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Paul R. Tregurtha cleared to proceed after fire 6/19 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – The U.S. Coast Guard cleared the motor vessel Paul R. Tregurtha in Lake Superior for transit to her next port of call for repairs Monday evening. After a generator fire was extinguished Monday morning, Coast Guard marine inspectors began a marine casualty investigation. The investigation is ongoing. No injuries or pollution were identified. The vessel was at anchor off Brimley, Mich., for most of Monday. She was downbound at the Soo in the late evening headed for St. Clair, Mich., to unload coal. USCG |
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American Victory scrap tow expected at Soo Locks Tuesday morning 6/19 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – The American Victory (Victo) scrap tow is expected at the Soo Locks around 11 a.m. Tuesday and at Mission Point around 1 p.m. The ETA for Port Huron buoys 11 and 12 is 4 a.m. June 21. Times are subject to change. Look for the tug Tim McKeil on AIS to follow the tow’s progress. |
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American Spirit continues downbound trip after grounding 6/19 - Duluth, Minn. – American Spirit floated free from the bottom at approximately 10 p.m. (central standard time) Sunday. Tug were on scene but the Coast Guard reports that the thousand footer floated free due to a water level. It proceeded under its own power, with tug assistance, to the Husky Fuel dock. An examination of the interior and exterior of the hull revealed no damage and the vessel was cleared to proceed on her trip to Indiana Harbor. The vessel grounded about 3:30 p.m. local time Sunday. She was departing Duluth Harbor fully loaded with taconite when it ran aground just short of the breakwall while attempting to turn out of the harbor. The cause of the incident is under investigation. USCG |
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Port Reports - June 19
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Jun 18 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland canal docks: Port Weller anchorage: Anchored - Jun 7 - Chem Norma (Mhl) ) eta 2347 approx., - Jun 17 - Federal Churchill (Mhl) at 1920 - Jun 18 - Three Rivers (Atg) at 1515 from Hamilton - Departures - Jun 17 - Palabora (Atg) at 2346 eastbound
Hamilton:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Seaway |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 19 On 19 June 1889, NORTH STAR (steel propeller freighter, 299 foot, 2,476 gross tons, built in 1889, at Cleveland, Ohio) collided with CHARLES J. SHEFFIELD (steel propeller freighter, 260 foot, 1,699 gross tons, built in 1887, at Cleveland, Ohio) about sixty miles west of Whitefish Point on Lake Superior in heavy fog. The NORTH STAR kept her bow in the SHEFFIELD's side after the impact, giving the crew time to board. The SHEFFIELD then sank in 8 minutes. Her loss was valued at $160,000. The courts found both vessels to be equally at fault after years of litigation.In 1954, GEORGE M. HUMPHREY (Hull#871) (named for President Eisenhower's Secretary of Treasury) was launched at Lorain, Ohio, by American Shipbuilding Co, for National Steel Co., M.A. Hanna, mgr. In 1978, ALGOBAY (Hull#215) was launched by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. for Algoma Central Railway. Renamed b.) ATLANTIC TRADER in 1994, and renamed c.) ALGOBAY in 1996 and d.) RADCLIFFE R. LATIMER in 2012. On 19 June 1836, DELAWARE (wooden passenger/package freight side wheeler, 105 foot, 178 tons, built in 1833, at Huron, Ohio) was carrying general merchandise and passengers in a storm on Lake Michigan when she was thrown ashore off Niles, Illinois. She broke in two and was wrecked. No lives were lost. On 19 June 1900, the wooden schooner THOMAS L. HOWLAND was raised and towed to Buffalo, New York for repairs. She had been sunk by the ice off Windmill Point in the Detroit River early in the season. At 5:30 p.m., on 19 June 1872, the wooden package freight/passenger propeller MONTANA (236 foot, 1,535 gross tons) was finally afloat at Port Huron, Michigan. She was successfully launched at the Port Huron Dry Dock Company on Saturday, 15 June, but she got stuck in the mud. The tugs VULCAN, PRINDEVILLE, BROCKWAY and BURNSIDE were all employed to free her and the MONTANA's engines were also going. It took four days of pulling, hoisting and dredging to free her. The effort to get her free and afloat cost Alexander Muir, her builder, over $3,000 (in 1872 dollars). She lasted until 1914, when she burned near Alpena, Michigan. 1905 – The wooden passenger and freight steamer CITY OF COLLINGWOOD of 1893 vintage was destroyed by a fire at Collingwood and four lives were lost. 1917 – The Canadian bulk carrier NATIRONCO was beached in the Detroit River after a collision with the ASTERN STATES and was deemed a total loss. It was raised and repaired at Toledo and survived until scrapping at Civitavecchia, Italy, as d) SAN CARLO in 1929. 1925 – The wooden freighter MAPLEGLEN (i), is scuttled in Lake Ontario, west of Kingston, near Amherst Island. It had been idle since 1921 and was originally the WYOMING of 1881. 1929 –JOHN HANLAN was torched as a spectacle off the Sunnyside area of Toronto after having failed an inspection to continue service as a Toronto Island ferry. 1933 – MEADCLIFFE HALL sustained rudder damage after being struck by the CALGADOC (i) at Thorold. The grain-laden canaller was towed back to Port Colborne, unloaded, and repaired at Port Dalhousie. 1962 – Hatch cover planks give way at Cleveland aboard FLOWERGATE and a forklift and two men fell into the cargo hold, striking a third man. All were badly injured. The British freighter later returned through the Seaway under Panamanian registry as b) AMENITY and was scrapped at Troon, Scotland, in 1977. Data from: Jody Aho, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Skip Gillham, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Paul R. Tregurtha suffers generator fire 6/18 - Soo, Mich. - Monday afternoon the Paul R. Tregurtha departed the anchorage near Point Iroquois and continued her downbound trip. It is unknown if repairs have been completed or if they will stop in the Soo. Original Report: Monday morning about 4:20 a.m. the Paul. R. Tregurtha reported a generator fire while travelling downbound above the Soo. The vessel master reported the fire extinguished at 5:30 a.m. and stated that there were no injuries or pollution, and all 23 crewmembers are accounted for. The thousand footer is carrying 68,200 tons of coal, 124,000 gallons of fuel, and 88,000 gallons of caustic soda used in the exhaust scrubber. The Coast Guard had a vessel on scene to conduct an Investigation into the cause of the incident. The Paul R. Tregurtha is anchored near Point Iroquois, in Whitefish Bay. USCG |
