Victory Cruise Lines cancels all Great Lakes sailings for 2020

5/31 - Cleveland, OH – Victory Cruise Lines, the biggest player in Great Lakes cruising, has canceled its 2020 sailing season. Victory, which typically sails two ships in the Great Lakes during a six-month season, was scheduled to resume its itineraries in early July with one vessel. Instead, the company announced this week that it wouldn’t sail this summer at all.

“The decision to suspend service for 2020 was a difficult and disappointing choice but necessary in response to uncertainties of Canadian travel in the coming months,” said John Waggoner, CEO of American Queen Steamboat Co., parent company of Victory.

The Canadian government last week extended a ban on non-essential travel between the United States and Canada until at least June 21 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Victory itineraries typically include numerous stops at both Canadian and U.S. ports, including Cleveland, Chicago, Toronto, Niagara Falls and Mackinac Island.

Earlier this year, the Victory canceled all 2020 sailings for one of its ships, the Victory II, and delayed the start of the Victory I until July 5. The sister ships typically spend the summer sailing through the five Great Lakes, stopping in numerous ports.

The company initially had 42 stops planned for Cleveland in 2020, with as many as 8,500 passengers disembarking for the day. Those passengers typically spend time touring the Rock Hall, West Side Market, Cleveland Museum of Art or exploring on their own.

“While the Port is disappointed, we certainly understand their decision,” said Dave Gutheil, chief maritime officer for the Port of Cleveland. “In the meantime, we will continue to prepare for the 2021 cruise season and take all necessary precautions to ensure safe processing of visitors that arrive via the Port of Cleveland.”

The port last year invested $600,000 in a new U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility to process cruise passengers upon their arrival in Cleveland. Previously, that screening had been conducted in waterfront tents. Despite this year’s cancellations, officials in Cleveland remain optimistic about Great Lakes cruising and the growing popularity of Cleveland as a port of call.

Waggoner said Victory now will focus on the 2021 season, which will include the debut of the 200-passenger Ocean Victory in Alaska and new itineraries on the Great Lakes. For information: victorycruiselines.com.

Victory has created “cutting-edge” health and safety protocols while working toward the July start date, Waggoner added. Now that the 2020 season is canceled, Victory will focus on planning for 2021, which will include new and refreshed itineraries on the Great Lakes and throughout the United States.

Early booking discounts of up to $1,400 per stateroom are now available for 2021 cruises. The company’s customer service team will reach out directly to those who are booked to sail in 2020. Guests will have the options to rebook their cruise, take a 125% cruise credit, or receive a full refund.

CITY OF SAGINAW 31 cleared Manitowoc in 1973, in tow of the tug HELEN M. MC ALLISTER; this was the first leg of her tow to the cutter’s torch that ended at Castellon, Spain.

The wooden barge FANNY NEIL was launched at the Muir, Livingstone & Co. yard in Port Huron, Michigan on 31 May 1870. As was usual in those days, her name was not made public until the streamer bearing her name was unfurled at the launch.

May 31, 1924 - PERE MARQUETTE 21 arrived Ludington, Michigan, on her maiden voyage. Captain Charles E. Robertson was in command.

The wooden tug MOCKING BIRD was launched at 7:00 p.m. on 31 May 1873, (12 days late) at the Port Huron Dry Dock Company yard. Her master builder was Alex "Sandy" Stewart. Her dimensions were 123 foot x 23 feet x 8.4 feet, 142 gross tons. The engine (26.5 inches x 30 inches) was at the Cuyahoga Works in Cleveland, Ohio at the time of launch, ready to be installed. Although this launch was 12 days late, it still did not go smoothly since MOCKING BIRD got stuck in the river. However, with some assistance from another tug, she was pulled free and was afloat at the dock by midnight. She lasted until abandoned at Marquette, Michigan in 1918.

On 31 May 1900, the KEWAUNEE (wooden propeller steamer, 106 foot, 143 gross tons) was launched at Kewaunee, Wisconsin for James Smith, Ben Kuhlman & William Keeper. In 1902, she was rebuilt as a lightship and, in 1913, she was converted to a sand dredge. She lasted until 1935, when she was abandoned.

1918: GEORGE G. BARNUM (later the self-unloader HENNEPIN) and the CHESTER A. CONGDON were in a minor collision due to fog off Whitefish Point, Lake Superior. The latter was lost later that year after stranding and then breaking up on Canoe Rock, Isle Royale, Lake Superior.

1926: NISBET GRAMMER sank after a collision with DALWARNIC in fog off Thirty Mile Point, Lake Ontario, while downbound with a cargo of grain. All on board were rescued from the 3-year old member of the Eastern Steamship Co. fleet. It went down in about 500 feet of water.

1974: The first GORDON C. LEITCH was aground for 3 hours, 55 minutes at Buoy 2 on the St. Clair River and freed herself with only minor damage.

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

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known); please do not type boat names in all capital letters. We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Mesabi Miner arrived Duluth at 13:10 Monday afternoon to load iron ore pellets at CN. In an unusual move, she rafted to her laid-up fleetmate James R. Barker at Midwest Energy to wait for her turn at the dock. That turn came after Walter J. McCarthy Jr. cleared and departed at 18:02 loaded with ore for Indiana Harbor. The Barker has now turned her AIS transponder on and is expected to shift to Canadian National on Tuesday or Wednesday to load her first cargo since laying up on April 7th. Her sister Lee A. Tregurtha remains in layup at Fraser Shipyard with no departure date known. There was no traffic in Superior on Monday; Burns Harbor was originally scheduled for Tuesday, however her orders have changed and she will now load in Two Harbors.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Presque Isle departed Two Harbors on May 25th at 14:38 from South of #2 for Conneaut. Due Two Harbors on May 26th is the Burns Harbor. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader at approx. 01:00 on May 25th and she departed on May 25th at 09:43 for Cleveland. Silver Bay has no scheduled traffic on May 26th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Monday; 0:15 The saltie Blacky departed for Rouen, France. 2:14 G 3 Marquis weighed anchor and proceeded to the Superior Elevator to load wheat. 7:49 Algoma Sault arrived and went anchor south of the Welcome Islands. 15:57 Federal Leda arrived and went to anchor. 17:52 Federal Bristol departed for Montreal. 19:55 Federal Barents weighed anchor and proceeded to the Richardson Main Terminal.

St. Marys River
Downbound traffic on Memorial Day included CSL Niagara, Michipicoten, Maria G, Cason J. Callaway, Spartan/Spartan II, Florence Spirit and Philip R. Clarke. Upbounders included Arthur M. Anderson, Julie C, Burns Harbor, Isabelle G., Sharon M 1 / barge Huron Spirit and CSL St. Laurent.

Muskegon, MI – Brendan Falkowski
Muskegon had a busy Memorial Day. The Great Republic was inbound at 0830 with stone from Port Inland for the Verplank Lakeside dock. The cement tug/barge pair G.L. Ostrander / Integrity departed at 1300. The Great Republic shifted from the inside slip at the Lakeside dock to the outer edge of the dock around 1450. She departed at 1725 to load stone at Calcite. The Calumet arrived at 1840 with salt from Goderich, and docked at the Verplank Salt Dock to unload.

Southern Lake Michigan
Stewart J. Cort and Irma were at Burns Harbor Monday night. Laura VanEnkevort and barge were at Indiana Harbor. Indiana Harbor is due at Gary on Tuesday. Saltie Sinaa remained at anchor off S. Chicago.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Innovator arrived Goderich 2.03 pm Monday, nudged up to Compass Minerals to load salt. Algoma Conveyor is expected next.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson Thunder Bay passed downbound while Algoma Innovator passed upbound in fog at 6:30am at MC. Dara Desgagnes was passing Algonac downbound at 6:30am. EdwinH Gott followed by Herbert C Jackson were both upbound mid Lake St Clair at 6:30am. Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder arrived at stoneyard MC to unload at 9:30am and was still there at 5:30pm. Everlast/Norman Mcleod passed downbound at 8:30am. Ojibway at 2 pm and Michigan/Great Lakes at 3pm were downbounders, as was Edgar B Speer at 4:45pm. Sunny and hot as high reached 88degrees F, light winds from the south-southwest.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Monday Arrivals: Olive L Moore/Menomine arrived at the St. Clair Aggregates dock to unload stone. Everlast/Norman McLeod arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal.

Lake Erie Ports for Monday – Bill Kloss
Marblehead: Robert S. Pierson departed for Kingsville.

Cleveland: John J. Boland came in at 17:10 with a shuttle from Ashtabula.

Ashtabula: Kaye E. Barker left at 16:02 and American Courage departed at 17:05 with a shuttle to Cleveland.

Conneaut: Algoma Enterprise arrived at 07:30.

Nanticoke: Algosea arrived at 22:45 on Sunday. Algoma Niagara and CSL Laurentien at anchor.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
5/22/20: The tug Ocean A. Gauthier departed at 4:34 EST for Oshawa. The saltie Federal Champlain departed at 22:53 EST for Cleveland after unloading steel. 5/23/30: The tug Ocean A. Gauthier returned from her trip to Oshawa at 00:57 EST. At 4:31 EST, the tanker Sterling Energy departed for a trip to Port Weller. At 6:26 EST, the saltie Aragonborg returned once again, this time to load grain. At 8:43 EST, the Federal Shimanto departed for Greenore, Ireland with grain. At 9:17 EST, the tug Wyatt M made a trip from Toronto, and headed back at 10:41 EST. At 12:08 EST, the Coast Guard vessel Caribou Isle made a run out in Lake Ontario and returned at 13:32 EST.

5/24/20: At 2:39 EST, the tanker Sterling Energy returned from a trip to Port Weller. At 10:58 EST, the tug Ocean A. Gauthier departed to assist a vessel in Clarkson. At 15:31 EST, the tanker Sterling Energy was out again, this time for Toronto, and at 21:11 EST, the tug Ocean A. Simard was also on her way to Toronto.

5/25/20: At 00:52 EST, the tanker Sterling Energy returned from Toronto. At 5:37, tugs Ocean A. Gauthier and Ocean A. Simard also returned from Toronto. At 6:31 EST, the Coast Guard vessel Griffon arrived from Prescott. Shortly after at 6: 53 EST, the saltie Federal Danube arrived to unload steel from Brazil. At 17:02 EST, the Coast Guard vessel Caribou Isle departed, bound for Port Weller. At 21:00 the John D. Leitch arrived from Clarkson to load slag. The salties Juno and Aragonborg both continued to load grain throughout the day.

Buffalo, NY – Brian R Wroblewski
The barge Delaware unloaded for almost a day and they were ready to go on the morning of the 25th. The Calusa Coast got underway at 9:25 AM, locked through upbound at Black Rock, and departed for the harbor about an hour later. After clearing the buoy line, she switched from push to pull mode out in the lake around 11 AM. Once they had the barge on a wire, the tug took off for Detroit under a burning Memorial Day sun around 11:30. Later that evening the tug Vermont towed the Federal Rhine out of the Lackawanna Canal and helped her wind in the Outer Harbor at 7:30 PM.

Picton, ON – Tom Brewer
McKeil Spirit was loading at Lehigh Cement on Monday evening.

On 26 May 1888, BLANCHE (2-mast wooden schooner, 95 foot, 92 gross tons, built in 1874, at Mill Point, Ontario) was carrying coal with a crew of five on Lake Ontario. She was lost in a squall somewhere between Oswego, New York and Brighton, Ontario.

In 1979, the FRED R. WHITE JR. departed the shipyard on her maiden voyage to load iron ore pellets at Escanaba, Michigan for Cleveland, Ohio.

The J.A.W. IGLEHART began its maiden Great Lakes voyage in 1965, for the Huron Portland Cement Co. The straight deck bulk freighter FRANKCLIFFE HALL began its maiden voyage in 1963. Deepened and converted to a self-unloader in 1980. She was renamed b.) HALIFAX in 1988.

SCOTT MISENER (Hull#14) was launched in 1954, at St. Catharines, Ontario by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. for Colonial Steamships Ltd. She was scrapped at Alang, India in 1990.

In 1923, the ANN ARBOR NO 4 was towed to the shipyard in Manitowoc, Wisconsin by the ANN ARBOR NO 5 with the assistance of the tug ARCTIC. The NO 4 was completely overhauled and had all new cabins built on her main deck.

QUEEN OF THE LAKES was launched at the Kirby & Ward yard in Wyandotte, Michigan on 26 May 1872. She was the first iron-hulled vessel built in Michigan.

On 26 May 1873, the iron propeller revenue cutter GEO S. BOUTWELL (Hull#15) was launched at D. Bell Steam Engine Works in Buffalo, New York. Her dimensions were 140 feet x 22 feet x 17.5 feet, 151 gross tons. She served out of Savannah, Georgia (1874-1899) and Newbern, North Carolina (1899-1907).

The tug GORMAN, which was sunk by the steamer CITY OF BUFFALO was raised today. She is not much injured. The local steamboat inspectors have taken up the case of the collision. The crew of the tug claim that their boat was run over by the CITY OF BUFFALO and the appearance of the wreck carries out their declaration, for the tug shows that the steamer struck her straight aft.

1926 The self-unloader ALPENA delivered the first cargo of coal, 4,000 tons, to the new Detroit Edison steam generating power plant at Marysville, MI.

1982 ROLAND DESGAGNES ran aground off Pointe au Pic, Q.C . The ship floated free with the high tide only to sink on May 27 at 4 am due to hull damage. All on board were saved and the cargo of salt dissolved. The hull rests upright on the bottom in about 300 feet of water.

1984 The Norwegian freighter WILFRED first visited the Seaway in 1966. It went aground on this day in 1984 as b) PSILI at Buenos Aires, Argentina. The vessel was refloated and returned to service. It last sailed as c) GLORY BAY and arrived at Dalian, China, for scrapping on September 18, 1986.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, the Detroit Free Press and the Duluth Evening Herald.

Great Lakes water levels break another record; anticipated to rise in coming months

5/23 - Eventually, the recent floodwater from Midland, MI, will work its way to the Great Lakes which are already reaching record water levels. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Lake Michigan, Huron and Erie set a new water level record for April 2020 and is on track to set a new record in May.

The previous record set was in 1985 and 1986. Water levels typically rise this time of year because of increased rainfall and runoff. This summer, they're projected to rise a few more inches.

"In relation to the previous Mays record high level we'll probably be about four inches above that previous record high set in the late eighties," said John Allis, P.E., the Chief of Great Lakes Hydraulics & Hydrology. "Our current forecasts are showing we'll probably set new record highs all the way through at least July or August of this year."

If you were impacted by high water levels last year, the Corps urges you to continue preparing from similar impacts over the next few months.

Up North Live

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known); please do not type boat names in all capital letters. We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner.
After arriving late Thursday and unloading stone at Hallett #5, Cason J. Callaway departed Duluth at 07:37 Friday morning light for Two Harbors. Her fleetmate Edgar B. Speer was inbound at 16:38 to pick up a load of iron ore at Canadian National. She is expected to depart mid-morning Saturday. At the Superior entry on Friday, Algoma Guardian came in at 06:33 to load ore pellets at BN. The tank barge Spartan and tug Spartan II arrived at 07:12 to unload calcium chloride at Hallett #8. Her load complete, the Guardian was outbound at 16:56 for Hamilton, and then CSL Niagara raised anchor and arrived at 17:25 to load. She should depart early Saturday.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Roger Blough departed Two Harbors on May 22nd at 00:35 for Gary. The Indiana Harbor shifted from North of #2 to South of #2 between 00:46 to 01:38 on May 22nd. As of 19:20 on May 22nd she was still at the shiploader. The Joseph L. Block departed anchorage off Two Harbors at 09:20 and arrived thru the breakwall at 09:48 for North of #2 lay-by. Also arriving Two Harbors on May 22nd was the Cason J. Callaway at 13:15 for North of #1 lay-by. She had unloaded stone at CN-Hallett #5 in Duluth. Due Two Harbors on May 23rd is the Philip R. Clarke. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay has no traffic scheduled on May 23rd. Update on the Speer. She is heading for Conneaut.

Thunder Bay, ON
Wednesday; No traffic. Thursday; 1:10 Algoma Harvester arrived at the G3 elevator to load wheat. 4:37 Federal Clyde departed . 4:37 Tim S Dool departed Keefer Terminal for sea trials. 4:52 G3 Marquis arrived and went to anchor south of the Welcome Islands. 5:32 CSL Welland arrived at Viterra A to load wheat. 7:11 Tim S Dool arrived at the Superior Elevator to finish loading and departed at 17:30 for Baie Comeau. 17:50 Federal Bristol weighed anchor and proceeded to the Superior Elevator to load wheat. Friday; 6:58 The saltie Maria G arrived to load grain at the Richardson Main Terminal. 9:38 Ojibway arrived at the Richardson Current River Terminal. 14:01 Ocean Castle departed and is down bound. 14:28 CSL Welland departed and is downbound.

St. Marys River
Updound traffic Friday included Philip R. Clarke, Manitowoc (to Algoma), Dara Desgagnes (to Soo, ON), Kaye E. Barker, Florence Spirit and Algoma Sault. Downbounders included Edgar B. Speer, Tim S. Dool, Manitowoc (from Algoma) and CSL Tadoussac.

Muskegon, MI – Brendan Falkowski
On the evening of Monday May 18, the Robert S. Pierson was inbound at 2000 with stone for the Mart Dock. She was headed out at 0600 on Tuesday. On Thursday, the Kaye E. Barker came in at 1025 with stone for the Verplank Cobb Dock, departing at 1800. The Algoma Innovator arrived at 2245 on Thursday night with salt from Goderich for the Verplank Salt Dock. She departed at 0735 on Friday morning. As of 2130 on Friday night, there were no expected ships in Muskegon.

Southern Lake Michigan
Federal Leda and Industrial Strength were at Burns Harbor Friday night.

Northern Lake Huron
Owen Sound; Friday; 9:18 Prentiss Brown/St Marys Conquest arrived to unload cement product.

Meldrum Bay: Thursday; 5:59 Mississagi departed for Windsor. Friday; Algoma Conveyor arrived to load dolomite.

Calcite: Thursday; 14:12 Manitowoc arrived to load. 23:41 Arthur M Anderson arrived to load. Friday; 4:17 Manitowoc departed for Algoma Steel in Sault Ste Marie. 8:41 John G Munson arrived to load limestone. 18:34 Arthur M Anderson departed for Detroit.

Alpena: Thursday; 22:03 GL Ostrander arrived to load cement products and departed on Friday at 6:05 for Milwaukee.

Port Inland: Thursday; 1:27 Olive L Moore/ Menominee arrived to load and departed at 7:47 for Ludington. Friday; 14:50 American Mariner arrived to load limestone.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Sault cleared Goderich 4.47 pm Thursday, upbound with salt for Superior, WI.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson.
Manitoulin, after completing unloading on the 21st at MC, headed upbound to a berth in Sarnia overnite, then was downbound coming out of the cutoff channel at 6:30am. Cuyahoga was upbound at the southeast bend of Harsens Island at 6:45am. Laura L Vanenkevort/Joseph H Thompson passed MC upbound at 10:30am. Great Republic passed upbound at 11:45am. Mississagi passed upbound at 2:45 pm. Algoma Spirit was followed closely by Walter J McCarthy and then Presque Isle passing MC between 6:15 and 6:45pm. Overcast all day with light showers towards evening, 66 degrees F with light winds from the south-southeast.

Lake Erie Ports for Friday – Bill Kloss

Sandusky: John D. Leitch departed at 14:18.

Lorain: Radcliffe R. Latimer scheduled to arrive at 04:00 5/23.

Cleveland: Samuel deChamplain left at 01:21 for Toledo.

Fairport Harbor: Calumet left at 13:13 for Erie, PA. Frontenac arrived at 23:00.

Ashtabula: Clyde S. VanEnkevort departed at 01:03 and John J. Boland arrived at 14:14. Conneaut: Presque Isle left at 02:16 for Two Harbors and American Spirit came in at 12:25.

Nanticoke: Algonova and Mesabi Miner are in port. Baie Comeau and Shoveler went to anchor at 16:00 and 18:01 respectively.

Buffalo, NY – Brian R Wroblewski
The tug-barge unit Calusa Coast/Delaware was slowly making its way down Lake Erie for Marathon in Tonawada on the 21st of May. They were encountering thunderstorms at mid-lake, slowed down, and took a course that brought them within the lee of the South Shore while doing 5.4 knots instead of their previous 7.1 knots.

Toronto, ON – Tom Brewer
McKeil Spirit arrived at Lehigh Cement Dock Friday evening.

UNIQUE (wooden propeller passenger steamer, 163 foot, 381 gross tons, built in 1894, at Marine City, Michigan) was sold to Philadelphia parties for service on the Delaware River. She left Ogdensburg, New York, on 23 May 1901, for Philadelphia. Her name was changed to DIAMOND STATE. In 1904, she was rebuilt as a yacht and lasted until 1915, when she burned in New York harbor.

The WILLIAM J. DE LANCEY was re-christened on May 23,1990, as b.) PAUL R. TREGURTHA. She is the largest ship on the Great Lakes and was the last Great Lakes ship built at American Ship Building Co., Lorain, Ohio.

American Steamship's H. LEE WHITE completed sea trials on May 23, 1974.

FRED R. WHITE Jr. completed her two-day sea trials in 1979.

The Tomlinson Fleet Corp.'s steel freighter SONOMA (Hull#610) was launched at West Bay City, Michigan, by West Bay City Ship Building Co. on 23 May 1903. She was 416 feet long, 4,539 gross tons. Through her career she had various names: DAVID S TROXEL in 1924, SONOMA in 1927 and finally FRED L. HEWITT in 1950. She was converted to an automobile carrier in 1928, converted back to a bulk carrier in 1942 and then converted to a barge for grain storage in 1955. She was finally scrapped in 1962, at Steel Co. of Canada Ltd. at Hamilton, Ontario.

On 23 May 1889, the wooden steam barge OSCAR T. FLINT (218 foot, 824 gross tons) was launched at the Simon Langell & Sons yard in St. Clair, Michigan. She lasted until 25 November 1909, when she burned and sank off Thunder Bay Island in Lake Huron.

1910: The first FRANK H. GOODYEAR, with a load of ore for Cleveland, was almost cut in two and sank off Pointe aux Barques following a collision in dense fog with the JOSEPH WOOD. Only five sailors survived while another 16 were lost.

1954: EASTDALE, operating on charter to Reoch Transports, ran aground at Collingwood and was refloated May 29. The ship had also visited the Great Lakes as SPRINGDALE and was lost in the Gulf of Bothnia on June 18, 1959, when the cargo of timber shifted in heavy weather.

1959: The Liberian freighter ANDORA, outbound with a cargo of barley, stranded on a shoal below the Snell Lock and proved to be a difficult salvage. The ship initially broke free, spun around and grounded again and was not released until June 18. The cargo was unloaded but ANDORA was deemed not worth repairing and arrived at Savona, Italy, for dismantling on August 15, 1959.

1974: The Canadian tanker CARDINAL, best known as the former IMPERIAL WINDSOR, was badly damaged following a collision with the HENRY STEINBRENNER (iii), in Lake Erie off Point Pelee. The former was never repaired and subsequently scrapped, while the latter went to Lorain for about $100,000 worth of repairs.

1974: A fire broke out in the engine room of the ONTARIO during a voyage from Santos, Brazil, to Montreal and assistance was requested. The Canadian owned vessel had been upbound through the Seaway for the first time on November 8, 1973. The blaze was put out and the ship arrived at Montreal June 6, 1974. It was sold the following month to Tunisian buyers and scrapped as c) REMADA following another fire at Barcelona, Spain, on January 2, 1987.

1988: The first ALGOCAPE, which had run aground in the Lake St. Louis section of the St. Lawrence on May 21, was refloated on this day and cleared to proceed to Baie Comeau, QC, to unload.

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

High water and pandemic challenge shipping, but U.S. ports pushing through

5/22 - Just as the 2020 shipping season on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway was getting underway, the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up in North America. The challenges and necessities of the pandemic are reflected in port tonnage totals for the start of the season.

“The start of the shipping season on part of the St. Lawrence Seaway was delayed for 12 days due to high-water levels on Lake Ontario,” said Bruce Burrows, President and CEO of the Chamber of Marine Commerce. “Once it was deemed safe for shipments to begin, the pandemic hit, fluctuating typical cargo needs. There has been strong demand for American wheat for worldwide bread and pasta production, but iron ore shipments slowed down in April as domestic steel production for the automotive sector declined during factory shutdowns. In our industry, it can take months before the full impacts of an economic downturn take effect, so we will be watching closely as the situation evolves over the coming weeks.”

The Port of Duluth-Superior got off to a promising start with the first ever March grain shipment. Total grain shipments through April, wheat heading mostly to Italy, topped the five-year average by 69 percent and represented a more than threefold increase season-over-season. Iron ore shipments were up 64 percent in March compared to 2019 but slowed to a 5 percent increase in April due to the pandemic and decreased demand from auto manufacturers. General cargo including dry bulk tonnage in April was 54 percent ahead of last season’s pace, led by limestone, salt and cement totals.

“Ports, seafarers and shipping companies throughout the Great Lakes are essential links in the supply chain, doing all they can to ensure the uninterrupted flow of cargo to regional and world markets,” said Jayson Hron, Director of Communications and Marketing at the Duluth Seaway Port Authority.

The Port of Toledo’s season opening tonnage numbers through April 2020 were slightly below the same period in 2019, however, the tonnage so far in 2020 was just above the same period in 2018. The Port’s first ocean vessel of the year arrived on April 4 with sugar, unloaded at Toledo’s general cargo facility operated by Midwest Terminals.

“We are optimistic that shipments through the Port of Toledo will remain steady during the 2020 shipping season and that reduced tonnage with some types of cargo will be offset by gains in other types of cargo,” said Joseph Cappel, VP of Business Development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “So far, shipments of aluminum, fertilizer, and some bulk products, like petcoke, are all off to a good start.”

The Port of Green Bay moved nearly 228,000 tons of cargo into or out of the Port between March 15 and the end of April, which is up 19 percent from the strong 2019 shipping season. Thirteen ships moved through the Port in the first seven weeks, carrying salt from Canada, which accounted for nearly 90,000 tons of the overall total, up 43 percent from last year, while cement shipments hit 32,000 tons (+117 percent) and petroleum products topped 20,000 tons (+197 percent).

“It was good to have an early start to the shipping season with the mild weather conditions in late winter,” said Port of Green Bay Director Dean Haen. “We were cautiously optimistic heading into the shipping season with potential impacts of high-water levels and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, if these numbers carry through, this could be another strong shipping season for the port.”

The high-water levels in Lake Michigan were felt at Port Milwaukee this winter, as sporadic flooding and dock damage occurred. The Port has also remained fully operational during the pandemic and adapted its safety and security procedures to meet public health guidelines.

“Our tenants and staff are working to offer our customers safe, efficient and ongoing access to world markets despite pandemic conditions and the delayed opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway,” said Director Adam Schlicht. “Port tonnage remains consistent compared to 2019, though the long-term economic consequences of COVID-19 on domestic and international trade in the Milwaukee-Chicago region is yet to be fully revealed. I join calls for federal stimulus to support the North American economy through infrastructure projects and transportation investment at America’s Great Lakes ports. At many ports, including Milwaukee, historically high-water levels have caused sporadic flooding and dock damage, which will continue without new infrastructure improvements.”

Chamber of Marine Commerce

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known); please do not type boat names in all capital letters. We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner.
The only harbor traffic in Duluth on Thursday was CSL Tadoussac, which departed at 15:27 with a load of iron ore pellets from CN. Cason J. Callaway was due at 22:15 to discharge limestone at Hallett #5. In Superior, Indiana Harbor departed from Lakehead Pipeline at 08:20 and headed for Two Harbors to load. Stewart J. Cort came in at 13:58 to load at Burlington Northern, and is expected to depart early Friday.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Edwin H. Gott departed Two Harbors on May 21st at 07:02. As of 19:45 on May 21st there is no updated AIS. The Roger Blough shifted from North of # 2 between 07:06 and 07:38 on May 21st. As of 19:45 the Blough is still at the shiploader. The Joseph L. Block continues to be stopped off the Two Harbors breakwall. Arriving Two Harbors on May 21st was the Indiana Harbor after taking a delay at the Enbridge(Lakehead)dock in Superior. She arrived at 11:07 for North of #2 lay-by. Due Two Harbors on May 22nd is the Cason J. Callaway after she unloads stone at CN-Hallett #5. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay has no scheduled traffic on May 22nd.

St. Marys River
Downbound traffic on a slow Thursday consisted of just the Burns Harbor about 6 p.m. Upbounders included BBC Russia, Maria G and Ojibway in the morning, followed by Edgar P. Speer in the evening. Thunder Bay was upbound late.

Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Nathan S. arrived from Indiana Harbor 04:36 Thursday (5/21) with two open hopper barges and tied up just north of the Heavy Lift Dock on the inner harbor. She loaded limestone delivered last October for the Oak Creek power complex. Tug and barges cleared for Oak Creek at 17:46. After being delayed at Burns Harbor, Federal Dee finally arrived 06:08 Thursday with steel coils from Antwerp, Belgium. She proceeded to the Federal Marine Terminals dock, south side, slip one, outer harbor. Algoma Conveyor arrived 07:20 Thursday and headed for the open dock, north side, slip one, outer harbor. She brought deicing salt from the Compass Minerals mine in Goderich, Ontario. This was her eighth visit to Milwaukee this year. After dropping more than 27,000 metric tons on the open dock, Conveyor cleared for Meldrum Bay at 17:00. Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41 is expected to arrive from Marinette shortly after midnight.

Southern Lake Michigan
Federal Leda and Happy Ranger were at Burns Harbor Thursday. Industrial Strength is due. Atlantic Huron was at Indiana Harbor. American Courage was approaching Gary Thursday evening.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw cleared Goderich 12.50 pm Thursday bound for Thunder Bay. Algoma Sault arrived Goderich 12.56 pm Thursday, loading salt at Compass Minerals.

Saginaw River
Algoma Buffalo remained in port Thursday above I-75 – Zilwaukee Bridge due to strong currents in the river that make it unsafe to turn around in the turning basin.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
Michigan/GreatLakes had passed in the early morning Thursday and was approaching the mouth of the Detroit River at 5:30am. Robert S Pierson passed downbound at 5:30am. Mesabi Miner was downbound about to enter the cutoff channel at 5:30am. At 7:30am Arthur M Anderson was off the southeast bend of Harsens Island. Sharon MI/Huron Spirit passed downbound at 11:45am. Close behind was Manitoulin arriving at the stoneyard to unload at noon, completing by 4:00pm and preparing to make way upbound. Phillip R Clarke passed upbound at 2:45pm. American Spirit passed downbound at 4:30pm. Baie Comeau passed downbound at 5:30 pm. American Mariner was followed closely by John G Munson as they were upbound passing MC at 6:45pm. Sunny and cloudless all day, light winds from the south-southeast, temp 72degrees F.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Thursday Arrivals: Philip R Clarke-arrived at the McCoig Concrete dock to unload stone. Alpena-arrived at Lafarge to unload cement. Robert S Pierson-arrived at the Prairie Materials dock to unload gravel.

Lake Erie Ports for Thursday – Bill Kloss
Marblehead: Herbert C. Jackson arrived at 18:00 from Lorain. Cuyahoga left at 20:01 for Sarnia.

Cleveland: Walter J. McCarthy left the Bulk Terminal at 20:01 for Duluth. Samuel deChamplain arrived at 11:48 for Lafarge.

Fairport: Calumet arrived at 15:21.

Ashtabula: Clyde S. VanEnkevort came in at 15:15. Conneaut: The busiest port on Lake Erie this week has the Presque Isle as its latest visitor, arriving at 09:07.

Nanticoke: Algona arrived at 12:23 and Mesabi Miner at midnight.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
At 22:25 EST on Wednesday night, the tug Ocean A. Gauthier snuck out to assist a vessel in Clarkson. She returned from that trip at 2:50 EST, Thursday morning. At 4:22 EST, the tug Vigilant 1 departed for Port Weller. at 4:43 EST, the tanker Carolus Magnus departed for Les Escoumins after unloading UAN solution. At 7:40 EST, the ferry William Darrell arrived from Cape Vincent for Heddle Shipyards. At 10:16 EST the Coast Guard vessel Caribou Isle departed and was immediately followed by Algoma Spirit, who is destined for Sarnia. At 13:45 EST, the saltie Federal Champlain arrived to unload steel, and was followed in by the Caribou Isle returning from their trip out into the lake. The tug Vigilant 1 returned from Port Weller at 19:35 EST.

Buffalo, NY – Brian R Wroblewski
Calumet was done unloading their split cargo of 12,000 tons of fine sand by 5AM on the 21st. She only came in with three out of five holds filled, the rest having been already delivered to Cleveland. Calumet backed out for the lake, winded in the Outer Harbor, and departed for Fairport, OH around 5:45. The Calusa Coast / Delaware is on their way to Tonawanda and should be arriving around 10PM on the 22nd.

Picton, ON – Tom Brewer
McKeil Spirit was at Lehigh Cement Plant Dock on Thursday evening.

On 22 May 1901, FRANK H. PEAVEY (steel propeller bulk freighter, 430 foot, 5,002 gross tons) was launched at the American Ship Building Company (Hull #309) in Lorain, Ohio, for the Peavey Syndicate. She lasted until 1934, when she struck the south pier while entering Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and was declared a constructive total loss and scrapped the following year.

A.H. FERBERT (Hull#289) was launched this day in 1942, at River Rouge, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. May 22nd was the tenth National Maritime Day and on that day 21 other ships were launched nationwide to celebrate the occasion. The "super" IRVING S. OLDS was launched the same day at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. This marked the last of the "Super Carrier" build program. The others were the BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS, LEON FRASER and ENDERS M. VOORHEES.

SIR THOMAS SHAUGHNESSY sailed under her own power down the Seaway on May 22, 1969, for the last time and arrived at Quebec City.

BAYFAIR was launched as the a.) COALHAVEN (Hull#134) at Haverton-Hill-on-Tees, U.K. by Furness Shipbuilding Co. in 1928.

While bound for Escanaba, Michigan to load ore, the JOSEPH BLOCK grounded at Porte des Morts Passage, on Green Bay, May 22, 1968, and was released the same day by the Roen tug ARROW. The BLOCK's hull damage extended to 100 bottom plates. Surrendered to the under-writers and sold in June that year to Lake Shipping Inc. Built as the a.) ARTHUR H. HAWGOOD in 1907, She was renamed c.) GEORGE M. STEINBRENNER in 1969, she was scrapped at Ramey’s Bend in 1979.

The 143-foot wooden brig JOSEPH was launched at Bay City, Michigan, on 21 May 1867. She was built for Alexander Tromley & Company.

CITY OF NEW BALTIMORE was launched at David Lester's yard in Marine City, Michigan, on 22 May 1875. Her master carpenter was John J. Hill. She was a wooden propeller passenger/package freight vessel built for the Detroit-New Baltimore route. Her dimensions were 96 foot keel, 101 feet overall x 20 feet x 6 foot 6 inches, 130 tons. Her boiler was made by J. & T. McGregor of Detroit. Her engine was built by Morton Hamblin & Company of St. Clair, Michigan. She was rebuilt as a tug in 1910, and lasted until abandoned in 1916.

1914: W.H. GILBERT sank in Lake Huron, about 15 miles off Thunder Bay Island following a collision with CALDERA. There was no loss of life. The hull was located in 1982 and rests at a depth of about 200 feet. CALDERA later became b) A.T. KINNEY and c) HILLSDALE.

1942: FRANK B. BAIRD was sunk by gunfire from U-158 on the Atlantic while bound for Sydney, NS with a cargo of bauxite. All of the crew were saved and later picked up by the Norwegian freighter TALISMAN and landed at Pointe Noire, French Equatorial Guinea

1978: AGIOS NICOLAOS, a Seaway caller in 1968, was about 60 miles north of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, enroute to Kuwait, when an explosion and subsequent fire erupted in the engine room. The ship was gutted, towed into Kuwait and abandoned. The vessel was later broken up. As a) BORGHOLM, it began trading to the Great Lakes in 1953 and made 21 voyages through the Seaway from 1959 to 1967.

1979: IRISH PINE made 19 trips through the Seaway from 1960 through 1964 for Irish Shipping. It arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on this date in 1979 as c) ARAMON. The ship had been traveling from Piraeus, Greece, to Port Sudan, Sudan, when the cargo of bitumen solidified in the holds. The vessel was sold for scrap and dispatched to Kaohsiung to be dismantled by the Taiwan Ship Scrap Co. Ltd., with the cargo still on board. Work began on July 18, 1979

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

Soo Locks park reopens Friday

5/21 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Soo Locks Park, located at the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, will reopen Friday following the ease of travel restrictions in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The Visitors Center and Viewing Platform will remain closed at this time in accordance with the reopening plan.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District

Lake Michigan-Huron levels continue to set record

5/21 - Green Bay, WI – Water levels on Lake Michigan and other Great Lakes set a record for April, but that was no surprise to residents up and down bay whose homes and property flooded last weekend. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, the average daily mean level of Lakes Michigan and Huron — which are reported together — was 581.69 feet in April, up from 581.43 in March and 580.58 in April 2019.

The previous record for April was 581.46 feet in 1986. The record low for April is 576.15 feet in 1964. The long-term average for May — from 1918-2019 — is 579.04 feet.

ACE’s Detroit District continues to project that Lakes Michigan and Huron will peak above last year's levels, after a marginal seasonal decline this fall and winter. On the whole, the Great Lakes region was dry for much of the month, though there was some heavy rainfall at the end of the month, the Corps said.

Water levels typically rise on the Great Lakes because of increased rainfall and runoff in the spring. Through May 18, the monthly mean average for Michigan-Huron is 581.86 feet, which is .23 feet above the 1986 record.

“In the coming months, water levels are projected to continue to be near or above record high water levels on all of the lakes, except Lake Ontario,” the Corps stated in a news release. “Significant erosion and flooding continues in many locations as water levels remain extremely high.

Green Bay Press-Gazette

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known); please do not type boat names in all capital letters. We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner.
CSL Tadoussac arrived Duluth at 11:23 Wednesday morning and moored at CN's berth 6 to wait for her turn to load after Paul R. Tregurtha. The latter vessel, which had arrived late Tuesday night to load at CN, was still at the dock as of Wednesday evening although she had been expected to depart at 17:00. Once she does depart, CSL Tadoussac will shift to over to the loading dock. In Superior, Indiana Harbor arrived at 04:56 Wednesday morning and tied up at Lakehead Pipeline to take a delay. She is scheduled to load in Two Harbors, however when she will depart is unknown.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney.
Burns Harbor departed Two Harbors on May 20th at 06:57 for Indiana Harbor. Edwin H. Gott got underway off Two Harbors on May 20th at 06:34 and arrived Two Harbors at 07:19. As of 19:30 on the 20th she is still at the loading dock. Roger Blough arrived Two Harbors on May 19th at 21:57 for North of #2 lay-by. The Joseph L. Block is stopped just South of the Two Harbors breakwall. She arrived there on May 19th at 22:50. The Indiana Harbor went to the Lakehead Pipeline dock in Superior. She is still scheduled to load in Two Harbors. The CSL Tadoussac went to West of #6 in Duluth. She was scheduled for Two Harbors. There is no traffic from down the lake due in Two Harbors on May 21st. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay has no traffic scheduled on May 21st.

St. Marys River
Downbound traffic Wednesday included American Spirit and Baie Comeau Upbound traffic included tug Spartan and her barge and Cason J. Callaway

Green Bay, WI
On Wednesday, the tug G.L. Ostrander barge Integrity departed at 7:57 p.m. for Alpena, MI

Sturgeon Bay, WI – Daniel Lindner
After spending the past few days anchored off Ludington just south of Big Sable Point due to weather, Hon. James L. Oberstar got underway early Wednesday morning and arrived in Sturgeon Bay via the ship canal at 06:00. Upon reaching Bay Shipbuilding, she backed into a slip for temporary layup. The Oberstar is now the fourth vessel to tie up at the shipyard due to the coronavirus, with American Integrity, H. Lee White, and Wilfred Sykes all waiting for improved economic conditions to warrant their return to service.

Manistee, MI – Michael Smith
Manitowoc arrived at the Manistee piers around 11:00 Wednesday, heading for the TES Filer City power plant to unload coal from Toledo

Northern Lake Huron – Denny Dushane and others
Thessalon: Wednesday; 3:14 Robert S Pierson arrived to load stone and departed at 10:59 for Detroit.

Port Dolomite: Wednesday; 0:59 Sharon MI / Huron Spirit departed for Kingsville. 8:23 Olive L Moore / Menominee arrived to load and departed at 16:41 down bound on Lake Michigan.

Drummond Island: Tuesday; 20:14 Laura L Van Enkevort /Joseph H Thompson departed for Fairport.

Meldrum Bay: Tuesday; 11:48 Kaye E Barker arrived to load. 20:40 Manitoulin arrived and went to anchor. Wednesday; 0:21 Mississagi arrived and went to anchor. 10:21 Manitoulin weighed anchor and proceeded to the Lafarge dock to load dolomite. 11:48 Kaye E Barker departed and is down bound on Lake Michigan. 19:34 Mississagi weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. 19:37 Manitoulin departed down bound on Lake Huron.

Stoneport: Wednesday; 0:54 Herbert C Jackson departed for Lorain. 4:58 John J Boland arrived to load limestone and departed at 19:13 for Marysville. Due in Friday is the tug Victory and barge Maumee arriving in the early morning to load. Two vessels are due in for Saturday, both early morning arrivals, the tug Laura L. VanEnkevort and the barge Joseph H. Thompson along with the tug Olive L. Moore and their barge Menominee. There are no vessels scheduled for Sunday. Three vessels are due in for Monday with the first one being the Herbert C. Jackson in the early morning. he Great Republic is expected in the early afternoon and the tug Dorothy Ann and barge Pathfinder round out a busy lineup and day on Monday.

Calcite: Tuesday; 20:39 Cason J Callaway arrived to load limestone and departed Wednesday at 11:35 for Duluth Superior. Manitowoc is expected Thursday during the late morning to load at the North Dock. Arthur M. Anderson is also due on Thursday in the late evening for the South Dock to load. Due in Friday is the Saginaw in the early morning for the South Dock to load. John G. Munson is also due in on Friday during the early morning for the South Dock to load. Rounding out the schedule on a busy Friday is the American Mariner, due to arrive during the late morning for the North Dock to load.

Alpena: Wednesday; 1:17 After loading cement products Samuel De Champlain / Innovation departed for Detroit. 6:39 The cement carrier Alpena arrived to load and departed at 12:15 for Detroit.

Port Inland: Tuesday; Philip R Clarke departed for Detroit. On Thursday, May 21 the tug Olive L. Moore and barge Menominee are due in the early morning to load. There are no vessels scheduled for Friday. Two vessels are scheduled for Saturday with the first being the Great Republic in the early morning. The tug Undaunted and barge Pere Marquette 41 are also due on Saturday in the early evening to load.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas. Algoma Innovator cleared 3.16 pm Wednesday up bound with salt for Muskegon. Saginaw arrived 3.37 pm Wednesday to load grain.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
CSL Niagara passed upbound at 5:30am. Great Republic arrived at the stoneyard at 6:15 am to unload. Algoma Guardian was upbound off the southeast bend of Harsens Island at 6:15am. Industrial Strength passed upbound at 9:30am. Walter J McCarthy Jr. passed downbound at 10:00am. Ojibway passed upbound at 11:30am. Victory/Maumee passed downbound at 1 pm. Blair Mckeil passed downbound at 1:30pm. Great Republic finished unload around noon, untied, did a 360 degree turn and slipped into traffic between Victory and Blair Mckeil and all 3 vessels headed downbound. Maria G passed upbound at 1:30pm. Herbert C Jackson passed downbound at 3:00pm. Presque Isle passed downbound at 3:45pm. Edgar B Speer passed upbound and passed Samuel de Champlain/Innovation downbound at 4:15pm. Laura L. Vanenkevort/Joseph H Thompson passed downbound at 4:45pm. Sinaa passed upbound at 5pm. Sunny all day, steady winds from the east-southeast made some surface chop on the river, 68 degrees F.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Samuel De Champlain/Innovation were unloading cement at Lafarge Wednesday night.

Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
The tug Victory and barge Maumee are due to arrive at the Torco Dock on Thursday in the early evening to unload ore pellets. They are due back at Torco again on May 28 in the early morning. At the CSX Coal Dock, due to arrive there is the Kaye E. Barker on May 26 in the early morning to load. Also due at CSX is the tug Victory and barge Maumee on May 28 in the early afternoon to load. The Algoma Transport is also due at CSX on May 28 in the early evening to load.

Lake Erie Ports for Wednesday – Bill Kloss
Lorain: Herbert C. Jackson due in at 03:56.

Cleveland: Walter J. McCarthy due in at 22:30 for the Bulk Terminal.

Fairport Harbor: Frontenac left at 09:07 with salt for Bowmanville.

Conneaut: Edgar B. Speer left for Duluth/Superior and CSL Assiniboine left for Quebec. Algoma Transport arrived from anchorage as did Arthur M. Anderson. John G. Munson arrived and went on the hook at 10:02.

Buffalo: Andean remains at anchor. Federal Rhine and American Mariner are still in port.

Nanticoke: Whitefish Bay came in from anchorage.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
Wednesday began at 00:17 with the departure of Aragonborg, headed to Toronto after spending a few days unloading steel. Shortly after that, at 00:33, the tanker Carolus Magnus arrived with UAN solution from Estonia. At 1:25 EST the saltie Juno arrived from Toronto and dropped anchor, waiting for a turn to load grain. At 6:28 EST, the tug Ocean A. Simard returned from a trip to Toronto. At 9:43 EST, the tug Petite Forte and her barge St. Marys Cement departed for Bowmanville. At 16:20 EST the Algoma Spirit arrived to unload ore that was loaded in Superior. Federal Shimanto sat in port throughout the day loading grain.

Buffalo, NY – Brian R Wroblewski
The water ran back into Buffalo Harbor on the early morning of May 19th after the wind backed off so the American Mariner was able to come in around 1:30AM. She docked at the Frontier Elevator by herself and began unloading shortly after. A few days went by before anything else happened, but the 21st was busy again. The Mick finally departed Lackawanna after finishing unloading her cargo holds of windmill rotor hubs that morning. She got underway around 7:AM, bound for Antwerp, Belgium and left without tugs. She was replaced on the Main dock at Gateway Metroport by the Federal Rhine around 10:30AM with help from the Vermont. During the day, the US Coast Guard ice breaking tug Morrow Bay was also cruising around on the lake between Dunkirk and Buffalo for some unknown reason. Later that evening the Calumet arrived with sand for the Canadian Silica landing on the City Ship Canal. The American Mariner was wrapping up unloading at the Frontier elevator around 7PM so Calumet went to anchor with the Andean out near the Safe Water Beacon to wait for her to depart. The Mariner pulled in the boom, backed up, and secured for about an hour so the crew could clean the holds. Then, around 8PM, she started backing out by herself for the lake. The ship winded in the Outer Harbor and departed around 9PM. The Calumet fired back up her Alcos and started in, passing the Mariner in the Entrance Channel “on the one whistle” just outside the Buffalo breakwall. Calumet made her way slowly up the Buffalo River and City Ship Canal to unload at the sand wharf.

Picton, ON – Tom Brewer
McKeil Spirit arrived at Lehigh Cement Plant's Dock Wednesday evening.

See online program “Living and Working on a Great Lakes Freighter” today at 12:30

5/21 - Virtual Visitor Center Program: Who's in Charge? Living and Working on a Great Lakes Freighter Today at 12:30 EDT (11:30 CDT) Director of the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Duluth, Minnesota, Sara Summers-Luedtke, will present a program exploring what life is like for the crew members on Great Lakes freighters. Filled with insider information and photos, this family-friendly program considers the different positions aboard the vessels and the hard work of crewmembers to keep it all operating.

Log in with a Chrome browser to ask your questions and learn the pros and cons of living and working on Great Lakes freighters at this address: https://www.gotomeet.me/VirtualVisitorCenter/lake-superior-basin

Updates

The Boatnerd Bookshelf page has been updated. View it here: http://www.boatnerd.com/books

On 21 May 1883, SAILOR BOY (2-mast wooden scow-schooner, 75 foot, 76 net tons, built in 1866, at Algonac, Michigan) was carrying wood from Pierport, Michigan to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She anchored outside Milwaukee harbor waiting for a gale to abate but she broke her anchor chains and was driven aground. Her crew of three made it to shore on a line with help from bystanders on the beach.

AMERICAN REPUBLIC's maiden voyage was on May 21, 1981, from Sturgeon Bay light to Escanaba, Michigan, to load ore pellets for Cleveland, Ohio. She now sails as GREAT REPUBLIC.

Interlake Steamship Co.'s HENRY G. DALTON's maiden voyage was on May 21, 1916. She was scrapped at Vado, Italy, in 1973.

UNITED STATES GYPSUM in tow of the German tug FAIRPLAY X was lost in heavy weather on May 21, 1973, near Sydney, Nova Scotia.

G.A. TOMLINSON, a.) D.O. MILLS, stranded near Buffalo, New York, on Lake Erie on May 21, 1974, suffering an estimated $150,000 in damage.

The 143-foot wooden brig JOSEPH was launched at Bay City, Michigan, on by Alexander Tromley & Company. She was built by the owner.

On 21 May 1864, the NILE (wooden passenger/package freight vessel, 190 foot, 650 tons, built in 1852, at Ohio City, Ohio) was sitting at her dock in Detroit, Michigan, with passengers, household goods, and horses and wagons aboard when her boiler exploded, destroying the ship and killing eight of the crew. Large pieces of her boiler flew as far as 300 feet while other pieces damaged houses across the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario. A large timber was thrown through the brick wall of a nearby shoe store, striking the cobbler in the back of the head and killing him. At least 13 other crew members and passengers were injured. The wreck was moved to the foot of Clark Street in Detroit in July 1864, where it remained until it was finally dynamited in August 1882.

May 21, 1923 - ANN ARBOR NO 4 was refloated after sinking at Frankfort, Michigan, the previous February.

After spending three weeks in quarantine at Buffalo, New York, because of the discovery of smallpox on board, the steamer JOHN OADES has been released and has started on her way to Duluth.

1919: FERDINAND SCHLESSINGER, enroute from Erie, Pa., to Port Arthur, Ont., with 3,514 tons of coal, began leaking in a storm and sank 15 miles off Passage Island, Lake Superior. The crew was picked up by the ASSINIBOIA

1932: The C.P.R. passenger ship MANITOBA goes aground in Georgian Bay off Cape Croker in heavy fog and has to be lightered before being released the next day.

1942: TROISDOC is the latest member of the Paterson fleet to be a victim of enemy action in World War Two. It was torpedoed by U-558 about 40 miles west of Jamaica and the crew escaped in the lifeboats. The vessel was enroute from Mobile, AL to Georgetown, British Guiana, with 55,700 bags of cement, vegetables, 1600 cases of beer and cigarettes.

1963: The Taiwanese freighter VAN YUNG had visited the Great Lakes in 1960 and 1961. It was laid up at Keelung, Taiwan, on this day due to fire damage and was sold for scrap in October 1963.

1965: Leaks developed in the boiler room of the Norwegian freighter LIONNE and the ship, enroute from Caen, France, to Montreal, sank in the Atlantic. Two members of the crew were lost. The vessel had made 5 trips through the Seaway from 1961 to 1963.

1973: The retired American Steamship Company self-unloader UNITED STATES GYPSUM, under tow for scrapping at Vado, Italy, broke loose in the Atlantic off Sydney, NS and sank.

1979: The second PRINS WILLEM V, a Dutch freighter of 1956 vintage, was damaged extensively by a fire amidships while idle at Port Elizabeth, South Africa as f) ARAXOS. It has been for sale and was scrapped at Durban, South Africa, in 1981.

2007: A fire broke out in the engine room of the Canadian-owned salty UMIAVUT while enroute from Kolundborg, Denmark, to La Corogne, Spain, with 8600 tons of flour. The ship was towed into Brest, France, and repaired. It visited the Great Lakes as b) LINDENGRACHT in 2000 and was back as c) UMIAVUT in 2011.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, the Detroit Free Press and the Duluth Evening Herald.

Pictured Rocks Cruises to set sail for summer season on June 15

5/20 - Munising, MI – Pictured Rocks Cruises’ scenic shoreline tours will kick off a little later than usual this summer on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Munising-based company announced that its cruises are tentatively scheduled to begin on June 15, about six weeks later than normal.

The pandemic also has caused the company to see a significant decline in advance ticket sales for this season, said assistant manager Zach Boucher. “We’ve seen kind of a screeching halt for reservations,” he said. “It’s kind of at a standstill right now. I think most people don’t know what the rules are going to be for being able to travel.”

Visitors whose reservations were cancelled due to the new starting date were given the option for refunds or exchanges for reservations at a later date. Most opted for refunds, Boucher said.

The company has offered scenic Lake Superior cruises along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for more than 50 years. In light of the pandemic, Boucher said safety precautions will be ramped up this particular year, including requiring masks and gloves for staff, encouraging passengers to wear masks, limiting the number of passengers on board for each cruise, and potentially reworking the schedule to allow ample time to clean and disinfect the boats.

“Safety has always been our number one concern,” Boucher said. “Now more than ever we’re going to make sure we follow the guidelines and make sure it’s an enjoyable experience for visitors when they are able to come.”

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore trails and public outdoor spaces have remained open through the pandemic, though visitor services and camping at the park are closed until June 25.

M Live

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known); please do not type boat names in all capital letters. We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner.
Repair work complete, Edwin H. Gott departed Duluth at 09:00 Tuesday light for Two Harbors to load. Joseph L. Block finished unloading her stone cargo at CN around the same time and shifted to Hallett #5 to take on a partial cargo of blast furnace trim. She is expected to complete her load with iron ore pellets however it is unclear whether she would load those pellets in Duluth or Two Harbors. Paul R. Tregurtha was due at 23:00 Tuesday night to load ore at Canadian National. In Superior, Baie Comeau arrived from anchor at 00:28, loaded iron ore at BN, and then departed at 11:03 for Nanticoke. No further traffic is due in Superior until Thursday, when Stewart J. Cort is slated to load.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
American Spirit shifted from North of #2 to South of #2 between 21:06 and 21:50. She departed Two Harbors on May 19th at 09:28 for Conneaut. Arriving Two Harbors on May 19th was the Burns Harbor. She had anchored off Duluth and got underway on May 19th at 06:56 and arrived Two Harbors at 10:05. As of 19:30 on May 19th I believe the Burns Harbor is preparing to get underway. On May 19th as of 19:30 the Edwin H. Gott is stopped just off the Two Harbors breakwall. Arriving Two Harbors around 20:30 is the Joseph L. Block after taking on a partial cargo of BFT at CN-Hallett #5. Due Two Harbors around 20:00 on May 19th is the Roger Blough. Due Two Harbors on May 20th are the Indiana Harbor and the CSL Tadoussac. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay has no scheduled traffic on May 20th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Tuesday; 1:25 Saginaw departed for Goderich. 2:03 Federal Clyde arrived at the Superior Elevator to load grain.

St. Marys River
Downbound traffic Tuesday included two classics, Alpena in the afternoon and Saginaw in the evening. There was no upbound traffic.

Port Inland, MI – Denny Dushane
The Philip R. Clarke arrived on Monday in the early evening to load and was expected to depart sometime on Tuesday. There were no other vessels due in or scheduled for Tuesday. Expected on Wednesday is the tug Olive L. Moore and barge Menominee in the late evening. There are no vessels scheduled for Thursday. Due in for Friday is the Great Republic in the evening to load.

Green Bay, WI
5-19-20: The tug Olive L. Moore and barge Menominee departed at 7:10 a.m. for Stoneport, MI. Correction: the tug G.L. OSTRANDER barge INTEGRITY arrived for the Lafarge Terminal at 12:00 p.m. after waiting out the storm the night before.

Menominee, MI
BBC Russia was docked, with Hilke (ex Palabora) at anchor waiting for the dock.

Southern Lake Michigan
Federal Leda, Federal Dee and Happy Ranger were all at Burns Harbor Tuesday night.

Northern Lake Huron – Denny Dushane and others
Port Dolomite: Tuesday; 16:05 Sharon MI / Huron Spirit arrived at the loading dock. The tug Olive L. Moore and barge Menominee were expected to arrive early on Tuesday morning to load, yet they are due to arrive at Port Inland also on Tuesday in the late evening to load. Calumet is due Saturday, May 23 in the early evening to load.

Drummond Island: Tuesday; 14:52 Great Republic departed for Marine City. 14:54 Laura L. Van Enkevort /Joseph H Thompson arrived to load limestone and departed in the early evening.

Meldrum Bay: Monday; 22:30 Joyce L Van Enkevort / Great Lakes Trader departed for Marysville. 22:59 Cuyahoga weighed anchor and proceeded to the dock to load limestone. She departed Monday at 8:08 for Cleveland.

Stoneport: Tuesday; Herbert C Jackson arrived to load limestone. There are no vessels scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday. Due in Friday is the tug Laura L.VanEnkevort and barge Joseph H. Thompson in the early morning. Also due for Friday is the tug Victory and barge Maumee in the early morning to load.

