/15 – Thunder Bay, ON – In a sure sign of spring, ice breaking is set to begin at the Port of Thunder Bay this week. The United States Coast Guard cutter (USCGC) Alder is expected to begin clearing ice on or around Tuesday. The Canadian and U.S. coast guards cooperate annually to clear Great Lakes channels for shipping. The Soo Locks are expected to open March 25, allowing the shipping season to begin in earnest. In a release, the Canadian Coast Guard warned area residents the combination of warmer weather and ice breaking can make conditions more dangerous. “All ice surface users should plan their ice activities carefully, use caution on the ice, and avoid the shipping lanes and ice breaking operations,” the agency advised. “Unsafe ice conditions can persist long after an icebreaker has left the area.” The planned date of ice breaking could change without notice depending on weather conditions or operations requirements. TBNewsWatch |
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Port Reports - March 15
Sarnia, ON – Denny Dushane
Detroit, MI – Denny Dushane
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 15
WESTCLIFFE HALL (Hull#519) was launched March 15, 1956, at Grangemouth, Scotland, by Grangemouth Dockyard Co. Ltd., for the Hall Corp. of Canada. March 15, 1949 – The Ann Arbor carferry fleet was laid up due to a strike called by the boat crews. The fleet was idled until March 22nd. On 15 March 1882, GRACE PATTERSON (wooden propeller tug/freighter, 111 tons, built in 1880, at Grand Haven, Michigan) was carrying lumber and lath when she stranded near Two Rivers Point, Wisconsin on Lake Michigan. She caught fire and was totally destroyed. Lifesavers rescued the crew. Mr. Russell Armington died on 15 March 1837. He operated the first shipyard at St. Catharines, Ontario from 1828, until his death. On 15 March 1926, SARNOR (wooden propeller freighter, 228 foot, 1,319 gross tons, built in 1888, at W. Bay City, Michigan, formerly BRITANNIC) caught fire at Kingston, Ontario near the La Salle Causeway. She burned to a total loss. 1942: The first SARNIADOC of the Paterson fleet was lost with all hands on the Caribbean en route from Trinidad to the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was apparently torpedoed by U-161 in the night hours of March 14-15, 1942, while in the south for the wartime bauxite trade. 1969: The bulk carrier ALEXANDER T. WOOD, remembered by many for its regular early Seaway service in the ore and grain trades as well as for a collision with the Finnish flag freighter MARIA in the Detroit River on August 12, 1960, was lost on this day in 1969 as VAINQUER. The latter had been to the Great Lakes in 1968 but sank following a boiler room explosion in the Gulf of Mexico with the loss of one life. It was en route from Vera Cruz, Mexico, to New Orleans with a cargo of sugar. 1976: The rail car barge HURON rolled over and sank at the Windsor dock due to an uneven deck load. The 1875 vintage vessel had operated across the Detroit River as a steamer until March 1971 and then as a barge. It was refloated and returned to service. 1980: The Liberian vessel FRATERNITY was built in 1963. It visited the Great Lakes in 1967 and operated briefly as ARYA NIKU in 1975-1976 before becoming FRATERNITY again under Greek registry. Fire broke out in #1 and #2 cargo holds en route from Hamburg to Karachi on this date in 1980. An explosion followed the next day and the crew abandoned the ship in the Red Sea. The hull was beached March 17 around the border of Eritrea and Sudan but was refloated April 1 and deemed a total loss. After unloading at Sharjah, the hull was towed to Gadani Beach, Pakistan, arriving at the scrapyard on May 19, 1981. 1984: The Greek freighter ELINA likely made only one trip to the Great Lakes, coming inland in 1982 to load frozen meat at Kenosha, WI. It laid up at Emden, West Germany, on June 13, 1983, only to catch fire on March 15, 1984. The damage was extensive and the hull was towed into Gijon, Spain, for scrapping on April 23, 1984. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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M.S. Norgoma could find a new home in Owen Sound 3/14 – Sault Ste. Marie, ON – Investors behind the sunken proposal to relocate the M.S. Norgoma to Tobermory are now floating the idea of a move to Owen Sound’s harborfront as early as the fall of this year. Tobermory Real Estate Investors Inc. says the 188-foot vessel could function as a marine heritage site, coffee shop and a base for marine studies programs offered by Georgian College, according to a presentation made to the city of Owen Sound’s community development, tourism and culture advisory committee Friday. Sault Ste. Marie city council agreed to sell the former floating museum ship to Michael Goman and business partner Dr. George Harpur for $2,500 in July 2020. The investors initially planned to convert the former floating museum ship into a coffee shop and tourist destination in Tobermory, but their own feasibility study determined the Norgoma could not be relocated to Tobermory's Little Tub Harbour without "significant disruption" to the existing dockage. The community development committee in Owen Sound is recommending that city council support the Norgoma relocation project in principle, according to a staff report from the manager of community development and marketing for the City of Owen Sound issued Friday. The Norgoma has been situated at Algoma Steel since June 2019, following a decision by city council earlier that year to permanently remove it from the Roberta Bondar Marina. Soo Today |
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Capt. Lee Barnhill receives prestigious maritime award 3/14 – Alpena, MI – A long-time tug captain with Alpena roots will be honored Sunday for his work on the Great Lakes. Capt. Lee Barnhill, who became an Alpena businessman at age 20 when he took ownership of a diving store and shipwreck charter in 1995, was chosen by his peers to receive the Captain Lewis Ludington Award. The honor, given annually to a member of the International Ship Masters’ Association to a member who upholds the virtues and work of the organization, will be bestowed Sunday during a Blessing of the Fleet ceremony at Mariners’ Church of Detroit. “Captain Slim” Barnhill, an Alpena resident who has spent 22 years as a Great Lakes tugboat captain, said he’s deeply honored to have been unanimously nominated as one of three recipients of this year’s award. “It’s nice when you see what your peers actually think of you,” Barnhill said. The captain began his career on the water at age 15 as a commercial fisherman near his home in the Upper Peninsula. An elective college class in scuba diving steered him from a planned future in accounting to the ownership of Thunder Bay Divers store and shipwreck charters at age 20. At the same time, Barnhill took over Alpena Diving Service, hired to inspect underwater surfaces from dams to the bottom of freighters while wearing what he described as scuba gear with a hard hat. During a commercial dive in Rogers City in 1999, where a freighter had touched bottom, Barnhill was “discovered” by a company that learned he had a captain’s license and put him aboard a tug. Since then, Barnhill has run tug projects from repairing break walls to deepening the Soo Locks to installing offshore wind farm power cables in the Atlantic Ocean. Barnhill’s current project involves hauling foot-wide cables, weighing 70 pounds per foot, across the Straits of Mackinac as part of the Line 5 reconstruction. Barnhill has been involved with the International Ship Masters’ Association since 2001 and was named Grand President in 2017. Even as a young man running a diving business in Alpena, he knew work on the water was part of his future, Barnhill said. Few young people aspire to a maritime career these days, he said, but the waters around Michigan are still waiting to be explored. “I always tell people, the world is 75% water,” Barnhill said. “You might as well get in there and see what’s down there.” Alpena News |
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Port Reports - March 14
Muskegon, MI
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Toronto, ON |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 14
March 14, 1959 – The ANN ARBOR NO 6 returned to service as the b.) ARTHUR K ATKINSON after an extensive refit. In 1880, the harbor tug GEORGE LAMONT sank with her crew of three off Pentwater, Michigan after being overcome by weather during a race with her rival, the harbor tug GEM. The LAMONT was the only steamer to disappear with all hands during the many races that took place among steamers during the late 1800s and early 1900s. On 14 March 1873, the new railroad carferry SAGINAW went into the Port Huron Dry Dock Company's dry dock where her engine was installed along with her shaft and propeller. Workmen had to break up the ice in the dry dock to release the schooner MARY E. PEREW so that work could begin on the SAGINAW. The work was done quickly since SAGINAW was needed to fill in for a disabled ferry in Detroit. Mr. Francois Baby was granted a "ferry lease" between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan on 14 March 1843. He built the steamer ALLIANCE for this ferry service and Capt. Tom Chilvers was the skipper. In 1851, Capt. Chilvers leased the steamer from Mr. Baby and ran it on the same route until the late 1850s. On 14 March 1878, the first vessel of the navigation season passed through the Straits of Mackinac. This was the earliest opening of the navigation season at the Straits since 1854. 1918 ISLAND QUEEN, a wooden-hulled Toronto Island ferry, was destroyed by a fire at Hanlan's Point in Toronto. The ship was valued at $25,000 and the hull was left to rot. 1962: MILLY made one trip through the Seaway in 1959. It had been launched at Stockton, CA on May 13, 1915, as PORTHCAWL and became d) MILLY in 1950. The 295 foot freighter, sailing as f) HEDIA, last reported March 14 near Galita Island on the Mediterranean close to Malta and en route from Casablanca, Morocco, to Venice, Italy, with a cargo of phosphate. It was posted as missing and then lost with all hands. 1993: The Freedom Class freighter SHAMALY was a year old when it came through the Seaway in 1969. It returned December 1, 1990, as c) WALVIS BAY for Ogdensburg, NY to load corn gluten The 9650 gross ton freighter ran aground south of Greece off Cape Morakis in 1993 en route from Piraeus to Scotland as d) LIPARIT BAY. The hull was not worth repairing and sold for scrap. Renamed e) NORA for the delivery tow, it arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, April 4, 1994, for dismantling and work began May 16. 