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American Spirit refloated in Duluth 6/18 - Duluth - American Spirit floated free from the bottom at approximately 10 p.m. (central standard time) Sunday. Tug were on scene but the Coast Guard reports that the thousand footer floated free due to a water level. It proceeded under its own power, with tug assistance, to the Husky Fuel dock. An examination of the interior and exterior of the hull is ongoing. Original report: The American Spirit remains aground in Duluth Harbor Sunday evening. The thousand footer grounded about 3:30 p.m. local time Sunday. The vessel was departing Duluth Harbor fully loaded with taconite when it ran aground just short of the breakwall while attempting to turn out of the harbor. The cause of the incident is under investigation. USCG |
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Former American Victory begins first leg of long scrap tow 6/18 - Duluth-Superior – The tug Tim McKeil, assisted by the local tug Helen H. towed the American Victory out into a foggy Lake Superior Sunday morning. This is the first leg of a scrap tow that will eventually end up in Aliaga, Turkey. By Sunday evening, the tow was east of the Apostle Islands making 7.7 knots. A rough estimate would put her in the upper St. Marys River sometime Tuesday morning. The Detroit-based tug Cheyenne was upbound in the St. Marys River Sunday night and is expected to join the downbound tow at the Soo. The vessel, whose name was shortened to Victo for the tow, sailed for many years as the Middletown of the now-defunct Oglebay Norton fleet. When that company folded in 2006, she and other members of the fleet were sold to the American Steamship Co., which renamed her American Victory. She entered what would be her final layup, at Superior, Wis., in late 2008 during the economic crises of that time. Late last year she and four other vessels were sold to the Algoma Central Corp., a Canadian firm. Although she was moved to another layup dock, she was not returned to service. Her final port is expected to be Aliaga, Turkey. The vessel was aunched on Halloween 1942 as the tanker Marquette. She was built by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation's yard in Sparrows Point, Md., as an oiler for the U.S. Navy. The vessel was commissioned, however, as the USS Neshanic (AO-71), and entered service in April 1943. During her first year, she was involved in several close encounters with both enemy submarines and air attacks on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. On June 18, 1944, her luck ran out, as she was hit with a bomb from a Japanese plane while refueling a destroyer. She tied up alongside a sister ship, the Saranac, and some of the Saranac's injured crew (she was also attacked) were treated aboard the Neshanic. The Neshanic was later repaired and was decommissioned in December 1945. In 1947, she was sold to the Gulf Oil Co. and renamed Gulfoil. The years to follow were much less eventful than her war years until August 7, 1958, when she collided with the tanker S. E. Graham near Newport, Rhode Island. The Graham exploded, and the Gulfoil was heavily damaged. Many of her crew perished. After the collision, the Gulfoil was taken to Baltimore, where it was determined that her engine spaces had not sustained unrepairable damage. The vessel was converted to a straight deck bulk carrier, her pilothouse and forward cabins were moved to the bow and, after lengthening and widening with the new midbody, she was purchased by the Pioneer Steamship Co. of Cleveland and renamed Pioneer Challenger. She entered service under that name on July 16, 1961. The vessel was constructed as a maximum-sized Seaway carrier, 730 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 39 feet 3 inches deep. With her steam turbine plant producing 7,700 horsepower, the Pioneer Challenger was capable of over 16 miles per hour under full load, and remained faster than most vessels on the Great Lakes. The Pioneer subsidiary of Hutchinson was disbanded at the end of 1961, and the vessels were sold to various other fleets. The Columbia Transportation Division of Oglebay Norton Company acquired the Pioneer Challenger and renamed her Middletown in 1962. |
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American Spirit runs aground in Duluth harbor 6/18 - Duluth, Minn. – The 1,004-foot freighter American Spirit, loaded with iron ore pellets, ran aground in the Duluth harbor Sunday afternoon, closing the Aerial Lift Bridge entry to ship traffic for the time being. The freighter sat askew in the harbor, with its stern pointing just behind Amsoil Arena and its bow pointing toward the Canal Park seawall. It came to a stop just short of the seawall, but it didn’t hit it, according to Duluth Seaway Port Authority spokeswoman Adele Yorde. There were no injuries reported aboard the freighter and the Port Authority is requesting that boaters stay at least 500 feet away from the ship. Video shows the vessel dropping her port anchor in an effort to slow her progress. It’s unknown why the freighter ran aground, however a possible cause might have been strong currents whipped up by recent storms. Yorde said the reason will likely be determined during an investigation into the incident that could take weeks. Duluth firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard were on scene, circling the American Spirit to determine whether the freighter was leaking oil. Authorities could not say Sunday evening when the ship would be moved. As word spread about the stuck freighter, the crowd grew in Canal Park, with people standing along the seawall to take photos of the ship’s unusual location. By late evening, AIS showed the tug Kentucky near the American Spirit. View photos and video of the vessel running aground at this link: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4461598-ship-runs-aground-duluth-harbor Duluth News Tribune |
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Port Reports - June 18
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Manitowoc, Wis.