Calcite: Cason J. Callaway was expected to arrive on Tuesday in the evening for the South Dock to load. There are no vessels due Wednesday. Due in Thursday is the Arthur M. Anderson. arriving in the late morning for the South Dock to load.

Alpena: Tuesday; 11:40 Samuel De Champlain / Innovation weighed anchor and departed for Alpena. She is expected to dock at the Lafarge plant by 21:00.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Conveyor was loading salt Tuesday night, while Algoma Innovator was on the hook outside the breakwalls to load next.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
John J Boland passed MC upbound at 1am Tuesday. Manitowoc passed upbound at 1:30am. Kaye E Barker passed upbound at 5am. Algoma Spirit passed downbound at 5:30am. CSL Welland passed upbound at 9am. Algoma Harvester passed upbound at 10am. Algoma Niagara passed downbound at 10:15am. G3Marquis passed upbound at 1:30pm. Calumet passed downbound at 1:30pm. John D Leitch passed downbound at 4:30pm. John G Munson passed downbound at 6:15pm. Dara Desgagnes passed upbound at 6:30pm. Everlast/Norman Mcleod should pass MC in the late evening hours. AM showers ended to PM sun and clouds, temp 68 degrees F, with steady winds from the east- northeast.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
John D Leitch was unloading coal from Thunder Bay at Zug Island Tuesday night. This is a rare trip for her.

Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
The tug Victory and barge Maumee are expected to arrive at the Torco Dock to unload ore pellets on Wednesday in the evening. Also due at Torco is the tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort and barge Erie Trader on May 28 during the early morning. At the CSX Coal Dock, the Kaye E. Barker is due there on May 26 just after midnight to load. The Algoma Transport is also due at CSX on May 26 in the early morning. Arriving at CSX on Monday to load was the Manitowoc during the noon hour. They departed from CSX in the late afternoon on Monday for Manistee.

Lake Erie Ports for Tuesday – Bill Kloss
Cleveland: McKeil Spirit left at 11:50 for Picton. Polsteam's Irma arrived at 17:30 for the Port docks.

Fairport Harbor: Frontenac left anchorage and went to Morton Salt at 08:46.

Conneaut: CSL Assiniboine and Edgar B. Speer came in from being anchored. Algoma Transport and Arthur M. Anderson remain at anchor.

Buffalo: American Mariner arrived at 00:05 for General Mills. The salty Mick is in port while Federal Rhine and Andean are at anchor.

Nanticoke: CSL Laurentian left at 05:52 for Windsor. Whiefish Bay is at anchor.

Iron Ore Heritage Trail receives funding to fight erosion

5/20 - Marquette, MI - One of the more popular and important trails in the county is receiving funds to help fight erosion. The Iron Ore Heritage Trail is a 47-mile multi–use trail throughout Marquette County, and highlights the area’s history and culture. However, with water levels in Lake Superior rising, preventing the trail and surrounding infrastructure from being lost to erosion is imperative.

“Well one, there’s nowhere else to put this trail,” said Carol Fulcher, an administrator for the Iron Ore Heritage Recreation Authority. “We can’t move it any further in because there’s sewers, there’s gas lines, there’s culverts, it’s a gully area; we can’t move it across the street because it’s private property. And plus, this is the most used part of the trail, obviously because it’s right next to the lake, which everyone wants to see. So it’s important for all of those reasons. The gas lines, the sewer lines, everything that goes through here, to keep those safe as well.”

The project would place large stones along the shoreline of US–41 just south of Marquette, to protect the shore from erosion.

The Michigan DNR is requesting local municipalities to help with the funding; the Marquette City Commission approved a $17,000 contribution last Monday, while Chocolay Township pledged an additional $17,000.

The Iron Ore Heritage Recreation Authority is hoping to use the local funding as leverage for state grants to fund the rest of the restoration project, which is estimated to cost around $200,000

ABC 10

On 20 May 1872, the ironclad passenger/package freight steamer MERCHANT struck a rock and sank at the mouth of the Detroit River. No one was injured. The wrecking tugs MAGNET and HERCULES took off the cargo of railroad iron and general merchandise, then attached two pontoons, but the vessel would not budge. On 26 May, the steamers MACKINAW and SWEEPSTAKES joined the scene and d two more pontoons. With all the steam pumps working, the MERCHANT still would not budge. Two days later, two more pontoons were added and the MERCHANT finally floated free and was towed to Detroit for repairs. She had two holes in her hull, one of which was a gash 23 feet long.

On May 20, 1909, while lying at the Lackawanna Coal Dock at Buffalo, New York, the LeGRAND S. DEGRAFF was struck by the SONORA, which caused $4,000 in damage to the DEGRAFF. Later renamed b.) GEORGE G. CRAWFORD in 1911. She was scrapped at Duluth, Minnesota in 1976.

The STANDARD PORTLAND CEMENT sank on Lake Huron two miles above Port Huron, Michigan in a collision with the steamer AUGUST ZIESING on May 20, 1960, with no loss of life.

On May 20, 1967, during docking maneuvers in the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River, the W.W. HOLLOWAY's KaMeWa propeller shaft sheared off and the propeller reportedly sank to the bottom.

The RENOWN (Hull#396) was launched May 20, 1912, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. for the Standard Oil Co. Renamed b.) BEAUMONT PARKS in 1930 and c.) MERCURY in 1957.

WILLIAM A. McGONAGLE (Hull#154) was launched May 20, 1916, at Ecorse, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. Renamed b.) HENRY STEINBRENNER in 1986.

On 20 May 1862, BAY CITY (wooden propeller tug, 199 foot, 480 tons, built in 1852, at Trenton, Michigan) sprang a leak in a storm and sank near Port Burwell, Ontario. She then washed in to shallow water. Her crew was rescued by the tug WINSLOW. Her engine and boiler were removed in June and July of that year.

On 20 May 1875, the passenger package freight vessel GLADYS was launched at D. Lestor's yard in Marine City, Michigan for the Toledo & Saginaw Transportation Company. Her dimensions were 135 feet overall x 26 feet x 10 feet. She had twelve staterooms and along with ample cargo space. The pilot house was forward, 8 feet square and 11 feet high. The engines, from the old ESTABROOK and, previous to that, from DAN RHODES, were two high-pressure double engines acting on one shaft with an 8 foot propeller. She also had a pony engine to feed water to the boilers and wash the decks. She was sold Canadian in 1877, and renamed NORTHERN BELLE and lasted until November 1898, when she burned on Georgian Bay.

1923 – The steel bulk carrier EDWARD U. DEMMER sank in the deep waters of Lake Huron after a collision with the SATURN at 0740 hours, in heavy fog, while about 40 miles southeast of Thunder Bay Island. All on board were saved.

1924 – STATE OF OHIO, an iron sidewheel passenger steamer, burned at Cleveland on this date in 1924. It was rebuilt as a barge but stranded on the main breakwall at Lorain on December 17, 1929, and became a total loss.

1928 – CLEARWATER stranded near Trinity Bay, in the St. Lawrence while inbound with a cargo of pulpwood and was blown on the beach. The brand-new vessel was abandoned to the insurers but the hull was salvaged in July, repaired and returned to service later in the year as TRENORA. It last sailed as KEYSHEY in 1963.

1942 – TORONDOC of the Paterson fleet went south for the bauxite trade during World War Two. German broadcasts reported that it was torpedoed and sunk by U-69 on this date. All of the 23-member crew were lost when the ship went down in the vicinity of the French island of Martinique.

1945 – CALGARY had operated on the Great Lakes from 1912 to 1916 but left for the sea and was converted to a tanker in 1921. The ship was renamed b) BACOI and served on coastal runs for Standard Oil and even returned to the Great Lakes in 1938. It suffered an explosion and fire while in the Cape Cod Canal on this date in 1945 and had to be beached. It was scrapped at Jersey City in 1948.

1946 – The Georgian Bay area passenger ship MANITOULIN stranded at Clapperton Island but was released the next day by the tug NORTHERN.

1960 – The STANDARD PORTLAND CEMENT settled on the bottom of Lake Huron, with her decks above water, after a collision in fog with the upbound AUGUST ZIESING. The former was refloated, sold to Redwood Enterprises and came into Canadian service as ELMDALE. The latter resumed trading for U.S. Steel after bow repairs.

1960 – PAUL H. TOWNSEND was hit from behind by the British freighter TYNEMOUTH on foggy Lake Huron while trying to avoid the wrecked STANDARD PORTLAND CEMENT and the anchored AUGUST ZIESING. The PAUL H. TOWNSEND had stern plates damaged while the salty sustained bow damage. TYNEMOUTH had become a regular Seaway trader in 1959 and made 18 trips inland through 1967. It ran aground off Fuga Island, the Philippines as b) EASTERN RIVER on April 24, 1971, and became a total loss.

1981 – The West German freighter VIRGILIA made 30 trips to the Great Lakes between 1959 and 1967. It was renamed b) MARIA in 1974 and suffered an engineroom fire in the Red Sea and had to be abandoned while enroute from Mersin, Turkey, to Bombay, India, on this date in 1981. The hull was towed to shallow water and beached about 5 miles south of Suez. It was later sold, via auction, and apparently scrapped as c) FARIDA II at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, in 1989.

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

Heavy rain, gale warnings in forecast, flood watch issued for big part of Michigan

5/18 - A large, slow-moving weather system pushed into Michigan Sunday, bringing high winds and a long stretch of rain that could create some flooding problems across parts of the state. Gale warnings were issued Sunday for the upper portions of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

On Lake Michigan, the gale warning extends north from Pentwater. It will be in effect from tonight through Tuesday morning. Wind gusts up to 40 mph are expected, which should build waves from 6 to 10 feet.

On Lake Huron, the gale warning is from Saginaw Bay and stretching north toward Rogers City. It will be in effect from Sunday night through 8 p.m. Monday. Gusts up to 40 mph are expected. “The largest significant waves will be 10 feet, with a potential maximum wave height of 14 feet,” a NWS meteorologists said. “The maximum winds are expected around 8 a.m. Monday with the largest waves expected around 6 a.m. Monday.”

Beginning Sunday, a flood watch was in effect for most of the Lower Peninsula. Between Sunday and Tuesday, most areas in Lower Michigan will see 1 to 2 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. But some in central Michigan and moving east to the Saginaw area could see 3 to 4 inches of rain. This is expected to cause localized flooding and rising rivers. Even up to 2 inches of rain could spell problems for some areas in West Michigan and the southwest part of the state, which already has wet ground from a soaking last week.

The gale-force winds forecast with this system will likely mean erosion issues along Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, where high water has caused problems for several months. Some shoreline communities that hug Lake Michigan and Lake Huron also have Lakeshore Flood Warnings in place for the next couple days.

Read the full MLive story at this link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2020/05/heavy-rain-gale-warnings-in-forecast-flood-watch-issued-for-big-part-of-michigan.html

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known); please do not type boat names in all capital letters. We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Edwin H. Gott made a surprise visit to Duluth on Sunday, arriving at 02:11 for what is presumably some sort of mechanical repair at Port Terminal. John G. Munson was outbound at 04:41 light for Two Harbors after unloading stone at Hallett #5. Erie Trader/tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort arrived at 07:18 to discharge limestone at Graymont, and Manitoulin arrived at 09:45 to load iron ore pellets at CN. She topped off and was outbound at 17:10. Erie Trader finished her unload at 17:30 and shifted over to CN to take on iron ore and is expected to depart on Monday morning. Edwin H. Gott does not have a departure time posted but is scheduled next to load in Two Harbors. Alpena, James R. Barker, and Lee A. Tregurtha are all still idled in port. At the Superior entry on Sunday, Algoma Spirit was outbound at 03:40 with a load of iron ore for Hamilton, and Mesabi Miner arrived at 04:17 to load at Burlington Northern. She was due to depart at 23:00 Sunday night. Baie Comeau was on the hook off the Superior entry and will arrive to load after the Miner clears.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
John G. Munson arrived Two Harbors on May 17th at 06:42 for South of #2. She departed on the 17th at 13:36 for Conneaut. Due Two Harbors late on May 17th is the Presque Isle. Due Two Harbors on May 18th are the American Spirit and the Burns Harbor. Also due Two Harbors is the Edwin H. Gott that was, as of 19:00 on the 17th, undergoing repairs at the Duluth Port Terminal. There is no ETA Two Harbors. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. on May 17th at 08:18. There is no inbound traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on May 18th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Friday; 20:13 Ojibway departed for Windsor. Saturday; 9:41 Florence Spirit arrived at the Richardson Current River Terminal to load grain. 11:34 Evans Spirit weighed anchor and proceeded to the Superior Elevator to load grain.11:40 Tim S Dool finished loading at the Superior Elevator and shifted to Keefer Terminal for port services. 22:21 Evans Spirit departed for Baie Comeau. 22:27 Algoma Equinox arrived at the G3 elevator to load wheat.22:35 Kaministiqua departed for Sorel. Sunday; 3:31John D Leitch arrived at Thunder Bay Terminals to load coal. 10:51 Federal Montreal arrived and went to anchor. 15:34 The saltie Blackie arrived and went to anchor. 1652 Federal Satsuki arrived and went to anchor. 17:22 John D Leitch departed and is down bound on Lake Superior. 18:13 Florence Spirit departed and is down bound on Lake Superior.

St. Marys River
Upbound traffic on a slow Sunday included Victory/Maumee (to Algoma) and Joseph L. Block. Downbounders included Lady Doris, Kaminstiqua and Evans Spirit.

Northern Lake Huron
Bruce Mines: Saturday; 3:26 Michipicoten departed for Detroit.

Meldrum Bay: Saturday; 23:40 Algoma Buffalo arrived to load. Sunday; 4:45 Robert S Pierson arrived and went to anchor. 10:46 Algoma Buffalo departed for Saginaw. Robert S Pierson weighed anchor and proceeded to the Lafarge dock to load. Port Dolomite: Friday; 17:37 Defiance and Ashtabula arrived to load limestone and departed Saturday at 10:17 for the Saginaw River. 18:59 Joseph L Block arrived to finish loading and departed Sunday at 7:23 for Duluth Superior.

Stoneport: Saturday; 18:44 Manitowoc arrived to load limestone. 24:20 Kaye E Barker arrived and went to anchor. Sunday; 3:43 Kay E Barker weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. 4:01 Manitowoc departed for Munroe.

Alpena: Sunday; 2:09 G L Ostrander arrived to load cement products and departed at 7:24 for Green Bay.

Port Inland: Friday; 14:16 Great Republic arrived to load and departed Saturday at 4:30 for Detroit. Joseph L Block arrived to take on a partial load and departed at 13:50 for Port Dolomite to finish loading.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas Tug Olive L Moore / barge Pathfinder arrived 2.50 am Sunday, cleared 2 pm upbound loaded with salt for Escanaba. Algoma Niagara arrived 7.12 pm Sunday backed in to Compass Minerals, escorted by tug Escorte.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
Saturday Arrivals: Great Republic delivered a split load of stone for the McCoig Concrete and Motor City Materials docks. American Courage arrived at Zug Island to load slag. Michipicoten arrived at the St. Clair Aggregates dock to unload trap rock.

Cleveland, OH – Tom Brewer
McKeil Spirit arrived at Lehigh Cement's Dock Sunday evening.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
At 1:30 EST the bulker G3 Marquis arrived from Port Cartier to unload ore. At 6:14 EST the Coast Guard vessel Limnos departed, making a quick stop in Port Credit before returning at 10:21 EST. Sterling Energy departed at 13:11 EST for Port Weller, and at 14:30 EST, the Coast Guard vessel Constable Carriere departed and headed east. The saltie Juno is expected to arrive from Toronto to load grain at 23:30 EST, and the Sterling Energy is also expected to return late tonight.

Great Lakes are higher than they’ve ever been, and we’re not sure what will happen next

5/18 - From Popular Mechanics: A single road near Lake Superior connects Michigan’s Keweenaw Bay Indian Community to the rest of the state. During major rains, rocks and wood litter the route and cut off travel in and out. Over the summer, drivers have to take a 30-minute detour; in the winter, the trip can take more than two hours. Work crews eventually clear the path with plow-like machines, freeing the tribe’s movement. Living at Superior’s southern edge, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) manages close to 19 miles of its shoreline. They rely on it for tourism revenue, drinking water, and fish for the tribal hatchery. A full lake is good news for KBIC, but if the levels spill over, it could spell danger for the residents’ subsistence.

This precarious balance shifted toward disaster during the 2018 Father’s Day flood, when more than seven inches of rain pounded the area in just three hours. In the storm’s aftermath, fecal runoff plagued local beaches, teeing up an explosion of harmful E. coli bacteria. The Michigan Health Department closed several swimming spots on the state’s Upper Peninsula, but they didn’t offer to test the tribe’s domain. That led KBIC’s Water Resources Specialist Stephanie Cree to take matters into her own hands. After all, the health of Lake Superior is an essential measure when people’s livelihoods depend on it.

“A lot of the community relies on fish for food,” Cree says. "We have a lot of tribal and commercial fishermen who rely on fishing for income.”

Cree instituted weekly beach monitoring to check bacteria levels, soon shuttering two of the reservation’s beaches. As far as she knows, it was the first such closure in Keweenaw Bay’s modern history. And it likely won’t be the last, given that the region is becoming more unstable by the day.

Across the 5,241 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, tribes, cities, vacationers, and wildlife managers are grappling with devastating flooding and erosion. It’s a different story from the nation’s coasts, where rising seas are creeping inland at a steady pace. Instead, the five Great Lakes fluctuate naturally by season—though over the past four decades, they’ve bounced both above and below historic records. Experts suspect that climate change is partially driving these shifts, but because of the complex nature of the water, it’s hard to isolate human factors from the rest of the turbulence. That leaves states like Michigan with little room to prepare for the lakes’ next turn.

Read the rest of this story see images, charts at this link: https://www.popsci.com/story/environment/great-lakes-water-rise

On 18 May 1872, the 3-mast wooden schooner MARQUETTE was holed in northern Lake Huron by a floating log. The crew manned the hand-operated bilge pumps but could not keep up with the incoming water. The steamer ANNIE YOUNG took the MARQUETTE in tow even though she was sinking and headed for Cheboygan, Michigan. During the tow, the schooner stopped sinking and arrived in port no lower in the water than she had been earlier. An investigation revealed that a large fish got caught in the hole and plugged it.

The WILLIAM C. ATWATER departed Sandusky, Ohio May 18, 1925, on her maiden voyage loaded with coal bound for Duluth, Minnesota. She was the first freighter on the Great Lakes equipped with a gyro compass. She was renamed b.) E. J. KULAS in 1936, c.) BEN MOREELL in 1953, d.) THOMAS E MILLSOP in 1955, e.) E. J. NEWBERRY in 1976, and f.) CEDARGLEN in 1982. She was scrapped at Port Maitland, Ontario in 1994.

Bethlehem Steel's steamer JOHNSTOWN cleared Erie May 18, 1985, for Quebec City under tow bound for Spain for scrapping. This vessel was the first post-war built U.S. laker to be scrapped.

On May 18, 1903, the MAUNALOA hit and sank the 69-foot wooden tug EDWARD GILLEN at Superior, Wisconsin.

May 18, 1992 -- The BADGER made her maiden voyage for the newly formed Lake Michigan Carferry Service.

On 18 May 1853, CITIZEN (wooden schooner, 54 tons, built in 1847, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was driven aground 6 miles north of Chicago. The U. S. Navy steamer MICHIGAN tried in vain to pull her off, breaking a 14" hawser in the process. She was reportedly the first vessel built at Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

On 18 May 1882, AMERICAN EAGLE (wooden propeller, passenger packet & tug, 105 foot, 161 gross tons, built in 1880, at Sandusky, Ohio) was racing off Kelley's Island on Lake Erie when her boiler exploded. Six lives were lost. She was later raised and repaired and lasted until 1908.

18 May 1894: A big storm swept the Lakes on 18 May 1894. The next day, the Port Huron Times gave the following account of the shipwrecks in that storm: "The big storm on Lake Michigan has cost the lives of many men. Only 2 men were saved from the schooner M J CUMMINGS, 6 lost. The C C BARNES is ashore at Milwaukee but the crew was saved. The schooner MYRTLE was wrecked just outside the government pier within a half mile of Michigan Blvd. in Chicago with 6 lost. The schooner LINCOLN DALL went to pieces at Glencoe, 8 miles north of Chicago. She was 196 tons. The schooner JACK THOMPSON, 199 tons, wrecked off 25th Street. The schooner EVENING STAR, 203 tons, wrecked off 27th Street but her crew was saved. The schooner MERCURY of Grand Haven, 278 tons, wrecked off 27th Street and her crew rescued. The schooner J LOOMIS McLAREN, 272 tons, wrecked off 27th Street. The schooner RAINBOW of Milwaukee, 243 tons, wrecked off 100th Street; the crew was rescued. The schooner C J MIXER, 279 tons, wrecked off 100th Street; crew rescued. The schooner WM SHUPE waterlogged and ashore at Lexington, Michigan on Lake Huron. Four were drowned in an attempted rescue. The scow ST CATHARINES is ashore at Rock Falls near Sand Beach. The crew reached shore safely but the boat will fare badly."

1919 – CITY OF MEAFORD, a wooden-hulled passenger freighter was destroyed by fire at the dock in Collingwood.

1922 – GLENFINNAN, downbound with grain, and MIDLAND KING collided in fog southeast of Passage Isle, Lake Superior, and both masters received two-month suspensions.

1928 – The whaleback steamer JOHN ERICSSON was heavily damaged in a collision with the A.F. HARVEY of the Pittsburgh SS Co. in fog on Lake Huron. The latter was lost as b) CEDARVILLE in another collision on May 7, 1965.

1971 – TRANSPACIFIC was entering the harbor at the island of St. Pierre in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to get technical help for a malfunctioning radar when the ship stranded on the rocks. The West German freighter, a regular Seaway trader since 1959, was abandoned. The hull has gradually broken apart by the elements over the years.

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

Sale of American Steamship Co. to Rand Logistics completed

5/15 - Chicago, IL GATX Corporation has completed the sale of its American Steamship Company (ASC) business to Rand Logistics LLC for approximately $260 million in cash proceeds, subject to customary post-closing adjustments. This is the final step in the sale of ASC to Rand Logistics, LLC, as previously announced on Feb. 10, 2020. GATX expects to use the net sales proceeds to repay outstanding indebtedness under its $250 million revolving credit facility‎.

Rand Logistics

Steamer Alpena returning to service

5/15 - Superior, WI – Reports indicate the steamer Alpena, in temporary layup, is being readied to a return to service. A sailing date has not been announced.

Algoma Steel renews ore contract with U.S. Steel

5/15 - Sault Ste. Marie, ON – Algoma Steel has inked a new iron ore supply agreement with U.S. Steel to keep the Sault Ste. Marie steelmaker swimming in taconite pellets for the next four years. In a May 14 news release, Algoma said their existing ore contract was set to expire at year's end. The new four-year deal expires at the closing of the 2024 Great Lakes shipping season.

“This contract provides Algoma Steel with a competitive iron ore supply that will sustain our business through the steel market cycle," said company CEO Michael McQuade in a brief statement.

The first deal with the U.S. Steel, which operates iron deposits on the Mesabi Range in northern Minnesota, was born out of a litigious relationship with Cliffs Natural Resources (now Cleveland-Cliffs), which had been Algoma's historic supplier of Michigan-mined and processed pellets.

Citing breach of contract, Cliffs abruptly ended its taconite pellet agreement with then-Essar Steel Algoma in the fall of 2015 - just prior to Essar entering bankruptcy protection - leaving the steel company scrambling to find a new supplier before settling on US Steel.

More recent hard times in the steel industry, caused by the pandemic, forced Algoma to lay off 70 employees late last month.

Algoma produces 2.8 million tons a year of sheet and plate steel, predominately for customers in the North American auto industry.

Soo Today

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known); please do not type boat names in all capital letters. We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Arthur M. Anderson arrived Duluth at 06:59 Thursday morning with limestone for the C. Reiss dock. Philip R. Clarke, which had discharged stone at Hallett #5 and then shifted to CN at 08:00 Thursday morning, departed at 15:58 with a load of iron ore pellets. The Anderson was just making her way through the harbor towards the lift bridge as of 19:30, headed light to load in Two Harbors. American Mariner shifted over to General Mills to load wheat at 01:00 Thursday after offloading her stone cargo at Graymont. Lady Doris and Sunda continued loading wheat at Riverland Ag and CHS 1, respectively, on Thursday. At the Superior entry, Frontenac departed at 08:38 laden with iron ore for Nanticoke, and her fleetmate Whitefish Bay arrived from anchor at 09:05 to load at Burlington Northern. She was outbound at 18:41 loaded with ore.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Roger Blough departed Two Harbors from South of #2 on May 14th at 03:17 for Gary. Edgar B. Speer arrived Two Harbors for South of #2 on May 14th at 04:02 after being stopped West of Sand Island. As of 19:20 she was still at the shiploader. Cason J. Callaway arrived Two Harbors for North of #2 at 07:18 on May 14th. Not sure whether she loaded at the gravity docks. Due Two Harbors on May 14th is the Arthur M. Anderson that was underway in Duluth harbor after unloading stone at the C. Reiss dock. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the Herbert C. Jackson arrive on May 14th at approx. 02:30 after she unloaded at CN-Hallett #5 in Duluth. She departed Silver Bay on the 14th at approx. 09:35 for Cleveland. Neither port has any traffic scheduled on May 15th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Wednesday; 20:13 Federal Beaufort weighed anchor and departed for Montreal. 21:14 Algoma Strongfield arrived at the Richardson Main Terminal to load wheat. Thursday; 0:39 CSL St Laurent arrived at Viterra A to load grain. 1:07 Federal Welland weighed anchor and departed for Montreal.1:20 Tim S Dool arrived at the Superior Elevator to load wheat. 4:41 Evans Spirit arrived and went to anchor south of the Welcome Islands.

Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Samuel de Champlain/Innovation arrived from Alpena at 01:20 Thursday (5/14) with cement for the Lafarge terminal. Tug Sharon M I pulling barge Huron Spirit arrived from Sault Ste. Marie at 17:53 and proceeded to the city’s Heavy Lift Dock. Huron Spirit carried steel coils from Algoma Steel. Tug Nathan S. departed for Calumet Harbor at 19:25 with three barges filled at the COFCO grain elevator. Federal Barents was still at the Federal Marine Terminals dock. Federal Dee is currently expected Monday (5/18).

Muskegon, MI – Brendan Falkowski
Thursday there were two vessels in port. Great Republic was inbound at 425 with Port Inland limestone for the Verplank Cobb Dock. Ashtabula / Defiance followed the Republic in at 555 with slag for the Verplank Lakeside dock. Great Republic departed at 1115 headed to Grand Haven to finish unloading. Ashtabula / Defiance finished unloading in the afternoon and was anchored in Muskegon Lake as of 825. Joseph L. Block was due early Friday.

Southern Lake Michigan
Stewart J. Cort, Federal Leda and Burns Harbor were in Burns Harbor Thursday night. Walter J. McCarthy Jr. was at Gary with American Spirit due next. Baie Comeau and BBC Kibo were along the Calumet River.

Northern Lake Huron
Spragge: Thursday;14:35 John D Leitch arrived to unload slag.

Drummond Island: Thursday; 4:44 Robert S Pierson arrived to load limestone and departed at 14:21 down bound on Lake Huron.

Port Dolomite: Thursday; 14:46 John G Munson arrived to load.

Calcite: Thursday; Calumet arrived to load.

Stoneport: Wednesday; 5:09 Olive L Moore departed for the Saginaw River. Port Inland: Thursday; 18:23 Clyde S Van Enkevort arrived and went to anchor.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
At 6:45am Algoma Spirit was upbound entering the cutoff channel while Sten Hidra was downbound at Marysville. Algoma Buffalo had arrived predawn hours and was unloading at the Sombra stoneyard. Unload was completed and vessel was upbound by 11:30am. Manitoulin passed at 10:45am. Algoma Conveyor passed downbound at 11:45am. Finnborg passed downbound at 12:15pm. Tug Andrew J passed downbound at 3:30pm. Florence Spirit passed upbound at 3:30pm. Rain showers all day, light winds from the south-southwest, temp 52 degrees F.

Lake Erie Ports for Thursday – Bill Kloss
Sandusky: CSL Laurentian left for Hamilton.

Cleveland: American Courage was running shuttles. Petite Forte arrived at 16:30 for St.Mary's Cement.

