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Coast Guard says Cleveland’s Neah Bay in Duluth as ‘precautionary’ measure 12/16 - Duluth, Minn. – Observers of the local port might have noticed the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Neah Bay moored in Superior Bay off Harbor Drive over the course of the past several days. The Neah Bay, normally stationed in Cleveland, is in Duluth as a precautionary icebreaking measure as the Duluth-based cutter Alder is undergoing an extended-period of engine maintenance, Coast Guard director of vessel traffic services Mark Gill said. "We sought and received tactical control of the Neah Bay and positioned it over in the west end of the lakes rather than let something happen and get caught unawares and have an asset 1,000 miles away," said Gill, who is based in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., home to the Soo Locks that connect Lake Superior to the rest of the Great Lakes. The Neah Bay will return to her home port next week and give way to the Katmai Bay, another 140-foot icebreaking tug. The Katmai Bay is home-ported in Sault Ste. Marie. The 225-foot Alder is expected to come back online around Christmas, Gill said. A unseasonably frigid period around Thanksgiving necessitated icebreaking efforts locally. "Neah Bay has been loosening things up in the port and been up to Thunder Bay twice," Gill said. Unseasonably warmer temperatures of late have left little in the way of ice. That's likely to change in the coming weeks. "I'm comfortable saying we'll have a normal start to winter about the third week of December with early development of ice by the first of the (new) year," Gill said. "We'll be having to do frequent track maintenance at the head of the lake." The close of the Great Lakes shipping season is Jan. 15, when the Soo Locks fold up for 10 weeks of projects, maintenance and repair. Duluth News Tribune |
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Future USS St. Louis launched at Marinette Marine 12/16 - Marinette, Wis. – The Lockheed Martin-led shipbuilding team launched Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 19, the future USS St. Louis, into the Menominee River at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Shipyard on Saturday. Ship sponsor Barbara Broadhurst Taylor, the daughter of a decorated World War II aviator, christened LCS 19 just prior to launch. "LCS 19 is the second ship we've christened and launched this year. Our shipbuilding team has truly hit its stride. We completed trials on three ships and delivered two more. Once delivered to the Navy, LCS 19 will be on its way to independently completing targeted missions around the world," said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of Small Combatants and Ship Systems. "We remain focused on delivering these affordable ships to the fleet as quickly as possible and increasing capability with each hull." The Freedom-variant LCS integrates new technology and capability to affordably support current and future missions from deep water to the littorals. LCS is a highly maneuverable, lethal and adaptable ship, designed to support focused mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare missions. LCS 19 is targeted to support the mine countermeasures mission. Lockheed Martin is in full-rate production and has delivered seven ships to the U.S. Navy. There are seven ships in various stages of production and test at Fincantieri Marinette Marine. This year, the Lockheed Martin-led team began construction on two ships, delivered two ships, completed sea trials for three ships and saw one delivered ship commissioned. LCS 13, the future USS Wichita, is slated for commissioning in Mayport, Florida, on Jan. 12. View a video at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGURiaf-Gq4 |
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Port Reports - December 16
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
S. Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
St. Clair River
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Dec 15 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 14 - Oakglen at 1634, Thunder Bay at 1717 and BBC Georgia (Atg) at 2145 - Dec 15 - Sloman Hermes (Ger) at 0028,, Algosea at 0341, Algoma Harvester at 1049, tug Federal Weser (Mhl) at 1435, Raba (Lbr) at 1533, tug Spartan & barge Spartan II at 1725 and tug Ronnie Murph & barge Kirby 155-03 at 1736 (stopping at wharf 16) and Frontenac at 1945
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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CCG takes possession of new icebreaker named after pioneer Molly Kool 12/16 - Levis, Que. – The first of three new Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers refitted at Quebec's Davie Shipyard will be named after a female maritime pioneer. The Coast Guard has taken possession of CGCS Captain Molly Kool at a ceremony at the shipyard across the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City. Federal officials also announced another $90 million in work for Davie. The ship, one of three bought from Norway in August, is the first new icebreaker floated by the Coast Guard in 25 years. Myrtle "Molly" Kool was the first woman in North America to become a licensed ship captain. She was born into a family of mariners in Alma, N.B. in 1916 and earned a reputation as a fearless mariner transporting cargo on the Bay of Fundy. The government cited the cost for the three icebreakers as $610 million in August when it announced its plan to buy them and have them refitted at the Davie Shipyard. Budget documents later revealed that with tariffs, brokerage fees, engineering work and other costs, the total cost had risen to $827 million. Canadian Press |
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Davie warns of shipbuilding strategy 'disaster' as Coast Guard icebreaker delivered 12/16 - Levis, Que. — As the Canadian Coast Guard took possession of a new icebreaker at Quebec's Davie Shipyard Friday, a Davie official warned that the national shipbuilding strategy could be headed for "disaster." Frederik Boisvert, vice-president of public affairs, said shipyards in British Columbia and Nova Scotia that have won almost all shipbuilding contracts so far are not equipped to handle the work. "We're ready to help. We've got the capacity," Boisvert said. Davie, he said, "could build in parallel six massive ships. The two other shipyards, Seaspan (in Vancouver) and Irving (in Halifax) they can only do one at a time. So, sincerely, that national strategy might become a bit of a disaster if we're not leveraged properly." The comments cast a cloud over what was billed as a celebration of a milestone for the shipyard across the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City, delivery of the first new icebreaker floated by the Coast Guard in 25 years. Federal officials announced another $90 million in work for Davie to convert two other icebreakers. The three ships were bought from Norway in August, at an announced cost of $610 million. Budget documents revealed in November that with tariffs, brokerage fees, engineering work and other costs, the total cost had risen to $827 million. Boisvert said the icebreaker contract will bring the workforce up to about 260, but that is well below the 1,400 who once worked there. There is a danger of losing expertise, he said. The ship handed over Friday has been named the CGCS Captain Molly Kool after the first woman in North America to become a licensed ship captain. Myrtle "Molly" Kool was born into a family of mariners in Alma, N.B. in 1916 and earned a reputation as a fearless captain transporting cargo on the sometimes treacherous Bay of Fundy. Kool, who died in 2009 at age 93, qualified as a captain when she was 23. Her certification led to the addition of the prefix "she" to the Canada Shipping Act, which previously had only referred to mariners as "he." Vancouver Courier |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 16 In 1949, the tow line between the tug JOHN ROEN III and the barge RESOLUTE parted in high seas and a quartering wind. The barge sank almost immediately when it struck the concrete piers at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Eleven crewmembers, including Captain Marc Roen, were safely taken off the barge without difficulty.On 16 December 1922, the JOSHUA W. RHODES (steel propeller bulk freighter, 420 foot, 4,871 gross tons, built in 1906, at Lorain, Ohio) struck bottom in the middle of the St. Clair River abreast of Port Huron, Michigan. Damages cost $6,179.32 to repair. In 1983, HILDA MARJANNE's forward section, which included a bow thruster, was moved to the building berth at Port Weller Dry Docks where it was joined to CHIMO's stern. The joined sections would later emerge from the dry dock as the b.) CANADIAN RANGER. IMPERIAL BEDFORD (Hull#666) was launched December 16,1968, at Lauzon, Quebec, by Davie Shipbuilding Co. Canada Steamship Lines’ J.W. MC GIFFIN (Hull#197) was launched December 16, 1971, at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards. Litton Industries tug/barge PRESQUE ISLE departed light from Erie, Pennsylvania, on December 16, 1973, on its maiden voyage bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota. This was the latest maiden voyage date at that time. There, the PRESQUE ISLE loaded 51,038 long tons of taconite pellets for delivery to Gary, Indiana. After this ice-covered trip, the vessel returned to Erie for winter lay-up. PRESQUE ISLE was the second thousand-foot vessel on the Great Lakes (the Erie-built STEWART J. CORT which came out in 1972, was the first). While in tandem tow on the way to scrapping with the former Ford Motor Co. steamer ROBERT S. McNAMARA, BUCKEYE MONITOR developed a crack in her deck amidships. The crack extended down her sides to below the waterline and she sank at 0145 hours on December 16, 1973, at position 43¡30'N x 30¡15'W in the North Atlantic. BENSON FORD, a) RICHARD M. MARSHALL made her last trip to the Detroit’s Rouge River where she was laid up on December 16, 1984. The PIC RIVER was the last vessel to use the old Welland City Canal on December 16, 1972, as the new Welland by-pass opened the following spring. WOLFE ISLANDER III arrived in Kingston, Ontario on December 16, 1975. Built in Thunder Bay, she would replace the older car ferries WOLFE ISLANDER and UPPER CANADA on the Kingston - Wolfe Island run. WILLIAM A. IRVIN sustained bottom damage in Lake Erie and laid up December 16, 1978, at Duluth, Minnesota. The Maritimer THOMAS WILSON operated until December 16, 1979, when she tied up at Toledo. During that final year, the vessel carried only 30 cargoes and all were ore. On 16 December 1906, ADVENTURER (wooden propeller steam tug, 52 foot, built in 1895, at Two Harbors, Minnesota) broke her moorings and went adrift in a gale. She was driven ashore near Ontonagon, Michigan on Lake Superior and was pounded to pieces. On 16 December 1954, the 259-foot bulk carrier BELVOIR was launched at the E. B. McGee Ltd. yard in Port Colborne, Ontario. She was built for the Beaconsfield Steamship Co. and sailed in the last years before the Seaway opened. During the winter of 1958-59, she was lengthened 90 feet at Montreal. She left the lakes in 1968, and later sank in the Gulf of Honduras with the loss of 21 lives. 1939: GLITREFJELL was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by U-59 while sailing southwest of Norway. The vessel was newly built when it first came to the Great Lakes in 1934. 1941: The Norwegian freighter NIDARDAL, best remembered as LAKE GORIN, a World War One-class laker, foundered in the Atlantic P: 56.07 N / 21.00 W enroute from Freeport, Bahamas, to Manchester, England, with sulphur. 1962: ARISTOTELES of 1943 sank in the Atlantic 250 miles off Cape Vincent, Portugal, after developing leaks. The vessel, enroute from Detroit to Calcutta with steel, had first come inland in 1961. All on board were rescued by the Liberty ship HYDROUSSA, which had also been a Seaway trader in 1962. 1964: DONNACONA (ii) was disabled by a fire while downbound in Lake Huron and the forward cabin was burned out before a distress call could be sent. The ship was found, brought to safety and repaired. 1966: CABOT was loading at Montreal when the ship rolled on her side at Montreal and sank in 30 feet of water. Two lives were lost. It was righted on the bottom and refloated in January 1967 for a return to service. The stern of this vessel was cut off to help form CANADIAN EXPLORER in 1983 and has been part of ALGOMA TRANSFER since 1998. 1975: THORNHILL (i) went aground in the St. Marys River, was lightered and released. 1979: ARCHANGELOS ran aground in the St. Lawrence while outbound from the Great Lakes with a cargo of scrap. The ship was lightered and released December 21. It had to spend the winter in the harbor at Port Weller as it was too late to depart the Seaway that year. 1980: D.G. KERR (ii), enroute overseas to Spain for scrapping, was lost in the Atlantic, after it began leaking in bad weather. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Brian Johnson, Dave Swayze, Jody Aho, Russ Plumb, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series and the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. |
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Wilfred Sykes headed for Detroit 12/15 - After closing out the limestone season at Port Dolomite earlier this week, and after discharging that cargo at Burns Harbor, the steamer Wilfred Sykes is heading to Detroit. She is most likely going to load more iron ore fines at a Rouge River dock. She made a similar trip in November, however this run does not include dropping off stone first. Her AIS has her listed as a 4 p.m. Sunday arrival. |
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Last saltie set to depart Port of Duluth-Superior this weekend 12/15 - Duluth, Minn. – There was a flurry of grain-loading activity in the Twin Ports during the past several weeks as 17 oceangoing vessels arrived to load cargoes ahead of winter closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway at the end of December. The Federal Rhine will be the last saltie to leave the Port of Duluth-Superior this season, though Great Lakes freighters will continue to move bulk commodities for another month as weather and ice conditions allow since the Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., is scheduled to remain open until midnight January 15. The 656-foot Federal Rhine is loading 21,300 metric tons of durum wheat today and Saturday at the CHS elevator in Superior – wheat bound for Italy where it will be milled and made into pasta, which likely will be packaged and shipped back to U.S. grocery stores. The vessel is expected to depart by mid-afternoon Saturday, enabling the ship to clear Seaway locks well ahead of Christmas. “The Port of Duluth-Superior is ending the shipping season on a strong note, “said Deb DeLuca, Duluth Seaway Port Authority executive director. “Through November, grain volume was up 22 percent over last year, and shipments of Minnesota iron ore were outpacing the five-year average by over 25 percent. While coal loadings have dropped significantly in recent years, iron ore shipments have picked up pace – already at 18.4 million short tons through November. With Great Lakes traffic continuing for another month, we anticipate the Port’s overall tonnage tally will top 32 million tons to close out the 2018 shipping season.” |
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It was a good year for the Port of Green Bay 12/15 - Green Bay, Wis. – Officials with the Port of Green Bay say 2018 was a good year. Port officials have recorded 1.88 million tons of goods that have moved through the port in 2018, which is almost 50,000 more than the total for all of 2017. “We’re on pace to reach, and most likely even exceed, our annual goal of 2 million tons,” port director Dean Haen says in a news release. “That number is an indicator of the strength of Northeast Wisconsin’s economy. We’re appreciative of the manufacturers, farmers and transportation and logistics companies of Northeast Wisconsin and their employees, who’ve worked hard this past year and as a result have increased their imports and exports, leading to this high overall tonnage.” Also helping shipping are high water levels on Lake Michigan. Foreign imports of limestone are one of the top commodities, which are seeing a 230-percent increase from this time last year. Also, domestic exports of petroleum products are up 265 percent from a year ago. Officials say shipping could continue into January with the possibility of ice-breaking allowing that to happen. WTAQ |
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Port Reports - December 15
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Manitowoc, Wis. – Jenson Wetenkamp
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report -Friday Dec 14 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Former Coast Guard vessel Bramble sold; will retrace Northwest Passage voyage 12/15 - Port Huron, Mich. – The retired U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bramble could be repeating its historic 1957 voyage through the Northwest Passage. In a news release, Robert Klingler of Marine City said he has sold the Bramble to Tom Clarke, who is president of Kissito Healthcare Inc. in Roanoke, Virginia. According to the news release, Clarke plans to prepare the ship to retrace the 1957 passage through the Northwest Passage. The ship will leave Miami in 2019, which will be the 75th anniversary of its launching. "We very much want to continue in Bob Klingler's footsteps of involving the Bramble community in every aspect of Bramble's future," said Clarke in the news release. The Bramble will spend the rest of the winter moored at the Bean Dock in Port Huron, where a new crew will prepare it for a spring passage to Mobile Bay, Alabama. Once there, the ship will be hauled out at Clarke's Pinto Island shipyard. The Bramble could be undergoing sea trials in ice conditions in the St. Clair River during the winter. "We, the family of the Klinglers and the crew of the Bramble for the past six years, are extremely fortunate to have found a trustee of history, as we were, who is going to keep Bramble preserved for as long as we can imagine and especially recreate the Northwest Passage," Klingler said. "He has the love of the history and the means to keep the ship intact for all to enjoy her for years to come." Robert and Sara Klingler bought the Bramble in 2013 from the Port Huron Museum, which received the ship from the Coast Guard. The Klinglers have been operating it as a museum ship docked at the Bean Dock in Port Huron. It had been listed with a Florida yacht broker with an asking price of $1.65 million. The museum had the Bramble on the market for about four years. The original asking price was $300,000, which was reduced to $200,000. Read more and view a photo gallery at this link: https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/local/2018/12/14/bramble-sold-virginia-man/2309471002 |
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Museum tug Edna G decorated with lights to raise awareness 12/15 - Two Harbors, Minn. – A group of dedicated volunteers from Friends of the Edna G spent time Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 decorating the 128-year-old tugboat with strands of donated lights. "It's always somewhat of a challenge when you try to put Christmas lights on something odd," Friends of the Edna G member Hayse Scriven said. "The deck was slippery with snow and trying to figure out how they'd connect took some work, but we also had a group of pretty ingenious people working on it." The Friends of the Edna G is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Great Lakes tugboat Edna G. The goals of the organization are to restore, maintain, display and interpret its historic appearance and to educate the public about its role, according to the organization's website. Scriven brought the idea of covering the tug with lights to the Friends after he was inspired by his job. Scriven serves as the executive director of the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior. Last Christmas, he wrapped the M60 tank displayed in front of the center with holiday lights. "I had experience putting lights on a weird vehicle, so it felt like we could use some of the same tactics," Scriven said. Scriven posted a call for light donations on the group's Facebook page and received many responses. "All the lights came from community members," Scriven said. "There was one guy from the Cities who donated a bunch. He had a friend up here who came up and dropped off the lights for us." The group picked the days and got to work. Scriven said the biggest challenge was finding some ways to hang the icicle lights to the lip and attaching lights to the metal sides. The overall goal of the project is to raise awareness of the tug. "Maybe people come come down and see how cute the tug looks and it'll get them excited about her and talking about her," Scriven said. The tug is facing challenges. The city and the tug commission have been working with an outside consultant on a feasibility study of the tug, looking at the hull and exploring the option of taking the tug out of the water. "That was done before I came onboard and some of the other commission members came onboard earlier this year," Scriven said. "What we'd like to do is take another route and look at what it would take to keep the boat in the water because we want to explore all of our options with the tugboat. We're not set down the path that it needs to come out of the water. We want all of the information down in front of us to make a wise decision on her future." In the meantime, while the tug's future is yet to be determined, steps are being taken to ensure less ice damage occurs over this winter. The commission recently purchased several bubblers to keep ice from forming around the tug. Lake County News-Chronicle |
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Model ship artist showcases his work at Castellani Art Museum 12/15 - Lewiston, N.Y. – Justin Higner started making model ships at the age of 10 and never stopped. Now, 25years later, he has an amazing collection of cardboard craft. They range in style and in sizes. Some of the ships are small and can be easily handled. Some of the pieces, like the artist's "Leviathan," are 14 feet long and credibly impressive in their detail. He may have begun as a hobbyist, but now that 40 of Higner's ships are on display at the Castellani Art Museum at Niagara University in New York, the hobbyist has evolved into an artist. His collection fills an entire room and while he gives the tour he likes to dress as the "Commodore" of his fleet. He says he got hooked on building ships because they represent limitless possibilities, adding "they carry people, they carry ideas, they carry senses of self for whole cultures." The collection will be on display at the Castellani Art Museum through March 17th. WKBW-TV |
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Lay-up reports needed 12/15 - As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Please include vessel name, port and lay-up dock name (if known). |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 15 On 15 December 1902, the TIONESTA (steel propeller passenger steamer, 340 foot, 4,329 gross tons) was launched at the Detroit Ship Building Company, Wyandotte, Michigan (Hull #150) for the Erie & Western Transportation Company (Anchor Line). She was christened by Miss Marie B. Wetmore. The vessel lasted until 1940, when she was scrapped at Hamilton, Ontario.ROBERT KOCH went hard aground December 15, 1985, on Sheldon Point off Oswego, New York, loaded with 2,000 tons of cement, when her towline parted from the tug R & L NO 1. Dragging her anchors in heavy weather, she fetched up on a rocky shelf in 16 feet of water 300 yards off shore. She spent the winter on the bottom but was released in July 1986 and taken to Contrecoeur, Quebec, for scrapping. The dismantling was finally completed at Levis, Quebec, in 1990-1991. NORTHCLIFFE HALL departed Kingston on December 15, 1974, headed for Colombia with a load of newsprint. She traded briefly in the Caribbean and then laid up at Houston, Texas, later to return to the lakes. On December 15, 1972, GEORGIAN BAY was reported as the last ship to pass through the city of Welland as the new $8.3 million by-pass channel was to be ready for the beginning of the 1973, shipping season. (Actually two other ships, the TADOUSSAC and PIC RIVER, followed her through.) The JOHN E. F. MISENER, a.) SCOTT MISENER, was laid up for the last time on December 15, 1982, at Port McNicoll, Ontario. JOE S. MORROW (Hull#350) was launched December 15, 1906, at Lorain, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co. RED WING was laid up for the last time at Toronto on December 15, 1984, due in part to the uneconomical operation of her steam turbine power plant. The self-unloader ROGERS CITY cleared Lauzon, Quebec, on December 15, 1987, in tow of the Maltese tug PHOCEEN on the first leg of her tow to the cutter’s torch. On December 15, 1988, Purvis Marine's ANGLIAN LADY departed Mackinaw City with the CHIEF WAWATAM under tow, arriving at the Canadian Soo the next day. During the winter of 1988-89, Purvis removed items tagged by the state of Michigan (including the pilot house) and began converting her into a barge. On 15 December 1888, GEORGE W. ROBY (wooden propeller, 281 foot, 1,843 gross tons,) was launched at W. Bay City, Michigan. She was built by F. W. Wheeler (Hull#45). Below is a winter lay-up list as published in the Port Huron Times on 15 December 1876. At Port Huron -- Steam barges: ABERCORN, BIRKHEAD, BAY CITY, H D COFFINBURY, WILLIAM COWIE, N K FAIRBANK, GERMANIA, GEORGE KING, V H KETCHUM, MARY MILL, MARY PRINGLE, E W POWERS, D F ROSE, SALINA, TEMPEST. Propellers: CITY OF NEW BALTIMORE. Tug: CORA B Schooners and Barges: T Y AVERY, BUCKEYE STATE, GEORGE W BISSEL, KATIE BRAINARD, D K CLINT, DAYTON, S GARDNER, A GEBHART, C G KING, T G LESTER, MARINE CITY, H R NEWCOMB, J H RUTTER, REINDEER, C SPADEMAN, SAGINAW, ST JOSEPH, TAYLOR, TROY, C L YOUNG, YANKEE. At Marysville -- D G WILLIAMS, 7 tow barges, JUPITER, and LEADER. 1915: The passenger and freight steamers MAJESTIC and SARONIC of Canada Steamship Lines caught fire and burned while laid up at Point Edward, Ontario. 1952: The three-masted barquentine CITY OF NEW YORK came to Chicago for the World's Fair in 1933 and was also on display at Cleveland while inland. The famous ship had been active in Antarctic exploration and the Arctic seal hunt. The shaft broke on this date in 1952 and the vessel stranded off Yarmouth, N.S. Released at the end of the month, the vessel caught fire and stranded again off Chebogue Point as a total loss. 1973: RICHARD REISS (ii) broke loose in a gale at Stoneport, Michigan, and went aground with heavy bottom damage. The ship was refloated, repaired at South Chicago, and returned to service in 1974. It has been sailing as d) MANISTEE since 2005. 1983: CARIBBEAN TRAILER spent much of the summer of 1983 operating between Windsor and Thunder Bay. It was outbound from the Great Lakes when it was caught pumping oil in the St. Lawrence. The vessel remained active on saltwater routes until arriving at Aliaga, Turkey, for scrapping on August 29, 2009. 1987: The French bulk carrier PENMARCH began regular Seaway service when new in 1974. It was also back as b) PHILIPPI in 1985 and became c) MIMI M. in 1987. The ship was attacked by Iraqi aircraft December 15 and again on December 16, 1987. It reached Bushire, Iran, December 22 with heavy damage and was ultimately sold to shipbreakers in Pakistan. 2008: ALIKRATOR began Great Lakes trading in August 1983. It was moored in the estuary at Vilagarcia, Spain, as b) DOXA when a fire broke out in the accommodations area. One life was lost and another 8 sailors injured. The ship was sold for scrap and arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, for dismantling as c) ADO on June 29, 2009. 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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Port Reports - December 14
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
S. Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report for Wednesday Dec 12 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 11 - McKeil Spirit at 2238 - Dec 12 - Algoma Spirit at 1334, tug Vigilant I with barge MM 180 (departed wharf 1 at 1430 approx) for Hamilton, Algoma Transport eta 1805 and Esta Desgagnes eta 2215
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 14 On 14 December 1902, JOHN E. HALL (wooden propeller freighter, 139 foot, 343 gross tons, built in 1889, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was towing the barge JOHN R. NOYES (wooden schooner, 137 foot, 333 gross tons, built in 1872, at Algonac, Michigan) on Lake Ontario when they were caught in a blizzard-gale. After a day of struggling, the NOYES broke loose and drifted for two days before she went ashore and broke up near Lakeside, New York without loss of life. The HALL tried to run for shelter but swamped and sank off Main Duck Island with the loss of the entire crew of nine.On December 14, 1984, WILLIAM CLAY FORD laid up for the final time at the Rouge Steel plant in Dearborn, Michigan. The JIIMAAN was towed out of dry dock at Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. on December 14, 1992, by the tugs JAMES E. McGRATH and LAC VANCOUVER to the fit out dock for completion. CHICAGO TRIBUNE was sold for scrap in 1988, and was towed up the Welland Canal on December 14, 1988, by the tugs THUNDER CAPE and MICHAEL D. MISNER to Port Colborne, Ontario. On December 14, 1926, W.E. FITZGERALD was caught in heavy seas and suffered damaged frames and hull plating. Repairs consisted of replacing nearly 25,000 rivets and numerous hull plates. The package freighter GEORGE N. ORR, a recent war acquisition from the Canada Atlantic Transit Company, was wrecked off Savage Point, Prince Edward Island, on December 14, 1917. She was enroute to New York City with a load of hay. On 14 December 1883, MARY ANN HULBERT (wooden schooner-barge, 62 gross tons, built in 1873, at Bayfield, Wisconsin) was carrying railroad workers and supplies in tow of the steamer KINCADINE in a storm on Lake Superior. She was sailing from Port Arthur for Michipicoten Island. The HULBERT was overwhelmed by the gale and foundered, The crew of five plus all 15 of the railroad workers were lost. December 14, 1903 - The PERE MARQUETTE 20 left the shipyard in Cleveland, Ohio on her maiden voyage. 1977: SILVER FIR, outbound from Great Lakes on her only trip inland, went aground at Squaw Island, near Cornwall and was released two days later. 1991: The small tug HAMP THOMAS sank off Cleveland while towing a barge. They were mauled by 12-foot waves but the barge and a second tug, PADDY MILES, survived as did all of the crew. 1997: CANADIAN EXPLORER of Upper Lakes Shipping and the ISLAND SKIPPER collided in the St. Lawrence at Beauharnois with minor damage. The former reached Hamilton and was retired. The latter was repaired and resumed service. It revisited the Great Lakes as late as 2010. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Father Dowling Collection, Jody Aho, Chris Dunn, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Great Lakes iron ore trade little changed in November 12/13 - Cleveland, Ohio – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.1 million tons in November, a decrease of one load in a 1,000-foot-long U.S.-flag laker. However, shipments did outpace the month’s 5-year average by nearly 4 percent. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 49.8 million tons, a decrease of 1.7 percent compared to the same point in 2017. The shortfall has been decreasing over the course of the shipping season. At the end of April, iron ore shipments were down nearly 14 percent. Through November iron ore loadings are 6.9 percent ahead of their 5-year average for that timeframe. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Port Reports - December 13
Duluth - Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors - Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
S. Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Monroe, Mich.
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Dec 12 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 11 - McKeil Spirit at 2238 - Dec 12 - Algoma Spirit at 1334, tug Vigilant I with barge MM 180 (departed wharf 1 at 1430 approx) for Hamilton, Algoma Transport eta 1805 and Esta Desgagnes eta 2215
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Buried sunken ship spine reappears on Lake Michigan 12/13 - Whitehall, Mich. – The spine of a sunken ship that has been buried in sand for several decades has reappeared on Lake Michigan near Whitehall. Researchers believe the spine belongs to the ill-fated L.C. Woodruff, a schooner that sank off the shores of Lake Michigan in November 1878. But, they can’t say for certain. Based on where pieces of the Woodruff were beached following its demise, the spine now visible through the shifting Lake Michigan sand and surf is more than likely a piece of the wayward Woodruff, said Allan Dake, a Whitehall-area resident and a researcher with the Muskegon Heritage Museum. Dake spent four years doing research on the history of the Great Lakes, some of which is available to visitors and historians at the historic White River Station lighthouse on the White Lake channel from Lake Michigan. “Over the years, other researchers have said that’s where the Woodruff was supposed to have been because it went ashore on the south side of the pier," Dake said. That’s where residents first observed the ship spine at least a week ago – near the south break wall and channel walkway on Sylvan Beach near the entrance of White Lake, said Bob Lukens, community development director for the Muskegon County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2018/12/buried-sunken-ship-spine-reappears-on-lake-michigan.html |
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Historic Delta Queen riverboat can cruise again; boat undergoing $10M repairs 12/13 - After a decade at dock, 1920s-era Delta Queen riverboat will cruise again. President Donald Trump signed legislation on Tuesday authorizing the 285-foot-long (87-meter-long) riverboat immortalized in poems and songs to cruise again along the Mississippi and several other rivers. The Delta Queen was sidelined in 2008 by a federal law prohibiting overnight excursions on wooden vessels. Both U.S. senators from Missouri — Democrat Claire McCaskill and Republican Roy Blunt — co-sponsored a bill to allow the exemption, which requires modifications to the wooden portions of the vessel, most of which are cabins and public areas. The hull is already steel. "Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in American steamboat history," Leah Ann Ingram, vice president of the Delta Queen Steamboat Co., said in a statement. "This was the first big step in returning the Delta Queen to the waterways, where she belongs." The Delta Queen began operation in 1927. Passengers have included presidents Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman and Jimmy Carter. It served as a naval ship during World War II and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. The Delta Queen Steamboat Co. is based in Kimmswick, Missouri, near St. Louis, but the boat itself is undergoing repairs in Houma, Louisiana. The upgrade will include replacing boilers original to the boat, along with generators, plumbing, the steam line and heating and air conditioning. The total cost is estimated at $10 million to $12 million. The company expects to begin three-, five- and seven-day cruises on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, Kanawha, Arkansas and Illinois rivers in 2020. The Delta Queen is expected to visit more than 80 ports each year, including St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Louisville, Kentucky, and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Blunt said more than 170 jobs are expected to be created in Kimmswick, and cited the benefit of many of the cruises beginning and ending there. "This important part of our nation's history will create jobs and strengthen our state's growing tourism industry," Blunt said in a statement. Associated Press |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 13 CANADIAN ENTERPRISE entered service for Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd. on December 13, 1979.On December 13, 1989, Kinsman’s HENRY STEINBRENNER, a.) WILLIAM A. MC GONAGLE was laid up at Toledo's Lakefront Dock. G.A. TOMLINSON, a.) D.O. MILLS arrived under her own power at Triad Salvage Inc., Ashtabula, Ohio, on December 13, 1979, to be scrapped. THOMAS WILSON ran aground in the St. Marys River on December 13, 1976. The accident required lightering before she would float free. On 13 December 1872, the Port Huron Times added three vessels to those in winter lay-up at Port Huron: Steamer MARINE CITY, tug JOHN PRINDEVILLE, and wrecking tug RESCUE. December 13, 1906 - The ANN ARBOR NO 4 departed for Manitowoc, Wisconsin on her first trip. In 1929, the McLouth Steamship Company filed a claim against the City of Port Huron for $687 because its sand sucker, the KALKASKA, was held up for 27-1/2 hours in the Black River because of an inability to open the north span of the Military Street Bridge. On 13 December 1961, SWEDEN, a.) L C SMITH, steel propeller, 414 foot, 4702 gross tons, built in 1902, at W. Bay City, Michigan) arrived in tow at Savona, Italy, for scrapping. 1899: BARGE 115 broke loose of the towing steamer COLGATE HOYT in northern Lake Superior and drifted for 5 harrowing days before it stranded on Pic Island on December 18. While feared lost with all hands, the crew managed to come ashore in the lifeboat, found their way to the rail line and hiked to safety. They were found December 22. 1906: JOHN M. NICOL was loaded with barbed wire when it stranded off Big Summer Island, Lake Michigan. The crew was rescued by fishermen in a gasoline-powered launch, but the ship broke in two as a total loss. 1916: BAY PORT, a whaleback steamer built at West Superior as a) E.B. BARTLETT in 1891, struck bottom in the Cape Cod Canal enroute to Boston with coal. The ship was refloated but sank again December 14 blocking the entrance to the canal. All on board were saved. The hull had to by dynamited as a hazard. 1939: The Russian freighter INDIGIRKA went aground in a blizzard off the coast of Japan while trying to enter Laperouse Strait, near Sarafatsu, Japan. The ship rolled on its side and was abandoned by the crew. It was carrying fishermen and political prisoners. A reported 741 died in the cargo holds after being left behind. Only a few were still alive when salvagers returned after the storm had subsided. The vessel had been built at Manitowoc, WI in 1919 as a) LAKE GALVA and was renamed b) RIPON before leaving the lakes the next year. 1965: The Liberty ship PONT AUDEMER made one trip through the Seaway in 1960. It was abandoned by the crew as d) VESPER following an engineroom explosion on the Mediterranean enroute from Marseilles, France, to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The vessel arrived at Cartagena, under tow on December 18, 1965. It was sold to Spanish shipbreakers and left for Villanueva y Geltru for dismantling on May 18, 1966. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, John R Decator Jr , Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Goderich-based tug Ian Mac is sold 12/12 - One of three similar tugs owned by MacDonald Marine, Port of Goderich, has been sold. The tugboat Ian Mac has been purchased by interests in Alberta, and will be leaving its home shortly by flatbed truck. The wheelhouse had to be removed to allow for bridge clearance, which limits height to 13 feet, 8 inches maximum. Bruce McCreath |
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Marine industry expects worker shortage. So what are the jobs like? 12/12 - Cleveland, Ohio – You can hop on a freighter and see the Great Lakes, work two months straight and then have a month off. “People can walk on to our boats with a high school degree and make $60,000 to $70,000 a year,” said Interlake Steamship spokeswoman Chrissy Kadleck. You can bank much of that money, since aboard the ship Interlake covers your lodging, your food, your cable TV. You don’t even have to make your own meals. Sounds like a pretty sweet gig, right? Yet the marine industry is facing an employment crisis, as Baby Boomers reach retirement age. Generation X were pushed toward college, rather than labor jobs. The result is a “silver tsunami,” too few new workers to replace those who will soon leave. “You have the perfect storm of a much smaller generational population with less exposure to the trades,” said Neal Harrell, president of the recruiting firm Brooks Marine Group, in Rhode Island. The average Coast Guard-credentialed merchant mariner is 46, according to a 2015 federal government report called “Strengthening Skills Training and Career Pathways Across the Transportation Industry.” The overwhelming majority of job openings in maritime will be for occupations serving on vessels. And 90 percent of the high-demand maritime occupations will pay above the national median wage, with relatively low barriers to entry The merchant marine refers to the non-military U.S. shipping industry; the freighters could be conscripted in time of war. People may not know about the marine jobs available, said Jayson Toth, Interlake director of training & vessel personnel. Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School in Cleveland is one of about 55 marine high schools nationwide, aiming to let students know about possible marine careers. “We’re trying to connect kids with exciting, fun jobs,” said D. Andrew Ferguson, the founder of Phastar, a Northeast Ohio aviation non-profit that provides technology and instruction at the school. “We’re trying to get that culture where kids are hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder, with people from industry.”
That culture, and those jobs, could include: “These are good jobs,” Harell said. Many need baseline skills, such as welding or engine repair. But companies will invest in hard workers. “It’s an opportunity to work around the waterfront, and people who are out for recreation,” he said. “That’s a fun environment to work in.” Interlake, which employs about 400 men and women aboard its nine freighters, accepts workers with a high school degree, a merchant marine credential and a Transportation Worker Identification Credential. Officers generally earn bachelor’s degrees through maritime academies, such as the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City, Michigan. The school admits 60 people annually, 80 percent of them from Great Lakes states. The goal is to graduate 40 people, in either deck or engine tracks, each year. On a freighter, the deck includes piloting the vessel and other jobs on the deck of the ship. Engine requires keeping the ship’s machinery running. (There’s also galley, which is the cooking and hotel services part of the ship.) The academy is working to recruit more engineering students, and more diversity, said academy superintendent Jerry Achenbach. About 80 percent of the last class was men, the majority of them white, he said. The work is hard, experts say. Eight hours a day, plus overtime, if you want it. Interlake, which recruits from the academies and from union halls, works to find people with the right credentials and licensing, who want to live aboard a vessel for months at a time. “It’s a cool, adventurous lifestyle,” Kadleck said. “Their office is the pilot house, and they’re looking out on the Great Lakes.” Cleveland.com |
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Port Reports - December 12
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
S. Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Owen Sound, Ont. – Paul Martin
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Monroe, Mich.
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Dec 11 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 10 - CSL St. Laurent at 1115, Beatrix (Nld) at 1518 and Algoscotia at 2137 - Dec 11 - Algowood at 0048, Federal Welland (Mhl) at 0208, CSL Niagara at 0557, Kaministiqua at 1027, tug Wilf Seymour & barge Alouette Spirit at 1524 and McKeil Spirit eta 2200
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto: |
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Parties to meet to discuss Port Huron ‘s Pere Marquette train bridge 12/12 - Port Huron, Mich. – Several parties will meet Wednesday to discuss the future of the Pere Marquette train bridge in Port Huron. The meeting comes more than six years after the Port Huron Yacht Club requested permits to demolish the structure, and about three months since the Army Corps of Engineers proposed a memorandum of agreement between itself, the yacht club and state historic preservation office. Yacht club Commodore Jim Goldenbogen said he believes the meeting hosted by the Army Corps is to ensure everyone has their final pitch on the future of the historic movable bridge. Marcia Haynes, who is behind the group Friends of the Pere Marquette Train Bridge, said she will also be attending the meeting. "Well, we're going to all present our cases and we're going to see how the shoe drops," she said. The yacht club applied for the permit in March 2012. It purchased the 3.3-acre parcel at the mouth of the Black River, next to its current property, with plans to remove the bridge and develop the area. Goldenbogen stressed there are no set plans for what the yacht club will do with the property if it receives a permit to raze the bridge. "That's not in our design to have the bridge there, but we have to wait and see what the final outcome is," he said. "The cart's before the horse until we have a resolution." Haynes and the friends group hope to preserve the structure. "Because it's a landmark ... and landmarks are landmarks. In saving the Round Island Lighthouse, there's no function to it, it's just a landmark," Haynes said, referencing the historic structure adjacent to Mackinac Island she assisted in preserving in the 1970s. Goldenbogen said the yacht club is aware not everyone supports its plan. "You've got a very small group push back. And you know if it was public property that would be a different thing, but it's not," he said. Goldenbogen hopes the meeting will end with a final memorandum for the yacht club, state preservation office and Corps to sign off on. If the three parties sign the agreement, the yacht club would be required to extensively document the train bridge with a detailed written history, maps, photos and drawings of the structure and its surroundings. If and when the state historic preservation office approves the documentation, the Corps would grant the yacht club a demolition permit. Officials have said the alternatives to demolition include doing nothing, preserving the site using federal criteria, moving the bridge to another location and the recommended documentation option. Colette Luff, regulatory project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Detroit District said in an email no decision on the permit application has been made. "The primary purpose of the meeting is to consult on the feasibility of the bridge preservation alternative. We do not know what the outcome of the meeting will be," she said in an email. Times Herald |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 12 On 12 December 1898, FANNY H (wooden propeller tug, 54 foot, 16 gross tons, built in 1890, at Bay City, Michigan) was sold by J. R. Hitchcock to the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. She underwent a major rebuild in 1908, when she was lengthened to 60 feet.The push tug PRESQUE ISLE was launched December 12, 1972, as (Hull #322) by the Halter Marine Services, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana. SPINDLETOP, e.) BADGER STATE was launched December 12, 1942, for the United States Maritime Commission. WHEAT KING returned to Port Weller Dry Docks on December 12, 1975, for lengthening to the maximum Seaway size of 730 feet overall for the iron ore and grain trade, thus ending her salt water activities. One unusual trip for the WOODLAND occurred when she arrived at Toronto, Ontario on December 12, 1987, to load a 155-foot, 135-ton self-unloading unit for delivery to the Verolme Shipyard in Brazil, where the Govan-built Panamax bulk carrier CSL INNOVATOR was being converted to a self-unloader. On Monday December 12, 1898, the AURORA was fast in the ice at Amherstburg, Ontario, when a watchman smelled smoke. The crew tried to put out the fire, but to no avail. They were taken off the burning vessel by the tug C A LORMAN. The ship burned to the water's edge, but was salvaged and rebuilt as a barge. On December 12, 1956, the once-proud passenger vessels EASTERN STATES and GREATER DETROIT were taken out onto Lake St. Clair where they were set afire. All the superstructure was burned off and the hulls were taken to Hamilton, Ontario, where they were scrapped in 1957. On 12 December 1872, the Port Huron Times listed the following vessels at winter lay-up at Sarnia, Ontario: Schooners: MARY E PEREW, KINGFISHER, UNADILLA, ONEONTA, AMERICAN, J G MASTEN, PELICAN, UNION, B ALLEN, and CAMDEN; Brigs: DAVID A WELLS, WAGONER, and FRANK D BARKER; Barks: C T MAPLE, EMALINE BATES, and D A VAN VALKENBURG; Steamer: MANITOBA. On 12 December 1877, U.S. Marshall Matthews sold the boiler and machinery of the CITY OF PORT HURON at auction in Detroit, Michigan. Darius Cole submitted the winning bid of $1,000. 1898: The wooden passenger and freight carrier SOO CITY sank at the dock in Holland, Mi after bucking ice while inbound. 1925: SIR THOMAS SHAUGHNESSY stranded on a rocky shoal inside the breakwall at Fairport, Ohio. Hull repairs were listed at over $18,000. 1966: AMBROSE SHEA, a new Canadian carferry, was hit by a flash fire while under construction by Marine Industries Ltd. at Sorel, Quebec, and sustained over $1 million in damage. Completion of the vessel was delayed by 3 months before it could enter service between North Sydney, NS and Argentia, Newfoundland. The ship arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, for scrapping as d) ERG on June 22, 2000. 1972: SIR JAMES DUNN went aground in the St. Lawrence near the Thousand Islands Bridge while enroute to Sorel with grain. 1990: CLIPPER MAJESTIC was abandoned by the crew due to an engineroom fire off the coast of Peru. The vessel had been through the Seaway as a) MILOS ISLAND in 1981, MAJESTIC in 1989 and was renamed c) CLIPPER MAJESTIC at Toronto that fall. The damaged ship was towed to Callao, Peru, on December 13, 1990, and repaired. It also traded inland as d) MILLENIUM MAJESTIC in 1999 and was scrapped at Alang, India, as e) MYRA in 2012. 2009: The Canada Steamship Lines bulk carrier SPRUCEGLEN (ii) went aground near Sault Ste. Marie and had to go to Thunder Bay for repairs. 2010: The tug ANN MARIE sank in the Saginaw River while tied up for the winter. It was salvaged a few days later. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Jody Aho, Gordon Shaw, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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J.W. Westcott, the only boat with a ZIP code, serves freighters on the Great Lakes 12/11 - Detroit, Mich. – The J.W. Westcott is the only boat with its own ZIP code. The 45-foot steel boat works 24 hours a day, delivering mail, packages and sometimes pizza to the giant lakers that chug daily through the Detroit River, headed anywhere on the Great Lakes. “Oh Lord, it’s crazy this time of year,” said the general manager, Captain Sam Buchanan. “We deliver Amazon. We’re delivering all kinds of stuff to every ship that goes by our station, pretty much.” The Westcott has been an official marine U.S. Post Office since 1895. The company was founded in 1874, when it used a rowboat to deliver messages to passing ships through its “mail-in-the-pail” technique. 144 years later, the boat is still delivering mail in the pail. Of course, there are a lot fewer letters than there once was. There are a lot more packages, instead. But “you still can’t get a handwritten note from your child over the phone," Buchanan said. "Or the old letters that used to be doused with the wife’s perfume.” The Westcott works from April until about Christmas Eve, usually remaining within a mile of its station, near the Ambassador Bridge to Canada. The boat meets every freighter on the Detroit River – which is basically every freighter delivering cargo from the upper Great Lakes to Lake Erie. In addition to mail deliveries and pick-ups, the Westcott also: • Serves a water taxi • Ferries Americans and Canadians to pilot foreign-owned ships, and brings pilots who are finished their shifts back to shore • Sells snacks and cigarettes • Sells U.S. and Canadian nautical charts, maritime history books, postcards and marine manuals • Stores and delivers freight “When we’re out there delivering, we’re usually bringing somebody some happiness,” Buchanan said. “If you really want to see happiness, deliver 20 pizzas.” View a video at this link: https://www.cleveland.com/news/2018/12/jw-westcott-is-the-only-boat-with-a-us-zip-code-serving-freighters-on-the-great-lakes.html |
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Port Reports - December 11
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
S. Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Dec 10 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 8 - Federal Nagara (Mhl) - Dec 9 - John D Leitch at 1005 and Algoscotia at 2137 (for the anchorage) - Dec 10 - Rodopi (Mlt) at 0940, Algoma Buffalo at 1028 (stopping wharf 6), CSL St. Laurent at 1115, Beatrix (Nld) at 1518 and Algoscotia at 1617
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto: |
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Freighter watchers get another live webcam 12/11 - Port Huron, Mich. – Freighter enthusiasts have another chance to watch St. Clair River traffic live from anywhere, but this time, via a livestream set up at the Blue Water Convention Center in Port Huron. Gino Giacumbo, the center’s general manager, said he purchased the equipment a year ago but more recently “worked out the kinks” to stream the view continuously. The livestream can be viewed at www.porthuroncam.com. In addition to the St. Clair River and lower Lake Huron, the view includes part of Thomas Edison Parkway and the boardwalk beneath the bridge. “Hopefully, it’s something. I noticed a lot of people who don’t live in the area any more love it,” Giacumbo said. “They just like to watch boats. (Imagine) Float Down, the Mackinac Race. (But) especially the freighters constantly. It’s just going to be a nice thing for people to check every once in a while.” The Blue Water Convention Center, including the livestream equipment, is owned and operated by St. Clair County. The livestream began Tuesday. It follows another river camera in Marine City that went live a month ago. Giacumbo said officials thought it would be a good way to market the area. Unlike in Marine City, the convention center’s camera doesn’t pan the river or follow traffic as it passes. That stream can be found through the city and Marine City Area Chamber of Commerce’s websites at cityofmarinecity.org and visitmarinecity.com, or on YouTube at https://youtu.be/Hx5MNuQlDW4. Giacumbo said the view was also limited because of the convention center’s roof, which doesn’t allow for a more scenic look. He said the center will be providing a link for viewers to check on approaching boat traffic. “It just seems like there’s people out there watching,” Giacumbo said. “I just thought looking at the freighters – it’s not that bad at all. I wish I would’ve known (the setup process) sooner. I would’ve had (IT help) do it a while ago.” Times Herald |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 11 On 11 December 2002, after last minute dredging operations were completed, Nadro Marine’s tugs SEAHOUND and VAC took the World War II Canadian Naval Tribal-class destroyer H.M.C.S. HAIDA from her mooring place at Toronto’s Ontario Place to Port Weller Dry Docks where a $3.5M refit was started in preparation for the vessel to start her new career as a museum ship in Hamilton, Ontario.TEXACO CHIEF (Hull#193) was launched December 11, 1968, at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. The H. LEE WHITE collided with the Greek salty GEORGIOS on December 11, 1974, near St. Clair, Michigan, and had to return to Nicholson's dock at Detroit, Michigan for inspection. On December 11, 1979, while about 11 miles off Manitou Island near the Keweenaw Peninsula, the ASHLAND's engine stalled due to a faulty relay switch. Caught in heavy weather and wallowing in the wave troughs, she put out a distress call. True to Great Lakes tradition, four vessels immediately came to her assistance: two 1,000 footers, LEWIS WILSON FOY and EDWIN H. GOTT, along with WILLIS B. BOYER and U.S.C.G. cutter MESQUITE. WILLIAM CLAY FORD loaded her last cargo at Duluth on December 11, 1984. PERE MARQUETTE 21 passed down the Welland Canal (loaded with the remnants of Port Huron's Peerless Cement Dock) on December 11, 1974, towed by the tugs SALVAGE MONARCH and DANIEL MC ALLISTER on the way to Sorel, Quebec where she was laid up. The fishing boat LINDA E vanished on Lake Michigan along with its three crewmen on December 11, 1998. Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd.’s WHEAT KING was laid up for the last time December 11, 1981. On 11 December 1872, the Port Huron Times listed the following vessels in winter lay-up in Port Huron: Sailing Craft: A H MOSS, FOREST HUNTER. MARY E PEREW, SEA BIRD, REINDEER, T S SKINNER, L W PERRY, ADAIN, LITTLE NELLIE, MAGGIE, PRINCE ALFRED, CAPE HORM, KITTIE, JOHNSON (wrecker), CHRISTIANA, HOWE, C G MEISEL, AUNT RUTH, W R HANNA, IRONSIDES, GOLDEN FLEECE, JOHN L GROSS, WARRINGTON, ANGLO SAXON, MOORE, LADY ESSEX, ANNIE, FORWARDER (sunk), GROTON, NORTHWEST, FRED H MORSE, GEM OF THE LAKES, D J AUSTIN, CZAR, JAMAICA, ANNIE (scow), AND HATTIE. Side wheel Steamers: 8TH OHIO, WYOMING (lighter). Propeller Steam Barges: W E WETMORE, SANILAC, CITY OF DETROIT. Tugs: KATE MOFFAT, TAWAS, HITTIE HOYT, FRANK MOFFAT, J H MARTIN, JOHN PRIDGEON, BROCKWAY, GLADIATOR, CORAL, GRACE DORNER (small passenger vessel), AND C M FARRAR. On 11 December 1895, GEORGE W. ADAMS (wooden schooner-barge, 231 foot, 1444 gross tons, built in 1875, at Toledo, Ohio) was in tow of the steamer CALEDONIA with a load of coal, bound from Cleveland for Chicago. Her hull was crushed by ice and she sank near Colchester Shoals on Lake Erie. A salvage operation on her the following summer was a failure. 1911: A fire broke out in a wooden grain elevator at Owen Sound. The KEEWATIN was moored nearby for the winter but not yet locked in ice. The ship was moved to safety but the elevator was destroyed. 1963: MANCOX went aground in Lake St. Clair, near Peche Island, enroute from Sault Ste. Marie to River Rouge. 1984: The Yugoslavian freighter BEOGRAD, outbound in the Seaway with soybeans for Brazil, collided with the FEDERAL DANUBE at anchor near Montreal and had to be beached. The hull was refloated and arrived at Montreal for repairs on December 27. It was scrapped at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, as b) MURIEL in 1999. FEDERAL DANUBE (i) now operates for Canada Steamship Lines as c) OAKGLEN (iii). Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series and Boatnerd.com. |
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Port Reports - December 10
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Daniel Lindner
S. Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Dec 9 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 8 - tug Sarah Andrie & barge A390 (stopped wharf 1 at 2110, Damia Desgagnes at 1400, Federal Nagara (Mhl) and Algoma Enterprise at 2320 - Dec 9 - Narew (Lbr) at 0346, Algoma Compass at 0413, light tug Vigilant I (departed wharf 2 at 1620 for Hamilton), Whitefish Bay at 0452, Federal Cedar (Mhl) at 0727, Algoma Strongfield at 0950, John D Leitch at 1005 and Algoscotia eta 2130 (for the anchorage)
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 10 The steamer EDWARD Y. TOWNSEND loaded the last cargo of ore for the 1942 season at Marquette.CEDARGLEN, a.) WILLIAM C. ATWATER, loaded her last cargo at Thunder Bay, Ontario on December 10, 1984, carrying grain for Goderich, Ontario. Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. of Cleveland, Ohio bought NOTRE DAME VICTORY on December 10, 1950. She would later become b.) CLIFFS VICTORY. IRVIN L. CLYMER was laid up at Superior, Wisconsin on December 10, 1985, for two seasons before returning to service April 30, 1988. An explosion occurred in IMPERIAL LEDUC's, b.) NIPIGON BAY ) forward tanks on December 10, 1951. This happened while her crew was cleaning and butterworthing the tanks. Five crewmembers were injured with one eventually dying in the hospital. Multiple explosions caused extensive damage in excess of $500,000. On December 10, 1905, WILLIAM E. COREY finally was pulled free and refloated after grounding on Gull Island Reef in the Apostle Islands in late November. FRANK A. SHERMAN laid up for the last time at Toronto, Ontario on December 10, 1981. Donated by Cleveland-Cliffs to the Great Lakes Historical Society on December 10, 1987, the WILLIAM G. MATHER was to become a museum ship at Cleveland's waterfront. PAUL H. CARNAHAN and her former fleet mate, GEORGE M. HUMPHREY, arrived safely under tow at Kaohsiung, Taiwan on December 10, 1986, for scrapping. On 10 December 1891, a fire started on MARY (2-mast wooden schooner, 84 foot, 87 gross tons, built in 1877, at Merriton, Ontario) when an oil stove in the kitchen exploded. The vessel was at anchor at Sarnia, Ontario and damage was estimated at $10,000. The CORISANE (2-mast wooden schooner-barge, 137 foot, 292 gross tons, built in 1873, at Marine City, Michigan) was tied up alongside MARY and she also caught fire but the flames were quickly extinguished. She was towed away from MARY by the ferry J C CLARK. PERE MARQUETTE 3 ran aground in 1893, north of Milwaukee. 1922: The wooden freighter JAMES DEMPSEY, built in 1883 as a) JIM SHERIFFS, was destroyed by a fire at Manistee, MI. 1963: The Canadian coastal freighter SAINTE ADRESSE went on the rocks off Escoumins, QC and was leaking in high winds while on a voyage from Montreal to Sept-Iles. Local residents helped lighter the cargo of beer and ale. The remains of the hull were visible at low water for several years. 1975: PAUL THAYER went aground in Lake Erie off Pelee Island. It was lightered to WOLVERINE and released Dec. 12 with extensive damage. 1994: The Maltese registered YIANNIS Z. entered Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago, in leaking condition after apparently hitting bottom while enroute from Manzanillo, Cuba, to Peru. The ship was arrested for non-payment of the crew. The vessel had been a Seaway trader in 1970 as a) MATIJA GUBEC. The hull was sold at public auction on August 28, 1997, and apparently partially dismantled to become a barge. It was noted sinking at its moorings on October 14, 2006, under the name f) KELLYS MARK and subsequent fate is unknown. 2005: JOHN D. LEITCH hit bottom above the Eisenhower Lock and began leaking. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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DNR officers recover artifacts stolen from shipwreck near Traverse City 12/9 - Traverse City, Mich. – Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers have recovered stolen artifacts from a historical shipwreck after receiving a tip from recreational divers. In September, the DNR Law Enforcement Division’s Great Lakes Enforcement Unit was notified that people were stealing internal framework – referred to as “ribbing” – from the Metropolis, a shipwreck north of Traverse City. Metropolis is a 125-foot schooner located offshore of Old Mission Point in the East Grand Traverse Bay, which is part of Lake Michigan. The ship was abandoned after becoming lost in a snowstorm in November 1886. The remains of the Metropolis are divided in two portions, one located in 8 feet of water and the other at a depth of 120 feet. The site is part of the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve. Michigan’s Great Lakes are home to 1,500 shipwrecks and 14 underwater preserves, including Isle Royale, which provide recreational diving opportunities. It is illegal to remove anything from underwater shipwrecks. “Shipwrecks are irreplaceable resources. They cannot be regenerated,” said Wayne Lusardi, a state maritime archaeologist with DNR’s Michigan History Center. “Unlike any other place in the world, Michigan’s fresh water allows for shipwrecks and other historical resources to be uniquely preserved.” The two divers were able to provide conservation officers with photographs of the individuals removing the ribbing, the suspect’s boat registration and a license plate number from the vehicle located at the launch site. Conservation Officer Sean Kehoe was able to use the evidence from the divers to quickly locate and interview the two suspects. Jacob Garris, 27, from Traverse City, and Joseph Frawley, 28, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., confessed to taking the ribbing and cooperated to return the stolen items to Kehoe. Garris and Frawley were charged last month in the Grand Traverse County 86th District Court for the removal of antiquities from state-owned bottomlands. Both will serve 20 hours of community service and were fined $1,025 in fines and costs and $1,450 in restitution; they will serve 30 days of jail if they do not meet their requirements. The restitution will go toward shipwreck protection and education. Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned state peace officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect citizens by providing general law enforcement duties and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. FOX 17 News |
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Port Reports - December 9
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Milwaukee, Wis.
S. Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 6 - Federal Yukina (Ml) at 2011 - Dec 7 - Federal Yukon (Mhl) at 0043, Taiga Desgagnes (Bds) at 0611, Mandarin (Cyp) at 0938, CSL Assiniboine at 1204, tug Karen Andrie & barge Endeavour at 1214 (stopped wharf 16) at 1234, Federal Barents (Mhl) at 1908, tug Sarah Andrie & barge A390 eta 2045, CSL Welland at 2141, and tug Leonard M & barge Niagara Spirit at 2300 - Dec 8 - tug Everlast & barge Norman McLeod at 0307, CSL Laurentien at 0615, Kitikmeot W (ex Icdas 09-18) at 0808, Federal Nagara at 1030, Damia Desgagnes at 1400 and Algoma Enterprise eta 2240
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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ISMA encourages unlicensed crew to apply for Hawespipe Scholarship Award 12/9 - The International Shipmasters Association is encouraging unlicensed ship’s crew members who wish to upgrade their current certification to a higher rating to apply for the Hawespipe Scholarship Award. Eligibility: Applicant may be from deck or engine room departments, part of the U.S. or Canadian Great Lakes commercial fleets, or employed aboard any other commercial vessel that operates on the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System Criteria: This scholarship will be presented to the applicant who:
• Demonstrates interest in the Great Lakes marine industry To Apply: Submit, via e-mail, an application message with the following attachments:
• A short essay outlining who you are, what rank you currently hold, what your career goals are, and why you feel you should receive this award All submissions are to be made via e-mail with attachments as PDFs. Scholarship Announcement Date: January 15.
E-Mail submissions or membership requests to: The selection committee determines the final selection of all scholarship winners. Presentation of this award is in February at the annual ISMA Grand Lodge convention. Value: $1,000 per scholarship. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 9 While tied up at Port Colborne, Ontario, waiting to discharge her cargo of grain, a northeast gale caused the water to lower three feet and left the EDWIN H. OHL (steel propeller bulk freighter, 420 foot, 5141 gross tons, built in 1907, at Wyandotte, Michigan) on the bottom with a list of about one foot. The bottom plating was damaged and cost $3,460.19 to repair.Cleveland Tankers’ JUPITER (Hull#227) was christened December 9, 1975, at Jennings, Louisiana, by S.B.A. Shipyards, Inc. JEAN PARISIEN left Quebec City on her maiden voyage December 9, 1977. CLIFFS VICTORY ran aground December 9, 1976 near Johnson’s Point in the ice -laden Munuscong Channel of the St. Marys River. The FRANK C. BALL, b.) J.R. SENSIBAR in 1930, c.) CONALLISON in 1981) was launched at Ecorse, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works as (Hull #14) on December 9, 1905. ARTHUR B. HOMER was towed by the tugs THUNDER CAPE, ELMORE M. MISNER and ATOMIC to Port Colborne, Ontario, December 9, 1986, and was scrapped there the following year. HILDA MARJANNE was launched December 9, 1943, as a.) GRANDE RONDE (Hull#43) at Portland, Oregon, by Kaiser Co., Inc. The keel for Hall Corporation of Canada’s SHIERCLIFFE HALL (Hull#248) was laid on December 9, 1949, at Montreal, Quebec by Canadian Vickers Ltd. On 9 December 1871, CHALLENGE (wooden schooner, 96 foot, 99 tons, built in 1853, at Rochester, New York) missed the piers at Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in heavy weather, stove in some of her planking and sank. She was a particularly sleek craft, actually designed as a yacht and once owned by the U.S. Light House Service as a supply vessel. On 9 December 1874, the Port Huron Times reported that "the old railroad ferry steamer UNION at Detroit is having machinery taken out and preparing to go into permanent retirement, or perhaps to serve as a floating dining room for railroad passengers." 1910: JOHN SHARPLES of the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Transportation Co., stranded on Galops Island in the St. Lawrence due to low visibility. The vessel was holed fore and aft and not released until April 1911 with the help of the tug HECLA. 1943: SARNIAN, the first member of what became the Upper Lakes Shipping fleet, stranded on Pointe Isabelle Reef, Lake Superior, while downbound with 162,489 bushels of barley. The vessel was not refloated until July 24, 1944, and never sailed again. 1956: FORT HENRY, a package freighter for Canada Steamship Lines, hit Canoe Rocks approaching the Canadian Lakehead, cutting open the hull. It reached the dock safely, quickly unloaded, and went to the Port Arthur shipyard for repairs. 1968: NORTH CAROLINA lost power and sank in Lake Erie five miles west of Fairport, Ohio, in rough weather. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued the three-member crew. The hull went down in about 30 feet of water and is a popular dive attraction. 1980: The salt-laden KINGDOC (ii) was released by the tugs POINT VALIANT and IRVING BIRCH after an earlier grounding at Pugwash, NS 1983: The saltwater ship d) IAPETOS was struck by Iraqi gunners in the Khor Musa Channel about 30-40 miles from Bandar Khomeini, Iran. It was abandoned and struck again by a missile and bombs on March 29, 1984. The vessel began Seaway service as a) JAROSA in 1965 and returned as b) IVORY STAR in 1973 and c) TURICUM in 1975. It was refloated about 1984 and scrapped at Sitalpur, Bangladesh. 2001: The former HAND LOONG, a Seaway trader beginning in 1977, sank as b) UNA in the Black Sea off Sinop, Turkey, enroute from Algeria to Romania with 11,000 tons of iron ore. Seventeen sailors were rescued but one was missing and presumed lost. 2003: STELLAMARE capsized on the Hudson River at Albany, N.Y., while loading turbines. The cargo shifted and three members of the crew were lost. The ship was righted, refloated and repaired as c) NANDALINA S. It was broken up for scrap at Aliaga, Turkey, as d) DOUAA A. in 2011. This heavy-lift freighter first came through the Seaway in 1989 and returned inland from time to time. 2011: VSL CENTURION lost its stern anchor while downbound in the Welland Canal at Port Colborne. Shipping was held up until it was found. The ship first visited the Seaway as a) SAGITARRIUS in 1990 and became d) PHOENIX SUN in 2012. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, Marine Historical Society of Detroit. |
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Sault Ste. Marie receives $20.7M grant to rebuild Alford Park, old Carbide Dock 12/8 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Christmas arrived early for the City of Sault Ste. Marie delivering more than $20 million in the form of a Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to make the needed repairs to the Carbide Dock including the reconstruction of a segment of E. Easterday Avenue between Ashmun and Seymour. “This is a transformative project,” said City Manager Oliver Turner. “It ties together waterfront development with infrastructure management in preparation for the Soo Locks project and also ties into the (LSSU) Freshwater Research project.” Turner pointed to the partnerships with the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, LSSU (Lake Superior State University) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as critical factors in securing this grant. “It’s a great credit to the staff that contributed to this project and the leadership of the commissioners for pursuing this opportunity,” he added, before pointing to Sen. Gary Peters, Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Congressman Jack Bergman for their work at the federal level. Turner was also quick to add State Rep. Lee Chatfield and State Sen. Wayne Schmidt have secured funding through Lansing channels as well. City Engineer Linda Basista, who was responsible for writing the grant request, described Thursday as one of the happiest and most exciting days in the Sault. She credited the completion of the waterfront redevelopment plan in 2016 as one of the major achievements that helped drive this grant request. While the city has the concept in place to make the repairs to both the roadway and the dock, it will take some time to hone in on the specifics. “We have to start construction by 2020,” said Basista, adding that will give the city time to finalize the design and secure the necessary permits. The BUILD program was established to distribute approximately $1.5 billion in federal funds for the specific purpose of improving infrastructure. There is no local match required and it appears as though city officials will be able to utilize the $1 million it secured in state funding for this project for other associated upgrades to Alford Park. The Carbide Dock serves Great Lakes shipping traffic, providing a port for those approaching the Soo Locks or exiting. It also serves as an offloading site for various cargo including coal and salt as well as a port for the occasional cruise ship or research vessel. The nearby park provided a good place for shorebound anglers to cast for salmon and other fish and was also a popular viewing location for those who sought an unobstructed view of the passing freighters. Safety concerns, however, forced the city to erect chain-link fencing to keep visitors well away from the water — eliminating the accessible fishing and curtailing sightseers. It is believed that the completed repairs, projected for 2023, would once again make the Carbide Dock and Alford Park one of the major gathering points for visitors along the St. Marys River. While that may seem to be a long time away, Turner vowed there won’t be any time lost. “We will be moving immediately into the preparation and design phase for this project,” he concluded. The Sault News |
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Bayship releases preliminary winter fleet list 12/8 - Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding has released a preliminary winter fleet schedule. Dates and times are all subject to change. Of note is the drydocking of American Courage, which has been sidelined the past few seasons. She is expected to sail in 2019.
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Port Reports - December 8
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Milwaukee, Wis.
S. Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont.
Sarnia, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Dec 7 - Barry Andersen
Long Point bay:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 6 - Patras (Mlt) (ex Gan-Sword-10) at 1759, Bro Agnes (Sgp) at 1849 and Federal Yukina (Ml) at 2011 Dec 7 - Federal Yukon (Mhl) at 0043, Taiga Desgagnes (Bds) at 0611, Mandarin (Cyp) at 0938, CSL Assiniboine at 1204, tug Karen Andrie & barge Endeavour at 1214 (stopped wharf 16) at 1234, Federal Barents (Mhl) at 1908, tug Sarah Andrie & barge A390 eta 2045, CSL Welland eta 2115, and tug Leonard M & barge Niagara Spirit eta 2200
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga (Clarkson):
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Hike Metal building more Canadian Coast Guard vessels 12/8 - Hike Metal Products in Wheatley, Ont. has landed a $36 million contract extension to build another four search and rescue lifeboats for the Canadian Coast Guard. View a photo story at this link: https://www.chathamdailynews.ca/gallery/hike-metal-building-more-coast-guard-vessels/wcm/f863cdc1-9cfb-4ea2-91ad-fd657af788e1 |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 8 On 08 December 1917, DESMOND (wooden propeller sand-sucker, 149 foot, 456 gross tons, built in 1892, at Port Huron, Michigan) sprang a leak off Michigan City, Indiana, during gale and then capsized within sight of the lighthouse at South Chicago, Illinois. Seven lives were lost. Six others were rescued by the tugs WILLIAM A. FIELD, GARY and NORTH HARBOR.CANADIAN ENTERPRISE (Hull#65) was christened December 8, 1979, at St. Catharines, Ontario, by Port Weller Drydocks. Ltd. JAMES DAVIDSON was laid up for the last time on December 8, 1969, at Toledo, Ohio. MERLE M. McCURDY collided with U.S. Steel’s PHILIP R. CLARKE opposite Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan on Lake St. Clair, December 8, 1974. On 8 December 1886, BELLE (2-mast wooden schooner, 61 foot, 40 gross tons, built in 1866, at Port Dalhousie, Ontario) burned while frozen in at anchor. On 8 December 1854, WESTMORELAND (wooden propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 200 foot, 665 tons, built in 1853, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying supplies for Mackinac Island, including liquor and supposedly $100,000 in gold. She capsized in a storm due to the heavy seas and the weight of the thick ice on her superstructure. She sank in the Manitou Passage in Lake Michigan and dragged one of the loaded lifeboats down with her. 17 lives were lost. There were many attempts to find her and recover her cargo. Some reports indicate the wreck was found in 1874, however it was not discovered until 2010 by Ross Richardson. 1876: IRA CHAFFE was driven ashore in a severe snowstorm near the Chocolay River, Lake Superior, near Munising. All on board were saved and the ship was eventually released. 1909: Fire broke out in the hold of the CLARION off Southeast Shoal, Lake Erie. Six sailors who huddled on the stern were picked up in a daring rescue by the LEONARD C. HANNA the next day. Another 14 were lost when their lifeboat was swept away in the storm and one more perished when he went into the hold to fight the fire. 1909: W.C. RICHARDSON stranded on Waverley Shoal, 2 miles west of Buffalo. A storm had prevented entrance to Buffalo and the ship was riding out the weather on the lake. The hull had to by dynamited as a navigational hazard when salvage efforts failed. Five lives were lost. 1927: ALTADOC (i) stranded on the rocks of the Keweenaw Peninsula when the steering failed while upbound, in ballast, for Fort William. The hull could not be salvaged and it was cut up for scrap on location during World War Two. 1927: LAMBTON stranded on Parisienne Shoal, Lake Superior, with the loss of 2 lives. The engine was removed for the FERNIE and the hull salvaged in 1928 for further work as the barge c) SALVUS. 1963: FORT ALBANY sank in the St. Lawrence off Lanorie after a collision with the PROCYON, and five members of the crew were lost. Heavy fog persisted at the time. The hull was refloated in June 1964, taken to Sorel, and scrapped. 1971: HARMATTAN was attacked with missiles and gunfire by Indian Naval units south of Karachi, Pakistan, and heavily damaged. Seven sailors were killed and the ship was abandoned. It arrived at Karachi March 2, 1972, and was scrapped. The ship had been a Seaway trader earlier in 1971. 1982: The Liberian freighter GENIE came through the Seaway in 1972. It was badly damaged by an explosion and fire on this date while laid up the Seychelles Islands. The hull was taken to Karachi, Pakistan, and scrapped in 1985. 1983: AKTION, a Seaway trader for the first time in 1970, was laid up at Piraeus, Greece, as e) ELISA when fire broke out and the vessel was heavily damaged aft. The hull was towed into Aliaga, Turkey, in October 1984, and broken up for scrap. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series |
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Thunder Bay vessel traffic up in November 12/7 - Thunder Bay, Ont. – The November trend of high vessel traffic in the Port of Thunder Bay is continuing into December. The port saw 20 ocean vessels arrive in November to load or unload internationally traded cargo. The port is reporting this as the highest number of ocean vessels to Thunder Bay in any single month since 2015, according to a press release. Ocean vessels typically load grain in Thunder Bay after bringing steel into lower lakes ports via the St. Lawrence Seaway. Grain loaded from Thunder Bay in November is bound for ports in France, Egypt, Dominican Republic and North Africa, among other nations. Cargo volumes in November were slightly lower than last year, but the port is expected a rebound before the season closes in mid-January. Milder weather this year and the high volume of ocean vessel traffic will help boost volumes. The port is expecting December to be the busiest month of the year with a projected 1.4 million metric tonnes of cargo. That is a 25 per cent increase over last December. The 2018 grain volumes are expected to be slightly higher than 2017. The Port of Thunder Bay is expecting a total of 400 vessels for the season, topping the 393 vessels in 2017. Chronicle Journal |
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Lakes limestone trade down 6 percent in November 12/7 - Cleveland, Ohio – Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 2.8 million tons in November, a decrease of 6 percent compared to a year ago. Limestone cargos were however just about on track with the month’s 5-year average. Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.3 million tons, a decrease of 8.8 percent. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 473,000 tons, an increase of roughly 40,000 tons. Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at 27 million tons, an increase of 1 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 22.1 million tons, an increase of 112,000 tons. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 4.8 million tons, an increase 153,000 tons. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Port Reports - December 7
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Milwaukee, Wis.
S. Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Monroe, Mich. Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Dec 6 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 5 - NACC Argonaut at 0959 and G3 Marquis at 1349 - Dec 6 - Radcliffe R Latimer at 1310, Patras (Mlt) (ex Gan-Sword-10) at 1759, Bro Agnes (Sgp) at 1849 and Federal Yukina (Ml) at 2011
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga (Clarkson):
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, N.Y. – Tom Brewer |
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National Museum offers Interlake calendar in membership drive 12/7 - Toledo, Ohio – The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced the beginning of its 2018 Holiday Membership Drive. Part of the membership package includes a 18x24 Interlake Steamship Co. 2019 wall calendar. New memberships, or gift memberships, purchased prior to December 31 at the Inland Seas level, will receive not only the Interlake calendar but also the museum’s own 9x6 14-page calendar featuring historic photographs of Great Lakes tugs. The regular benefits of membership include free admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes and the quarterly subscription to Inland Sea quarterly. The museum will also send two past issues of the journal for those that sign up before December 31. This is only available to new membership purchases or gift membership purchases – not renewals of current memberships. To become a new member or to purchase a gift membership for someone else go to http://www.inlandseas.org/membership National Museum of the Great Lakes |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 7 On 07 December 1893, the hull of the burned steamer MASCOTTE (steel ferry, 103 foot, 137 gross tons, built in 1885, at Wyandotte, Michigan) was towed from New Baltimore to Detroit by the tug LORMAN for repairs. She was rebuilt and put back in service. She went through nine owners in a career that finally ended with another fire in Chicago in 1934.In 1990, the ENERCHEM LAKER was sold to Environment Protection Services, Inc., Panama and departed Montreal on December 7, 1990, for off-lakes service with the new name d) RECOVERY VIII. Built for Hall Corp. of Canada as a.) ROCKCLIFFE HALL, converted to a tanker renamed b.) ISLAND TRANSPORT in 1985, and c.) ENERCHEM LAKER in 1986. Renamed e.) MORGAN TRADER in 1993, and currently serves as a bunkering tanker in Suez, Egypt as f.) ANNA II, renamed in 1997. The LEADALE, a.) JOHN A. KLING sank in the Welland Canal on December 7, 1982, and was declared a constructive total loss. The GEORGE R. FINK, under tow, arrived at Gandia, Spain prior to December 7, 1973, for scrapping. W. W. HOLLOWAY was laid up December 7, 1981, for the last time in Toledo’s Frog Pond. On December 7, 1932, the MARQUIS ROEN caught fire at Meacher's dock at Bay City, and before the fire was brought under control, the cabins and after end were destroyed. Captain John Roen of the Roen Steamship Co. died on December 7, 1970. On December 7, 1906, the R. L. IRELAND stranded on Gull Island in the Apostle Islands, Lake Superior. PERCIVAL ROBERTS JR. (Hull#398) was launched December 7, 1912, for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co at Lorain, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co. The steel side-wheel passenger steamer EASTERN STATES (Hull#144) was launched on December 7, 1901, by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company for the Detroit and Buffalo Steamship Company. The railcar ferry ANN ARBOR NO 2 (Hull#56), was launched on December 7, 1892 at Toledo, Ohio by Craig Ship Building Co. Sold in 1914 and cut down to a barge, renamed b.) WHALE in 1916, abandoned in 1927. In 1906, the ANN ARBOR NO 4 arrived Frankfort on her maiden voyage. On 7 December 1894, KEWEENAW (steel steamer, 291 foot, 2511 gross tons, built in 1891, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was seen groping toward the coast of the State of Washington in a severe gale. With distress signals flying, she put back to sea and foundered. She was built by F. W. Wheeler (Hull #73) for saltwater service. Built in two pieces, she was towed down the St. Lawrence and reassembled at Montreal. On 7 December 1866, M. BALLARD (2-mast wooden schooner, 116 foot, 288 tons, built in 1855, at Cleveland, Ohio) was lost with all hands in a storm on Lake Ontario. The wooden propeller bulk freighter MORLEY was launched at Marine City on 7 December 1878. She was on the stocks for two years and was built for the Morley Brothers and Hill. She was a double decker with side arches between decks with iron straps. She also had iron trusses running through the center. Her boiler was on the main deck and she had the engine from the tug WM PRINGLE. She had three spars, a centerboard, and could carry 45,000 bushels of grain. 1909: MARQUETTE & BESSEMER NO. 2 disappeared with all hands in the overnight hours of December 7-8 while crossing Lake Erie from Conneaut to Port Stanley with 30 loaded railway cars. The hull has never been located. 1912: The whaleback BARGE 134 was operating on the East Coast as b) BANGOR when it stranded and broke up near Hampton Roads, Va. The hull was salvaged by blasting and dredging in 1975. 1917: SIMCOE, of the Canadian Department of Marine & Fisheries, left the Great Lakes earlier in the fall for new work on the Bay of Fundy. It sent out an S.O.S. that it was sinking in heavy seas and the ship was never seen again. The only trace was a lifering that came ashore at Sable Island. There were 44 on board. 1927: KAMLOOPS, inbound for the Canadian Lakehead, disappeared with all hands overnight December 6-7. The hull was finally found by divers off 12 O'Clock Point, Isle Royale, in 1977. 1927: AGAWA stranded on Advance Reef, Georgian Bay along the south shore of Manitoulin Island. It spent the winter aground and was not released until Nay 16, 1928. The hull had been declared a total loss but was rebuilt at Collingwood as the ROBERT P. DURHAM and then later sailed as c) HERON BAY (i). 1927: The first MARTIAN went aground off Hare Island, Lake Superior and was not released until December 14. 1929: ULVA sank in the ice at Port Colborne but was raised, refitted and returned to service in 1930. The British built freighter operated between Maritime Canada and the Great Lakes until about 1939. It was torpedoed and sunk by U-60 northwest of Ireland on September 3, 1940. 1941: The tanker MAKAWELI was reported to be anchored at Pearl Harbor during the infamous Japanese attack and damaged. The ship was built at Ashtabula as COWEE in 1919 and returned to the Great Lakes for Lakeland Tankers in 1946. 1967: FIR HILL, a Seaway trader in 1961, went aground off Yasuoka, Japan, as d) UNIVERSAL CRUSADER. It was lightered and released but sold for scrap and broken up at Hirao, Japan, in 1968. 1969: The bulk carrier PETITE HERMINE and TEXACO CHIEF (ii) collided in fog near Prescott and both ships had slight damage. The former became c) CANADIAN HUNTER while the latter last operated on the lakes as c) ALGONOVA (i). 1976: The Liberian flag bulk carrier UNIMAR grounded leaving Thunder Bay with a cargo of grain and was not released until December 15. 1976: HARRY L. ALLEN of the Kinsman fleet went aground in Lake St. Clair, near St. Clair, Mich., and was held fast in the ice before being freed by tugs. 1982: LEADALE (ii) finished unloading salt at Thorold and backed into a concrete dolphin while departing the dock. A hole was punched in the hull and the ship sank while trying to get back to the dock. LEADALE was refloated December 19, towed to Port Colborne and scrapped by Marine Salvage in 1983. 1983: UNISOL had been docked at Chandler, Que., to load newsprint but left to ride out an approaching storm after being pounded against the dock. The ship ran aground while outbound and the crew was saved by a Canadian Forces helicopter. The vessel, noted as the first Peruvian flag freighter to transit the Seaway earlier that year, broke up in the storm. 1983: The Norwegian freighter WOODVILLE began visiting the Great Lakes in 1962. It ran aground near Palau Mungging, Malaysia, enroute from Bangkok, Thailand, to Malacca, Malaysia, as d) PETER RICH and was abandoned as a total loss. 1989: CAPITAINE TORRES, enroute from the Great Lakes, got caught in a vicious storm on the Gulf of St. Lawrence on December 7-8 after the cargo shifted. All 23 on board were lost when the ship went down. 2005: ZIEMIA LODZKA collided with and sank the VERTIGO in shallow water in the Great Belt off Denmark. All were saved. The former began Great Lake trading in 1992. 2010: The passenger ship CLELIA II, a Great Lakes visitor in 2009, was hit by a monstrous wave in the Antarctic Ocean smashing the pilothouse window and damaging electronic equipment. The vessel made Ushusia, Argentina, safely and only one member of the crew had a minor injury. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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President signs Coast Guard bill with Great Lakes provisions 12/6 - Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed legislation setting a framework for ballast water regulations and creating a research center in the Great Lakes to study the impact of oil spills in fresh water. Trump approved Coast Guard legislation passed by Congress last month that preserves the Environmental Protection Agency's authority under the Clean Water Act to set treatment standards for ballast water and other incidental discharges from ships. Such discharges can transfer harmful invasive species to the freshwater Great Lakes. The language authorizes $50 million a year for a new program under the EPA for monitoring and responding to outbreaks of invasive species in the Great Lakes and to help develop ballast-control technologies for vessels in the lakes. The bill also included a provision authored by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, authorizing a U.S. Coast Guard National Center of Expertise for the Great Lakes, tasked with advancing research, development and testing of freshwater oil spill response equipment. Last year, the then-commandant of the Coast Guard told Peters at a hearing that the agency was not prepared for an oil spill in the Great Lakes, as existing technologies for responding to oil spills are designed for salt-water environments. Peters’ language directs the center to be located at an institution that has aquatic research facilities and expertise in Great Lakes ecology. It also must be near "critical" crude oil pipeline infrastructure "on and connecting the Great Lakes" such as submerged pipelines. With those specifications, several Michigan institutions could qualify to host the center, considering the Line 5 pipelines running under the Straits of Mackinac. The Coast Guard would ultimately decide where to locate the center in the next year. Its mandate would include training first responders on the incident command structure system and response technologies and strategies, according to Peters' office. “An oil spill in the Great Lakes would be detrimental to our economy, our environment and our drinking water, and I was alarmed to hear that current technology is insufficient to clean up an oil spill in one of our most precious natural resources,” said Peters, who sits on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. “The new Coast Guard Great Lakes Center of Expertise will build upon the good work already happening in Michigan to further advance research, development and testing of freshwater oil spill response equipment and protect the Great Lakes for generations to come." Detroit News |
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Port Reports - December 6
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
Milwaukee, Wis.
S. Lake Michigan
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Monroe, Mich. Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Dec 5 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 4 - BBC Kansas (Atg) at 0706 (ex Amber-16, Thorco Denmark-15, Freya Scan-13, Opal Gallant-11, Beluga Foundation-11) at 0437, Federal Margaree (Mhl) at 1707 and tug Sea Eagle II & barge St Marys Cement II at 2340 - Dec 5 - Algosea at 0009, USCG Abbie Burgess #553 (buoy laying vessel) at 0332, Federal Kivalina (Mhl) at 0452, tug Petite Forte & barge St Marys Cement at 0536, Wigeon (Lbr) at 1203, NACC Argonaut at 0959 and G3 Marquis at 1349
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga (Clarkson):
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 6 On 06 December 1886, C. McElroy purchased the steamer CHARLIE LIKEN for use as a ferry at St. Clair, Michigan to replace the burned CLARA.In 1988, Canada Steamship Lines’ HON. PAUL MARTIN was renamed b.) ATLANTIC ERIE. American Steamship Co.’s H. LEE WHITE (Hull#711) was launched December 6, 1973, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Bay Shipbuilding Co. CONSUMERS POWER was laid up for the last time at Erie, Pennsylvania on December 6, 1985. On December 6, 1988, an arsonist set fire to the after end of FORT CHAMBLY while she was laid up at Ojibway Slip in Windsor, Ontario. GOLDEN HIND was launched at Collingwood, Ontario on December 6, 1951, as the tanker a.) IMPERIAL WOODBEND (Hull#147). N.M. Paterson & Sons LAWRENDOC (Hull#174) was launched December 6, 1961, at the Collingwood Shipyards. On 6 December 1874, the Port Huron Times reported that the Port Huron Dry Dock Co. had been declared bankrupt and Mr. John Johnston had been appointed assignee of the company by the U.S. District Court. OCONTO grounded near Charity Island in Saginaw Bay on 6 December 1885. The passengers and crew were saved. She was built at Manitowoc in 1872, by Rand & Co. and owned by Capt. Gregory W. McGregor and Rensselaer VanSycle. She was later recovered but only lasted until July 1886, when she went down in the St. Lawrence River with a valuable cargo of merchandise. Although several attempts were made to recover her, she remains on the bottom and is a frequent charter dive target to this day. 1906: MONARCH, carrying a cargo of bagged flour, struck Blake Point, Isle Royale and broke in two. The stern sank in deep water and the survivors huddled on shore. They were spotted the next day by the passing steamer EDMONTON who had help sent out from Port Arthur. Only one life was lost. 1906: R.L. IRELAND went aground off the Apostle Islands, Lake Superior, while loaded with coal. Some of the crew rowed a lifeboat to Bayfield for help. The vessel was salvaged and last sailed as c) ONTADOC (i)in 1970. 1909: BADGER STATE caught fire at Marine City, drifted downstream and stranded off Fawn Island. The hull burned to the waterline. 1910: DUNELM went aground on Isle Royale while downbound with grain for Montreal. It was salvaged on December 21 and taken to Port Arthur for repairs. 1917: TUSCARORA, recently cut in two, towed through the Welland and St. Lawrence Canals, and rejoined at Montreal, sank with the loss of all hands off Cape Breton Island on the delivery voyage to the East Coast. 1924: MIDLAND PRINCE was swept onto a reef while under tow in the outer harbor at Port Colborne and sank the tugs JOSEPH H. and HOME RULE in the process. The laker was released the next day but the tugs were a total loss. 1961: The listing freighter MARIANGELA B. was abandoned on the Mediterranean south of Formentera, Spain, after the cargo of zinc shifted in a storm. The vessel was towed to Cartagena, Spain, on December 8 but soon sold to Italian shipbreakers for dismantling at La Spezia in 1962. The vessel had been built at Sturgeon Bay as LABAN HOWES in 1943. 1977: The passenger ship ROYAL CLIPPER caught fire in the engine room at Montreal. After five hours, the ship rolled on its side and sank. It was salvaged in 1982, towed to Port Maitland, and scrapped during 1984-1986. 1992: WILLIAM R. ROESCH was inbound at Holland, Mich., with a cargo of slag when it went aground. The ship was stuck for two hours. 2001: NANCY MELISSA visited the Great Lakes in 1980. It began taking water as e) EMRE BAY in the Ionian Sea and the crew abandoned the ship. The grain laden vessel was taken in tow to safety but was later sold for scrap and arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, for dismantling as f) RESBE on April 9, 2003. 2002: SAGINAW sustained rudder damage while backing away at Thorold and had to go to Hamilton for repairs. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Server Outage 12/5 - We had a short outage overnight due to a move at our collocation facility. One of our virtual servers developed an issue that our volunteers corrected Wednesday morning. Our future redesign and upgrade should prevent this in the future. |
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‘Tis the season to post your Christmas cards 12/5 - The annual Christmas Card Gallery is now open on this site’s Information Search page. Click here to view or upload your own. |
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Soo Locks upgrade would bring local, national impacts 12/5 - After years of gridlock, the goal of constructing an additional super-sized lock at the Soo Locks complex in Sault Ste. Marie seems to be making headway. Last week, the Detroit District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced about $32.4 million will go towards the Soo Locks as part of the fiscal year 2019 work plan. The funds are sufficient to complete design and allow construction of the upstream channel deepening to begin, which a press release noted would be a significant step toward creating another lock capable of accommodating the largest Great Lakes freighters. In a press release, U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, said the construction of a new lock — similar in size to the Soo’s existing Poe Lock — would have an impact for Northern Michigan as well as the entire country. The congressman noted he is “proud of the progress we’ve made to finally break ground on a project that’s been delayed for decades.” “This new construction funding, coupled with the $57 million allocated in FY18 for modernization of the Poe, is a great next step. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues to continue getting the job done for northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula,” Bergman said in a statement. The locks provide a shipping link between Lake Superior and the rest of the Great Lakes. But only one of the locks, the Poe Lock, is large enough to accommodate the biggest Great Lakes freighters. The project is expected to cost about $1 billion and could be completed in seven years with adequate funding. The next opportunity for funding the project is the 2020 presidential budget, according to the Corps of Engineers. While a new lock was initially authorized in 1986, the project was stalled for years. But the Soo Locks has received much attention in the past few months. As one example, President Donald Trump brought up the infrastructure considerations at an April rally in Michigan, stating “The Soo Locks are going to hell. You know that, right? And we’re going to get them fixed up.” In October, Trump signed a bill authorizing a replacement Soo Lock. State Sen. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, represents Michigan’s 37th Senate District, which includes Sault Ste. Marie. He said he is not only focused on supporting federal legislators, but also looking at the state’s investment in the project. Schmidt noted Michigan has committed about $50 million for lock upgrades. “The locks are a key part of keeping the Northern Michigan economy moving forward,” Schmidt said. Schmidt said he wants to ensure as the federal funds come rolling in, state monies are used not only to support the initial construction of the upgraded lock, but also the aspects associated with the completion of the project. As an example, Schmidt said a parking lot might need to be created for the heavy equipment, or additional dock space perhaps necessary to construct the lock. But after the project is completed, Schmidt would want officials to figure out how those areas could be used for the betterment of the Soo area. “It’s looking at the 10 years (or so) to do the project, and then considering what we do beyond,” Schmidt said. Schmidt said the project would involve several economic impacts. He noted the materials that are transported through the locks, such as agricultural products and coal, are important to the economy. But the impacts extend past shipping, Schmidt said. The senator noted many of the officers and captains on ships passing through the Soo are graduates of Great Lakes Maritime Academy, a program hosted by Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City. Many of the ships’ deckhands and laborers live in Michigan as well, Schmidt said. “So you have a moving of raw materials and agriculture products. You also have the employment component. Both are very critical to Michigan, the Great Lakes economy and the U.S. economy,” Schmidt said. In addition, Schmidt noted many Canadian products also go through the locks, giving the project international importance. “It’s a combined effort of many states and Canadian provinces, that’s a good thing,” Schmidt said. Carlin Smith, president of the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce, said the Soo Locks have broad economic implications. For example, Smith noted some of the iron ore that is transported through the Locks is used by the state’s automotive industry. “The Soo Locks are critical for our nation’s whole economy. Obviously, it affects a lot Michigan because we move a lot of our product through the Soo Locks, such as products from mines in the Upper Peninsula,” Smith said. Read more at this link: https://www.petoskeynews.com/featured-pnr/soo-locks-upgrade-would-bring-local-national-impacts/article_54df45b4-0af3-5f77-af70-dd0af4907888.html |
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Port Reports - December 5
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Milwaukee, Wis.
S. Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Dec 4 - Barry Andersen
Long Point bay:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 3 - Thunder Bay at 1729 and Algoma Discovery eta 2303 - Dec 4 - Prosna (Lbr) at 0338, BBC Kansas (Atg) at 0706 (ex Amber-16, Thorco Denmark-15, Freya Scan-13, Opal Gallant-11, Beluga Foundation-11) at 0437, Federal Margaree (Mhl) at 1707 from anchorage, USCG Abbie Burgess (buoy tender) at 1641 approx. (anchored) and tug Sea Eagle II & barge St Marys Cement II eta 2240
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga (Clarkson):
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Erie, Pa. – Jeff Benson
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Demolition update 12/5 - Vessels with Great Lakes / Seaway connections reported as a Casualty or Sold for Demolition, taken from December 2018 issue of Marine News - Journal of the World Ship Society Casualties: None Demolitions: BBC Lena (9147693; Antigua & Barbuda) (Lena J-15 - 1st trip into the Seaway 2015), Lena-15 - 8,388 / 1998 - general cargo ship. By Schiffahrts UG (Shaftungsbeschrankt) & K.G. m.s. 'Lena J' (Jungerhans Maritime Services GmbH & Co K.G.), Germany, to Prakesh Re-Rolling Pvt Ltd., India and arrived Alang 24.03.2018 - commenced demolition 30.3.2018 Jumbo VII (8419051; Tanzania (Zanzibar) (Gulf Oasis-18, Green Chemi-13, Oram Palace-07, New Partner-05, Sun Partner-03, Alam Karang--02, Stainless Hyogo-95, Stainless Leader-92, Shoun Venus-89 - 1st trip into the Seaway 1985) - 4.690 / 1985 - chemical / products tanker. By E.S. Oasis Marine Inc. (Khor Al Zubair Shipping Co. LLC), United Arab Emirates, to Anupama Steel Pvt Ltd., India and arrived Alang 21.03.2018 - commenced demolition 23.03.2018 Nereida (7519294; Albania) (Carmelo Evdoxia-09, Sider Glory-05, Glory Credo-04, Credo-03 - 1st trip into Seaway 1989) 6,917 / 1978 general cargo ship - By Adriatic Sea Transport Shpk, Albania, to Ship Trade Corp., India and arrived Alang 16.03.2018 - commenced demolition 5.04.2018 Report compiled by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp |
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Acheson Ventures renews pitch to developers for land including Maritime Center 12/5 - Port Huron, Mich. – Acheson Ventures has posted on its website it is looking for a developer to buy 40 acres of waterfront property on the south end of Port Huron. "Acheson Ventures, LLC wishes to sell a very attractive 40-acre property in the south side of Port Huron on the St. Clair River to one developer who will capitalize on the opportunity for its commercial, recreational and residential development," the website states. Mike Delong, Acheson Ventures vice president of operations, said it is nothing new from what they've been doing for decades. "(We) want to do what our mission was to begin with and get that property developed," Delong said. The property is broken into nine parcels. One of them includes 4.9 acres known as Vantage Point, including the train depot office building, wine bar and Great Lakes Maritime Center. Another includes the Seaway Terminal Warehouse, also known as the Bean Dock. "We're making another push to complete our development with other developers and partners to see what's out there," Delong said. He said the property has always been available to buyers, but when the economy crashed, so did talks of development. Delong said local and state officials are aware of their goals. While the plan has always been to complete development of the property, Delong said Acheson Ventures is no longer dictating what that development will be. "Our preference would be mixed use, some living, some retail, some restaurants, that would be the perfect world, but we're not dictating that," he said. "We want other people's imagination also to see what could be brought to the site." Delong said no serious discussions have yet taken place."Haven't had anybody sit at the table with us yet. We're very positive that within 2019, that hopefully we can get a developer interested," he said. Liz Mathews, who manages the Maritime Center and seasonal farmers market for Acheson, said she hasn’t been a part of any major talks about the property. But she has heard from farmers market vendors concerned about a permanent home. “They are, but I don’t have answers for them,” she said. “... The property could sell next week or it could sell five years from now.” Times Herald |
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State looking for Michigan lighthouse keepers for next spring and summer 12/5 - The state is accepting applications from people who want to be temporary lighthouse keepers next spring and summer at the Tawas Point Lighthouse off the Lake Huron coast. Each person must pay $75 and put in roughly 70 hours of service over two weeks. In exchange, you get to live in the lighthouse keeper’s quarters. The work includes greeting visitors and routine maintenance around the lighthouse. Hillary Pine, Tawas Point Lighthouse historian, says the goal is to have teams of two, three or four adults. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 1. The application and more information are available at http://michigan.gov/tawaslighthouse |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 5 In 1927, ALTADOC crashed on the rocks of the Keweenaw Peninsula when her steering gear parted during a Lake Superior storm. The machinery and pilothouse of the wreck were recovered in 1928. The pilothouse was eventually refurbished in 1942 and opened as the Worlds Smallest Hotel in Copper Harbor, Michigan. The owners resided in the captains’ quarters, a gift shop was set up in the chart room, a guest lounge was set up in the wheelhouse, and there were two rooms for guests.On 05 December 1897, the GEORGE W. MORLEY (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 193 foot, 1045 gross tons, built in 1888, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was sailing light from Milwaukee to Chicago when a fire started near her propeller shaft. It blazed up too quickly for the engineer to put it out and before he could get the fire pump started, the flames drove on deck. The firemen were kept at their posts as the vessel was steered to shore. She sank 100 yards off Greenwood Avenue, Evanston, Illinois. Luckily no lives were lost. The vessel’s engine was recovered in October 1898. Tanker SATURN (Hull#218) was launched in 1973, for Cleveland Tankers at Jennings, Louisiana, by S.B.A. Shipyards, Inc. SIR JAMES DUNN (Hull#109) was launched in 1951, for Canada Steamship Lines at Port Arthur, Ontario, by Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. The keel was laid for the E.G. GRACE on December 5, 1942. This was the last of the six ships built by AmShip in the L6-S-A1 class for the United States Maritime Commission and was traded to the Interlake Steamship Company in exchange for older tonnage. She would later become the first of the "Maritime Class" vessels to go for scrap in 1984. On 5 December 1874, the steam barge MILAN was scheduled to be hauled ashore at Port Huron to replace her "Mississippi wheel" with a propeller. The wooden 100-foot schooner BRILLIANT was close to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on 5 December 1857, where she was scheduled to pick up a load of lumber when she went on a reef close to shore and sank. No lives were lost. 1909: HENRY STEINBRENNER (i) sank in a snowstorm on Mud Lake following a collision with the HARRY A. BERWIND. The superstructure remained above water and the ship was later refloated and repaired. 1927: The wooden steamer ADVANCE went aground off Manitoulin Island and two sailors were lost. The ship was salvaged but tied up at Cornwall later in the month and never operated again. 1935: The lumber carrier SWIFT caught fire at Sturgeon Bay and was a total loss. The remains were scrapped in 1936. 1935: The 65-year old wooden tug LUCKNOW burned outside the harbor at Midland and the ship was beached as a total loss. 1952: The wooden tug GARGANTUA departed Collingwood under tow and sought shelter from a storm early the next day behind Cabot Head. The ship was scuttled to avoid the rocky shore with the main part of the hull above water. The intent was to refloat the vessel in 1953 but it was abandoned instead. 1964: FAYETTE BROWN, enroute to Bilbao, Spain, for scrap, broke loose of the tug BARENTSZ ZEE in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and drifted aground on the south shore of Anticosti Island. Salvage efforts were not successful and the remains of the hull, now broken into many pieces, are still there. 1971: VENUS CHALLENGER was sunk by a missile in the India-Pakistan war while 26 miles south of Karachi. The ship broke in two and sank in 8 minutes. All 33 on board were lost. The vessel was completely darkened and going at 16 knots when hit. The ship had been a Seaway trader earlier in 1971 and as b) PLEIAS in 1968. 1976: TATIANA L. and RALPH MISENER sustained minor damage from a collision in the St. Lawrence. The former was scrapped at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, as c) LUCKY LADY in 2009, while the latter arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, for dismantling as c) DON in September 2012. 1987: The CASON foundered off Punta Rostro, Spain, enroute from Hamburg to Shanghai, due to heavy weather. There were 8 survivors but another 23 sailors perished. There were explosions and fires in deck containers and the hull broke in two during a salvage effort in May 1988. The ship had come through the Seaway as b) WOLFGANG RUSS in 1978 and FINN LEONHARDT in 1979. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze , Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Toledo tugboat delivers 40 trees for Christmas 12/4 - Toledo, Ohio – Miles Oblander was ready for winter when he accompanied his parents to the National Museum of the Great Lakes to pick a Christmas tree from among 40 that arrived aboard a tugboat Saturday morning. The 8-year-old from Toledo’s Old West End was bundled up and wore festive earmuffs, complete with reindeer antlers, while he watched the tug George Gradel motor up to the wharf with Santa Claus ho-ho-hoing on board. “I’m here to get a Christmas tree,” he said proudly, to which mom Melanie Jankowski added, “And see the tugboat, and Santa” to his nodding agreement. By the time the trees were ashore and ready to be taken home, a light rain had become a steadier shower, and Miles was fine with having his father, Eric Oblander, take the chosen tree — “I like how it’s big” — back to the car while he and mom took refuge in the museum for cookies and a chat with Saint Nick. The rain “waited until we got to the docks, so it’s not so bad,” said Anna Kolin, the museum’s development director, who noted that when the tugboat tree delivery began five years ago, the museum wasn’t open yet and everyone had to wait in a tent outside. Use of the tug was donated by the George Gradel Co., and the voyage began at its company dock near the Port of Toledo. The event harks back to a Great Lakes tradition of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when schooners laden with Christmas trees made their final deliveries of the shipping season to ports around Lake Michigan. Most celebrated of those was the schooner Rouse Simmons, which for several decades delivered thousands of trees to Chicago until it sank during such a voyage in 1912. The Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw now re-enacts its route annually, delivering donated trees to needy Chicago families. The 40 trees aboard the George Gradel, grown at Matthes Evergreen Farm in Ida, Mich., included 10 for the East Toledo Family Center to distribute to local needy families — eight paid for by donors, the other two by the museum. Read more and view a video at this link: www.toledoblade.com/local/city/2018/12/01/tugboat-delivers-christmas-trees-toledo-port-george-gradel/stories/20181201100 |
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Port Reports - December 4
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Grand Haven, Mich.
S. Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Monroe, Mich. – Raymond H Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Dec 3 - Barry Andersen
Long Point bay:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 2 - Algoma Enterprise at 1539 and Capt Henry Jackman at 1833 - Dec 3 - Tecumseh at 0448, light tug Vigilant I from wharf 2 at 1735 for Hamilton, Thunder Bay at 1729 and Algoma Discovery eta 2300
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga (Clarkson):
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Old Cornwall bridge piers to be demolished by 2020 12/4 - Cornwall, Ont. – The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited (FBCL) has announced that it has awarded a contract for the demolishment of the in water bridge piers in Cornwall. The piers are the last remaining remnants of the old Seaway International Bridge, which was closed and began to be demolished in 2013. FBCL has awarded the pier demolishment contract to Bronte Construction, an Oakville-based construction company. There are three remaining in water piers, in addition to one pier on the shore on the Cornwall side of the river that will remain standing. The in water piers will not be completely removed, but instead will be reduced to two meters in hieght above the water level out of concern for the local fish habitat. Cornwall Seaway News |
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$12 million investment to strengthen Buffalo waterfront breakwalls 12/4 - Buffalo, N.Y. – While many millions of dollars has gone into improvements on the waterfront and Outer Harbor, the guardians of all of that are deteriorating. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be putting more than $12 million into the giant rock walls that protect the length of the harbor and waterfront. Rep. Brian Higgins (D-Buffalo) said this $12 million will be on top of $100 million that has gone into cleaning up the Buffalo River and the harbor and other Corps projects. Higgins said the future needs this work. "You can't rebuild a great waterfront city without clean and navigable waterways and this $12.5 million dollars of federal investment by the Army Corps of Engineers will go a long way toward helping to position Buffalo to what I hope will be the major destination of recreational boating on the Great Lakes," he said. He said the money also lets the waterfront be a place for commercial shipping. "So long as it's properly managed, you can have both Great Lakes freighters and canoes, kayaks, recreational boaters co-exist, not only peacefully, but in a way that celebrates the full potential of Buffalo's waterfront," Higgins said. "So that's what we're striving for all the time. We will continue to deal to bring more federal investment." Higgins said when Democrats take over the House of Representatives in January, he will be pushing a massive infrastructure bill for projects like these, suggesting the bill might provide $1 trillion nationally. WBFO |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 4 In 1947, EMORY L. FORD, Captain William J. Lane, departed the Great Northern Elevator in Superior, Wisconsin, with the most valuable cargo of grain shipped on the Great Lakes. The shipment, valued at more than $3 million, consisted of 337,049 bushes of flax valued at $7 a bushel and 140,000 bushels of wheat.On 04 December 1891, the side-wheel wooden passenger steamer JEANIE, owned by John Craig & Sons, caught fire at the Craig & Sons shipyard in Toledo, Ohio, and burned to the water's edge. She was valued at $25,000 and insured for $10,000. Algoma Central Marine's ALGOSOO was the last ship built on the Lakes with the traditional fore and aft cabins; her maiden voyage took place today in 1974. IMPERIAL QUEBEC entered service on December 4, 1957. Renamed b.) SIBYL W. in 1987, and c.) PANAMA TRADER in 1992. Scrapped in Mexico in 1997. LIGHTSHIP 103 completed her sea trials December 4, 1920. At 0210 hours on December 4, 1989, the U.S.C.G.C. MESQUITE ran aground in 12 feet of water at a point one-quarter nautical mile off Keweenaw Point. After a struggle to save the ship, the 53 persons aboard abandoned ship at 0830 hours and boarded the Indian salty MANGAL DESAI, which was standing by. On 4 December 1873, a gale struck Saginaw Bay while the CITY OF DETROIT of 1866 was carrying 8,000 bushels of wheat, package freight and 26 crew and passengers. She was also towing the barge GUIDING STAR. The barge was cut loose in the heavy seas at 3:30 a.m. and about 7 a.m. the CITY OF DETROIT sank. Captain Morris Barrett of the GUIDING STAR saw three of the CITY OF DETROIT's crew in one lifeboat and only one in another lifeboat. The CITY OF DETROIT went down stern first and the passengers and crew were seen grouped together on and about the pilothouse. Capt. Barrett and his crew of seven then abandoned GUIDING STAR. They arrived at Port Elgin, Ontario on 6 December in their yawl with their feet frozen. The barge was later found and towed in by the tug PRINDEVILLE. On 4 December 1838, THAMES (wooden passenger/package-freight side-wheeler, 80 foot, 160 tons, built in 1833, at Chatham, Ontario) was burned at her dock in Windsor, Ontario by Canadian "patriots" during a raid on Windsor involving more than 500 armed men. EMERALD ISLE completed her maiden voyage from Beaver Island to Charlevoix on December 4, 1997. Her first cargo included a few cars and 400 passengers. EMERALD ISLE replaced BEAVER ISLANDER as the main ferry on the 32-mile run. 1920: The first RENVOYLE went to saltwater for war service in 1915. It foundered in shallow water on this date in the Bay of Biscay in 1920. Salvage attempts failed. The hull was broken up by the elements and part was scrapped on site. 1951: CAPTAIN C.D. SECORD was disabled and under tow of the SIR THOMAS SHAUGHNESSY when it broke loose in a storm off Isle Royale. The ship was retrieved by U.S.C.G. WOODRUSH and taken to safety and eventually to Port Arthur for repairs. 1966: NAKWA RIVER sustained extensive fire damage at Montreal. The flames broke out while outbound from the Great Lakes. 1986: AMERICAN REPUBLIC was blown on the breakwall at Lorain, Ohio, and received a five-foot gash on the side about 15 feet above the waterline. 1990: IONIA caught fire in the engine room about 90 miles south of Puerto Rico while enroute from Tampa to Chittagong, Bangladesh. The damage was not repaired and the hull was towed to Aliaga, Turkey, as f) ONIA in 1991 and scrapped. The vessel began Seaway service in 1971 as the British flag freighter ZINNIA, returned as b) TIMUR SWIFT in 1983 and as d) ZENOVIA in 1985. 1992: ZEUSPLEIN caught fire in the bridge at Campana, Argentina, and became a total loss. The vessel was sold to shipbreakers in India and arrived for scrapping on June 1, 1993. It had first traveled the Seaway as a) ZEUS in 1972 and had been rebuilt as a container ship in 1983. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, S. Whelan, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - December 3
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Milwaukee, Wis.
S. Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Dec 2 - Barry Andersen
Long Point bay:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 1 - Robert S Pierson at 1728 - Dec 2 - Florence Spirit at 0619, tug Leonard M & barge Niagara Spirit at 0653, Cuyahoga at 0934, Algoma Hansa at 1524, Algoma Enterprise at 1539 and Capt Henry Jackman at 1833,
Port Weller anchorage: Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Lee Murdock's Christmas Ship Concert at Chicago Maritime Museum Dec. 8 12/3 - On Saturday, Dec. 8, 4-8 pm, The Balladeer of the Great Lakes, Lee Murdock will preform his Christmas Ship Concert in conjunction with the Chicago Maritime Museum's Holiday Party. Enjoy food and drink, tour the exhibits of this new museum and sing along with a great concert. Tickets are $20, $15 for museum members and can be ordered online at http://www.chicagomaritimemuseum.org/event/cmm-holiday-party-lee-murdock-christmas-ship-concert or call the museum at 773-376-1982. The museum is located at 1200 W. 35th St. on the River Level of the Bridgeport Art Center. Lots of free parking is available on the North Side of the building. |
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Fundraiser to support BoatNerd 12/3 - We have kicked off our first annual fundraising drive. We accept donations through PayPal or by mail. This is a great opportunity for users and corporations that use Boatnerd to show their support with a donation.
Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online, the non-profit support organization for the Boatnerd.com web site, was designated a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation by the Internal Revenue Service in 2006.
If you prefer to donate by
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 3 In 1918, the forward end of the former Pittsburgh steamer MANOLA sank during a gale on Lake Ontario. The after end received a new forward end and sailed for several years as the MAPLEDAWN.On 03 December 1881, the DE PERE (wooden propeller, 736 tons, built in 1875, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was caught in a severe southwest gale and blizzard on Lake Michigan. She was driven ashore near Two Rivers, Wisconsin. All efforts to free her failed, so she was left to winter where she lay. In April 1882, she was pulled free by the Goodrich tug ARCTIC and towed to Manitowoc for repairs. Little damage was found and she was back in service quickly. On 03 December 1891, the OGEMAW (wooden propeller freighter, 167 foot, 624 gross tons, built in 1881, at St. Clair, Michigan) sprang a leak on Big Bay de Noc and sank. Her decks and cabins were blown off as she sank in 11 fathoms of water, 1 1/2 miles northwest of Burnt Bluff. Her crew was rescued by her consorts MAXWELL and TILDEN. Although the vessel was removed from enrollment as a total loss, she was later raised, rebuilt, and re-documented in 1894. However, 03 December was a fateful date for this steamer because on that date in 1922, she burned 1-1/2 miles below Grand Point, near Harsens Island, on the St. Clair River Ð this time to a total and final loss. Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd.'s CANADIAN AMBASSADOR (Hull#70) was launched December 3, 1982, at St. Catharines, Ontario, by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. ROBERT W. STEWART, b.) AMOCO MICHIGAN in 1962) was launched in 1927, at Lorain, Ohio (Hull # 802), by the American Ship Building Co. In 1909, LE GRAND S. DEGRAFF collided with the steamer HARVARD while down bound in the Detroit River in fog. IRVING S. OLDS was laid up for the final time on December 3, 1981, at the Hallett Dock #5, Duluth, Minnesota, due to market conditions and her inability to compete with the 60,000-ton carrying capacity of the self-unloading thousand-foot bulk freighters. On 3 December 1872, the officers and crew of the schooner E. KANTER arrived home in Detroit, Michigan. They reported that their vessel was driven ashore near Leland, Michigan in Lake Michigan on 26 November and was broken up by the waves. On 3 December 1850, HENRY CLAY (2-mast wooden brig, 87 foot, 163 tons, built in 1842, at Huron, Ohio) was driven ashore at Point Nipigon in the Straits of Mackinac. She suffered little damage, but she was high and dry and unsalvageable. Her crew and passengers were picked up by the passing steamer TROY. Back during the rough days of November on the lakes, the crews of the Imperial Oil tankers would wet the tablecloths in the mess rooms to keep plates, glasses and silverware from sliding off the tables. 1909: BARGE 101, a whaleback built on the Great Lakes in 1888, sank off Seal Island, Maine enroute from Boston to Halifax with coal tar. The crew of seven was lost. 1942: Yesterday and today the tug ADMIRAL and petroleum barge CLEVECO were lost with all hands off Euclid Beach, Ohio. A total of 32 sailors perished. 1954: The tug ROUILLE sank off Cape Smoky, NS with the loss of 5 lives. The vessel was built in 1929 as Hull 83 at the Collingwood Shipyard and had been on the lakes earlier in the year. 1959: THEODORUS A., seized earlier on Lake St. Clair due to debts, went aground twice while under tow to be unloaded. The vessel was released and spent the winter on the lakes. The crew was sent home. 1963: LIONEL and MANCHESTER MERCHANT collided at the entrance to the Seaway. The former caught fire and was beached at Ronde Island with heavy damage. It was rebuilt at Drammen, Norway, in 1964, returned inland as b) SKAGATIND in 1965 and was scrapped following another fire as e) ALECOS in 1982. 1967: TORONTO CITY, a Seaway trader from 1959 through 1962, went aground near the Elbe I Light enroute from Rostock, Germany, to Rotterdam, Holland, as d) EMMANUEL M. The crew was rescued and the ship was refloated July 7, 1970, sold for scrap, and broken up at Hamburg, Germany. 1985: An engine room fire broke out aboard the SKRADIN at Augusta, Italy, and the ship was a total loss. It had been a Seaway trader as b) BALTIC WASA beginning in 1971 and first returned under the current name in 1976. The damaged vessel was quickly sold for scrap and arrived at Split, Yugoslavia, December 28, 1985, for dismantling. 1987: The former Straits of Mackinac passenger and auto ferry VACATIONLAND sank off Oregon while under tow for scrapping in the Far East. 1993: HOPE I was seriously damaged when it hit bottom east of Quebec City. The ship had traded inland as a) NOSIRA MADELEINE beginning in 1983 and had returned as b) HOPE I earlier in 1993. It was repaired at Lauzon and continued Great Lakes service through 2002. The bulk carrier was back as c) HOPE in 2004. 1995: The former Canada Steamship Lines bulk carrier RIMOUSKI, renamed b) CANADIAN HARVEST, broke in two 114 miles NE of Sable Island while under tow for scrapping in India. The stern sank first. The bow was released two days later and was also lost. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ron LaDue, Russ Plumb, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Coast Guard, partners rescue 35 people from ice floe near Duluth 12/2 - Cleveland, Ohio – The Coast Guard and local partner agencies rescued 35 people from an adrift ice floe in Superior Bay near Duluth, Minn., Saturday. A Coast Guard Station Duluth ice rescue team worked with the St. Louis Fire Department and the Department of Natural Resources to respond to a report that three large groups of people were stranded on an ice floe with approximately 30 feet of open water between the ice floe and shore. The ice rescue team deployed their SKF-ICE, an inflatable ice rescue vessel, to assist the St. Louis Fire Department. The SKF-ICE team transited the open water, reached the ice floe, and rescued all 35 persons without incident. There was one confirmed person in the water who was rescued by fire department personnel. The Coast Guard reminds the public to exercise caution near the water. Ice is unpredictable and dangerous. Those planning on being on or near the ice should check conditions, share their plan with somebody onshore, wear the proper attire in case the ice breaks, and bring proper equipment for self-rescue and reporting. USCG |
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Port Reports - December 2
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Jim Conlon
S. Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Goderich, Ont.
Saginaw River Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Dec 1 – Barry Andersen
Long Point bay:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Dec 1 - BBC Rushmore (Atg) at 0132, Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 0213, Irma (Cyp) at 0634, Trudy (Lbr) at 0843, Baie St Paul at 1144 and Robert S Pierson at 1728
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 2 On this day in 1942, the tug ADMIRAL and tanker-barge CLEVCO encountered a late season blizzard on Lake Erie. The ADMIRAL sank approximately 10 miles off Avon Point, Ohio, with a loss of 11. The CLEVCO sank 30 hours later off Euclid Beach with a loss of 19.On 02 December 1857, the NAPOLEON (wooden propeller, 92 foot, 181 tons, built in 1845, at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, as a schooner) went to the assistance of the schooner DREADNAUGHT. In the rescue attempt, the NAPOLEON bent her rudder and disabled her engine. Helpless, she went on a reef off Saugeen, Ontario, and was pounded to pieces. Her engine, boiler and gear were salvaged in the autumn of 1858, and sold at Detroit, Michigan. Hall Corporation of Canada’s OTTERCLIFFE HALL (Hull # 667) was launched December 2, 1968, at Lauzon, Quebec, by Davie Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. GEORGE R. FINK, b) ERNEST T. WEIR under tow passed Gibraltar on December 2, 1973, and arrived at Gandia, Spain, prior to December 7, 1973, for scrapping. Pittsburgh Steamship Co.’s GOVERNOR MILLER (Hull # 810) was launched in1937, at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. NIPIGON BAY last ran in 1982, and was laid up at Montreal on December 2nd. December 2, 1975, the brand new carferry WOLFE ISLANDER III sailed into Kingston from Thunder Bay, Ontario. The new 55-car ferry would replace the older ferries WOLFE ISLANDER and UPPER CANADA. On 2 December 1874, the steam barge GERMANIA was launched at King's yard in Marine City, Michigan. The Port Huron Times of 4 December 1874 reported that she "is probably the cheapest boat ever built in Marine City, wages and material, iron, etc. being very low." This was due to the nation just recovering from the "Panic of 1873." The vessel's dimensions were 144 feet overall x 56 feet 2 inches x 11 feet 9 inches. On 2 December 1832, the wooden schooner CAROLINE was carrying dry goods worth more than $30,000 from Oswego to Ogdensburg, New York, in a violent storm. She capsized and sank off Ducks Island on Lake Ontario with the loss of one life. Five survived in the yawl and made it to the island in 6 hours. After much suffering from the cold and snow, they were rescued by the schooner HURON. Duluth - December 2, 1950 - In the early part of this week there were as many as 41 Great Lakes vessels lined up in the Duluth-Superior harbor awaiting their turn to take on their cargoes of iron ore. Freezing temperatures prevailed at the head of the lakes and ore steaming operations permitted loading only of about 10 boats per day. 1964: The anchors of AGIOS NICOLAOS II dragged in a storm on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the ship drifted aground at Sea-Cow Head, near Summerside, Prince Edward Island. The ship was released and towed to Halifax but not repaired. It had first come through the Seaway as a) ALKAID in 1961 and made one trip inland as b) AGIOS NICOLAOS II in 1964. Following a sale for scrap, the ship arrived at Bilbao, Spain, under tow of the tug PRAIA DE ADRAGA, on April 2, 1965. 1967: The tanker LUBROLAKE and tug IRVING BEECH were blown aground on Cape Breton Island, near New Waterford, NS at a site called the No. 12 Stone Dump. Both ships were abandoned and broken up to the waterline there at a later date. 1976: PEARL ASIA went aground off Port Weller while waiting clearance to head upbound to Thorold with a cargo of bauxite. After being lightered to MAPLEHEATH, the vessel was pulled free. It had begun Seaway trading as a) CRYSTAL CROWN in 1960 and first returned as b) PEARL ASIA in 1971. 1977: KEFALONIA SKY arrived at New Orleans with engine trouble that was later deemed beyond economic repair. The vessel was sold for scrapping at Brownsville, Texas, in 1978. It had first visited the Seaway as NIEUWE TONGE in 1960 and returned as b) AMSTELDIEP in 1963. 2006: The tug SENECA broke loose of the SUSAN B. HOEY on Lake Superior and was blown aground 21 miles east of Grand Marais, Mich. It was refloated on Dec. 23 and taken to Sault Ste. Marie for assessment. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Dave Wobser, Brian Johnson, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Seaway closing dates announced 12/1 - Seaway Notice No. 13 - 2018
Closing Dates
Montreal-Lake Ontario Section
Welland Canal
Sault Ste. Marie Locks and Canal Mariners are reminded that there is always a possibility that severe climatic conditions may occur during the closing period. Should this happen, there is a chance that the dates for the Montreal-Lake Ontario Section or the Welland Canal, may change. Download a PDF of the complete press release which contains additional information at this link (click Seaway Notice No. 13): http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/commercial/closing.html |
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It’s official: Algoma Steel has a new owner 12/1 - Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. – Algoma Steel Inc. announced that it has completed the purchase of Essar Steel Algoma Inc. assets, and has fully emerged from CCAA protection. The new ownership says it is committed to investing $300 million in the steelworks in order to expand its capacity and grade capability to meet the demand for advanced grades of steel. The full release from Algoma Steel Inc. follows: Algoma Steel Inc. announced today (Friday) it has successfully completed the purchase of substantially all of the assets of Essar Steel Algoma Inc. The business has emerged free from the protection of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) as a stronger, more sustainable Canadian steel company. Since 1901, Algoma Steel has been a reliable supplier of quality Canadian steel. Today, under new ownership and the direction of a professional board of directors, Algoma Steel has a significantly improved balance sheet, offering financial stability, secure pensions, and employment for over 2900 workers in Sault Ste. Marie. The Company has re-established itself in the market, with a promise to bring positive economic and social impacts locally, regionally and nationally. “When we take a look around at the domestic and international steel markets, what we see is a lot of room for growth for Algoma Steel,” says Kalyan Ghosh, Chief Executive Officer of Algoma Steel. “We have a long and proud history in Canada, manufacturing 100 per cent of our products right here in Sault Ste. Marie. Today Algoma Steel is an independent and strong niche player, manufacturing a comprehensive mix of hot and cold rolled steel sheet and plate products not just for the Canadian markets, but also beyond.” As Algoma Steel emerges, it is resurrecting plans for the modernization of its facilities in Sault Ste. Marie. The new owners are committed to a CDN $300 million investment in the steelworks to expand capacity and grade capability, making Algoma Steel more efficient and globally competitive. This investment will position Algoma Steel to meet the growing demand for advanced grades of steel and to support growth in related industries like shipbuilding, auto manufacturing, energy, mining and defense. The company is also returning to financial stability with a strong, healthy balance sheet and substantially less debt. With the support and approval of the provincial government, Algoma Steel’s three defined benefit pension plans are secure and sustainable. The United Steelworkers Locals 2251 and 2724 have also played a large role in working towards a constructive resolution, helping to ensure the continued viability of Algoma Steel for future generations of steelworkers. Soo Today |
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Port Reports - December 1
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
S. Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Nov 30- Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 30 - Oakglen at 0521, CCG Thunder Cape at 0841, Reggeborg (Nld) at 0924, Tim S Dool at 1012, Spruceglen at 1438, Isabelle G (Por) (ex Eider-18) at 1801 and BBC Rushmore (Atg) eta 2240
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Bronte:
Toronto: |
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Public invited to today’s Christmas at the Lighthouse at Tawas Point 12/1 - East Tawas, Mich. The public is invited to make this holiday season a special time with family and friends by attending the Christmas at the Lighthouse event Saturday, Dec. 1, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be held at Tawas Point State Park, located at 686 Tawas Beach Rd. in East Tawas, and a Michigan DNR Recreation Passport will be required for entry. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - December 1 In 1940, the Columbia Transportation steamer CARROLLTON laid up in the Cuyahoga River with a storage load of 75,000 bushels of potatoes.On 01 December 1884, the N BOUTIN (wooden propeller tug, 68 foot, 46 gross tons, built in 1882, at Buffalo, New York) sank in ten feet of water near Washburn, Wisconsin. Newspaper reports stated that she was leaking badly and was run toward shore to beach her but no details are given regarding the cause of the leak. She was recovered and repaired. On December 1, 1974, the Canadian motor vessel JENNIFER foundered on Lake Michigan in a storm. Her steel cargo apparently shifted and she foundered 24 miles southwest of Charlevoix, Michigan. The JENNIFER went to the bottom in water too deep for any salvage attempt. FRED G. HARTWELL, the last boat built for the Franklin Steamship Co., was delivered to her owners on December 1, 1922, but her maiden voyage didn't occur until early 1923, because of unfavorable weather conditions. The SASKATOON's ownership was transferred to the Canada Steamship Lines Ltd., Montreal, on December 1, 1913, when the company was formed and all six vessels of the Merchants Mutual Line were absorbed by CSL in 1914. HUDSON TRANSPORT was put up for sale by Marine Salvage in December 1982. On 1 December 1875, BRIDGEWATER (3-mast wooden schooner, 706 tons, built in 1866, at Buffalo, New York, as a bark) grounded on Waugoshance Point in the Straits of Mackinac. She was released fairly quickly and then was towed to Buffalo, New York, for repairs. In Buffalo, she was gutted by fire. In 1880-82, the propeller KEYSTONE was built on her hull. In 1909, the MARQUETTE & BESSEMER NO 2 sank on Lake Erie, 31 lives were lost. December 1, 1985 - SPARTAN broke loose from her moorings at Ludington in a storm and ended up near Buttersville Island. She was pulled off on December 5, by the Canonie tugs SOUTH HAVEN and MUSKEGON with the help of the CITY OF MIDLAND 41. It took about 10 hours. On 1 December 1875, the Port Huron Times reported: "The schooner MARY E. PEREW went ashore in the Straits of Mackinac and by the brave efforts of the people on shore, her crew was rescued from perishing in the cold. Her decks were completely covered with ice and the seas were breaking over her. The vessel has a large hole in her bottom made by a rock that came through her. She will prove a total loss." On 7 December 1875, that newspaper reported that MARY E. PEREW had been raised by a wrecker and would be repaired. On 1 December 1882, DAVID M. FOSTER (wooden 3-mast schooner, 121 foot, 251 tons, built in 1863, at Port Burwell, Ontario as a bark) was carrying lumber from Toronto to Oswego, New York, in a storm. She was picked up by a harbor tug outside of Oswego for a tow into the harbor, but the towline broke. The FOSTER went bows-on into the breakwater. She was holed and sank. No lives were lost. Her loss was valued at $3,300. On 01 December 1934, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter ESCANABA (WPG 64) (165 foot, 718 gross tons, built in 1932, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was involved in the rescue of the crew of the whaleback HENRY CORT off the piers at Muskegon, Michigan. Also that winter, she delivered food to the residents of Beaver Island, who were isolated due to the bad weather. SULLIVAN BROTHERS (steel straight-deck bulk freighter, 430 foot, 4897 gross tons, built in 1901, at Chicago, Illinois as FREDERICK B. WELLS) grounded at Vidal Shoal on Tuesday evening, 01 Dec 1953. She was loaded with grain and rested on solid rock. She was recovered. 1934: The whaleback steamer HENRY CORT hit the north pier at Muskegon, MI and was wrecked. All on board were saved but one rescuer perished when the U.S.C.G. surfboat overturned. HENRY CORT was cut up for scrap on location during World War Two. 1961: The Canada Steamship Lines bulk canaller ELGIN struck the Charelvoix Bridge on the Lachine Canal when the structure did not open properly due to a faulty bridge mechanism. The waterway was closed for several days but the ship was not damaged. 1961: ARIE H., a Liberian flagged Liberty ship, went aground near the Snell Lock but was refloated and, the following day, departed the Seaway as the last oceangoing ship of the season. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, 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 - November 30
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marinette, Wis.
Lake Michigan Ports
Goderich, Ont.
Sarnia, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Nov 29 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 30 On 30 November 1896, CITY OF KALAMAZOO (wooden propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 162 foot, 728 gross tons, built in 1892, at South Haven, Michigan) burned at her lay-up dock at South Haven, Michigan, with the loss of four lives. She was rebuilt and lasted until 1911, when she burned again.On November 30, 1910, ATHABASCA (steel propeller passenger steamer, 263 foot, 1,774 gross tons, built in 1883, in Scotland) collided with the tug GENERAL near Lime Island in the St. Mary's River. As a result of the collision, the GENERAL sank. She was later recovered and rebuilt as a bulk freighter and lasted until she was broken up in 1948. On 30 November 1934, HENRY CORT (steel propeller whaleback crane vessel, 320 foot, 2,394 gross tons, built in 1892, at W. Superior, Wisconsin as PILLSBURY) was driven onto the north pier at Muskegon, Michigan, in a storm. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter ESCANABA rescued her crew, but one Coast Guardsman lost his life. The vessel settled in shallow water and then broke in half. Her remains were scrapped the following year. CANADIAN PIONEER suffered a major engine room fire on 30 Nov 1987, at Nanticoke, Ontario. On November 30, 1981, A.H. FERBERT was laid up for the last time at the Hallett Dock #5, Duluth, Minnesota. The PERE MARQUETTE 22 passed down the Welland Canal on November 30, 1973 in tow of the tugs JOHN PURVES and YVON SIMARD en route to Sorel, Quebec, where she was cut down to a barge for off-Lakes use. On 30 Nov 1967, the CITY OF FLINT 32 was laid up, never to run again. On 30 Nov 1900, ALMERON THOMAS (2-mast wooden schooner, 50 foot, 35 gross tons, built in 1891, at Bay City, Michigan) was carrying gravel in a storm on Lake Huron when she sprang a leak and ran for the beach. She struck bottom and then capsized. She broke up in twenty feet of water near Point Lookout in Saginaw Bay. No lives were lost. The schooner S.J. HOLLY came into the harbor at Oswego, New York, on 30 November 1867, after a hard crossing of Lake Ontario. The previous day she left the Welland Canal and encountered a growing gale. Capt. Oscar Haynes sought calm water along the north shore, but the heavy seas and freezing winds made sailing perilous. The ropes and chains froze stiff and the schooner was almost unmanageable. The only canvas out was a two-reef foresail and it was frozen in place. With great skill, the skipper managed to limp into port, having lost the yawl and sustained serious damage to the cargo. Fortunately no lives were lost. 1905: The steel consort barge MADEIRA stranded at Split Rock, while under tow of the WILLIAM EDENBORN, broke in two and became a total loss. 1908: D.M. CLEMSON (i) disappeared on Lake Superior while upbound with a cargo of coal from Lorain to Superior. All 24 on board were lost and only 2 bodies were ever found. 1911: Three lives were lost when the wooden steamer RALEIGH sank off Port Colborne. The crew took to the yawl boats but these capsized. Spectators on shore helped pull the sailors to safety. 1922: MAPLEHURST foundered near the West Portage entry Lake Superior while upbound with coal. The captain sought shelter from a storm but the engine failed and the anchors did not hold. There were 11 casualties and the ship was a total loss. 1924: MAPLEDAWN was wrecked at Christian Island, Georgian Bay while downbound with barley. The hull was pounded and could only be salvaged in pieces for scrap about 1942. 1926: CITY OF BANGOR stranded on Keweenaw Point in a blizzard with zero visibility. The ship fell into the trough and was carried ashore. It could not be salvaged and the hull was cut up for scrap during World War II. 1943: RIVERTON, aground for two weeks at Lottie Wolf Shoal, Georgian Bay, was released and taken to Collingwood for repairs. It resumed sailing in 1944 as MOHAWK DEER. 1945: OUTARDE (i) sank at the Consul-Hall Coal Dock, Clayton, NY after being repeatedly pounded against the structure in a wild storm and holed by an underwater piece of steel. The ship was finally refloated on April 18, 1946. 1961: ALGOWAY (i) was damaged while shifting at Port Arthur when it hit a discarded underwater oxygen tank. 1987: A fire aboard the ULS self-unloader CANADIAN PIONEER at Nanticoke damaged the wiring under the control panel. The ship went to the Welland Dock for repairs and then left the Seaway for Sorel where it was reflagged Vanuatu and renamed b) PIONEER. 1997: The tug CAROLYN JO suffered a fire in the engine room off Snake Island, Lake Ontario, and had to be towed to Kingston. The ship is still sailing as d) SEAHOUND. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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New Pelee Islander II finally scheduled to sail starting next May 11/29 - Kingsville, Ont. – MPP Rick Nicholls said Thursday that the fancy new ship will finally start sailing May 1, almost a year after it arrived in Canada from Chile, where it was built. The ferry arrived with great fanfare in June, but has continued to sit at the dock in Leamington with no indication when it may begin operations. It was initially scheduled by Ontario’s transportation ministry, which owns the boat, to begin ferrying people to the island in mid-September following training and endorsement by Transport Canada. But that didn’t happen. Countless rumors have been floated as to why the stylish modern ferry has continued to sit, but inquiries by Nicholls to MTO finally brought a response that the delay is connected to certification — primarily on a safe evacuation procedure. Transport Canada this year has been engaged in rewording of what’s known as “safe manning certification,” the MPP said. The Pelee Islander II got caught up in the process and was forced to remain docked until the regulation was finalized and approved. It took much longer than anyone expected,” Nicholls said. “The biggest thing with our ministry is the safety of people and cargo. The certification basically deals with the number of (adequate) crew members on a ship.” Transport Canada finally signed off on all documentation regarding the changed regulations on Nov. 9. “The sad part is Transport Canada had an opportunity to speed up the certification in the fall,” Nicholls said. “But now we are into winter and (the ferry) won’t be ready for service until the spring.” Asked if he was certain the ferry will begin operation next May with no further delays, the MPP responded: “I’m comfortable with that.” The Owen Sound Transportation Company is the operator of the Pelee Island ferries — currently the Jiimaan and Pelee Islander. The Pelee Islander II is supposed to replace the 58-year-old Pelee Islander, although the full process could take about two years. The Jiimaan, in operation since 1992, also needs to undergo repairs. The Pelee Islander II is designed to accommodate 399 people and 34 cars — or four tractor-trailers and 16 cars. It is roughly the same as the Jiimaan, although the older ship can’t accept as many tractor-trailers. The Pelee Islander can only take 199 passengers and 10 cars. Nicholls expressed disappointment that the island’s residents and tourists have been negatively impacted by the ongoing certification delays. “It’s not fair to the Pelee Island residents and visitors,” he said. “The island is a big tourist attraction, so it’s been an upsetting situation the boat has not been put into service and won’t be sailing until May 1.” Windsor Star |
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Port Reports - November 29
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marinette, Wis.
S. Lake Michigan Ports
Goderich, Ont. Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Cleveland, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Nov 28 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 27 - Pia (Atg) (ex BBC Alabama-17, Western Voyager-07) eta 2203 - Nov 28 - Algoma Harvester at 0900 and Federal Leda (Mhl) at 1140
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Black, coarse sand to be pulled from Lake Superior harbor: Here's why 11/29 - The federal government has come up with money for removing additional waste mining sands from a section of Lake Superior off Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. The Environmental Protection Agency is providing $946,000 to dredge stamp sands from an ancient riverbed north of Buffalo Reef. The coarse, black sands were generated in the early 1900s as a byproduct of copper processing and dumped in the lake. They're drifting toward the 2,220-acre reef, an important fish spawning area. EPA previously gave $3 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to design and carry out the dredging. Officials say the extra funding will pay to dredge an additional 50,000 cubic yards of the sands, bringing the total being removed to 157,500 cubic yards. The Corps says the work will be done next year. Associated Press |
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Rand Logistics appoints new vice president and CFO 11/29 - Jersey City, N.J. – Rand Logistics, Inc. recently welcomed J.D. Kern as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, reporting to the Office of the Presidents. In this role, Mr. Kern is responsible for all aspects of the company's financial management. He brings to Rand more than 20 years of financial and accounting experience and is a published author and frequent presenter on finance and accounting topics. “With the company’s new ownership by American Industrial Partners, Rand has incredible opportunities ahead as demand continues to strengthen for the commodities that its vessels carry, it leverages the capital investments made over the years, and it continues to focus on growing the organization,” said Mr. Kern. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Kern spent four years at FlexiVan, Inc., one of the largest intermodal chassis providers in North America, as its Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In this role, Mr. Kern's responsibilities included leading the finance team in all facets of accounting, treasury, tax, and credit while negotiating and executing new finance facilities, and supporting a variety of business development opportunities. Rand Logisitics |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 29 In 1953, BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS, Captain H. C. Buckley, transported the last iron ore of the season through the Soo Locks. The ore originated at Two Harbors and was unloaded at Conneaut. After unloading, the FAIRLESS headed for Monroe, Michigan, for layup.On 29 November 1886, ALFRED P. WRIGHT (wooden propeller tug, 56 gross tons, built in 1877, at Buffalo, New York) was towing the schooner A J DEWEY in a blizzard and gale in the harbor at Manistee, Michigan. The towline parted and fouled the WRIGHT's propeller. Disabled, she capsized and her crew clung to the overturned hull. One crewman swam 1,000 feet to shore and summoned the U.S. Lifesaving Service. The WRIGHT's and DEWEY's crews were both rescued but three lifesavers were lost in this effort. On November 29, 1966, the DANIEL J. MORRELL sank approximately 20 miles north of Harbor Beach in Lake Huron. Her nearly identical sistership, the EDWARD Y. TOWNSEND, was traveling about 20 miles behind the MORRELL and made it to the Lime Island Fuel Dock in the St. Marys River where cracks were found in her deck; the TOWNSEND proceeded to Sault Ste. Marie where she was taken out of service. The TOWNSEND sank in the Atlantic on October 7, 1968, while being towed overseas for scrap. E. B. BARBER was laid up for the last time at Toronto, Ontario, on 29 Nov. 1984. On November 29, 1903, snow and stormy seas drove the two-and-a-half year old J. T. HUTCHINSON onto an uncharted rock (now known as Eagle River Reef) one-half mile off shore and 10 miles west of Eagle Harbor, Michigan near the northwestern coast of the Keweenaw Peninsula. On November 29, 1974, the PERE MARQUETTE 21 was loaded with remnants of Port Huron's Peerless Cement Dock, which reportedly were bound for Saudi Arabia, and cleared there in tow of the Great Lakes Towing Co., tugs AMERICA and OHIO. SYLVANIA was in a collision with the DIAMOND ALKALI in the Fighting Island Channel of the Detroit River on 29 Nov 1968, during a snow squall. SYLVANIA's bow was severely damaged. The propeller BURLINGTON had barges in tow up bound on Lake Erie when she was damaged by the ice and sank in the Pelee Passage. On 29 November 1856, ARABIAN (3-mast wooden bark, 116 foot, 350 tons, built in 1853, at Niagara, Ontario) had stranded on Goose Island Shoal, 10 miles ENE of Mackinac Island ten days earlier. She was relieved of her cargo and was being towed to Chicago by the propeller OGONTZ when a gale blew in and the towline parted. ARABIAN made for shore, her pumps working full force and OGONTZ following. During the night they were separated and ARABIAN sank off Point Betsey in Lake Michigan. Her crew escaped in her yawl. In 1903, the PERE MARQUETTE 19 arrived Ludington on her maiden voyage. Captain John J. Doyle in command. On 29 November 1881, the 149 foot wooden propeller NORTHERN QUEEN, which had been involved in a collision with the 136 foot wooden propeller canaller LAKE ERIE just five days before, struck the pier at Manistique so hard that she was wrecked. Besides her own crew, she also had LAKE ERIE's crew on board. On 29 Nov 1902, BAY CITY (1-mast wood schooner-barge, 140 foot, 306 gross tons, built in 1857, at Saginaw, Michigan as a brig) was left at anchor in Thunder Bay by the steamer HURON CITY during a storm. BAY CITY's anchor chain parted and the vessel was driven against the Gilchrist dock at Alpena, Michigan and wrecked. Her crew managed to escape with much difficulty. 1902: The wooden bulk freighter CHARLES HEBARD (i) stranded on the Ontario shore of Lake Superior at Point Mamaise in a snowstorm. The hull broke up but all on board were rescued. 1950: ESSO ROCHESTER, a T-2 tanker, broke in two in heavy weather off Anticosti Island, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence while enroute, in ballast, from Montreal to Aruba. The two sections were taken in tow but the bow had to be cut loose in a storm on December 21, rolled over and was lost. The stern was taken to Newport News, VA and rebuilt. It was a Seaway trader in 1959 and scrapped at Onimichi, Japan, in July 1966. 1959: VILJA went aground in fog while outbound through the Brockville Narrows. The 14-year old ship was refloated on December 13 and had to spend the winter at Prescott. The Norwegian-flag freighter never returned inland and was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, as c) SILVER HOPE in 1974. 1960: FRANCISCO MORAZON went aground on the rocks of South Manitou Island, Lake Michigan and the remains of the hull are still there. 1960: CATO II, a small survey vessel, was cut loose by vandals at Port Dalhousie, drifted with the current into Lake Ontario, and stranded on the rocks of the west pier off Port Weller. Despite gale force winds and cold, the hull was salvaged the next day. At last report, the ship was still intact and was owned by Seneca College of Toronto. 1964: The MARIA COSULICH was wrecked at the breakwall at Genoa, Italy, when the engine failed while outbound. The crew was saved but the vessel was a total loss. It had been built at Sturgeon Bay in 1943 as WILLIAM HOMAN. 1985: JALAGODAVARI sliced into the St. Louis road and rail bridge on the Seaway and navigation had to be suspended for seven days. The vessel was removed, taken to Montreal and arrested for damages. The ship was repaired and survived until scrapping as f) BLUE OCEAN in 2000-2001. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Great Lakes museum offers early tours of tugboat Ohio before restoration 11/28 - Toledo, Ohio – When the National Museum of the Great Lakes formally puts the tug Ohio on display next spring, it plans to make the 115-year-old vessel look as it did during the 1970s, a peak period for tugboat operations on the lakes. But today, it looks as if it has spent the past two years moored downwind from a salt mine — which is, in fact, the case. The widespread rust on the Ohio’s exposed metal surfaces will be plain to see by people who take up the museum’s offer of pre-restoration tours this weekend, as will be the emptiness of its crew quarters and the absence from its pilot house of the brass ship’s wheel, which has already been taken out for restoration. “We have had such a significant demand for people to see the tug right away, we came up with a program to make that possible — The Tug Ohio: Before and After Experience,” said Christopher Gillcrist, the museum’s executive director. Tours will be available every 45 minutes, starting at 9:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday, with each day’s last tour starting at 4:15 p.m. Tickets are free for museum members and $15 for nonmembers, with the latter including museum admission for that day. Ticketholders “will be invited back to see the tug prior to her public grand opening once the restoration is complete,” the museum said in its announcement of the before-and-after tours. During the “before” tours, docents escorting participants will discuss the histories of the Ohio and its operator, Great Lakes Towing; issues related to tugboats and towing in general; and the museum’s restoration plans. As of Monday morning, Mr. Gillcrist said, more than 200 people had obtained tickets. The maximum for each tour is 40 people, and while walk-up admissions will be allowed, it will be on a space-available basis, the museum director said. Tour times closest to midday Saturday, when the museum is holding a Christmas-tree event, are filling up fastest and may not be available for walk-up reservations, he said. The tugboat’s slippery walking conditions mean tour participants should wear “sensible shoes and clothing,” the museum cautioned. Overall, the museum is in the midst of a $70,000 campaign, both in cash and in-kind donations, to restore the tug, which was donated to the museum last summer by Great Lakes Towing. Paul LaMarre III, who as chairman of the Great Lakes Historical Society’s vessel committee is overseeing the tug’s restoration, said repairs to the Ohio’s hull that included sealing two through-hull fittings for engine-cooling water were completed before the Ohio was towed to the museum site Oct. 18. Read more and view a video at this link: https://www.toledoblade.com/local/city/2018/11/26/great-lakes-museum-offers-tugboat-tours-before-vessel-restoration/stories/20181126227 |
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Port Reports - November 28
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors - Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marinette, Wis.
S. Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Toledo, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Nov 27 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 25 - Kaministiqua at 1842 - Nov 26 - Wilson T Cooper, tug Petite Forte & barge St Marys Cement at 0555 (stopping at wharf 52) at 1438, Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 0809, Cedarglen at 1154 and Algoma Niagara at 2216 - Nov 27 - Algoma Buffalo at 0151, Algoma Compass at 0815 and Pia (Atg) (ex BBC Alabma-17, Western Voyager-07) eta 2130
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Maritime Center looking for new tenant as deli owners retire 11/28 - Port Huron, Mich. – For the past six years, Debbie and Joe Belcher have stood behind the counter of Waterfront Deli at Port Huron's Great Lakes Maritime Center. They served sandwiches, soups and salads to boat watchers and Vantage Point trail walkers. Soon, the couple will retire to Tennessee, about 45 minutes north of Nashville. They seek to be closer to their children and grandchildren. One daughter already lives there, and a second is set to move there soon. "Our little grandbaby is two today," Debbie Belcher said on Monday. She said they have no grand sweeping retirement plans beyond "family time." They posted their retirement on the deli's Facebook page on Monday. The couple has been in the deli business in Port Huron for nearly a decade. They operated Superior Backstreet Deli out of 324 Superior Mall before moving into the Maritime Center about six years ago. Coffee Harbor originally occupied the Maritime Center concessions spot, moving out in March 2013. The center closes on Nov. 30 for the season, and is set to reopen in March for the spring, they said. The Belchers will head south shortly after it closes this week. For the couple who've spent the better part of a decade serving customers in St. Clair County, the retirement is bittersweet. "It's hard," Joe Belcher said. The Maritime Center is owned by Acheson Ventures. Acheson Ventures vice president of operations Mike DeLong said the company is looking for a new vendor to take over the space in time for reopening on March 24. The space might remain a deli, but that could change. "We're open to all options," DeLong said. "It's sad. They were great — we didn't want them to leave." Anyone who wants to visit the Waterfront Deli before Debbie and Joe leave can find more information at bit.ly/2r7s1ty, their Facebook page at facebook.com/DeliWaterfront Anyone interested in moving into the Maritime Center can contact Acheson Ventures at (810) 966-0900. Port Huron Times Herald |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 28 In 1949, sea trials for the largest freighter built on the Great Lakes, the WILFRED SYKES, were held off Lorain, Ohio. SYKES was converted to a self-unloader in 1975.In 1942, the Canadian grain carrier JUDGE HART grounded and then sank in Ashburton Bay, Lake Superior. The entire crew of the JUDGE HART was rescued by the JAMES B. EADS, Captain Stanley J. Tischart, and the whaleback JOHN ERICSSON, Captain Wilfred E. Ogg. On 28 November 1867, MARQUETTE (wooden bark, 139 foot, 426 tons, built in 1856, at Newport [Marine City], Michigan) was carrying corn from Chicago to Collingwood, Ontario when she sprang a leak during a storm on Lake Huron. She was run ashore on Hope Island on Georgian Bay. On November 28, 1905, the Pittsburgh Steamship Company vessel MATAAFA was wrecked as it tried to re-enter the Duluth Ship Canal in a severe storm. The MATAAFA had departed Duluth earlier but had decided to return to safety. After dropping her barge in the lake, the vessel was picked up by waves, was slammed against the north pier and was swung around to rest just hundreds of feet offshore north of the north pier, where it broke in two. Much of the crew froze to death in the cold snap that followed the storm, as there was no quick way to get out to the broken vessel for rescue. The MATAAFA was repaired prior to the 1906, season; she ultimately ended her career as an automobile carrier for the T.J. McCarthy Steamship Company and was sold for scrap in 1965. The CANADIAN OLYMPIC's maiden voyage was 28 Nov 1976, to load coal at Conneaut, Ohio for Nanticoke, Ontario. Her name honored the Olympic games that were held at Montreal that year. On November 28, 1983, while up bound after leaving the Poe Lock, the INDIANA HARBOR was in a collision, caused by high winds, with the downbound Greek salty ANANGEL SPIRIT resulting in a 10 foot gash in the laker's port bow. LANCASHIRE (Hull#827) was launched at Lorain, Ohio on November 28, 1942. She would soon be renamed b) SEWELL AVERY. CATHY B towed the GOVERNOR MILLER to Vigo, Spain on November 28, 1980, where she was broken up. BENSON FORD was renamed e) US265808 and departed River Rouge on November 28, 1986, towed by the Sandrin tugs TUSKER and GLENADA bound for Ramey's Bend in the Welland Canal. FRONTENAC arrived at the Fraser Shipyard, Superior, Wisconsin on November 28, 1979. Her keel, which had hogged four feet, was declared a constructive total loss. The BRANSFORD stranded on a reef off Isle Royale in Lake Superior during a major storm on 28 November 1905, (the same storm that claimed the steamer MATAAFA). She was recovered. On her third trip in 1892, the ANN ARBOR NO 1 again ran aground, this time three miles north of Ahnapee (now called Algoma). There was $15,000 damage to her cargo. In 1906, the ANN ARBOR NO 4 left Cleveland bound for Frankfort on her maiden voyage. The ANN ARBOR NO 4 ran aground off Kewaunee in 1924. On 28 November 1905, AMBOY (2-mast wooden schooner-barge, 209 foot, 894 gross tons, formerly HELENA) was carrying coal in tow of the wooden propeller GEORGE SPENCER in a gale on Lake Superior. In an effort to save both vessels, AMBOY was cut loose. The SPENCER was disabled quickly and was driven ashore near Little Marais, Minnesota. AMBOY struggled against the gale for a full day before finally going ashore near Thomasville, Ontario on 29 November. No lives were lost from either vessel. On 28 November 1872, W O BROWN (wooden schooner, 140 foot, 306 tons, built in 1862, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying wheat in a storm on Lake Superior when she was driven ashore near Point Maimanse, Ontario and pounded to pieces. Six lives were lost. Three survivors struggled through a terrible cold spell and finally made it to the Soo on Christmas Day. On 28 Nov 1874, the propeller JOHN PRIDGEON JR was launched at Clark's shipyard in Detroit, Michigan. She was built for Capt. John Pridgeon. Her dimensions were 235 X 36 X 17 feet. The engines of the B F WADE were installed in her. On 28 Nov 1923, the Detroit & Windsor Ferry Company and Bob-Lo docks were destroyed by a fire caused by an overheated stove in the ferry dock waiting room. The blaze started at 3 a.m. CANADIAN TRANSFER underwent repairs most of Tuesday, 28 Nov. 2000, at the Algoma Steel dock at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. She had run aground the previous night in the Canadian channel approaching Algoma Steel. CANADIAN TRANSFER was freed by two Purvis Marine tugs. The vessel suffered a crack or hole in the hull plating about 10 feet from the bottom along its port side. 1918: The bow section of the former passenger steamer NORTH WEST sank in Lake Ontario. The ship had been cut in two for a tow out of the Great Lakes. The stern was later rebuilt as b) MAPLECOURT. 1923: LINDEN, a wooden bulk carrier, burned as a total loss in Tawas Bay. 1932: The Canadian freighter GEORGIAN stranded at Munising while downbound from Port Arthur to Detroit. The crew was rescued on December 3. The first salvage attempt failed on December 5 and the vessel was not released until May 1933. 1961: IQUITOS, enroute from Callao, Peru, to Manzanillo, Mexico, with fish meal, caught fire off the coast of Mexico and was abandoned by the crew. The vessel first visited the Great Lakes as a) RUTENFJELL in 1936 and returned on numerous occasions. It was back as b) POLYRIVER from 1951 to 1958. The abandoned IQUITOS drifted for months and was finally sunk by a U.S. destroyer as a hazard to navigation about 100 miles southeast of the Christmas Islands, on April 9, 1962. 1966: The Liberty ship TEGEAN ran aground on The Sisters rocks in fog south of Halifax while inbound for bunkers. All on board were saved by Coast Guard and Navy helicopters. The hull broke into 3 pieces and was dynamited by Navy divers as a hazard on December 16, 1966. The vessel had traded through the Seaway as b) ST. MALO in 1962. 1981: LONDON EARL went aground at Pointe aux Trembles while outbound from Thunder Bay to Hamburg, West Germany, with a cargo of wheat. Five tugs released the ship, with only minimal damage, on November 30. The vessel later returned through the Seaway as b) OLYMPIC LIBERTY beginning in 1983, as c) STABERG in 1990 and as d) ITHAKI in 1996. It was scrapped at Alang, India, in 2001. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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U.S.-flag cargo movement on lakes down 4-plus percent in October 11/27 - Cleveland, Ohio – U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 9.1 million tons of cargo in October, a decrease of 4.2 percent compared to a year ago. The October float was also 7.7 percent below the month’s 5-year average. Iron ore cargos for steel production totaled 4.7 million tons, a decrease of 2 percent compared to a year ago. Coal loads totaled 1.25 million tons, a decrease of 8.3 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments of aggregate, fluxstone, chemical stone and scrubber stone totaled 2.6 million tons, a decrease of 5.5 percent compared to a year ago. Year-to-date U.S.-flag cargo movement stands at 66.7 million tons, a decrease of 4.7 percent compared to the same point in 2017. Iron ore cargos total 36 million tons, a decrease of 3.5 percent. Coal loadings total 9 million tons, a decrease of 16.4 percent. Limestone totals 18.3 million tons, an increase of 1.6 percent. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Port Reports - November 27
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marinette, Wis.
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Jim Conlon
S. Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Nov 26 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 25 - Kaministiqua at 1842 - Nov 26 - Wilson T Cooper, tug Petite Forte & barge St Marys Cement at 0555, Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 0809, Cedarglen at 1154, Algoma Niagara eta 2030 and Algoma Buffalo eta 2300,
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Hamilton anchorage:
Clarkson:
Humber Bay:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Midwest’s summer temps projected to increase more than any other part of country 11/27 - Michigan and the Midwest are already feeling the effects of climate change, which will grow and worsen as temperatures climb throughout this century, according to a new report. The second part of the fourth National Climate Assessment looks at impacts, risks, and mitigation efforts across the U.S. It’s the work of scientists and experts from across a variety of federal agencies. While officially released by the White House, its conclusions are sharply different from the Trump administration’s position on climate change “The evidence of human-caused climate change is overwhelming and continues to strengthen, that the impacts of climate change are intensifying across the country, and that climate-related threats to Americans’ physical, social, and economic well-being are rising,” the assessment says. “These impacts are projected to intensify—but how much they intensify will depend on actions taken to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the risks from climate change now and in the coming decades.” The report looks at the likely impacts on different areas of the country, including the Midwest. Among its findings and projections for the region: • Summers will be hotter. Warm-season temperatures are projected to increase more in the Midwest than any other region of the country—by an average of more than four degrees by mid-century. In the winter, the frost-free season is projected to increase 10 days by 2045, and 20 days by 2065. • Increased spring humidity will cause more rainfall, with serious implications for agriculture. It will lead to more potential for water-logged soil, reducing planting time and causing more soil erosion. • Rising growing-season temperatures will have a “pervasive” effect on forests. The region will likely have less tree growth and possibly “widespread tree mortality.” • The Great Lakes are at risk from rising temperatures. Current trends toward rising surface temperatures and declining ice cover will continue. Changes in the seasonal stratification of lake temperatures and higher summer evaporation rates will stress the lakes, possibly wiping out some species. • Higher temperatures will worsen existing air quality problems, with particularly negative impacts on industrial centers, low-income communities, children and the elderly. • The habitats of disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks will continue expanding throughout the region, likely leading to more cases of illnesses like West Nile virus and Lyme Disease. • Climate change will create conditions that make harmful cyanobacterial blooms like the persistent blooms in western Lake Erie more frequent and widespread. A combination of factors, including higher water temperatures and more agricultural runoff from more frequent rains will create favorable conditions for those events. The timing of the assessment’s release on Black Friday raised some eyebrows, and questions about whether the Trump administration was trying to bury it. But on a Friday conference call, officials behind the report mostly ducked repeated questions about that. They said the timing had to do with getting the information out before two important upcoming environmental conferences, and “was not altered or revised in any way in response to outside pressure.” Michigan Radio |
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Can you walk the beach? Supreme Court may decide 11/27 - Long Beach, Ind. – Two Michigan groups are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up an Indiana case that would determine if lakefront property rights extend all the way to the water. If the court considers the issue, it has the potential to redefine where people can -- and can’t -- walk on all Great Lakes beaches that aren’t publicly owned. Save our Shoreline, a Michigan non-profit comprised of Great Lakes property owners, and the Whalesback Preservation Fund LLC, which owns Lake Michigan land near Leland, have filed a brief led by the Cato Institute in support of two Indiana land owners. Don and Bobbie Grunderson of Long Beach, Indiana, contend their lakefront property extends to the water’s edge and landowners have the right to limit who uses the beaches on their properties. The Gundersons argue that a ruling by Indiana’s high court, and a similar 2005 decision by the Michigan Supreme Court, upset a longstanding consensus in the Great Lakes states which held that private ownership extended to the water’s edge, wherever that edge was at any given moment. The Indiana court ruled that a different and more nebulous standard, the ordinary high water mark, is the limit of the landowners’ property. The issue may gain additional attention because Long Beach is the hometown of Chief Justice John Roberts, who lived in the town about 30 miles southeast of Chicago from the 1960s until leaving for Harvard University in 1973. The Indiana ruling being appealed not only unsettles property interests in Indiana, but “implicates the property boundary for tens of thousands of other families who own property on the shores of the Great Lakes,” according to the brief filed by the Michigan groups. The Supreme Court won’t decide until next year whether to consider arguments. The court is giving the Indiana attorney general’s office an extra two months for a response to the request the Gundersons for the Supreme Court review. That response is now due Jan. 11, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported. The Gundersons want to appeal a February decision by the Indiana Supreme Court that set the ordinary high water mark as the boundary between state-owned land under Lake Michigan and private property. They want the U.S. Supreme Court to definitively set the water’s edge as the boundary of lake-adjacent properties for all five Great Lakes — with no requirement to provide public access to the beach. Property rights groups elsewhere also have begun filing amicus, or “friend of the court,” briefs, urging the high court to rule in the Gundersons’ favor. Read more at this link: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2018/11/25/lake-michigan-beach-rights/38599189 |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 27 At 4:00 a.m. on 27 November 1872, the wooden schooner MIDDLESEX was struck by a terrible winter storm on Lake Superior. The winds caught the vessel with such force that she listed at a 45 degree angle and her cargo shifted. In danger of sinking, the crew jettisoned much of the cargo and the ship righted herself. Her lifeboat and much of her rigging and sails were washed away. She limped into Waiska Bay and anchored to ride out the storm. However, she had developed a leak and it was so cold that her pumps had frozen. To save the vessel, she was run ashore and sank in shallow water. The crew climbed into her rigging until the tug W. D. CUSHING rescued them.ALGOSEA entered Lake service as a self-unloader for the first time with salt loaded at Goderich, Ontario and passed down bound in the Welland Canal November 27, 1976, for Quebec City. AVONDALE was condemned and was not allowed to carry cargo after she arrived at Toledo, Ohio on November 27, 1975, to load soybeans. The steam barge CHAUNCY HURLBUT was launched at the shipyard of Simon Langell at St. Clair, Michigan on Thanksgiving Day, 27 November 1873. She was built for Chandler Bros. of Detroit. On 27 November 1886, COMANCHE (wooden schooner, 137 foot, 322 tons, built in 1867, at Oswego, New York) was carrying corn in a storm on Lake Ontario when she ran on a shoal and sank near Point Peninsula, New York. A local farmer died while trying to rescue her crew of 8. His was the only death. She was later recovered and rebuilt as THOMAS DOBBIE. The PERE MARQUETTE 22 collided with the WABASH in heavy fog in 1937. In 1966, the CITY OF MIDLAND 41 ran aground at Ludington, Michigan in a storm. Stranded on board were a number of passengers and 56 crewmen. Ballast tanks were flooded to hold the steamer on until the storm subsided. She was pulled off four days later by the Roen tug JOHN PURVES. The propeller MONTGOMERY, which burned in June 1878, was raised on 27 November 1878. Her engine and boiler were removed and she was converted to a barge. She was rebuilt at Algonac, Michigan in the summer of 1879. On 27 November 1866, the Oswego Advertiser & Times reported that the schooner HENRY FITZHUGH arrived at Oswego, New York with 17,700 bushels of wheat from Milwaukee. Her skipper was Captain Cal Becker. The round trip took 23 days, which was considered "pretty fast sailing". The CITY OF FLINT 32 was launched in Manitowoc on 27 Nov 1929. Cut down to a rail barge at Nicholson's, Ecorse in 1970, renamed b.) ROANOKE. On Monday, 27 Nov 1996, the Cyprus flag MALLARD of 1977, up bound, apparently bounced off the wall in the Welland Canal below Lock 1 and into the path of the CANADIAN ENTERPRISE. It was a sideswipe rather than a head on collision. The ENTERPRISE was repaired at Port Weller Dry Docks. The repairs to the gangway and ballast vent pipes took six hours. The MALLARD proceeded to Port Colborne to be repaired there. At 10:20 p.m. on Monday, 27 Nov. 2000, CANADIAN TRANSFER radioed Soo Traffic to report that the vessel was aground off Algoma Steel and "taking on water but in no danger." The crew reported that they had two anchors down and one line on the dock. Purvis Marine was contacted. 1905: LAFAYETTE stranded at Encampment Island, Lake Superior, broke in two and was a total loss. MANILA, its consort barge, also came ashore but was later salvaged. 1942: JUDGE HART stranded at Fitzsimmons Rock, Ashburton Bay, Lake Superior, enroute to Toronto with 101,500 bushels of grain. All on board were rescued and the ship later slid off the rocks, drifted and sank. 1981: LOUKIA, a Greek flag visitor to the Great Lakes in 1976, arrived at Monrovia, Liberia, as f) DESPOULA and was abandoned. The vessel was looted before being sold for scrap. On September 2, 1982, while under tow for Yugoslavia for dismantling, the vessel broke loose in heavy seas and grounded about 14 miles north of Monrovia. 2006: SPAR OPAL had mechanical problems and ran aground near the Iroquois Lock. It was released on November 29. It did not return through the Seaway in 2007 but was back for two final trips in 2008. The ship was renamed h) ARWAD PRINCESS in 2012 and re-registered in Belize. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - November 26
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
S. Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Nov 25– Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 24 - Algoma Transport at 0545 and Belasitza (Mlt) at 1511 - Nov 25 - Algoma Enterprise at 0120, Algoma Spirit at 0547, tug Sea Eagle II & barge St Marys Cement II at 1106, Osogovo (Mlt) at 1248, Ina (Lbr) at 1131, Iryda (Cyp) at 1420, and Kaministiqua at 1842
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 26 In 1952, the PHILIP R. CLARKE was launched at the American Ship Building yard at Lorain, Ohio. The 647- foot-long freighter became the flagship of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company. She was lengthened by 120 feet in 1974 and converted to a self-unloader in 1982.On 26 November 1856, CHEROKEE (2-mast wooden schooner, 103 foot, 204 tons, built in 1849, at Racine, Wisconsin) foundered in a gale 7 miles south of Manistee, Michigan, on Lake Michigan. All aboard (estimates range from ten to fourteen persons) were lost. The U.S.C.G.C. MESQUITE departed Charlevoix and locked through the Soo on November 26, 1989, to begin SUNDEW's normal buoy tending duties on Lake Superior. The ELIZABETH HINDMAN was launched November 26, 1920, as a.) GLENCLOVA (Hull#9) at Midland, Ontario, by Midland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. On 26 November 1872, the steamer GEO W. REYNOLDS burned at 1 in the morning at the dock in Bay City. The fire supposedly originated in the engine room. She was owned by A. English of East Saginaw. On 26 November 1853, ALBANY (wooden side wheel passenger/package freight, 202 foot, 669 tons, built in 1846, at Detroit, Michigan) was carrying passengers and miscellaneous cargo in a storm on Lake Huron.. She was making for the shelter of Presque Isle harbor when the gale drove her over a bar. Her crew and 200 passengers came ashore in her boats. Plans were made to haul her back across the bar when another storm wrecked her. Her boiler and most of her machinery were recovered the following year. LAKE BREEZE (wooden propeller, 122 foot, 301 gross tons, built in 1868, at Toledo, Ohio) burned at her dock in Leamington, Ontario, on 26 November 1878. One man perished in the flames. She was raised in 1880, but the hull was deemed worthless. Her machinery and metal gear were removed in 1881, and sold to an American company. The ANN ARBOR NO 5 (steel carferry, 359 foot, 2,988 gross tons) was launched by the Toledo Ship Building Company (Hull #118) on 26 Nov 1910. She was the first carferry to be built with a sea gate, as a result of the sinking of the PERE MARQUETTE 18 in September of 1910. On 26 Nov 1881, JANE MILLER (wooden propeller passenger-package freight coaster, 78 foot, 210 gross tons, built in 1878, at Little Current, Ontario) departed Meaford, Ontario, for Wiarton - sailing out into the teeth of a gale and was never seen again. All 30 aboard were lost. She probably sank near the mouth of Colpoy's Bay in Georgian Bay. She had serviced the many small ports on the inside coast of the Bruce Peninsula. HIRAM W. SIBLEY (wooden propeller freighter, 221 foot, 1,419 gross tons, built in 1890, at E. Saginaw, Michigan) was carrying 70,000 bushels of corn from Chicago for Detroit. On 26 Nov 1898, she stranded on the northwest corner of South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan during blizzard. (Some sources say this occurred on 27 November.) The tugs PROTECTOR and SWEEPSTAKES were dispatched for assistance but the SIBLEY refloated herself during the following night and then began to sink again. She was put ashore on South Fox Island to save her but she broke in half; then completely broke up during a gale on 7 December 1898. During the early afternoon of 26 Nov 1999, the LOUIS R. DESMARAIS suffered an engine room fire while sailing in the western section of Lake Ontario. Crews onboard the DESMARAIS put out the fire and restarted her engines. The DESMARAIS proceeded to the Welland Canal where she was inspected by both U.S. and Canadian investigators. No significant damage was noted and the vessel was allowed to proceed. 1924: The wooden steamer J.C. FORD was destroyed by a fire while on the St. Marys River near DeTour. 1940: The coal-laden CHEYENNE went aground in a storm near Port Colborne while enroute to Montreal. The ship was released on December 1. It last sailed as c) SORELDOC (ii) in 1965 before being scrapped at Hamilton. 1942: L.E. BLOCK went aground in the Straits of Mackinac during a snowstorm. 1951: JOHN H. PRICE was at Ste. Anne des Monts to load pulpwood when a storm swept the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The ship broke loose early the next day, drifted to shore and was pounded on the rocks. All on board were saved and the vessel was refloated May 30, 1952. 1964: The Norwegian tanker STOLT DAGALI, a Seaway caller as a) DAGALI in 1960-1962, was sliced in two by the passenger vessel SHALOM about 28 miles southeast of the Ambrose Channel Light Vessel. The stern of the tanker sank but the bow was rebuilt using the stern of the C.T. GODSTAD that had grounding damage. The rebuilt ship resumed sailing as STOLT LADY. 1979: Despite clear visibility, PIERSON DAUGHTERS and JABLANICA collided off Alexandria Bay, NY, and both ships were damaged. The latter went aground on Broadway Shoal and had to be lightered before being released. It was a regular Seaway trader and was also back as b) ELLIE beginning in 1993. The ship was scrapped at Alang, India, as d) PINE TRADER in 2009. 1981: EURO PRINCESS, a Seaway trader beginning in 1976, went aground in the Atlantic near Sable Island and the crew of 26 was airlifted to safety. Despite a cracked hull, the ship was refloated and was back on the Great Lakes as c) EUROPEGASUS in 1985 and survived until scrapping in India in 1997-1998. 2000: The former BALSA I, a Seaway trader beginning in 1981, reported taking water off Hainan Island in the South China Sea and sank. The crew was saved by a passing freighter. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - November 25
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
S. Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Nov 24 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 24 - Ojibway at 1359 and Algowood at 2143 - Nov 24 - Algoma Transport at 0545, Patras (Mlt) (Gan-Sword-10) at 1101, tug Everlast & barge Norman McLeod at 1126 and Belasitza (Mlt) at 1511
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 25 In 1890, the WESTERN RESERVE delivered a record cargo of 95,488 bushels of wheat from Duluth to Buffalo.In 1913, the schooner ROUSE SIMMONS, Captain August Schuenemann, departed Thompson Harbor (Michigan) with a load of fresh cut Christmas trees bound for Chicago. Somewhere between Kewaunee and Two Rivers, Wis., the SIMMONS was lost with all hands. On 25 November 1857, ANTELOPE (wooden schooner, 220 tons, built in 1854, at Port Robinson, Ontario) was driven ashore by a gale near St. Joseph, Michigan. Five lives were lost. She was recovered the next year and rebuilt. INCAN SUPERIOR was withdrawn from service after completing 2,386 trips between Thunder Bay and Superior and on November 25, 1992, she passed down bound at Sault Ste. Marie for service on the Canadian West Coast. Renamed PRINCESS SUPERIOR in 1993. ROBERT C. STANLEY was laid up for the last time November 25, 1981, at the Tower Bay Slip, Superior, Wisconsin. She was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey in 1989. CITY OF MILWAUKEE (Hull#261) was launched November 25, 1930, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. She was sponsored by Mrs. Walter J. Wilde, wife of the collector of customs at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She entered service in January of 1931. On 25 November 1866, F. W. BACKUS (wooden propeller, 133 foot, 289 tons, built in 1846, at Amherstburg, Ontario) was carrying hay, horses and cattle off Racine, Wisconsin. She was run to the beach when it was discovered that she was on fire. Her crew and passengers disembarked. The tug DAISY LEE towed her out while she was still burning, intending to scuttle her, but the towline burned through and she drifted back to shore and burned to the waterline. Her live cargo was pushed overboard while she was still well out and they swam to shore. On 25 November 1874, WILLIAM SANDERSON (wooden schooner, 136 foot, 385 gross tons, built in 1853, at Oswego, New York) was carrying wheat in a storm on Lake Michigan when she foundered. The broken wreck washed ashore off Empire, Michigan, near Sleeping Bear. She was owned by Scott & Brown of Detroit. During a storm on 25 November 1895, MATTIE C. BELL (wooden schooner, 181 foot, 769 gross tons, built in 1882, at E. Saginaw, Michigan) was in tow of the steamer JIM SHERRIFS on Lake Michigan. The schooner stranded at Big Summer Island, was abandoned in place and later broke up. No lives were lost. On 25 Nov 1947, the CAPTAIN JOHN ROEN was renamed c.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS by the American Steamship Co. in 1958, CORNELIUS was renamed d.) CONSUMERS POWER. Eventually sold to Erie Sand, she was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1988. Built in 1927, as a.) GEORGE M. HUMPHERY. On 25 Nov 1905, the JOSEPH G. BUTLER JR (steel straight-deck bulk freighter, 525 foot, 6,588 gross tons) entered service, departing Lorain, Ohio, for Duluth on her maiden voyage. The vessel was damaged in a severe storm on that first crossing of Lake Superior, but she was repaired and had a long career. She was renamed DONALD B GILLIES in 1935, and GROVEDALE in 1963. She was sunk as a dock in Hamilton in 1973, and finally sold for scrap in 1981. 1904: B.W. BLANCHARD stranded near Alpena, MI and was wrecked. The ship had become unmanageable in heavy weather while enroute to Detroit with a cargo of lumber and was a total loss. 1908: NORTH STAR sank in Lake Huron off Port Sanilac after a collision with NORTHERN QUEEN. The accident occurred in dense fog and the ship went down quickly. All were saved. 1927: THOUSAND ISLANDER cleared Sarnia for Midland under tow of C.S.L. fleetmate COLLINGWOOD and they encountered heavy weather on Lake Huron. The ship was overwhelmed southeast of Thunder Bay Island and sank. 1950: The cargo of steel and package freight aboard the C.S.L. steamer WEYBURN shifted on Lake Ontario in a wild fall storm and the ship took on a precarious list and almost capsized. The ship was escorted to Toronto by RENVOYLE where the problem was corrected. 1971: The Greek freighter ESTIA sank on the Caribbean north of French Guiana after a violent engine room explosion. The ship was bound for Brazil with phosphates and all on board were saved. The vessel had been a Great Lakes visitor as MANCHESTER SPINNER beginning in 1963. 2003: The yacht ALISON LAKE, rebuilt at Toronto from the U.S. Coast Guard ship SAUK, hit a submerged object and sank in very deep water south of Key West, FL. All on board were rescued. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Barge PML 9000 damaged after striking pier in Detroit River 11/24 - Detroit, Mich. – A Canadian barge was stuck in Detroit Friday after alliding with a pier just below the Ambassador Bridge, U.S. Coast Guard Detroit officials say. The incident occurred at 9:41a.m. when the tug Anglian Lady, pushing the loaded barge PML 9000, was traveling from Sault Ste. Marie. Ont., to the Nicholson Terminal on the Detroit side of the Detroit River, said Justin Bommer, ensign of the Coast Guard. "They were heading to Nicholson to offload steel coils and then they would have headed to Windsor, however, when they got to the terminal, they struck the pier," Bommer said. "There is a report of damage." The pier was struck on the port side and created a hole above water level on the barge. There is nine feet of water in the thruster room and voids are inaccessible due to cargo, he said. The tug’s crew tried to get the barge under control using the rudder, but it wasn't responding. The tug next attempted to go in reverse, but it was too late. Bommer said there were no injuries reported to anyone in the eight-member crew and Coast Guard investigators were en route Friday afternoon to examine the scene. "We're not sure the extent of the damage and it's unclear what happened," Bommer said. The tug and barge are owned by Purvis Marine of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. They loaded their cargo at the Algoma steel plant in that city. The Detroit News |
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Port Reports - November 24
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
S. Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Friday 23 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 22 - Mississagi 0726 (stopping at wharf 12), Algoma Sault at 1725, Robert S Pierson at 2013 and Algonova at 2015 - Nov 23 - tug Evans McKeil & barge Niagara Spirit at0236, CSL St. Laurent at 0746, Baie Comeau at 1208, Ojibway at 1359 and Algowood eta 2100
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 24 On this day in 1966, Hjalmer Edwards became ill while working as a second cook on the steamer DANIEL J. MORRELL. He was transferred to the hospital at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan when the MORRELL transited the locks for the last time on Thanksgiving Day. Five days later, the DANIEL J. MORRELL sank during a severe storm on Lake Huron with just Dennis Hale as its lone survivor.On 24 November 1945, SCOTT E. LAND (steel propeller C4-S-A4 cargo ship, 496 foot, 10,654 gross tons) was launched at Kaiser Corporation (Hull #520) in Vancouver, Washington for the U.S. Maritime Commission. She was converted to a straight-deck bulk freighter at Baltimore, Maryland in 1951, and renamed TROY H. BROWNING. In 1955, she was renamed THOMAS F. PATTON. After serving on the Great Lakes, she was scrapped in Karachi, Pakistan, in 1981. On November 24, 1950, while bound for South Chicago with iron ore, the ENDERS M. VOORHEES collided with the up bound steamer ELTON HOYT II (now the ST. MARYS CHALLENGER) in the Straits of Mackinac during a blinding snowstorm. Both vessels received such serious bow damage that they had to be beached near McGulpin Point west of Mackinaw City to avoid sinking. ROSEMOUNT, stored with coal, sank alongside CSL's Century Coal Dock at Montreal, Quebec, on November 24, 1934. Paterson's PRINDOC (Hull#657) was launched November 24, 1965, at Lauzon, Quebec, by Davie Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. November 24, 1892 - The ANN ARBOR NO 1 ran aground on her first trip just north of the Kewaunee harbor. On 24 Nov 1881, LAKE ERIE (wooden propeller canaller, 136 foot, 464 gross tons, built in 1873, at St, Catharine's, Ontario) collided with the steamer NORTHERN QUEEN in fog and a blizzard near Poverty Island by the mouth of Green Bay. LAKE ERIE sank in one hour 40 minutes. NORTHERN QUEEN took aboard the crew but one man was scalded and died before reaching Manistique. The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 entered service in 1931. On 24 November 1905, ARGO (steel propeller passenger/package freight, 174 foot, 1,089 tons, built in 1896, at Detroit, Michigan) dropped into a trough of a wave, hit bottom and sank in relatively shallow water while approaching the harbor at Holland, Michigan. 38 passengers and crew were taken off by breeches' buoy in a thrilling rescue by the U.S. Lifesaving Service. NEPTUNE (wooden propeller, 185 foot, 774 gross tons, built in 1856, at Buffalo, New York) was laid up at East Saginaw, Michigan, on 24 November 1874, when she was discovered to be on fire at about 4:00 a.m. She burned to a total loss. The ANN ARBOR NO 1 left Frankfort for Kewaunee on November 24, 1892. Because of the reluctance of shippers to trust their products on this new kind of ferry it was difficult to find cargo for this first trip. Finally, a fuel company which sold coal to the railroad routed four cars to Kewaunee via the ferry. 1905: ARGO missed the entrance to the harbor at Holland, MI while inbound from Chicago and went aground. All on board, an estimated 72 passengers and crew, were rescued by breeches buoy in a very challenging task. The ship was salvaged in January 1906. 1938: The idle former passenger ship CITY OF BENTON HARBOR was gutted by a fire at Sturgeon Bay. 1970: C.W. CADWELL hit a submerged rock in the Niagara River near Queenston and was stranded. 1988: KATIA was abandoned off Nova Scotia, enroute from Brazil to Carleton, QC, and all 27 on board were taken off by rescue helicopter. Despite salvage efforts, the listing ship sank November 26. It had been through the Seaway earlier in 1987 after previous inland voyages as c) TIMI in 1978 and d) HAPPY MED in 1981. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II, The Marine Historical Society of Detroit and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Desgagnés takes delivery of new dual-fuel Polar-class tanker Paul A. Desgagnés 11/23 - The Canadian shipping company Desgagnés has accepted delivery of Paul A. Desgagnés, a new-generation product tanker. The newbuilding was delivered to its owner on October 31, 2018, following the completion of its construction in Turkey. Paul A. Desgagnés is the third in a series of four product carriers ordered by the company at the Besiktas shipyard located in Yalova near Istanbul, Turkey. “The addition of the Paul A. Desgagnés to the Desgagnés fleet — as for the addition of the Damia Desgagnés and the Mia Desgagnés — is the result of multiple innovations and tremendous work; as her predecessors, she is the source of great pride,” Louis-Marie Beaulieu, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Desgagnés, said. The Paul A. Desgagnés is a dual-fuel/LNG oil/product and chemical tanker that can be powered by any of three types of fuel, namely heavy fuel oil, marine diesel oil or liquefied natural gas (LNG). She is double-hulled and holds a Polar 7 ice class confirming its capacity to navigate in ice-laden waters. With a deadweight of 15,000 tons at 7.8 meters draft, its cargo tanks can hold up to 17,505 cbm at 98% capacity. As informed, the new vessel represents an investment exceeding CAD 50 million, of which almost CAD 9 million are solely dedicated to the dual-fuel/LNG motorization. The newbuilding leaves Turkey on November 22 and is expected in Canada in the first half of December this year. World Maritime News |
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Port Reports - November 23
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors–Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Escanaba, Mich.