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Jun 17 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Space filling up fast for Boatnerd St. Marys River Cruise 6/18 - Annual Soo Freighter-Chasing Cruise, our annual 3-hour event Friday evening of Engineer’s Weekend at the Soo Locks, usually sells out. A buffet dinner is part of the trip to take close-up photos and videos of traffic in the St. Marys River. The cruise is limited to 100 passengers and advance reservations are required. Don’t be left on the dock. See the Gatherings page for complete details. |
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Updates - June 4 Saltie Gallery updated with pictures of the: Erin Schulte, Emanuele S, Exeborg, Fairchem Colt, Federal Caribou, Florijngracht, Isolda, Josef, Momentum Scan, Three Rivers, Torrent, Tundra and Whistler. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 18 The steamer ILLINOIS was the first vessel to pass through the newly opened Soo Locks in 1855. To help commemorate the 100th anniversary of this event, an open house was held aboard the J. L. MAUTHE. While tied up at the Cleveland Lakefront dock, an estimated 1,700 persons toured the MAUTHE.During a moonlight charter on 18 June 1936, the TASHMOO (steel side-wheel excursion steamer, 308 foot, 1,344 gross tons, built in 1900, at Wyandotte, Michigan) struck a boulder in the Sugar Island channel in the Detroit River. The vessel docked at Amherstburg, Ontario, where her passengers disembarked as the vessel settled to the bottom in 14 feet of water. Although the damage was not fatal, the salvage crew botched the job. The TASHMOO had one end raised too quickly and her keel broke. This ended this well-loved vessel’s too-short career. The Soo Locks opened for their first season on 18 June 1855. The first vessel through the locks was the steamer ILLINOIS of 1853. In 1949, the WILFRED SYKES (Hull#866) was launched at American Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, Ohio, for Inland Steel Co. At the time she was the largest and most powerful vessel on the lakes. The SYKES was also the first boat to have a poop deck. She was converted to a self-unloader in 1975. In 1964, the bulk freighter SAGUENAY (Hull#647) was launched at Lauzon, Quebec, by Davie Ship Building Ltd., for Canada Steamship Lines Ltd. In 1968, the ALGOCEN (Hull#191) was launched at Collingwood, Ontario by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd, for Algoma Central Railway. Renamed b.) VALGOCEN in 2005, she was used as a spoils barge in Keasby, New Jersey. She returned to the lakes in in 2008 as J.W. SHELLEY. Sold and renamed PHOENIX STAR in 2012. On 18 June 1869, a little less than a week after being launched, the schooner DAVID A. WELLS sailed on her maiden voyage from Port Huron for Menominee, Michigan. On 18 June 1858, the steamship CANADA left the Lakes via the St. Lawrence rapids since she was too large for the existing locks. She had been built by Louis Shickluna at the Niagara Drydock Company in 1853, at a cost of $63,000. She was sold for ocean service after the Depression of 1857. Her hull was rebuilt and she was renamed MISSISSIPPI. She foundered in a gale in the South Atlantic on 12 August 1862. The venerable side-wheel passenger ferry TRILLIUM (Hull #94) was launched June 18, 1910, at Toronto, Ontario by Polson Iron Works, for the Toronto Ferry Co. 1905 –ETRURIA sank after a collision with the AMASA STONE off Passage Island Light, Lake Superior. 1942 – The steamer THOMAS MAYTHAM of 1892 vintage was rebuilt as the New York State Barge Canal tanker DOLOMITE 2 in 1938 and renamed MOTOREX in 1942. It was sunk by gunfire from U-172 near the Colon entrance to the Panama Canal and all on board were rescued. 1944 – ALBERT C. FIELD, a former Great Lakes bulk canaller, was hit by an aerial torpedo from German aircraft and broke in two and sank in minutes. There were 4 lives lost when the ship was hit in the English Channel while carrying munitions and 130 bags of mail in support of the Normandy invasion. 1959 – SPRINGDALE, a Great Lakes trader in the early 1950s and later operated on charter to Reoch Transports, capsized and sank in the Gulf of Bothnia after the cargo of timber shifted in heavy weather. 1960 – GEERTJE BUISMAN came to the Great Lakes in 1960 and ran aground on Vienne Shoal in northern Lake Michigan while outbound from Chicago with a cargo that included new Nash Rambler automobiles for Europe. The Dutch vessel was stuck for 4 days, and had to be lightered. It returned to the Seaway again in later years and was finally scrapped as f) MOUNT at Varna, Bulgaria, in 2003-2004. 1991 – The saltwater trader AKTI was driven aground 14 miles north of Necochea, Argentina, in a storm and sold “as lies” before being refloated as d) AKTO on July 27. Examination determined that the ship was a total loss but it was rebuilt by Chilean interests as e) RIO CIERVOS. The vessel had been through the Seaway as a) ASIA PROSPERITY beginning in 1974, as b) HAN PACIFIC in 1983, and c) AKTI in 1988. It was scrapped at g) AL GIORGIS after arriving at Chittagong, Bangladesh, on November 17, 2005. 1997 – CANADIAN MARINER ran aground in the St. Lawrence near Crossover Shoal after losing power. The vessel had to be lightered to be released and was repaired by Port Weller Dry Docks. The ship was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, in 2007. Data from: Skip Gillham, Gerry O., Joe Barr, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - June 17