Conneaut: Algoma Sault left at 15:30 for Quebec City. Edwin H. Gott left at 12:23 for Two Harbors.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
Tug Ocean Golf kicked off an active day in Hamilton, departing for Toronto at 00:51 EST. at 6:43 EST the tug Vigilant 1 arrived from Port Maitland with barge MM 142. Shortly after, at 7:01 EST, the saltie Mottler departed with a load of grain that she will take to Ghent, Belgium. at 7:22 EST, the tug Ocean Golf returned from Toronto, and at 8:01 EST, the Algoma Innovator arrived with fertilizer from Thunder Bay for Agrico. At 10:55 EST, the tug Ocean A. Gauthier arrived from Oshawa. At 13:34 EST, the Coast Guard vessel Constable Carriere ventured out into Lake Ontario for its first run of the season, and returned shortly after at 14:03 EST. At 15:16 EST the Algoma Innovator was out and on her way to Oshawa. The tanker Songa Diamond is expected to depart at 21:15 EST.

Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
McKeil Spirit was unloading at Lehigh Cement on Thursday evening.

Cliffs' CEO says automakers are restarting production

5/15 - Duluth, MN - The CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs remains optimistic about the future, even though we're in the middle of a pandemic. "We have been encouraged by the timing and pace of production restarts announced across the automotive industry," Lourenco Goncalves said on Monday's earnings call.

According to Goncalves, some companies are ramping up this week, with the Big Three ramping up next week. "Car ownership is trending again. as private cars are perceived, rightfully so, as a sanctuary, safe from infection," Goncalves said.

Because of COVID-19 slowdowns, Cliffs idled Northshore Mining and Tilden. "We expect our operations to normalize throughout the balance of the second quarter," Goncalves said.

They also suspended construction at their HBI facility in Toledo. He said they hope to restart construction on the HBI facility soon. Goncalves said he estimated it would take about three months to finish work on the plant, before it can begin producing HBI.

Goncalves also thanked employees for their dedication during this crisis. "I couldn't ask for more dedicated people to navigate this crisis with me. You have been deemed essential by states we operate in. And you have always been essential to the long-term health of our company."

WDIO

Great Lakes cruise operators buckle up for a rough season in wake of the pandemic

5/15 - May typically marks the start of the season for cruise vacations on the Great Lakes, a burgeoning segment of the market that was shaping up to have a banner year in 2020. Until the pandemic turned the tourism industry on its head, buzz had been building about Great Lakes cruises — and so had business.

The magazine Travel + Leisure dubbed the Great Lakes one of the world’s top 50 spots to visit this year, crediting much of the kudos to the region’s growing cruise offerings. The number of port calls was expected to be way up in 2020, with 11 ships making an estimated 950 stops at dozens of docks from Chicago to Montreal. That’s compared with nine ships and 520 port calls in 2019, according to the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition.

“Now, it’s all come to a screeching halt,” said Stephen Burnett, executive director of the Canada-based coalition that promotes passenger cruises. “It’s safe to say at least half the Great Lakes cruising season is a wash at this point.”

Despite facing a fair number of canceled trips and lots of uncertainty on the horizon, Burnett and others remain bullish about the future of Great Lakes cruising. They say the close-to-home itineraries and relatively low passenger counts aboard small, nimble vessels make the cruises an attractive alternative to the oceangoing megaships that came to symbolize the spread of COVID-19.

“If people have anxiety about international travel post-pandemic, they’re going to ... avoid some of these larger, behemoth cruise ships you see in the Mediterranean and Caribbean,” said Port Milwaukee Director Adam Schlicht. He noted that the proximity of North American medical care is another selling point for passengers nervous about the health consequences of cruising in the wake of the new coronavirus.

Read more and view images at this link: https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-chicago-great-lakes-cruises-0512-20200513-mqatkcf6zvcf5pwgggagrbrt24-story.html

Debris in Lake Michigan putting boaters, swimmers in danger

5/15 - As if shoreline erosion wasn’t enough, communities and property owners on Lake Michigan are now dealing with another problem due to record high water levels – trash. Up and down the lake, large amounts of it are washing up on shore.

“There’s a tremendous amount of debris floating in the lake,” says Kurt Hall, a shoreline contractor at a job site in Mears this past March. He says all the debris in the lake this year is the worst he’s ever seen. “Pressure treated wood from decks, steps, boardwalks, seawalls, docks,” says Hall. “We found half of a pontoon boat with a motor on it.”

Unfortunately trash and debris in the lake isn’t uncommon, but it’s especially bad this year because of high water levels. High waves and erosion drag all sorts of things off the shoreline and into the lake. Eventually, that debris either sinks or washes back on shore.

In Ludington, city manager Mitch Foster sees a similar story, especially after a storm.

“Barricades or barrels from street projects, I’ve seen trees, full outgrown trees wash up, full stairwells from beachfront properties, sections of dock, we’ve seen full garbage bags full of trash,” recalls Foster.

Normally there would be more community cleanup but Foster says COVID-19 restrictions have limited those efforts. That leaves city crews to clean up most of it. But even after they do, he says more debris just washes up.

“We are having to spend more time cleaning up different locations than we have had in a long time,” Foster says. “What that means is we aren’t able to get to some of the other things that may have higher importance to a larger number of folks in the community.”

Foster says things like filling potholes, cleaning out storm sewers and other city maintenance can fall to the wayside.

Besides being expensive and time consuming to clean up, debris floating around Lake Michigan is also very dangerous. It can float just under the surface of the water making it hard to spot for boaters.

“There’s a very real danger of substantial damage if a boat moving at a high rate of speed hits debris,” says Jerrod Sanders, assistant director of the Water Resources Division for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, & Energy. “Everything from catastrophic damage like tearing the prop or motor off, to hull damage that could threaten the viability of that boat to be able to stay above the water.”

Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.interlochenpublicradio.org/post/copious-amounts-debris-lake-michigan-putting-boaters-swimmers-danger

Obituary: John D. Leitch

5/15 - On May 12, 2020, John Daniel Leitch, O.C., LL.D, passed away in Toronto after 99 years of a life well lived. Jack was born in Winnipeg January 11, 1921 to Gordon and Hilda Leitch. He attended Appleby College in Oakville and on graduation enlisted in the Canadian Navy. He shipped off to war for six years as a navigator on a frigate (latterly the HMCS Cape Breton) in the North Atlantic, guiding and protecting merchant marine fleets that carried critical supplies to the Allies.

In 1941, Jack married Peggy Cartwright, daughter of Chief Justice John Robert Cartwright and his wife Jessie. They had two daughters, Jill Bain and Jean Vander Ploeg. Jack's father, Gordon Leitch, founded what started as The Northland Shipping Company in 1932 with one ship. Jack became president when Gordon died unexpectedly in 1954 and took over operations of what became Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd., which over the years grew into one of the three largest Great Lakes shipping companies in Canada, including subsidiaries of Port Weller Dry Docks, and Heritage Pointe, a land development company and golf course near Calgary, Alberta.

As Chairman of Upper Lakes Group Inc., as the company was later named, Jack introduced innovative ship designs and pioneered the development of large vessels with self-unloading capability. His activities in the industry have helped to maintain and develop merchant shipping in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. In addition, he was the founding director of the Board of Governors of the Chamber of Maritime Commerce.

In 2011 Upper Lakes Group Inc., which had been in the Leitch family for nearly 80 years, was sold. Jack is a legend in the Canadian shipping industry, and will be forever remembered as the lone marine leader who stood up to Hal Banks in an era of tyranny and corruption in the 1960s. Jack always had a prime concern about the welfare of the people he worked with, and he left this world proud of what his team had accomplished.

He received many awards in the industry, including "The Great Lakes Man of the Year" in 1975, and in 2000 was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada. He served on many boards and was a generous philanthropist. Jack always had a keen affection for horses and riding, starting as a young boy. Through his family farm, Leitchcroft in Thornhill, he developed an equestrian centre where people could come and take lessons at the riding school, as well as board their horses. It became home for many international horse shows and national championships. Jack also bred horses and supported many riders in the equestrian community. Always in the back of his mind was his desire for people to share in the enjoyment that he had experienced "having horses in his life.”

Jack Leitch was a true gentleman. He loved life, people, nature and animals. He had a quick wit and a ready sense of humor. Over his lifetime, Jack made many enduring and cherished friendships. Jack will be deeply missed by his daughters, four grandsons, and four great-grandsons, and his sister Ann Abraham of Toronto. He also leaves behind Catherine, his loving wife of 36 years. For those who wish to honor Jack, donations to the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets (navyleague.ca) or The Centre for Marine Training and Research. Georgian College (georgiancollege.ca) would be gratefully appreciated.

The Globe and Mail

On 15 May 1901, the GILCHRIST (Hull #603) (steel propeller freighter, 356 foot. 3,871 gross tons) was launched at the West Bay City Ship Building Co. in West Bay City, Michigan, for the Gilchrist Transportation Company of Cleveland, Ohio. She lasted until 1943, when she was sunk in a collision on Lake Superior.

On May 15, 1997, the "This Day in History" feature started on this web site.

The PHILIP R. CLARKE, first of the AAA class of vessel, began her maiden voyage from Lorain, Ohio, on this date in 1952.

After extensive renovation at Fraser Shipyard, the IRVIN L. CLYMER departed Superior, Wisconsin on May 15, 1981, and went to Duluth, Minnesota, to load 11,154 tons of taconite ore for Lorain, Ohio.

On May 15, 1971, the STONEFAX was sold and was scrapped at Santander, Spain.

On 15 May 1854, GARDEN CITY (wooden passenger/package side-wheeler, 218 foot, 657 tons, built in 1853, at Buffalo, New York) was sailing from Chicago to the Soo in a storm when she went on Martin Reef, west of Detour, Michigan, and was wrecked. Her passengers were picked up by the steamer QUEEN CITY.

May 15, 1992 -- The BADGER was rededicated and began a new career as a non-railroad carferry.

At 3:30 a.m., 15 May 1874, the tug TAWAS came along side of the schooner ZACH CHANDLER several miles off shore from Sand Beach, Michigan on Lake Huron. The boiler of the TAWAS exploded and she sank. Capt. Robinson, 2nd Engineer Dyson, Firemen Thomas Conners and James McIntyre, and Lookout Dennis Burrow were all on the tug and died in the explosion. The blast tore the CHANDLER's sails and rigging, and caused the death of one of her officers when he was struck on the head by a flying piece of debris. The CHANDLER drifted away in the heavy seas, but returned to pick up five survivors from the water. The TAWAS was built at Vicksburg, Michigan by Myron Williams in 1864. Her dimensions were 95-foot x 18-foot, 6-inches x 8-foot, 6-inches. She carried the two old engines from the tug BLISH, which when new were 11-1/2 inches x 20 inches, but having been bored out several times, were 15 inches x 20 inches at the time of the explosion. Her boiler was built by Mr. Turnbull of Corunna, Ontario.

1907 – SAXON ran aground near Caribou Island, Lake Superior, and dumped about 1,000 tons of ore overboard before being released. The ship went to the Atlantic in 1918 and was scrapped at Copenhagen, Denmark, as c) ANNE JENSEN in 1927.

1923 – PERE MARQUETTE 4 and PERE MARQUETTE 17 collided in fog off Milwaukee and the former sustained severe damage above the waterline and was laid up.

1929 – RALPH BUDD stranded at Saltese Point, near Eagle Harbor, Mich., and was abandoned to the underwriters. The grain-laden vessel was released by Reid and sold to Canadian interests. It was scrapped at Hamilton as b) L.A. McCORQUODALE of the Upper Lakes Shipping fleet in 1966.

1963 – LOBIVIA, WESTMOUNT and ROGERS CITY were in a three-way collision in the St. Clair River at Port Huron but there was only minor damage.

1967 – GOLDEN HIND was loaded with grain when it stranded off Cassidy Point, Lake Erie, and was holed in the forward compartment.

1968 – The stern cabins of HOMER D. WILLIAMS were damaged from a collision with WHEAT KING in the St. Marys River and this ship was repaired at Lorain. The latter vessel received bow damage that was repaired at Port Weller.

1972 – The Dutch freighter COLYTTO first came through the Seaway in 1963 and made 8 trips to the end of 1966. It was swept ashore by a typhoon near the mouth of the Limpopo River off the coast of Mozambique as b) CAPE NERITA on this date in 1972. All on board were rescued but the ship was abandoned on the beach as it was not feasible to dig the ship out by a canal. The nearest road was 25 miles away so the hull was not scrapped either.

1999 – The former sandsucker NIAGARA II was scuttled as an attraction to divers off Tobermory, ON.

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

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known); please do not type boat names in all capital letters. We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
After experiencing dock delays at CN, Michipicoten departed Duluth at 03:33 Wednesday morning with a load of ore for Sault Ste. Marie. Hon. James L. Oberstar then moved to the loading dock and began taking on her own iron ore cargo. Herbert C. Jackson was inbound at 10:54 carrying limestone for Hallett #5, and American Mariner entered port at 13:52 to unload stone at Graymont. Philip R. Clarke arrived offshore around 17:00 with the port's third stone load of the day but dropped anchor to wait for the Jackson to finish unloading at Hallett #5. Hon. James L. Oberstar was outbound from CN at 18:52 with iron ore for Burns Harbor. After unloading, she will head to Sturgeon Bay for layup. Lady Doris completed her clay unload at Port Terminal on Tuesday, and after sitting at the dock all day Wednesday she was just being pulled from the dock as of 19:30 Wednesday evening. She is expected to shift to Riverland Ag to load grain, however it was unclear if she would depart and anchor offshore to clean her holds first. Sunda and Narie both continued loading wheat at CHS 1 and Gavilon, respectively, on Wednesday, and the latter was tentatively expected to depart Wednesday night. The Jackson was also expected to finish unloading at Hallett #5 and depart Wednesday night for Silver Bay to load. At the Superior entry, Paul R. Tregurtha left port three minutes after midnight with ore pellets from Burlington Northern, and Frontenac arrived at 17:05 to load.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Indiana Harbor departed Two Harbors from South of #2 on May 13th at 13:17 for Indiana Harbor. The Blough shifted to South of #2 from 13:15 to 13:49. The Blough is loading for Gary on May 13th. The Edgar B. Speer went to anchor West of Sand Island on May 13th at 09:00 to wait for the Two Harbors shiploader. Due Two Harbors on May 14th are the Cason J. Callaway and the Arthur M. Anderson after it unloads stone at the C. Reiss Dock. The Herbert C. Jackson is currently unloading stone at CN-Hallett #5 in Duluth. This is as of 19:15 on May 13th. After she's light she goes to Northshore Mining in Silver Bay to load pellets, probably for Cleveland. She should arrive Silver Bay early on the 14th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Tuesday; 20:10 Algoma Conveyor departed for Hamilton. 23:16 Federal Beaufort finished loading and shifted to the main anchorage.

Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Federal Barents arrived early Wednesday (5/13) with steel from IJmuiden, Netherlands. She tied up at the Federal Marine Terminals dock on the outer harbor. Originally expected Thursday, Federal Barents came in a day early and Federal Dee, which was scheduled to arrive Friday, was diverted to Burns Harbor so the two Fednav boats will not compete for dock space. Federal Dee is now scheduled into Milwaukee Monday (5/18). Nathan S. was still at the COFCO elevator with three barges. Samuel de Champlain/Innovation and Sharon MI are expected Thursday.

Southern Lake Michigan
Burns Harbor was at her namesake port Wednesday night. Mesabi Miner and Joseph L Block were at Indiana Harbor. BBC Kibo was at S. Chicago.

Northern Lake Huron
Meldrum Bay: Wednesday; 3:29 Defiance and Ashtabula departed for Muskegon.

Drummond Island: Tuesday; 18:14 Saginaw departed for Detroit.

Port Dolomite: Wednesday; 5:09 Algoma Buffalo departed and is down bound on Lake Huron.

Calcite: Tuesday; 19:56 Arthur M Anderson departed for Duluth Superior.

Stoneport: Wednesday; 5:09 Olive L Moore departed for the Saginaw River.

Alpena: Tuesday; 17:28 Samuel De Champlain departed for Milwaukee. 22:44 GL Ostrander arrived to load cement products and departed Wednesday at 4:33 for Detroit.

Port Inland: Tuesday; 21:53 Undaunted and Pere Marquette 41 departed for Ludington. Wednesday; 0:53 Great Republic arrived to load lime stone and departed at 13:53 for Muskegon.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
Federal Dee passed upbound at 8:45am, then passed a downbound Saginaw at 9:45am at Stag Island. Michigan/Great Lakes was at Algonac at 8:45am upbound. Paul L. Luedtke towing Derrick Barge 16 passed MC at 10am upbound. Lake Ontario passed downbound at 5:30pm, followed by Amazoneborg at 6:15pm. Sunny, winds calm, river calm, 60 degrees F.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H
GL Ostrander/Integrity were unloading cement at Lafarge Wednesday night

Monroe, MI – Raymond H
Calumet arrived at the DTE power plant to unload stone on Wednesday

Lake Erie Ports for Wednesday – Bill Kloss
Marblehead: Mississagi was due in at 05:00

Sandusky: Manitoulin was at Norfolk Southern to load coal, CSL Laurentian was waiting to load.

Cleveland: American Courage was on the shuttles. Petite Forte arrived at 17:05.

Conneaut: Edwin H. Gott was still in port and Algoma Sault arrived at 15:30. Algoma Guradian left for Quebec.

Rochester, NY – Tom Brewer
McKeil Spirit arrived at Lehigh Cement Dock Wednesday morning.

Cruise industry could provide needed economic boost later this summer

5/14 - Milwaukee, WI - COVID-19 and the economic restrictions it's led to have canceled some of the Great Lakes cruises expected to dock in Milwaukee this summer. Adam Schlicht, the Director of the Port of Milwaukee, said all cruise activity in June has been canceled.

2020 was supposed to be a banner year for Milwaukee's cruise industry. There were 14 cruises scheduled to dock here. Schlicht said, if the ships are able to begin operations again on July 1, Milwaukee would "still see over 10 cruises this year."

"The name of the game for us will be flexibility," Schlicht said. "We'll be trying to accommodate those cruise lines still able to come into Milwaukee this year. It's going to be an interesting summer trying to respond to social distancing, but also trying to bring tourism back to Milwaukee as soon as it's safe to do so."

Pearl Sea Cruises uses the Port of Milwaukee as a turnaround location. So, it’s Great Lakes cruises either start or end in the Brew City.

Schlicht said the port typically makes $5,000 per ship through docking fees plus services provided like swapping out the vessel's water and sewage. If 10 cruise ships still make it Milwaukee this summer, that's $50,000.

Schlicht said the revenue the port generates typically is used to provide tax relief across the city. "You're talking $50,000 in new revenue going directly to the taxpayers of Milwaukee via the Port," he said.

But he said the major economic impact comes in the form of the roughly 300 passengers per ship, plus the typical 200 crew members on board, patronizing Milwaukee hotels, restaurants and shops.

According to a Cruise Lines International Association study, cruise passengers spend $376.00 in port cities before boarding. They spend $101 on average in each visiting port destination during a cruise. "That's where the real value is," Schlicht said.

While much of the economy remains closed, Schlicht said there's increasing confidence some cruise ships will make it to Milwaukee later this summer. He said early indications from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, plus authorities in Canada, shows "increasing evidence and comfort that cruise ships with under 500 passengers and crew are going to be the first to really come back into the market in a robust way."

"Fortunately for the Port of Milwaukee, that's right in our sweet spot," Schlicht added.

He said he's not concerned cancellations this summer due to COVID-19 will cripple Milwaukee's momentum in the cruise industry going forward. Schlicht noted Viking Cruises announced Milwaukee as its turnaround, home port beginning in 2022 as it enters the Great Lakes market.

He said the Port of Milwaukee is expecting cruise bookings as far out as 2025. "I have a lot of optimism that the substantial foundation we've laid on the recreational cruise side here in Milwaukee will continue," Schlicht said.

"We believe there are still other cruise lines in the international space that are looking to enter the Great Lakes market in the years ahead," he added.

Milwaukee Journal

S.S. Badger releases safety plan prior to 2020 season

5/14 - Ludington, MI – Crew on the S.S. Badger is preparing the coal-fired steamship for its first 2020 voyage and making sure passengers know what safety measures will be in place. The S.S. Badger can accommodate 600 passengers and 180 vehicles, including; RVs, motorcycles, motor coaches, and commercial trucks.

The 2020 season was delayed until June due to COVID-19. Once the S.S. Badger starts welcoming passengers, there will be some new safety measures on board. Below are some things officials are putting in place:

Social Distancing - six foot spacing will be mandatory where possible
Passenger capacity has been reduced by 50-percent
Hand sanitizers will be available throughout the vessel
Additional outdoor seating will be provided
All crew members will be required to wear face masks when interacting with other crew members or passengers
Crew members will be screened daily for recent history, COVID-19 symptoms and temperature checks
Sanitation will be an ongoing process during each sailing
Evening sailings have been cancelled to allow deep cleaning and sanitizing each night
Passenger screening may be required
Focusing on paperless transactions for ticketing and on-board purchases where possible

On May 4, crew sounded the S.S. Badger's horn signaling the first day back to work for employees to prepare for the start of the 2020 season. The horn was also sounded as thanks and hope for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and will be repeated every day at noon until the start of the season.

The S.S. Badger will make its first trip across Lake Michigan from Ludington to Manitowoc, Wisconsin on June 12.

WPBN/WGTU

Virtual Visitor Center offers on-line program on Twin Ports Thursday at 12:30

5/14 - Enjoy some lunchtime learning at the Virtual Visitor Center with a special presentation “Harbor Happenings: Current Events in Twin Ports and Great Lakes Shipping” on Thursday May 14 at 12:30 EDT, (11:30 CDT). In this program, Park Ranger Scott from the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Duluth, Minnesota will provide an update on the 2020 shipping season with a focus on western Lake Superior. He will discuss how world events are affecting the shipping industry.

You can join the meeting on your smartphone, tablet or computer (Chrome browser recommended) at this link: https://www.gotomeet.me/VirtualVisitorCenter/harbor-happenings. If your computer does not have speakers audio is available at: +1 (786) 535-3211, Access Code: 650-403-021. The Virtual Visitor Center is hosted by the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association and the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association, 501(c)3 organizations that support interpretation at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Centers at Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan and Duluth, Minnesota.

On 14 May 1881, CITY OF ROME (wooden propeller freighter, 268 foot, 1,908 gross tons) was launched by Thomas Quayle & Sons in Cleveland, Ohio. She was the largest vessel on the Lakes when she was launched. She lasted until 1914, when she burned near Ripley, New York on Lake Erie.

On May 14, 1959, the SHENANGO II and the HERBERT C. JACKSON both entered service. While the vessels have been fleet mates since 1967, the SHENANGO II was built by the Shenango Furnace Company. She operates today as the c.) HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR, renamed last spring.

On May 14, 1943, the THOMAS WILSON entered service as the first of the sixteen vessels in the "Maritime" class.

The HOCHELAGA's self-unloading boom was installed on the RICHARD REISS, which had lost her boom April 13, 1994, when it collapsed at Fairport, Ohio. The REISS’ replacement boom was installed on May 14, 1994 by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd.

BLACK HAWK (wooden schooner, 98 foot, 178 gross tons) was launched in East Saginaw, Michigan on 14 May 1861. Thomas A. Estes was her builder. She was active until abandoned in the Kinnickinnic River at Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1908. On 13 October 1913, she was filled with flammable material and burned off Milwaukee as a public spectacle for the Perry Centennial Celebration.

On May 14, 1905, the new Anchor Line passenger steamer JUNIATA made her maiden voyage from the yards of the American Shipbuilding Company in Cleveland, Ohio to Detroit, Michigan. Sailing under the command of Capt. Edward J. Martin she left Cleveland at 7:05 in the morning and arrived at Detroit shortly before 4. On board, in addition to several officials of the line was her designer, Frank E. Kirby. Detroiters were treated to the sight of seeing both the JUNIATA and TIONESTA together for the first time as TIONESTA was loading for Duluth, Minnesota when the JUNIATA arrived from Cleveland and tied up alongside her older sister. The JUNIATA later departed for Chicago where her furnishings were installed.

On 14 May 1861, COMET (wooden side-wheeler, 174 foot. 337 gross tons, built in 1848, at Portsmouth, Ontario) collided with the 2-mast wooden schooner EXCHANGE, ten miles off Nine-Mile Point on Lake Ontario. Then an explosion rocked the COMET and she was destroyed by fire 2 or 3 lives were lost, but the survivors reached Simcoe Island in a lifeboat.

Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., May 14, 1900. - The tug W.A. ROOTH of the Great Lakes Towing company fleet was caught between the barge JOHN A. ROEBLING and the steamer HENRY C. FRICK in the American canal last night and sunk. The crew escaped without injury. The tug was towing the barge ROEBLING out of the canal and in some manner got between the ROEBLING and the big steamer FRICK. Her sides were crushed in and she went down immediately in twenty feet of water.

1917 – SAXONA and PENTECOST MITCHELL collided head-on in the St. Marys River near Detour and both ships sank with their bows locked together. The former was refloated and repaired as LAKETON while the latter was also salvaged and remained in the U.S. Steel fleet.

1921 – The barge MIZTEC broke loose of the steamer ZILLAH in a storm and sank with all hands in Lake Superior northeast of Vermilion Point.

1952 – JAMES NORRIS began her sailing career, loading a cargo of grain at Fort William.

1991 – The Yugoslavian bulk carrier MALINSKA ran aground off Main Duck Island, Lake Ontario, while outbound from the Great Lakes with a cargo of steel coils. It was lightered and released. The ship had been a Seaway trader since 1987 and now sails in the Algoma fleet as c) ALGOMA DISCOVERY.

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

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known); please do not type boat names in all capital letters. We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Hon. James L. Oberstar arrived Duluth at 07:32 Tuesday morning to load iron ore pellets at CN, but first stopped at Husky Energy to refuel. Great Lakes Trader/tug Joyce L. VanEnkevort finished loading at Canadian National and departed at 10:10. Michipicoten, which was next in line for the dock, then moved into position beneath the shiploader and began loading. Amurborg was outbound at 15:58, loaded with wheat from CHS 1 and destined for Montreal. Sunda then raised anchor and arrived at 16:30, and with tug assistance she moored at CHS 1 to load. Michpicoten was expected to depart from CN at some point Tuesday evening. Hon. James L. Oberstar, which was moored at the gravity dock waiting for Michipicoten to complete loading, will load next. This is her last trip before she will head to Sturgeon Bay for layup. Lady Doris continued unloading clay at Port Terminal on Tuesday, and Narie remained at Gavilon taking on wheat. Paul R. Tregurtha remained at Burlington Northern in Superior on Tuesday experiencing loading delays, and is now expected to depart either late Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Presque Isle arrived Two Harbors on May 11th at 22:47 for South of #2. The Presque Isle departed on May 12th at 12:19 for Gary. Arriving Two Harbors on 05:12 for North of #2 lay-by was the Indiana Harbor. The Indiana Harbor shifted to South of #2 between 11:29 and noon on May 12th where she is still loading at 19:00. Arriving Two Harbors on the 12th for North of #2 lay-by at 13:22 was the Roger Blough. Due Two Harbors on May 13th is the Edgar B. Speer. The Herbert C. Jackson should arrive Duluth around noon on May 13th to unload stone at CN-Hallett #5. After her unload she goes to Northshore Mining in Silver Bay to load pellets. She should arrive Silver Bay late on May 13th.

Thunder Bay, ON.
Monday: 19:00 Federal Clyde arrived and went to anchor. Tuesday; 0:16 The saltie Amazoneborg departed for Montreal. 0:46 The saltie Lake Ontario weighed anchor and departed for Montreal. 1:23 Federal Welland weighed anchor and proceeded to the Superior Elevator to load.

Manistee, MI – Michael Smith
Great Republic arrived in Manistee at 4:30 AM Tuesday, headed to the Morton Salt dock to unload coal from South Chicago

Muskegon, MI – Brendan Falkowski
Kaye E. Barker came in at around 1330 on Monday with aggregate from Meldrum Bay bound for the Verplank Cobb Dock. She was headed out at around 2045.

Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Calumet River Fleeting’s tug Nathan S. arrived from Calumet Harbor at 10:56 Tuesday (5/12) with three empty barges for loading at the COFCO grain elevator. Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Challenger arrived from Chicago Tuesday evening and proceeded to the Kinnickinnic River cement terminal. Expected late Wednesday is Samuel de Champlain/Innovation for Lafarge. Federal Barents and Sharon MI should be arriving Thursday.

Southern Lake Michigan
Federal Barents remained at Burns Harbor Tuesday, along with Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader. Ocean Castle departed in the evening for Thunder Bay. Burns Harbor was waiting to go in in the evening. John D. Leitch and Joseph L Block were at Indiana Harbor. Federal Ledo and BBC Kibo were at S. Chicago. Finnborg departed for Windsor.