1999: The Panamanian freighter EVANGELIA PETRAKIS was built in Muroran, Japan, in 1978 as N.J. PATERAS. It came through the Seaway in 1988 and was renamed c) AMER VED in 1990. It survived a grounding off Horsetail Bank, UK on November 19, 1996, only to suffer serious damage in a collision with the newly built, 57,947 gross ton, Maltese flag tanker SEAPRIDE I off Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates. The damage to the 21-year old freighter was not worth repairs so it arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping on June 19, 1999. 1964: MARIA G.L. went aground at Suno Saki, Japan, about 30 miles south of Yokohama, in fog. This Liberty ship had been a Great Lakes trader in 1961. It was enroute from Long Beach, California, to Chiba, Japan, with a cargo of phosphates and broke in two as a total loss. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Shawn B-K, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Coast Guard to open Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Port of Green Bay to shipping 3/13 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – U.S. Coast Guard cutters Mackinaw and Mobile Bay will begin the breakout of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Monday March 15. On Monday afternoon, the Kaye E. Barker will depart Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and proceed west then north into the bay of Green Bay. On Tuesday March 16, 2021 Captain of the Port Lake Michigan will open the southern half of Green Bay to commercial navigation. The regulated navigation area previously closed will be reopened as the two Coast Guard icebreakers proceed south creating a track through the ice from Sturgeon Bay to the Fox River Entrance. The Port of Green Bay resumes commercial shipping activity on March 18th their first vessel Alpena delivering dry bulk cement. These icebreaking operations will likely occur in areas used by recreational users such as, but not limited to, the Fox River, Green Bay Entrance Channel, the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Menominee River Entrance, and the waters of Green Bay from Minneapolis Shoal Light to the Fox River Entrance. Next week, these icebreaking efforts will increase in frequency as ice conditions deteriorate and commercial navigation increases. Unlike some previous winters, regional ice cover did not reach traditional thicknesses. The forecast for the next seven to ten days calls for temperatures supporting the rapid deterioration of ice. USCG |
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Port Reports - March 13
Bayfield, WI
St. Marys River
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 13
The keel for the tanker IMPERIAL REDWATER (Hull#106) was laid March 13, 1950, at Port Arthur, Ontario, by Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co. She was converted to a bulk freighter at Collingwood, Ontario and renamed b.) R. BRUCE ANGUS in 1954. The ANGUS operated for Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd., until she was scrapped at Setubal, Portugal in 1985. On March 13, 1989, the Rouge Steel Co. announced the sale of its marine operations to Lakes Shipping, Cleveland (Interlake Steamship, mgr.). 1994: SHIPBROKER was built at Varna, Bulgaria, in 1980 as OCEAN SEAGULL and came through the Seaway that year on July 3. It was renamed SHIPBROKER in 1986 and made its maiden voyage to the Great Lakes on November 19, 1991. The ship was in a collision with the Cypriot tanker NASSIA in the Bosporus Strait on March 14, 1994, and caught fire. It burned for days and 29 members of the crew of 33 plus four on the tanker, were lost. Following a sale for scrap, the gutted bulk carrier arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, under tow on December 3, 1994, and dismantling began April 5, 1995. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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Alpena arrival at Muskegon delayed by weather 3/12 – Due to very high winds blowing through the Straits of Mackinac, the steamer Alpena went to anchor east of St. Ignace on Thursday. A new ETA for Muskegon in unknown. USCG Hollyhock was stopped in the same area. |
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Port Reports - March 12
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Northern Lake Huron Cheboygan: Thursday; 5:52 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes arrived to unload petroleum products. North Channel: Thursday; CCGS Griffon spent the day breaking a track from the Mississagi Straits to Thessalon and Bruce Mines and at 19:00 was breaking a track east to Spragge.
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 12
The b.) RUTH HINDMAN was launched March 12, 1910, as a.) NORWAY (Hull#115) at Toledo, Ohio by Toledo Shipbuilding Co., for the United States Transportation Co. She was scrapped at Thunder Bay, Ontario, in 1978. G.A. TOMLINSON was launched March 12, 1907, as a) D.O. MILLS (Hull#29) at Ecorse, Michigan, by Great Lakes Engineering Works for the Mesaba Steamship Co. March 12, 1941 – The ferry CITY OF MIDLAND 41 arrived in Ludington, Michigan, on her maiden voyage. She loaded cars of paper at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and then picked up some cars of canned milk at Kewaunee, with Captain Charles Robertson in command.On 12 March 1883, the steam barge R. MC DONALD was renamed IDA M. TORRENT. 1917: ALGONQUIN was built at Glasgow, Scotland, in 1888 and saw service for several companies on the Great Lakes. The ship was torpedoed by U-62 when it was 65 miles off Cornwall, England, while west of Bishop's Rock and en route from New York to London with general cargo. It was the first American merchant ship lost due to enemy action in World War One. 1942: ¬CRAIGROWNIE was a World War One Laker and had been launched at Ashtabula on April 12, 1919. It was sailing as d) OLGA when torpedoed by U-126, 20 miles off Nuevital Light, Cuba, while en route from Port Everglades, FL, to Beracoa, Cuba. One crewmember was lost but 32 were rescued and taken to Cuba. 1947: EXANTHIA struck a mine in the Mediterranean while 12 miles from the island of Elba while traveling from Istanbul to New York. The ship was flooded and abandoned but reboarded and eventually towed to New York for repairs. The ship sailed for the American Export Lines and came to the Great Lakes on nine occasions from 1959-1961. After a few years in the James River Reserve Fleet, the vessel was taken to Brownsville, Texas, in 1975 and broken up. 1971: SUNCLIPPER, a Seaway trader in 1966, was built in 1953 as BOW BRASIL. It ran aground at Haifa Bay as f) CLIPPER when the anchors dragged in a storm. The ship was refloated April 10, and taken to Perama, Greece. It was sold “as lies” to Turkish ship breakers, and arrived at Istanbul, Turkey, for scrapping on August 29, 1972. 1985: LETITIA was the 96th and final addition to the British flag Donaldson Line. It made four trips through the Seaway in 1966 and three more in 1967. It was sailing as d) TEPORA when it caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico en route to Veracruz, Mexico, on March 12, 1985. The Honduran-flagged freighter was abandoned by the crew. The fire was apparently extinguished and the vessel reboarded. It was taken in tow but the blaze broke out again and the ship sank on March 14. Data from: Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Skip Gillham, the Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series |
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U.S. Coast Guard Alder to break ice on Lake Superior 3/11 – Duluth, MN – Step one in prepping for the 2021 shipping season in the Twin Ports started Wednesday as the U.S. Coast Guard broke up ice with ice cutter Alder. "We're getting ready for shipping to return to Duluth, the locks of Sault Ste. Marie open on the 25th and we need to have everything ready so when ships come in, they can actually get to where they need to go," said Deck Watch Officer ENS Kyle Hanson. The U.S. Coast Guard will break up the ice in the Duluth Superior area. In the next two weeks, they'll make their way up to Thunder Bay and over to the Apostle Islands, ice breaking up there should only take a few days said Coast Guard members. "There's more ice on the lake this year than there was last year. There was about 44 percent coverage at peak this year. Compared to last year it was 13 percent," said Hanson. According to NOAA this year's peak was back in the middle of February during our cold snap. But with warmer temperatures coming and going, Duluth's basin is already open water, and Coast Guard members say it won't be too difficult to break up any ice that's still out there. Hanson added, "As long as it doesn't freeze over it stays open, but if it stays below freezing, it'll freeze back over, and we'll need to go back out." Other preparations for ice breaking included training for emergency procedures and preparing the boat. Coast Guard members said COVID-19 hasn’t had a huge impact regarding operations. All members are practicing social distancing and mask-wearing while on the Alder. |
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Alpena due at Muskegon Thursday evening 3/11 – Muskegon, MI – The freighter Alpena will be coming through the Muskegon Channel on Thursday evening, March 11th. The 500-foot cement carrier will be docking at the Lafarge North America dock. At this point in the year the ice on the lake is not safe and the arrival of this freighter is likely to create instability in any remaining ice. Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office |
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Port Reports - March 11
Northern Lake Huron Alpena: Tuesday; 12:54 The tug Manitou arrived to conduct ice ops at the Lafarge cement plant. She later tied up in the Thunder Bay River. Wednesday; 6:57 The cement carrier Alpena arrived at the Lafarge plant to load and departed at 18:34 for Muskegon. Owen Sound: Monday; 7:09 CCGS Griffon arrived to conduct ice ops and departed at 8:07 for Midland. Tuesday; 8:56 Algoma Sault arrived for a two-week layup. Midland: Monday; CCGS Griffon arrived for ice ops. She spent the day breaking a track into Midland Harbor. Then on Tuesday she broke out the harbor for the eventual departure of Baie Comeau from her winter layup at the ADM elevator. At 13:38 CCGS Griffon departed for further ice ops on Georgian Bay. McGregor Bay: Wednesday; 8:12 CCGS Griffon arrived to conduct ice ops and departed at 12:00.