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland Canal and regional report for Saturday Jun 16 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 17 On June 17, 1895, the J. W. Westcott Co. inaugurated its unique mail delivery service.On 17 June 1878, the Canadian schooner JAMES SCOTT of Port Burwell capsized and sank in Lake Erie. The captain's wife, their child and two seamen were drowned. The wooden schooner MONTEREY, which stranded on Sleeping Bear Point on Lake Michigan in early December 1890, was released on 17 June 1891. The SCOTT MISENER (Hull#11) was christened on June 17, 1951, for Colonial Steamships Ltd. She was the first vessel built at Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. Renamed b.) JOHN E. F. MISENER in 1954, she was scrapped at Cartagena, Columbia, in 1986. The PATERSON of 1954 collided with the steamer EDMUND W. MUDGE in 1957, in fog on the St. Clair River opposite Marine City, Michigan. The WILLIAM A. IRVIN was towed to the Duluth Convention Center on June 17, 1986, by the tugs SIOUX and DAKOTA to be on station as a museum ship at the new $3 million convention facility. June 17, 1998 - The barge PERE MARQUETTE 41 and tug UNDAUNTED arrived Ludington, Michigan from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, after the remainder of the conversion there. The propeller OWEN SOUND was launched at Collingwood, Ontario, on 17 June 1875. She measured 900 tons and could carry 30,000 bushels of grain. 1909 – The iron hulled passenger and freight steamer CAMPANA had been cut in two to leave the Great Lakes in 1895, but the hull broke in 1909 where the sections had been rejoined and sank in the St. Lawrence at Point St. Michael a few miles below Quebec City. 1918 – JAY GOULD was loaded with coal and towing the barge COMMODORE when it began leaking and then sank eight miles southeast of Southeast Shoal, Lake Erie. The hull was later dynamited as a hazard to navigation. The barge was overwhelmed by the seas and rolled in the trough for about two hours before it also sank. All on board both ships were saved. 1941 – The Lake Ontario passenger steamer KINGSTON ran aground on a shoal in the St. Lawrence 15 miles SW of Ogdensburg, NY after losing her way in thick fog. The passengers were transferred to RAPIDS PRINCE and the ship was released with the aid of pontoons and repaired at Kingston. 1998 – MOUNTAIN BLOSSOM was downbound in the Seaway when it struck the approach wall at the Eisenhower Lock, opening a crack in the hull that allowed about 50 gallons of xylene to escape. The immediate area was evacuated but the problem was quickly cleaned up. The ship was a regular Great Lakes trader from 1986 to 2007 and was scrapped at Xinhui, China, after arriving on January 10, 2010. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Detroit Marine Historian, Marine Historical Society's Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Sailors reflect as freighter American Victory nears its end 6/16 - Superior, Wis. – As a result of late-in-life transactions and maritime law, the American Victory will fly a Canadian flag and leave the Twin Ports early Sunday to journey to her resting place in a Turkish scrapyard under the crude sobriquet “Victo.” It is an end which belies a lifetime of both distinction and despair. “She’s got a lot of bad history,” said Willie Keyes, who experienced some of the ship’s darkest hours. Keyes is the fleet engineer for the Keystone Shipping Co., the Duluth-based operator of Canadian National Railway’s Great Lakes Fleet of ships. But half a lifetime ago, he was a young engineer working his way up the ranks aboard the American Victory, which was then known as the Middletown. Long owned by Oglebay Norton, the same company that operated the Edmund Fitzgerald, the Middletown was the sort of ship which left a lasting impression on her crewmembers. “I was in love with it,” Keyes said. “Unfortunately with engineers that’s what we do with our ships.” Keyes and Bryan Rydberg, a logistics expert and former Great Lakes captain, met with the News Tribune twice in recent weeks to discuss the history and importance of the ship. They reflected on her in depth at the Anchor Bar and Grill in Superior and later across the slip from Fraser Shipyards, where Rydberg was overseeing the salvaging of the vessel down to her bones. “There come the belts,” Rydberg said earlier this week as a crane hoisted a roll of heavy conveyor material from out of the belly of the ship. Sailors from the shipping hotbed of Northwestern Wisconsin used to pour their lives into the ship. Some even gave their lives as 24 died across her various iterations — from wartime fuel tanker to Great Lakes workhorse. Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/4460706-sailors-reflect-freighter-american-victory-nears-its-end |
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Port Reports - June 16