Northern Lake Huron – Denny Dushane and other sources
Meldrum Bay: Monday; 22:28 Herbert C Jackson departed for Duluth Superior. 23:08 Laura L Van Enkevort weighed anchor and proceeded to the Lafarge dock to load. She departed Tuesday at 11:33 for Grand Haven. 13:55 Defiance and Ashtabula arrived to load limestone.

Drummond Island: Tuesday 3:55 Saginaw arrived to load limestone.

Port Dolomite: Monday; 19:22 Manitoulin departed down bound on Lake Huron. 22:54 John J Boland arrived from Calcite to finish loading and departed Tuesday at 5:09 for Bay City. 14:25 Algoma Buffalo arrived to load. The tug Defiance and barge Ashtabula are expected Thursday in the evening.

Calcite: Monday; 18:51 After taking on a partial load John J Boland departed for Port Dolomite. Tuesday; 3:06 Philip R. Clarke departed and was upbound on the St Marys River. 3:08 Arthur M Anderson weighed anchor and proceeded to the dock to load. Also expected on Tuesday was Cason J. Callaway in the late evening for the South Dock. John J. Boland is due to arrive on Wednesday in the morning for the South Dock.

Stoneport: Tuesday; 0:59 Calumet arrived to load limestone and departed at 11:04 for 12:37 Olive L Moore arrived to load limestone. John G. Munson is due on Wednesday in the early afternoon. Due on Thursday is a return visit by the tug Olive L. Moore and barge Menominee in the evening. There are no vessels due for Friday. Manitowoc is due in Saturday in the early morning.

Alpena: 0:37 Samuel De Champlain arrived to load cement products.

Port Inland: Monday 21:29 American Mariner departed for Duluth Superior. Tuesday 15:48 Undaunted and Pere Marquette 42 arrived to load limestone. Due Thursday evening at midnight is the barge Erie Trader and tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort.

Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
John J. Boland called on the Saginaw River, stopping at the Port Fisher/Bay Aggregates Dock in Bay City. This is the Boland's third trip to Bay Aggregates in the past six days and fourth visit of the season.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
At 4am Tuesday Algoma Strongfield was upbound passing the Harsens Island range lights, CSL Laurentien was upbound passing Fawn Island, Wilf Seymour was downbound passing MC, Patricia Hoey was downbound at Algonac State Park, and Cason J Callaway had arrived early morning to unload at MC stoneyard. By 7am unload was completed and was upbound approaching St Clair. Robert S Pierson passed MC downbound at 7am. Wicko was downbound above St. Clair at 7am. Federal Yukina passed downbound at 9:15am. CSL Niagara passed MC downbound at 11am. Baie Comeau passed MC upbound at noon. Evans Spirit passed upbound at 2:15pm. American Courage passed downbound at 1:30pm. Manitoulin arrived to unload at Sombra stoneyard around 2pm, finishing and heading downbound by 7pm. Mia Desgagnes passed MC at 6:15pm downbound. Algoma Innovator should pass MC by 7:45pm and Algosea should pass late evening. Mostly sunny with winds from the west-southwest, temp 60 degrees F.

Detroit-Rouge River
Federal Montreal was unloading general cargo at Nicholson's Detroit Terminal on Tuesday

Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
The Saginaw is due to arrive at the CSX Coal Dock to load on Thursday just after midnight. Also due at CSX is the tug Victory and their barge Maumee on Friday in the morning. At the Torco Dock, the tug Victory and barge Maumee are due on Friday in the early morning and they are due to return on May 20 in the late evening.

Lake Erie Ports for Tuesday – Bill Kloss
Lorain: Tugs Defiance and Duluth are on AIS to arrive at 17:00
Cleveland: American Courage arrived at 22:00 from Silver Bay.
Conneaut: Algoma Guardian arrived at 03:43 and Edwin H. Gott arrived at 11:43.
Nanticoke: CSL Tadoussac left at 12:18 for Bowmanville.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
At 21:56 EST on Monday night, the CSL Assiniboine arrived from Quebec and went to the coal dock. Early on Tuesday morning, at 00:53 EST the Federal Weser departed after spending a couple days loading grain that she will take to Ireland. At 4:05 EST the CSL Laurentien departed for Port Colborne after spending a day unloading coal. The Algoma Spirit departed at 20:00 for Superior after unloading ore. The Mottler finished unloading and took the Federal Weser's place at the P&H terminal to load grain, and the Rodopi finally shifted to Richardson to load grain after spending over a week at anchor.

All-time high recorded water level on lakes Michigan, Huron won’t take much to achieve

5/13 - There is a plausible weather scenario that pushes Lake Michigan and Lake Huron not only to a record monthly water level this summer. Those lakes could also rise to an all-time recorded high-water level. Lake Erie also has a highly possible weather pattern that would lift it to all-time record high levels.

Read more and view informational graphics at this link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2020/05/all-time-high-recorded-water-level-on-lake-michigan-and-lake-huron-wont-take-much-to-achieve.html

St. Lawrence River to peak well below 2019 levels

5/13 - Brockville, ON – Water levels in the upper St. Lawrence River are close to peaking well below the record levels experienced during the flooding of 2017 and 2019, the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority said on Monday.

“While water levels are higher than normal for this time of year, it is predicted that any increases in overall levels will be minimal,” the authority said in a statement. “Levels are not expected to reach the historic levels experienced over the past few years.” The forecast is good news for riverside property owners and businesses still recovering from the record high water in two of the last four years.

The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board, which manages Lake Ontario outflows at the Moses-Saunders Power Dam in Cornwall, forecasts that Lake Ontario will peak below 75.4 metres and begin its seasonal decline in the coming weeks. It cautions that higher peak levels are possible if there is unseasonably wet weather “but water levels are expected to remain well below the record-highs of 2017 and 2019.”

In 2017, Lake Ontario, which feeds the upper St. Lawrence River, peaked at 75.88 metres, while two years later it crested at 75.92 metres.

At those levels, this region saw widespread flooding and shoreline damage that cost businesses and residential property owners millions in damages on both sides of the river.

The current Lake Ontario level at 75.39 is higher than average, but it is 0.38 metres below the record for this time of year set in 2017, the authority said.

Water-control authorities are still keeping a wary eye on Lake Erie, which is sitting at near-record-high levels. The high water in Lake Erie prevents any rapid lowering of Lake Ontario levels, the authority said. So while widespread flooding is not expected, the authority warns municipalities and their residents in flood-prone areas that localized flooding and erosion is still possible.

“Residents in flood prone and low-lying areas should continue to pay attention to wind and wave forecasts for approaching storms with high winds from the southeast, south and southwest, as these are the conditions when the probability of localized impacts is increased,” the conservation authority warns.

Recorder and Times

The tanker GEMINI (Hull#746) was launched at Orange, Texas by Levingston Ship Building Co. in 1978, for Cleveland Tankers Inc., a subsidiary of Ashland Oil. Renamed b.) ALGOSAR in 2005.

The tanker JUPITER made her maiden voyage May 13, 1976 from Smith's Bluff, Texas loaded with lube oil bound for Marcus Hooks, Penn. She was destroyed after exploding in the Saginaw River on September 16, 1990.

On May 13, 1913, Pittsburgh Steamship's THOMAS F. COLE collided with the barge IRON CITY on Lake St. Clair. The barge was cut in two.

Delivered May 13, 1943, THOMAS WILSON departed under the command of Captain Henry Borgen on her maiden voyage from Lorain, Ohio, bound for Duluth, Minnesota, to load iron ore.

The green-hulled schooner EMMA C. HUTCHINSON was launched at 4 p.m. on 13 May 1873, at the E. Fitzgerald yard in Port Huron. She was the largest vessel built at that yard up to that time. She was named for the wife of Mr. J. T. Hutchinson of Cleveland. Her dimensions were 195foot keel, 215 feet overall, 35 foot beam, 14 foot depth, 736 tons. She cost $55,000. Frank Leighton was her builder and Matthew Finn the master fitter. She was outfitted by Swan's Sons of Cleveland. Her painting was done by Ross & Doty of Port Huron.

On 13 May 1874, the Port Huron Times reported that someone had stolen the schooner ANNIE FAUGHT and that John Hoskins, the owner, was offering a reward for her recovery.

May 13, 1898 - The steamer JOHN ERICSSON, having in tow the barge ALEXANDER HOLLEY, bound down with ore, went aground while making the turn at the dark hole in little Mud Lake. She is on a sand bottom. Tugs and lighters have gone to release her. When the steamer grounded the barge ran into her, damaging the latter's bow and causing a large hole above the water line on the starboard side of the ERICSSON. Both were repaired temporarily.

On 13 May 1871, NORTHERNER (wooden barge, 220 foot, 1,391 gross tons) was launched by Capt. Wescott at Marine City, Michigan. Her master builder was John J. Hill. She was towed to Detroit to be fitted out and there was talk of eventually converting her to a passenger steamer. She remained a barge until 1880, when she was converted to a propeller freighter in Detroit. She lasted until 1892, when she burned at L'anse, Mich.

1914 – The package freight carrier CITY OF OTTAWA was upbound in the Cornwall Canal when it sheered over and struck the downbound S.N. PARENT on the port side at #2 hatch. The former was part of Canada Steamship Lines but was best known as the INDIA of the Anchor Line.

1915 – VALCARTIER and A.W. OSBORNE collided in Lake Huron above Corsica Shoal.

1933 – CALGARIAN, en route from Toronto to Montreal with automobiles and general cargo, stranded at Salmon Point in Lake Ontario, and was refloated two days later. 1943 – The caustic soda tanker DOLOMITE 4 was in and out of the Great Lakes via the New York State Barge Canal system. The vessel was torpedoed and sunk by U-176 off the north coast of Cuba on the date in 1943 as b) NICKELINER.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, the Detroit Free Press and the Duluth Evening Herald.

Wilfred Sykes heads to lay up due to economy

5/11 - The steamer Wilfred Sykes was headed up Lake Michigan Sunday night headed for BayShip in Sturgeon Bay for layup due to a decline in demand for raw materials. She joins several other vessels tied up for the same reason: Alpena (Superior), James R. Barker (Superior), Sam Laud (Toledo), H. Lee White (Sturgeon Bay) and Lee A. Tregurtha (Superior).

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Amurborg picked up her anchor and arrived Duluth at 16:33 Sunday afternoon, destined for CHS 1 to load wheat. Great Lakes Trader/tug Joyce L. VanEnkevort arrived Duluth at 17:16 Sunday afternoon to load iron ore pellets at Canadian National, however she moored at berth 6 to wait for Walter J. McCarthy Jr. to finish loading. The McCarthy spent Sunday loading ore at CN and had been expected to depart at 18:00 but was still loading as of 20:00. Also in port were Lady Doris, unloading clay at Port Terminal, and Narie, loading wheat at Gavilon. In Superior, Stewart J. Cort loaded ore at BN throughout the day Sunday, and was expected to depart at some point during the night.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Mesabi Miner arrived Two Harbors on May 10th at 00:08 for South of #2. As of 19:30 on May 10th she was still at the dock. The American Spirit arrived off Two Harbors on the afternoon of the 10th. She is stopped South of Two Harbors. Due Two Harbors on May 11th is the Indiana Harbor. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the American Courage arrive on May 10th at 03:30. She departed Silver Bay on the 10th at approx. 12:30. She has no updated AIS, but I'll guess she's headed for Cleveland. There is no traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on May 11th.

Thunder Bay, ON.
Saturday; 22:40 Federal Beaufort weighed anchor and proceeded to the Richardson Main Terminal to load grain. 14:26 The saltie Wicko departed for Montreal. Sunday; 1:11 Federal Yukina weighed anchor and departed for Montreal. Amazoneborg completed unloading at the Midcontinent Terminal and shifted to the Superior Elevator to load grain. 14:54 CSL Niagara departed for Becancour, Quebec.

St. Marys River|
Upbound traffic on Sunday included Federal Welland, Sunda, Algoma Conveyor, Presque Isle, Indiana Harbor and, late, Roger Blough. Downbound traffic included John G. Munson, CCGS Samuel Risley, CSL Welland, Edwin H Gott, Wicko, Federal Yukina and, late, Burns Harbor and Joseph L. Block.

Menominee, MI
BBC Kibo departed Sunday, heading for S. Chicago.

Southern Lake Michigan
Salties Ocean Castle and Federal Barents were at Burns Harbor Sunday night. Edgar B. Speer was unloading at Gary. John D. Leitch was at Indiana Harbor. Great Republic and Vlieborg were at KCBX in S. Chicago.

Northern Lake Huron
Bruce Mines: Saturday Manitowoc proceeded to the dock to load trap rock and departed Sunday at 6:37 for Cheboygan.

Meldrum Bay: Saturday; 22:39 Baie Comeau departed for Windsor. 21:51 Kaye E Barker weighed anchor and proceed to the dock to load dolomite. She departed Sunday at 14:49 for Muskegon.

Port Dolomite: Sunday; 4:29 Undaunted and Pere Marquette 41 arrived to load limestone and departed at 12:30 for Bay City. 13:56 Cason J Callaway arrived to load. 17:12 Manitoulin went to anchor well off shore.

Cheboygan: Sunday 2:56 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes arrived at the US Oil Terminal to unload. 13:24 Manitowoc arrived to unload trap rock. 14:38 The tug Michigan and tanker barge Great Lakes departed for Green Bay. 17:21 Manitowoc departed for Marquette.

Calcite: Sunday; 7:24 Calumet departed for the Saginaw River.

Stoneport: Sunday; 7:23 Olive L Moore and Menominee arrived to load limestone and departed at 19:43 departed down bound on Lake Huron.

Port Inland: Sunday; 17:27 American Mariner arrived and went to anchor.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Sault cleared 7 am Sunday downbound with salt for Toronto. Algoma Buffalo arrived 8 am loading salt at Compass Minerals. She cleared for Saginaw in the evening.

Saginaw River
John J. Boland arrived on the Saginaw River Sunday morning, calling on the Port Fisher/Bay Aggregates Dock in Bay City. Unloading on a rain and wind filled Mother's Day, the Boland finished unloading and was outbound just before 5pm. Sunday evening saw Calumet inbound on the Saginaw River just before sunset. She called on the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City for a partial unload and was scheduled to travel upriver to the Wirt Stone Dock in Saginaw to finish.

Marine City, MI
Tug Defiance and barge Ashtabula passed early morning and was upbound at Stag Island at 3:30am. Robert S Pierson passed upbound at 7:20am, followed by Federal Leda at 7:30am and Sten Hidra at 7:40am. Federal Dart passed at 7:30 am downbound. Herbert C. Jackson passed upbound at 10am. Algoma Sault passed downbound at 1:15pm. Saginaw passed downbound at 1:20pm. Tug Victory and barge James L Kuber passed upbound at 1:30pm. Fuldaborg passed downbound at 1:30pm. Baie Comeau passed downbound at 3:30pm. Tug Laura L Vanenkevort and barge Joseph H Thompson was expected about 8pm upbound. Mix of clouds and sun and windy from the west-northwest, temp 47 degrees F.

Lake Erie Ports for 5/10 – Bill Kloss
Sandusky: CSL Laurentian left for Hamilton at 07:45

Lorain: Algoma Enterprise finally made port at 09:09 for the Jonick dock to load salt.

Fairport Harbor: Frontenac has departed, no destination given.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
The day kicked off with the Algoma Transport departing at 00:36 EST, along with a false alarm of potential lay-up. at 4:36 EST the tugs Ocean A. Gauthier and Ocean A. Simard returned from their trip to Toronto. At 11:22 EST, the tug Petite Forte with her barge St. Marys Cement departed after taking a delay in port. The combo is headed to Cleveland. At 15:30 EST, the tanker Sterling Energy left for another common trip to Port Weller. She is expected to return late tonight. At 18:58 EST, the Algoma Strongfield departed for Thunder Bay after spending a day unloading ore. The saltie Mottler spent another day unloading urea at Agrico, the Federal Weser continued loading grain, and the Rodopi sat at anchor for yet another day.

Buffalo, NY - Brian R. Wroblewski
BBC Russia came back for another try on May 10th at 6 am, but windy conditions sent them to anchor just South of the Safe Water Beacon for a few hours. Eventually conditions improved just enough to make their attempt, so they pulled up the hooks and met the Vermont at the South Entrance around 2 pm. This time they came in a lot slower, made a smoother turn up the Outer Harbor, and started the stern first tow for the Gateway Metroport Main Dock. As the ship passed the open gap of the South Entrance, they had the exact same issues as the day before in the same spot. The Russia got caught by the wind and current that set her on an offset angle again, but this time the combination of the Vermont pulling hard back aft and the ship’s bow thruster got them back in shape without further incident. Just that little bit less of wind gave them the break they needed and the BBC Russia slid into the Lackawanna Canal around 3 pm just as it started raining. All was secure on the pier there and they released their tug shortly after.

Picton, ON – Tom Brewer
McKeil Spirit was at Lehigh Cement Dock on Sunday evening.

Lake Erie sets new record as water level continues to surge

5/11 - Cleveland, OH - The water level in Lake Erie surpassed the record set this time last year. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday that Lake Erie's water level rose 9 inches above the April 2019 level. The increase also exceeded the record-breaking level set in March of 573.98 feet by 4 inches.

But the Corps predict the lake won't continue to break records in May and should be 4 to 6 inches below record high levels for the rest of the summer. At any rate, the lake should be more than 2 feet above average for the next six months, Cleveland.com reported Tuesday.

The drop in the lake's water level will possibly result in communities facing millions of dollars in infrastructure repairs and no relief for those property owners who have watched parts of their yards wash away over the last year. Residents living along the Great Lakes have also seen beaches and docks disappear, and roads and bike paths become washed out.

The Associated Press

On May 11, 1953, the HENRY STEINBRENNER went down in Lake Superior near Isle Royale with 17 of her 31 crewmembers. The storm followed an unseasonably warm and humid stretch of weather in northern Minnesota for that time of year, which fueled the storm's fast growth. The high temperature of 87 degrees set in Grand Marais, Minnesota on May 8, 1953, still stands as that town's all-time record high for the month of May, and it is just eight degrees shy of the town's all-time record for any month.

The 144 foot, 3-mast, wooden bark JESSE HOYT was launched at East Saginaw, Michigan, by Smith & Whitney on 11 May 1854. Later in her career, she was converted to a schooner and lasted until 1896, when she sank in Lake Michigan in a collision.

The A. WESTON (wooden steam barge, 164 foot, 511 gross tons) left Mount Clemens, Michigan on her maiden voyage on 11 May 1882. She was built by William Dulac. Her hull was painted black. She was powered by a single 28 inch x 32 inch engine and she was designed for the lumber trade. She was sold Canadian in 1909, and was renamed CONGERCOAL. She lasted until she burned to a total loss at Fair Haven, New York on 10 May 1917.

On 11 May 1886, OSSIFRAGE (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 123 foot, 383 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler & Co. (Hull #26) at West Bay City, Michigan. She was rebuilt a number of times and ended her days on salt water. While being towed in the Northumberland Strait in the Atlantic Ocean, she struck a shoal and foundered in September 1919.

1934 – KEYBAR ran aground above the Canadian Lock at Sault Ste. Marie and was stuck for 12 hours. Part of the cargo of grain was lightered before the ship floated free. The vessel was scrapped at Port Dalhousie in 1963.

1945 – MOYRA began Great Lakes trading in 1931. It was owned by the Government of Newfoundland when fire broke out in the St. Lawrence east of Quebec City on this date in 1945. The ship was beached off Ile d'Orleans and was heavily damaged. The vessel was rebuilt at Montreal and sold to Norwegian interests as b) HEIKA returning to the Great Lakes in 1953. It also visited as c) MARISCO in 1957 and foundered in the Gulf of Laconia, Greece, while en route from Varna, Bulgaria, to Genoa, Italy, with iron ore on October 20, 1959.

1974 – While outbound in the Cuyahoga River, a fire broke out aboard the GEORGE D. GOBLE. The Kinsman Lines bulk carrier was docked and the blaze was extinguished with about $2,500 in damage.

1987 – LONDON FUSILIER, an SD-14, was a year old when it first came through the Seaway in 1973. Fire broke out in #5 hold while unloading at Hamburg, West Germany, as c) HER LOONG on this date in 1987 resulting in extensive damage. The ship was towed to Valencia, Spain, in July 1987 and scrapped.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. The Detroit Free Press and the Duluth Evening Herald.

Chi-Cheemaun ferry opens to transport-only traffic on June 1

5/10 - Owen Sound, ON – In a May 7 news release, the Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC) said it would offer the service under the guidelines of the Interim Order Respecting Passenger Vessel Restrictions due to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), a Transport Canada directive. .

“This early service is in support of the many commercial carriers who normally use the ferry to transit between regions of Northern and southwestern Ontario, and customers where the ferry is the most practical means of accessing their owned residences,” the OSTC said in the release. .

Commercial travelers include examples such as hydro or telecommunications workers, or trucks carrying goods, livestock or other commodities. Under these terms, the ferry will not be open to travelers for tourism or leisure purposes. .

“In addition, all passengers will be required to bring and wear face coverings for the duration of the crossing and must maintain a physical distance of two metres between themselves and other passengers and crew while on board,” the OSTC said. .

The OSTC said it would operate in accordance with other requirements under the order, including screening passengers for symptoms of COVID-19 and adjusting passenger capacity to adhere to physical distancing measures. .

A seasonal ferry that sails Lake Huron between South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island and Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula, the Chi-Cheemaun usually launches in early May and runs until mid-October. It’s a popular method of transport for visitors to Manitoulin Island, where tourism is the primary industry. .

The ferry itself hosts a number of leisure activities, including sunset dinner cruises. .

In late March, the OSTC announced that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ferry service would be suspended “until further notice.” Under the Transport Canada order, the operation of passenger vessels carrying more than 12 passengers was suspended until June 30. .

Northern Ontario Business

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Narie arrived Duluth at 05:50 Saturday morning and tied up at Gavilon to load wheat. American Courage was inbound at 12:53 laden with limestone to discharge at Hallett #5, and her fleetmate Walter J. McCarthy Jr. arrived at 17:27 after spending most of the day at anchor. She had been waiting for the Erie Trader/tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort to finish loading at CN. That pair cleared the dock and was outbound at 18:38 for Burns Harbor. Lady Doris was at Port Terminal offloading kaolin clay, and Amurborg remained anchored outside the harbor with an ETA of 16:00 Sunday to load wheat at CHS 1. The Courage was expected to depart around 22:00 Saturday night for Silver Bay to load, while the McCarthy should depart from Canadian National Sunday afternoon/evening. At the Superior entry, Stewart J. Cort arrived at 15:47 Saturday to load iron ore pellets at Burlington Northern, and Burns Harbor departed at 16:45 with her ore load.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
John G. Munson departed Two Harbors on May 9th at 06:55 for Conneaut. Arriving Two Harbors on May 9th at 10:02 was the Joseph L. Block after being stopped on the South shore East of the Brule River. She had stopped off the South shore between 01:00 and 01:30 on May 9th. She departed Two Harbors from South of #2 at 18:59 on May 9th. No updated AIS, but she probably loaded for Indiana Harbor. Due Two Harbors late on May 9th is the Mesabi Miner. Due Two Harbors on May 10th is the American Spirit. Due Silver Bay late on May 9th or early on May 10th is the American Courage. As of 19:15 on May 9th she was still unloading stone at CN-Hallett #5 in Duluth.

Thunder Bay, ON.
Friday; 4:08 Federal Yukina finished loading at the Superior Elevator and shifted to the main anchorage. 15:30 CSL Welland departed for Montreal. 15:46 CSL Niagara shifted to Viterra A to finish loading.

St. Marys River
Upbound traffic on a slow Saturday included American Spirit, Great Lakes Trader/Joyce L. Enkevort and Paul R. Tregurtha. Downbounders included Federal Dart and Fuldaborg. Michipicoten, which had difficulty leaving Algoma Steel Friday evening due to high winds, was on her way after midnight Saturday for Marquette.

Menominee, MI
BBC Kibo arrived Saturday with windmill parts.

Green Bay, WI
5-9-20: American Mariner arrived from Calcite, MI with Limestone for the GLC Minerals Fox River Dock Terminal later on Saturday. The tug Samuel de Champlain barge Innovation arrived from Alpena, MI, with cement for the Lafarge Terminal late Saturday night.

Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Calumet River Fleeting’s tug Nathan S. arrived late Thursday night (5/7) with three barges for loading at the COFCO elevator. Tug and barges headed back to Calumet Harbor at 01:05 Saturday (5/9). G.L. Ostrander/Integrity arrived from Alpena early Friday (5/8) with cement for the Lafarge terminal. The pair cleared for Lafarge’s South Chicago facility at 11:32 Saturday. Algoma Conveyor arrived from Goderich at 04:36 Saturday with salt from the Compass Minerals mine. This was her seventh visit to the city in 2020. After delivering cargo at the open dock on the outer harbor, she cleared for Thunder Bay at 16:12. In the past week, almost 90,000 metric tons of salt was delivered at Milwaukee’s port.

Northern Lake Huron
Bruce Mines: Saturday 16:07 Manitowoc arrived and went to anchor.

Meldrum Bay: Saturday; 1403 Kay E Barker arrived and went to anchor.

Drummond Island: Friday; 22:59 Great Republic departed for Buffington.

Calcite: Saturday; 4.22 American Mariner departed for Green Bay 4:25 John J Boland weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. She departed at 19:56 for Bay City. 19:58 Calumet arrived to load.

Stoneport: Saturday; 3:10 Herbert C Jackson departed for Detroit.

Alpena: Friday; 22:55 Samuel De Champlain departed for Green Bay. Saturday; 9:51 Undaunted and Pere Marquette 41 arrived to unload at the Lafarge plant and departed at 19:10 for Port Dolomite.

Port Inland: Friday 22:50 Saginaw arrived to load and departed on Saturday at 11:46 for Sarnia.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas.
Algoma Sault arrived 6.30 pm Saturday and turned in basin. Loading at Compass Minerals.

Lake Erie Ports for 5/9 – Bill Kloss
Sandusky: CSL Laurentian arrived at 15:51 from Nanticoke.

Lorain: Algoma Enterprise was due to arrive at 19:00 but is delayed due to winds. Fairport Harbor: Laura VanEnkevort has arrived at 14:08.

Conneaut: Presque Isle departed at 03:30 for Two Harbors.

Nanticoke: Dara Desgagnes arrived at 12:00.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
The Hinch Spirit departed at 5:53 EST after taking a two-day delay in Hamilton, and is now bound for Montreal. The tug Ecosse made a quick trip from Toronto, arriving at 7:14 EST and leaving at 8:21 to return to Toronto. The Algoma Strongfield arrived at 9:06 EST with a load of ore from Port Cartier. The ATB combo Petite Forte and St. Marys Cement arrived at 12:58 EST from Bowmanville, and they are likely taking a delay. At 20:26, the tugs Ocean A. Simard and Ocean A. Gauthier departed together, likely heading to Toronto.

Buffalo, NY - Brian R. Wroblewski
Federal Leda was done unloading her coke cargo by the morning of the 9th and the tug Vermont came down to help her out. They departed the Gateway Metroport around 8:30AM and headed up the lakes bound for Chicago after clearing the South Entrance. Vermont hung out in the Outer Harbor waiting for the BBC Russia to arrive from the Port Colborne Anchorage and she finally came in around 10:30AM. Due to the high winds at the time the Captain had raised the question with their Lake Pilot of getting two tugs, but since there's a 6 hour call out for the extra crew, they decided to try with just one instead of waiting. The Russia made it inside the harbor, met her tug Vermont, and then had a hard time stopping. They finally got her slowed down enough to wind the boat in the Outer Harbor Southern Channel and then she came to a stop on a crooked angle off the CRH cement plant. Ironically, the pilot mentioned to the tug crew that the windmill blades, being stacked on deck, made her catch the breeze and blow all over the place like a sailboat. The Vermont managed to get a tow line on Russia’s stern, but just as they backed past the open section of the gap at the South Entrance, the wind and current running in the piers was too much for the tug and the ship's bow thruster to handle. The ship ended up getting set down the wrong way for the line up to the Lackawanna Canal. The decision was then made to abort and head back out to the Port Colborne Anchorage until tomorrow morning.

Picton, ON – Tom Brewer
McKeil Spirit arrived at Lehigh Cement Dock on Saturday afternoon.

COVID-19 safety statement from S.S. Badger

5/10 - Ludington, MI - The health and safety of our employees and our passengers has always been a priority for our company. The ship and shore crew of the SS Badger are committing themselves to meeting the guidelines of the CDC and the national Passenger Vessel Association to protect you as well as ourselves. We will do our part, and we ask you to also follow good practices as we work together to safely return to the fun of sailing on the Badger.