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Nov 22 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 21 - Federal Rideau at 1328 and Esta Desgagnes at 1426 - Nov 22 - Mississagi 0726 (stopping at wharf 12), Rt Hon Paul J Martin at 1020, tug Calusa Coast & barge Delaware at 1655, Algoma Sault at 1725, Robert S Pierson at 2013 and Algonova at 2015
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 23 In 1940, the CONSUMERS POWER, a.) HARRY YATES of 1910, collided with the MARITANA on the Detroit River. The MARITANA sustained $11,089.91 in damage. MARITANA was scrapped at Hamilton, Ontario, in 1947.On 23 November 1863, BAY OF QUINTE (wooden schooner, 250 tons, built in 1853, at Bath, Ontario) was carrying 7,500 bushels of wheat to Toronto when she was driven ashore on Salmon Point on Lake Ontario and wrecked. No lives were lost. On 23 November 1882, the schooner MORNING LIGHT (wooden schooner, 256 tons, built in 1857, at Cleveland, Ohio) was sailing from Manistee for Chicago with a load of lumber when a storm drove her aground off Claybanks, south of Stony Lake, Michigan. One crewman swam to shore, the rest were saved by a lifesaving crew, local fishermen and the tug B. W. ALDRICH. Earlier that same year, she sank near St. Helen Island in the Straits of Mackinac. She was salvaged and put back in service, but she only lasted a few months. After discharging her cargo, the SAMUEL MATHER, launched as a.) PILOT KNOB b.) FRANK ARMSTRONG (1943-73), proceeded to DeTour, Michigan, laying up for the last time at the Pickands Mather Coal Dock on November 23, 1981. She was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey in 1988. In 1987, the self-unloader ROGERS CITY was towed out of Menominee, Michigan, for scrapping in Brazil. STADACONA's sea trials were completed on November 23, 1952, and was delivered to Canada Steamship Lines the next day. On 23 November 1872, Capt. W. B. Morley launched the propeller JARVIS LORD at Marine City, Michigan. Her dimensions were 193 feet X 33 feet X 18 feet, 1,000 tons. She was the first double decker built at Marine City. Her engine was from Wm. Cowie of Detroit. On 23 November 1867, S. A. CLARK (wooden propeller tug, 12 tons, built in 1863, at Buffalo, New York) was in Buffalo's harbor when her boiler exploded and she sank. November 23, 1930 - The Ann Arbor carferry WABASH grounded in Betsie Lake. She bent her rudder stock and her steering engine was broken up. On 23 November 1853, the wooden schooner PALESTINE was bound from Kingston to Cleveland with railroad iron at about the same time as the like-laden schooner ONTONAGON. Eight miles west of Rochester, New York, both vessels ran ashore, were pounded heavily by the waves and sank. Both vessels reported erratic variations in their compasses. The cargoes were removed and ONTONAGON was pulled free on 7 December, but PALESTINE was abandoned. A similar event happened with two other iron-laden vessels a few years previously at the same place. On 23 November 1853, the Ward Line's wooden side-wheeler HURON struck an unseen obstruction in the Saginaw River and sank. She was raised on 12 December 1853, towed to Detroit and repaired at a cost of $12,000. She was then transferred to Lake Michigan to handle the cross-lake traffic given the Ward Line by the Michigan Central Railroad. The carferry GRAND HAVEN was sold to the West India Fruit & Steamship Co., Norfolk, Virginia in 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. She was brought back to the Lakes and locked up bound through the Welland Canal on 23 Nov 1964. She was intended for roll on/roll off carrier service to haul truck trailers laden with steel coils from Stelco's plant at Hamilton, Ont. CSL NIAGARA a.) J. W. McGIFFIN, passed Port Huron, Michigan on 23 Nov 1999, on her way to Thunder Bay to load grain. This was her first trip to the upper lakes since the vessel was re-launched as a SeawayMax carrier in June 1999. 1901: QUITO stranded off Lorain, Ohio, and broke up in a Lake Erie storm. All on board were saved. 1902: SILVANUS J. MACY was last observed battling heavy seas in Lake Erie off Port Burwell. The coal laden, wooden steamer was lost with all hands. 1936: A fire at Portsmouth, Ontario, just west of Kingston, destroyed several idle wooden steamers including the SIMON LANGELL and PALM BAY. Their remains were towed into Lake Ontario and scuttled in 1937. 1961: AMVRAKIKOS ran aground on Pancake Shoal, Lake Superior, on its first and only visit to the Great Lakes. This World War Two vintage Liberty ship was refloated on November 26, loaded scrap steel at Toledo for Japan and was the last saltwater ship of the 1961 season to depart the St. Lawrence Seaway. 1997: AN TAI, an SD 14 cargo carrier registered in Belize, began to list and then the hull cracked at the dock in Port Klang, Malaysia. The ship sank at the wharf the next day. The vessel had visited the Great Lakes, first as a) LONDON GRENADIER in 1972 and again as b) FIRST JAY in 1979. Subsequent salvage efforts failed and the hull was cut into sections, taken out to sea, and dumped in a fish breeding grounds. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Steve Haverty, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series |
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New Soo Lock funding included in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2019 work plan 11/22 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has submitted its work plan for 2019 to Congress. According to the Corps, the plan includes $32 million as an initial outlay for the design and construction of a new, second lock at the Soo Locks and is prepared by the Corps as an outline of how it will allocate funding for its work in the year ahead. A letter from October, written by Congressman John Moolenaar, who is a long-time supporter of building a new lock at the Soo Locks, includes a request for funding in the work plan. The bipartisan letter was signed by 27 other members of Congress from Great Lakes states. The total cost of the new lock is estimated to be $922.4 million. WPBN/WGTU |
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USCGC Mackinaw loads 1200 Christmas trees for Chicago families in need 11/22 - Cheboygan, Mich. – The crew aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw in Cheboygan are getting ready for a special operation in Chicago. On board with them are more than 1,000 Christmas trees. In just over a week the coast guard will help deliver 1200 Northern Michigan trees to families in the Windy City. “The Christmas tree ship dates back to the late 1800s early 1900s when the city of Chicago would predominately get their Christmas trees from the Upper Peninsula,” Commander John Stone said. “It’s an opportunity to provide some good will as well as commemorate the rich maritime tradition up here on the Great Lakes,” he added. It’s a tradition they continue to honor in memory of the Rouse Simmons. “About 1912, the most famous of the Christmas tree ships, the Rouse Simmons, sank with all hands. We, along with Christmas Tree Committee down in Chicago, started to commemorate their loss every year since,” Stone explained. For 19 years the crew in Cheboygan has continued to make this special delivery. “It’s always nice because we got the ceremony down in Chicago and it’s a blast. It’s kind of a legacy of an old tradition,” ET-2 Joseph Coach, said. “I kind of joined the Coast Guard to help serve and help the community and this is kind of a different way of doing it,” Coach added. The ship will take off next Monday and will be in Chicago by the end of next week. View a video of the tree loading at this link: https://www.9and10news.com/2018/11/20/uscgc-mackinaw-loads-up-1200-christmas-trees-for-chicago-families-in-need/ |
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Manitoba scrap tow update 11/22 - AIS shows the Ocean Delta arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, anchorage Sunday morning, left the former Manitoba (renamed Nito for the tow) there, and headed for Algeciras, Spain. Manitoba will be scrapped in the coming months. |
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Port Reports - November 22
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
S. Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Nov 21 ¬¬– Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 20, Drawsko (Bhs) at 1417, CSL Tadoussac at 1742 and NACC Argonaut at 2030 - Nov 21 - Esta Desgagnes at 1426
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton: Docked - Aug 29 - CCGS Martha L Black (icebreaker) at 0618 (Heddle Marine) - Nov 14 - Isabelle G (Por) (ex Eider-18) at 0705 - Nov 15 - tug Leo A McArthur & barge John J Carrick at 1230 - Nov 20 - Tufty (Cyp) at 1550 (from the anchorage) - Departures - Nov 20 - BBC Rushmore (Atg) at 0920 for Windsor - Nov 21 - Ruddy (Cyp) at 1038 for Sorel, Federal Mosel (Mhl) at 1427 eastbound
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Lost Belle Isle lighthouse lens stuck in court tug of war 11/22 - Detroit, Mich. – A modern-day treasure hunter has defied the federal government by refusing to surrender rare lighthouse lenses, including one that disappeared from Belle Isle decades ago, according to federal court records. The records chronicle the ongoing fight between the government and a treasure hunter, chart the winding, black-market path of lighthouse lenses worth approximately $600,000 and detail the government’s decades-long hunt to recover artifacts that were once discarded like trash. Antique hunter Steven Gronow, a real-estate developer and former auto parts baron who lives in a lighthouse-shaped mansion near Howell, had escalated a two-year legal battle by refusing to relinquish the artifacts despite U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith ordering he surrender the two-foot-tall, beehive-shaped lenses earlier this year. Instead, Gronow last month stood up U.S. Coast Guard officials and a rare lens expert — known as a lampist — who was hired to secure the artifacts in specially-designed crates. When they arrived at Gronow’s 9,825-square-foot estate, Gronow was gone, leaving the lampist and Coast Guard officials outside the gates, speaking in vain through a squawk box with the antique hunter’s wife. On Monday, Gronow faced a stern judge who ordered him to surrender the lenses by early February or risk having federal agents forcibly enter his home, and face unpleasant options, including fines and jail. "There's an easy way and a hard way to do this," the judge told a jeans-clad Gronow. Gronow didn't fight the order but expressed bewilderment that he ended up in a federal courtroom after devoting his life to preserving pieces of maritime history. "These essentially were thrown in the trash 70 years ago," Gronow told the judge. "And after not caring for 75 years, I'm sued." The judge's order moved the public closer to being able to view the century-old Belle Isle lens for the first time in more than 80 years. "If it becomes something that is more or less accessible to the public for viewing, that would be a good thing," said John Polacsek, retired curator of the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle. The mystery surrounding the lens dates to the late 1930s, when the lens was moved from inside the Belle Isle lighthouse on the southeast tip of the island. The two-foot-tall glass lens resembles a giant beehive and was made in the early 1880s. The lens relies on a revolutionary design that focuses light into a single beam that can travel more than 20 miles. The U.S. government bought the lens for a planned lighthouse on the southeast part of Belle Isle in 1881. The lens, developed by French physicist and engineer Augustin-Jean Fresnel, was installed later in the Belle Isle lighthouse, a square, red-brick tower with an attached two-story brick building. Fresnel lenses, however, are fragile, expensive to fix and tough to clean. Many were replaced with automated beacons while some were scavenged for brass components during World War II, dropped down elevator shafts, tossed from lighthouse towers, dumped in the sea or sold by Coast Guard stations. The Belle Isle lens did not suffer such a fate. The Belle Isle lighthouse was decommissioned in 1930 as part of plans to build the William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse less than a mile away on the northeast part of the island. The original Belle Isle lighthouse was demolished in 1943. The lens was moved to the Livingstone lighthouse in 1935 or 1936, according to the Coast Guard, but a fog enveloped its fate. Joel Stone, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum’s senior curator, had heard it was destroyed. Others heard it was stolen. Read more and view images at this link: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2018/11/19/lost-belle-isle-lighthouse-lens-stuck-court-tug-war/1987860002 |
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Fednav installs ballast water treatment systems on seven more vessels. 11/22 - Fednav hassigned a contract with Norwegian BWT specialist Optimarin for the supply of seven USCG-approved Optimarin Ballast Systems (OBS). Five of the units will be fitted on existing vessels within the 63-strong Fednav fleet, with two deliveries set for newbuilds. The order comes on top of agreements for five units made last year. Fednav initially ordered one retrofit and four newbuild units in 2017 and is now rolling out further installations. Optimarin made its initial retrofit delivery to Fednav earlier this year, with Goltens installing an OBS on Federal Kumano at MPG Dolphin Shipyard in Varna, Bulgaria. The first newbuild orders concerned projects at Oshima shipyard in Japan. OBS has now been successfully retrofitted in over 200 vessels. The system has certification from a comprehensive range of classification organizations, including ABS, BV, DNV-GL, LR & MLIT Japan World Maritime News |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 22 In 1947, the Canadian tanker BRUCE HUDSON broke down shortly after departing Port Stanley, Ont. The U.S. tanker ROCKET, Captain R. B. Robbins, managed to get a line on the HUDSON and tow her 50 miles through high seas and a snow storm to shelter behind Point Pelee. Later, the tug ATOMIC arrived on scene and towed the Hudson to Toledo for repairs.On 22 November 1860, WABASH VALLEY (wooden propeller, 592 tons, built in 1856, at Buffalo, New York) was caught in a blizzard and gale off Muskegon, Michigan, on Lake Michigan. Her skipper thought they were off Grand Haven and as he steamed to the harbor, visibility dropped to near zero. The vessel ran onto the beach. Her momentum and the large storm waves carried her well up onto the beach where she broke in two. Her machinery was salvaged and went into the new steamer SUNBEAM. Scrapping of SPRUCEGLEN, a.) WILLIAM K. FIELD was completed on November 22, 1986, by Lakehead Scrap Metal Co. at Thunder Bay Ontario. SPRUCEGLEN was the last Canadian coal-fired bulker. On 22 November 1869, CREAM CITY (3-mast wooden bark, 629 tons, built in 1862, at Sheboygan, Wisconsin) was carrying wheat in a gale when she lost her way and went ashore on Drummond Island. She appeared to be only slightly damaged, but several large pumps were unable to lower the water in her hull. She was finally abandoned as a total wreck on 8 December. She was built as a "steam bark" with an engine capable of pushing her at 5 or 6 mph. After two months of constant minor disasters, this was considered an unsuccessful experiment and the engine was removed. CITY OF MILWAUKEE was chartered to the Ann Arbor Railroad Co. and started the Frankfort, Michigan-Kewaunee, Wisconsin service for them on November 22, 1978. November 22, 1929 - CITY OF SAGINAW 31 went out on her sea trials. On 22 November 1860, CIRCASSIAN (wooden schooner, 135 foot, 366 tons, built in 1856, at Irving, New York) was carrying grain in a gale and blizzard on Lake Michigan when she stranded on White Shoals near Beaver Island. She sank to her decks and then broke in two. Her crew was presumed lost, but actually made it to Hog Island in the blizzard and they were not rescued from there for two weeks. A final note from the Big Gale of 1879. On 22 November 1879, The Port Huron Times reported, "The barge DALTON is still high and dry on the beach at Point Edward." 1878: The wooden passenger and freight steamer WAUBUNO was lost with all hands, 14 crew and 10 passengers, on Georgian Bay. 1898: ARTHUR ORR went aground on Isle Royale when the steering gear failed in a severe storm. It was later released and survived until scrapping at Hamilton in 1947-1948. 1898: S.S. CURRY was leaking badly after it struck a reef off Duck Island, Lake Huron. 1906: J.H. JONES, en route from Owen Sound to Lions Head, was lost with all hands. The wooden passenger and freight steamer went down in 60 mph winds. 1907: Fire broke out aboard the wooden freighter LIZZIE MADDEN shortly after clearing Bay City for Little Current. The crew was rescued by the LANGELL BOYS. The burning hull drifted ashore on Little Charity Island in Saginaw Bay and was a total loss. 1911: JOLIET sank in the St. Clair River following a collision with the HENRY PHIPPS. It had been anchored due to fog when hit and all on board were saved. The remains were dynamited as a hazard to navigation. 1919: The wooden steamer MYRON sank off Crisp Point, Lake Superior and 17 crew were lost. 1950: The former Canada Steamship Lines canaller MAPLETON was destroyed at the Port of Suez, Egypt as b) EASTERN MED when a fire broke out while loading oil drums. The remains of the ship were scrapped. 1975: PIERSON DAUGHTERS hit bottom off North Colban Island in the St. Lawrence and had to go to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs after unloading the cargo of iron ore at Conneaut. 1988: The Dutch flag freighter POOLSTER first came through the Seaway in 1969. It suffered an engineroom fire off Kuwait as e) ATLANTIC REEFER while bound for Dubai on this date. The badly damaged ship was towed to Sharjah and then sold for scrap. It was renamed f) VOYAGER I for the trip to Gadani Beach, Pakistan, and the vessel arrived April 4, 1989, for dismantling. 1998: SPAR OPAL went aground inside the breakwall at Port Colborne due to high winds and was released by the tugs UNDAUNTED and WELLAND. The ship had also been a Seaway trader beginning in 1984 as a) LAKE SHIDAKA, in 1991 as b) CONSENSUS ATLANTIC, and in 1992 as c) FEDERAL MATANE (i). It began Great Lakes service as e) SPAR OPAL in 1997. 2000: PRINSES IRENE of the Oranje Lijn made 16 trips into the Great Lakes, with passengers and freight, from 1959 through 1963. The vessel was observed beached at Jakarta, Indonesia, as c) TANJUNG OSINA on this date and appeared to be badly rusted and burned out. The hull was later reported to have been broken up. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Steve Haverty and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Lakes shippers stayed busy through October 11/21 - Port Huron, Mich. – U.S. Great Lakes ports and the St. Lawrence Seaway had a busy October, according to a news release from the Chamber of Marine Commerce, fueled by increases in shipments of grain, salt and construction materials. Overall cargo shipments via the seaway from March 29 to Oct. 31 were 30.5 million metric tons, an increase of 4 percent from the same time last year, according to the news release. U.S. grain shipments were 1.9 million metric tons year-to-date, up 44 percent from the same period last year, according to the news release. Cement and clinker volumes through the seaway were up 20 percent for the year. Salt shipments had increased because of imports from Egypt and Morocco in the wake of a 12-week strike at the Goderich Mine in Ontario, according to the news release. The Port of Green Bay moved 268,000 tons of cargo in October with its year-to-date totals up 10 percent. October was the port's second busiest month, trailing only August with 275,000 tons. At the Port of Toledo, grain shipments are up 45 percent compared to 2017, according to the news release. Iron ore accounted for 16.5 million of the 27.6 million short tons of cargo moved through the Port of Duluth-Superior through October, according to the release. Times Herald |
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Port Reports - November 21
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
S. Lake Michigan Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Nov 19 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 19 - Whitefish Bay at 1258, Manitoulin at 1506, CSL Tadoussac at 1742 (stopped wharf 16) and Algosea eta 2129 - Nov 20 - Federal Delta (Mhl) departed wharf 6 at 0700, Drawsko (Bhs) at 1417, CSL Tadoussac at 1742 and NACC Argonaut eta 1935
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Cuyahoga River’s recovery since 1969 fire documented in new film on YouTube 11/21 - Cleveland, Ohio – The water quality improvements the Cuyahoga River has undergone since its iconic fire almost 50 years ago are well-documented. Now, another chapter has been added to the environmental success story: the release of a new documentary film on the YouTube channel. The 12-minute video, "Celebrating the Comeback of the Burning River, 1969-2019," traces the years since the fire instigated the launch of the federal Clean Water Act by environmentalists, and the river's inspiring transformation since then. The film is illustrated by archival footage and interviews with some of the key participants in the river's rebirth, such as river advocates Elaine Marsh and Jane Goodman, and the Ohio EPA's Bob Wysenski and Bill Zawiski. The movie was produced by the Ohio EPA. For those too young to remember the black-and-white images from local television newsreels, the film presents horrific scenes of fiery plumes of smoke on the river, fire boats pumping water on a burning railroad trestle, dead fish floating on the surface, and thick blobs of oil bobbing in the poisonous water – all accompanied by a haunting musical soundtrack. Read more and view the film at this link: https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2018/11/cuyahoga-rivers-recovery-since-1969-fire-documented-in-new-ohio-epa-film-on-youtube.html |
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Reporter visits salt mines 2,000 feet below Lake Erie 11/21 - Fairport Harbor, Ohio – Ohio drivers probably haven't given much thought about where the salt road crews use to keep the winter roads safe comes from. Much of it is mined 2,000 feet below Lake Erie. Todd Meany, a reporter with the local Fox news outlet, took a 4 1/2 minute elevator ride down into the mine, and then drove 3 1/2 miles out to give a rare glimpse of what happens inside the Morton Salt mines. Watch the videos to get a glimpse of what happens 24-hours a day, 7 days a week at this link: https://fox8.com/2018/11/16/todd-kicks-it-in-the-salt-mines-2000-feet-below-lake-erie |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 21 In 1934, the package freighter EDWARD L. LOOMIS, Captain Alex McKenzie, collided with the W. C. FRANZ, Captain Alex McIntyre, about 30 miles southeast of Thunder Bay Island, Lake Huron. Four crewmen on the FRANZ drowned when the lifeboat turned over while being lowered.On 21 November 1861, ENTERPRISE (2-mast wooden scow-schooner, 64 foot, 56 tons, built in 1854, at Port Huron, Michigan) was driven ashore near Bark Shanty at the tip of Michigan's thumb on Lake Huron. The storm waves pounded her to pieces. Her outfit was salvaged a few days later. On the evening of 21 November 1890, the scow MOLLIE (wooden scow-schooner, 83 foot, 83 gross tons, built in 1867, at Fairport, Ohio) left Ludington, Michigan, with a load of lumber. About 8:00 p.m., when she was just 25 miles off Ludington, she started to leak in heavy seas, quickly becoming waterlogged. Capt. Anderson and his two-man crew had just abandoned the vessel in the yawl when the steamer F & P M NO 4 showed up, shortly after midnight. The rough weather washed Capt. Anderson out of the yawl, but he made it back in. At last a line from the F & P M NO 4 was caught and made fast to the yawl and the crew made it to the steamer. The men had a narrow escape, for the MOLLIE was going to pieces rapidly, and there was little likelihood of the yawl surviving in the gale. PATERSON (Hull#113) was launched November 21, 1953, at Port Arthur, Ontario, by Port Arthur Ship Building Co. Ltd. In 1924, MERTON E. FARR slammed into the Interstate Bridge that linked Superior, Wisconsin, with Duluth, Minnesota, causing extensive damage to the bridge. The bridge span fell into the water but the FARR received only minor damage to her bow. On 21 November 1869, the ALLIANCE (wooden passenger sidewheeler, 87 foot, 197 gross tons, built in 1857, at Buffalo, New York) slipped her moorings at Lower Black Rock in the Niagara River and went over the falls. She had been laid up since the spring of 1869. November 21, 1906 - The PERE MARQUETTE 17 encountered one of the worst storms in many years while westbound for the Wisconsin Central slip in Manitowoc. Wisconsin. She made port safely, but the wind was so high that she could not hold her course up the river without assistance. The tug ARCTIC assisted, and as they were proceeding through the 10th Street Bridge, a gust of wind from the south drove the ferry and tug against the north pilings of the 10th Street Bridge. The ARCTIC, pinned between the ferry and the bridge, was not damaged, but she crushed the hull of a fishing tug moored there, sinking her, and inflicted damage of a few hundred dollars to the bridge. November 21, 1923 - Arthur Stoops, the lookout on the ANN ARBOR NO 6, was drowned while stepping from the apron onto the knuckle to cast off the headline. On the night of 21 November 1870, C.W. ARMSTRONG (wooden propeller steam tug, 57 foot, 33 tons, built in 1856, at Albany, New York) burned at her dock at Bay City, Michigan. No lives were lost. More incidents from the Big Gale of 1879. On 21 November 1879, The Port Huron Times reported "The schooner MERCURY is ashore at Pentwater. The schooner LUCKY is high and dry at Manistee; the schooner WAUBASHENE is on the beach east of Port Colborne. The schooner SUMATRA is on the beach at Cleveland; the large river tug J P Clark capsized and sunk at Belle Isle in the Detroit River on Wednesday [19 Nov.] and sank in 15 minutes. One drowned. The schooner PINTO of Oakville, Ontario, stone laden, went down in 30 feet of water about one mile down from Oakville. At Sand beach the barge PRAIRIE STATE is rapidly going to pieces. 1883: The boiler exploded aboard the salvage tug ERIE BELLE while working to free the schooner J.N. CARTER in the Kincardine area of Lake Huron. The former was wrecked but the boiler is still on what has become known as “Old Boiler Beach”. 1902: BANNOCKBURN disappeared on Lake Superior without a trace. Its final resting place has never been found. 1906: The wooden steamer RESOLUTE anchored off the Eastern Gap at Toronto to ride out a storm but the wind switched battering the vessel until it sank. The hull was salvaged in October 1907 and rebuilt as the JOHN ROLPH. 1936: HIBOU was lost in Owen Sound Bay within two miles of the dock and seven perished. The hull was refloated in 1942. 1941: HENRY C. DARYAW, requisitioned for war and on its delivery voyage stranded on rocks in the Brockville Narrows, rolled over and slid off into deep water and sank. It was to have been used on the east coast as a tender for ocean ships. One life was lost. 1957: MONTFAUCON was built at Wyandotte, MI in 1920 and later operated on the Great Lakes as b) E.M. BUNCE. It was at Naples, Italy, as g) ANNA MARIA IEVOLI when an internal explosion caused damage that led to the ship being scrapped. 1959: MOSES GAY was built at Duluth in 1943. It was severely damaged as e) HEANGURA in a storm at Ostra Kvarken, Sweden, and went aground. While salvaged, the ship was tied up at Turku, Finland, and sold for scrap in January 1960. 1961: The British freighter RAPALLO was anchored at Istanbul, Turkey, when struck and damaged by two different freighters, both out of control due to high winds. The vessel was repaired and began Seaway trading in 1963 for the Ellerman Wilson Line. 1961: The former Paterson canaller GANANDOC left the Great Lakes as b) SUGARLAND in October 1961. It had a brief career in the south and went aground at Arcas Reef, Bay of Campeche, while inbound for Coatzacoalcos, Mexico with 2,877 tons of phosphoric rock from Tampa. The ship was abandoned on November 26 as a total loss. 1962: BRO, a Norwegian pre-Seaway visitor as early as 1953, was abandoned by the crew after taking a severe list en route from Seville, Spain, to Rotterdam, Netherlands. The ship was taken in tow, reached Lisbon, Portugal, and was repaired. 1982: CAPTAIN PANAGOS D.P. went aground at Farasan Island in the Red Sea en route from Trois Rivieres, QC to Bandar Abbas, Iran. Fire broke out in the engine room and the ship was gutted. The hull was refloated and was noted lying off Qatar “derelict” in December 1986 and finally scrapped at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, as c) JENNY in 1988. The vessel first came through the Seaway as PANAGOS D. PATERAS in 1977 and returned as CAPTAIN PANAGOS D.P. in 1980. 1994: The Russian freighter FASTOV, upbound for Green Bay with pulpwood on its first trip to the Great Lakes, lost power and struck the Shell dock at Corunna, ON, resulting in considerable damage to the structure. The vessel returned inland as d) EVANGELOS in 1999 and was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, as f) JONA in 2011. 2007: The engine aboard the Lake Erie passenger ship JIIMAAN became disabled after the vessel snagged a fish net off Kingsville and the vessel grounded briefly. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Steve Haverty and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Stephen B. Roman now headed for Bermuda en route to scrappers 11/20 - Early in the morning of Nov. 19, Stephen B. Roman met the launch Eastcom off Halifax, then continued on without entering port. The ship is now giving Bermuda as its next port of call. For the ship's trip to the scrappers, the well-known Dutch ship delivery company Redwise is providing crew and management. It is assumed that the ship had one or more Canadians aboard for advice during the trip through Canadian waters, and they disembarked off Halifax. Mac Mackay |
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Port Reports - November 20
Duluth, Minn. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Escanaba, Mich. – Lee Rowe
S. Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Goderich, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Nov 19 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 18 - Tecumseh at 1650, NACC Alicudi (Mlt) at 2225 - Nov 19 - Atlantic Huron at 0609, Lyulin (Mlt) at 0806, Reestborg (Nld) at 1011, Baie Comeau at 1029, Whitefish Bay at 1258, Manitoulin at 1506, CSL Tadoussac at 1742 and Algosea eta 2030
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Submerged oddities will be pulled from Rouge River — including 8 cars 11/20 - Detroit, Mich. – A century's worth of bad environmental practices by local industries is slated for dredging out of the "Old Channel" around Zug Island, in a more than $50-million federal project to improve long-standing pollution problems on the Rouge River. Arising from the murk with potentially health-harming, ecology-wrecking pollution will be eight or so cars, mysteriously sunk in the 15- to 26-foot depths of the channel. "Who knows? Maybe we'll find Hoffa finally," quipped Steve Check, project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, referring to Jimmy Hoffa, the long-missing and presumed murdered former Teamsters president. The Old Channel wraps around Zug Island, with its counterclockwise flows entering the main channel of the Lower Rouge River — a reversal of its natural flows created when Henry Ford in the early 1900s expanded a shipping canal to the Detroit River to feed his vast Rouge Plant. Dozens of industries operated in the area from the 1800s — iron and steel mills, coking, tar and paper manufacturing, along with heavy shipping and train traffic to supply the factories' resource needs. Those operations continued for generations at a time when there was little concern about — let alone regulation of — industry environmental practices. "At one point, there were about 82 million gallons of industrial waste per day going through that channel" and out in the Rouge and Detroit rivers, untreated, said Rose Ellison, project manager for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "That was in the day that these river channels were deemed an acceptable way to get these wastes off the land and away from people." The main contaminants of concern polluting the channel and its sediments are poly aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAH, which are potentially cancer-causing. The primary sources were years of operation by the Detroit Tar and Detroit Coke plants. Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, an industrial chemical, are also present. "There are other contaminants there, but (PAH) are the main one," Ellison said. "If we go after the PAH, we're going to get many of the other contaminants as well." Channel bank stabilization work is underway now, with the dredging expected to be completed by summer 2020. So, where'd those cars come from? Were they abandoned there? Ditched stolen cars? Or worse? Nobody involved with the cleanup project is sure. They were discovered on the channel bottom via side-scan sonar as the project area was evaluated, Ellison said. "When we take them out, we're going to have to call the police," Ellison said. "They'll get the VIN numbers and figure out why they ended up there." Once cleared by the police, the cars and other large debris will be moved to appropriate landfills or scrapyards, Check said. "There's all kinds of stuff down there — telephone poles, giant sections of concrete from old foundations," he said. "An old boat, an old freighter anchor," Ellison added. Honeywell Inc., which now owns the Detroit Coke property, is voluntarily contributing more than $20 million to the Old Channel dredging work through the Great Lakes Legacy Act, a 2002 federal law allowing the EPA to partner with private entities to address Areas of Concern, designated locations around the Great Lakes with significant, impactful environmental degradation. Thirty-one Areas of Concern have been designated around the five Great Lakes, with four areas since delisted because of restoration work. The collaboration has been in the works since 2010, planning and preparing for the work that's now begun. Read more and view maps/images at this link: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/wayne/2018/11/18/rouge-river-channel-sunken/1992047002 |
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Carl D. Bradley shipwreck survivor to speak at 60th anniversary Sunday 11/20 - Alpena, Mich. – He knew if they made it till daylight, they would survive. Sixty years later, the last remaining survivor of the S.S. Carl D. Bradley has more than just survived. Frank Mays, now 86, has been making a world-traveling adventure of his life, spared on that fateful night as 33 of his shipmates perished. He and First Mate Elmer Fleming were the lone survivors of the shipwreck, but Fleming has since passed away. Mays will visit his birthplace, Rogers City, on Sunday for the 60th Anniversary of the S.S. Carl D. Bradley, at 1 p.m. at Rogers City Theater, 257 N. 3rd St. The free event will include Mays, John Janzen — a diver who retrieved the ship’s bell in 2007 — and Ann Belanger presenting her Emmy-winning documentary “November Requiem,” about the shipwreck, which happened in Lake Michigan on Nov. 18, 1958. The Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum in Rogers City is hosting the event, one of three memorial bell-tolling services in November. Mays vividly remembers the night of the shipwreck. “Something like that, I’ll never forget,” he said in a phone interview on Thursday. “It’s burned in my mind, with all the details.” He was one of four men on the life raft in the freezing cold, where they waited for 15 hours. Mays wrote the 2003 book “If We Make It ’til Daylight: The Story of Frank Mays,” as told to Pat and Jim Stayer and Tim Juhl. “All I can do is lie on the raft and endure,” Mays says in the book. “The cold November wind cuts through my wet clothing like a knife. … Our hands grow numb as we grip the small slats of wood that make up the deck. Time has lost all meaning. The night is black as coal, and we get little warning before the monster waves hit us. I’ve never felt so cold and helpless.” “I told them ‘If we make it till daylight, we will be found,'” Mays said on Thursday. “And two of the four of us made it till daylight. … The other two men on the life raft were not dressed as warmly as Elmer and I were, because we were on watch and we were fully dressed.” He said the other two men had finished their shifts and were in their bunks when the ship cracked in two when gale-force winds thrust it atop one of the many 24- to 30-foot waves, with some rogue waves at 40 feet. “After it went down, U.S. Steel said it never broke in two,” Mays explained, adding that they told him he was delirious and not remembering things right. He assured them he could not forget exactly what he saw, because he was there, and he knows what happened. He was 26 at the time, a week away from his 27th birthday. Most of the men who died in the shipwreck were from Rogers City, and most were around the same age as Mays at that time. Mays said he got a job onshore for a while, but the company made it clear they were not going to make it easy for him to stay employed there. “They told me in 1959, ‘If you want to work for U.S. Steel, you’ve got to go back on the boats’,” Mays said. He was not interested in doing that, and he knew they said that to get him to leave, so he did. He found work with various companies, including Medusa first in Charlevoix, then in York, Pa., before moving down to Florida in 1982, where he lives today. “I built a home down here, retired and here I am,” he said from his Dade City, Fla., home. For Mays, retirement is not a time to slow down. It’s a time to live this great adventure called life. He estimates he has traveled to at least 80 different countries around the world, and he has visited every continent except for Antarctica. He even joined the Peace Corps at age 68, because “he needed something to do.” “I’ve been to Moldova, China, Thailand three times, Sri Lanka, Myanmar … all over Europe,” Mays said. “You name it, I’ve been there. I just can’t see myself sitting there watching TV all the time.” Mays just visited Cuba in September. He said his son and daughter know he’s going to enjoy his life traveling, and they support his endeavors. “I told my kids, when I go, you can have my material things, but the money’s mine,” he said with a laugh. His son Eric Mays lives in York, Pa., and his daughter Laine Mays lives in Tampa, Fla. He has three grandkids. His wife of 35 years, Veronica “Toodie” Mays, passed away in 1998. The couple loved traveling the world together. This year, Roger P. Hulett wrote the book, “A Lot More To Do: The Remarkable Life of Frank Mays,” which tells more about all the adventures Mays has taken over the years. “My book is about the energies and how he lives his life,” Hulett said. “He ziplined in Cost Rica when he was in his mid-70s.” Hulett added that Mays has also ridden a camel and gone whitewater rafting in his later years. “His curiosity is that of a scientist, a sociologist, a mechanic, a discoverer, a researcher, a teacher, and a survivor, but without any doubt, truly an adventurer,” Hulett says in his book. The memory of nearly losing his life, and grieving the loss of 33 mates is forever etched in Mays’ mind. He continues to enjoy the miracle of life he has been given, but has and will continue to play an active role in remembering and honoring the men lost 60 years ago. “In 2007 the divers went down and they removed the bell from the ship,” Mays said. “I was the first one to ring the bell,” after its retrieval. The first of this year’s three November bell-tolling services was held at the GLLMM on Nov. 10 for the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, and another is scheduled on for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 24, for the S.S. Daniel J. Morrell, which sank in Lake Huron 52 years ago on Nov. 29, 1966. For more information, contact the GLLMM at 989-734-0706. “This is the only museum on the Great Lakes whose sole purpose, the mission, is to honor the people that served on the Great Lakes,” Hulett said. Another showing of “November Requiem” will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 23, as part of the Sanctuary Cinema Series at Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, 500 W. Fletcher St., Alpena. For more information about that event, call 989-884-6200. Alpena News |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 20 In 1948, the ROBERT HOBSON was blown against the Duluth-Superior breakwall as she tried to enter the harbor during a 68-mph gale. Damage to the vessel was kept to a minimum when Captain John Mc Nellis ordered the seacocks opened to settle the HOBSON on a sandbar. Renamed b.) OUTARDE in 1975, she was scrapped at Port Colborne, Ontario in 1985.On 20 November 1854, BURLINGTON (2-mast wooden brig, 80 foot, 117 tons, built in 1842, at Cleveland, Ohio) was driven hard aground near Port Bruce, Ontario, on Lake Huron while trying to assist the stranded Canadian bark GLOBE. SAGINAW was christened at the Government Dock in Sarnia, Ontario, in 1999. Bonnie Bravener and Wendy Siddall broke the traditional bottle of champagne adding the second vessel to Lower Lakes Towing's fleet. The company then opened the vessel for tours to all those in the large crowd that had gathered to witness the event. She was built in 1953 as a.) JOHN J. BOLAND. Hall Corporation of Canada's EAGLESCLIFFE HALL was launched in 1956, at Grangemouth, Scotland. Sold off the lakes, renamed b.) EAGLESCLIFFE in 1974, she sank two miles east of Galveston, Texas, on February 9, 1983. The ferry WOLFE ISLANDER was christened on November 20, 1946, at Marysville, Wolfe Island. The new ferry was the unfinished OTTAWA MAYBROOK which was built to serve the war effort in the south Pacific Ocean. She replaced two landing barges which were pressed quickly into service following the condemned steamer WOLFE ISLANDER, a.) TOM FAWCETT of 1904, which had served the community for 42 years. Officially christened WOLFE ISLANDER by Mrs. Sarah Russell, it took five tries before the champagne bottle finally broke on her port side. Pittsburgh Steamship's steamer RALPH H. WATSON (Hull#285) was launched in 1937, at River Rouge, Michigan, by Great Lakes Engineering Works. On 20 November 1872, the side wheel steamer W. J .SPICER was finally laid up and the crew dismissed. She had served for many years as the Grand Trunk ferry at Fort Gratiot on the St. Clair River. On 20 November 1880, BAY CITY (wooden barge, 199 foot, 480 tons, built in 1852, at Trenton, Michigan as the sidewheeler FOREST CITY) was carrying coal when she was cast adrift east of Erie, Pennsylvania by the steamer JAMES P. DONALDSON in a storm. She was driven ashore and wrecked. Her crew was saved by the U.S. Lifesaving Service using breeches' buoy. November 20, 1898. ANN ARBOR #3 left Cleveland, Ohio for Frankfort, Michigan, on her maiden voyage. November 20, 1924 - Pere Marquette fleet engineer Finlay MacLaren died after 42 years with the railroad. He was succeeded by his brother Robert until Leland H. Kent was named fleet engineer in 1925. On 20 Nov. 1871, the schooner E. B. ALLEN was sailing from Chicago to Buffalo with a load of corn when she crossed the bow of the bark NEWSBOY about six miles off the Thunder Bay Light on Lake Huron. The NEWSBOY slammed her bow deep into the schooner's hull amidships and the ALLEN sank in about 30 minutes. The crew escaped in the yawl. The NEWSBOY was badly damaged but did not sink. On 20 Nov. 1999, the Bermuda-flag container ship CANMAR TRIUMPH went aground on the St. Lawrence River off Varennes about 15 kilometers downstream from Montreal. She was the third vessel to run aground in the St. Lawrence River that autumn. The Canadian Coast Guard reported that she was having engine problems and the CBC News reported that the vessel's rudder was damaged in the grounding. On Saturday morning, 20 Nov. 1999, Marinette Marine Corporation of Marinette, Wisconsin, launched the 175-foot Coast Guard Cutter HENRY BLAKE. The BLAKE was one of the "Keeper" Class Coastal Class Buoy Tenders. Each ship in the "Keeper" class is named after a famous American lighthouse keeper. 1917: JOHAN MJELDE, built at Cleveland in 1916, was sailing as b) STORO when captured by the German submarine U-151 near the Azores and, after 22 tons of copper were removed, the ship was scuttled on November 26. 1920: J.H. SHEADLE ran aground on the rocks at Marquette when the steering failed while backing from the dock. The ship was badly damaged. It last sailed in 1979 as e) PIERSON INDEPENDENT. 1943: The former LAKE FINNEY, later a Pre-Seaway trader in the 1930s as SANTA EULALIA, was torpedoed and sunk by British forces as the enemy ship c) POLCEVERA off Carlovassi, Italy. 1966: The Liberty ship MOUNT EVANS made two trips through the Seaway in 1961. It stranded off Mapingil, Philippines as h) EASTERN ARGO on this date in 1966. The hull was refloated with damage and then towed to Taiwan for scrapping in 1967. 1990: GINA, a Lebanese freighter, began leaking at Varna, Bulgaria. The ship was later taken to Piraeus, Greece, and laid up. The superstructure was removed and installed on a fire damaged vessel while the hull was towed to Aliaga, Turkey, in October 1991 and dismantled. GINA had been a Great Lakes trader as a) MARCOSSA-I in 1972 Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Brian Johnson, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Steve Haverty and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - November 19
Duluth, Minn. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Owen Sound, Ont. – Paul Martin
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Nov 18 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 17 - Fraserborg (Nld) at 1106, Vancouverborg (Nld) at 1420, Federal Alster (Mhl) at 1526, Oakglen at 1551, Spruceglen at 1645, Algosea departed wall above Lk.1 to run sea trials at 1855 and G3 Marquis at 2210 - Nov 18 - tug Petite Forte & barge St Marys Cement at 0538, Federal Delta (Mhl)
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 19 On this day in 1939, in a 24-hour-period, there were 132 transits of the Soo Locks. There were 71 upbound passages and 61 downbound passages.On this day in 1952, Mrs. Ernest T. Weir smashed a bottle of champagne against the hull of the largest freighter built on the Great Lakes and the 690-foot ERNEST T. WEIR slid down the ways at the Lorain yard of American Ship Building Company. The new vessel had a crew of 38 under the command of Captain W. Ross Maitland and Chief Engineer C. F. Hoffman. On 19 November 1897, NAHANT (wooden propeller freighter, 213 foot, 1,204 gross tons, built in 1873, at Detroit, Michigan) caught fire while docked near Escanaba, Michigan. Firefighters were hampered by sub-zero temperatures, and she burned to a total loss. The fire jumped to the dock and did $300,000 worth of damage. Two of the crew were burned to death. The wreckage of the vessel was still visible from the Escanaba lighthouse 100 years later. American Steamship's SAM LAUD (Hull#712) was launched on this date in 1974 at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The keel for JOHN T. HUTCHINSON (Hull#1010) was laid November 19, 1942, at Cleveland, Ohio for the U.S. Maritime Commission. The Kinsman Transit Co.'s steamer MERLE M. McCURDY was laid up for the last time at Buffalo, New York, on November 19, 1985. She was scrapped at Port Colborne, Ontario, in 1988. On 19 November 1842, the wooden schooner BRANDYWINE was carrying flour in a storm on Lake Erie when she capsized and then drifted to the beach near Barcelona, New York. One passenger's body was found in the cabin, but the entire crew of 6 was lost. More incidents from the terrible storm swept the Lakes in mid-November 1886. On 18-19 November of that year, The Port Huron Times listed the vessels that were known to have foundered in that storm. Here is the list of vessels that foundered as it appeared on 19 November 1886. "The barge EMERALD near Kewaunee, 5 lost. The barge F M DICKINSON near Kewaunee, 3 lost. Two unknown schooners (one supposed to be the HELEN) near Port Sherman. One unknown schooner near Hog Island Reef. The barge NORTH STAR near East Tawas, the fate of the crew is unknown." The list then continues with vessels ashore. "The barge WALLACE and consort on Choclay Beach, east of Marquette. The schooner SOUTH HAVEN near Pt. Sherman. The schooner MARY near Blenheim, Ontario. The schooner PATHFINDER near Two Rivers, the cargo and vessel are a total loss. The schooner CUYAHOGA and two scows in North Bay. The schooner P S MARSH and an unknown schooner at St. Ignace. The schooner HARVEY BISSELL near Alpena. The propeller CITY OF NEW YORK near Cheboygan. The schooner KOLFAGE near Goderich, Ontario has broken up. The propeller NASHUA on Grass Island, Green Bay. The barge BISSELL near Kewaunee. The schooner GOLDEN below China Beach. The propeller BELLE CROSS and barges across from China Beach. The schooner FLORIDA on Marquette Beach is a total loss. And the barges BUCKOUT, MC DOUGALL, BAKER, GOLDEN HARVEST near East Tawas. The schooner HATTIE JOHNSTON sailed from Milwaukee loaded with 26,000 bushels of wheat on the night of 19 November 1879, and then a severe gale swept Lake Michigan. After two weeks, she was presumed lost with all hands. Aboard were Capt. D. D. Prouty, his wife and 8 crewmen. On 19 Nov 1886, the steamer MANISTIQUE was towing the schooner-barges MARINETTE and MENEKAUNEE, all loaded with lumber, in a NW gale on Lake Michigan. The gale lasted three days. The barges broke loose after a long fight against the elements and both were wrecked near Frankfort, Michigan. Six of the seven aboard the MARINETTE were lost including the woman cook and her 13-year old daughter. MENEKAUNEE broke up before the Lifesaving Service could get to her and all seven aboard died. When the Lifesaving Service arrived on the beach, they found a jumbled mass of lumber and gear and the ship's dog keeping watch over the dead bodies. The dog also died soon after the Lifesaving crew arrived. EMPIRE MALDON (steel tanker, 343 foot, 3,734 gross tons) was launched on 19 November 1945, by Sir James Laing & Sons, Ltd., at Sunderland, United Kingdom for the British Ministry of War Transport She was sold to Imperial Oil Co. of Canada in 1946, and renamed IMPERIAL HALIFAX and served on the Maritime Provinces-East Coast trade. In 1969, she was purchased by Johnstone Shipping, Ltd., of Toronto and served on the Great Lakes. She lasted until 1977, when she was scrapped by United Metals, Ltd. in Hamilton, Ontario. On Friday morning, 19 Nov 1999, shortly after leaving the ADM dock in Windsor, the salty AVDEEVKA lost power in the Fighting Island Channel of the Detroit River. The main engine on the vessel quit while she was abreast of Grassy Island and she began drifting downstream. The stern anchor was dropped and then the port side bow anchor. She began swinging towards the middle of the channel with her stern outside the channel when the main engine was restarted and she headed back upstream for the Belle Isle anchorage. Once in the anchorage a team from the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the vessel to investigate. She was released the next day. It is reported that the vessel lost power due to main fuel valve being left closed after routine maintenance during her stay at the ADM dock. 1904: PHILIP MINCH caught fire 8 miles off Marblehead, Ohio, and sank in the navigation channel. All on board got off safely and rowed to Sandusky in the lifeboat. The remains were dynamited in 1906. 1914: C.F. CURTIS foundered in Lake Superior, 7 miles east of Grand Marais, with the loss of 14 lives. The towing barges ANNIE PETERSON and SHELDON E. MARVIN also went down after the trio ran into high winds and snow. 1956: The year old West German freighter WOLFGANG RUSS was beached in the St. Lawrence near Ile d'Orleans after a collision with the Cunard Line vessel ASIA. The former was inbound for Sorel and had to lightered and taken to Lauzon for repairs to the large hole in the side of the hull. The vessel began Great Lakes visits with the opening of the Seaway in 1959 and made 28 inland trips to the end of 1967. It arrived off Gadani Beach, Pakistan, for scrapping as b) KOTRONAS BEACH on Feb. 4, 1980. 1977: The Canada Steamship Lines self-unloader FRONTENAC grounded off Grassy Island in the St. Lawrence and about 5,000 tons of ore had to be lightered to the SAGUENAY to float free. 1979: The Liberian freighter DANILA was damaged when it struck the west pier while inbound at Port Weller in fog. The vessel first visited the Seaway as a) MAERSK CAPTAIN in 1976 and was back as b) DANILA in 1979. The ship was scrapped at Alang, India, as d) JAY BHAVANI in 1991-1992. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Steve Haverty and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Maid of the Mist's crew feel the pain of tighter US visa policy 11/18 - Niagara Falls - The U.S. government’s tighter immigration policy appears to have swept up some employees in a small transportation company that’s also a beloved tourist attraction: the Maid of the Mist. Two seasoned Canadian captains at the Maid of the Mist – those boats that run tourists breathtakingly close to Niagara Falls and return them to shore about 20 minutes later, sopping wet but safe – said they were let go this month after being told that the U.S. company could not obtain seasonal work visas for them. About six Canadian crew members have been affected, the captains said. “We were in shock,” Capt. Paul Chaperon said this week. Chaperon, whom I met through a mutual friend during a visit to Niagara Falls, posted his bad news on Facebook. For him, it meant the abrupt end of a career, just as he was nearing retirement. Chaperon, a native of the island nation of Mauritius who first went to sea as a teenager, said he started working for the Maid of the Mist 14 years ago. The nature of the job – which navigates the Niagara River back and forth across the U.S.-Canadian border – also helped create an unusual situation in regard to the Canadian employees’ visa status. That’s because the boats, whose keels were laid in Canada, are flagged as Canadian vessels. When the company lost its lease on the Canadian side of the river and moved to the United States, Chaperon and other Canadians who remained with the company were required to obtain seasonal H-2B visas from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Chaperon said obtaining those visas had been routine every year – until now. “We can’t work anymore because of that immigration policy,” Chaperon said. The captains’ story is one that has played out across entire industries as seafood processors, farmers and others feel the effects of the Trump administration’s “America First” policies. This past winter, the administration announced that it would for the first time ever distribute the temporary visas through a lottery instead of on a first-come, first-served basis. Congress also eliminated a rule saying workers who had received such visas before could receive them again without counting them toward the annual cap. Supporters say the tighter policies have given U.S. citizens first dibs on some jobs and helped drive up wages. Critics say the hard-line immigration policies have created labor shortages and higher costs that will eventually hit consumers. Kevin Keenan, a spokesman for the company that operates the Maid of the Mist, confirmed that there was an issue with the visas but declined to say more. A USCIS spokesman said the agency was simply following the law. As such, the administration has been relentlessly pursuing merit-based policy and regulatory immigration reforms, including a thorough review of employment based visa programs so they benefit the American people to the greatest extent possible in fulfillment of the President’s Buy American, Hire American Executive Order,” the spokesman said. As travel goes, the Maid of the Mist probably delivers more enjoyment per distance traveled than most vessels. Each boat – Maid of the Mist VI and Maid of the Mist VII – packs about 600 people per trip. They don ponchos and ooh and ahh at the Niagara River’s 167-foot drop. The boats have been making the short circuit around the falls for more than 130 years, the company’s website says. The tours start in the spring after the last of the river ice has broken up and continue until late autumn. In 2018, about 1.6 million people took the trip. Captains need about five years’ experience before they get a good understanding of the churning waters at the base of the falls – though Capt. Rod MacDonald has said that for him and other Canadians on the crew, it’s only about as challenging as driving a car on ice or snow, the website says. But for Chaperon and MacDonald, the joyride came to an end when the boats were hauled from the water and dry-docked until next season and the company told them the news about the visas. “We’re sort of hung out to dry,” MacDonald, 57, who lives in St. Catharines, Ontario, said in an interview. “They didn’t give us much information. [The U.S. government] just tightened down on the work visas – that’s all they said.” MacDonald, who has piloted Maid of the Mist boats for about 30 years, said the job was so much fun that he never thought about quitting. He’s not sure what he’ll do next. “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said. Washington Post |
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Port Reports - November 18
Duluth, Minn. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Port Huron, Mich.
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Nov 17 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 16 - (anchored Port Weller) - Patras (Mlt) (ex Gan-Sword-10) at 0654 and Resko (Bhs) at 1438 - Nov 17 - CSL Assiniboine at 0757, Algoma Enterprise at 1003 , Fraserborg (Nld) at 1106, Vancouverborg (Nld) at 1420, Federal Alster (Mhl) at 1526, Oakglen at 1551 and Spruceglen at 1645
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 18 On 18 November 1869, EQUATOR (wooden propeller package freighter, 184 foot, 621 tons, built in 1857, at Buffalo, New York) was trying to pull the schooner SOUTHWEST off a reef near North Manitou Island on Lake Michigan. A storm swept in and EQUATOR foundered in the relatively shallow water. She was thought to be unsalvageable but was re-floated in 1870. Her hull was extensively rebuilt and became the barge ELDORADO in 1871, while her engine was used in the tug BISMARCK.The CARL D. BRADLEY was lost in a violent storm on Lake Michigan on November 18, 1958. The CANADIAN OLYMPIC's sea trials were conducted on 18 November 1976. Her maiden voyage was on 28 November 1976, to load coal at Conneaut, Ohio for Nanticoke, Ontario. Her name honors the Olympic Games that were held at Montreal that year. The bow and stern sections of the vessel that was to become the STEWART J. CORT were built by Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Litton Systems, Inc., Pascagoula, MS, as hull 1173. That 182 foot vessel, known as "STUBBY" was launched on 18 Nov 1969. "STUBBY" sailed under its own power from the Gulf of Mexico through the St. Lawrence Seaway and Welland Canal to Erie, Pennsylvania where the sections were cut apart by Erie Marine, Inc. and the 818 foot mid section was added -- making the Lakes first thousand footer. The ASHCROFT was launched November 18, 1924, as a) GLENIFFER. On 18 November 1873, the tug CRUSADER was launched at 1:20 p.m. at the Leighton & Dunford yard in Port Huron, Michigan. Her dimensions were 138 foot overall, 125 foot keel, 23 foot beam, and 12 foot depth. She was built for Mr. G. E. Brockway of Port Huron. On 18 November 1842, CHICAGO (wooden passenger & package freight sidewheeler, 105 foot, 166 tons, built in 1837, at St. Joseph, Michigan) was struck by a gale between Ashtabula and Conneaut in Lake Erie. She lost both of her stacks and became unmanageable when her fires went out. She was driven ashore about 3 miles east of Silver Creek, New York and was wrecked. About 60 persons were on board and amazingly no lives were lost. On 18 November 1882, DROMEDARY (wooden propeller, 120 foot, 255 gross tons, built in 1868, at Port Dalhousie, Ontario) burned to a total loss at the dock at Hamilton, Ontario when her banked fires overheated. She was owned by Burroughs & Co. No lives were lost. A terrible storm swept the Lakes in mid-November 1886. On 18-19 November of that year, The Port Huron Times listed the vessels that were known to have foundered in that storm. Here is the list as it appeared on 18 November 1886. "The barge CHARLES HINCKLEY is ashore near Alpena. The schooner P S MARCH is ashore at St. Ignace. She will probably go to pieces. The schooner THOMAS P. SHELDON is ashore about 10 miles north of Alpena. The crew was rescued by the tug HAND. The schooner NELLIE REDINGTON is reported going to pieces at Two Rivers. Three of her crew reached harbor all right, but the other 7 men on board are in danger of their lives. The coal barges F. M. DICKINSON and EMERALD were driven ashore at Kewaunee, Wisconsin Wednesday morning [17 Nov]. Three of the DICKINSON's crew were drowned, the other four floated ashore on a plank. The EMERALD's crew started ashore in the yawl, but 5 were drowned. On 18 November 1881, the schooner JAMES PLATT left Bay City with a cargo of lumber for Chicago. However, she was wrecked on Lake Michigan during a terrible snowstorm during the first week of December and never made it to Chicago. The storm lasted two full days and six of the crew survived but the rest were lost. The ANN ARBOR NO 4 ran aground on Green Isle, the island in Green Bay to the north of her course between Sturgeon Bay and Menominee on 18 Nov 1913. ANN ARBOR NO 3 pulled her off undamaged after about 2 hours work. 1911: TURRET CAPE stranded near Cove Island, Lake Huron and was not released until 1912. It last sailed as c) WALTER INKSTER and was scrapped at Port Dalhousie in 1959. 1926: The passenger and freight carrier MONTREAL was built at Toronto in 1902. It caught fire and burned near St. Joseph de Sorel in the St. Lawrence River while operating late season in a freight only capacity. The superstructure was destroyed and the vessel was beached. Five deckhands, believed trapped in the bow area, died. 1958: CARL D. BRADLEY sank in Lake Michigan with the loss of 33 lives. 1970: SILLERY, a Canadian freighter that operated on the St. Lawrence, was heavily damaged aft due to an engineroom fire while enroute from Sept-Iles to Montreal. The ship was a total loss. The bow was later removed and transplanted to sistership CACOUNA which received collision damage on July 6, 1971. The latter was later lost on Lake Michigan as c) JENNIFER on December 1, 1974. 2006: JOHN G. MUNSON hit the Shell Fuel Dock at Corunna and knocked about 200 feet of the structure into the St. Clair River. Data from: Skip Gilham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Max Hanley, Steve Haverty and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Maritime organizations join forces for unique training ops on Great Lakes 11/17 - A first-of-its-kind initiative between the United States Coast Guard and Lake Carriers’ Association has had MH-65 Dolphins and MH-60 Jayhawks whirring above Interlake Steamship Co. vessels since May. The rescue exercises, intended to simulate real-life medical evacuations, are the result of a joint agreement between the two maritime organizations which became official Oct. 31, 2017. “The experience gained by both Coast Guard and Lake Carriers’ crews will greatly enhance both organizations’ capabilities,” Rear Admiral Joanna M. Nunan, commander, 9th Coast Guard District, said at the time the agreement was announced. “The opportunity to build familiarity and proficiency with hoisting from Great Lakes commercial vessels will better prepare our pilots for hoist operations during time-critical emergencies.” Training with the USCG Air Stations in Detroit and Traverse City has been a great opportunity for both the Coast Guard crews and Interlake’s shipboard crews, says Paul Christensen, director of operations and security at Interlake, the largest privately held U.S. Flag-fleet on the Great Lakes. “A year ago we had a medical emergency aboard a vessel and the USCG was able to come out to get the sailor the medical attention he needed,” says Christensen. “Even though the evacuation went well, this training allows our crews to have an understanding how to safely work with Coast Guard helos.” James H.I. Weakley, president of Lake Carriers’ Association, the industry group that represents U.S. flagged vessels on the Great Lakes, says he was pleased to formalize the program with the Coast Guard and “get it off the ground.” “Amazingly, this is the first time in the country this program has been implemented,” Weakley says. “The key to its success has been and will continue to be the execution at the operational level. The response by Interlake and both Coast Guard Air Stations has exceeded my expectations. It will pay dividends for our sailors and for those in other parts of the country, as the Coast Guard aviators leave the Great Lakes better trained and more proficient.” Capt. Steve Hughes is master of Interlake’s 826-foot M/V Lee A. Tregurtha, one of the vessels that has participated in a handful of hoist exercises on Lake Huron this season. He says the training is very relevant to what might happen on a bulk carrier moving cargo nonstop from March to January. Participating in these exercises has also been a welcome break in the day-to-day routine for his crew of nearly two dozen mariners. “They also understand that there is the very real possibility that this training may be put to good use in the future, so the incentive was there to get as much out of it as possible,” Hughes says. Read more and view photos at this link: http://www.interlake-steamship.com/media/newsroom/maritime-organizations-join-forces-for-unique-training-ops-on-the-great-lak |
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90-year-old shipwreck, caused by herd of cows, discovered in Lake Huron 11/17 - Lake Huron – An international team of shipwreck hunters today announced their discovery of the Manasoo, a steel steamer that sank in Lake Huron 90 years ago this fall - a deadly tragedy blamed in part on the shifting of a huge herd of cows it was ferrying from an island to the mainland. The 178-foot steamer sank abruptly on Sept. 15, 1928. Sixteen of the 21 people on board died, along with the 115 cows and one bull that had been loaded onto the boat from Canada's Manitoulin Island, which lies east of Michigan's Drummond Island in the U.P. The five survivors - the captain, three sailors, and the cows' owner - drifted on a raft for 60 hours. They were suffering from exposure and in rough shape when they were found by another steamer in the Georgian Bay, part of Lake Huron which is slightly separated from the big lake by Canada's Bruce Peninsula. On June 30 of this year, shipwreck hunters Ken Merryman and Jerry Eliason, both from Minnesota, and Cris Kohl from Windsor, Ontario, found the Manasoo sitting in just over 200 feet of water near the Georgian Bay port town of Owen Sound. They describe the wreck as "amazingly intact," with her pilot house and unusual mid-ship staircase seemingly untouched. Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.mlive.com/expo/life-and-culture/erry-2018/11/14401ed0dd7630/90yearold-shipwreck-caused-by.html |
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Port Reports - November 17
Duluth, Minn. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Lake Erie Ports Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Nov 16 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Port Weller anchorage:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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Six tall ships already confirmed to dock in Sarnia next summer 11/17 - Sarnia, Ont. – The Bluenose II is setting a course for Sarnia Bay. The famous schooner depicted on the Canadian dime is one of at least six tall ships confirmed to attend the 2019 Sarnia Tall Ships Challenge. The fleet of majestic sailing vessels will tie up in Centennial Park from Aug. 9-11, and crowds of up to 100,000 people could be on hand to see them and meet the crews. The Picton Castle, a three-masted training vessel based in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and currently on its seventh voyage around the world, is also coming. Other confirmed participants include the Empire Sandy, Denis Sullivan, Fair Jeanne and Appledore IV. The city has agreed to underwrite the festival and contribute $30,000 US and Tourism Sarnia-Lambton has agreed to cover one-third of that. Tickets to view the ships will be available in coming week. They will include general admission, deck tour tickets and exclusive sail-away tickets aboard the Empire Sandy, a 200-foot schooner that can carry up to 275 passengers. With a budget of about $500,000 the festival could generate $3 million in economic activity for the community, City Hall estimates. The event will be a great opportunity to “put the welcome mat out,” said Dave Brown, who co-chaired the 2000 Tall Ships Festival. The tall ships coming from Canada, the U.S. and around the world are crewed by cadets and civilian enthusiasts under the command of professional captains and sailors. Toronto, Midland, Kingsville and Brockville are the other anticipated Canadian ports of call, along with several U.S. cities. Sarnia Journal |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 17 On 17 November 1884, PHOENIX (wooden propeller wrecking tug, 173 gross tons, built in 1862, at Cleveland, Ohio) caught fire in one of her coal bunkers at 7 a.m. while she was tied up to the C. S. R. Railroad slip at Amherstburg, Ontario. Several vessels, including the Dunbar tug SHAUGHRAUN and the steam barge MARSH, tried to save her. The SHAUGHRAUN finally got a line on her and pulled her away from the dock and towed her near Norwell’s wharf where she burned and sank.On 17 Nov 1969, the RIDGETOWN (steel propeller bulk freighter, 557 foot, 7,637 gross tons, built in 1905, at Chicago, Illinois as WILLIAM E. COREY) was laid up at Toronto for the last time with a load of grain. In the spring of 1970, Upper Lakes Shipping, Ltd. sold her to Canadian Dredge & Dock Co., Ltd. of Toronto. She was sunk at Nanticoke, Ontario, for use as a temporary breakwater during the construction of harbor facilities in the summer of 1970. Still later, she was raised and sunk again in the summer of 1974, as a breakwater to protect marina facilities at Port Credit, Ontario. On November 17, 1984, the EUGENE P. THOMAS was towed by the TUG MALCOLM to Thunder Bay, Ontario, for scrapping by Shearmet. In the morning of 17 November 1926, the PETER A.B. WIDENER (steel straight-deck bulk freighter, 580 foot, 7,053 gross tons, built in 1906, at Chicago, Illinois) was running up bound on Lake Superior in ballast when it encountered strong Northeasterly winds. About six miles Southwest of the Rock of Ages Light on Isle Royale, the captain gave orders to change course for Duluth, Minnesota. There was no response because the wheel chains had parted from the drum, thus disabling the rudder. Repairs cost $4,000. On 15 Nov 1972, the MICHIPICOTEN (steel straight-deck bulk freighter, 549 foot, 6,490 gross tons, built in 1905, at W. Bay City, Michigan, as HENRY C. FRICK) departed Quebec in tow of Polish tug KORAL for scrapping in Spain. The tow encountered bad weather and the MICHIPICOTEN broke in two during a major fall storm on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Her forward section sank on 17 November off Anticosti Island, and the after section sank the next day. The propeller JOHN STUART burned about two miles from Sebawaing, Michigan, at 9:00 p.m., 17 November 1872. She had been aground there for some time. On 17 November 1887, ARIZONA (wooden propeller package freighter, 189 foot, 962 gross tons, built in 1868, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying oils and acid used in mining operations when her dangerous cargo caught fire as she approached the harbor at Marquette, Michigan, in heavy seas. Poisonous fumes drove all of the crew topside, leaving the vessel unmanageable. She ran against the breakwater and the crew jumped off. The burning steamer "chased" the crew down the breakwater toward town with the poisonous fumes blowing ashore. She finally beached herself and burned herself out. She was later recovered and rebuilt. On 17 November 1873, the wooden 2-mast schooner E.M. CARRINGTON sank in nine feet of water at Au Sable, Michigan. She had a load of 500 barrels of flour and 7,000 bushels of grain. She was recovered and lasted another seven years. On 17 November 1880, GARIBALDI (2-mast wooden schooner, 124 foot, 209 tons, built in 1863, at Port Rowan, Ontario) was carrying coal in a storm on Lake Ontario. She anchored to ride out the storm, but after riding out the gale for 15 hours, her anchor cable parted and her crew was forced to try to bring her into Weller's Bay. She stranded on the bar. One of the crew froze solid in a standing position and his ghost is supposed to still haunt that area. The vessel was recovered and rebuilt. She lasted until at least 1898. 1902: The wooden steamer ROBERT WALLACE sank 13 miles out of Two Harbors while towing the barge ASHLAND. 1922: CITY OF DRESDEN was anchored off Long Point due to high winds and some of the cargo was thrown overboard. The ship beached on the west side of Long Point and broke up as a total loss. One sailor perished. 1922: MALTON went aground on Main Duck Island in Lake Ontario and was stuck until November 30. 1936: The steering cable of the SIDNEY E. SMITH gave way entering the harbor at Fairport, Ohio, and the ship stranded on the break wall. While released on November 22, the heavily damaged vessel was broken up for scrap the following year. 1939: VARDEFJELL, which inaugurated regular Great Lakes service for the Fjell Line in 1932, was torpedoed and sunk as b) KAUNAS 6.5 miles WNW of Noord Harbor, N. Hinder Light, River Schelde. 1996: SEADANIEL went aground at Duluth due to high winds after the anchors dragged. The ship was released, undamaged, by tugs. It last visited the Great Lakes in November 1998 and arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping on May 5, 1999. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Max Hanley, and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Senate passes bill to keep ballast water containing invasive species out of lakes 11/16 - The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved a measure that would require the Environmental Protection Agency to set rules requiring that ocean-going ships entering the Great Lakes treat ballast water before the water is released into the lakes. The new policy is contained in a funding bill for the U.S. Coast Guard, and it comes after conservationists and the shipping industry have sparred for years over regulation of ballast water, a pollutant. Under the measure, the EPA would regulate ballast water and the Coast Guard would enforce the rules. The bill keeps many clean water protections while making it more difficult for states to enact protections that go beyond the federal measure. Three new non-native species have been discovered in the Great Lakes in the last four years. In all, the lakes have been damaged by more than 180 invasive and non-native species, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This “biological pollution” has included quagga and zebra mussels, which have decimated fish populations and spurred algae outbreaks, including an outbreak that polluted the public drinking water supply of Toledo, Ohio, for two days in 2014. The EPA removed ballast water from the list of industrial pollutants in the 1970s that would be regulated under the Clean Water Act. The thinking at the time: The water in tanks were not pollution because they contained only seawater. Read more and view images at this link: https://www.jsonline.com |
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Algoma Central issues quarterly report 11/16 - St. Catharines, Ont. - Algoma Central Corporation has announced its results for the three and nine months ended Sept. 30. All amounts reported below are in thousands of Canadian dollars, except for per share data and unless otherwise noted. Third quarter and year to date 2018 highlights include: • A 16% increase in revenue in the third quarter and a 14% increase for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 compared to the same periods in 2017. • EBITDA increased 8% during the third quarter and 32% for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. • Net earnings from continuing operations increased 35% for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. This was due to higher operating earnings, including higher earnings from joint ventures and a gain on the disposition of assets within the Domestic Dry-Bulk fleet.