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Green Bay, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland Canal and regional report - Friday June 15 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay anchorage:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte: Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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To the lighthouse: Historic Duluth structure seeks qualified owner 6/16 - Duluth, Minn. – Free to a responsible owner: Lake Superior lighthouse. Sits at the end of the south breakwater adjacent to the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. Contact the federal government. The U.S. General Services Administration has put the red-roofed lighthouse on the market as an available property, and is willing to transfer it at no cost to a public body or nonprofit for education, park, recreation, cultural or historic preservation. The lighthouse became expendable when the U.S. Coast Guard deemed the structure, which is approximately the size of a small house, as an “excess” to their needs, said Doug Sharp, marine information specialist with the 9th Coast Guard District’s Office of Aids to Navigation. The lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Under any deal, however, the federal government will keep an easement so it can maintain the beacon and fog horn, according to a notice attached to the listing. “We don’t need the whole piece of property,” Sharp said. “We just need it to support our light.” Many lighthouses once had someone living in them or nearby who was dedicated to keeping them in good shape, Sharp said. But it has become an expensive proposition to maintain them in modern times. “We do as much as we can, which isn’t much under the current climate,” Sharp said. “We just don’t have the people.” Probably hundreds of Great Lakes lighthouses have been divested or sold, Sharp said, including one right next to the Aerial Lift Bridge a few years ago. In many cases, he said, historical organizations take ownership of the lighthouses and restore them to their original condition. “These private entities take these things over and they make them golden,” Sharp said. “They’re beautiful, actually.” Interested parties must submit a letter by Aug. 10 to both the federal General Services Administration and the state historic preservation office. The application process is competitive and based on factors including financial viability and ability to handle maintenance and historic preservation requirements. If there are no qualified takers for the lighthouse, it could be put up for public auction in about a year. Asked if it is livable, Sharp said: “Sure. If you want to listen to the fog signal. It’s not on all the time, but when it’s on you’ll know it.” For details on obtaining the lighthouse, go to this link: https://disposal.gsa.gov/LighthouseNotices Minneapolis Star Tribune |
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Crowd greets new Pelee Islander II at Kingsville 6/16 - Kingsville, Ont. – It took three years to design and build, but the new Pelee Islander II arrived Friday like a hero in front of a crowd of eager admirers. Almost 100 people watched the $40-million boat pull into the Kingsville Dock, after sailing past Pelee Island. “It looks fantastic,” said Leamington boat enthusiast Jim Samson, who used binoculars to watch the Pelee Islander II arrive, after using a marine app to trace its month-long journey from Chile through the Panama Canal and past Montreal. “The design is beautiful. I like how it’s airy, how the wind can go through it (in parts of the deck wall). I think it’s going to be more stable on the lake.” The ferry, accented with navy and sky-blue stripes, will start welcoming passengers in mid- to late-September. For the next three months, however, prep work and operator and crew training will be conducted. The Pelee Islander II will ultimately replace the 58-year-old Pelee Islander. The swap-out process, however, could take perhaps two years, as the other ferry serving the island population, the Jiimaan, in operation since 1992, may undergo repairs. The 67.7-metre-long Pelee Islander II can accommodate 399 people and 34 cars, or four tractor-trailers and 16 cars. That is roughly the same as the Jiimaan, though the older ship can’t accept tractor-trailers. The Pelee Islander, by contrast, can only take 199 passengers and 10 cars. Neither the public nor the media were allowed on board Friday, but the Ministry of Transportation, which owns the vessel, plans to have a welcoming party for the new ship sometime in August. “It’s certainly a state-of-the-art vessel,” said Liane Fisher Bloxam, spokeswoman for the MTO west region, based in London. “It’s a large vessel. It’s a new vessel. We think it’s exciting news.” The Pelee Islander II was built by the Asenav shipbuilding company in Valdivia, Chile. Several company officials travelled to Kingsville for the ship’s arrival Friday. “It’s absolutely wonderful,” said Maggie Durocher, manager of parks, recreation programs and special events for the Town of Kingsville. “We have been working as a community, looking forward to having the ship come in. “We’re very pleased on behalf of Pelee Island. This is literally the highway to Pelee Island. The new ship ensures that we will continue to be able to bring tourists and customers over to the island. So I’m certainly happy to see it here today.” A crowd of people who gathered next to the Kingsville Dock watched in awe as the leviathan grew larger on the horizon. “We just wanted to see it right away,” said Ruth Woodsit, from Leamington, who has an affinity for Pelee Island since her daughter and daughter-in-law now own the island cottage she used to for many years. “This one promises to be a little more reliable.” View a video and photos at this link: http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/shoreline-crowd-greets-new-40m-pelee-island-ferry-at-kingsville-dock |