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Seaway |
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Under new ownership, the SS Badger is expected to run as usual in 2021 3/11 – Manitowoc, WI – It’s anchors aweigh for the SS Badger car ferry this year, as operators say they plan to run a full schedule after a choppy 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We are seeing a lot of passenger interest, and we’re very excited for the 2021 season,” Shelby Soberalski, director of marketing and sales for the SS Badger, said. “We’re very appreciative that after such an unusual year for everyone, people want to continue our legacy.” The SS Badger will carry passengers and cargo from May 20 through Oct. 10 this year and will run at a full 600-person capacity, she said. Ferry crew will follow federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pandemic protocols, including social distancing and encouraging mask wearing. The ship will continue to be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, Soberalski said. The popular car ferry, which makes a four-hour trip from Manitowoc to Ludington, Michigan, and back through summer months, delayed the 2020 season by about a month because of shelter-at-home orders in both Wisconsin and Michigan in May 2020. The season also ended in late September 2020, because of lower demand and the cost of carrying a large ship across Lake Michigan. Night trips across also were eliminated for 2020, and Soberalski said they might be on hold in 2021 as well, due to staffing limitations and time needed to deep clean the boat. Other than pandemic-related efforts, passengers should notice few changes in the SS Badger experience, she said. The ferry is also under new ownership after being purchased by Lake Michigan Carferry, Inc., a subsidiary of Interlake Maritime Services, Inc. Most changes within the company will be behind-the-scenes and few changes are planned for the SS Badger at this time other than possible sprucing up or painting, Soberalski said. The car ferry has been designated a National Historic Landmark in recognition of its heritage and significance on the Great Lakes. The ship has not changed much in 60 years, when it was built by the Christy Corporation of Sturgeon Bay for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway to carry railroad freight cars across the waters, and also to provide passenger accommodations. Reservations for this season are open at https://www.ssbadger.com, and Soberalski said she has been getting calls from eager passengers. “We’ve heard people say, ‘Oh, we really missed you last year, and now that I’m vaccinated I can’t wait to book a tour. I’ve been stuck in my house for a year and am ready to get out,'" she said. Many folks will travel from one side of Lake Michigan to the other to vacation before returning home, while others buy a one-way ticket, seeing the trip as more fun, relaxing and faster than driving through heavy Chicago traffic to get around the lake. Others will take the “loop tour,” traveling on the SS Badger one way and driving back home via Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Manitowoc Herald Times |
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Great Lakes Maritime Task Force releases annual report 3/11 – Cleveland, OH – The Great Lakes Maritime Task Force has released its annual report for 2020. The report includes the significant investments GLMTF members made protecting their workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure our readiness, the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force updated our priorities. Again, #1 is the health and safety of our workforce of which economic security is a critical piece. Great Lakes commercial maritime supports 147,000 good paying U.S. jobs, family supporting jobs providing nearly $10.5 billion in annual wages. It generates $25.6 billion in economic activity in the U.S. and supports local, state, and federal programs, with more than $4.6 billion in taxes that are paid because of the business done, purchases made, and paychecks taken home. Other priorities include support for the Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act of 2021 which was recently reintroduced in the both the House and Senate and codifies the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) icebreaking mission into law, mandating accurate performance measures that illustrate the impacts of an inadequate icebreaking fleet. Funding for another heavy Great Lakes Icebreaker at least as capable as the USCGC MACKINAW remains a key component to providing the USCG with adequate capabilities to meet the reasonable demands of commerce during the winter months. GLMTF supports programs that increase commercial shipbuilding and repair at Great Lakes shipyards. Full funding of State Maritime Academies to support their role in the education of the next generation of licensed mariners. Strict adherence to the Jones Act and all existing maritime cabotage laws crucial to America’s national, homeland, and economic security. Ballast water regulations that are protective of the environment, maintain efficient waterborne commerce on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, and are binationally compatible. Ensure that the 60 federally maintained deep-draft ports and connecting waterways in the Great Lakes navigation system are adequately funded for dredging through the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. Continued efficient funding for the second Poe-sized lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Finally, support for short sea shipping by enacting a narrow exemption from the Harbor Maintenance Tax for non-bulk cargoes moved on the Great Lakes. Download at copy of the report at this link: http://www.glmtf.org/2021/03/10/2020-annual-report |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 11
The keel was laid March 11, 1976, for the 660-foot-long forward section of the BELLE RIVER (Hull#716) at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Bay Shipbuilding Corp. Renamed b.) WALTER J. McCARTHY JR in 1990. L'AIGLE was launched March 11, 1982, as a.) ERRIA PILOT (Hull#308) at Imabari, Japan by Asakawa Zosen Co. Renamed b.) KOYAMA 3 in 1983, c.) IONIAN EAGLE in 1989. Purchased by Soconav in 1991, renamed d.) LÕAIGLE. Sold, renamed e.) ALAM KERISI in 1996, f.) SALDA in 1999, and sails today as the tanker g.) ARAL. Sea trials were conducted on March 11, 1956, on Paterson's new canaller LACHINEDOC. The tug RIVER QUEEN was sold to Ed Recor of St. Clair, Michigan on 11 March 1886. 1904: The wooden-hull Lake Erie car ferry SHENANGO NO. 1 caught fire and burned following an engine room explosion on March 11, 1904. The vessel had been frozen in the ice off Conneaut since January 1 and one member of the crew perished in the blaze. 1912: FLORA M. HILL sank in Lake Michigan en route to Chicago after being caught in an ice floe that crushed the iron hull. The vessel had been built as at Philadelphia in 1874 as the lighthouse tender DAHLIA and rebuilt and renamed at Milwaukee in 1910 for Lake Michigan service. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Soo Locks to open at noon Wednesday, March 24 3/10 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – According to a release from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Soo Locks will open for the season at noon March 24. This is 12 hours earlier than originally announced. Soo Locks Park will be open, and the observation platform will also be open at limited capacity. The Visitor Center will not be open at this time. |
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St. Marys River spring ice breaking operations underway 3/10 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – On Tuesday, the Coast Guard starts breaking ice in the lower St. Marys River in preparation for the Great Lakes commercial shipping season. Initially the icebreaking activity will focus on the lower St. Marys River, south of Munuscong Lake and the Middle Neebish Channel north and east of Neebish Island. By Saturday, the Coast Guard will extend their icebreaking activity into the southern half of the West Neebish Channel, working from Mud Lake Junction Light north to the south end of the Rock Cut. The Coast Guard will not disturb the ice north of the Neebish Island ferry crossing or south of West Neebish Channel Light 45. In the coming weeks, as the March 24 scheduled opening of the Sault Locks approaches, ice breaking activities will encompass all navigable waters of the St. Marys River. Recreational users of the ice are advised to plan their activities carefully, use caution near the ice and stay away from charted navigation areas. |
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Port Reports - March 10
St. Marys River – Know Your Ships
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 10
CHARLES E. WILSON (Hull#710) was launched March 10, 1973, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Bay Shipbuilding Corp., for American Steamship Co. Renamed b.) JOHN J. BOLAND in 2000. The ADAM E. CORNELIUS, built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works (Hull#53) in 1908, was renamed b.) DETROIT EDISON on March 10, 1948. In 1954, she was renamed c.) GEORGE F. RAND and in 1962, the RAND was sold to Canadian registry and renamed d.) AVONDALE. She was scrapped at Castellon, Spain in 1979. FORT HENRY (Hull#150) was launched March 10, 1955, at Collingwood, Ontario by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., for Canada Steamship Lines Ltd. KINSMAN VENTURE was launched March 10, 1906, as a.) JOHN SHERWIN (Hull#617) at West Bay City, Michigan by West Bay City Ship Building Co. On 10 March 1881, the propellers MORLEY and A. L. HOPKINS were purchased by the Wabash Railroad Company from the Morley Brothers of Marine City, Michigan. The N. K. FAIRBANK (wooden freighter, 205 foot, 980 gross tons, built in 1874, at Marine City, Michigan) was sold by Morley & Morse to Captain H. Hastings on 10 March 1884. The tug RIVER QUEEN sank at her dock in Port Huron, Michigan during the night of 10 March 1885. She was raised the following day and one of her seacocks was discovered to have been open that caused her to fill with water. CADILLAC (steel ferry, 161 foot, 636 gross tons) was launched on 10 March 1928, by the Great Lakes Engineering Works in River Rouge, Michigan (Hull #260) for the Detroit & Windsor Ferry Company. The ferry company claimed that she was the largest and most powerful ferry in North American waters. When she was launched, the Ambassador Bridge and the tunnel, which connects Detroit and Windsor, were being constructed. She was placed in service on 25 April 1928, and had a varied history. From 1940 to 1942, she ran as a Bob-lo steamer. In 1942, she was sold to the U. S. Coast Guard and renamed b.) ARROWWOOD (WAGL 176) and used as an icebreaker. She was rebuilt in 1946, renamed c.) CADILLAC, and served as a passenger vessel on Lake Erie. At the end of the 1947 season, she was tied up to the dock for use as a restaurant. She went through a couple of owners until she finally arrived at the scrappers' dock in Hamilton, Ontario on May 26, 1962 for breaking up. In 2000, the HARMONIOUS, a Panamanian freighter dating from 1977, visited the Great Lakes in 1978 and returned on several occasions through 1986. It was lost on the Arabian Sea as c) KASTOR TOO while traveling from Aqaba, Jordan, to Visakhapatnam, India, with a cargo of phosphate on March 10, 2000. The crew of 18 were rescued by the nearby container ship MILDBURG. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Icebreaking tugs expected Wednesday in Bay of Quinte and Picton Bay 3/9 – Picton, ON – McKeil Marine Ltd. is alerting residents and visitors to Picton that they have arranged for icebreaking tug services in the Bay of Quinte and Picton Bay areas on Wednesday, to permit the transit of their cement carrier vesselMcKeil Spirit. Members of the public should also be aware that marine operations are expected to continue in and around the Bay of Quinte and Picton Bay areas on March 11 and 12. To facilitate icebreaking operations and ensure public safety, it is requested that all recreational users of the ice – pedestrians, fishers, snowmobilers, all-terrain vehicle Before resuming recreational activity on the ice, it is recommended to exercise extreme caution as the ice will remain unstable after icebreaking operations are completed. McKeil Spirit will depart Toronto on the morning of March 10. She will round Sodus Point on Lake Ontario and head north to the Bay of Quinte, at approximately 6 p.m., before continuing westward to Picton Terminals, arriving close to 9 p.m. This same day (March 10), any time after 9 a.m., support tugs will be breaking ice to create a safe passage for the McKeil Spirit. Tugs will come from the deep east in the Bay of Quinte and then move westward towards the shipping lane and Picton Terminal docks. McKeil Marine |