For the third quarter of 2018: • Product Tanker revenue increased 24% compared to 2017. The segment is experiencing strong customer demand from its major customer. Subsequent to the quarter, the strong outlook for volumes and sustained levels led the decision to purchase a sixth full size product tanker. • Ocean Self-Unloaders revenue increased 28% compared to the prior year. This was mainly as a result of the fleet being at full utilization with the return of the Algoma Integrity to the Pool. • Steps were taken to begin the cancellation of four shipbuilding contracts with a Croatian shipyard as a result of delays encountered in the construction of the ships. • During the third quarter, a new joint venture, NovaAlgoma Bulk Holdings (“NABH”) was created. NABH has interests in four deep-sea bulkers operating internationally and is managed out of Lugano, Switzerland. “Customer demand is strengthening and we expect this will continue to have positive impacts on daily rates in the Domestic Dry-Bulk segment,” said Ken Bloch Soerensen, President and CEO of Algoma. “In order to provide capacity, we are currently reviewing options to replace the cancelled vessels and in the meantime we look forward to the arrival of the Algoma Conveyer from China in early 2019,” Mr. Soerensen added. Read the full report here: http://www.algonet.com/the-company/news/news-release |
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Port Reports - November 16
Duluth, Minn. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Lake Erie Ports Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Nov 15 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 14 - tug Karen Andrie & barge Endeavour at 0208 (stopped wharf 1 at 00330 - bound Montreal), Isadora (Cyp) at 0939, Frontenac at 1809 (stopped at wharf 16 - moved over to ADM wharf 19E) - Nov 14 - John D Leitch at 0001, tug Wilf Seymour & barge Alouette Spirit at 0259, tug Sea Eagle II & barge St Marys Cement II at 1122 and Baie Comeau at 1813
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton: Anchored - Nov 5 - Tufty (Cyp) at 0200, Cinnamon (Cyp) at 1645 - Nov 9 - Federal Mosel at 2255 - Nov 14 - Ruddy (Cyp) at 0340 (out from the dock) Docked - Aug 29 - CCGS Martha L Black (icebreaker) at 0618 (Heddle Marine) - Nov 10 - Iryda (Cyp) 0150 - Nov 12 - Stella Polaris (Nld) at 0728, and Holandia (Atg) (ex BBC Nebraska-17, Martin-16, Nordana Emilie-16, Rickmers Mumbai-14, Beluga Endurance-11) at 2310 (from the anchorage) - Nov 14 - tugs Evans McKeil and Jarrett M with Niagara Spirit at 0145, Isabelle G (Por) (ex Eider-18) at 0705 (from the anchorage), Algoma Equinox at 1208 and Carolus Magnus (Bbs) (SCT Breithorn-17, MCT Breithorn-16) at 1856
Port Weller anchorage:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer |
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New mast for schooner Madeline under construction 11/16 - Traverse City, Mich. – How do you make a log cylindrical? Simple. You cut it so it has four sides, then again so it has eight, then 16, then 32 and finally make it a proper cylinder. Although, in the case of the 47-foot-long, 3,700-pound white pine that’s on it’s way to becoming the newest mast for the schooner Madeline, the final shape will be more reminiscent of a cone. Maritime Heritage Alliance volunteers are about a week into the month-long process of carving the mast, which will be the fifth for the schooner. “The maintenance is the hard part,” said Rod Jones, who has been one of the Madeline’s captains for more than 25 years. “Most volunteers haven’t done something like this. How do you learn what they did in the 1800s?” The Madeline is a reconstruction of an 1845 schooner that was the first non-Native American school in Traverse City. The schooner is owned by the Maritime Heritage Alliance and was launched in 1990 after five years of construction. A total of 165 volunteers put in 40,000 hours to build the 56-foot, twin-mast craft. Read more and see photos at this link: https://www.record-eagle.com |
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Updates 11/16 - The saltie gallery has been updated with the following vessels: BBC Germany, Holandia and Miena Desgagnes |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 16 On 16 November 1870, BADGER STATE (3-mast wooden bark, 150 foot, 302 tons, built in 1853, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) stranded and wrecked at Sleeping Bear Dune on Lake Michigan during a storm.The tug portion of the PRESQUE ISLE (Hull#322) built by Halter Marine Services, New Orleans, Louisiana, was up bound in the Welland Canal on November 16,1973, en route to Erie, Pennsylvania, to join with the barge. FRED R. WHITE JR (Hull#722) was launched in 1978, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. On 16 Nov 1909, the JAMES S. DUNHAM (steel propeller bulk freighter, 420 foot, 4,795 gross tons, built in 1906, at W. Bay City, Michigan) encountered heavy seas and began hitting bottom where charts indicated 35 feet of water, even though she was in ballast and only drawing 17 feet of water. Rather than risk tearing the bottom out of her, the captain decided to beach her at Marble Point, just east of the Bad River outlet. After the heavy snow showers cleared, a message in a bottle was floated ashore to an observer. The steel bulk freighters SIR JAMES DUNN and GEORGIAN BAY in tow of the Panamanian tug MC THUNDER arrived at Aliaga, Turkey for scrapping on 16 Nov 1989, 129 days after departing Thunder Bay. On 16 November 1887, PACIFIC (wooden propeller freighter, 187 foot, 766 gross tons, built in 1864, at Cleveland, Ohio) was loaded with lumber bound from Deer Park, Michigan, for Michigan City, Indiana. After leaving the dock, she grounded on a shoal due to low water levels. The nearby Lifesaving Service took her crew off and then returned for the captain's dog. She was broken up by a gale on 19 November. In 1892, the ANN ARBOR NO 1 arrived at Frankfort, Michigan on her maiden trip. November 16, 1990 - MWT ceased operations, ending more than a century of carferry service. The last run was made by the BADGER, with Capt. Bruce Masse in command. In 1981, Interlake's JOHN SHERWIN entered lay-up in Superior, Wisconsin and has not seen service since. On 16 November 1869, ADELL (2-mast wooden schooner, 48 foot, 25 gross tons, built in 1860, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was driven ashore during a storm about a half mile below Bay View Pier near Milwaukee. Her skipper had every penny he owned sunk into that vessel. He was able to salvage her rigging and spars and left them on the beach overnight. The next day he returned and found that all had been stolen during the night. On 16 Nov 1883, MANISTEE (wooden side-wheeler, 184 foot, 677 tons, built in 1867, at Cleveland, Ohio) broke up in a gale west of the Keweenaw Peninsula off of Eagle Harbor, Michigan. This is one of Lake Superior's worst disasters. Estimates of the number who died range from 23 to 37. 1901: The wooden freighter ELFIN-MERE was damaged by fire at Green Bay after a lamp exploded in the engineroom. The crew got away safely although an engineer was burned. The vessel was rebuilt the following year and returned to service in 1903 as b) CHARLES B. PACKARD. 1908: PASCAL P. PRATT was carrying anthracite coal from Buffalo to Milwaukee when it caught fire in the engineroom off Long Point, Lake Erie. The blaze spread quickly and the wooden vessel was beached. All of the crew got away safely. The hull burned to the waterline and the remains sank. 1923: GLENSTRIVEN, loaded with 160,000 bushels of oats, was wrecked at Cove Island, Georgian Bay in wind and fog. The vessel was enroute to Midland and was salvaged December 5 by the Reid Wrecking Co. The damage was too severe to repair and the hull was scrapped at Collingwood in 1924. 1927: JOLLY INEZ stranded at Saddlebag Island in the False Detour Channel and was abandoned. 1964: THOMAS F. COLE and INVEREWE collided in heavy fog off the southern end of Pipe Island in the St. Marys River. Both ships were repaired but the latter was later lost as d) THEOKEETOR off Mexico following another collision on June 20, 1973. 1965: The LAWRENCECLIFFE HALL sank in the St. Lawrence after an early morning collision with the SUNEK off Ile d'Orleans. The former, a laker in the Halco fleet, rolled on its side but all on board were saved. The ship was refloated in March 1966, repaired and returned to service. It later sailed as DAVID K. GARDINER and CANADIAN VENTURE before scrapping at Alang, India, in 2005. SUNEK received bow damage but this was repaired and this ship was scrapped at Barcelona, Spain, as b) NOTOS in 1979. 1967: CALIFORNIA SUN, a Liberty ship, made one trip through the Seaway in 1966. It suffered an engineroom explosion off Nicobar Island on the Indian Ocean and was gutted. The abandoned ship was taken in tow by JALARAJAN, a familiar Seaway salty, and delivered to the Seychelles. 1978: MONT ST. MARTIN was battered by a storm on Lake Erie and escorted to Southeast Shoal area by the STEELTON. 1978: NYX visited the Great Lakes in 1958 and returned through the Seaway in 1959. It sustained severe fire damage at Sidon, Lebanon, as c) DOMINION TRADER. It was subsequently blown aground by strong winds November 30-December 1 and broke in two. 1979: ALDORA dragged anchor while off Port Weller and was blown aground, only to be freed the same day. This ship was scrapped at Vado, Italy, in 1985-1986. 1979: SARONIC SEA was also anchored off Port Weller when it dragged anchor and stranded at the foot of Geneva Street in St. Catharines. The hull was not refloated until December 6. The ship had first visited the Great Lakes as RAVNANGER in 1964 and was later a victim of the war between Iran and Iraq, being shelled with mortar fire at Basrah on September 25, 1980. 1986: CARINA, an SD-14, first came through the Seaway in 1969. It was abandoned by the crew as d) HYMETUS when the hull cracked in heavy weather 180 miles SSE of Hong Kong while enroute to Shanghai, with steel. The ship sank the next day in the South China Sea. 2009: CSL ASSINIBOINE went aground near Cardinal. It had to be lightered and was released on November 21. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Steve Haverty and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Stephen B. Roman on her way overseas for likely scrapping 11/15 - The cement carrier Stephen B. Roman departed Toronto Wednesday morning under her own power. Although her AIS reports she is bound for Halifax, her ultimate destination is expected to be a Turkish scrapyard. The tug Salvage Monarch assisted in turning her around. The Roman is now registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The vessel was built as the package freighter Fort William for Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) of Montreal, Que., in 1965. Fort William was the last package freighter designed for Great Lakes trading. She was also the last package freighter built for Canada Steamship Lines and the largest in the "Fort Class" of Great Lakes freighters She is the last of the large Fairbanks-Morse powered lakers, and with the rent retirement of English River, the last of the CSL package freight fleet. She was converted to a cement carrier in 1983. Beginning in 2017, management of this vessel was taken over from the Algoma Central Corp. by McKeil Marine Ltd., and sailed her last this spring, laying up at Toronto March 22. She was replaced on her runs by the newly-converted McKeil Spirit, which was formerly the saltwater cargo vessel Ardita. |
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Port Reports - November 15
Duluth, Minn. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan ports
Limestone Ports
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Lake Erie Ports Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Nov 14 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton: Departures - Nov 13 - CSL Niagara at 2321 eastbound - Nov 14 - Helena G (Por) (ex Garganey-17) at 2039
Port Weller anchorage:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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LCA issues statement on passage of federal ballast water legislation 11/15 - Cleveland, Ohio – Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA), the trade association representing U.S.-flag vessel operators on the Great Lakes since 1880, has issued the following statement on passage of the 2018 U.S. Coast Guard Authorization Act, which includes the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA): “Lake Carriers’ Association is pleased with the Senate passage of the 2018 U.S. Coast Guard Authorization Act including the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA). VIDA is the result of many stakeholders coming to the table to craft this final version. VIDA is a good balance, achieving protection of both the economy and the environment. Importantly, it includes Great Lakes-specific provisions that provide the flexibility to establish uniform practices and standards more protective of our Great Lakes. Over the next few years, LCA looks forward to engaging with our government and regional partners to develop practical and implementable regulations to meet the letter and spirit of the bill.” Lake Carriers’ Association |
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38th Annual Marine Mart Saturday in St. Clair Shores 11/15 - The 38th Annual Marine Mart, sponsored by the Great Lakes Maritime Institute, will be held on Saturday, November 18, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The new location is the VFW 1146 Bruce Post, 28404 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores, Mich. (between 11 and 12 Mile on Lake Saint Clair). Admission is $7 (early bird admission 9:30-10:00 a.m. - $10). Children ages 12 and under are free. Items for sale include ship models, photos, artifacts, ship china, artwork, postcards, books and more. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 15 In 1883, the schooner E. FITZGERALD, Captain Daniel Lanigan, went ashore and was completely covered with ice. The crew of six drowned while attempting to make shore in the yawl. A couple days after the loss, Mrs. Lanigan received a prophetic letter from her son stating he was tired of sailing and this would be his last trip.On 15 November 1871, EVERGREEN CITY (wooden propeller freighter, 193 foot, 624 gross tons, built in 1856, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying lumber camp supplies when she was driven on to the southwest coast of Long Point on Lake Erie by a westerly gale. She hogged and broke up. Most of her cargo and fittings were stolen over the winter. Surprisingly, she was recovered and rebuilt in 1872-1873, but only lasted until 1875, when she was abandoned at Buffalo, New York. The cargo mid-body of the then-under construction GEORGE A. STINSON was towed from Toledo, where it was built, to Lorain, Ohio, in 1977. PAUL THAYER left Lorain on her maiden voyage November 15, 1973, light for Escanaba, Michigan to load iron ore. Renamed b.) EARL W. OGLEBAY in 1995. On November 15, 1974, W. W. HOLLOWAY struck an embankment at Burns Harbor, Indiana, causing extensive damage. Departing Duluth on November 15, 1909, the BRANSFORD encountered a gale driven snowstorm. She battled the storm the entire day only to end up on the rocks near Siskiwit Bay on Isle Royale. On 15 November 1894, ANTELOPE (wooden schooner, 56 foot, 32 gross tons, built in 1878, at Grand Haven, Michigan) capsized in a storm while trying to make harbor at Grand Haven, Michigan. 4 lives were lost. November 15, 1924 - The carferry PERE MARQUETTE was renamed PERE MARQUETTE 15. On 15 November 1875, The Port Huron Times reported that "there is little doubt but that the scow SUTLER GIRL has been lost with all hands on Lake Erie. She has now been overdue two weeks." On 15 November 1869, W. W. ARNOLD (wooden schooner, 426 gross tons, built in 1863, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying iron ore when she was driven ashore near the mouth of the Two Hearted River on Lake Superior during the great gale of November 1869. The violent storm tore the schooner apart and she sank quickly losing all hands (11) including several passengers. On 15 Nov 1905, the W. K. BIXBY (steel straight-deck bulk freighter, 480 foot, 5,712 gross tons, later b.) J.L. REISS, then c.) SIDNEY E. SMITH JR) was launched at Wyandotte, Michigan, for the National Steamship Co. (M.B. McMillan). She lasted until 1972, when she was wrecked at Sarnia, Ontario, in a collision with the PARKER EVANS. 1901: The consort barge JOHN SMEATON broke loose of the steamer HARVARD and came ashore on the rocks off Au Train, Mich., and rested in 4 feet of water. The crew was safe and the ship released at the end of the month by Reid Wrecking and went to Superior for repairs. 1909: The Canadian freighter OTTAWA foundered stern first off Passage Isle, Lake Superior when the cargo of grain shifted. The crew, while they suffered terribly, were able to reach the safety of Keweenaw Point in the lifeboats after 12 hours on the open lake in wild seas. 1915: A. McVITTIE took out the gate at Lock 12 of the Third Welland Canal leading to a washout. 1919: J.S. CROUSE was enroute from Glen Haven to Traverse City when fire was discovered around the stack. The blaze spread quickly. The ship burned to the water line and sank in Sleeping Bear Bay, Lake Michigan. 1920: The wooden hulled steamer MAPLEGULF broke her back in a Lake Ontario storm. It was considered beyond economical repair and beached at Kingston. 1931: A storm forced the wooden passenger and freight steamer WINONA back to Spragge, Ontario, and the next day the ship was found to be on fire over the boiler. The vessel was towed from the dock to protect a pile of lumber and it became a total loss. 1952: The newly-built tanker B.A. PEERLESS lost power and went aground below the Detroit River Light. It was refloated on November 17. 1975: The ocean tanker GATUN LOCKS made one trip through the Seaway in 1959. The vessel was lying at Piraeus Roads, Greece, as c) SUNARUSSA when it was gutted by a fire. The hull was sold for scrap in 1977 and broken up at Laurion, Greece, beginning on April 26, 1977. 1981: ALFRED was gutted by a fire off Benghazi, Libya, after the blaze broke out in the engineroom. The hull was scuttled 100 miles out in the Mediterranean on November 24. The ship had been on the Great Lakes earlier in the year and first traveled inland as a) ALFRED REHDER in 1972. 1994: The Turkish freighter FIRAT was blown ashore at Port Everglades, FL by Hurricane Gordon when the anchors failed to hold. The ship was a beach attraction until lightered and released on November 26. FIRAT first came through the Seaway in 1990 and was scrapped at Alang, India, in 1997, after sailing 27 years under the same name. 2007: CALUMET was damaged when it struck a wall at Cleveland while moving to the salt dock. It was sold for scrap and departed for Port Colborne two days later. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Jody Aho and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - November 14
Duluth, Minn. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Lake Erie Ports Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Nov 13 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Buffalo -
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 12 - tugs Evans McKeil & Jarrett M with barge Niagara Spirit at 1201, Tim S Dool at 1338, CSL Laurentien at 1456, Capt Henry Jackman at 1731 and CSL Welland at 2016 - Nov 13 - NACC Argonaut at 0140, tug Karen Andrie & barge Endeavour at 0208 (stopped wharf 16 at 0336 to unload), Algoma Harvester at 0744, Isadora (Cyp) at 0939, Frontenac at 1809 (stopped at wharf 16)
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Toronto: |
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Port Huron’s ex-USCG Bramble advertised for sale 11/14 - Ads have been appearing on maritime broker sites for the former USCG cutter Bramble, most recently at Port Huron as an operational museum ship. Bramble (WLB-392) is one of the 39 original 180-foot seagoing buoy tenders built between 1942-1944 for the United States Coast Guard. View one of the ads at this link: https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1944/cutter-zenith-dredge-co--3254442 |
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Stand Up For Great Lakes present $15K at Fitzgerald memorial ceremony 11/14 - Whitefish Point, Mich. – The crew from Stand Up for Great Lakes presented a $15,000 check to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society during the annual memorial ceremony of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald. The S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975, just 14 miles from Whitefish Point. According to their Facebook page, the money was raised during this summer’s paddleboard crossing of Lake Superior. They also presented the Historical Society with a log they picked up in the middle of the lake during the paddle. View a video at this link: https://www.9and10news.com/2018/11/12/stand-up-for-great-lakes-present-15k-check-at-s-s-edmund-fitzgerald-memorial-ceremony |
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Tall Ships Festival returns to Cleveland for first time in years 11/14 - Cleveland, Ohio – It's been a group effort to bring the 2019 Cleveland Tall Ships Festival to the city's waterfront this coming summer. Monday, Mayor Frank Jackson made the announcement, in collaboration with Cuyahoga County, Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA), and Destination Cleveland. The festival will bring 10 ships to the city's port July 11-14. Those ships will stop in Cleveland and several other ports around the Great Lakes. The event will feature waterfront events and showcase the history of the maritime industry in Cleveland. People will also be able to board the ships, participate in sail-aways, and go out into Lake Erie. The festival was last in Cleveland in 2013. The ships will be docked north of First Energy Stadium. Cleveland.com |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 14 ALGOBAY (steel propeller bulk freighter, 719 foot, 22,466 gross tons, built at Collingwood, Ontario in 1978) departed Sept Iles, Quebec on 14 Nov 1978, with an iron ore pellet cargo for Sydney, Nova Scotia when she collided with the 90,000 ton Italian-flag ore carrier CIELO BIANCO. The Collingwood-built tug POINTE MARGUERITE, which was towing the big salty, was unfortunately crushed between the two vessels and sank, killing two crewmembers.On November 14, 1934, the WILLIAM A. REISS grounded off Sheboygan and was declared a constructive total loss. Built as the a.) FRANK H. PEAVEY in 1901, renamed b.) WILLIAM A. REISS in 1916. She was scrapped at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in 1935. Cracks across the ENDERS M. VOORHEES' spar deck were first noticed in a storm on Lake Superior November 14, 1942. Her fleetmate NORMAN B. REAM came to her assistance by releasing storm oil which helped calm the seas so the crew of the VOORHEES could run cables the length of her deck and winch them tight to arrest the cracking. She proceeded to the Soo escorted by the REAM and later sailed to the Great Lake Engineering Works for repairs. The THOMAS WILSON (Hull#826) was launched November 14, 1942, at Lorain, Ohio, for the U.S. Maritime Commission. The U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender MESQUITE (Hull#76) was launched November 14, 1942, at a cost of $894,000, by Marine Iron & Shipbuilding Co. at Duluth, Minnesota. MESQUITE ran aground off Keweenaw Point on December 4, 1989, and was declared a total loss. MESQUITE was scuttled off Keweenaw Point on July 14, 1990. On November 14, 1952, the SPARROWS POINT, b.) BUCKEYE entered service for Bethlehem Steel Corp. Reduced to a barge at Erie, Pennsylvania, and renamed c.) LEWIS J KUBER in 2006. On 14 November 1879, C G BREED (2 mast wooden schooner, 140 foot, 385 tons, built in 1862, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was carrying 24,000 bushels of wheat from Detroit to Buffalo when she capsized and sank in a sudden squall near Ashtabula, Ohio in Lake Erie. 5 lives were lost, but 3 were saved. The three survivors were rescued by three different vessels. In 1940, following the Armistice Day Storm, The CITY OF FLINT 32 was freed by the tug JOHN F. CUSHING assisted by the PERE MARQUETTE 21. In 1990, Glen Bowden (of MWT) announced that he would suspend cross-Lake Michigan ferry service indefinitely. On 14 November 1886, the steamer BELLE WILSON was crossing Lake Ontario with a load of 11,800 bushels of oats when a severe gale and snowstorm blew in. The vessel lost her rudder and the crew rigged sails, but these were blown away. Then they rigged a drag made of 600 feet of line and a log to help maneuver the vessel and they headed for Oswego, New York. This lasted for 12 hours, but the chain parted at 3:00 a.m. and the vessel was driven ashore at Ford's Shoals, 4 miles east of Oswego harbor. No lives were lost. On 14 November 1892, the 2-mast, 95 foot wooden schooner MINNIE DAVIS was rammed on a dark night by the 2-mast, 117 foot wooden schooner HUNTER SAVIDGE near Amherstburg, Ontario. The DAVIS sank, but no lives were lost. The wreckage was removed in May 1893. 1922: The composite hulled freighter JOS. L. SIMPSON was upbound on Lake Ontario from Ogdensburg to Milwaukee when it stranded at Tibbett's Point. The repair bill was close to $12,000 but the vessel returned to service and last operated in 1957 as YANKCANUCK (i). 1933: The wheat laden D.E. CALLENDAR stranded in Lake Erie off Long Point and was a total loss. The hull was salvaged in 1934 and laid up at Toledo. It was taken to New Orleans during World War Two for reconstruction as a barge but the change was never registered and the hull was likely scrapped. 1933: The wooden tug FLORENCE sank off False Duck Island in a storm that brought snow, high winds and waves on Lake Ontario. All 7 on board were saved and taken aboard the barge PETER G. CAMPBELL. 1943: RIVERTON stranded at Lottie Wolf Shoal, Georgian Bay and declared a total loss. Later salvaged and repaired, it returned to service as MOHAWK DEER. 1960: ISLAND KING II was destroyed by a fire while laid up for the winter at Lachine, QC. The vessel had been built as DALHOUSIE CITY and operated across western Lake Ontario between Toronto and St. Catharines from 1911 until the end of the 1949 season before being sold and moving to Montreal. 1966: The Liberian freighter FREIDA went aground at Poe's Reef, Lake Huron, and had to be lightered by MAITLAND NO. 1. The ocean ship began Great Lakes terading as c) SEAWAY STAR in 1960 and returned as d) DEALMOUTH in 1962 and as e) FREIDA earlier in 1966. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Jody Aho and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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New tech helps vessels enter St. Lawrence Seaway locks 11/13 - St. Catharines, Ont. – Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has partnered with Canada's CSL Group to develop a system to help facilitate a vessel's approach and entrance into locks along the St. Lawrence Seaway system. Initial deployment of the lock entry assist system technology will be on board the CSL St-Laurent, a 22,600 gross tonnage Trillium class bulk carrier owned by Montreal-based CSL. The ship operates on the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes. The company said the system comes in response to the increasing size of vessels operating on the seaway and lakes. "When entering the locks along the seaway, the clearance for larger vessels is minimal, and the lock entry itself has become increasingly difficult. Damage to both the ship and the lock walls can be avoided by facilitating the ship's approach path to the locks, thereby making the operation safer, faster, and altogether more efficient," a company release said. The system uses high performance global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) to measure the ship's position to centimetre accuracy as it enters a lock. "Speed adaptive controls, together with allocation of the thruster and rudder, ensures that the vessel enters the lock in a consistent manner every time, while minimizing the influence of external forces from wind and current,” stated Joonas Makkonen, Wärtsilä's vice-president of voyage solutions. “During the entry, the system automatically controls the vessel's lateral position and heading, allowing the operator to focus on controlling the speed of the vessel, the release said. A customized touch screen interface is also being developed to simplify the operation and improve situational awareness. "CSL is committed to working with qualified partners and regulatory agencies to improve operational safety and efficiency for vessels sailing the seaway and Great Lakes system," said Frédéric Jauvin, vice-president of global technical services. "We believe that modern technology supports this ambition, and Wärtsilä's lock entry assist system represents a positive step forward for us and for the industry as a whole." The two companies has worked closely for years and CSL's fleet includes a number of Wärtsilä solutions. St. Catharines Standard |
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Port Reports - November 13
Duluth, Minn. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Lake Erie Ports Welland Canal and regional report for Monday Nov 12 –Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks: Docked - Oct 23 - Algosea at 0800 (onto shelf at former Port Weller Dry Docks) - Departures - Nov 12 - tug Undaunted & barge Pere Marquette 41 at 0439 approx. westbound, light tug Molly M I at 0612 from wharf 1 for Hamilton
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto: |
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Updates 11/13 - The saltie gallery has been updated with these images: Acadia Desgagnes, Argentia Desgagnes, BBC Kansas, BBC Rushmore, Carolus Magnus, Celisus Mumbai, Claude A Desgagnes, Eemsgracht, Federal Delta, Federal Hudson, Floretgracht, Gardno, Holandia, Ina, Kitikmeot W, Lubie, Maccoa, Miena Desgagnes, Prosna, Reestborg, Regalica, Stade, Trudy and Zelada Desgagnes |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 13 In 1952, the 626-foot SPARROWS POINT successfully completed her sea trials and departed Chicago on her maiden trip. The new Bethlehem boat, the largest boat to enter the lakes via the Mississippi River Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, was under the command of Captain Wilfred Couture and Chief Engineer James Meinke. She was lengthened to 682 feet in 1958, converted to a self-unloader in 1980, renamed b.) BUCKEYE in 1991, converted to a barge in 2006, renamed c.) LEWIS J. KUBER.ARAB (2-mast wooden schooner, 100 foot, 158 tons, built in 1854, at Buffalo, New York) beached on 01 November 1883, near St. Joseph, Michigan, during a storm, but quick work by salvagers got her free. However on 13 November 1883, while being towed to Racine, Wisconsin, she capsized and sank well off of Arcadia, Michigan. One man lost his life, an engineer who was desperately trying to start her pumps when she rolled. On November 13, 1976, the TEMPLE BAR (later LAKE WABUSH and ALGONORTH) arrived at Singapore, where she was lengthened 202 feet. CONDARRELL was laid up for the last time on November 13, 1981. Built in 1953 as a.) D. C. EVEREST, she was renamed b.) CONDARRELL in 1982. GEORGE HINDMAN was in collision with the British salty MANCHESTER EXPLORER on Lake St. Louis, above the Lachine Lock in 1956. Built in 1921, as a.) GLENCLOVA, renamed b.) ANTICOSTI in 1927, c.) RISACUA in 1946, d.) GEORGE HINDMAN in 1955, and e.) ELIZABETH HINDMAN in 1962. Scrapped at Duluth, Minnesota, in 1971. J. P. MORGAN JR (Hull#373) was launched November 13, 1909, at Lorain, Ohio, for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. HOMER D. WILLIAMS was involved in a collision with the steamer OTTO M. REISS at Duluth November 13, 1917. In 1984, HOMER D. WILLIAMS was towed to Thunder Bay, Ontario, by the tug MALCOLM for dismantling. On 13 November 1870, the schooner E. FITZGERALD left Port Huron on her maiden voyage to load lumber at Au Sable, Michigan, for Chicago. She was commanded by Capt. A. McTavish. On 13 November 1883, H. C. AKELEY (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 240 foot, 1,187 tons, built in 1881, at Grand Haven, Michigan) was carrying corn from Chicago to Buffalo when she encountered a heavy storm off Holland, Michigan. She took the disabled tug PROTECTOR in tow but let her go when her own rudder broke off. AKELEY anchored but started to sink when she fell into the troughs of the waves. The disabled schooner DRIVER managed to save 12 of the crew who had taken to AKELEY's yawl before she went down. 6 lives were lost. Captain W. H. Van Dyke was born at Escanaba, Michigan, on November 13, 1871, and spent most of his life on the Great Lakes (he joined the crew of a schooner at the age of 15). He first captained the Pere Marquette Line Steamer PERE MARQUETTE 8 then, in 1916, he joined the Pere Marquette carferry fleet. His first command was the str. PERE MARQUETTE 15. Then for 10 years he served as master of the PERE MARQUETTE 17, and after the launch of the CITY OF FLINT 32 in 1929, he served as master of the PERE MARQUETTE 22. On 13 November 1865, CLARA PARKER (3-mast wooden schooner, 175 foot, 425 gross tons, built in 1865, at Detroit, Michigan) was fighting a losing battle with storm induced leaks, so she was beached 400 yards off shore near the mouth of the Pigeon River, south of Grand Haven, Michigan. The local Lifesaving Service plucked all 9 of the crew from the rigging by breeches buoy after the vessel had gone down to her decks and was breaking up. On 13 November 1888, LELAND (wooden steam barge, 148 foot, 366 gross tons, built in 1873, at New Jerusalem, Ohio) burned at Huron, Ohio. She was valued at $20,000 and insured for $15,000. She was rebuilt and lasted until 1910. JAMES DAVIDSON (steel propeller bulk freighter, 587 foot, 8,349 gross tons, built at Wyandotte, Michigan, in 1920) entered service on 13 Nov 1920, for the Globe Steamship Co. (G. A. Tomlinson, mgr.) when she loaded 439,000 bushels of wheat at Duluth, Minnesota, for delivery to Buffalo, New York. She was the last ship built at Wyandotte, Michigan. An unnamed salty (formerly RANGUINI) arrived at Milwaukee's heavy lift dock on Saturday night, 13 Nov 1999, to load a large desalinization filtration system built in Milwaukee for Korea. The vessel entered the Seaway in ballast for Milwaukee on 09 Nov 1999. The following day, the crew rigged scaffolding over the side so the new name BBC GERMANY could be painted on the ship. The Toledo Blade published the following vessel passages for Detroit on this date in 1903: -Up- VOLUNTEER, AMAZON, HARLOW, 12:30 Friday morning; ROCKEFELLER, 4:20; MARISKA, 4:40; FRENCH, 5:20; CONEMAUGH, 6; S M STEPHENSON, FAUSTIN, barges, 7:30; OLIVER, MITCHELL, (sailed), 7:50; AVERILL, 8. 1909: The steamers CHARLES WESTON and WARD AMES collided in lower Whitefish Bay. The former, which had been at anchor waiting to head downbound through the Soo Locks, ran for shore but settled on the bottom. The ship was saved, repaired and last sailed as c) SAUCON for Bethlehem Transportation before being scrapped at Hamilton, ON in 1950. 1909: JAMES H. HOYT went aground on a reef about two miles off the northeast corner of Outer Island after the engine was disabled in a snowstorm. The vessel was refloated November 29 and later became the BRICOLDOC. 1929: BRITON was wrecked in Lake Erie off Point Abino. The stranded vessel was battered for two days before being abandoned as a total loss. 1934: WILLIAM A. REISS (i) stranded off Sheboygan while inbound with 7025 tons of coal from Toledo. The ship was refloated November 17 with heavy damage and considered a total loss. 1942: H.M. PELLATT, a former Great Lakes canal freighter, was sailing as f) SCILLIN under the flag of Italy, when it was hit by gunfire from the British submarine H.M.S. PROTEUS while 9 miles off Kuriat, Tunisia, and sank. 1956: The downbound and grain-laden GEORGE HINDMAN and the upbound MANCHESTER EXPLORER collided in fog on the St. Lawrence above Lachine and both ships were damaged. 1958: LUNAN, a Pre-Seaway trader on the Great Lakes, sustained major bottom damage in a grounding on the St. Lawrence near Murray Bay. The ship was refloated, towed to Lauzon for repairs and it returned to service as b) MARIDAN C. in 1959. 1967: SANTA REGINA, the first American saltwater vessel to use the St. Lawrence Seaway, put into San Francisco with boiler problems and machinery damage while headed from Los Angeles to Saigon, South Vietnam as f) NORBERTO CAPAY. The vessel was sold at auction and towed to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for scrapping in 1969. 1971: The small St. Lawrence freighter C. DE BAILLON, better known as a) DONNACONA NO. 2 and b) MIRON C., went aground at Mont Louis and was a total loss. 1975: There was a boiler explosion on the Egyptian freighter CLEOPATRA after leaving Hartlepool, England, for Alexandria, Egypt, and 8 crewmen were severely injured with at least one fatality. The former Victory Ship first traveled through the Seaway in 1963. It was scrapped at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, in 1981. 1976: OCEAN SOVEREIGN lost steering at Sault Ste. Marie and was wedged into the wall at the Soo Locks. The rudder was damaged and the Greek saltie had to be towed to Lauzon, Quebec, for repairs. The vessel initially traded inland as a) BOLNES in 1970 and returned as b) OCEAN SOVEREIGN for the first time in 1973. It was scrapped at Ulsan, South Korea, as d) MARIA JOSE after being blown aground from the anchorage during Typhoon Vera on September 27, 1986. 1979: A steering failure put VANDOC aground at Harvey Island in the Brockville Narrows. The vessel spent time at Port Weller Dry Docks after being released. 1996: JOLLITY reported it was taking water in the engine room (Pos: 17.47 N / 119.20 E). The ship was was taken in tow two days later and reached Hong Kong on November 18. The vessel was scrapped at Chittagong, Bangladesh, in 1999. 1997: ARCADIA BERLIN visited the Great Lakes in 1971 when it was a year old. The ship was carrying bagged cement and sailing as f) ALLISSA when it collided with and sank the Ukrainian vessel SMENA off Yangon, Myanmar. The former was apparently laid up with collision damage and scrapped at Alang, India, in 1998. 2002: WILFRED SYKES was inbound with a cargo of limestone when it went aground in Muskegon Lake. Some of the cargo was lightered to PERE MARQUETTE 41 and the stranded ship was pulled free. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Max Hanley and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - November 12
Duluth, Minn. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors - Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan ports
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Lake Erie Ports Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Nov 11– Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 10 - tug Leo A McArthur & barge John J Carrick at 2313 - Nov 11 - Algoma Enterprise at 0521, Algoma Discovery at 0620, Kitikmeot W (Can)(ex Icdas 09-18) at 0857, Bro Anna (Sgp) at 0954, Federal Beaufort (Mhl) at 0959, Federal Clyde (Mhl) at 1404, tug Undaunted & barge Pere Marquette 41 at 1736 (unloading at wharf 16), tug Spartan & barge Spartan II eta 2300
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Anchored off Burlington:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 12 In 1920, FRANCIS WIDLAR stranded on Pancake Shoal in Lake Superior and was written off as a total constructive loss of $327,700. The wreck was purchased by Mathews Steamship Company in 1921 and placed back in service as BAYTON. The BAYTON sailed until 1966, and the hull was later used as a temporary breakwall during construction at Burns Harbor, Indiana.On 12 November 1878, JAMES R. BENTLEY (3-mast wooden schooner, 170 foot, 575 tons, built in 1867, at Fairport, Ohio) was carrying grain when she struck a shoal in heavy weather and foundered off 40 Mile Point on Lake Huron. Her crew was rescued in the rough seas by the bark ERASTUS CORNING. On 12 Nov 1964, THOMAS F. COLE (steel propeller bulk freighter, 580 foot, 7,268 gross tons, built in 1907, at Ecorse, Michigan) collided with the British motor vessel INVEREWE off the south end of Pipe Island on the lower St. Marys River in foggy conditions. The COLE suffered severe damage to the port bow and was taken to Lorain for repairs. On 12 Nov 1980, ALVA C. DINKEY (steel propeller bulk freighter, 580 foot, 7,514 gross tons, built in 1909, at Lorain, Ohio) and GOVERNOR MILLER (steel propeller bulk freighter, 593 foot, 8,240 gross tons, built in 1938, at Lorain, Ohio) arrived near El Ferrol del Caudillo, Spain for scrapping in tow of the FedNav tug CATHY B. Demolition by Miguel Partins began on 28 Nov 1980, at Vigo, Spain. On November 12, 1919, PANAY, upbound on Lake Superior for Duluth, Minnesota, in rough weather, was one of the last vessels to see the down bound JOHN OWEN which, apparently later the same day, disappeared with all hands. Renamed b.) WILLIAM NELSON in 1928, and c.) BEN E. TATE in 1936. Scrapped at Bilbao, Spain in 1969. On 12 November 1881, BRUNSWICK (iron propeller bulk freighter, 248 foot, built in 1881, at Wyandotte, Michigan) was carrying 1,500 tons of hard coal in a night of fitful squalls in Lake Erie. CARLINGFORD (wooden schooner, 155 foot, built in 1869, at Port Huron, Michigan) was also sailing there, loaded with 26,000 bushels of wheat. They collided. After the skipper of BRUNSWICK made sure that the sinking schooner's crew were in their lifeboats, he ran for shore with his sinking vessel, but sank a few miles off Dunkirk, New York. A total of 4 lives were lost. On 12 November 1835, the small wooden schooner ROBERT BRUCE was sailing from Kingston, Ontario to Howell, New York when she was wrecked west of Henderson, New York. Her crew of 4, plus one passenger, were all lost. On 12 Nov 1886, the tug WM L. PROCTOR (wooden tug, 104 foot, 117 gross tons, built in 1883, at Buffalo, New York) left Oswego, New York with the schooner-barges BOLIVIA and E.C. BUCK in tow before a big storm struck. During the snowstorm, the tug got lost and the towline broke. Alone, the PROCTOR finally made it to Charlotte, New York, badly iced up, but there was no word on the barges. They were presumed lost with all onboard. 1881: BRUNSWICK sank in Lake Erie after a collision with the CARLINGFORD. The wooden hulled, coal-laden steamer, made a run for the American shore but the effort fell short. Three lives were lost. 1914: The wooden steamer COLONIAL began to leak on Lake Erie and was beached in Rondeau Bay only to be pounded to pieces by gale force winds. All on board were rescued. 1967: The Swedish freighter TORSHOLM began visiting the Great Lakes as early as 1953. The ship was enroute from the Seaway to Stockholm when it ran aground near Uto, Sweden, and became a total loss. 1968: CLARA CLAUSEN, a Danish freighter, ran aground at Les Escoumins on the St. Lawrence and was abandoned. After being salvaged, the vessel came to the Great Lakes in 1970 and was rebuilt at Kingston as ATLANTEAN. 1974: BELVOIR (ii), enroute from Puerto Cortes, Honduras, to Corpus Christi, Texas, with a load of ore concentrates, struck a submerged object in the Gulf of Honduras and sank. Only 4 crew members are rescued while the other 21 were presumed lost. 1980: The former Lake Michigan rail car ferry PERE MARQUETTE 21 left the Great Lakes in 1974. It was lost on this date as the barge d) CONSOLIDATOR. It was hit by Hurricane Jean off the coast of Honduras while carrying a load of truck trailers. 2005: SPAN TERZA, an Italian freighter, first came through the Seaway in 1977 and returned as b) ANANGEL HORIZON in 1983. It was damaged on this date as d) SALAM 4 in a collision near Dondra Head, Sri Lanka, with SHANGHAI PRIDE and had to go to Colombo for assessment. The ship was repaired and eventually scrapped as e) ALINA at Xinhui, China, in 2009. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Max Hanley and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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USCG Abbie Burgess heading from Maine to Lake Ontario 11/11 - The Marinette, Wis.-built USCG Abbie Burgess (WLM-553) was upbound on the St. Lawrence River Saturday, and should be taking a pilot at Escoumins at daybreak Sunday. AIS is giving its destination as Lake Ontario. Her homeport is Rockland, Maine. It is believed she is coming into the lakes to assist with annual aids to navigation removal efforts. Mac Mackay |
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Port Reports - November 11
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Grand Marais, Minn.