Here are some of the things we are doing now until the guidelines change:
Social Distancing – six foot spacing will be mandatory where possible
Passenger capacity has been reduced by 50%
Hand sanitizers will be available in many locations throughout the vessel
Additional outside seating will be provided
All crew members will be required to wear face masks when interacting with other crew members or passengers.
Crew members will be screened daily for recent history, COVID-19 symptoms and temperature checks
Sanitation will be an ongoing process during each sailing
Evening sailings have been cancelled to allow deep cleaning and sanitizing each night
Passenger screening may be required
We will be focused on paperless transactions for ticketing and on-board purchases where possible

Lake Michigan Carferry

Halifax shipyard puts screening measures in place to bring more people back to work

5/10 - Halifax, NS – New screening procedures for COVID-19 are in effect this week at the Halifax Shipyard. Irving Shipbuilding Inc. is trying to bring more people back to work at the shipyard with the reality of a pandemic hanging overhead.

"We've created some of the safest possible working conditions at the shipyard so we can call our folks back," said Irving Shipbuilding president Kevin McCoy.

Starting this week, anybody entering the Halifax Shipyard and Shelburne Ship Repair will have their temperature checked. "To allow us to continue our critical work for the navy, and also bring our people back and do the work safely so we could be quite possibly be in this posture for the rest of the year, if so, we want to get ourselves ready for that," McCoy said.

McCoy says they've looked at how other companies are managing during the pandemic. "We've actually done some benchmarking with other shipyards in North America to see how you get large groups of people into the shipyard, what is the best way to engineer the work," McCoy said.

About 650 people are working at the shipyard with another 300 employees working from home. "That's about half of what we would normally have," McCoy said. "We are going to likely stay in this condition for several weeks. By the end of June, early July, we start ramping up again, but likely in a social distancing extreme cleaning environment."

And, while these new protocols began this week at the shipyard, all JDI Manufacturing locations in Canada and the United States will be checking the temperature of their employees for the foreseeable future.

CTV News

Hear the ‘’Know Your Ships Story in online program Sunday evening

5/10 - Six Decades of Smooth Sailing: The Know Your Ships Story
Sunday, May 10, 2020 7 PM – 8 PM (EDT)

Presented by Editor and Publisher Roger LeLievre in conjunction with the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association. Join us as Roger presents an illustrated program about the early years of the annual shipping guide, how he became involved in the book and how the book is put together every year. Please view the presentation from your computer, tablet or smartphone (Chrome browser recommended).
https://www.gotomeet.me/VirtualVisitorCenter/decades

Updates

5/10 – The saltie gallery has been updated with images of the following vessels: Amazoneborg, Amoenitas, Amurborg, Bro Alma, Federal Asahi, Federal Beaufort, Federal Bristol, Federal Clyde, Federal Dart, Federal Kumano, Federal Leda, Federal Mayumi, Federal Mosel, Federal Rideau, Federal Seto, Federal Welland, Federal Yukina, Floretgracht, Fuldaborg, Fure Ven, Janet C, Lady Doris, Lake Ontario, Narie, Northern Spirit, Ocean Castle, Onego Rio, Rodopi, Sunda and Wicko.

1923 – H.A. ROCK of the Forest City Steamship Co. went aground in Georgian Bay. The vessel was taken to drydock where the plates were removed, re-rolled and put back. The ship was idle May 18 to June 1 and the cost was $13,707.60.

Steamer COLUMBIA (Hull#148) was launched in 1902 by the Detroit Ship Building Co., Wyandotte, Michigan. The steamer was built for day excursions between Detroit and Bob-Lo Island. The vessel has been in lay-up since September 2, 1991 at Nicholson's Terminal.

On May 10, 1981, WILLIAM J. DELANCEY entered service for Interlake Steamship Co. She became the largest vessel on the Great Lakes at that time, and at least in the last 130 years, she has held the honor of being the largest vessel on the Great Lakes longer than any other vessel. Renamed b.) PAUL R TREGURTHA in 1990.

On 10 May 1858, LEMUEL CRAWFORD (3 mast wooden bark, 135 foot, 450 tons, built in 1855, at Black River, Ohio) was carrying wheat from Chicago to Buffalo. She ran into a heavy gale and went out of control near Pelee Passage and struck a reef 1-1/2 miles off East Sister Island in Lake Erie. She began to sink immediately and the 13 onboard scrambled up her masts and lashed themselves to her rigging. After two days, they were finally rescued by the tug R R ELIOTT out of Detroit.

May 10, 1922 - The ANN ARBOR NO 4 ran aground at Green Isle. She was released with no damage.

The first Welland Canal was opened between St. Catharine's and Lake Ontario on 10 May 1828. The first vessel to navigate this route was the schooner WELLAND CANAL. This was a new vessel having been launched at St. Catharines, Ontario on 24 April 1828.

On 10 May 1898, ISAAC LINCOLN (wooden propeller freighter, 134 foot, 376 gross tons) was launched at Anderson's yard in Marine City, Michigan for A. F. Price of Freemont, Michigan and Capt. Egbert of Port Huron, Michigan. She cost $40,000. She lasted until 1931, when she was abandoned.

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

Overseas pandemic buying results in grain rush through Thunder Bay port

5/9 - Thunder Bay, ON – Grain traffic is surging through the Port of Thunder Bay to meet pandemic-related overseas demand for Canadian wheat. The northwestern Ontario port handled 1,007,451 tonnes of grain products during April, up from 789,903 tonnes during the same time in 2019.

Ín a release, the port authority said Canadian farmers are meeting the increased demand for grain in Europe and North Africa, and that's reflected in the surge in volume through the port's elevators. .

The pandemic has created voids in grain supply with restrictions of exports and consumers stocking up on staple food. Rail traffic has increased significantly at the port in recent weeks, the authority said. Weekly figures up to April 28 indicate grain rail car volume nearly doubled in Thunder Bay compared to the same week last year. .

The 2019 Western Canada crop was the second-largest harvest on record for Canadian farmers. On-farm stock at the end of December was at record-high levels. .

Prairie grain is railed to port elevators in Thunder Bay to be loaded into domestic "lakers" to deliver to ports on the St. Lawrence River for overseas export, or is loaded onto ocean-going "saltie" ships for direct shipment overseas. .

The authority finds the direct exports to ports in France, Italy and Morocco have all risen sharply in the last month. “The capability of this supply chain and the commitment of the partners all along the supply chain, are really shining through during this unprecedented time,” said port authority CEO Tim Heney in a statement. .

“The railways, stevedores, grain elevators, inspectors, and mariners to name a few, are handling increased trade despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. They are keeping commodities flowing to parts of the world that could otherwise see a food shortage.” .

Canadian Pacific Rail recorded its best-ever monthly total for the movement of grain and grain products in its 139-year history, and the Port of Thunder Bay played a role. In April, CP moved 2.8 million tonnes to market, surpassing last November's haul by more than 100,000 tonnes. .

In moving 54 per cent of the grain moved off the Prairies this year, CP foresees strong grain shipping for the remainder of the 2019-2020 crop year now that the Port of Thunder Bay has reopened. The rail carrier's April performance follows up on record movements in January, and March and during this year's first quarter. .

At 21.4 million tonnes of grain products moved to date in 2020, six percent more grain this year than at the same point last year, and eight percent greater than the previous three-year average. .

"CP's service excellence and best-in-class team have enabled us to move more grain steadily throughout this crop year, with an impressive surge in April as the Port of Thunder Bay opened for the spring shipping season," said Joan Hardy, CP's vice-president of sales and marketing of grain and fertilizers. .

"By working collaboratively with our customers from field to port, we have been able to find synergies and efficiencies to drive the grain supply chain forward." .

Northern Ontario Business

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions. .

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
John G. Munson finished unloading stone at Hallett #5 and departed Duluth at 00:31 light for Two Harbors. Erie Trader/tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort arrived at 16:18 light and headed to CN to load iron ore. The saltie Lady Doris was due at 20:00, loaded with kaolin clay for the Port Terminal. Joseph L. Block, which had arrived late Thursday night and discharged stone at CN, shifted over to Fraser Shipyards Friday afternoon, likely for a repair. She is due next in Two Harbors to load. Amurborg remains anchored offshore waiting to load wheat at CHS 1. CSL Tadoussac spent Friday loading iron ore pellets at Burlington Northern in Superior, and was still moored as of Friday evening with no departure time. Burns Harbor was on the hook offshore waiting for the dock. .

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Edwin H. Gott arrived Two Harbors on May 8th at 00:42 for South of #2. She departed on May 8th at 18:32. The Gott is headed for Conneaut. Also arriving Two Harbors on May 8th was the John G. Munson after unloading stone at CN-Hallett #5. She arrived Two Harbors at 02:34 for North of #2 lay-by. She shifted to South of #2 between 18:35 and 18:59 on the 8th. Due Two Harbors is the Joseph L. Block, but as of 19:15 she is undergoing repairs at Fraser. Due Two Harbors late on May 9th is the Mesabi Miner. Due Northshore Mining in Silver Bay on May 9th is the American Courage. She arrives Duluth on the 9th to unload stone at CN-Hallett #5 before heading to Silver Bay to load pellets. .

Thunder Bay, ON
Wednesday; 16:02 Federal Yukina weighed anchor and proceeded to the Superior Elevator to load grain. Thursday; 17:33 Ojibway departed for Windsor. 20:41 Federal Mosel departed for Montreal. 21:09 The saltie Wicko weighed anchor and proceeded to the Richardson Main Terminal to load wheat. Friday; 0:11 Federal Seto departed for Montreal. 0:11 CSL Welland weighed anchor and proceeded to Viterra A to load wheat. 7:20 The saltie Amazoneborg arrived at the Midcontinent Terminal to unload wind mill parts. 8:28 CSL Niagara weighed anchor and proceeded to Viterra B to load grain. 12:07 Algoma Innovator arrived at Thunder Bay Terminals to load Potash. 12:38 The saltie Fuldaborg departed for Casablanca. 13:53 The saltie Lake Ontario weighed anchor and proceeded to the Richardson Current River Terminal to load grain.14:56 Federal Dart departed for Montreal. .

St. Marys River
Downbounders on winter-like Friday included Atlanitc Huron early, then Arthur M. Anderson, Ojibway, Calumet, Federal Mosel and Federal Seto. The first and only upbounder of the day, Mesabi Miner, didn’t show up at the locks till late evening. Michipicoten departed Algoma Steel in the early evening but didn’t get far – she tied up at the upper end of the Canadian lock with unspecified issues. A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers barge and crew were working at Mission Point placing limestone to help address erosion issues. .

Green Bay, WI
The tug Bradshaw McKee/barge St. Marys Conquest departed Friday morning for Chicago. .

Manistee, MI – Michael Smith
Manitowoc was inbound Friday morning, heading to the Rieth Riley dock to unload limestone.

Northern Lake Huron
Meldrum Bay: Friday; 8:30 Baie Comeau arrived to load limestone. Drummond Island: Friday; 4:01 Calumet departed for Algoma Steel Sault Ste Marie. 8:26 Great Republic arrived to load.

Port Dolomite: Thursday; 10:04 American Courage arrived to load limestone and departed Friday at 0:14 for Duluth Superior. 2:05 Wilfred Sykes arrived to load limestone and departed at 13:45 down bound on Lake Michigan. .

Alpena: Friday; 15:06 Samuel De Champlain arrived to load cement products. .

Calcite: Thursday 22:32 John J Boland arrived and went to anchor. Friday; 6:07 Philip R Clarke departed for Buffington. 10:15 American Mariner weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. .

Stoneport: Friday; 11:46 Herbert C Jackson arrived to load limestone.

Port Inland: Friday 22:32 Manitowoc departed for Manistee.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas Algoma Sault was expected Friday evening. .

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
T/B Olive L. Moore/James L. Kuber passed downbound in the early morning Friday, then passed Federal Barents heading upbound mid Lake St. Clair at 7:45am. Algoma Sault passed upbound at noon, followed by American Spirit at 2:15pm and T/B Joyce L. Vanenkevort/Great Lakes Trader at 2:45pm. Federal Kumano was heading downbound at 5pm. T/B Michigan/Great Lakes passed upbound at 6 pm. Algocanada passed downbound at 7pm. Kaye E . Barker should pass upbound in the late evening. Mixed periods of sun and wind driven snow showers most of the day, winds still steady from the north, temp 41 degrees F. .

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Thursday Arrivals: Defiance/Ashtabula arrived at the Carmeuse docl to unload stone. Kaye E Barker arrived at Zug Island to unload coal. Iver Bright arrived at the Waterfront Petroleum Terminal to unload. .

Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
The tug Victory and barge Maumee are expected to arrive at the Torco Dock on Saturday in the mid-afternoon. They are scheduled to return to Torco again on May 15 in the early morning. At the CSX Coal Dock, due to arrive to load are the tug Victory and barge Maumee. They are due at CSX to load on Saturday in the late evening. Also due at CSX to load is the Saginaw on May 13 in the late afternoon. Vessels still in lay-up at Toledo include the following both the American Valor and the Manistee in long-term lay-up at the Hocking Valley Dock. American Century at the CSX #3 Dock and the St. Clair at the Torco/Lakefront Docks where it has remained since its fire in February 2019. .

Lake Erie Ports for 5/8 – Bill Kloss
Marblehead: Robert S. Pierson arrived at 21:00.

Lorain: Algoma Enterprise due in at 19:00.

Cleveland: Federal Barents left on 5/7 at 23:44.

Fairport Harbor: Frontenac departed at 04:22 for Bowmanville.

Conneaut: Spruceglen leaving for Quebec City. Presque Isle arrived at 19:00

Nanticoke: Algonova departed for Halifax. The port is very busy. CSL Laurentian arrived at 07:02. Algoma Tankers are well represented as Algoma Hansa, Algoterra and Algonorth are all in port. .

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
At 1:54 EST the tug Ocean A. Simard arrived from Oshawa. The Algoma Enterprise arrived with coal from Toledo at 2:42 EST. The Victoriaborg departed with grain for Ireland at 8:39 EST, and the Algoma Enterprise departed for Lorain at 13:57 EST. The Mottler continues to unload at the Agrico dock and the Federal Weser is loading grain. The Rodopi spends its eighth day at anchor. The Hinch Spirit and Algoma Transport both sit at the wall possibly for lay-up. If true, they’d be joining the NACC Capri for vessels laid up in Hamilton. .

Buffalo, NY - Brian R. Wroblewski
Federal Leda was unloading nut coke Friday from Poland at the Gateway Metroport Terminal in Lackawanna. The BBC Russia was in the Port Colborne anchorage waiting for a lake pilot. She will be headed for Gateway in Lackawanna once they're on board. She's loaded with more windmill blades from Germany, just like the BBC Kibo that departed Lackawanna Thursday morning for Menomonie, MI. There are two more salties on the way at this time: Federal Rhine with sugar from Santos, Brazil, & the Mick with an unknown cargo from S. Korea.

The JOHN J BOLAND (Hull# 417) was launched May 9, 1953 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. for the American Steamship Co. making way for the keel of the DETROIT EDISON (2) to be laid. The BOLAND was renamed b.) SAGINAW in 1999.

On May 9, 1951 the CLIFFS VICTORY arrived at the South Chicago yard of the American Ship Building Co. completing her 37-day, 3,000 mile journey from Baltimore, Maryland. There her deck houses, stack, masts, deck machinery, rudder and propeller were installed and the floatation pontoons removed.

The ROBERT C. NORTON (2) was laid up on May 9, 1980 for the last time at the Hans Hansen Dock at Toledo, Ohio.

PETER REISS (Hull#522) was launched at Superior, Wisconsin by Superior Ship Building Co., on May 9, 1910 for the North American Steamship Co. (Reiss Coal Co.).

On 9 May 1864, AMAZON (2-mast wooden brig, 93 foot, 172 tons, built in 1837 at Port Huron, Michigan as a schooner) was carrying coal from Cleveland for Lake Superior when she went out of control in a storm just as she was leaving the St. Clair River for Lake Huron. She was driven ashore near Point Edward, Ontario and was broken up by the wave action. At the time of her loss, she was considered the oldest working schooner on the Lakes.

May 9, 1900: The carferry PERE MARQUETTE (15) began carferry service to Milwaukee for the Pere Marquette Railway.

On Friday night, 9 May 1873, the schooner CAPE HORN collided with the new iron propeller JAVA off Long Point on Lake Erie. The schooner sank quickly. The only life lost was that of the cook.

On 09 May 1872, the CUBA (iron propeller bulk freighter, 231 foot, 1526 gross tons) was launched at King Iron Works in Buffalo, New York for the Holt and Ensign Commercial Line. Innovations in her design included water-tight compartments for water ballast, 4 water-tight bulkheads that could be closed if the hull were damaged, and a new fluted signal lamp that could be seen for 13 miles. She was powered by two 350 HP engines. She was a very successful vessel and lasted until 1947 when she was scrapped. She was renamed b.) IONIC in 1906 and c.) MAPLEBRANCH in 1920. Converted to a tanker in 1935. Scrapped at Sorel, Quebec in 1946-7.

1906 – The schooner ARMENIA was wrecked in Lake Erie near Colchester Reef when it began leaking in a storm while under tow of the FRED PABST on the first trip of the season. The ore-laden barge was cut loose but all on board were saved. The wreck was later struck by the CHARLES B. PACKARD on September 16, 1906, leading to the latter's demise.

1926 – While backing from the NHB Elevator in Port Colborne, the JOHN P. REISS struck the A.D. MacBETH at the dock, damaging the latter's stem.

1964 – The small ferries JOHN A. McPHAIL and JAMES CURRAN broke loose while under tow of the G.W. ROGERS and sank in a storm off the mouth of Saginaw Bay. They were en-route to Kingston from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., for a new service to Wolfe Island.

1974 – The coastal freighter ST. PIERRE ran aground in the old Lachine Canal at Montreal, was holed, capsized and sank. The vessel was broken up on location later in the year.

2011 – The Erie, Pa.-based passenger excursion ship VICTORIAN PRINCESS sustained major fire damage when a welding torch ignited materials in the engine room. The ship was out of the water and on blocks for maintenance work when the blaze broke out. The vessel missed the 2011 season.

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

Equipment moves on site of new Soo Lock project; construction on schedule

5/8 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, said the construction of the New Lock at the Soo project is on schedule. Phase one of the project began earlier in the week when Trade West Construction, Inc. started moving equipment to the site.

The company will begin deepening the upstream approach to the Locks in the north canal within the next month.

"It's incredible that we're starting this construction a year earlier than even the most optimistic projections when the project was reauthorized in 2018," said Lt. Col. Gregory Turner, commander, USACE, Detroit District. "Getting the first phase started sets the conditions for the project's ultimate completion."

The Corps said phase one of the project, upstream channel deepening, will facilitate the construction of a new Poe-sized lock in the place of the existing Davis and Sabin Locks. The work is expected to be completed by November 2021.

The three major phases of the project remain on track with their timetables virtually unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic at this time.

Phase two involves rehabilitation of the upstream approach walls, which will stabilize the existing approach walls to allow for modern vessels to tie up and wait their turn to pass through the new lock. The third phase, construction of the new lock chamber, will include rehabilitating downstream approach walls and is nearing its 70% design milestone.

The New Lock project will construct a second Poe-sized lock (110' by 1,200') on the site of the existing decommissioned Davis and Sabin locks.

UpNorthLive

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Amurborg arrived off Duluth early Thursday morning and put her anchor down for inspections. She came from Thunder Bay and will be loading wheat at CHS 1 upon her arrival. John G. Munson arrived at 12:27 with stone to unload at Hallett #5. She was expected to depart at 23:00 light for Two Harbors to pick up iron ore pellets. Joseph L. Block was also due at 23:00, carrying limestone for the CN dock. In Superior, CSL Tadoussac arrived at 19:45 to load iron ore pellets at Burlington Northern. She should depart mid-day Friday.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Arthur M. Anderson arrived Two Harbors on May 6th at 23:26 for South of #2. She departed on the 7th at 05:48 for Gary. Arriving Two Harbors on May 7th at 06:17 for South of #2 was the Edgar B. Speer. As of 19:30 on May 7th she was still at the loading dock. She is loading for Gary. Due Two Harbors on May 8th is the John G. Munson that will be arriving from Duluth after unloading at CN-Hallett #5. Also due Two Harbors on May 8th is the Edwin H. Gott and the Joseph L. Block that first unloads stone at the hopper at the CN ore dock in West Duluth. I forgot to mention in my previous report the Blough was assisted to the dock by Heritage Marine's Nels J. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay has no scheduled traffic on May 8th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Thunder Bay On: Wednesday; 21:50 CSL Welland arrived and went to anchor. Thursday; 10:02 CSL Niagara arrived and went to anchor.

St. Marys River
Thursday’s upbound traffic included Algoma Innovator, Lady Doris, CCGS Samuel Risley, Narie (anchored at 9 Mile at 7 p.m. for pilot rest, underway at 10 p.m.) and Walter J. McCarthy Jr. late. Downbound traffic included Federal Kumano, Roger Blough and, late, Hon James L. Oberstar.

Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports.
Canada Steamship Lines’ Baie Comeau arrived 22:53 Wednesday (5/6) with deicing salt from the Morton mines in Windsor, Ontario. After discharging her cargo at the open dock on the outer harbor, she cleared for Meldrum Bay at 06:41 Thursday (5/7). So far this year, Milwaukee has received 15 boatloads of salt: 11 from Goderich (Compass Minerals) and 4 from Windsor (Morton). G.L. Ostrander/Integrity is expected to arrive from Alpena with cement early Friday (5/8).

Northern Lake Huron
Drummond Island: Thursday; 17:45 Calumet arrived to load.

Port Dolomite: On the 55th anniversary of the Cedarville sinking in the Straits of Mackinac, two vessels were expected to load. The first was American Courage in the early morning followed by Wilfred Sykes in the early evening Manitoulin is due on Saturday in the early evening to load.

Alpena: Wednesday; 5:38 GL Ostrander arrived to load cement products. 6:59 American Courage arrived at the Lafarge plant to unload slag and departed at 22:15 for Port Dolomite. 22:31 GL Ostrander departed for Milwaukee.

Calcite: Wednesday: 23:56 Defiance and Ashtabula departed for Detroit. Thursday; 2:17 Philip R Clarke arrived to load limestone. 13:50 American Mariner arrived and went to anchor. Calumet is expected Friday to load at the North Dock in the late afternoon. Earlier in the week, John J. Boland arriving on May 5 at 1719 and departed on May 6 at 12:56 p.m. The tug Defiance and barge Ashtabula arrived on May 6 at 0630 to load and they departed on May 6 at 2356.

Stoneport: Wednesday; 22:40 Olive L More and Menominee arrived to load and departed Thursday at 10:03 and was down bound on Lake Huron. Due in for Friday is the Herbert C. Jackson in the morning to load. There are no vessels scheduled on Saturday. Three vessels are expected Sunday, the first being a return visit for the tug Olive L. Moore and the barge Menominee, due at noon. Also expected Sunday is the Calumet in the mid-afternoon and Herbert C. Jackson in the early evening.

Port Inland: Thursday; 13:50 Manitowoc arrived to load limestone. They are due back to load again on Friday in the early afternoon. Cason J. Callaway is due on Friday in the late evening to load.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Conveyor left with salt for Milwaukee Thursday early evening.

Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
John J. Boland arrived on the Saginaw River very early Thursday morning, to unload at the Port Fisher/Bay Aggregates Dock in Bay City. The Boland was outbound later in the morning after sunrise. Samuel de Champlain - Innovation were inbound Thursday evening, calling on the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville. This marks the first cement cargo to the dock this season.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
At 7am Vlieborg was upbound entering the cutoff channel. At 9:45 she then passed CSL Laurentien heading downbound just north of St. Clair. Bro Alma departed Sarnia and passed MC during the predawn hours, being downbound mid Lake St Clair by 7am. Algoma Niagara passed downbound at 11:30am. Great Republic passed upbound at 1:15pm. Traffic downbound then came fast and furious as G3 Marquis, Amoenitas, Gaia Desgagnes, Blair McKeil, Mississagi, T/B Defiance/Ashtabula, CCGV Limnos and finally Algoscotia passed MC between 12:30pm and 6:45pm. Saginaw is expected at Sombra about 8pm for a nitetime unload. Herbert C. Jackson, Ocean Castle, and T/B Everlast/Norman McLeod should all pass upbound between 9pm and 10:15pm. Stiff winds from the north-northeast again today but subsided after 6pm, mostly sunny and 55 degrees F.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Kaye E Barker unloaded ore at AK Steel on Thursday

Monroe, MI – Port of Monroe, Raymond H
Port/DRM team welcomed BigLift’s Happy River with a load of wind tower sections from Becancour, QC, on Thursday. She was assisted by Great Lakes Towing Co.’s tugs New Jersey and Ohio.

Toledo, OH – Denny Dushane
The tug Victory and barge Maumee are expected to arrive at the Torco Dock on Saturday in the late morning to unload ore pellets. They are due back at Torco again on May 14 in the late evening. Due at the CSX Coal Dock to load is the tug Victory and barge Maumee. They are due at CSX to load on Saturday in the early evening. Also due at CSX to load is the Saginaw on May 13 at noon. Mesabi Miner arrived at the Torco Dock to unload ore pellets late on Wednesday evening. They departed on Thursday morning. The tug Albert and barge Margaret arrived in Toledo on May 5 in the late morning and departed on May 6 during the late evening. The tug Petite Forte and barge St. Marys Cement arrived on May 5 in the early morning and departed on May 6 in the late afternoon after unloading cement at the St. Marys Cement Dock. The Algoma Enterprise arrived at CSX to load on May 5 in the evening and departed on May 6 during the noon hour. Other vessel activity is as followed the tug Ohio arrived on April 19 in the late afternoon and they departed on May 7 in the early morning. The tug Kristin Joelle departed on May 6 in the early evening and the tug Paul L. Luedtke departed on May 7 in the late morning.

Lake Erie Ports for 5/7 – Bill Kloss
Marblehead: Saginaw departed at 04:26, Sharon M1 is still there.

Cleveland: Sea Eagle II departed at 23:55 5/5 and Herbert C. Jackson left at 09:02 for Stoneport.

Ashtabula: American Spirit arrived at 02:42 and is leaving for Two Harbors.

Conneaut: Spruceglen arrived a 17:30.

Nanticoke: Algoma Hansa and Algonova remain in port.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
Late on Wednesday night, at 23:03 EST the saltie Mottler arrived and dropped anchor. On Thursday, the Federal Weser arrived to load grain at 10:21 EST. The Coast Guard vessel Cape Storm arrived at 12:42 EST from Port Weller and departed at 14:34 EST. At 17:23 EST, the tanker Hinch Spirit arrived from Oakville anchorage, possibly taking a delay. The Federal Clyde departed at 20:50 EST for Thunder Bay, and the Mottler took its place at the Agrico berth. The Algoma Enterprise is expected to arrive at 23:00 EST from Toledo.

Toronto, ON – Tom Brewer McKeil Spirit was unloading at Lehigh Cement on Thursday afternoon.

Seaway – René Beauchamp‎
Expected in Montreal in a few days is the cargo ship Hilke. Her next stop will likely be a Seaway or Great Lakes port. She has come in several times before with her former name of Palabora and is a sister ship of the Caroline and the Amoenitas.

Seaway announces winners of “Pacesetter Award”

5/8 - Washington DC - The U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) has announced that five U.S. ports in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System received the agency’s Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award for registering increases in international cargo tonnage shipped through their ports during the 2019 navigation season.

“The St. Lawrence Seaway and its ports are vital to America’s freight transportation network, job creation and economic growth,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

“Congratulations to the five Great Lakes ports being recognized as Pacesetter Award recipients for their achievements during the 2019 Seaway navigation season,” said SLSDC’s Deputy Administrator Craig H. Middlebrook. “The dedicated teams of professionals at our ports work hard to move increasing amounts of cargo safely and efficiently.”

The five ports earning the Pacesetter Award for 2019 are: the Port of Chicago (Ill.), The Port of Duluth-Superior (Minn.), the Port of Green Bay (Wis.), the Port of Monroe (Mich.), and the Port of Oswego Authority (N.Y.).

The SLSDC Pacesetter Award was established in 1992 to recognize the achievements of U.S. ports whose activities resulted in increasing international tonnage shipped through the St. Lawrence Seaway, excluding Canada, in comparison to the previous year. More than 237,000 jobs and $35 billion in economic activity are supported annually by movement of various cargoes on the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System.

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

The 1,000-foot COLUMBIA STAR was christened May 8, 1981, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for Columbia Transportation Div., Oglebay Norton Co.

EDGAR B. SPEER (Hull#908) was launched May 8, 1980, at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. (U.S. Steel Corp., mgr.), after long delay because of labor strife.

FRED R. WHITE JR was christened May 8, 1979, named for Oglebay Norton's then vice-chairman of the board.