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Coast Guard plans to open St Marys River’s Pipe Island channel Thursday 3/9 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Coast Guard cutters Biscayne Bay and Neah Bay will open the Pipe Island Channel, north and east of Pipe Island starting at 8 a.m. on Thursday. The two icebreakers will fracture and flush the existing field of ice to open the up bound channel of the St. Marys River, to the North and East of Pipe Island. Conducting this and other preparatory icebreaking facilitates the opening of the Sault Locks at noon March 24 and the start of the new shipping season. USCG |
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Port Reports - March 9
St. Marys River
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Detroit, MI
Port Colborne, ON |
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Interlake posts fit-out schedule for 2021 season
3/9 –
Interlake Steamship Co. has posted its spring fit-out schedule. |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 9
In 1905, the JAMES C. WALLACE (Hull#334) of the Acme Steamship Co., (A.B. Wolvin, mgr.), was launched at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. Purchased by the Interlake Steamship Co. in 1913, she was scrapped at Genoa, Italy in 1963. On 09 March 1933, all nine steamers of the Goodrich Transit Company were seized by federal marshals under a bankruptcy petition. These steamers were CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, CAROLINA, ALABAMA, ILLINOIS, CITY OF BENTON HARBOR, CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, CITY OF ST. JOSEPH, CITY OF HOLLAND, and the CITY OF SAUGATUCK. AMOCO ILLINOIS was launched March 9, 1918, as a) WILLIAM P. COWAN (Hull#724) at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. NOTRE DAME VICTORY (Hull#1229), was launched on March 9, 1945, at Portland, Oregon, by Oregon Shipbuilding Co., just 42 days after her keel was laid. She became the b.) CLIFFS VICTORY and sailed on the Great Lakes from 1951 until 1985. WIARTON was launched March 9, 1907, as a) THOMAS LYNCH (Hull#73) at Chicago, Illinois, by Chicago Ship Building Co., for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. She was used as part of a breakwall at the Steel Co. of Canada Dock in Hamilton. The GROVEDALE of 1905, and HENRY R. PLATT JR of 1909, were also used. March 9, 1920 – The PERE MARQUETTE 3 sank off Ludington after being crushed by ice. On 9 March 1858, the propeller ferry GLOBE was being loaded with cattle at the Third Street dock at Detroit, Michigan. In the rush to get aboard, the cattle caused the vessel to capsize. All of the cattle swam ashore, although some swam across the river to the Canadian side. 1985: The Norwegian freighter TRONSTAD first came to the Great Lakes as a pre-Seaway visitor in 1957. It returned on another 12 occasions after the new waterway opened in 1959. The vessel was sailing a d) CRUZ DEL SUR when it was confiscated by U.S. authorities for drug smuggling and brought to Miami on this date in 1985. The 30-year old ship was towed out into the Atlantic and scuttled off Miami on December 19, 1986. 2007: The Greek freighter WISMAR was built in 1979 and came through the Seaway in 1980. It lost power below Lock 2 of the Welland Canal while upbound on August 30, 1980, and had to drop anchor. It was sailing as h) GRACIA from Thailand to Dakar, Senegal, with a cargo of rice, when the engine failed in heavy weather in the Indian Ocean on February 27, 2007. The crew took to the lifeboats and was rescued. The former Great Lakes visitor was last seen on March 7, adrift, with a 20-degree list to port, and likely soon sank. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - March 8
St. Marys River
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Alpena, MI
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 8
EUGENE P. THOMAS (Hull#184) was launched March 8, 1930, at Toledo, Ohio by Toledo Shipbuilding Co., for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. March 8, 1910 – A fire from unknown causes destroyed the ANN ARBOR NO. 1 of 1892. The hull was sold to Love Construction Co., of Muskegon, Michigan. On 8 March 1882, the tug WINSLOW left Manistee to tow the NORTHERN QUEEN to Marine City for repairs. NORTHERN QUEEN had collided with LAKE ERIE the previous autumn and then sank while trying to enter Manistique harbor. Robert Holland purchased the wreck of NORTHERN QUEEN after that incident. 1981 MEZADA of the Zim Israel Line first came to the Great Lakes in 1966 after it had been lengthened to 676 feet. The vessel had been built in 1960 and foundered after breaking in two about 100 miles east of Bermuda on March 8, 1981. The 19,247 gross ton bulk carrier was traveling from Haifa to Baltimore with a cargo of potash and 24 lives were lost while only 11 sailors were rescued. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series |
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Coast Guard to start spring icebreaking operations at Duluth, Superior 3/7 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie announces the start of icebreaking operations on Lake Superior in preparation for the 2021 Shipping Season. Wednesday March 10, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alder will depart her home mooring in Duluth and proceed to fracture the ice throughout Duluth and Superior harbors. The Alder will focus initial icebreaking activities on the western Lake Superior ports of Superior and Duluth, then proceed north to clear ice from Two Harbors, Silver Bay and Taconite Harbor. This work will expand and eventually encompass Chequamegon Bay, Thunder Bay and perhaps the west end of the Keweenaw waterway. The icebreaking work in these latter areas will begin after March 15th. Specific public notices will precede icebreaking work planned for each location. USCG |
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Port Reports - March 7
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports – William Kloss |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 7
ALGOSOO suffered a serious fire at her winter mooring on the west wall above Lock 8, at Port Colborne, Ontario on March 7, 1986, when a conveyor belt ignited, possibly caused by welding operations in the vicinity. The blaze spread to the stern gutting the aft accommodations. The ship was repaired at Welland and returned to service on October 6. TEXACO BRAVE was launched March 7, 1929, as a) JOHN IRWIN (Hull#145) at Haverton-Hill-on-Tees, United Kingdom by Furness Shipbuilding Co. On 7 March 1874, the wooden tug JOHN OWEN (Hull#28) was launched at Wyandotte, Michigan, by the Detroit Dry Dock Company for J. E. Owen of Detroit, Michigan. On 7 March 1896, L. C.WALDO (steel propeller freighter, 387 foot, 4,244 gross tons) was launched at W. Bay City, Michigan by F. W. Wheeler (Hull #112). She had a long career. She was rebuilt twice, once in the winter of 1904-05 and again in 1914, after she was stranded in the Storm of 1913. She was sold Canadian in 1915, and renamed b.) RIVERTON. In 1944, she was renamed c.) MOHAWK DEER. She lasted until November 1967, when she foundered in the Gulf of Genoa while being towed to the scrap yard at La Spezia, Italy. ANN ARBOR NO 1 (wooden propeller carferry, 260 foot, 1,128 gross tons, built in 1892, at Toledo, Ohio) got caught in the ice four miles off Manitowoc, Wisconsin in February 1910. She remained trapped and then on 7 March 1910, she caught fire and burned. Although she was declared a total loss, her hull was reportedly sold to Love Construction Co., Muskegon, Michigan, and reduced to an unregistered sand scow. 1969: The British freighter MONTCALM, a Seaway trader when new in 1960, made 29 trips to the Great Lakes to the end of 1967. A truck in #1 hold got loose on this date in an Atlantic storm 420 miles southeast of Halifax in 1969 causing a heavy list and a 12 foot gash in the hull. A U.S.C.G. helicopter dropped extra pumps and the ship reached Halifax and safety. The vessel later became a livestock carrier and arrived at Chittagong, Bangladesh, for scrapping as c) SIBA EDOLO on August 8, 1988. 1973: BISCAYA was a Danish flag freighter that first came inland in 1965. It was sailing as c) MARGARITA, and under Greek registry, when it sank following a collision with the ANZOATEGUI, a Venezuelan reefer ship, while in bound about 39 miles off Maracaibo, Venezuela on March 7, 1983. It was carrying barytes, a mineral used in oil-drilling fluids, from El Salvador. 1982: OCEAN LEADER came to the Great Lakes in 1980 and ran aground upbound near Sault Ste. Marie on November 11 when the radar malfunctioned. Later, in 1982 as c) FINIKI, the then 7-year old ship hit an underwater obstruction 10 miles west of the Moruka Light, while en route to Paramaribo, Suriname. The vessel reached Georgetown, Guyana, and was declared a total loss. It was reported as scuttled in the Atlantic off Jacksonville, Fla., on or after December 9, 1982. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, “Historical Collections of the Great Lakes,” “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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All Great Lakes going down quickly, distancing from last year’s record water levels 3/6 – The Great Lakes aren’t in just a normal water decline mode. They are now going down faster than usual and putting some distance between current water levels and last year’s record water levels. February saw water levels decline on all of the Great Lakes. This is a normal seasonal decline, plus more decline. Due to the lack of precipitation and lack of ice cover, some of the Great Lakes dropped even more than is usually expected in February. The forecast for March is also to continue the water level decline on each Great Lake. Lake Superior’s water level fell 3 inches in February and is now 7 inches below this time last year. Going into summer, Lake Superior is expected to be 3 to 6 inches below last year and 9 inches below record water levels. Lakes Michigan and Huron also went down 3 inches in February on dry weather and increasing evaporation due to lack of ice. The water is still 27 inches above average, but 10 inches below last year- when it was at record levels. Lake Michigan-Huron is forecast to be nowhere near record levels this summer, remaining nine to 11 inches below last summer’s record water levels. |