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan ports
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Lake Erie Ports Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Nov 10 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Anchored off Burlington:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 11 The Port of Huron, Ohio received its first grain boat in seven years when Westdale Shipping's AVONDALE arrived at the Pillsbury Elevator on November 11, 1971, to load 200,000 bushels of soybeans for Toronto, Ontario.On 11 November 1883, NEMESIS (2-mast wooden schooner, 74 foot, 82 gross tons, built in 1868, at Goderich, Ontario) was wrecked in a terrific storm that some called a hurricane. She went ashore near Bayfield, Ontario, on Lake Huron. She may have been recovered since her registration was not closed until 1907. In 1876, this little schooner rescued all but one of the crew from the sinking freighter NEW YORK. The Armistice Day Storm of November 11, 1940, was one of the worst storms in the recorded history of Lake Michigan. In all, the storm claimed 5 vessels, and 66 lives. The storm hit late Monday afternoon, November 11th, with winds of hurricane proportions. The winds struck suddenly from the southwest at about 2:30 p.m. and were accompanied by drenching rain, which later changed to snow. The winds reached peak velocities of 75 miles per hour, the highest in local maritime history. Some of the vessels affected were: CITY OF FLINT 32: Beached at Ludington, no damage. Jens Vevang, relief captain, in command. Her regular captain, Charles Robertson, was on shore leave. Also: PERE MARQUETTE 21: Blown into a piling at Ludington, no damage, captained by Arthur Altschwager. She had 5 passengers aboard. CITY OF SAGINAW 31: Arrived Milwaukee 6 hours late with over a foot of water in her hull. The wireless aerial was missing and her seagate was smashed by the waves. She was captained by Ed Cronberg. Ann Arbor carferry WABASH: A railcar broke loose from its moorings on her car deck and rolled over, nearly crushing a crewman. The steamer NOVADOC: Ran aground at Juniper Beach, South of Pentwater, Michigan. Two crewman (cooks) drowned when the ship broke in half. Seventeen crewman, found huddled in the pilothouse, were rescued by Captain Clyde Cross and his 2 crewman, Gustave Fisher and Joe Fontane of the fishing tug THREE BROTHERS. CONNEAUT of 1916, ran hard aground on Lansing Shoal near Manistique, Michigan, on Lake Michigan. She reportedly had lost her propeller and rudder. Two days later she was pulled off. The SINALOA had taken on a load of sand near Green Island and was heading for Chicago through Death's Door on Wisconsin's Door Peninsula when the November 11th Armistice Day storm of 1940, struck in upper Lake Michigan. During the storm the SINALOA lost her rudder. The anchor was dropped but her anchor cable parted. In this helpless condition she ran aground at Sac Bay on Michigan's Garden Peninsula. Fortunately the stricken vessel was close to shore where the Coast Guard was able to rescue the entire crew. Declared a constructive total loss, her owner collected the insurance and forfeited the vessel to the Roen Salvage Co. ANNA C MINCH: Sank South of Pentwater with a loss of 24 lives. WILLIAM B DAVOCK: of the Interlake fleet, Capt. Charles W. Allen, sank in 215 of water off Pentwater, Michigan. There were no survivors among the crew of 33. The fishing tugs INDIAN and RICHARD H: Lost with all hands off South Haven, Michigan. On 11 November 1872, the schooner WILLIS collided with the bark ELIZABETH JONES on Lake Erie and sank in a few minutes. The crew was saved. On 11 November 1936, J. OSWALD BOYD (steel propeller fuel tanker, 244 foot, 1,806 gross tons, built in 1913, in Scotland) was carrying 900,000 gallons of gasoline when she stranded on Simmons Reef on the north side of Beaver Island. The U.S. Coast Guard from Beaver Island rescued the entire crew of 20. On 11 November 1890, BRUNO (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 136 foot. 475 gross tons, built in 1863, at Montreal) was carrying coal to Cleveland with the schooner LOUISA in tow when she struck Magnetic Reef, south of Cockburn Island in Georgian Bay and sank in rough weather. No lives were lost. On 11 November 1835, the 2-mast wooden schooner COMET was carrying iron and ashes on Lake Erie when she foundered in a gale, one mile northwest of Dunkirk, New York. Just her topmasts protruded from the water. All seven on board lost their lives, including a passenger who was a college student bound for Vermont. In a storm on the night of 11 November 1874, The schooner LA PETITE (3-mast wooden schooner, 119 foot, 172 gross tons, built 1866, J. Ketchum, Huron, Ohio) was on Lake Michigan carrying a cargo of wheat and corn from Chicago when she sprang a bad leak and tried first to reach Ludington, then Manistee. Before reaching safety, she grounded off Big Point au Sable, eight miles from land, in eight feet of water. Previous to striking, the vessel had lost her bowsprit and foremast. After she struck, her main and mizzenmasts went by the board, and the schooner began to break up rapidly. The crew clung to the forecastle deck, and when that washed away, four men were drowned. Captain O. B. Wood had his arms broken by the falling off a square-sail yard. When he fell into the water, the ship's dog jumped in and kept him afloat until they were rescued by the crew of the steam barge CHARLES REITZ. Of the 10 crewmen, six were saved. The LA PETITE was salvaged and repaired and lasted until 1903, when she was lost in another storm. On 11 Nov 1999, the Maltese flag bulk carrier ALCOR was examined by personnel from Transport Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, a salvage company and the vessel's owners in hopes of forming a plan to save the vessel. She ran aground on a sand bar off the eastern tip of d'Orleans Island on the St. Lawrence River two days earlier. This vessel did not visit Great Lakes ports under the name ALCOR, but she did so under her two previous names, firstly as PATRICIA V and then as the Soviet flag MEKHANIK DREN. The Groupe Desgagnes finally refloated the ALCOR on 05 Dec 1999, after part of the cargo of clinker had been removed. The ship was then towed to Quebec City. Later, it was reported that Groupe Desgagnes purchased the ALCOR from its Greek owners. Below is a first hand account of the Storm of 1913, from the journal of John Mc Laughlin transcribed by his great grandson Hugh McNichol. John was working on an unknown vessel during the Storm of 1913. The boat was captained by John McAlpine and Harry Roberts as Chief Engineer. The boat was loading iron ore in Escanaba when the storm started on November 8th. Tuesday, November 11, 1913: I got up at 12 a.m. and went on watch. We were above Presque Isle. It is still blowing hard and quite a sea running. Presque Isle at 1:45 a.m., Thunder Bay Island at 4:30 a.m., Harbor Beach at 1:00 p.m., we are about in the River at 7:05 p.m. It is fine tonight, wind gone down. 1940: The famous Armistice Day storm claims the ANNA C. MINCH, WILLIAM B. DAVOCK and NOVADOC (ii), on Lake Michigan and leaves CITY OF FLINT 32 and SINALOA aground and damaged. 1946: The former Canada Steamship lines bulk canaller LANARK was scuttled off the coast of Ireland with a load of World War Two bombs. 1977: The 380-foot, 8-inch long West German freighter GLORIA made 4 visits to the Great Lakes in 1959-1960. It went aground on the Adriatic at Sestrice Island as d) ARISTOTELES. While the 25-year old hull was refloated, it was declared a total loss and towed to Split, Yugoslavia, for scrapping. 1980: The DINIE S. suffered an engineroom fire at Palermo, Italy and became a total loss. The ship had visited the Seaway as a) CATHERINE SARTORI (1959-1967) and b) CURSA (1967) and was sailing under a seventh name. It was scrapped at Palermo in 1985 1980: CITY OF LICHFIELD stranded near Antalya, Turkey, while leaving the anchorage in heavy weather as c) CITY OF LEEDS. The ship was refloated but never sailed again and was eventually scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, in 1984. The ship had visited the Great Lakes in 1964. 1995: JAMES NORRIS was loading stone at Colborne, ON when the wind changed leaving the hull exposed to the gale. The ship was repeatedly pounded against the dock until it settled on the bottom. Subsequent hull repairs at Port Weller Dry Docks resulted in the port side being all welded while the starboard remained riveted. 1995: The Cuban freighter AREITO had a mechanical problem in the St. Lambert Lock and had to be towed back to Montreal for repairs. This SD-14 class vessel was scrapped at Alang, India, as e) DUNLIN in 2001. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Algoma Central buys tanker; will be named Algonorth 11/10 - St. Catharines, Ont. – Algoma Central Corporation has purchased a 2008 built product tanker which will become the seventh tanker within the Algoma Tankers Limited fleet. The 16,958 dwt, 472-foot-long vessel Ramira will be re-named the Algonorth (IMO 9362152), after the company held a “Name the Tanker Contest,” in which all employees were able to take part. The ship is scheduled to depart Gothenburg, Sweden on November 12, and head for Canada, at which time the vessel is expected to begin operations within the product tanker fleet. She was registered with Transport Canada on Friday. This will be the second Algonorth to serve Algoma. The first, a bulk carrier built in 1971, was scrapped at Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., in 2012-13. “We have been in the product tanker business for over 20 years,” said Gregg Ruhl, Chief Operating Officer at Algoma. “While it is important that we add this quality asset to our fleet to continue to meet our customers’ needs, the true backbone of Algoma Tankers is our experienced and qualified crews who operate these ships skillfully day and night, 365 days a year,” Mr. Ruhl added. |
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Memorials mark 43rd anniversary of Edmund Fitzgerald loss 11/10 - Saturday will mark 43 years since the Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior. For many, the tragedy and the legend live on. The freighter sank in Lake Superior during a storm on Nov. 10, 1975. Memorials will be held at various locations around the Great Lakes. Here are three of the largest.
Annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony This event is always held on November 10, at 7 pm, which is the moment this most famous of Great Lakes shipwrecks was lost. Part of this year’s ceremony will be dedicated to the late Cheryl Rozman, who was instrumental in the recovery of the ship’s bell for the museum in 1995. Cheryl remained very close to the people of the Shipwreck Society until her passing in 2018.
19th Annual Lost Mariners Remembrance The vessels and mariners lost during this storm will be honored in this year’s presentation by Kevin Magee, founder of Cleveland Underwater Explorers (CLUE). A lantern vigil at the Edmund Fitzgerald anchor begins the night, followed by a performance by Lee Murdock, Great Lakes balladeer, and an Honor Guard escort of the memorial wreath to the Detroit River for receipt by the Honor Flotilla of Great Lakes vessels. Tickets are sold out, but the public is welcome to watch the flotilla from the riverbank adjacent to the museum at no charge. The event will be streamed on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/boatnerd
Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Beacon Lighting The lighthouse, fog signal building, and visitor center will be open. Costumed interpreters will greet visitors and provide historic site and shipwreck information. Throughout the afternoon, visitors can view a film about the Edmund Fitzgerald in the visitor center. At 4:30 pm, the lighthouse will close temporarily while the names of the crewmembers are read to the tolling of a ship's bell. Following the ceremony, the beacon will be lit, and the tower will be open again to tour. This is the only opportunity each year when visitors can climb the tower after dark and see the lit beacon. Cost: Included with $6-10 site admission/MNHS members free |
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Port Reports - November 10
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Grand Marais, Minn.
Thunder Bay, Ont.
North Shore
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Nov 9 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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‘Books and Boats’ to feature authors and more in Port Huron on Saturday 11/10 - Port Huron, Mich. – Join several Great Lakes authors, as well as photographers and others from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. today for “Books & Boats” at the Great Lakes Maritime Center in Port Huron. On hand will be Roger LeLievre (“Know Your Ships”), Robert Campbell (“Classic Ships of the Great Lakes”), Roger P. Hulett (“A Lot More To Do: The Remarkable Life of Frank Mays”), Raymond Bawal Jr. (“The Inland Steel Fleet” and others), and Port Huron area author Pegg Thomas. All will be happy to sign copies of their books. A special guest will be Great Lakes illustrator Don Lee, whose personalized Great Lakes caricatures are popular on Facebook and other sites. He will draw your likeness as your favorite boat (no charge but tips appreciated). In addition, Bob May from Lake Freighter Minis will have his paper lake vessel model kits for sale. Among maritime photographers scheduled to attend are Mary Truchan and Frank Switlicki (aluminum prints). The Great Lakes Nautical Society will be on hand with a display of model boats and model boat kits for sale for kids to build. Great Lakes Maritime Center |
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Great Lakes Maritime Academy anchored by past, sails toward future 11/10 - Traverse City, Mich. – Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Maritime Academy stands strong as the “gales of November” hammer slate-gray waves against its docks. Its history reveals both the wonder and the danger of sailing the lakes. It’s the latter that will be remembered when the Academy holds its 43rd annual Mariners Memorial Service at noon Nov. 9 at Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Campus. The Academy became part of what is perhaps the best-known maritime tragedy of modern times when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in 1975. Although the vessel’s sinking is one of several in recent times, folk musician Gordon Lightfoot’s haunting classic, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” has burned its loss into the nation’s collective memory. The fates of two men tie the Academy to the Fitzgerald. One was David Weiss, a 22-year-old Academy cadet sailing on the ship at the time of its sinking. The other is Thomas Bentsen, a 23-year-old former cadet who was also on board. Each year NMC honors those lost on the Fitzgerald, along with other mariners who have perished on the Great Lakes and oceans. Weiss and Bentsen are only two of hundreds of men and women who have passed through the Academy, which opened in 1969. Its establishment in Traverse City is thanks to the dreams of businessman and philanthropist Les Biederman, who moved from Philadelphia to Traverse City in 1939 and established a media empire. Biederman strongly believed in education and was instrumental in the 1951 founding of NMC. He also dreamed of a floating college. That idea eventually led to the establishment of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. John Brian was an early Academy graduate. “I grew up in Frankfort and have always loved and respected the majesty and beauty of the Great Lakes,” said Brian, now a retired Merchant Marine Deck Officer. “This career allowed me to see them change through the seasons, something I loved to photograph. I never ceased to be enthused about being a mariner.” Over its nearly 50-year history the Academy has experienced major changes. The types of degrees offered have increased, the vessels used for training have changed, and the Academy’s land-based facilities have been vastly improved. Initially, cadets earned a three-year Associates Degree. In 1999 NMC expanded the program to a four-year bachelor’s degree in partnership with Ferris State University. Cadets earned their first three years of credit from NMC, their last year through Ferris State. Then in 2013 NMC began offering its own four-year degree. Regardless of the degree they earn, students who graduate from the Academy are practically guaranteed a job — and a long and lucrative career. Brian knew this when he chose to become a mariner after retiring from the U.S. Army Reserve. “Part of what drew me to the Merchant Marine was the great compensation. The pay and benefits are high,” he said. “That said, there is also great sacrifice. I was away from my family and wife for six to seven months at a time. My taking that job was a decision my wife and I made as a couple, for the benefit of our family.” Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.record-eagle.com/news/local_news/great-lakes-maritime-academy-anchored-by-past-sails-toward-future/article_810cd386-67c8-5705-9d58-ede5299f2e62.html |
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Daring rescue saved sailors entombed for days in 'White Hurricane' shipwreck 11/10 - Gull Rock, Lake Superior – When people talk in awed tones about the Great Storm of 1913 that exploded over the Great Lakes like a four-day "meteorological bomb," their words are often laced with death. They tell of the giant waves that rolled huge ships before sucking them underwater, sinking at least a dozen. They describe the snow squalls whipped up by cyclone-force winds that pushed other ships right out of the lakes, leaving them stranded on rocky beaches. They talk of the 250 sailors and crew believed lost in our inland seas while this storm raged. This famous "White Hurricane" would go down in the books as the worst natural disaster in the Great Lakes. But looking back more than a century ago, perhaps what stands apart is a nail-biting drama that played out just off the tip of Michigan's northernmost peninsula. It's the story of a shipwrecked crew who refused to die - and the stubborn determination of men from two U.S. Life-Saving stations in the Upper Peninsula who overcame nearly impossible odds to save them. "When you look at the Waldo rescue, that crew was stuck on that ship for over 90 hours, not knowing whether they were going to be rescued or not," said Mark Rowe, trustee and maritime chairman of the Keweenaw County Historical Society who has done presentations on the wreck. Read more and view a photo gallery at this link: https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/11/daring_rescue_saved_sailors_en.html |
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Safety group: 2018 has been deadly year on Great Lakes 11/10 - Holland, Mich. – A water safety nonprofit group says 2018 has been a deadly year on the Great Lakes, with at least 110 drownings recorded. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, which has tracked drowning deaths since 2010, says this is the first year that it's recorded more than 100 drownings. The Holland Sentinel reports the hot summer may have been a factor in the increase. The deaths include 39 in Lake Michigan and 35 in Lake Erie. The deaths have prompted efforts to increase safety along Great Lakes beaches. Among those who died was 20-year-old Brandon Schmidt, who drowned in Lake Michigan in August off of western Michigan. WOOD-TV reports his mother Brandi Donley notes that warning signs, safety equipment, education and training are needed. Donley says: "It can happen to anyone." The Associated Press |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 10 On this day in 1892, whaleback barge 102 loaded 2,073 tons of iron ore at Superior consigned to Cleveland. This was the first shipment of Mesabi Range iron ore carried by Oglebay Norton.On 10 November 1901, the ROBERT A. PACKER (wooden freighter, 209 foot, 921 tons, built in 1882, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was found by the wrecking tug RUMBLE eleven miles north of off De Tour, Michigan, ablaze and abandoned by her crew. Captain Isaac Zess of the RUMBLE fought the flames for four hours and then was helped by the THOMAS W. PALMER. The fire was speedily extinguished with both vessels pouring water on the flames and the PACKER was tied up at the dock in DeTour, Michigan. On 10 November 1887, A. BOODY (wooden schooner, 137 foot, 287 gross tons, built in 1863, at Toledo, Ohio) struck the Port Austin reef on Lake Huron and was declared a total loss. However, after ten days of hard work, the BOODY was finally pulled off the reef. The EDMUND FITZGERALD foundered on Lake Superior during a severe storm November 10, 1975, at approximately 7:10 p.m. about 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point, Michigan, at position 47 0'N by 85 7'W in Canadian waters. IMPERIAL ST CLAIR (Hull#57) was launched November 10, 1973 , by Port Weller Drydocks at St. Catharines, Ontario. Renamed b.) ALGOSAR in 1998, sold off the lakes, renamed c.) GENESIS EXPLORER in 2005. The STEELTON sailed on her maiden voyage for Bethlehem Steel Corp. on November 10, 1943. The ROBERT C. STANLEY, in her first season of operation, on November 10, 1943 during a Lake Superior storm, developed a significant crack across her spar deck and 12 to 14 feet down both sides of her hull. As the hull worked in the heavy seas, the crack widened to as much as three to four inches. The crew ran cables between the fore and aft winches that maintained a force sufficient to hold the hull together. November 10, 1972, in the vicinity of the entrance to the East Outer Channel near Amherstburg, Ontario, the UNITED STATES GYPSUM collided with her towing tug MAINE and as a result her bow was punctured. The GYPSUM was beached to prevent sinking. Pittsburgh Steamship's WILLIAM A. IRVIN (Hull#811) was launched November 10, 1937, at Lorain, Ohio. The IRVIN serves as a museum ship in Duluth, Minnesota since 1986. November 10, 1892, the carferry ANN ARBOR NO 1 left the shipyard in Toledo, Ohio, bound for Frankfort on her maiden voyage. In 1895, the first major accident caused by cars coming free on the car deck of a rail ferry happened when the ANN ARBOR NO 1, was on an eastbound voyage. Approaching Frankfort in a northwest gale, she rolled so violently that many of the car fastenings broke and the cargo began to move about on the car deck. None of the early rear-loading car ferries were equipped with a sea gate to protect the stern from the seas, and seven cars of flour and butter went off the deck of the NO 1 into the lake. Captain Charles Moody resigned from the Ann Arbor as a result of this incident and returned to the Pere Marquette and Goodrich lines. ATLANTIC (formerly MANITOULIN, wooden propeller passenger/package freight, 147 foot, 683 gross tons, built in 1880, at Owen Sound, Ontario) was bound for Byng Inlet with lumber camp supplies when she was caught in a storm and grounded in the lee of Pancake Island in Georgian Bay. Her cargo and aft cabin were thrown overboard to lighten her, but she caught fire and was destroyed. Her passengers and crew took to her boats and survived. On 10 November 1856, ST JOSEPH (wooden propeller steam barge, 170 foot, 460 tons, built in 1846, at Buffalo, New York) stranded and was wrecked near Fairport, Ohio. No lives were lost. November 10, 1911 - The ANN ARBOR NO 4 was back in service after damaging several plates in October. The tanker MARIA DESGAGNES struck bottom in the St. Lawrence Seaway on 10 November 1999. After temporary repairs were made, the vessel was cleared to proceed to Hamilton, Ontario, to discharge its cargo of jet fuel. A survey of the seaway was completed with no indications as to what caused the vessel to ground. On 10 November 1887, BLAZING STAR (wooden schooner, 137 foot, 265 tons, built in 1873, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was sailing on Lake Michigan in fine weather with a load of lumber. However, she grounded on Fisherman Shoal near Washington Island, Wisconsin even though the wreck of the steamer I N FOSTER was in full view on that reef. The captain was unable to locate a tug to pull the BLAZING STAR off and later she broke up in heavy weather. No lives were lost. Below is a first hand account of the Storm of 1913, from the journal of John Mc Laughlin transcribed by his great grandson Hugh Mc Nichol. John was working on an unknown vessel during the Storm of 1913. The boat was captained by John Mc Alpine and Harry Roberts as Chief Engineer. The boat was loading iron ore in Escanaba when the storm started on November 8th. Monday, November 10, 1913: I got up at 12 a.m. and went on watch. We were laying at anchor. It was blowing a living gale and kept it up. They hove up the anchor near 10 o'clock but monkeyed around until after dinner. We got under way. We passed the Light Ship about 3, and White Shoal at 5:15. More entries from the Storm of 1913 tomorrow. 1900: The iron package freighter ARABIAN went aground 8 miles west of Whitefish Point, Lake Superior due to heavy weather. The ship was salvaged with only minor damage. It was later part of the Canada Steamship Lines fleet and was broken up about 1939. 1903: The passenger and freight steamer ATLANTIC was destroyed by a fire on Georgian Bay enroute to Parry Sound. The blaze apparently started in the cargo of hay that had become soaked with coal oil while riding out a late fall storm off Spruce Island west of its destination. 1922: Fleetmates GLENMAVIS and GLENCLOVA were in a collision at Montreal. Both were repaired and remained as part of the Great Lakes fleet for years as ACADIAN and GEORGE HINDMAN (ii) respectively. 1936: SIR WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN was upbound in Lake Huron and ran into a fall storm that damaged 62 automobiles as part of the deckload of new Packard & Chrysler cars. 1968: MANTADOC and FRANCOIS L.D. collided in heavy fog on the Seaway and sustained considerable bow damage. Both were repaired and the former still sails as d) MANITOBA while the latter was scrapped at Alang, India, as b) CINTA in 1987. 1989: ELPIS, Freedom Class deep sea freighter, first came through the Seaway in 1978. It raised considerable ire after stranding on a coral reef off Key Largo, FL while carrying sugar to Mexico. When it was refloated on November 12, the ship was seized by U.S. Marshals until assessment of the damage to the delicate coral reef could be made. The ship was later released and survived further trading until being scrapped at Alang, India, as c) CITY OF HOUSTON, in 2001. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley and Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Lake Superior water level high 11/9 - Plenty of rain in the region that has followed a summer drought has caused the water in Lake Superior to creep toward record high levels. However, the lake’s levels right now are actually about four centimetres lower than a year ago. Tammy Cook, the chief administrative officer with the Lakehead Regional Conservation Authority, says they monitor monthly reports on the levels of Lake Superior provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada. “The beginning of November level, compared to the beginning of month average for the period between 1918 and 2017, shows Lake Superior is 29 centimetres above the average that we typically see at the beginning of November,” she said. “However, compared to one year ago, it’s four centimetres below.” According to statistics, Lake Superior broke all-time low records in 2007 and all-time high records in 1986. The Chronicle-Journal |
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Port Reports - November 9
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors - Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
S. Lake Michigan ports
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Nov 8 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal: Downbound - Nov 8 - Torrent (Cyp) at 0752, Baie Comeau at 0535, NACC Alicudi (Mlt) (ex Sider Alicudi-18) at 0838, Cedarglen at 1951 and Algoma Guardian eta 2031
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto: |
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US spends $736K on River Rouge dredging project set to start in April 2019 11/9 - Detroit, Mich. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it has awarded a contract for $736,000 to dredge River Rouge in Detroit with the goal of removing 66,500 cubic yards of shoal material. Cheboygan-based Ryba Marine Construction Company will remove the shoal material and place it at the Pointe Mouilee Confined Disposal Factory at the mouth of the Huron River, according to a news release. Shoal is defined as a sandbank that makes the water shallow, and its removal is meant to aid the River Rouge staying accessible for the movement of cargo. "Dredging is the removal of sediments and debris from the bottom of lakes, rivers, harbors, and other water bodies," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports on its website. "It is a routine necessity in waterways around the world because sedimentation -- the natural process of sand and silt washing downstream -- gradually fills channels and harbors. Dredging often is focused on maintaining or increasing the depth of navigation channels, anchorages, or berthing areas to ensure the safe passage of boats and ships." This project is separate from the Lower Rouge River Old Channel clean-up, and is scheduled to start in April 2019 and end in June of that year. The dredging project will take place from Dix Road to I-75, according to the Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District. Only the lower two and a half miles of the river is used as a shipping channel "from the turning basin to the river's mouth at the south end and joins the Detroit River at the westerly limit of the City of Detroit." "This contract to dredge the federal channel in the River Rouge is important to keeping this navigation project open for movement of cargo critical to local and national industry," Dave Wright, chief of operations in the Detroit District, said in the release. Cargo identified by the Army Corps of Engineers as coming into the River Rouge as coal, iron ore, petroleum, slag, cement, limestone, lignite, fuel oil, salt, sand and gravel. In the Detroit District, the corps is responsible for maintaining 91 harbors, and four connecting channels which includes those connecting to Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie. Read more and view a photo gallery at this link: https://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/11/river_rouge_dredging.html |
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Port Washington group hopes to sink ship in Lake Michigan 11/9 - Port Washington, Wis. – A group in Port Washington wants to sink a ship just off the coast of Lake Michigan. The non-profit says it'll cost millions of dollars but bring much more to the area. Tish Hase is the co-owner of Port Deco divers and she's also the president of the Shipwreck Education and Preservation Alliance or SEAPA, the group hoping to sink a ship off Lake Michigan. "The plane's about 2 miles out, about 3,400 feet from the plane we'll be placing the big vessel in from the plane, about 70-80 feet of water we'll be placing some other vessels," says Hase. It's a multi-phase, $9.9 million project, and the ship will help create a community of artificial reefs. It starts with sinking a large vessel, between 200 and 900 feet. SEAPA has brought on Artificial Reefs international, they've sunk skips all along the east coast, often done with carefully executed explosions. Hase is working with the Army Corps of Engineers and the DNR to get the right permits. "With the deteriorating fish we have in Lake Michigan, we don't see fish as we dive anymore," said Hase. Hase says the sunken ship will create a habitat for fish, be an underwater classroom for universities to study invasive species and algae, create tourism, and make a big difference in conservation. "We need it to preserve our great lakes, the great lakes is 20% of our drinking water for the world. If we don't preserve it and start protecting it and the native fish that are in it, we're not going to have it in 20, 30 years or 40," said Hase. CBS68 |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 9 The NIMROD (3-mast wooden schooner, 184 foot, 559 tons, built in 1873, at Toledo, Ohio) was carrying 37,000 bushels of corn from Chicago to Buffalo. On 08 November 1874, she encountered thick fog on Lake Erie and the large double decked schooner MICHIGAN collided with her. The MICHIGAN continued on her course while the NIMROD filled with water and sank in 70 feet of water off Port Burwell-Port Stanley, Ontario. The crew escaped in the yawl and were picked up by the schooner GRANTHAM. The wreck was discovered in 1978, when Capt. Robert Hamilton, a commercial fisherman, snagged his nets on it.COLUMBIA STAR (steel propeller bulk freighter, 1000 foot, 35,923 gross tons) was launched November 8, 1980, at Bay Shipbuilding Co., Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (Hull#726) . She was part of the Oglebay Norton fleet. Renamed b.) AMERICAN CENTURY in 2006. BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS and IRVING S. OLDS arrived on November 8, 1988, at Kaohsiung, Taiwan for scrapping by Sing Cheng Yung Iron & Steel Co. Ltd. The Great Lakes Engineering Works built steamer STADACONA of 1909, renamed b.) W. H. McGEAN in 1920, was renamed c.) ROBERT S. McNAMARA by its new owner Ford Motor Company's Marine Division on November 8, 1962. The McNAMARA was rescued from potential scrapping when Ford purchased her for $80,000 and spent $15,000 for renovation at AmShip's Toledo yard. J. P. MORGAN JR. arrived in Spain on November 8, 1980, for scrapping. PETER A. B. WIDENER passed down the Welland Canal November 8, 1986, towed by the tugs TUSKER and GLENADA en route to Lauzon, Quebec. From there she was towed overseas for scrapping. When built, the PETER A. B. WIDENER and fleet mates J. PIERPONT MORGAN, NORMAN B. REAM and HENRY H. ROGERS were the first 600-footers built for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. as "The Class of 1906." On 08 Nov 1986, B. F. AFFLECK (steel propeller freighter, 588 foot, 7,964 gross tons, built in 1927, at Toledo, Ohio), under tow of the tug THUNDER CAPE, went adrift on Lake Superior in a storm after the tug lost power. The tug AVENGER IV was dispatched to pick up the AFFLECK, which was headed for scrap, and the tanker EASTERN SHELL towed the THUNDER CAPE to Thunder Bay for repairs. BEN HUR, a wooden schooner-barge wrecker, 314 tons, built in 1874, at Dunville, Ontario, had been purchased for the job of salvaging the schooner M. E. TREMBLE. On 8 November 1890, she was at the job near Port Huron in the St. Clair River when she was rammed and sunk by the schooner-barge SUPERIOR which was being towed by the steamer PASSAIC. BEN HUR settled on top of the schooner she was attempting to salvage and a lighter-scow she was using also went down with her. On 8 November 1877, the bark GREAT WEST was carrying 262,000 feet of lumber from Caseville to Chicago. Much of it was piled topside. In a big storm on Lake Michigan, she lost her deck load. She then became waterlogged and finally went ashore near Hyde Park, Illinois on 10 November. The crew were all saved. On 8 November 1877, KATE L. BRUCE (3-mast wooden schooner, 307 tons, built in 1872, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was carrying wheat in tow of the tug JOHNSON when she was let go in heavy weather. She disappeared with all eight of her crew off Alpena, Michigan. A bureau containing her papers washed ashore in August 1878. The sunken wreck was discovered in 6 fathoms of water in Thunder Bay during the Autumn of 1879. The forebody of the former CANADIAN EXPLORER arrived in Prescott on 05 Nov 2000, under tow of the Trois Rivieres tug DUGA. It remained there for three days. The previous March, it was reported that the hull was undergoing conversion to a 498-foot grain storage barge for Les Elevateurs des Trois Rivieres, Quebec. (The engine room portion of the former CANADIAN EXPLORER was mated to the forward section of the HAMILTON TRANSFER in 1998, and is now the CANADIAN TRANSFER.) 1981: EMERALD, the former LACHINEDOC, sank in the Persian Gulf during heavy weather while carrying steel mesh and aggregates. Nine members of the crew were missing while another three were rescued. 2007: SPIRIT OF NANTUCKET, the former NANTUCKET CLIPPER, struck an uncharted object in the Intercoastal Waterway and had to be beached. The ship was repaired at Norfolk, VA and resumed its journey to the Pacific for a new career as an Alaska cruise ship after earlier Great Lakes, St. Lawrence and East Coast service. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Jody Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Mariners’ Church to host Great Lakes Memorial services this weekend 11/8 - Detroit, Mich. – November 10 marks the 43rd anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which resulted in the loss of 29 lives. Detroit’s Mariners’ Church will hold two events this weekend to honor those who have lost their lives on the Great Lakes. On Saturday, the actual anniversary, maritime historian Frederick Stonehouse will discuss the tragedy at 11 a.m. Stonehouse has authored more than 30 books on Great Lakes maritime history including the best-seller The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. On November 11, sailors, members of the Armed Services, Sea Cadets, first responders, recreational boaters, and the Mariners’ congregation and guests will take part in the ceremonial ringing of the bell to commemorate the loss of lives on the Edmund Fitzgerald. This year’s ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. and is open to the public. The Mariners’ Church dates back to 1842 and serves as a “House of Prayer for All People.” It’s the oldest structure along the Detroit River. The church was moved in 1955 to its current location to make way for the Civic Center redevelopment. Curbed Detroit |
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Ship carrying beer vats ends Port of Ogdensburg season 11/8 - Ogdensburg. N.Y. – This weekend marked the arrival of the Port of Ogdensburg’s final ship of the season, a vessel carrying large vats for beer making headed for points in central New York. The Federal Danube, flying under a Marshall Islands flag, was scheduled to bring a cargo of large industrial vats headed for beer makers in the Utica area, according to officials with the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority. The boat was scheduled to dock early this week and begin unloading cargo.
The exact arrival and unloading of ships along the St. Lawrence Seaway System can vary depending on weather conditions and other factors, according to officials. The St. Lawrence Seaway shipping season has been robust this year, with tonnage of several commodities like wheat and other agricultural products remaining ahead of last year’s pace. This summer the Port of Ogdensburg was also lauded for playing a noteworthy part in this year’s shipping season along the international waterway with Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority officials announcing in July that the port set new records for the amount of cargo handled, with longshoremen credited with unloading eight ships within a 35-day period. Most of the ships were carrying wind turbine parts. Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority Executive Director Wade A. Davis said capping off the port’s season with the arrival of a ship carrying components for New York state’s growing brewery field illustrates the importance of the harbor’s role in helping grow business across the state and region. “The Port of Ogdensburg is a vital component to the Northern New York economy as demonstrated by project cargo, agricultural feeds, road salt and the individuals and firms benefiting from the port activity,” Mr. Davis said on Thursday. “Records were set this year, which clearly demonstrates the need for long-term port expansion to secure future economic activity for the region.” Officials at the OBPA are currently working to deepen the St. Lawrence River itself at the Ogdensburg harbor and to expand the docking terminal to accommodate more than one ship at a time. The port also recently completed a multi-million-dollar expansion that enhances its capacity to store agricultural commodities such as grain on site. In October, Seaway officials said total cargo shipments via the St. Lawrence Seaway between March and September had reached 25.7 million metric tons, up 4.1 percent over the same period in 2017. U.S. grain exports on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway helped lead the way, according to the report. A new shipping report is expected in the coming weeks, looking at shipments along the corridor heading into the final weeks of the shipping season. Watertown Daily Times |
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Port Reports - November 8
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Nov 7 - Barry Andersen winds reported gusting 30 to 40 knots have kept vessels at anchor - dropping down late this evening
Long Point Bay anchorage
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto: |
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Richardson Terminals mark 100 years on Thunder Bay's waterfront 11/8 - Thunder Bay, Ont. – Over the last century, there has been a constant presence on the Thunder Bay waterfront as an employer, landmark, and more recently, a driver of change in local agriculture. The towering grain elevators of Richardson Terminals have the rare distinction of being under the same ownership for 100 years. “We are still in the same location and the same company, while others have closed, amalgamated, or changed hands,” said Gerry Heinrichs, plant manager for the terminal. The Thunder Bay Richardson Terminals, also known locally as JRI, consists of two elevators side-by-side: one on Marina Park Drive and the other on Shipyard Road, located in the north end of the city. It is one of four terminals located in Canada. The others are in Hamilton; Sorel-Tracy, northeast of Montreal on the St. Lawrence River; and Vancouver. The Thunder Bay Terminals are the furthest inland of the company's port elevators, connecting Western Canada to the Atlantic Ocean, and are regarded as major hubs for shipping to the United States, Mexico and South America. This summer, it celebrated the centennial with a big family-friendly party for employees past and present, including the commemoration of an inukshuk, quarried from local amethyst-studded granite, in a small park next to its Marina Park Drive Terminal. Heinrichs said the elevators themselves have a lot of history, with decades of infrastructure and upgrades layered on each other, as well as several generations of workers that have come and gone. History is everywhere on the grounds. From the giant concrete James Richardson and Sons motif on the main walkway on the Marina Park Drive elevator, to the decades-old gangways and doors alongside state-of-the-art cleaning machines and loading systems. Their day-to-day operations have stayed largely the same for those 100 years. Grain products are transported, cleaned, graded, inspected for hazards like mould and gravel, stored in elevators and loaded onto ships bound for domestic and international markets. Over the decades the port has faced numerous challenges, including radical changes in transport and a decline in business in the port as a whole. Read more and view a photo gallery at this link: https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/regional-news/thunder-bay/port-elevators-contribute-to-northwestern-ontarios-agricultural-renaissance-1111595 |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 8 On 07 November 1871, M COURTRIGHT (wooden schooner, 276 tons, built in 1856, at Erie, Pennsylvania) was carrying lumber in a storm on Lake Michigan. She struck bottom after her anchor dragged. She then became waterlogged. The crew abandoned in the yawl. The vessel went ashore several miles south of Kenosha, Wisconsin. The revenue cutter ANDREW JOHNSON tried in vain to pull her free but couldn't. The COURTRIGHT broke up a few days later.On 7 November 1852, ST LOUIS (wooden side-wheeler, 190 foot, 618 tons, built in 1844, at Perrysburg, Ohio) was carrying railroad cars when she capsized and sank in a gale off Kelley's Island on Lake Erie. She was owned by Beer & Samuel Ward. On 07 Nov 1906, the Grand Trunk carferry GRAND HAVEN (steel carferry, 306 foot, 2,320 gross tons built in 1903, at Toledo, Ohio) was put up for sale at a receiver's auction when the Grand Trunk Car Ferry Line defaulted on its bonds. It was purchased by a new Grand Trunk subsidiary, the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company. This vessel had a long career both on the Lakes and in the Caribbean. She was finally scrapped at Hamilton, Ontario in 1970. The T-2 converted laker HILDA MARJANNE's 1961, German-built hull forward of the engine room, minus her pilot house, was towed by the tugs G W ROGERS and BAGOTVILLE to Port Weller Dry Docks arriving there on November 7, 1983. This section was to become part of the CANADIAN RANGER. On November 7, 1989, the SAMUEL MATHER, a.) HENRY FORD II, was moved to Toledo's C & O Frog Pond on her way to the cutter's torch. ARTHUR B HOMER (Hull#303) was launched November 7, 1959, for the Bethlehem Steel Corp., Cleveland, Ohio. She was the last ship built by Great Lakes Engineering at River Rouge, Michigan. In 1902, BRANSFORD rammed and sank the tug RECORD with a loss of a tug crewman in the Portage Lake Ship Canal in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. Renamed b.) JOHN H MC GEAN in 1916, and c.) CLIFFORD F. HOOD in 1943, the HOOD was scrapped in Bilbao, Spain in 1974. On November 7, 1913, the storm responsible for sinking or damaging more vessels than any other began a six-day assault on the Great Lakes. The "Big Blow" of 1913, struck Lake Superior on November 7 and reached Lake Michigan by November 8, where the Pittsburgh Steamship Company vessel CLARENCE A. BLACK was severely damaged by the waves at the dock in Gary, Indiana. On 7 November 1893, ALBANY (steel propeller package freighter, 267 foot, 1,918 gross tons, built in 1884, at Wyandotte, Michigan) collided with the iron freighter PHILADELPHIA in a thick fog. PHILADELPHIA took ALBANY in tow to try to save her, but she sank a few miles off Pointe aux Barques, Michigan. Her crew transferred to PHILADELPHIA, but they soon had to abandon her too since she also sank. Eight lives were lost, presumably when one of the lifeboats was run down by the still running, but abandoned, PHILADELPHIA. On 7 November 1865, LILY DANCEY (2-mast wooden schooner, 92 foot, 132 gross tons built in 1856, at Goderich, Ontario) was carrying grain in a gale on Lake Huron when she was driven ashore near Port Elgin or Kincardine, Ontario. Her cargo was later recovered, but the schooner broke up by 27 November of that year. CITY OF FLINT 32 ran aground at Manitowoc, Wisconsin in 1947. 1885: ALGOMA hit Greenstone Rock off Isle Royale, Lake Superior and became a total loss. There were 46 casualties and only 16 on board were saved. 1887: OSCEOLA ran aground on Flat Rock Reef, Saginaw Bay, and all on board were rescued. The ship was abandoned as a total loss in December but refloated in the spring of 1888 and rebuilt. 1910: WASAGA caught fire and burned off Copper Harbor while seeking shelter in a storm, but all on board survived. 1921: ARAGON stranded off Salmon Point, Lake Ontario. It was released the following year but declared a total loss. The hull was sold and rebuilt and last sailed as BAYANNA in 1962. 1921: The wooden schooner barge MARY E. McLAUCHLAN sank in a storm on Nipigon Bay, Lake Superior. 1947: WILLIAM C. WARREN ran aground near Presque Isle Point, Lake Huron, while downbound with grain and had to be abandoned to the underwriters. It was not released until the following year. 1969: The Norwegian tanker CATE BROVIG hit the wall while upbound at the Eisenhower Lock and had a hole punched in the hull. The vessel was headed for Duluth. The ship first came inland in 1959 and was scrapped at Split, Yugoslavia as c) STAVROS T. in 1976. 1974: IRIS had come to the Great Lakes in 1969 and 1971. It sank as d) EUROPEAN PERSISTENCE while 510 miles southeast of Bermuda after developing leaks while enroute from Tampa to Venice. All on board were rescued. 1991: The former Swedish freighter FALKON, a first time Seaway trader in 1984, sank as c) APPOLONIA FAITH off the southwest coast of Sardinia while traveling from Valencia, Spain, to Piraeus, Greece. Two lives were lost. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Traffic stopped on Lake St. Clair 11/7 - The tug Olive L. Moore and barge Menominee were underway about 8 p.m. Wednesday night on their downbound trip to unload in the Rouge. No damage was reported and it appears the vessel did not leave the channel. Original Report: Wednesday afternoon the tug Olive L. Moore and barge Menominee lost steering while transiting downbound on Lake St. Clair. The tug and barge are stopped in the channel below the St. Clair Cutoff Channel near Light 30. Traffic in the area is unable to pass and starting to back up. At 6 p.m. the downbound Kaye E. Barker, Algoma Enterprise, Limnos and Cedarglen were stopped or running at greatly reduced speed waiting for the tug and barge to clear. Off Detroit the Edgar B. Speer was stopped in the Belle Isle Anchorage |
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Lakes limestone trade down 7.5 percent in October 11/7 - Cleveland, Ohio – Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.4 million tons in October, a decrease of 7.5 percent compared to a year ago. Limestone cargos also trailed the month’s 5-year average by 4.6 percent. Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.8 million tons, a decrease of 6 percent. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 568,000 tons, a decrease of 14.6 percent. Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at 24.2 million tons, an increase of 1.9 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 19.8 million tons, an increase of 1.7 percent. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 4.4 million tons, an increase 2.6 percent. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Lake Superior levels higher in October 11/7 - The International Lake Superior Board of Control reports that wet weather in October has resulted in a significant rise in Lake Superior water levels. The lake rose three inches last month compared to an average decrease of two inches in October. The above average levels combined with strong winds and waves continue to result in shoreline erosion and coastal damage. Lake Superior is now 11 inches above average for the beginning of November but is two inches below what it was last year at this time. The lake is expected to begin a seasonal decline in water levels this month. KDAL Duluth |
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Che-Cheemaun returns to Owen Sound after drydocking 11/7 - The ferry Che-Cheemaun returned to her winter berth at the west side of the interior harbor wall in Owen Sound on the weekend. She was at Sturgeon Bay. Wis., the previous week having her propeller repaired and balanced. On Monday she was turned around to face the city proper for the Festival of Northern Lights, were she serves as a major attraction. Paul Martin |
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Port Reports - November 7
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Sarnia, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Nov 6 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto: |