On May 8, 1979, the ASHLAND struck the north entry pier of the Duluth Ship Canal while outbound loaded. Thick ice blowing in from Lake Superior had interfered with her maneuverability. She dropped her anchor to lessen the impact but drifted over the flukes ripping a two by five foot hole in her bottom port side forward. She was inspected and repaired at the Duluth Port Terminal. One anchor was lost.

CHAMPLAIN's starboard side was damaged when she sideswiped the Swedish steamer BROLAND near the lower end of the St. Clair River cut-off, May 8, 1963.

May 8. 1936 – The Pere Marquette Railway Co. announced plans to construct a new $1 million ferry dock at Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The 3-masted wooden schooner FRANK C. LEIGHTON was launched at 10:30 a.m. on 8 May 1875, at Dunford & Leighton's yard in Port Huron, eight months after work on her began. She was launched complete except for her mizzen mast, which was just about ready to go in position. She was named for Capt. Leighton's son. Her dimensions were 138 foot keel, 145 foot overall, 26 foot beam and 12 foot depth. She cost $20,000 and was owned by Dunford & Leighton.

The 254-foot wooden freighter AMAZON was launched at A. A. Turner's yard at Trenton, Michigan, on 8 May 1873.

On 08 May 1929, GEORGE W. PARKER wooden propeller sandsucker, 105 foot, 143 gross tons, built in 1903, at Marine City, Michigan by A. Anderson for Fishback Plaster Co., formerly a.) L. G. POWELL) was destroyed by fire and sank in the channel 6 miles south of Algonac, Michigan. Her crew escaped in the yawl.

1916: S.R. KIRBY was downbound in a Lake Superior storm when it was struck by two huge waves, broke its back and foundered. The composite hulled freighter sank quickly and only two of the 22 on board survived.

1918: The Norwegian freighter POLLUX came to the Great Lakes in 1907. It was torpedoed as b) DUX by U-54 about 7 miles northwest of Godrevy Lighthouse while carrying coal from Swansea, UK to LaRochelle, France.

1934: The hull of the first CANADOC was punctured when the ship went hard aground at St. Joseph's Island. The vessel was later freed, drydocked and repaired.

1938: JAMES B. FOOTE hit a dock at Chicago, under tow of the tug KANSAS, while loaded with corn for Sorel. The rudder, stock and a propeller blade were lost.

1942: The Hall Corp. canaller MONT LOUIS was torpedoed and sunk in the Caribbean by U-162 with the loss of 13 lives. Only 8 survived by clinging to the wreckage. The ship was carrying bauxite from Dutch Guiana to Trinidad when it was attacked and it sank so quickly that the lifeboats could not be launched. 1949: E.C. COLLINS and HENRY FORD II were in a collision in the St.Clair River.

1967 ELIN HOPE had been chartered to the Ontario Paper Company to carry newsprint from Baie Comeau to New York from 1950 to 1953. The ship came to the Great Lakes as b) PROCYON in 1961 and arrived at Madras, India, as c) KR ASHOK with the cargo of coal on fire on this date in 1967. The vessel settled on the bottom during firefighting operations. It was refloated May 19 and eventually scrapped at Madras in 1968.

1978: The third OUTARDE went aground in the St. Lawrence near Buoy 41-M and was not released until May 16. There was only minor damage to the ship.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Steel production now down 11% this year as Great Lakes output plunges again

5/7 - Steel production is now down 11% for the year, while steel capacity utilization is down more than 30 percentage points as compared to the same time last year, with auto plants shut down and consumer spending slowing down to a near-standstill during the coronavirus pandemic.

Great Lakes steel production fell by 36,000 tons last week, a decrease of 8.23%, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Steel mills in the Great Lakes region, clustered mainly in Northwest Indiana, made 401,000 tons of metal, down from 437,000 tons the previous week and down from 608,000 tons just five weeks ago, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported.

Overall, domestic steel mills in the United States made 1.14 million tons of steel last week, down 8.5% from 1.25 million tons the previous week. Automakers like Ford, General Motors and Honda, some of the largest consumers of North American steel, have temporarily ceased production to limit the spread of COVID-19, forcing Northwest Indiana steel mills to indefinitely idle blast furnaces.

So far this year, domestic steel mills in the United States have made 29.65 million tons of steel, an 11% decrease compared to the 33.3 million tons made during the same period in 2019.

U.S. steel mills have run at a capacity utilization rate of 77.5% through May 2, down from 81.4% at the same point in 2019, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Steel capacity utilization nationwide was 51.1% last week, which was down from 55.8% the previous week and down from 81.2% at the same time a year ago. It's the lowest steel capacity utilization has been in years.

A steel capacity utilization rate of 83.4% last year was the highest level reached in the U.S. since September 2008, according to the trade publication Platts.

Steel production in the Southern region, a wide geographic swath that encompasses many mini-mills and rivals the Great Lakes region in output, produced just 476,000 tons of steel in the week that ended Saturday, down from 501,000 tons the week before. Volume in the rest of the Midwest fell to 121,000 tons last week, down from 132,000 tons the week prior.

NW Indiana Times

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Arthur M. Anderson arrived Duluth at 08:41 Wednesday morning to unload limestone at C. Reiss, and Hon. James L. Oberstar departed at 14:10 after loading iron ore pellets at Canadian National. The Anderson was expected to depart Wednesday evening for Two Harbors to load. In Superior, Atlantic Huron arrived at 11:29 and moored at BN to load iron ore. She should depart early Thursday morning.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Cason J. Callaway departed Two Harbors from South of #2 on May 6th at 01:23 for Gary. Arriving Two Harbors on May 5th at 23:07 for North of #2 lay-by was the Roger Blough. She shifted to South of #2 between 02:39 and 03:16 on May 6th. The Blough departed Two Harbors on May 6th at 14:49 for Gary. Tentatively due Two Harbors on May 6th is the Arthur M. Anderson that, at 19:20, was still at the C. Reiss dock in West Duluth. Due Two Harbors on May 7th is the Edgar B. Speer. Tentatively due is the John G. Munson that is scheduled to unload stone at CN-Hallett #5 before heading to Two Harbors. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay has no traffic scheduled for May 7th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Monday; 20:27 Federal Yukina arrived and went to anchor. Tuesday; 21:21 Cuyahoga departed for Sarnia. 21:39 Federal Mosel arrived at the Richardson Main Terminal to load grain. 23:21 Blair McKeil departed for Quebec City. Wednesday; 3:16 The saltie Isadora departed for Port Colborne. 5:28 Ojibway weighed anchor and proceeded to the Superior Elevator to load grain. 6:36 Federal Dart arrived at the MobilEx terminal to load potash. 15:58 Ojibway shifted to Viterra B to finish loading grain. 20:29 The saltie Amurborg departed for Duluth. 21:03 Federal Kumano departed for Quebec City. 21:32 Federal Mosel weighed anchor and arrived at the Richardson main Terminal to load wheat. 21:56 The saltie Fuldaborg arrived at the Richardson Current River Terminal to load grain.

St. Marys River
Wednesday’s upbound traffic included John G. Munson, CSL Niagara, CSL Tadoussac, Joseph L. Block and Burns Harbor. Passing downbound were Paul R Tregurtha, CSL Laurentien, G3 Marquis, Cuyahoga, Blair McKeil and, late, Isadora and Presque Isle.

Green Bay, WI
For 5-6-2020: Amazoneborg departed for Thunder Bay in the morning. Tugs Susan L, William C. Selvick departed for Sturgeon Bay, WI in the morning. The tug Bradshaw McKee / barge St. Marys Conquest arrived at 3:10 p.m. for St. Marys Cement Terminal, the tug Meredith Ashton / barge Kokosing 3 arrived in the morning from Marinette, WI for Ace Marine Terminal then departed at 4:34 p.m. for Marinette, WI.

Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports.
Algoma Innovator arrived 20:39 Tuesday (5/5) with salt from Compass Minerals Goderich. After backing into Slip 3 of the outer harbor, she unloaded untreated salt at Kinder Morgan’s bagging plant. She then moved to Slip 1 and dropped deicing salt on the open dock. Innovator departed 09:35 Wednesday (5/6). Manitowoc arrived 03:03 Wednesday and proceeded to the St. Marys Cement grinding plant at the south end of the mooring basin. She carried steel slag from ArcelorMittal’s East Chicago mill. This will be dried, ground to a fine powder, and used as a concrete additive. Baie Comeau is expected late Wednesday with salt from Morton Windsor. Milwaukee’s port handled nearly 1.3 million metric tons of salt in 2019.

Northern Lake Huron
Midland: Tuesday; 21:25 Frontenac departed for Fairport.

Thessalon: Monday: 23:27 Laura L Van Enkevort arrived to load stone and departed Tuesday at 18:27 for Belle River.

Bruce Mines: Wednesday; 5:43 Mississauga arrived to load trap rock and departed at 16:25 for Toronto.

Port Dolomite: Tuesday; 23:27 Joseph L Block arrived to finish loading limestone and departed Wednesday at 9:01 for Duluth Superior.

Calcite: Wednesday: 6:30 Defiance and Ashtabula arrived to load. 6:45 John G Munson departed for Duluth Superior. 12:36 John J Boland departed for Caseville.

Stoneport: Monday; 16:48 Arthur M Anderson departed for Duluth Superior.

Port Inland: Tuesday; 7:47 Joseph L Block arrived to take on a partial load of limestone and departed at17:03 for Port Dolomite.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Niagara arrived 12.14 am Wednesday loading salt at Compass Minerals. Algoma Conveyor arrived at 12.44 am Wednesday, was on the hook outside breakwalls to load salt next.

Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
The Olive L. Moore / Menominee were outbound on the Saginaw River, early Wednesday morning. The pair arrived late Tuesday night carrying a split cargo, unloading at the Wirt Stone Docks in Bay City and Saginaw.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
Algoma Conveyor passed upbound at 6:15am, followed 1 hour later by T/B Clyde Vanenkevort/Erie Trader. Saginaw was near Belle Isle, 6:30am, after an overnite unload at Sombra. T/B Laura Vanenkevort/Joseph H. Thompson arrived at MC stoneyard at 8:30am and was still unloading at 5pm. American Spirit passed MC at 9:00am downbound, followed by Manitoulin at 10:15am, Florence Spirit at 11:30am, Mesabi Miner at 1:30pm, and Frontenac at 5:oopm all downbound. The bulk carrier Lady Doris passed MC upbound at 4:15pm. Sunny skies with stiff gusty winds from the north-northeast producing rolling waves and white caps on the river, temp 54 degrees F.

Monroe, MI – Raymond H Calusa Coast and Delaware arrived at Michigan Paving and Materials dock to unload asphalt on Wednesday

Toledo, OH
We are seeking a reporter for this port.

Lake Erie Ports for 5/6 – Bill Kloss
Marblehead: Sharon M I arrived from Cleveland at 07:37 and Saginaw arrived at 13:07. Cleveland: Herbert C. Jackson is on the "Crooked Creek Shuffles.” Calusa Coast arrived at 08:45 on the 5th for the Marathon terminal. Samuel de Champlain arrived at 23:57 on 5/5 for LaFarge and left at 14:00 for Essexville. Federal Barents arrived at 09:10 for the Port, Dock 24W, Great Republic came in at 12:50 and Finnborg arrived at 18:30. Nanticoke: Algoma Hansa arrived at 06:27 and Algonova arrived at 14:00.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
At 4:02 EST the tanker Sterling Energy departed for Port Weller Anchorage. At 6:52 EST the tug LaPrairie departed for Toronto. The Algoma Transport came in with coal from Sandusky at 12:21 EST. The tanker Sterling Energy returned from Port Weller Anchorage at 14:05 and the Federal Bristol departed at 14:36 EST after spending a few days unloading steel. She is headed to Port Colborne.

Buffalo, NY
American Mariner departed the General Mills docks at 1951 on Tuesday. BBC Kibo arrived at the Lackawanna/Bethlehem Steel bulk docks, the second saltie of the season at bulk docks. The cargo is reportedly raw sugar products. The bulk docks are now a major storage and distribution complex for sugar.

Oswego, NY – Ned Goebricher
On Wednesday, NACC Argonaut unloaded cement.

Toronto, ON – Tom Brewer
McKeil Spirit at Lehigh Cement Dock Wednesday evening.

Record highs projected for Lakes Michigan and Huron in summer

5/7 - Detroit, MI - Lake Michigan and Huron will see water levels rise 10 inches above average levels recorded at the same time last year and 2 inches higher than the highest monthly average on record for May.

Water levels forecast for May 1 were above their levels of one year ago for Lake Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie, while Lakes Superior and Ontario are below last year's levels, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office in Detroit.

The levels on lakes Michigan and Huron, which are measured as one body of water, and St. Clair and Erie are predicted to be 10, 2, and 3 inches, respectively, above their levels last year.

The projections signal that Michigan property owners could continue to combat bluff and shoreline erosion, damage to coastal infrastructure and flooding. The rising lake levels represent long-term challenges for a region that has faced swings of the lakes' extreme highs and lows. Levels surged in the 1980s before dropping sharply in the 2000s.

The latest high-level reports from the Army Corp follow record or near-record levels set on the Great Lakes last year. For the month of April, new record high monthly mean water levels were set on Lake Michigan and Huron, St. Clair and Erie, according to a May report from the Army Corps.

The levels, the report found, surpassed previous records by 3-4 inches, which were set in 1986 on Lakes Michigan, Huron and St. Clair, and in 1985 on Lake Erie.

Read more and view images at this link: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/05/06/record-highs-projected-lakes-michigan-huron-summer/5173682002

U.S.-flagged cruise ship operators band together to tackle misconceptions

5/7 - A group of U.S.-flagged cruise operators – most with ships that carry fewer than 250 passengers and crew -- has banded together to differentiate itself from the rest of the cruise industry.

The cruise lines, which often compete against each other in Alaska and on U.S. rivers, are working together to advocate on their behalf, as U.S. federal authorities grapple with what types of companies will get bailouts during the growing COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Small Overnight Passenger Boat Operators Coalition consists of U.S.-based small- to medium-sized cruise lines, including Alaskan Dream Cruises, American Cruise Lines, American Queen Steamboat Company, Blount Small Ship Adventures, The Boat Company, Lindblad Expeditions and UnCruise Adventures.

American Queen Steamboat Company and Blount Small Ship Adventures have vessels offering cruises on the Great Lakes.

Its singular purpose, UnCruise Adventures' CEO Dan Blanchard told Cruise Critic, is to keep these companies from being lumped into the broader definition of what constitutes a cruise line by the U.S. federal government -- an issue that has faced polarizing opinions due to a litany of complex tax and flag structures the larger industry operates under. The group was formed in the beginning of March, Blanchard said.

"The owners of Alaskan Dream have been in communication with Dan Blanchard at UnCruise almost weekly to discuss the challenges we're all facing as small-ship operators," Jamie Kennedy, director of marketing for Alaskan Dream Cruises told Cruise Critic. "As allies and leaders in the industry, it's been helpful to share information and check-in with each other."

But the coalition is about more than simply sharing information.

"With the unprecedented economic losses resulting from [the] COVID-19 [pandemic], U.S.-based (U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed) overnight passenger vessels have banded together to present a united front to advocate for funds in the fourth stimulus package…" said John Waggoner, founder and CEO of American Queen Steamboat Company.

Nancy Blount, president of Blount Small Ship Adventures, agreed that a united front is what's needed right now.

"Blount Small Ship Adventures’ participation in the [coalition] is an effort by our company to help the greater public, as well as our state and federal governments, understand the impacts that COVID-19 is having on our portion of the cruise line industry. All of the companies in the U.S. Overnight Passenger Vessel Coalition have U.S. built vessels, are U.S. based organizations, utilize U.S. crews, and most importantly are U.S.-flagged."

Hunter McIntosh, president of The Boat Company, put it more bluntly: "For far too long, the small ship tour operators [in the United States] have been overlooked and neglected by the greater industry as the red-headed stepchild."

Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5307/?et_cid=3329057

Corps of Engineers park rangers offering online Virtual Visitor Center programs

5/7 - Park Rangers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, Soo Locks Visitor Center and Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center are kicking off online programs through a Virtual Visitor Center.

The Virtual Visitor Center, hosted by their visitor center associations, will offer lunchtime interpretive programs on Thursdays while the visitor centers are closed to the public.

The first program will feature an introduction and overview of operations at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Soo and Duluth Area Offices on Thursday, May 7, 2020 at 12:30 p.m. EDT (11:30 a.m. CDT.) Participation is limited to the first 250 people to sign-in. The programs will be recorded and posted to the USACE Detroit YouTube channel and here on Facebook afterwards.

Attend at: https://www.gotomeet.me/VirtualVisit…/virtual-visitor-center

ALGOPORT (Hull#217) was launched at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., May 7, 1979 for Algoma Central Railway.

HUTCHCLIFFE HALL entered service on May 7, 1954.

A.M. BYERS (Hull#448) was launched May 7, 1910 at Cleveland, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the North American Steamship Co. (R.A. Williams, mgr.). Renamed b.) CLEMENS A. REISS in 1959 and c.) JACK WIRT in 1970.

May 7, 1903 - The Benton Harbor, Coloma & Paw Paw Lake Railway was purchased by the Pere Marquette Railroad.

May 7, 1929 - The Pere Marquette notified Ludington it was interested in buying the frontage on Pere Marquette Lake that had been used by the Monroe Body Company. The city council asked $25,000 for the property, and the railroad agreed. Work on the No. 3 slip began a few months later.

On 7 May 1874, the schooner JENNIE MATHEWS was launched at Hardison's yard in Port Huron, Michigan. The launch started very slowly but with the help of men pulling on ropes, the vessel slid into the Black River nicely. Her first skipper was Capt. McGifford and her owner was Mr. Hardison. On 07 May 1954, official ground-breaking ceremonies were held for the Mackinac Bridge. It was completed three and a half years later.

1891: The new Canadian Pacific steamer MANITOBA, although built in 1889, had been laid up due to a recession and finally sailed on her maiden voyage on this date in 1891.

1935: A fire aboard ALEXANDER LESLIE at the port of Erieau, Ont., killed one member of the crew and injured two others.

1965: CEDARVILLE and TOPDALSFJORD collided in fog in the Straits of Mackinac. Ten lives were lost when the former, a self-unloader in the Bradley fleet, sank. The latter, a Norwegian freighter, had been a Seaway trader since 1960. Later, on May 11, 1984, as d) JIN XIAN QUAN, it sank the SEA CARRIER, another former Seaway trader as SVANEFJELL, in the Strait of Formosa off Taishan Island. TOPDALSFJORD was last noted as e) CHANGHI and was deleted from Lloyd's Register in 2005.

1998: CANADIAN ENTERPRISE loaded a record 32,366 tons of road salt at Goderich for delivery to Milwaukee.

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

2020 Soo Locks Engineers Day in Sault Ste. Marie cancelled

5/6 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Another major local summer event is cancelled in due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual Engineers Day in Sault Ste. Marie was officially canceled in an announcement Tuesday morning by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It was supposed to happen Friday, June 26.

Several thousand people attend the event that allows visitors to go inside the Soo Locks to see the freighters up close, along with many other attractions.

“It’s the biggest event that we have in the summertime. You know, when you have 8,000-10,000 people here, you fill the whole area. Not just here, also regionally. It’s going to hurt,” said Linda Hoath, executive director at the Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau. Hoath hopes that the event will be rescheduled later in the summer, but with uncertainty of the pandemic it is not possible to set a definite date at this time.

Given the decision by the Corps, the annual Boatnerd Picnic at Sherman Park and the Freighter Chasing Cruise are also cancelled.

Up North Live

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Cason J. Callaway departed Duluth at 06:01 Tuesday morning after unloading limestone at C. Reiss, bound for Two Harbors to load iron ore. Hon. James L. Oberstar arrived at 14:27 to load at CN but moored at berth 6 to wait for Indiana Harbor to finish loading. Indiana Harbor was due to depart at some point Tuesday evening. At the Superior entry, CSL Laurentien departed at 01:38 for Nanticoke with ore from Burlington Northern, and the tank barge Spartan and her tug Spartan II were outbound at 14:09 light after offloading calcium chloride at Hallett #8.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Two Harbors: Paul R. Tregurtha departed Two Harbors on May 5th at 02:05 for ISPAT. The Presque Isle shifted from 02:32 to 02:58 to South of #2 from North of #2 lay-by. She then departed Two Harbors on May 5th at 18:07 for Conneaut. Cason J. Callaway arrived Two Harbors on May 5th at 08:19 after unloading stone at the C. Reiss dock in West Duluth. She went to North of #2 where she took on a partial load at the gravity dock. She shifted from North of #2 to South of #2 from 18:12 to 18:38 to complete her load. Due Two Harbors late on the 5th is the Roger Blough. Due Two Harbors on May 6th is the Arthur M. Anderson after she unloads stone at the C. Reiss dock.

Silver Bay: Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader depart Silver Bay on May 4th at approx. 23:10 for Cleveland. Silver Bay has no traffic scheduled for May 6th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Monday; 21:20 The saltie Isadora arrived at the Superior Elevator to load grain. 23:04 Fuldaborg arrived and went to anchor. 23:52 Blair Mckeil arrived at the G3 elevator to load grain. Tuesday; 16:30 Ojibway arrived and went to anchor south of the Welcome Islands. 16:31 Federal Seto arrived at Viterra A to load wheat. 19:56 G3 Marquis departed and was down bound on Lake Superior.

St. Marys River
Upbound traffic on a slow Tuesday included Federal Dart (early) and Atlantic Huron. Downbound traffic included American Sprit, Florence Spirit and Mesabi Miner.

Northern Lake Huron
Parry Sound; Monday; 6:23 Mississagi arrived to unload salt and departed at 13:11.

Meldrum Bay: Tuesday; 3:46 Saginaw departed for Sombra. 19:20 Manitoulin weighed anchor and is down bound on Lake Huron.

Calcite: Monday; 10:33 Olive L Moore arrived to load limestone and departed on Tuesday at 4:04 for the Saginaw River. 6:45 John G Munson arrived to load. 17:19 John J Boland arrived to load.

Stoneport: Monday; 16:48 Arthur M Anderson departed for Duluth Superior.

Port Inland: Tuesday; 7:47 Joseph L Block arrived to take on a partial load of limestone and departed at17:03 for Port Dolomite.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
CSL Welland passed MC upbound at 3:15am Tuesday. Edgar Speer passed upbound at 5:30am with Narie following about 30 minutes behind. Narie took a berth at Sarnia. Calumet was upbound passing MC at 6:45am. Baie Comeau upbound passed at 7:30am. CSL Niagara passed upbound at 12:45pm. Algoma Equinox was downbound at 2:15pm. John D. Leitch was upbound at Stag Island at 4pm followed closely by Mia Desgagnes. Mia Desgagnes was heading for the Port Huron anchorage. CSL Tadoussac passed MC at 4:15pm upbound, then passed Saginaw downbound at Marysville at 6pm. American Courage passed MC at 5:30 pm upbound. Mix of sun and clouds, temp 49 degrees F, with steady winds from the north-northeast.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Ocean Castle arrived at Nicholson's Detroit Terminal to unload general cargo on Tuesday. This is Detroit's first salty of the season.

Toledo, OH
We are seeking a reporter for this port.

Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss

Sandusky: Algoma Transport left at 06:12 Tuesday for Hamilton.

Cleveland: Herbert C. Jackson was still in port. Sharon M1 arrived at 01:31 for the Port, dock 24N. Clyde S. VanEnkevort arrived at 07:18 for the Bulk Terminal. Federal Barents is due in Wednesday morning. Floretgracht left at 15:11 Tuesday for Sarnia and Clyde S. VanEnkevort left at 16:22.

Nanticoke: Edwin H. Gott left for Two Harbors at 07:52 and Sloman Hermes departed at 09:31.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
The day started with the tanker Sterling Energy arriving from Port Weller at 00:10 EST. The Coast Guard vessel Caribou Isle departed at 12:02 and the tug Vigilant 1 departed at 13:45 EST. The Caribou Isle returned from a short trip on Lake Ontario at 15:22 EST. The saltie Victoriaborg arrived at 16:34 EST to load grain, coming from Albany, and the Vlieborg departed for Chicago after unloading ferro manganese for a day. The tug Vigilant 1 returned from Toronto at 20:57 EST.

Buffalo, NY
American Mariner continued to off load wheat Tuesday at the General Mills docks on Ganson Street and city ship canal. This is the second wheat shipment this season for General Mills.

Updates

5/6 - The Gatherings page has been updated. View it here http://www.boatnerd.com/gathering

On May 6, 1984 the CANADIAN RANGER sailed from Port Weller on her maiden voyage to load coal at Toledo, Ohio.

In 1944 the HILDA (2) and the barge MAITLAND NO.1 started the rescue operation of freighter GEORGE M. HUMPHREY (1) which sank in a collision with the D.M. CLEMSON (2) in the Straits of Mackinac.

This day in 1923 the EDWIN E. SLICK was struck by the steamer J. LEONARD REPLOGLE in the ice on Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior.

HARVEY D. GOULDER entered service on May 6, 1906.

On May 6, 1934, ROYALTON (1) helped rescue the steamer TEN, which had lost power in a Lake Superior ice field and required a tow to safety.

On May 6, 1975 while unloading iron ore at Conneaut, Ohio, a leg and bucket from No.2 Hulett gave way and fell into the RALPH H. WATSON's cargo hold. A crane was rigged to remove the wreckage. A nine by twelve foot patch was required on her port side tank, which was holed in the accident.

On 6 May 1847, CUBA (wooden schooner, 89 foot, 139 tons, built in 1844 at Peninsula, New York as a brig) was carrying wheat near Point Breeze, New York in Lake Ontario when she was run down and sunk in a collision with the steamer GENESEE CHIEF. No lives were lost.

On 6 May 1858, the bark E.S. ADAMS began her voyage from Amherstburg, Ontario to London, England with a load of walnut timber. The transatlantic portion of the voyage took only 26 days and the vessel was back on the lakes in September 1858.

EASTLAND was launched on 06 May 1903 at the Jenks Ship Building Company (Hull #25) at Port Huron, Michigan for the Michigan Steamship Company. She was christened by Mrs. Frances E. Perene.

1914: CITY OF ROME caught fire in Lake Erie and the blaze spread quickly. The vessel was run aground near Ripley, NY and the 15-member crew took to the lifeboats and rowed ashore. The 33-year old wooden freighter was a total loss.

1977: The West German freighter SUSANNE FRITZEN made 19 trips through the Seaway from 1963 through 1967. The vessel arrived at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with engine trouble as c) MARGRIT B. on this date in 1977. It remained idle and had to be towed to Piraeus, Greece, and laid up in 1978. The ship left there February 15, 1979, for the scrapyard in Barcelona, Spain.

1988: The Cypriot flag freighter PONTOKRATIS was under tow and downbound in the Little Calumet River at Chicago when the CSX railroad bascule bridge ended up across the stern cabin and pilothouse. There were no injuries and both sides launched a lawsuit. The vessel was released May 16 and continued to visit the Seaway as late as 2006. It renamed NAVIGATOR M. in 2010.

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

Badger's horn sounding at noon to honor essential workers

5/5 - Ludington, MI – The SS Badger’s horn sounded strong at noon Monday, the first day of many the carferry is blowing its horn to honor the men and women providing essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lake Michigan Carferry stated in a press release that Danny Hecko, the ship’s first mate, suggested the horn be sounded on Monday to signal its first day back to work for the ship’s crew as they prepare for a first sailing that is now scheduled for June 12. The company decided to then sound the horn at noon each day in light of the absence of the fire siren being disconnected when the Ludington Fire Department moved away from the intersection of Robert and Loomis streets to off of Tinkham Avenue.

“In the absence of Ludington’s historic noon siren, the Badger’s iconic noon horn will also be a symbol of hope that we will soon defeat this virus enemy and return to a more normal way of life,” the company stated in the release. “We will sound the horn each weekday until the sailing season begins.”

Ludington City Manager Mitch Foster said Monday that the city was still evaluating its options as to where the fire siren will go. The city continues to look for a location near the previous one, but the goal continues to be put it back up.

Ludington Daily News

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Paul R. Tregurtha arrived Two Harbors for South of #2 on May 4th at 12:41. Also arriving Two Harbors on the 4th was the Presque Isle for North of #2 lay-by at 16:47. Due Two Harbors on May 5th is the Roger Blough and the Cason J. Callaway. The Callaway unloads stone at C. Reiss before heading to Two Harbors. American Spirit departed Northshore Mining in Silver Bay at approx. 04:22 for Ashtabula. Arriving Silver Bay on May 4th was the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader after unloading stone at Graymont in Superior. She arrived Silver Bay at 05:33. As of 18:45 on May 4th she is still at the loading dock. There is no inbound traffic scheduled for Silver Bay on May 5th.