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Port Reports - March 6
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Mackinac Island
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports – William Kloss |
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Corps lowers impact to fish spawning near Soo Locks 3/6 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) officials will use dry blasting during new lock at the Soo construction to avoid or drastically minimize impacts to fish larvae and adult fish spawning near the Soo Locks. The Soo Locks on the St. Marys River allow vessels to navigate the 21 ft elevation change between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. A new Poe-sized lock being built will provide necessary redundancy in the Great Lakes Navigation System’s critical infrastructure. To build the new lock, deepening the channel on the upstream side (west) of the Poe lock is necessary. Dredging is scheduled to occur in 2021-2022. Drilling and blasting are required to fragment the bedrock and concrete for dredging. Ground vibration, underwater shockwaves from blasting, and the potential physical impacts to nearby fish and fish eggs in the St. Mary’s River are concerns for USACE and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) conducted an assessment on dry and underwater blasting and its impacts on fish spawning. The team found nine data sources and reviewed them to determine the upper limit of vibrations and sudden change in water pressure brought on from blasting. The team developed estimated thresholds to protect fish spawning habitat in the immediate dredging area. To remove existing concrete floor and underlying bedrock for the new lock construction, blasting is expected to occur out of water, called dry blasting, in the current Sabin Lock between upstream and downstream cofferdams. The ERDC assessment notes, “potential impacts from dry blasting to the local fish population are dependent on a number of site-specific factors ranging from the blasting details (type and amount of explosive charge, blast confinement method, water depth, substrate type, charge delay, etc confinement, etc.) and the size, life-stage (e.g., eggs, larval, adult), and morphology of the fish”. Based on new lock blasting plans details, ERDC engineers and scientists determined dry blasting as an alternative to underwater blasting will effectively minimize the sudden change in water pressure to species a primary means for injury to fish. “Shock waves generated by in-water blasting have greater lethal effects as compared to those propagated from ground to water due to the sharper pressure-time signature, the ERDC assessment says. For dry blasting, part of the blasting energy is reflected and lost at the ground-water interface.” The results indicate vibrations and water overpressures from dry blasting will be sufficiently protective of fish spawning habitats for fish eggs, according to the ERDC assessment. Dr. Andrew McQueen, an ERDC research biologist involved in this study said, “the St. Marys rapids near the new Soo Lock construction serve as a spawning ground and habitat for a variety of ecologically and recreationally important fish species, and our goal is to provide science-informed risk management to protect these resources”. USACE strives to achieve environmental sustainability of USACE civil works projects and operations by evaluating project proposals for environmental soundness, making recommendations for project modifications that reduce environmental impacts and/or provide environmental enhancements. Read the full ERDC report at: https://go.usa.gov/xsnDP |
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Salties sold for demolition 3/6 – Vessels with Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway connection reported as a casualty or sold for demolition, taken from March 2021 issue of Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society
Casualties: None NAZLICAN (7531357; Panama) (Defiant II-09, Holiman-08, Deneb-91 – 1st seaway transit 1989, Donny-88 – 1st seaway transit 1984, Dania-83 – 1st seaway transit 1980) – 8,383 / 1978 – general cargo ship – By BAF Bunkering & Shipping S de RL (Yenal Gemi Acenteligi AS (Yenal Shipping Agency AS), Panama, to Venture Green Recyclers, Pakistan and arrived Gadani Beach 24.09.2020 – commenced demolition 3.10.2020 RITAJ-A (8214877l Tanzania (Zanzibar) (Royal Garnet-14, Tan Binh 20-09, Joint Grace-06, Rainbow Sky-97, Maya No. 6-95 – 1st seaway transit 1986, Ho Ming No. 6-85 – 1st seaway transit 1983) – 6,686 / 1982 – general cargo ship – By Ritaj Maritime SA (IMS Greece Co), Belize, to S.S. Enterprises, Pakistan and arrived Gadani Beach 18.09.2020 – commenced demolition 8.10.2020 TAILWIND (8908868; Liberia) Regal-16, Rega-13 – 1st seaway transit 2002, Fossnes-02 – 1st seaway transit 1996) 11,542 / 1995 – general cargo ship – By Tailwind Shipping & Trading Corp (Anmax Trading Corp Pte Ltd), Liberia, to Bereket Gemi Sokum Ltd Sti, Turkey and arrived Aliaga 2.09.2020 – commenced demolition 5.09.2020 TRANSFAIR (7627302; Panama) (Captain Rashad-12, San Wai-07, Unison Great-96, Maya No. 7-93, Ho Ming 7-86 – 1st seaway transit 1984, Nusantara IV-82 – 5,985 / 1977 – general cargo ship – By Shejar Maritime SA (Tempus Maritime Sarl), Panama, to Hussain Sheth Ispat (SB), India and arrived Alang 27.09.2020 – commenced demolition 7.10.2020 Report prepared by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 6
EUGENE J. BUFFINGTON (Hull#366) was launched March 6, 1909, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co., for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. She lasted until 1980, when she was towed to San Esteban de Pravia, Spain, for scrapping. At noon on 6 March 1873, the steam railroad carferry SAGINAW was launched at the Port Huron Dry Dock Co. She did not get off the ways at first and had to be hauled off by the tug KATE MOFFAT. She was built for use between Port Huron and Sarnia. On 6 March 1892, SAGINAW (wooden 4-car propeller carferry, 142 foot, 365 tons, built in 1873, at Port Huron, Michigan) burned at the dock in Windsor, Ontario where she had been laid up since 1884. The hull was later recovered and converted to an odd-looking tug, a well-known wrecker in the Detroit River area until broken up about 1940. 1982 INDIANA was chartered to Swedish interests when it made four trips to the Great Lakes in 1962. It was sailing as d) ZOE II, under Liberian registry, when it was abandoned in the Adriatic Sea, south of Pula, Yugoslavia, (now Croatia) after a severe list had developed while on a voyage from Koper, Yugoslavia, (now Slovenia) to Ancona, Italy, on March 6, 1982. No further trace of the ship was ever found. 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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Coast Guard to break ice between Mackinac Island, St Ignace 3/5 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – At the request of Mackinac Island community leaders, ice deterioration, and forecasted warmer temperatures, Captain of the Port Sault Sainte Marie will open the waters between St Ignace and Mackinac Island, effective 0800 EST March 07. The Coast Guard recommends that members of the public who recreate on the ice, particularly those who fish, or operate snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles on ice-covered waters between St. Ignace and Mackinac Island, plan their activities carefully, use caution when on ice, and stay away from charted shipping channels. |
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Baldwin, cosponsors reintroduce Great Lakes icebreaking legislation 3/5 – U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced the reintroduction of the Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act Wednesday, which would expand Coast Guard icebreaking efforts across the Great Lakes. According to a news release from Baldwin's office, the bill would increase the USCG's annual icebreaking responsibilities in the Great Lakes area, including mandatory reports to Congress during the icebreaking season. The bill would also allocate $350 million for the construction of a new Great Lakes icebreaker vessel. The bill is cosponsored by Todd Young (R-Indiana) and Gary Peters (D-Michigan) and has been endorsed by various commerce organizations across the Great Lakes area. “Inadequate icebreaking capacity in the Great Lakes is costing us thousands of American jobs and millions in business revenue. We must boost our icebreaking capacity in the Great Lakes to keep our maritime commerce moving,” Baldwin said in the release. “I’m proud to partner with senators Young and Peters on this bipartisan effort that will move our region closer to getting the sufficient icebreaking resources needed to support our maritime industry, mitigate devastating climate-related events and protect our Great Lakes for generations to come. I will keep working with my colleagues to get this job done for Wisconsin businesses and workers.” WKOW |
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Port Reports - March 5
Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Marine Reports |
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Montreal Port Authority's new terminal in Contrecœur Approved 3/5 – Contrecœur, QC – The Montreal Port Authority has the green light to build a new container port terminal in Contrecœur, about 50 kilometres east of downtown Montreal. Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson approved the project on Monday. "Through project assessments based on science and consultations with indigenous peoples and the public, we are able to protect our water and air, while supporting our communities," Wilkinson says in a statement. The assessment concluded that the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects when mitigation measures are taken into account, the statement says. The Montreal Port Authority estimates that the project will generate about 5,000 jobs during the construction phase and more than 1,000 direct jobs during the operation phase, the statement says. The container port terminal will have a maximum annual capacity of 1.15 million containers. The project will also include features such as a seven-track classification yard, a container storage and handling area and rail and road accesses. Wilkinson's approval was the last step of many in getting the project authorized, and now the port authority is ready to make a call for tenders with an aim to get the facility operational by 2024. The Montreal Port Authority already has 19 terminals, including one in Contrecœur. Since the 1950s, solid bulk has been unloaded there, to supply, among other things, the steel industry. The additional container terminal will be able to accommodate two freighters at a time. It will be built one kilometre upstream from the bulk terminal, near Verchères. CBC |