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Canadian Coast guard looks to squeeze more years from oldest ship 11/7 - The Canadian Coast Guard plans to squeeze another five years of service, and maybe more, out of the oldest vessel in its fleet. The 55-year-old science vessel Hudson is one more example of the uncertainty surrounding Canada's shipbuilding program. CCGS Hudson was supposed to be replaced as early as 2014 as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. But the project to build the replacement at Vancouver's Seaspan shipyard still has no budget, confirmed construction start date or timeline for completion. In the meantime, the Hudson is now expected to be in service until 2023 and possibly longer. "At least, yes," said Mario Pelletier, the coast guard's deputy commissioner. "As we get closer to those dates we will look and … see if we need the ship around for a bit longer. We'll look at the work that needs to be done." The goal, he said, is to keep the Hudson in operation until a new offshore oceanographic science vessel is delivered. Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/coast-guard-vessel-hudson-refit-replacement-shipbuilding-strategy-1.4887361 |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 7 On 07 November 1871, M COURTRIGHT (wooden schooner, 276 tons, built in 1856, at Erie, Pennsylvania) was carrying lumber in a storm on Lake Michigan. She struck bottom after her anchor dragged. She then became waterlogged. The crew abandoned in the yawl. The vessel went ashore several miles south of Kenosha, Wisconsin. The revenue cutter ANDREW JOHNSON tried in vain to pull her free but couldn't. The COURTRIGHT broke up a few days later.On 7 November 1852, ST LOUIS (wooden side-wheeler, 190 foot, 618 tons, built in 1844, at Perrysburg, Ohio) was carrying railroad cars when she capsized and sank in a gale off Kelley's Island on Lake Erie. She was owned by Beer & Samuel Ward. On 07 Nov 1906, the Grand Trunk carferry GRAND HAVEN (steel carferry, 306 foot, 2,320 gross tons built in 1903, at Toledo, Ohio) was put up for sale at a receiver's auction when the Grand Trunk Car Ferry Line defaulted on its bonds. It was purchased by a new Grand Trunk subsidiary, the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company. This vessel had a long career both on the Lakes and in the Caribbean. She was finally scrapped at Hamilton, Ontario in 1970. The T-2 converted laker HILDA MARJANNE's 1961, German-built hull forward of the engine room, minus her pilot house, was towed by the tugs G W ROGERS and BAGOTVILLE to Port Weller Dry Docks arriving there on November 7, 1983. This section was to become part of the CANADIAN RANGER. On November 7, 1989, the SAMUEL MATHER, a.) HENRY FORD II, was moved to Toledo's C & O Frog Pond on her way to the cutter's torch. ARTHUR B HOMER (Hull#303) was launched November 7, 1959, for the Bethlehem Steel Corp., Cleveland, Ohio. She was the last ship built by Great Lakes Engineering at River Rouge, Michigan. In 1902, BRANSFORD rammed and sank the tug RECORD with a loss of a tug crewman in the Portage Lake Ship Canal in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. Renamed b.) JOHN H MC GEAN in 1916, and c.) CLIFFORD F. HOOD in 1943, the HOOD was scrapped in Bilbao, Spain in 1974. On November 7, 1913, the storm responsible for sinking or damaging more vessels than any other began a six-day assault on the Great Lakes. The "Big Blow" of 1913, struck Lake Superior on November 7 and reached Lake Michigan by November 8, where the Pittsburgh Steamship Company vessel CLARENCE A. BLACK was severely damaged by the waves at the dock in Gary, Indiana. On 7 November 1893, ALBANY (steel propeller package freighter, 267 foot, 1,918 gross tons, built in 1884, at Wyandotte, Michigan) collided with the iron freighter PHILADELPHIA in a thick fog. PHILADELPHIA took ALBANY in tow to try to save her, but she sank a few miles off Pointe aux Barques, Michigan. Her crew transferred to PHILADELPHIA, but they soon had to abandon her too since she also sank. Eight lives were lost, presumably when one of the lifeboats was run down by the still running, but abandoned, PHILADELPHIA. On 7 November 1865, LILY DANCEY (2-mast wooden schooner, 92 foot, 132 gross tons built in 1856, at Goderich, Ontario) was carrying grain in a gale on Lake Huron when she was driven ashore near Port Elgin or Kincardine, Ontario. Her cargo was later recovered, but the schooner broke up by 27 November of that year. CITY OF FLINT 32 ran aground at Manitowoc, Wisconsin in 1947. 1885: ALGOMA hit Greenstone Rock off Isle Royale, Lake Superior and became a total loss. There were 46 casualties and only 16 on board were saved. 1887: OSCEOLA ran aground on Flat Rock Reef, Saginaw Bay, and all on board were rescued. The ship was abandoned as a total loss in December but refloated in the spring of 1888 and rebuilt. 1910: WASAGA caught fire and burned off Copper Harbor while seeking shelter in a storm, but all on board survived. 1921: ARAGON stranded off Salmon Point, Lake Ontario. It was released the following year but declared a total loss. The hull was sold and rebuilt and last sailed as BAYANNA in 1962. 1921: The wooden schooner barge MARY E. McLAUCHLAN sank in a storm on Nipigon Bay, Lake Superior. 1947: WILLIAM C. WARREN ran aground near Presque Isle Point, Lake Huron, while downbound with grain and had to be abandoned to the underwriters. It was not released until the following year. 1969: The Norwegian tanker CATE BROVIG hit the wall while upbound at the Eisenhower Lock and had a hole punched in the hull. The vessel was headed for Duluth. The ship first came inland in 1959 and was scrapped at Split, Yugoslavia as c) STAVROS T. in 1976. 1974: IRIS had come to the Great Lakes in 1969 and 1971. It sank as d) EUROPEAN PERSISTENCE while 510 miles southeast of Bermuda after developing leaks while enroute from Tampa to Venice. All on board were rescued. 1991: The former Swedish freighter FALKON, a first time Seaway trader in 1984, sank as c) APPOLONIA FAITH off the southwest coast of Sardinia while traveling from Valencia, Spain, to Piraeus, Greece. Two lives were lost. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Great Lakes iron ore trade up nearly 6 percent in October 11/6 - Cleveland, Ohio – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.8 million tons in October, an increase of 5.7 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments also outpaced the month’s 5-year average by nearly 9 percent. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 44.7 million tons, a decrease of 1.8 percent compared to the same point in 2017. The shortfall has been decreasing over the course of the shipping season. At the end of April, iron ore shipments were down nearly 14 percent. Through October iron ore loadings are 7.2 percent ahead of their 5-year average for the January-October timeframe. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Fednav's new Federal Delta enters Seaway for the Great Lakes 11/6 - Federal Delta (IMO 9805271), built in 2018 at Oshima Shipbuilding Ltd. in Oshima, Japan, arrived in Montreal, Quebec, on November 4 and departed early in the morning on November 5 enroute to Port Colborne, Ontario. This is the ship's first visit to the Great Lakes/Seaway system. She is one of four new Handy-size bulkers built for Fednav in 2018 in Japan at Oshima, with the others being Federal Nagara (IMO 9805257), Federal Dart (IMO 9805242) and Federal Dee (IMO 9805269), all of which have now made voyages into the Great Lakes/Seaway system. Federal Delta and her sisterships are all registered in the Marshall Islands with each having a length of 199.98 meters and a beam of 23.76 meters. Each has four deck cranes, whereas some of their earlier fleetmates from Oshima have three deck cranes. Denny Dushane |
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Port Reports - November 6
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors - Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Nov 5 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Ogdensburg: |
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National Museum offers ‘Tug Ohio – Before and After Experience’ 11/6 - The National Museum of the Great Lakes will make available a limited number of tours of their newest acquisition – the tug Ohio. “We have had such significant public demand from people to see the tug right away we came up with a program to make that possible –The Tug Ohio Before and After Experience,” said Christopher Gillcrist, executive director. Gillcrist described the program as a chance for the general public and members of the museum to see the tug prior to its restoration this winter and spring, and then return in the late spring to see how she has changed in presentation. During the initial viewing this fall, participants will be led through the tug by docents who will discuss the history of Great Lakes Towing, the history of the tugboat, issues related to towing in general and plans for the Ohio’s restoration. Later in the spring of 2019, these same participants will be invited back to see the tug prior to her public grand opening once the restoration is complete and to watch her rechristened as the Museum Ship Tug Ohio. “Yes, we will break a champagne bottle over her gunnel,” he said. The “Before” tours will be held Friday through Sunday November 30, December 1 and December 2. Members of the museum will be admitted free of charge to the special tours but must register at Tugohio.eventbrite.com or contact museum staff to reserve their space. The general public is invited to participate but there is $15 per person charge which includes admission to the museum on that day. The general public can register and pay at Tugohio.eventbrite.com as well. Because the tug is not yet restored, children under 12 will not be admitted as this is a hard hat tour. There are a limited number of tickets offered per day and tickets will be for specific time periods on each day. For more information contact the staff at the National Museum of the Great at 419-214-5000 extension 0. |
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Obituary: Henry Barkhausen: avid sailor, maritime historian 11/6 - Henry Noyes Barkhausen, an authority on Great Lakes maritime history, died peacefully on October 6 at age 103 at his Lake Forest, Ill., home. His deep interest in the history of sailing vessels on the Great Lakes led him, with assistance from Elizabeth Cutler of Milwaukee (a daughter of Edmund Fitzgerald after whom the ill-fated freighter was named), to form the Association of Great Lakes Maritime Museums in 1984, which is now the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History. In addition, he was a key supporter of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, Wis., with a particular focus on their collections. He purchased a substantial volume of historical materials from a retired Great Lakes sailing captain from Manitowoc in the 1930s and later donated it and many other items to the museum, the foremost institution of its kind among the many maritime museums on the Great Lakes. Barkhausen was also a dedicated conservationist, serving in the early 1970s as the Director of the Illinois Department of Conservation, and 45 years thereafter as a trustee, chairman, and life trustee of the Illinois Nature Conservancy. His most noted achievement was his pivotal role in preserving and helping to restore the Cache River Wetlands in southern-most Illinois, a wetland region of international significance on which federal and state and private conservation organizations have collaborated and which boasts the greatest biodiversity found in Illinois. That the Cache River Wetlands visitor center and natural history museum bears his name is a testament to his efforts. Henry is survived by his wife Alice, with whom he shared a remarkable 77 years, and his five children: Sarah (Ned) Rossiter of Concord, MA; Joan (David) Grubin of NewYork City; Henry (Lele) of Winnetka; David (Sue) of Lake Bluff; and John (Deborah) of Warren, Vt, as well as eleven grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren. His remains will be buried with his parents and sisters in the Friendship Township Cemetery outside Harbor Springs, Mich. A service will be held at their Lake Forest Place senior residence on December 8. Any memorial contributions may be made to the Harbor Point Lighthouse Fund via the HPA office or the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society, 349 E. Main St., Harbor Springs 49740. Harbor Light |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 6 On 06 November 1880, the W. R. HANNA (2-mast scow-schooner, 86 foot, 103 gross tons, built in 1857), carrying 1,600 tamarack railroad ties to Toledo, sank in Lake Huron in a snowstorm. She sprang a leak off Pointe aux Barques and filled so fast that the pump was of no use. She broached to and rolled over when about 5 miles north of Sand Beach, Michigan, (now Harbor Beach). s the sun set the snow storm turned into a blizzard. The icy waves swept over the hull while the crew clung on as best they could. Four hours later, they drifted past Sand Beach, not 500 feet from the breakwater. They shouted for help, saw lights moving here and there on the breakwater, but no help came. When the wind shifted and started to blow the vessel out into the lake, the skipper cut away the weather lanyards and the vessel righted herself and they dropped the anchor. The weather was freezing cold; and there was no dry place left. The cabin was gone and the only spot out of water was on one side forward - a space about four feet wide by ten feet long. The waves kept washing over the waterlogged vessel, drenching the crew. The crew survived through the night. Heavy snow kept falling, cutting visibility to almost zero. Finally, at 10 a.m., the following morning, the storm broke and the propeller H. LUELLA WORTHINGTON (wooden propeller freighter, 148 foot, 375 gross tons, built in 1880, at Lorain, Ohio), which was in the harbor, saw the wreck and rescued the crew. The skipper of the WORTHINGTON stated that he had heard the cries of the crew throughout the night, but couldn't navigate in the blinding snowstorm. He was awake all night waiting for the storm to break so he could rescue the crew.On 06 November 1867, ALBEMARLE (3-mast wooden schooner, 154 foot, 413 gross tons, built in 1867, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying iron ore from Escanaba, Michigan, to Cleveland, Ohio in a storm when she stranded and wrecked near Point Nipigon in the Straits of Mackinac. This was her first year of operation. She had been put into service just the previous July. The US266029, a.) WILLIAM CLAY FORD was towed from Nicholson's River Rouge dock November 6, 1986, by tugs TUSKER and GLENADA to Port Maitland, Ontario for scrapping. On November 6, 1913, the J. H. SHEADLE left Fort William, Ontario bound for Erie, Pennsylvania, with grain and encountered fog, gale winds and a snow blizzard in one of the fiercest storms of the century. On November 6, 1925, the Northern Navigation passenger steamer HAMONIC lost her propeller 20 miles west of Caribou Island in Lake Superior and was wallowing in gale force winds with gusts to 80 m.p.h. She was towed to safety by Pittsburgh Steamship Co.’s RICHARD TRIMBLE. On 06 Nov 1985, Desguaces Heme began scrapping the LEON FALK, JR. in Gijon, Spain. This vessel was built in Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1945, as the tanker a.) WINTER HILL, (504 foot, 10,534 gross tons) and then was converted to a 710 foot, 12,501 gross ton bulk freighter in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1960-61. On 6 November 1872, the wooden propeller tug MILDRED, while towing a vessel out of Alpena, Michigan, had her engine fail. Soon she was in trouble and sank. The crew was saved. On 6 November 1827, ANN (wooden schooner, 53 foot, 58 tons, built in 1819, or 1821, at Black River, Ohio) was carrying salt, general merchandise and passengers when she was driven ashore on Long Point almost opposite Erie, Pennsylvania. 7 Lives were lost, including 5 passengers. 6 survived. In 1912, the Pere Marquette Railroad announced plans to build a new roundhouse at Ludington, Michigan. It still stands today. On 6 November 1874, The Port Huron Times listed the following vessels lost in the month of October and in the first week of November of that year: Propellers - BROOKLYN, FRANKFORT, NEW YORK; tug DOUGLAS; schooners - CITY OF PAINSVILLE, WANDERER, PREBLE, THOS S MOTT; and barges - CLIFTON and SHERMAN. On 6 November 1883, GUIDING STAR (3-mast wooden schooner, 139 foot, 324 tons, built in 1869, at Oswego, New York) was carrying coal to Milwaukee in fog when she went ashore 12 miles north of Milwaukee. Four of the crew made it to shore in the yawl, but it was wrecked in the process. The rest of the crew was finally rescued by the Milwaukee Lifesavers. Crews began painting the hull of the SAGINAW (formerly JOHN J. BOLAND) in the colors of Lower Lakes Towing Ltd. (gray) on 06 Nov 1999, at Sarnia, Ontario. The vessel had recently been purchased from American Steamship Co. Inside the vessel, crews were gutting the living quarters to remove asbestos and add fireproof walls and new flooring. The engine room equipment and the unloading gear were also refurbished. On November 6, 1897, the Minnesota Steamship boat MARIPOSA (steel, 348', 2898 gross tons, built in 1892, Globe Iron Works, Cleveland, Ohio) under the command of Capt. Frank Root, rescued the two remaining survivors of the wreck of the package freighter IDAHO (wooden package freighter, 220', 915 gross tons, built in 1863, Peck & Masters, Cleveland, Ohio.) off Long Point, Ontario on Lake Erie. The MARIPOSA'S first mate, Capt. Myron K. Chamberlain, had sighted the two Idaho survivors clinging to the 100' spar of the sunken IDAHO. Gale winds and seas of 12'-15' overtook the IDAHO taking with it to their deaths 19 crewmen including Captain Alexander Gillies. "In what is considered one of the greatest accomplishments of ship handling and rescue by a major Great Lakes vessel,” Capt. Root and his crewmen were able to turn the MARIPOSA around ("rolling her rails under") three times in the midst of a gale, bringing their vessel right up to the spar where IDAHO Second Mate Louis LaForce Jr. and Deckhand William Gill were pulled "half dead" on board the MARIPOSA by the officers and deck crew. Both LaForce & Gill recovered. An appreciative City of Buffalo, (hometown to most of the IDAHO crew), and the Minnesota Steamship Company awarded Capt. Root a gold watch, and instructed him to award his first mate and chief engineer each an extra month's pay, and the MARIPOSA crew each an extra half month's pay for a job well done. At 10 p.m. on November 6, 1975 the newly refurbished sidewheel ferry TRILLIUM was towed from the drydock at Ramey's Bend, Ontario, down the Welland Canal by the Canada Dredge & Dock tugs G. W. Rogers and BAGOTVILLE, arriving at Toronto on early on a foggy November 7. 1918: CHESTER A. CONGDON cleared Fort William with grain and stranded on Canoe Rock, Isle Royale in rough weather and poor visibility. The crew was rescued but the ship broke up and was listed as the first $1 million dollar loss in Great Lakes’ history. 1928: A.W. THOMPSON served as a Great Lakes consort barge before going to the Atlantic in 1918. The vessel foundered 60 miles south of Brunswick, GA, enroute from Wilmington, DE to a Gulf of Mexico port. 1968: OAK HILL visited the Great Lakes for seven trips in 1961-1962. It arrived at Singapore under tow as c) AGENOR on this date with leaking in the engine room while on a delivery trip to Chinese shipbreakers at Whampoa. The vessel was resold for scrapping in Singapore. 1969: REINHART LORENZ RUSS made 22 trips through the Seaway from 1960 through 1966. It sank as b) NAIS one mile off Raffles Light, Singapore, after a collision with the Norwegian tanker BERGEBRAGD (68/80,003) and one life was lost. 1981: LA LOMA, an early and frequent Seaway trader, arrived at Cape Town, South Africa, with hull damage as e) AEGEAN SUN. The ship was traveling from China to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. It was assessed as beyond economical repair and laid up at Mombasa. The vessel was eventually sold to Pakistani shipbreakers and arrived at Gadani Beach under tow on April 18, 1985, for dismantling. 1983: EVA MARIA C., a Seaway caller in 1976, developed leaks as c) LAGADA BEACH and sank about 200 miles northeast of Aden. The vessel was enroute to Bandar Abbas, Iran, with iron and steel products. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Boatnerd fundraising drive heading toward goal 11/5 - Thank you to everyone who has donated to the current Boatnerd fundraising drive so far. Although we don’t have a specific goal in mind, we hope to raise an amount similar to when we would hold trip raffles - $10,000 - $25,000. These funds will be used to launch our much-needed site redesign and fund our operating budget for the next few years. To our corporate users, we are a 501 (c) 3 non profit and welcome all donations. We often hear from HR, Traffic Departments and Marketing for assistance in those areas. We’re happy to help and would appreciate any financial support from the companies that find Boatnerd useful. |
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Port Reports - November 5
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Nov 4 ¬– Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage -
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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‘Books and Boats’ to feature authors and more in Port Huron on Saturday 11/5 -Port Huron, Mich. – Join several Great Lakes authors, as well as photographers and others Nov. 10 for “Books & Boats” at the Great Lakes Maritime Center in Port Huron. On hand will be Roger LeLievre (“Know Your Ships”), Robert Campbell (“Classic Ships of the Great Lakes”), Roger P. Hulett (“A Lot More To Do: The Remarkable Life of Frank Mays”), Raymond Bawal Jr. (“The Inland Steel Fleet” and others), and Port Huron area author Pegg Thomas. All will be happy to sign copies of their books. A special guest will be Great Lakes illustrator Don Lee, whose personalized Great Lakes caricatures are popular on Facebook and other sites. He will draw your likeness as your favorite boat (no charge but tips appreciated). In addition, Bob May from Lake Freighter Minis will have his paper lake vessel model kits for sale. Among maritime photographers scheduled to attend are Mary Truchan and Frank Switlicki (aluminum prints). The Great Lakes Nautical Society will be on hand with a display of model boats and model boat kits for sale for kids to build. Great Lakes Maritime Center |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 5 At 2 a.m. 05 November 1884, the steamer GRACE GRUMMOND (iron side-wheel excursion steamer, 138 foot, 250 tons, built in 1856, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the survey steamer JEFFERSON DAVIS, specifically for the survey of the Great Lakes) burned at Grand Haven, Michigan. Her cargo of apples, pears and potatoes was also destroyed. No lives were lost. After the fire she was towed to Chicago to lay up until it was decided what to do with her. It is not known if she ever operated as a steamer again, but in 1887, she was rebuilt as a schooner at Milwaukee. She was one of the only sizable iron-hulled schooners ever used on the lakes. In 1904, as a tow-barge, she was sold Canadian and renamed BALTIC (C.116760). She was later used as a breakwater at Clear Creek, Ontario and was finally scrapped in 1939.On 05 November 1852, BUCKEYE STATE (3-mast wooden bark, 132 foot, 310 tons, built in 1852, at Black River, Ohio) stranded off S. Milwaukee Point on Lake Michigan in a storm and was then broken up by waves. This was her first year of operation and she had been in service less than three months. LOUIS R. DESMARAIS cleared Owen Sound, Ontario on her maiden voyage November 5, 1977, bound for Thunder Bay, Ontario, to load 27,117 gross tons of iron ore for Stelco at Hamilton, Ontario. Her forward end was replaced at Port Weller in 2001, and renamed b.) CSL LAURENTIEN. On her final trip, the IRVIN L. CLYMER passed up bound at the Soo on November 5, 1990, and arrived at Duluth two days later to unload limestone at the Hallet Dock #5, after which she moved to her final lay-up berth at Fraser Shipyard and tied up, blowing one last three long and two short salute from her whistle. In 1993, she was sold to Azcon Corp. of Duluth, Minnesota for scrapping. GRAND HAVEN was raised on November 5, 1969, from the Old River Bed, where she sank on September 19, 1969. She was raised for scrapping. Mr. J. W. Isherwood visited the Great Lakes Engineering Works shipyard on November 5, 1910, and personally inspected the hull which was being built according to his patented design. This vessel, the WILLIAM P. PALMER, was the first vessel on the Great Lakes built to the Isherwood system of longitudinal framing. On 05 Nov 1917, a foggy and rainy day, the JAMES S. DUNHAM (steel propeller bulk freighter, 420 foot, 4,795 gross tons, built in 1906, at W. Bay City, Michigan) sank in a collision with the steamer ROBERT FULTON (steel propeller bulk freighter, 424 foot, 4,219 gross tons, built 1896, at Wyandotte, Michigan) just below Grassy Island on the Detroit River. Repairs for both vessels totaled $125,000. On 5 November 1896, ACADIA (iron-framed wooden propeller, 176 foot, built in 1867, at Hamilton, Ontario) was driven ashore and broke up in a gale near the mouth of the Michipicoten River in Lake Superior. Her crew made it to shore and five of them spent more than a week trying to make it to the Soo. The Port Huron Times of 5 November 1878: "The schooner J. P. MARCH is reported lost with all on board. She was lost at Little Traverse Bay on the northern shore of Lake Michigan. The MARCH was a three-masted schooner and was owned by Benton & Pierce of Chicago." On 5 November 1838, TOLEDO (2-mast wooden schooner, 98 foot, 215 tons, built in 1836, at Buffalo) was carrying dry goods valued at more than $100,000 up-bound on Lake Erie when she was driven ashore by a gale a half mile east of the mouth of the Grand River. She broke in two. No lives were lost. On 5 November 1869, TITAN (wooden schooner, 132 foot, 361 gross tons, built in 1856, at Oswego, New York) was carrying 17,500 bushels of wheat on Lake Michigan in a terrific gale. She was driven toward shore. Her anchors were dropped as she came close in and they held for about an hour. However, the ship finally dragged ashore, losing both of her masts and breaking up as she struck. Of the nine on board, only one survived and that one was found crawling along the beach in a dazed state. When she was new, TITAN broke the record by completing the trip from Chicago to Oswego in only 8 days and 4 hours. Her record only lasted one day since the schooner SURPRISE broke it by 6 hours the following day. In the summer of 1875, the propeller EAST ran down and sank the tug JOE MAC, not even pausing to save her crew from drowning. The following winter Messrs. Seymour & Co., owners of the JOE MAC, obtained a judgment in a U.S. Court against the owners of the EAST. Since the EAST was a Canadian vessel, they were unable to seize her because the judgment could only be effected in American waters. On Sunday morning, 05 Nov 1876, the steam tug SEYMOUR, with a United States Marshal and posse on board, proceeded up to Allen's (presumably at Ogdensburg, New York), and there lay in wait for the EAST, which went up by the Crossover light channel into American waters. The SEYMOUR ran out and captured the vessel and brought her to Averell's wharf in U.S. waters to await justice. CALCITE II arrived in Sarnia at 6 a.m. on Sunday, 05 Nov. 2000, for lay-up. After leaving Cleveland the previous day, she anchored in Western Lake Erie, so she could arrive at the North Slip in Sarnia when shoreside personnel would be on-hand to assist. A chartered bus from Rogers City left about noon to take many of the crew home. Around 4:10 p.m., the downbound MYRON C. TAYLOR passed her fleetmate CALCITE II, perhaps for the last time in USS Great Lakes Fleet colors, and she blew her sister an extended 3 long and 2 short master salute. The TAYLOR was bound for Cleveland with a load of stone. 1885: The Canadian Pacific passenger and freight steamer ALGOMA cleared Owen Sound on its final trip with 11 passengers and headed for the Canadian Lakehead. 1897: IDAHO departed Buffalo and was caught in a wild storm on Lake Erie. The wooden passenger and freight carrier fell into the trough and only two survived. They had climbed the mast and were plucked from the crow's nest the next morning in a heroic effort by the crew of the MARIPOSA. 1940: SPARTA was wrecked near the Pictured Rocks after stranding on a reef in a heavy gale. The hull was abandoned on November 11 but salvaged in 1941 and never repaired. 1957: The Finnish freighter KORSO struck a drifting World War Two mine off Cape Mondjego, Portugal, and sank as a belated casualty of the conflict. The vessel had been built at Kingston, ON in 1942 as H.M.C.S. IRONBOUND and converted for mercantile use in 1948. 1962: EDWIN REITH, a West German salty, grounded near Tibbetts Point, Lake Ontario, and had to be lightered to P.S. BARGE NO. 1. It was released and came to Toronto to unload on November 14. 1967: The Canadian laker MOHAWK DEER, enroute to La Spezia, Italy, for scrapping, ran aground in the Gulf of Genoa near Portofino, Italy, and sank the next day. 1987: CATHARINA WIARDS sank in the Red Sea as d) TRADER after the engine room flooded during a voyage from Augusta, Italy, to China. The vessel was a year old when it came through the Seaway for the first time in 1970. 1991: OLYMPIC PEACE, a Seaway trader for the first time in 1976, arrived at Piraeus, Greece, with damage to the main engine cooling system as c) FREE PEACE. It was later seized by Banco-Hellenique and sold at auction. The ship was scrapped in China during 1994 as e) PATMOS I. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - November 4
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday Nov 3 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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World Ship Society - Casualties / Demolitions for November 2018 11/4 - Vessels with Great Lakes / Seaway connection - reported as a Casualty or Sold for Demolition, taken from November 2018 issue of Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society Casualties: None
Demolitions: Report prepared by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 4 The Great Lakes Steamship Company steamer NORWAY passed downbound through the Soo Locks with 6,609 tons of rye. This cargo increased the total tonnage transiting the locks in 1953 to 120,206,088 tons – a new one-season tonnage record. Renamed b.) RUTH HINDMAN in 1964, she was scrapped at Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1978.On 04 November 1883, MAYFLOWER (wooden propeller freighter “steam barge,” 185 foot, 623 gross tons, built in 1852, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying lumber when she stranded in a gale off Point Abino near Buffalo, New York where the waves pounded her to pieces. The crew made it to shore in the yawl. She was built as a very fine passenger steamer for the Western Transportation Line then in 1868, she was rebuilt as a “steam barge.” On 4 November 1875, SWAN (wooden propeller tug, 11 gross tons, built in 1862, at Buffalo, New York) caught fire while lying out in the Saginaw River near East Saginaw. She was abandoned by the crew and burned to the water’s edge. JOSEPH G. BUTLER JR (steel bulk freighter, 525 foot, 6,588 gross tons) was launched on 04 Nov 1905, at Lorain, Ohio for the Tonopah Steamship Co. (Hutchinson & Co., mgr.). She lasted until 1971, when she was stripped of her cabins and scuttled, along with HENRY R. PLATT JR., at Steel Co. of Canada plant, Burlington Bay, Hamilton, Ontario, as breakwater and fill. CARTIERCLIFFE HALL was registered at Toronto, Ontario, on 04 Nov 1977, but didn't enter service until the spring of 1978 because of mechanical difficulties during her sea trials. On 04 Nov, 1986, TEXACO CHIEF was renamed A.G. FARQUHARSON. She was renamed c.) ALGONOVA (i) in 1998. CALCITE II departed Cleveland at 5:30 a.m. Saturday, 04 Nov 2000, on her last trip for USS Great Lakes Fleet. She sailed upbound for Sarnia, Ontario, where she spent the winter in lay-up. Grand River Transportation had entered into a sale agreement with USS Great Lakes Fleet, Inc. for the purchase of the CALCITE II, GEORGE A. SLOAN and MYRON C. TAYLOR. Built as the WILLIAM G. CLYDE in 1929, CALCITE II is awaiting scrapping as c.) MAUMEE. HERON BAY proceeded under her own power to Lauzon, Quebec, for her final lay-up on November 4, 1978. CSL's NIPIGON BAY was launched November 4, 1950. CHARLES L. HUTCHINSON developed a sizable leak and almost sank November 4, 1925, during her tow to Superior after she struck a reef a few nights before. ROBERT C. STANLEY's keel was laid November 4, 1942. UNITED STATES GYPSUM of 1910 grounded at Toledo, Ohio, on November 4, 1972, resulting in damage totaling $125,000. Her propeller was removed and the rudder shaft was locked in position to finish the season as a manned barge on the coal run from Toledo to Detroit, Michigan. JOSEPH H. THOMPSON became not only the largest vessel on the Great Lakes but also the longest dry bulk cargo vessel in the world when it entered service on November 4, 1952, departing Chicago on its first trip. Setting the stage for the fateful storm that followed less than a week later that sank the EDMUND FITZGERALD, many locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin were setting all-time record high temperatures for the month of November during the period of November 4-6, 1975. Grand Marais, Minnesota, reached 67 degrees on November 5 and Superior reached 74 degrees on November 6, both all-time records for the month. Many other notable Great Lakes storms, including the Armistice Day storm of 1940, and the storm that sank the HENRY STEINBRENNER in 1953, were proceeded by record-setting warm weather. On 4 November 1877, MARY BOOTH (wooden scow-schooner, 132 tons, built in 1857, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying maple lumber in a storm in Lake Michigan. She became waterlogged but her crew doggedly clung to her until she appeared ready to turn turtle. Then her crew abandoned her and she rolled over. She drifted in the lake for several days. The crew landed at White Lake, Michigan and they were near death. The Port Huron Times of 4 November 1878: "The propeller CITY OF MONTREAL is believed to have gone down on Lake Michigan on Friday [1 NOV 1878]. The schooner LIVELY, laden with coal for Bay City, is reported ashore 6 miles above Sand Beach, having gone on at 12 o'clock Sunday night [3 NOV 1878]. The schooner WOODRUFF, ashore at Whitehall, is a total loss. Two men were drowned, one died from injuries received, and Capt. Lingham was saved. The tugs E M PECK and MYSTIC, which went from the Sault to the assistance of the propeller QUEBEC, were wrecked near where she lies, one being on the beach and the other sunk below her decks. Both crews were rescued and were taken to St. Joseph Island." On 4 November 1856, J W BROOKS (wooden propeller, 136 foot, 322 tons, built in 1851, at Detroit) was carrying provisions and copper ingots to Ogdensburg, New York in a storm when she foundered on Lake Ontario, 8 miles northeast of False Ducks Light. Estimates of the loss of lives range from 22 to 50. In July 1857, she was partially raised and some of her cargo was recovered. She only had a five year career, but besides this final incident, she had her share of disasters. In July 1855, she had a boiler explosion and in May of that same year, she sank in Canadian waters. In 1980 the tug LAUREN CASTLE sank while towing the AMOCO WISCONSIN near Lee Point in Traverse Bay. Engineer William Stephan was lost. 1891: The iron freighter NORTH, which had become the first ocean ship to be cut in two and brought to the Great Lakes, arrived at Collingwood to be rebuilt as b) CAMPANA for the passenger & freight trades on the upper lakes. 1898: The wooden passenger and freight steamer PACIFIC burned at the Grand Trunk Railway dock in Collingwood along with the freight sheds and their contents. The blaze had begun the previous evening and roared for hours. The vessel was valued at $65,000. 1959: WESTRIVER arrived at Halifax for repairs after an earlier engine room explosion on Lake Superior had left the ship with significant damage. 1967: PEARL LIGHT, a World War II Empire ship, came through the Seaway for one trip in 1965. It was wrecked off Vietnam as g) HABIB MARIKAR while enroute from Dalian, China, to Chittagong, Bangladesh, with bagged cement. One life was lost. 1972: INLAND TRANSPORT went aground off Garden Island Bank, near Little Current, Manitoulin Island, and received major hull damage that led to the retirement of that Halco tanker after one more trip. 1991: CARLI METZ struck the wall below Lock 2 of the Welland Canal and the vessel had to go to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. It had been inbound for the first time earlier in the year and returned in 1992. It was scrapped at Chittagong, Bangladesh, as d) METZ ITALIA in 2001. 1993: ZIEMIA ZAMOJSKA, while under tow, struck the raised 106th Street Bridge on the Calumet River at Chicago resulting in damage to the structure and traffic problems. The corn-laden vessel received a hole in the port bow, which was repaired at Montreal. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Jody Aho, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - November 3
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Alpena, Mich. – Ben & Chanda McClain
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. The tug Sharon M 1 and barge Huron Spirit arrived at Nicholson's Ecorse Terminal Friday afternoon. The Hon. James L Oberstar arrived with ore for AK Steel. Welland Canal and regional report - Friday Nov 2 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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New salties for 2018 11/3 - As of October 31, 38 new saltwater vessels called at various ports along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes. They are the following ones: Adfines Sky, Amarant, Anet, Arsland, Atlantik Miracle, BBC Luanda, BBC Polonia, Calypso, Cape Dawson, Celsius Mumbai, CLI Pride, Eemsgracht, Erin Schulte, Falstria Swan, Federal Dart, Federal Dee, Federal Nagara, Gardno, Isabelle G, Johanna G, Josef, Kitikmeot W., Lolland, Maple Lea, McKeil Spirit, Mia Desgagnés, Miena Desgagnés Mississippi Star, Momentum Scan, NACC Alicudi, NACC Argonaut, Nordic Ace, Onego Rio, Rike, Senja, Sichem Marseille, Sten Fjord, Tasing Swan. One of them, BBC Luanda was renamed overseas during the year and came back twice under the name CLI Pride. A new one is expected in a few days, the Federal Delta. Possible new ones: Holandia and Carolus Magnus. To be confirmed. René Beauchamp |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 3 On 03 November 1907, tug ESCORT (wooden propeller, 45 foot, 40 gross tons, built in 1894, at Port Colborne, Ontario) tried to pass the barge BENJ HARRISON at the mouth of the Niagara River. In a navigational error, the tug sheared under the barge’s bow, was run over and sunk. Three lives were lost.B. A. PEERLESS sailed on her maiden voyage November 3, 1952, bound for Superior, Wisconsin, where 110,291 barrels of crude oil were loaded destined for British-American's refinery at Clarkson, Ontario. The PEERLESS was built for the express purpose of transporting crude oil from the Interprovincial / Lakehead Pipeline terminus at Superior to B / A's Clarkson refinery. The vessel lasted until 1991, when she was broken up. On 3 November 1898, PACIFIC (wooden propeller passenger/package freighter, 179 foot, 918 gross tons, built in 1883, at Owen Sound, Ontario) caught fire at the Grand Trunk dock at Collingwood, Ontario. She burned to a shell despite a concerted effort to save her. She was later towed out into Georgian Bay and scuttled. On 3 November 1855, DELAWARE (wooden propeller, 173 foot, 368 tons, built in 1846, at Black River, Ohio) was carrying general merchandise from Chicago to Buffalo with a stop at Milwaukee. She was driven ashore by a gale eight miles south of Sheboygan, Wisconsin and sank. Ten or 11 of the 18 on board lost their lives. Within a few days, only her arches were visible above the water. Dismantling of the H. C. HEIMBECKER began on 03 Nov 1981, by Triad Salvage Company at Ashtabula, Ohio, and was completed the following year. This vessel was originally named GEORGE W. PERKINS (steel bulk freighter, 556 foot, 6,553 gross tons, built in 1905, at Superior, Wisconsin.) 1928: CANADIAN TRADER was Hull 39 of the Port Arthur shipyard. Following a sale to Japanese interests, the ship departed Seattle on this date in 1928 on its delivery voyage, still as c) GUILDA SCUDERI, and was never seen again. 1953: The tug J.A. CORNETT went hard aground about seven miles north of Clayton, NY and was leaking badly. The vessel was eventually refloated and survived at Port Dover, ON at least as recently as 2011. It has been laid up there since 1992 and is now in derelict condition. 1965: The tug MISEFORD was towing the barge CHARLES W. JOHNSON when they were caught in a storm on the St. Marys River. The tug was pulled over on her side and rested on the bottom. MISEFORD was salvaged in the spring of 1966 and remains in service in 2012 as a harbor tug at Thunder Bay, Ont. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - November 2
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Daniel Lindner
S. Lake Michigan
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H. Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Nov 1 - Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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50th Cook marine holiday card available at National Museum 11/2 - The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced the offering of their 50th Alexander Cook Marine holiday ard. Since 1968, Alexander B. Cook, artist, board member and volunteer curator at the museum, has produced a watercolor that is used as the museum’s annual holiday card. The card has gone through numerous changes over the years as technology has made possible cost efficient four-color printing. What has never changed is the fact that each year the card features a winter maritime scene. “The holiday card is almost as old as the organization itself,” said Christopher Gillcrist, Executive Director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “Alex generously donates the use of the painting that is then reproduced as the holiday card and then sold through our museum store. Since 1968, we estimates sales of the card have topped $100,000.” In his 50th card, Cook chose a local Ohio scene that he was familiar with having lived in Lakewood, Ohio, for many years. Cook’s current card features a 1950s tugboat leaving the port of Rocky River with famous Eell’s Point in background. A Christmas tree stands lit on the top of Eell’s Point. Cards sell in packs of 10 with envelopes for $14, but can also be purchased individually. Museum members receive a 10 percent discount. To view the card, interested parties can visit www.nmglstore.org. You can order the card on line or call 419-214-5000, extension 200. The National Museum of the Great Lakes |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 2 On 02 November 1924, TURRET CROWN (steel propeller "turret ship,” 253 foot, 1,827 tons, built in 1895, in England) was driven ashore in a gale on Meldrum Point on the north side of Manitoulin Island on Lake Huron. Her hull was wrecked during the storms that winter. She was cut up and removed for scrap the following year.On November 2, 1984, the tugs ATOMIC and ELMORE M. MISNER towed the ERINDALE, a.) W.F. WHITE, to the International Marine Salvage scrap dock at Port Colborne, Ontario, where demolition began that month. H.C. HEIMBECKER proceeded under her own power to Ashtabula, Ohio, for scrapping, arriving there November 2, 1981. On November 2, 1948, FRANK ARMSTRONG collided head-on with the c.) JOHN J. BOLAND of 1905, a.) STEPHEN B. CLEMENT, in a heavy fog on Lake Erie near Colchester, Ontario. Both vessels were badly damaged and resulted in one fatality on the BOLAND. The ARMSTRONG was towed to Toledo, Ohio, for repairs. In 1972, the A. E. NETTLETON's towline parted from the OLIVE L. MOORE during a snowstorm with gale force winds 17 miles west of the Keweenaw Peninsula on Lake Superior. The barge developed a 15-degree list when her load of grain shifted. Three of her five-member crew were air lifted by a U.S.C.G. helicopter to the MOORE to assist in re-rigging the towline. The NETTLETON was towed the next day into the Lily Pond on the Keweenaw Waterway to trim her cargo. The WILLIAM C. MORELAND was abandoned to the underwriters on November 2, 1910, as a constructive total loss, amounting to $445,000. She had stranded on Sawtooth Reef off Eagle Harbor, Michigan, on Lake Superior in mid October. The keel of the new section, identified as Hull #28, was laid down on November 2, 1959. A new forward pilothouse and a hatch crane were installed and her steam turbine engine and water tube boilers were reconditioned. The vessel was named c.) RED WING after the Detroit Red Wing hockey team, honoring a long association with Upper Lakes Shipping and James Norris, the founder of ULS, and his two sons, James D. and Bruce, owners of the National Hockey League team. In 1971, the Lake Michigan carferry BADGER was laid up due to a coal strike. On 2 November 1889, FRANCIS PALMS (wooden schooner, 173 foot, 560 tons, built in 1868, at Marine City, Michigan, as a bark) was sailing from Escanaba to Detroit with a load of iron ore when she was driven ashore near Beaver Island in Lake Michigan. Her entire crew was taken off by the tug GLADIATOR that also pulled in vain while trying to free the PALMS. The PALMS was pounded to pieces by the storm waves. November was a bad month for the PALMS since she had previously been wrecked on Long Point in Lake Erie in November 1874, and again at Duluth in November 1872. During the first week of November 1878, The Port Huron Times reported wrecks and mishaps that occurred during a severe storm that swept over the Lakes on Friday and Saturday, 1-3 November. The information was reported on 2, 4 & 5 November as the reports came in. The same reports will appear here starting today: The Port Huron Times of 2 November 1878: "The schooner L. C. WOODRUFF of Cleveland is ashore at the mouth of the White River with her foremast gone. She is loaded with corn. Three schooners went ashore at Grand Haven Friday morning, the AMERICA, MONTPELIER, and AUSTRALIAN. One man was drowned off the AUSTRALIAN. The schooner WORTS is ashore and full of water on Beaver Island. Her cargo consists of pork for Collingwood. The tug LEVIATHAN has gone to her aid. The schooner LAKE FOREST is ashore at Hammond's Bay, Lake Huron, and is full of water. She has a cargo of corn aboard. The tug A J SMITH has gone to her rescue. The barge S. C. WOODRUFF has gone down in 13 feet of water off Whitehall and her crew is clinging to the rigging at last accounts. A lifeboat has been sent to her relief. The barge RUTTER is in 25 feet of water and all the crew are now safe." On 2 November 1874, PREBLE (2-mast wooden schooner, 98 foot, 166 tons, built in 1842, at Buffalo, New York as a brig) was lost in a storm off Long Point on Lake Erie and broke up in the waves. The steamer ST PAUL rescued her crew. On 02 Nov 1862, BAY STATE (wooden propeller, 137 foot, 372 tons, built in 1852, at Buffalo, New York) was bound for Lake Erie ports from Oswego, New York when she broke up offshore in a terrific gale in the vicinity of Oswego. All 22 onboard, including six passengers, lost their lives. The shoreline was strewn with her wreckage for miles. PAUL H. CARNAHAN was christened at the foot of West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan on 02 Nov 1961. She had been converted from the tanker b.) ATLANTIC DEALER to a dry bulk cargo carrier by American Ship Building Co. at Lorain, Ohio and came out on her maiden bulk freighter voyage just two weeks before this christening ceremony. 1912: JUNO, which had lost the barge P.B. LOCKE the previous day on Lake Ontario, arrived safely at Cobourg and then sank at the dock. 1923: The wooden steamer WESEE caught fire in Lake Erie off Middle Bass Island and burned as a total loss. The crew took to the yawl boats and all were saved. 1956: The former schooner J.T. WING, which had operated as a museum at Belle Isle in Detroit until condemned due to rotting timbers, was burned. 1981: FROSSO K., an SD 14 ocean freighter, suffered an engine room fire enroute from Vancouver to Japan. The ship was towed back to Vancouver November 15 and repaired. It first came through the Seaway in 1974 and arrived at Cartagena, Columbia, under tow, for scrapping on February 15, 1995, as e) MAMER. 1981: The West German freighter POSEIDON first came through the Seaway in 1962 and became a regular inland trader. It was abandoned, in leaking condition on this date, as e) VIKI K. in the Red Sea. There was some suspicion that the vessel was scuttled as part of an insurance fraud. 1988: PETER MISENER struck a shoal while upbound in the Saguenay River for Port Alfred with coke. There was major damage and the ship went to Montreal for repairs. 2001: AUDACIOUS stranded at Keleman Island, Indonesia, but was refloated two days later. The damage was severe and the vessel was laid up at Singapore and then sold to shipbreakers. The ship arrived at Alang, India, to be broken up, on April 27, 2002. The ship visited the Great Lakes as a) WELSH VOYAGER in 1977, and returned as b) LONDON VOYAGER in 1982 and c) OLYMPIC LEADER in 1983. It made its first inland voyage as d) AUDACIOUS in 1996 and its final call in 2000. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Manitoba scrap tow update 11/1 - As of Halloween night, the scrap tow of the former laker Manitoba was just west of the Azores. The tow expects to reach the scrap yard in Aliaga, Turkey on November 24. |
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Port Reports - November 1
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors- Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan Ports
Limestone Ports
Northern Lake Huron
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River
Sarnia, Ont.
Detroit-Rouge River, Mich. – Raymond H.
Toledo, Ohio
Sandusky, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday Oct 31 – Barry Andersen
Long Point Bay anchorage:
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Fednav's new Federal Delta due in Montreal headed for Great Lakes 11/1 - Federal Delta (IMO 9805271), built in 2018 at the Oshima Shipbuilding Ltd., in Oshima, Japan is expected to arrive in Montreal on Nov. 4 for the first time since built. The vessel will be coming from Providence, Rhode Island, and once it departs Montreal it will be heading into for Port Colborne, Ont. And most likely to ports beyond. Federal Delta is one of four new Handy-size bulkers built at the Oshima Shipyard in 2018 for Fednav. The others are Federal Nagara IMO (9805257), which first came inland in early August, followed by Federal Dart (IMO 9805245), which has made two inland visits so far, with the first in mid-August and another in late October. Federal Dee (IMO 9805269), a sistership to the others, and Federal Delta first came inland as well in September. All four of the new Fednav ships are registered in the Marshall Islands which each being 199.98 meters in length and 23.76 meters in width. Each has four deck cranes, whereas some of their previous fleetmates by Oshima Shipyard have three deck cranes. Denny Dushane |
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Gales of November this weekend in Duluth 11/1 - This weekend the 31st Annual Gales of November, a maritime heritage event, will offer presentations, exhibitors and a silent auction. Key speakers include Brett Seymour, deputy chief of the National Park Service’s Submerged Resources Center based in Denver, telling about a project taking underwater photos with a team at Isle Royale National Park in preparation for creating a virtual 3D tour of the shipwrecks there (noon Friday at The Sports Garden). Saturday at the DECC, you can hear Paul C. LaMarre III, director of the Port of Monroe, Michigan, talk about growing up in a maritime family, working on boats on the Great Lakes, and how he led a grassroots campaign that saved and restored the Col. James M. Schoonmaker, a historic freighter that’s now a museum ship (noon Saturday, the DECC). Gales of November is a major fundraiser for the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association in Duluth. Lake Superior Magazine hosts a Friday evening gala from 5-7 p.m. Lake Superior Marine Museum Association |
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Today in Great Lakes History - November 1 The LEHIGH, Captain Edward P. Fitch in command, cleared the Great Lakes Engineering Works yard at River Rouge, Michigan, to begin her maiden trip on this day in 1943. The LEHIGH was one of two Maritimers (the other was the STEELTON) acquired by Bethlehem Steel Corp. as part of a government program to upgrade and increase the capacity of the Great Lakes fleet during World War II. Bethlehem exchanged three older vessels, the JOHNSTOWN of 1905, the SAUCON, and the CORNWALL, plus cash for the two Maritimers.On 01 November 1880, NINA BAILEY (wooden schooner, 30 tons, built in 1873, at Ludington, Michigan) filled with water and went out of control in a storm on Lake Michigan. She struck the North Pier at St. Joseph, Michigan and capsized. Her crew climbed up on her keel and was rescued by the Lifesaving Service. The vessel later broke up in the waves. The Grand Trunk Western Railway was granted permission by the Interstate Commerce Commission on November 1, 1978, to discontinue its Lake Michigan service between Muskegon, Michigan and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. MAITLAND NO 1 made her maiden voyage on November 1, 1916, from Ashtabula, Ohio to Port Maitland, Ontario, transporting rail cars with coal for the steel mills at Hamilton, Ontario. SCOTT MISENER of 1954 returned to service in the grain trade on November 1, 1986, after a 3-year lay-up. On 1 November 1917, ALVA B (wooden steam tug, 74 foot, 84 gross tons, built in 1890, at Buffalo, New York) apparently mistook amusement park lights for the harbor markers at Avon Lake, Ohio during a storm. She struck bottom in the shallows and was destroyed by waves. On 1 November 1862, BLACK HAWK (wooden brig, 138 foot, 385 tons, built in 1854, at Ohio City, Ohio) was carrying 19,000 bushels of corn and some stained glass when a gale drove her ashore and wrecked her near Point Betsie. In 1858, this vessel had sailed from Detroit, Michigan to Liverpool, England and back. On 1 Nov 1862, CHIEF JUSTICE MARSHALL (2-mast wooden schooner, 105 foot, 182 tons, built in 1830, at Cape Vincent, New York) was driven aground between Dunkirk and Barcelona, New York during a storm. All hands were lost and the vessel was a total loss. The Mackinac Bridge was opened to traffic on 01 November 1957. The CITY OF MILWAUKEE (steel propeller carferry, 347 foot, 2,988 gross tons, built in 1931, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) made her last run for Grand Trunk's rail car ferry service on 01 November 1978. In the fall of 1978, after termination of Grand Trunk's carferry service, she was then chartered to Ann Arbor Railroad. She is currently a museum ship at Manistee, Michigan. Port Maitland Shipbreaking Ltd. began scrapping P & H Shipping's f.) ELMGLEN on 01 November 1984. She had a long career, being built in 1909, at Ecorse, Michigan as the a.) SHENANGO (steel propeller bulk freighter, 580 foot. 8,047 gross tons). 1907: WILLIAM E. REIS settled on the bottom of the St. Clair River following a collision with the MONROE C. SMITH. It was finally refloated for good on December 7 after several earlier efforts were short lived. The former last sailed as SASKADOC in 1966. 1908: TELEGRAM, a wooden passenger and freight carrier, stranded at Horse Island, Rattlesnake Harbour, Georgian Bay. The ship caught fire when the stove upset and the vessel was a total loss. All on board were rescued. 1912: The barge P.B. LOCKE, under tow of the JUNO, was lost in a storm on Lake Ontario enroute from Pointe Anne to Toronto. 1921: The Canadian wooden freighter CANOBIE, a) IRON KING received major storm damage on Lake Erie and arrived at Erie, Pa., in a leaking condition. The ship was stripped of valuable parts and abandoned. It later caught fire and subsequently scuttled about 2 miles offshore. 1924: GLENLYON stranded at Menagerie Island, Siskiwit Bay, Lake Superior while enroute to Port Colborne with 150,000 bushels of wheat. It had been seeking shelter in a storm but grounded as a total loss and then sank over the winter. All on board were saved. 1929: KEYSTATE and the schooner MAGGIE L. collided in the St. Lawrence near Clayton, NY, and the latter was lost. 1956: JAMES B. EADS and fleetmate GREY BEAVER were in a collision in western Lake Ontario and both received bow damage. 1965: High winds blew the Taiwanese freighter KALLY aground on a mud bank at Essexville, MI while inbound to load a cargo of scrap. The ship was released the next day. 2000: The Panamanian freighter OXFORD was only two years old when it came through the Seaway in November 1984. It got caught in typhoon Xangsene, as d) MANILA SPIRIT, on this date in 2000. The ship, still flagged in Panama, was driven aground and then sank off Hualien, Taiwan. One crewman was apparently able to swim to shore but the other 23 sailors were missing and presumed lost. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Jody Aho, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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