Thunder Bay, ON
Saturday; 21:20 The saltie Isadora arrived at the Superior Elevator to load grain. 22:55 Algoma Equinox departed for Quebec City. Monday; 4:27 Federal Kumano arrived at the Richardson Current River Terminal to load grain. 16:40 Florence Spirit departed for Sorel. 16:43 Cuyahoga arrived at Thunder Bay Terminals to load. 16:54 G3 Marquis arrived at the Richardson Main Terminal to load wheat.

Green Bay, WI
Amazoneborg, the first saltie of the season, arrived Monday morning with cargo of wood pulp from Brazil to the K&K Logistics Terminal.

Northern Lake Huron
Midland: Monday; 8:14 Frontenac arrived to unload wheat at ADM.

Meldrum Bay: Monday; 0:25 Manitoulin arrived to finish loading dolomite.8:31 Saginaw arrived and went to anchor. 14:43 Manitoulin departed and went to anchor south of Great Duck Island. 15:20 Saginaw weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock.

Alpena: Sunday; 22:53 Samuel De Champlain departed for Detroit.

Calcite: Monday; 10:30 Philip R Clarke departed for Buffington.

Stoneport: Sunday 22:03 Arthur M Anderson arrived to load limestone.

Port Inland: Sunday; 21:56 Wilfred Sykes departed for Indiana Harbor.

Midland, ON
Frontenac arrived from Thunder Bay and was unloading wheat at the ADM elevator Monday.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
Barge Laura Vanenkevort and tug Joseph H. Thompson passed Marine City about 1am upbound. Mississagi was followed by Federal Dart upbound at Marysville by 7:30am. Great Republic upbound passed Wicky Spirit downbound just north of Marine City at 7:30am. Atlantic Huron, rumored to be destined for layup, passed Marine City at 9:15am. Kaministiqua was followed by Tug Clyde Vanenkevort and barge Erie Trader, tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation, CSL Assiniboine, Algoma Harvester and Algosea.all downbound between 12:45pm and 3:30pm. John G. Munson passed upbound at 4:15pm. Tug Victory and barge James L Kuber should pass Marine City upbound around 8:30pm, followed by Gaia Desgagnes at 8:45pm. Mix of sun and clouds, steady winds from the north-northwest, temp 51 degrees F.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Monday Arrivals: John G Munson arrived at the Motor City Materials dock to unload stone. Calumet arrived at the Motor City Materials dock to unload salt. Calusa Coast and Delaware arrived at the Marathon Asphalt Terminal to load. Samuel De Champlain/Innovation arrived at Lafarge to unload cement.

Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Sandusky: Algoma Transport arrived at 00:20 Monday to load coal at Norfolk Southern. Cleveland: Herbert C. Jackson is running shuttles. Floretgracht was at the Port, dock 22E. Sharon M I was due at 22:00.

Conneaut: Edgar B. Speer left at 13:45 Monday for Two Harbors.

Nanticoke: Edwin H. Gott and Sloman Hermes were still in port.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
The only traffic so far on Monday has been the Sterling Energy, departing at 00:26 EST for Toronto. The Vlieborg was expected to arrive at 22:45 EST with ferro manganese from Kvinesdal, Norway. Sterling Energy was also expected to return late Monday night.

Buffalo, NY
American Mariner docked at the General Mills docks on the city ship canal off the Buffalo River at 2000 Sunday with a cargo of wheat. H. Lee White, which has been a frequent visitor to the General Mills docks, is now in layup.

Oswego, NY – Ned Goebricher
On Monday, tug Wilf Seymour and barge Alouette Spirit unloaded aluminum.

3 Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair to set new April water level records

5/5 - As April ends, a few of the Great Lakes will again average higher than ever recorded for April. Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair will all average out at new April record high water levels. Lake Superior is just below record levels, while Lake Ontario is over one foot below record April levels.

Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are considered one lake when talking about lake levels. The water flows freely through the Straits of Mackinac and produces the same average water level on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

Lake Michigan and Lake Huron should average around 2.64″ higher than the record April water level in 1986. That amount of water would be about 2 trillion more gallons in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron than the previous most water bloated April. Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are 11 inches higher than this time last year. That is a significant rise above last year.

Lake Erie will also likely set a new April water level record when the official numbers are tallied next week. Lake Erie should average April around three inches higher than the previous record. Lake Erie is now six inches higher than this time last year.

Lake St. Clair, while not a Great Lake, gets the record high water levels also with flow from Lake Huron. Lake St. Clair will likely average around 3.6″ higher than the previous April record water level. Lake St. Clair is six inches higher than this time last year.

Lake Superior will fall about 2.5″ below the April record water level and is one inch lower than April 2019. Lake Ontario will be around 13.3″ below the April record, but three inches higher than last year.

Over the next month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers forecasts water levels on Lake Superior to rise two inches. The forecast calls for Lakes Michigan and Huron to increase one inch in the next month and remain at record high water levels. Lake Ontario is expected to rise three inches. Lake St. Clair is expected to fall one inch, and Lake Erie should fall two inches. These water level forecasts assume near-normal precipitation. If rainfall turns out to be heavier or lighter than normal, water level changes would be different accordingly.

M Live

May 5, 1904 the Crisp Point Light on Lake Superior went into service.

WILLIAM CLAY FORD (Hull#300) was launched at River Rouge, Michigan, by Great Lakes Engineering Works, May 5, 1953, for the Ford Motor Co.

On May 5, 1980, the SHARON, a.) ARCHERS HOPE of 1945, grounded in the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River. She was freed on May 7th and proceeded to Monroe, Michigan, and was laid up there on May 8, 1980. No repairs were made and she never sailed again.

On May 5, 1914, the GEORGE F. BAKER was traveling down bound in Lake Superior in dense fog with 10,500 tons of iron ore from Ashland, Wisconsin. She ran hard aground on Sawtooth Reef off Eagle River, on Upper Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula.

May 5, 1914 - An unusual cargo, two "Jack Johnsons" (Navy guns) were hauled by the PERE MARQUETTE 17.

The small schooner ST PETER was loaded with grain when she sank 35 miles from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on 5 May 1874. The crew reached shore in the yawl.

The steam barge KITTIE M. FORBES was launched in Bay City, Michigan, on 5 May 1883. She was owned by Capt. William Forbes and named for his daughter. Her keel was laid on 1 December 1882. Her dimensions were 195 feet keel, 209 foot overall, 35 foot beam and 14 foot depth. Her engine was built by Samuel F. Hodge.

On 05 May 1902, MILWAUKEE (steel propeller freighter, 325 foot, 3,327 gross tons) was launched at the Chicago Ship Building Company (Hull #55) at South Chicago, Illinois, for the Western Transit Co. She lasted until 1940, when she was scrapped at Hamilton, Ontario.

1960: The coastal freighter FEDERAL EXPRESS had been built at Midland in 1944 as H.M.C.S. WEST YORK. It was hit at the dock in Montreal on this date in 1960 by the Swedish freighter POLARIS, drifted downstream and sank. The stern was raised August 12, 1960, and the remainder of the hull came up in pieces.

1964: The downbound bulk carrier ERNEST T. WEIR sustained damage to the port bow when it collided with tanker MERCURY in Lake St. Clair. The latter had sheered to the left, went aground after the accident and developed a list. Both ships were repaired and ERNEST T. WEIR survives today as the idle self-unloader AMERICAN FORTITUDE.

1978: JALAVIHAR first visited the Great Lakes in 1966 under the flag of India. It ran aground in the Red Sea as d) KATERINA on this date in 1978. After being released it continued to Palermo, Italy, where it was declared beyond economical repair and was eventually scrapped at Split, Yugoslavia.

2009: VICTORIA first came through the Seaway in September 2004. On May 5, 2009, the ship, loaded with 10,000 metric tonnes of rice and its crew of 11 Romanian sailors, were captured by pirates, about 75 miles south of Yemen and held hostage. After the payment of a reported $1.8 million ransom, the vessel was released on July 18, 2009. It was back on the Great Lakes in 2011.

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

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
CSL Assiniboine departed Two Harbors from South of #2 on May 2nd at 06:44 for Quebec City. Arriving Two Harbors on May 2nd at 07:11 was the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. As of 19:30 on May 2nd she was still at the dock. Two Harbors has no scheduled traffic on May 3rd. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader on May 1st at approx. 22:55. She departed on May 2nd at approx. 07:22 for Cleveland. Due Silver Bay on May 3rd is the American Spirit. Possibly due Silver Bay on May 3rd is the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader. She is due Graymont in Superior to unload on May 3rd and then load in Silver Bay after her discharge.

Thunder Bay, ON
Friday 19:43 The saltie Mamry departed for Gibraltar. Saturday; 16:04 Kaministiqua departed for Sorel. 17:25 Frontenac departed for Midland.

St. Marys River
Saturday’s upbound traffic included Stewart J. Cort (early), Great Lakes Trader/Joyce L, Florence Spirit, American Spirit, Spartan/Spartan II, Federal Mosel, Isadora, CSL Laurentien and Cuyahoga. Downbound traffic included Joseph L. Block, Federal Oshima, Edgar B. Speer, Mamry, Edwin H. Gott, Burns Harbor and CSL St-Laurent.

Northern Lake Huron
Bruce Mines: Saturday; 5:26 Manitowoc arrived to load trap rock and departed at 16:49 for the Calumet River.

Drummond Island: Saturday;15:32 Cuyahoga arrived to load limestone.

Alpena: Saturday; 6:42 GL Ostrander arrived to load cement products and departed at 13:23 for Green Bay.

Calcite: Friday; 23:28 Joyce L Van Enkevort departed for Duluth Superior. 23:45 Cason J Callaway weighed anchor and proceeded to the loading dock. Saturday; 6:57 John G Munson arrived to load limestone.

Stoneport: Friday; 20:37 Victory and Maumee arrived to load limestone and departed at13:49 down bound on Lake Huron.

Port Inland: Saturday; 7:53 Kaye E Barker arrived to load limestone.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Innovator arrived 11.18 am Friday, loaded salt and cleared 11.06 pm Friday downbound for Sandusky Ohio.

Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey Olive L. Moore / Menominee were inbound on the Saginaw River Saturday afternoon, traveling all the way to the end of the shipping channel to unload at the Lafarge Stone Dock in Saginaw.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
No report.

Detroit-Rouge River – Raymond H.
Hon. James L Oberstar was unloading ore at AK Steel Saturday evening

Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss

Marblehead: Mississagi left Friday at 19:08, no destination given. Herbert C. Jackson arrived from Lorain at 13:40.

Sandusky: Algoma Innovator arrived at 20:26.

Lorain: Herbert C. Jackson left at 06:49 for Marblehead and Algoma Enterprise departed at 18:34 with salt for Montreal.

Cleveland: Floretgracht arrived on the 1st at 21:26. American Courage is on the shuttles'

Fairport Harbor: Laura L. VanEnkevort arrived from Marblehead at 19:47.

Ashtabula: Calumet came in at 01:16.

Conneaut: Arthur M. Anderson departed at 13:30 for Stoneport and Whitefish Bay arrived at 21:30.

Nanticoke: Algoterra left for Montreal, Baie Comeau departed at 15:51 and Sloman Hermes arrived at 19:21

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
The earlier thought of potential layup for the ATB combo Petite Forte/St. Marys Cement proved to be a false alarm, as the combo departed at 1:46 EST on Saturday morning for Bowmanville. Shortly after, at 2:04 EST, fleetmate ATB combo Sea Eagle II/St. Marys Cement II arrived and replaced the previous ATB at the same berth. Both combos likely underwent quick repairs. The tanker Bro Alma departed at 6:53 from anchor to make way towards Sarnia. At 7:26 EST the tanker Sterling Energy departed for Toronto, and was followed out six minutes later by the saltie Janet C, who had finished loading grain that was destined for Ellesmere, Great Britain. The Sterling Energy returned from its Toronto trip at 16:10 EST and the Sea Eagle II/St. Marys Cement II departed at 18:29 EST for Bowmanville.

Demolitions – Seaway ships

5/3 - Vessels with Great Lakes / Seaway connection reported as a casualty or sold for demolition – taken from May 2020 issue of Marine News - Journal of the World Ship Society: Casualties: none reported Demolitions: EDA - (1st trip in Seaway 2019) - (5103974; Sierra Leone) (Cedarglen-19, Cartierdoc-02, Montcliffe Hall-88, Ems Ore-76 - 18,531 / 1959 Bulk Carrier Laker only - By the CSL Group Inc. (Canada Steamship Lines) (CSL Americas) Canada, to Oge Gemi Sokum Ithalat Ihrocat, Turkey, and arrived Aliaga 26.08.2019 - commenced work 26.08.2019

LADY NOOR (8027200; Comoros) (Syros II-19, Reem I-14, Kingston-12, Omega of Donso-06, Rankki-00 - (1st trip into the Seaway 1983), Polar Scan-83 - 8770 / 1982 - Chemical Products tanker - By Pilot Shiptrade Inc., Marshall Islands, to Jamaluddin & Co Pakistan and arrived Gadani Breach 5.01.2020 - commenced 7.01.2020

Report prepared by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp

POSTPONED: Victory II cruise presentation

5/3 - This event has been postponed due to technical issues. Please watch for updates.

On May 3, 1959, the first large saltwater vessel to transit the new St. Lawrence Seaway arrived at Duluth. The RAMON DE LARINAGA of 1954, took the honors as the first salty, passing under Duluth's Aerial Bridge at 1:16 p.m., followed by a salty named the HERALD of 1943, sixteen minutes later.

In 1922, the PERE MARQUETTE 16, as the barge HARRIET B, collided with the steamer QUINCY A. SHAW, and sank off Two Harbors, Minnesota.

On 3 May 1840, CHAMPLAIN (wooden side-wheeler, 225 tons, built in 1832, at Chippewa, Ontario) was carrying general merchandise when a storm drove her ashore four miles south of St. Joseph, Michigan. Although abandoned, she was later recovered and rebuilt.

On 03 May 1883, lightning struck and set fire to the barge C F. ALLEN while she was loading at North Muskegon, Michigan. She burned to the water's edge. Her loss was valued at $6,000, but she was not insured.

1905: HESPER was blown aground in 60 mph winds near Silver Bay, MN. The vessel was carried over a reef by a giant wave and broken to pieces. All on board were rescued.

1909: The EDWIN F. HOLMES hit a dredge in the Detroit River. The 108-year-old vessel still survives as the J.B. FORD.

1941: TRAJAN had been built at Ecorse, MI as a) YAQUE in 1915. It returned to the Great Lakes as b) DORIS in 1928 taking out the head gates at Lock 13 of the Welland Canal on September 23 and was back for several trips after becoming c) TRAJAN in 1932. The vessel was bombed and sunk by German aircraft in the North Sea on this date while enroute from Blyth to London with a cargo of coal.

1961: The tug BERT VERGE was towing the retired laker FORESTDALE across Hamilton Bay to the scrapyard at Stelco when it got caught by the wind, pulled over on its beam ends and sank with the loss of 2 lives. The tug was later salvaged and survives today as a pleasure craft out of Port Dover.

1982: A fire in the officer's quarters aboard the rail car barge SCOTIA II broke out at Sarnia. The damage was repaired and the ship resumed cross-river service until making its last run in April 1995.

1987: The Polish freighter ZIEMIA BIALOSTOCKA began Great Lakes service in 1980 after 8 years of deep sea trading. The ship hit the Sidney Lanier Bridge at Brunswick, GA, on this date in 1987 with major damage to the vessel and structure. The ship last visited the Great Lakes in 1996 and arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping on September 20, 1998.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Al Miller, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Canadian ships sound their horns to support “Unsung Heroes of Global Trade”

5/2 - Ships across Canada sounded their horns today at 12 noon (local time) to recognize the 1.2 million seafarers around the world, who are keeping countries supplied with food, fuel and important supplies such as vital medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canada’s marine industry associations, including the Chamber of Marine Commerce, the Chamber of Shipping, the Shipping Federation of Canada, and the Association of Canadian Port Authorities engaged their members to participate in this world-wide initiative.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITWF) and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) encouraged this gesture of solidarity to recognize seafarers, the “unsung heroes of global trade,” during International Workers’ Day.

This global initiative was also to help draw attention to issues with crew changes that some international ships have encountered due to COVID-19-related border and travel restrictions, resulting in seafarers extending their time onboard ships after lengthy periods at sea. While the Canadian government has recognized ship crews as “essential workers” and has been working with the marine sector to resolve any issues that arise – the ICS and ITWF have been advocating for the implementation of similar measures in other countries around the world.

“We’re proud of our seafarers and all other marine workers on shore that have continued to operate quietly and efficiently to keep logistics chains working at full capacity,” said Bruce Burrows, President and CEO of the Chamber of Marine Commerce.

“Essential goods including bulk grain for making bread and pasta and various other supplies and containerized medical goods continue to flow to Canadians, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ninety percent of all goods worldwide are transported at some point on ships,” he added. “We want to give a big “shout out” to all the women and men who are involved in this incredible effort, and for all their hard work under difficult circumstances.”

Video links to ships sounding their horns: Leo A. McArthur/John J. Carrick at the McAsphalt dock in Eastern Passage, NS (Halifax) https://www.dropbox.com/s/uain6joiiquipfa/IMG_0613.mov?dl=0

In Toronto, vessels from PortsToronto, at Redpath Sugar, from City of Toronto Ferries, from the Toronto Police Marine unit, Toronto Fire Marine Unit and Galcon Marine participated. https://www.dropbox.com/s/umhpzo99iptew0b/Sound%20the%20Horns.mp4?dl=0 At PortMontreal, in the liquid bulk section. https://portdemontreal-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/belzilejf_port-montreal_com/EaluSxS82m1Bsm1VM-2wS8YBo_0vHk2vQ_iPxJOkiYI90A?e=8CV5Po

At the Port of Montreal's truck portal. https://portdemontreal-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/dagenaisd_port-montreal_com/ESA3Zzdd8FNFnshnn2f7DPUBsa-JGcqkLjjpuVUX0hP_tQ?e=htMye6

https://portdemontreal-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/dagenaisd_port-montreal_com/EaEv44J3KSRKh-a-2Ag7O64BkYQMfT-pt0YwFXrRzxaUzA?e=eCJF0o

At the Port of Hamilton https://www.dropbox.com/s/uk98jjtj0q19qie/IMG_E5096.MOV?dl=0

At the Port of Oshawa https://www.dropbox.com/s/zor5p8ataf264ny/IMG_0215.MOV?dl=0

Footage from Captain Ray Schrempf aboard the Algoma Sault, talking about why his ship is participating (taken the day before) https://www.dropbox.com/s/7eswk9339rzsnv3/Seafarer%20Salute.MOV?dl=0

Chamber of Marine Commerce

St. Lawrence Seaway wake restrictions announced

5/2 - Kingston, ON – The St. Lawrence Seaway has agreed to wake restrictions in narrow sections of the Seaway effective April 28, 2020, according to Save The River Upper St. Lawrence Riverkeeper.

Save The River executive director John Peach and Thousand Islands Safe Boating Association (TISBA) President John McCullough were informed of the decision yesterday by Seaway administrator Craig Middlebrook.

“The Seaway Corporations have been monitoring water levels, and this morning issued Notice to Shipping No. 23, which is similar to the notice we issued on April 23, 2019, reminding mariners to minimize their wake, particularly when navigating close to shore,” Middlebrook said in an email. “As we did last year, we will continue to monitor water levels and vessel speeds and take actions as required to minimize vessel wakes.”

Middlebrook’s email was in response to earlier correspondence from Save The River and TISBA asking for speed restrictions on ships due to the potential of wake damage during this high water season on the River, although recent notices from the International Joint Commission point to lower water levels on the River this season.

“Save The River’s advocacy to delay the opening of the Seaway to allow the International Lake Ontario St Lawrence River Board (ILOSLRB) to discharge the highest outflows possible was a key component of lowering the water levels” said John Peach of Save The River. “Shipping’s cooperation while the ILOSLRB kept discharge rates high during the month of April was also essential to getting as much water as possible off Lake Ontario and the Upper St. Lawrence River during this period – which will extend until the threat of extreme highwater abates this summer.”

Kingston Herald Port Reports

Port reports are compiled from volunteer reader observations and AIS transmissions. Please send information about vessel arrivals and departures from your port to news@boatnerd.net by 9 p.m. (Eastern) nightly for them to be included in the next day's news. Please include name of vessel, arrival time, day and dock it went to (if known). We welcome new reporters. If your port is not included, we would welcome your contributions.

Two Harbors-Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney
Edgar B. Speer departed Two Harbors on May 1st from South of #2 at 04:55 for Conneaut. Edwin H. Gott arrived Two Harbors for South of #2 on May 1st at 05:16. She departed on May 1st at 15:09 for Nanticoke. Arriving Two Harbors on May 1st at 15:30 for South of #2 was the CSL Assiniboine. Due Two Harbors on May 2nd is the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. Due Northshore Mining in Silver Bay either late on May 1st or early on May 2nd is the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader.

Thunder Bay, ON
Thursday; 18:38 Federal Rideau departed for Montreal. Friday; 14:29 Algoma Equinox arrived at the G3 elevator to load wheat. 15:42 Frontenac arrived at Viterra A to load wheat. 16:13 Algoma Harvester arrived at the Superior Elevator to load wheat.

St. Marys River
Friday’s upbound traffic consisted only of the tug Candace Elise pushing a variety of floating equipment including the 180-foot-long barge Kokosing 1. They arrived at the MCM Marine dock at 8 p.m. and told Soo Traffic they expect to be working in the locks area the next several months. Downbounders included Victory/Maumee, Roger Blough, Federal Rideau, Sharon M 1/Huron Spirit and, late, Hon James L. Oberstar and American Mariner (grain for Buffalo).

Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
At Port Milwaukee Friday (5/1), Samuel de Champlain/Innovation cleared for Lafarge’s South Chicago cement terminal at 02:45. Bradshaw McKee/St. Marys Conquest departed for Charlevoix at 08:36. Karen Andrie/Endeavour arrived at 15:17 with liquid asphalt from BP’s Whiting refinery for Construction Resources Management. Polsteam’s Isadora cleared for Thunder Bay at 17:24.

Manistee, MI – Michael Smith
Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41 arrived off the Manistee piers early Friday morning, heading for the Rieth-Riley dock to unload stone

Northern Lake Huron
Meldrum Bay: Friday; 5:29 Whitefish Bay departed for Windsor.

Port Dolomite: Thursday; 23:02 Wilfred Sykes departed for Indiana Harbor.

Calcite: Friday; 1:12 Defiance and Ashtabula departed for Buffington. 1:18 Joyce L Van Enkevort arrived to load. 17:01 Cason J Callaway arrived and went to anchor. 18:05 Great Republic departed for Erie. The Port of Calcite viewing platform is closed indefinitely after strong northeast winds and a stormy Lake Huron washed out the road to the viewing platform earlier this week.

Stoneport: Thursday; 21:16 Herbert C Jackson departed for Lorain. Olive L Moore and Menominee weighed anchor and proceeded to the dock to load limestone. They departed on Friday at 7:37 for the Saginaw River.

Port Inland: Thursday: 17:52 Kaye E Barker departed for Muskegon.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Transport arrived 6.43 am Wednesday, cleared 6.25 am Thursday downbound with salt for Toronto. Cuyahoga arrived 6.24 am Thursday, cleared 3.49 pm Thursday upbound with salt for Escanaba. Algoma Innovator arrived 11.18 am Friday and was loading salt at Compass Minerals.

Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Manitowoc arrived on the Saginaw River, early Friday morning, calling on the Port Fisher/Bay Aggregates Dock in Bay City. She completed her unload, then departed the slip early Friday afternoon. Manitowoc backed out of the Saginaw River and out into the Saginaw Bay before turning and heading out into the lake.

Going by the numbers, the 2020 commercial shipping season is off to a strong start on the Saginaw River. For April, there were a total of 13 commercial vessel passages, This is five more passages than last April and the most since the 2012 season when the Saginaw River saw 14 passages for the month. Looking deeper, April 2020 was seven passages above the 5-year average, six above the 10-year average, and three above the 15-year average of ten commercial vessel passages for the month. For the total commercial vessel passages during the 2020 season to date, the Saginaw River has had 14. This is six more passages as compared to the same period last year. Looking at the averages, 2020 is seven passages above the 5-year and 10-year averages, which are both seven, and three passages above the 15-year average of 11 passages for the year-to-date.

Marine City, MI – Rich Larson
Calumet passed MC in the predawn hours and was at the mouth of the Detroit River at 4am. John G. Munson arrived at the stoneyard to unload at 6am. By 5pm they had finished and were upbound. Baie Comeau passed downbound at 8:45am. Herbert C. Jackson passed downbound at 11:45am. Florence Spirit passed upbound at noon. Arthur M. Anderson was downbound at 12:15pm. American Spirit was upbound at 12:45pm. Algoma Spirit was downbound followed closely by Ojibway, then Federal Bering between 1pm and 1:45pm. T/B Michigan/Great Lakes was upbound at 5:45pm. CSL Whitefish Bay was downbound at 6pm, passing the John G. Munson at Stag Island. Skies clear, light winds from the north-northwest, 60 degrees F.

Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Marblehead: Mississagi returned from Kingsville at 06:11 Friday.

Lorain: Algoma Enterprise came in at 10:03 Friday to load salt at the Jonick dock. Herbert C. Jackson was due in the evening.

Cleveland: Laura L. VanEnkevort arrived at 21:32 on the 30th for ArcelorMittal Steel. American Courage arrived at 10:04 from Marblehead, Calumet came in at 13:45 from Port Inland. Floretgracht is due in Saturday.

Conneaut: Presque Isle was still in port Friday and Arthur M. Anderson is due in Saturday.

Nanticoke: CSL Laurentian has departed, Algoterra arrived at 01:36 and the Baie Comeau is due in Saturday.

Hamilton, ON – Tristin Woolf
At 21:03 on Thursday night, the tug Ocean A. Gauthier departed to assist a vessel in Toronto, and she returned at 4:33 EST on Friday morning. At 5:50 EST the ATB combo Petite Forte/St. Marys Cement arrived, potentially for repairs but likely for layup due to the current economy. She joins the NACC Capri as the second vessel laid up in Hamilton. At 9:23 EST the Coast Guard vessel Ile Saint Ours departed for Toronto on its first voyage this season. The G3 Marquis departed at 10:58 EST after unloading ore, and the Blair McKeil departed at 19:02 after unloading quartz. Both vessels are bound for Thunder Bay. The Federal Dart, Federal Bristol and Narie continued unloading while the Janet C continued loading for another day. The tanker Bro Alma finished offloading in the afternoon and joined Rodopi and Federal Clyde at anchor.

Toronto, ON
McKeil Spirit at Lehigh Cement Dock on Friday evening.

Facebook program Sunday explores cruise from Detroit-Quebec City on Victory II

5/2 - In late July 2019, Know Your Ships editor and publisher Roger LeLievre enjoyed a trip from Detroit to Quebec City on the passenger ship Victory II. He will offer a program about that trip in a live Facebook broadcast this Sunday at 7 p.m. He will be able to take your questions during and after the program. Join in at this link: https://www.facebook.com/Boatnerd/live

ADAM E. CORNELIUS (Hull#53) was launched at St. Clair, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works on May 2, 1908. Renamed b.) DETROIT EDISON in 1948, c.) GEORGE F. RAND in 1954. Sold Canadian in 1962, renamed d.) AVONDALE. She was scrapped at Castellon, Spain, in 1979.

On 2 May 1874, the steamer 8TH OHIO was chartered by Magner & Company to carry their circus to various Great Lake ports throughout that season.

The 3-mast schooner EDWARD KELLEY was launched at Dunford & Leighton's yard in Port Huron on 2 May 1874. She was built for the Lake Superior Transportation Company of Cleveland, Ohio. A. O. Miller's coronet band played at the launching.

On 02 May 1903, ACADIA (wooden schooner-barge, 102 foot, 188 tons, built in 1873, at Smith's Falls, Ontario) was carrying coal from Oswego, New York to Kingston, Ontario, when she went aground in a storm near the Duck Islands on Lake Ontario. She was later recovered, but foundered again in July 1908. Again she was recovered and this time rebuilt as a barge.

1895 N.K. FAIRBANK was traveling from Chicago to Ogdensburg, NY with 50,000 bushels of corn when it stranded, due to fog and smoke, off Morgan's Point 6 miles west of Port Colborne. The wooden steamer caught fire and burned to the waterline. The hull was later refloated and, in 1899, rebuilt as the ELIZA H. STRONG only to burn again in October 1904.

1967 SHELTER BAY went aground in the Brockville Narrows when a bolt in the steering gear sheared off and the vessel veered off course, was holed by rocks and had to be beached off Royal Island. This member of the Q. & O. fleet was bound for Chicago with iron ore, but had to be lightered and then sailed to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs.

Data from: Skip, Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

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