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Help wanted: Owen Sound Transportation currently accepting resumes 3/5 – The Owen Sound Transportation Co. / Pelee Island Transportation Service is currently accepting applications for the position of captain on the MV Pelee Islander II vehicle / passenger ferry. In service since the fall of 2018, the Pelee Islander II is a 62 metre RORO ferry capable of carrying 36 vehicles from the Ontario mainland (Leamington / Kingsville) to Pelee Island Ontario on Lake Erie. A typical work rotation consists of 7 days on / 7 days off during the sailing season. Pelee Islander II is powered by a Schottel steer prop (Z Drive) system. Compensation OSTC offers a competitive wage ($93 600.00 – Currently under review), generous benefit plan and enrollment in the OPB Pension plan. The OPB Pension plan is a defined benefit pension plan. Qualifications The position requires a valid TC approved Master, Near Coastal certificate. The successful candidate must also demonstrate leadership abilities for both people and processes. The ability to work in a customer service environment is very important. A copy of your CoC is to be included with your resume. Ship handling experience with steer prop (Z Drive) systems is beneficial. The Owen Sound Transportation Company is an Agency of the Province of Ontario and an equal opportunity employer. Resumes are to be forwarded to Stephen Shaw – VP – Operations at stephen.shaw@ontarioferries.com. The email title should to be titled – Resume – Captain – Pelee Islander II. |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 5
On 05 March 1997, the Canadian Coast Guard cutter GRIFFON pulled the smashed remains of a 1996 Ford Bronco from the icy depths of the Straits of Mackinac. The vehicle flipped off the Mackinac Bridge on 02 March 1997, and the driver was killed. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter BISCAYNE BAY served as a platform for the M-Rover submersible craft used to locate the Bronco in 190 feet of water. HARRY L. ALLEN was launched March 5, 1910, as a.) JOHN B. COWLE (Hull#379) at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. She was declared a constructive total loss after a fire on January 21, 1978. The vessel was in winter lay-up at the Capitol elevator in Duluth when part of the elevator complex burned. Debris from the elevator fell on the boat, badly damaging it. The owners decided to scrap it rather than repair it. The ALLEN was scrapped at Duluth in 1978. LEADALE was launched March 5, 1910, as a.) HARRY YATES (Hull#77) at St. Clair, Michigan, by Great Lakes Engineering Works. Scrapped at Cartagena, Columbia in 1979. March 5, 1932 – In distress with a broken steering gear off the Ludington harbor, S.S. VIRGINIA entered port under her own power. On 05 March 1898, the WILLIAM R. LINN (Hull#32) (steel propeller freighter, 400 foot, 4,328 gross tons) was launched at the Chicago Ship Building Company in South Chicago, Illinois. In 1940, she was sold, renamed b.) L.S. WESCOAT and converted to a tanker. She was scrapped in Germany in 1965. 1997 – The former Greek bulk carrier ANTONIS P. LEMOS had been built at Osaka, Japan, in 1976, and visited the Great Lakes that year. As c) ALBION TWO, the ship departed Gdynia, Poland, for Kingston, Jamaica, with a cargo of steel products and was reported as missing on March 5. Wreckage was later found off the coast of France and identified as from the missing vessel. All 25 crewmembers were lost. The ship had also been through the Seaway as b) MACFRIENDSHIP in November 1993 with a cargo of steel for Hamilton. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Eric Holst, Mike Nicholls, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series |
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Great Lakes water levels significantly lower going into 2021 3/4 – Beach lovers rejoice! Among all the issues 2020 brought, record high lake levels and nonexistent beaches were some of them. Well, there is good news to report on that front. February 2021 recorded water levels on Lake Michigan and Huron nearly a foot lower than a year ago. The most drastic drop was Lake Ontario coming in a whopping 22 inches lower than in 2020. This is due to much less widespread precipitation across the Great Lakes Region compared to last winter. Greater outflow also played a part. However, water levels in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are still running more than two feet over the long-term average. Usually, water levels would increase this time of year because of snow melt. However, they are forecast to stay the same due to the dry, warm weather coming to Michigan this month – a complete contrast from last year, when water levels skyrocketed. Great Lakes water levels and forecasts are released every Friday by the Army Corp of Engineers. WJRT |
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Port Reports - March 4
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Marine Reports
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss |
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Sault Ste. Marie moving forward with Carbide Dock project 3/4 – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The Carbide Dock in Sault Ste. Marie hasn’t been used by the public since 2016. It was once a place where people could go and watch the freighters and enjoy some fishing. After receiving over $20 million in grant funding, the city is working to bring it back better than ever. The city recently revealed the first renditions of the repairs and upgrades they plan to make, including adding streams, ponds, trees, and environmentally friendly walkways. Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Don Gerrie said “It’s gonna be a game changer and this is one of the things that the residents in the Soo want is more usable waterfront, and this is going to bring that to them. So we’re very excited about it.” “Cruise ships passengers will be getting off in a really nice spot and be able to go downtown to the community,” said Linda Hoath, Director of the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “Downtown is just a few blocks away and they can walk to it or sometimes we’ll have motor coaches for them. So it’s just going to be exciting for tourism.” The grants will make sure the city doesn’t have to dip into its general fund. “It’s the largest grant the city of Sault Ste Marie has ever recieved and we also had to fill some gaps with funding from the state of Michigan,” said Gerrie. “So we got $1 million from the Michigan Department of Transportation. We got $1 million from the MEDC, so it’s an entirely grant funded project.” The city hopes to begin construction by this fall. 9&10 News |
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Seafarers 'in dire need' of COVID-19 vaccination, says union 3/4 – The union that represents cargo ship crews in Canada says its members are in desperate need to be vaccinated for COVID-19. The Seafarers International Union of Canada says that is because of the potential danger of an outbreak onboard a vessel and a shortage of workers to replace crew members who get sick. There is limited space to physically distance on a ship and there are few medical resources on a vessel to deal with a COVID-19 outbreak should it occur. "We don't want to interrupt the vaccinations right now of those front-line workers and our elderly that are absolutely in dire need, but we're in dire need as well," said union president Jim Given. The union represents seafarers who work inside Canada and abroad. Given wants his crews to be given the vaccine after health-care workers and seniors get their shots. Many seafarers spend three months aboard ship, with one month off, but some crews spend up to nine months on a vessel. Some workers have stayed on board even longer during the pandemic. There have only been a handful of COVID-19 outbreaks on ships so far, and one seafarer has died as a result, said Given. He's worried that could get worse if his members aren't vaccinated soon. It's incredibly difficult to cope with a COVID-19 outbreak on a ship, according to Desai Shan, an assistant professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She has been studying COVID-19's impact on seafarers. "They are extremely vulnerable in this pandemic," she said. "Considering they are important, and also vulnerable …seafarers getting priority for the vaccine is a fair request. The medical resources and support seafarers would get on board are far, far limited compared to land-based working environments." Shan said countries like China and Singapore have already started vaccinating their seafarers because they recognize the importance of keeping their supply chains moving. "We carry most of the goods people use every day, whether it be the raw materials to make the product or the product itself. We carry about 90 percent of everything you touch and see every day," said Given. A seafarer's job is so important it is considered essential. Given said the union wants to sit down with provincial and federal officials to come up with a plan to get its members vaccinated soon. Transport Canada had no comment on whether seafarers should be prioritized for vaccination. There is a shortage of seafarers in Canada right now, and with few people to replace them if they get sick, that could mean huge delays in the movement of goods and a slowdown in the Canadian economy, said Given. The country can't afford a slowdown in the shipping industry, he said, especially with the busy season set to start in the spring when the Great Lakes thaw and ship traffic picks up. CBC |
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Former Inland Seas museum building to be demolished; pilot house to be auctioned 3/4 – Vermilion, OH – The demolition of the Wakefield Mansion and Inland Seas Maritime Museum officially is a go in the city of Vermilion. City Council passed the ordinance approving the demolition of the buildings during a March 1 meeting. Officials have discussed the measure for the past six years or so. "It is a heartbreaking thing for many people in our community, including myself, to see an old building go down, a building that is a part of our heritage here in this city, and it obviously has a lot of emotion tied to it," Council President Steve Herron said. "It is not a happy thing to have happen." City Engineer Chris Howard said 13 bidders were involved with the project, with D&M Excavating LLC of Crestline receiving the bid. The city will have the company demolish the buildings for no more than $87,500. Another development to the area includes the intended auctioning off of Main Street Beach's historic pilot house, which is attached to the old Inland Seas museum. The pilothouse is from the long-retired lake freighter Canopus. Mayor Jim Forthofer said during the meeting the city originally planned to move the pilot house and store it for later disposition. "We've since gotten estimates of how much it would cost to move that pilot house and store it and found that it would be probably more than the pilot house is worth," Forthofer said. In the passage of an ordinance regarding the pilot house, the city declared the pilot house an unwanted piece of city property and will auction it. The city will not have to pay for the removal and will collect the funds made off of its auction, Forthofer said. |