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Rand Logistics launches third annual marine miracle month program 6/16 - Jersey City, N.J. – Rand Logistics, Inc., a leading provider of bulk freight shipping and ship repair services throughout the Great Lakes Region, has announced the launch of its third annual Marine Miracle Month, a program to benefit children’s charities. As the cornerstone of the 2018 Marine Miracle Month program, Rand will donate $0.05 for every ton of cargo carried by its fleet during the month of August to non-profit organizations with a primary focus on the health and wellbeing of children. The company will provide its customers the opportunity to select the children’s charity of their choice and will make the donations in each customer’s honor. The donation amount will be based upon the total cargo volume (tonnage) each customer ships during the program month. Rand’s goal is to exceed the total donations raised and the number of organizations served during the 2017 Marine Miracle Month program. “Marine Miracle Month creates a vehicle for Rand to give back to our communities and expand the reach of our corporate social responsibility efforts, while strengthening partnerships with our valued customers,” stated Ed Levy, Rand’s President and CEO. “Rand introduced the Marine Miracle Month program in 2016, and we are proud to have contributed nearly $260,000 to date toward organizations across the Great Lakes. We are pleased to continue the program as an annual event for Rand, our customers and the organizations and children in the communities that it positively impacts.” “We were thrilled and inspired by the continued interest and positive response our customers, employees, and community partners have shown towards the initiative,” stated Aaron Degodny, Rand’s Chief Commercial Officer. “In 2017, more than $132,000 was raised for charities dedicated to the health and wellbeing of children, which was an increase of more than 5 percent over the prior year’s results. With approximately 30 customers participating in the program and just as many charities benefiting last year, we are hoping to expand the scope of the program in 2018. I encourage all of our customers, suppliers and employees to embrace the challenge and join us by contributing to the charitable organizations in their communities as part of the Marine Miracle Month initiative.” Customers will work with their Rand representatives to select a qualifying not-for-profit organization. Selected organizations must hold 501(c)(3) status in the U.S. or be a registered charity in Canada providing services and benefits to children. Rand Logistics, Inc. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 16 On 16 June 1891, Alexander McDougall himself took his brand-new whaleback steamer JOSEPH L. COLBY (steel propeller whaleback freighter, 265 foot, 1,245 gross tons, built in 1890 at West Superior, Wisconsin) down the St. Lawrence River to the sea. The double-hulled COLBY left Prescott, Ontario at 3 p.m., drawing six feet nine inches aft and five feet six inches forward and started on her wild ride through the rapids. The whaleback freighter plowed through the Galops, Iroquois, Long Sault, Coteau, Cedar, Split Rock and Cascade Rapids. She grated the bottom a number of times and had a number of close calls. Captain McDougall stood immobile throughout the trip but great beads of perspiration broke out on his forehead. When the vessel finally made it through the Cascades and was safe on Lake St. Louis, the French Canadian pilot left and the crew let out shouts of joy with the whistle blowing. The COLBY was the first screw steamer to attempt running the rapids.On 16 June 1892, GENERAL BURNSIDE (3-mast wooden schooner, 138 foot, 308 gross tons, built in 1862, at Wolfe Island, Ontario) foundered in a powerful northwest gale on Lake Erie near Southeast Shoal Light. Her crew was rescued by the tug GREGORY. The steamer UNIQUE (wooden propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 163 foot, 381 gross tons) was built by Alexander Anderson at Marine City, Michigan. She was launched stern first at 3:00 p.m. on 16 June 1894. There was quite a crowd assembled to watch the launch. While waiting for the launch, Engineer Merrill of the steamer MARY composed the following verse:
"The new steamer Unique The vessel was painted a bright yellow up to the promenade deck with white cabins and upper works. In 1901, she left the upper lakes and was chartered for the Thousand Islands cruise trade. Later that year, she was sold to Philadelphia buyers for Delaware River service. Her upper cabins were removed in 1904, when she was rebuilt as a yacht. She lasted until 20 November 1915, when she burned to a total loss in New York harbor. On 16 June 1905, at 2:00 a.m., a fire was discovered around the smokestack of the North Shore Navigation Company's CITY OF COLLINGWOOD (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 213 foot, 1,387 gross tons, built in 1893, at Owen Sound, Ontario) burned at the Grand Trunk Railway docks at Collingwood, Ontario and was destroyed along with the dock and nearby sheds. Four died, but most of crew jumped overboard. Captain Wright had gone to his home on Pine St. about an hour before and was preparing for bed when he heard four whistles sounded by the steamer BRITTANIC, which was laying alongside. He ran to the dock, went aboard and woke the 1st mate J. D. Montgomery and a wheelsman. They had to jump to the dock to escape the flames. James Meade, Lyman Finch, A. McClellan, and another unidentified crewmember who had just joined the vessel at the Soo were all sleeping in the forecastle and lost their lives. In 1967, the FEUX FOLLETS (Hull#188) was launched at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., for Papachristidis Co. Ltd. She was the last steam-powered