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IJC: Risk of flooding from Lake Ontario 'low' 3/4 – Rochester, NY – The International Joint Commission said Monday the risk of flooding from Lake Ontario has declined from "moderate" in December to the current status of "low." The IJC reports the change is largely the result of dry conditions in January and February, as it says the lake level is almost two-feet lower than this time a year ago, and the lowest it has been at this time of the season since 2015. Flooding issues hit shoreline neighbors hard in 2017 and 2019, with neighbors blaming the IJC's controversial Plan 2014, the IJC previously announced it had granted Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board’s request to deviate from that plan. Despite the news, the IJC board warns -- if conditions become extremely wet like in 2017 and 2019-- nothing could prevent high water levels which could cause flooding and damage to shoreline properties. WHEC |
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Virtual Visitor Center – A Ship’s Journey: Duluth, to the Soo, to the Blue 3/4 – Learn about the journey ocean-going vessels take once they leave Duluth. Traveling through canals, locks, and rivers, you’ll hear the history of how it has all been made possible to travel to the Atlantic from Ranger Hannah of the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. The free program begins at 12:30 EST (11:30 CST), today, Thursday, March 4 in the Virtual Visitor Center, use a Chrome browser to join on the web: https://www.gotomeet.me/VirtualVisitorCenter/a-ships-journey. For those unable to attend live, the program will be recorded and posted later on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqtbMFyAaYYO9TIAaaK2HTLr0Ph4A5FRF. The Virtual Visitor Center is a cooperative endeavor between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association and Lake Superior Marine Museum Association. |
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Today in Great Lakes History – March 4
In 1944, the U.S.C.G.C. MACKINAW (WAGB-83) was launched by the Toledo Ship Building Company (Hull #188) at Toledo, Ohio. Her name was originally planned to be MANITOWOC. MACKINAW was retired in 2006. CECILIA DESGAGNES, a.) CARL GORTHON, departed Sorel, Quebec, on March 4, 1985, bound for Baie Comeau, Quebec, on her first trip in Desgagnes colors. March 4, 1904 – William H. Le Fleur of the Pere Marquette car ferries was promoted to captain at the age of 34. He was the youngest carferry captain on the Great Lakes. In 1858, TRENTON (wooden propeller, 134 foot, 240 gross tons, built in 1854, at Montreal, Quebec) burned to a total loss while tied to the mill wharf at Picton, Ontario, in Lake Ontario. The fire was probably caused by carpenters that were renovating her. On 4 March 1889, TRANSIT (wooden 10-car propeller carferry, 168 foot, 1,058 gross tons, built in 1872, at Walkerville, Ontario) burned at the Grand Trunk Railroad dock at Windsor, Ontario on the Detroit River. She had been laid up since 1884, and the Grand Trunk Railroad had been trying to sell her for some time. In 1871, FLORENCE (iron steamer, 42.5 foot, built in 1869, at Baltimore, Maryland) burned while docked at Amherstburg, Ontario at about 12:00 p.m. The fire was hot enough to destroy all the cabins and melt the surrounding ice in the Detroit River, but the vessel remained afloat and her engines were intact. She was rebuilt and remained in service until 1922 when she was scrapped. 1976 – The former British freighter GRETAFIELD of 1952, a Great Lakes visitor for the first time in 1962, hit the breakwall entering Cape Town, South Africa, as c) SIROCCO I and received extensive bow damage. It was sold to Taiwanese shipbreakers and departed May 15,1976, arriving at Kaohsiung July 5 for dismantling. 1983 – The former Danish freighter MARIE SKOU of 1962, inland for the first time in 1966, caught fire in the engine room and was abandoned by the crew south of Sicily as b) CLEO C. The vessel was towed to Malta on March 9 and scrapped there beginning in April. 1986 – The onetime Greek freighter YEMELOS, built in 1962 as MIGOLINA and renamed in 1972, first came inland in 1973. It was abandoned as e) TANFORY off Trincomolee, Sri Lanka, en route from Kandla, India, to Chittagong, Bangladesh, with salt and bentonite. The ship was presumed to have sunk. 1995 – The tug ERIE NO. 1, a) DUNKIRK, b) PEGGY M., c) RENE PURVIS sank at the dock in Toronto. It was raised by a crane June 18, 1995, but the cable snapped, dropping the hull on the dock breaking the tug’s back. The vessel was broken up at that location in late 1995. 2011 – LOUIS JOLLIET caught fire at Montreal during winter work. The ex-St. Lawrence ferry was being used as an excursion vessel. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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$400 million project to clean up Milwaukee River estuary in motion 3/3 – Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee’s rivers have slowly been revitalized through a variety of cleanup projects in recent years. But the estuary – the area in which the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers meet Lake Michigan – is still one of the most environmentally degraded sites on the Great Lakes due to contamination caused by decades of industrial waste. The estuary has a federal designation as an “area of concern.” But change is coming. Years of planning has led to a massive $400 million cleanup project. Read more at this link: https://www.wuwm.com/post/400-million-project-clean-milwaukee-river-estuary-motion |
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Boating interests, including those on Great Lakes, oppose Erie Canal changes 3/3 – – BoatUS is sounding the alarm on proposed management changes to the New York State Canal System that, if passed, could trigger negative consequences on the historic waterway for years to come — and not just in New York. Urging immediate engagement by their members are the Michigan Boating Industries Association, the Boating Associations of Ohio, the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association and other Great Lakes stakeholders. An act has been introduced in the waning days of New York’s annual budget process that allows no opportunity for public input. BoatUS is urging its 44,000 New York members — plus all canal community members and the boaters in many states that use the Erie Canal and others in the canal system for transit in and out of the Great Lakes and Canada — to make their voices heard by insisting that legislators immediately remove Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 30-day budget amendment, TED Bill Part VV, distractingly called the New York State Canal System Revitalization Act. BoatUS discovered that the proposed act essentially details the canal as a failure, calling it “antiquated and deteriorating” as a result of the lack of commercial shipping activity. Ironically, at the same time it acknowledges that, the “state has not exploited the full potential of the canal system.” If passed, the act would forever change the operating structure, which would leave management of the canal system even less transparent than it currently is, remove state accountability and forever hinder the economic viability of the canal with weak funding sources. “For our marine industry, the negative impact will hit many marine dealers and boat owners,” says Nicki Polan, executive director of the Michigan Boating Industries Association. “Here’s just one example: Jefferson Beach Yachts Sales in St. Clair Shores receives many of their large Viking, Sunseeker, Princess and Absolute inventory via the Erie Canal. Plus, many of their customers travel north and south via the canal. It will negatively impact dealers and owners on all five Great Lakes.” The historic Erie Canal effectively connects the Great Lakes at Buffalo to New York City via the Hudson River at Albany. The canal is 363 miles long and was the first canal in the United States to connect western waterways with the Atlantic. Connecting canals also provided access to the popular Finger Lakes region and Lake Ontario at Rochester. BoatUS vice president of public affairs Scott Croft is even more direct. “We believe the act’s last-minute introduction during the end of the budget process is an indication of the administration’s strategy to minimize debate and control outcomes,” he says. “To discuss change of this magnitude, we’re asking Gov. Cuomo to engage in an open, transparent process to ensure the future of this historic waterway, not only for recreational boaters in New York and beyond, but for the communities that benefit from it all along its length.” TradeOnlyToday |
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Help wanted: U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center 3/3 - The U.S. Geological Survey is looking to fill Marine Machinery Repairer (MMR) positions at the Great Lakes Science Center’s Cheboygan Vessel Base. USGS is accepting resumes from qualified veterans that are eligible under one or more of several hiring authorities for the appointment of veterans. For more information, please visit Special Hiring Authorities Available for the Appointment of Veterans (usgs.gov). Duties:
▪ Operates, services, and repairs engine room, deck machinery, and equipment. Organization Since 1927, Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) research has provided critical information for the sound management of Great Lakes fish populations and other important natural resources in the basin. The GLSC is geographically deployed throughout the Great Lakes basin through seven strategically located field stations and five large research vessels. Interested candidates may submit their resume to Tim O’Brien (tiobrien@usgs.gov), Cell: 734-707-3345 |
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Today in Great Lakes History - March 3
The keel was laid on March 3, 1980, for the COLUMBIA STAR (Hull#726) at Sturgeon Bay, Wis., by Bay Shipbuilding Corp. She now sails as AMERICAN CENTURY. At midnight on 3 March 1880, DAVID SCOVILLE (wooden propeller steam tug/ferry, 42 foot, 37 gross tons, built in 1875, at Marine City, Mich.) burned at the Grand Trunk Railway wharf at Sarnia, Ontario. Arson was suspected. No lives were lost. 1947: NOVADOC of the Paterson fleet was lost with all hands (24 sailors) off Portland, Maine, while en route from Nova Scotia to New York City with a cargo of gypsum. The ship had also sailed as NORTHTON for the Mathews and Misener fleets. 1958: The tanker DON JOSE, formerly the ITORORO that operated on the Great Lakes for Transit Tankers & Terminals in the early 1940s, was destroyed by a fire, likely in a loading mishap, at Talara, Peru. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Steve Haverty, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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American Steamship Co. lays off 95 workers 3/2 - Buffalo, NY – American Steamship Co. has laid off 95 workers, according to a notice filed with New York state. The company, which was founded in 1907, operates a fleet of vessels used to ship products from port to port on the Great Lakes. In a state WARN, the company cited lingering impacts of the Covid-19 crisis, the downturn of the U.S. economy and transformational changes that have impacted its customer base and increased competition from lower-cost carriers. American Steamship said it made the decision not to operate five vessels in the 2021 sailing season and to charter them to other carriers. The company said the sailing season starts on March 24 and a portion of the workers laid off may not be recalled. Employees of the company are represented by the Seafarers International Union and American Maritime Officers. A message left for comment from Kevin McMonagle, American Steamship’s president, was not immediately returned. Buffalo Business First |
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Ship catches fire while being scrapped in Duluth harbor 3/2 - Duluth, MN – A fire broke out on a decommissioned ship in the Duluth harbor Monday afternoon. Azcon Metals was in the process of scrapping the J.B. Ford when a spark started a small fire in the ship's wooden cabin, according to Duluth Fire Department spokesperson Kate Van Daele. The fire department responded to the fire just after 3:15 p.m. and Van Daele said it was mostly contained as of 4:15 p.m. "They're just putting out hotspots," she said. "They were able to contain the fire to the cabin, ensuring it didn't spread to the rest of the ship." Azcon Vice President and General Manager Lynn D. Bergstedt said it was "not that big of a fire" and that it would not impact the company's scrapping work, as it only damaged the wood. "We like the steel," Bergstedt said. No one was injured in the incident. The J.B. Ford was first launched as the Edwin F. Holmes in 1903. It is 440 feet long, with a beam of 50 feet, a depth of 28 feet and a capacity of 8,000 tons. Azcon purchased the 118-year-old ship for scrap in 2015. Duluth News Tribune View a video of the fire at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxEoTFpgPjM&fbclid=IwAR2hxpypPdjYe1Yi1pgpGvVfqX5em7TIzVAT7WJCkGPSC-Z8d9360UFczOU |
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Port Reports - March 2
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, OH – Angie Williams
Lake Erie Ports |
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Sykes, Ryerson Captain Treece charts new course as a Great Lakes pilot 3/2 - Post via the S.S. Wilfred Sykes Facebook page: “There is a day in everyone’s life when you will be faced with making a difficult decision in your career. That day has come for me. For the last 30+ years I have sailed for arguably the BEST company in the Great Lakes shipping industry. No matter where I go from here on out the highlight of my career will being able to say “I sailed the Edward L. Ryerson.” I spent the last 11 years as the master of the Wilfred Sykes, another Great Lakes favorite and also very dear to my heart. Only sailors and boatnerds will understand how a floating hunk of steel could hold a special place in one’s heart, but it can. That being said, on March 23, I will fit out the SS Wilfred Sykes for the last time in my career. On April 15, I will begin a new chapter in my life as a trainee for the Western Great Lakes Pilots Association. It was not an easy decision to make, but in the end, it just felt like this was a great opportunity for trying something new and taking on a different kind of challenge. It’s something I am really looking forward to! Captain Eric Treece.” |
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Help wanted: AB Deckhand – Interlake Logistics Solutions 3/2 - Interlake Logistics Solutions is looking for a full-time employee willing to work on board a Great Lakes ship. Employees work 28 days on and 14 days off. March thru December. Large excavator, Front End Loader, and Welding Experience is a plus, but not necessary. Responsibilities include (not limited to) Operating/ Maintaining/Keeping clean Equipment and Cargo spaces around the vessel, knowing and understanding Safety signals and procedures and observing safety policies in effect, performing necessary duties with arriving and departing docking, and answering to the mate on duty. No conviction history accepted. Competitive pay, benefits and 401k. Person must be able to pass a pre-employment drug screening and physical.
Job Type: Full-time |
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Annual Mariners’ Service at Point Edward 3/2 - Point Edward, ON – It is again time for the Annual Mariners’ Service. As in other years, it will be held on the first Sunday in March. However, this year we will be conducting our service virtually. The service will be available on our Facebook page facebook.com/stpaulspointedward or on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoJFHFVF_QpBWEjBeWpZCjA Although we cannot be together this year, we hope that you will be able to watch and then next year we can all be together again once our lives return to normal. St. Paul's Anglican Church |
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Today in Great Lakes History - March 2
On 02 March 1889, the U.S. Congress passed two acts for establishment of a light station at Old Mackinac Point and appropriated $5,500 for construction of a fog signal building. The following year, funds were appropriated for the construction of the light tower and dwelling. March 2, 1938 - Harold Lillie, crewmember of the ANN ARBOR NO 6, stepped onto the apron as the carferry was approaching and fell into the water and suffered a broken neck. March 2, 1998, a fire broke out on the ALGOSOO causing serious damage to the self-unloading belts and other nearby equipment. Almost 12 years earlier in 1986, a similar fire gutted the aft cabins. On 02 March 1893, the MARY E. MC LACHLAN (3-mast wooden schooner, 251 foot, 1,394 gross tons) was launched at F. W. Wheeler's yard in West Bay City, Michigan as (Hull #96). The launch turned into a disaster when the huge wave generated by the vessel entering the water hit the freighter KITTIE FORBES (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 209 foot, 968 gross tons, built in 1883, at W. Bay City, Michigan). The FORBES had numerous spectators onboard and when the wave struck, many were injured and there was one confirmed death. 1972 - HARMATTAN, a Seaway trader beginning in 1971, arrived at Karachi, Pakistan, for scrapping after suffering missile damage at sea from Indian Naval units during a conflict between the two countries. 1976 - BROOK, a former Seaway trader as EXBROOk beginning in 1968, arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for scrapping. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, and Steve Haverty |
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Mackinaw to break ice in Green Bay 3/1 - Sault Ste Marie, MI – U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw will enter Green Bay at Rock Island Passage this week to conduct several days of ice trials in northern Green Bay. While in Green Bay, Mackinaw will perform a series of operational tests to evaluate and record the performance of their shipboard systems in the thick plate ice. The cutter will not purposely interact with shore fast ice, not enter any port, and plans to spend each night out on the ice. USCGC Mackinaw will operate in the vicinity of Chambers Island remaining north and east of Green Island and west of Washington Island. Recreational users of the ice should plan their activity carefully, use caution near the ice and remain clear of these prescribed areas. USCG |
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Port Reports - March 1
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, OH – Michael G Hopkins
Buffalo, NY – Brain R. Wroblewski Construction was to start during this February with the plant reaching full production capacity at some point over the next two years. The fire tug Cotter was out breaking ice ahead of a thaw on February 23. She went from the slip at Michigan Street to the lake and back that morning with a little extra work being done around the stern of the tug Victory at the Frontier elevator so she can move the Maumee later in March for unloading. They were back at it again on the section from Michigan Street to the Buckeye Terminal above South Park Ave. on the 25th. Then on the 26th they had to do it again because the ice was not flowing out at all due to a return to cold temps overnight and a quick refreeze of everything they had just broken the day before. Ice was seen to be approximately four inches thick for the most part. |
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Preserving History: Saving the Squaw Island Lighthouse 3/1 - A historic lighthouse was in trouble on a small island in northern Lake Michigan. The owners of Squaw Island stepped up to save it. But this is no ordinary project. See how a dedicated construction crew overcame isolation, lack of power, and poison ivy to stop the decay of the lighthouse. Along the way, they also learned a little about themselves. View the full report here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB04s4MYd6A |
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Today in Great Lakes History - March 1
HENRY FORD II (Hull#788) was launched on March 1, 1924, at Lorain, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co. She served as flagship of the Ford Motor Company fleet for many years and was eventually sold to Interlake Steamship Company when Ford sold its Great Lakes division. It was renamed b.) SAMUEL MATHER, but never sailed under that name. It was scrapped in 1994, at Port Maitland, Ontario by Marine Recycling & Salvage Ltd. In 1881 the steamship JOHN B. LYON was launched at Cleveland, Ohio by Thomas Quayle & Son for Capt. Frank Perew. She was a four mast, double-decker with the following dimensions: 255 foot keel, 275 feet overall, 38 foot beam, and 20 foot depth. On March 1, 1884 the I.N. FOSTER (wooden schooner, 134 foot, 319 gross tons, built in 1872, at Port Huron, Michigan) was sold by Clark I. Boots to E. Chilson. This vessel lasted until 1927, when she was abandoned in Buffalo, New York. 1926 - The passenger ship WHITE STAR of Canada Steamship Lines burned at Hamilton. It then became a coal barge and was rebuilt in 1950 as the diesel powered, self-unloading sandsucker S.M. DOUGLAS. It operated mainly on the St. Lawrence and was sunk as a breakwall at Kingston, ON in 1975. 1972 - The Dutch passenger and freight carrier PRINSES ANNA first visited the Great Lakes in 1967. It was lost in Osumi Strait, 18 miles south of Cape Sata, Japan, as HWA PO while on a voyage from Nagoya to Whampoa, China. The cargo shifted and 20 of the 36 on board were lost when the ship went down. 1980 - The Swedish freighter BARBARA was 4-years old when it first came inland in 1966. It returned through the Seaway as BARKAND in 1968 and as MARIANNA in 1969. The ship was under a fourth name of MARIA BACOLITSA and in bound from Brazil with pig iron for Constanza, Romania, when it went down on the Black Sea with all hands. An S.O.S. had been sent out without giving the location and rescuers were helpless to lend any assistance. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Steve Haverty, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, “Ahoy & Farewell II” and the “Great Lakes Ships We Remember” series. |
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