lake ship. Renamed in 1972 as b.) CANADIAN LEADER and scrapped in 2012. Upbound in the Welland Canal on June 16, 1963, loaded with iron ore for Chicago, U.S. Steel's BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS suffered bow damage in collision with Canadian steamer RALPH S. MISENER. In 1918, the WILLIAM P. SNYDER JR was in collision with the steamer GEORGE W. PERKINS in Duluth Harbor resulting in damage of $5,000 to both vessels. On 16 June 1861, ANDOVER (2-mast wooden schooner, 98 foot, 190 tons, built in 1844, at Black River, Ohio) was carrying lumber in a storm and ground on Pointe aux Barques reef on Lake Huron. Though not thought to be seriously damaged, she resisted all efforts by the tug ZOUAVE to release her. She was finally stripped and abandoned. On 16 June 1887, CHAMPLAIN (wooden propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 135 foot, 438 gross tons, built in 1870, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying passengers, merchandise and horses on Lake Michigan when an engine room lamp exploded. The fire spread so quickly that the pumps could not be started. She headed for Fisherman's Island, Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan, but struck a bar and sank a mile short of the beach. 22 of the 57 persons aboard died, most from drowning. Although initially declared a total loss, the hull was towed into Harbor Springs, Michigan, then taken to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and rebuilt as CITY OF CHARLEVOIX. She was also lengthened to 165 foot. She lasted until 1924, when she burned at her lay-up dock in Manistee, Michigan. At that time, she was named KANSAS. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II, the Fr. Dowling Collection and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Millions allotted for Soo Locks projects 6/15 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – More than $65 million earmarked for Eastern Upper Peninsula projects has been allocated to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District for fiscal year 2018 under the official work plan rolled out early this week. The Detroit District, encompassing Great Lakes from Duluth-Superior Harbor on the far western end of Lake Superior on down into Lake Michigan and Lake Huron will receive an additional $79 million to repair breakwaters, dredge harbors and complete various projects and studies throughout its jurisdiction. Congressman Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) revealed in a press release from his office that the plan includes $42 million for a pump well system for the Poe Lock and Davis Lock. An additional $4.2 million has been allocated for Poe Lock ship arrestors, while $6.2 million has been dedicated to Poe Lock bulkheads. Another $5.2 million will go toward what was described as a tainter valve project for the MacArthur Lock. “Since taking office, I’ve worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) leadership and the Trump Administration to highlight the dangers to our economy and national security of an unscheduled outage of the 50 year old Poe Lock,” said Bergman. “After urging USACE in April to use additional appropriated funds towards Soo Locks modernization, the updated FY18 work plan released this week directs over $57 million to be spent on major rehabilitation and modernization at the soo Locks complex. This is great news for Michigan’s First District, and critical in our mission of building a new Poe-sized Lock,” said Bergman. “I appreciate the administration’s refreshing focus on our vital waterway infrastructure. This is another major step towards ensuring seamless operation of the Soo Locks. I will continue working to advance momentum we’ve begun to build a new Poe-sized lock on Sault Ste. Marie.” An additional $7.845 million has been allocated for asset renewal and hydropower projects on the St. Marys River, but specifics were not detailed by either Bergman’s Office or the USACE in their press released. Finally, for the Eastern Upper Peninsula coverage area, $305,000 has been earmarked for Whitefish Point Harbor improvements. Soo Evening News |
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Port Reports - June 15
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
North Channel
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Jun 14 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay anchorage:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Sunk, burned, and haunted, this tugboat keeps on working 6/15 - Milwaukee, Wis. – In 1897, the Union Dry Dock Co. in Buffalo built a tugboat. In the years following, the tugboat sank (twice) and was raised, burned (twice) and was rebuilt. Today, after 118 strenuous years, the same tug is still at work in Milwaukee (Editor’s note: The Wisconsin was recently relocated to Monroe, Mich.), deftly assisting far larger ships in and out of the port. When it comes to tough workboats, the Wisconsin is in a class all its own. The Wisconsin, some say, is also haunted. In her excellent history Soul of a Port: The History and Evolution of the Port of Milwaukee (The History Press 2010) author Leah Dobkin relates several eerie encounters experienced by the Wisconsin’s crew. Dobkin also quotes the tug’s captain saying he isn’t troubled by talk of ghosts. If they exist, he said, they’re probably friendly enough. Traditional-style tugboats are distinctive-looking vessels. They have wide, round, deep-riding hulls for maximum stability. The low stern keeps lines close to the water for safer towing. The small superstructure gives its crew plenty of deck space all around for line handling and allows the tug to nestle under the curving hulls of bigger ships. It’s a purely functional design but its long-ago builders managed to give the Wisconsin elegant, flowing lines. More practically, this tug is known for its unusually good handling characteristics in rough weather (the Wisconsin is “a good sea boat,” in lake jargon). Since tugboats are usually seen alongside much larger ships, it’s easy to forget that they are not necessarily small themselves. The Wisconsin is 83 feet long, 21 feet wide, and its diesel engine produces more than 1,000 horsepower. For all their great stability and power, tugboats are potentially hazardous places to work. They perform the most demanding tasks in the maritime world, day or night, and frequently in harsh weather. Ghosts are far down the list of things tugboat captains worry about. They know tragedy can strike at any moment – even when you do everything right. It happened to the Wisconsin. In fall 1941, a freighter named the B.F. Jones with a capacity load of iron ore blundered onto a clay bank off the east end of Belle Isle in the Detroit River and stuck fast. The Wisconsin – it was then named the America – her sister tug Oregon, and several other vessels were dispatched to free the grounded freighter. The Oregon tied a heavy towline to bow of the America, which, in turn, attached its own towline to the Jones’ anchor. The two tugs started pulling the anchor further into the river as the big freighter slowly fed out anchor chain. Once the anchor was reset, the Jones could assist in pulling itself free by winding in its anchor chain. It was 2 a.m. on Oct. 23, 1941. Some of the tugboat’s crew were at their duty stations, others were asleep in their bunks. Inexplicably, the Jones’ suddenly stopped feeding out anchor chain. Before the Oregon could react, the America, jerked to a violent halt, rolled upside down, kept rolling until it was right side up, and sank – all within five seconds. Seven men aboard were rescued including the captain of the tug, who escaped by smashing the pilothouse windshield with his fists – seriously injuring himself in the process – and he dragged a company supervisor to the surface with him. Six others drowned in the submerged vessel. Read more and view photos at this link: https://milwaukeenotebook.com/2015/10/19/tugboat |
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There's a new 'buzz' on Hamilton's port lands 6/15 - Hamilton, Ont. – There will be a lot more 'buzz' at on Hamilton's port lands as it becomes a breeding ground for queen bees — an effort to increase essential pollination services. The Hamilton Port Authority (HPA) has partnered with urban beekeeping company Humble Bee, to provide 12 hive boxes at a yard adjacent to Sherman Inlet on the port's Pier 15, the heart of industrial Hamilton. "The queens end up supporting beekeepers across the province and help provide essential pollination services for food production," said Luc Peters of Humble Bee in a news release. The 12 boxes will be divided into three miniature colonies with approximately 500 bees in each 'mini-hive.' The authority says the breeding location for the queen bees was chosen due to its proximity to the waterfront, because of the distance from other beekeeping activity and because it allows for a more isolated breeding ground with greater control and quicker results. The HPA says the bee yard is a compliment to the authority's first pollinator garden that's also located at Pier 15. The garden is part of HPA's goal to create a corridor of native plantings that provide food and shelter for pollinators like butterflies and bees as they travel across the port lands. "The port lands are uniquely suited to contribute to a pollinator corridor in north Hamilton, because of the ability to create native planting nodes across the port's 630 acres," said HPA's community relations manager, Sharon Clark in a release. "And as it turns out, the port lands also offer ideal conditions for honeybee breeding, and the establishment of new 'queendoms,’ as we've been calling them." According to HPA, the beekeepers will first visit to catch the queens that have been raised, and then visit again to install new queen cells. As the season comes to a close in November, the hives will be wrapped up for winter until beekeeping activity resumes in the spring. The HPA is reminding people that honeybees are" non-aggressive" due to the fact that they can only sting once and only sting when they feel that their own life or their colony is threatened. They say unless you're in the immediate area of the colonies, the only thing that will be noticed is more honeybees on the flowers. CBC |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 15 On this day in 1967, the new $6 million Allouez taconite pellet handling facility in Superior, Wisconsin, was dedicated. The first cargo of 18,145 tons of pellets was loaded into the holds of the Hanna Mining Company freighter JOSEPH H. THOMPSON.At midnight, on Saturday, 15 June 1901, OMAR D. CONGER (wooden propeller ferry, 92 foot, 199 gross tons, built in 1882, at Port Huron, Michigan) burned at her dock on the Black River in Port Huron, Michigan. Her upper works were destroyed, but she was repaired and put back in service. She lasted until 1922, when her boiler exploded, killing four people and destroying the vessel. On June 15, 1943, the D.M. CLEMSON collided with and sank the GEORGE M. HUMPHREY in the Straits of Mackinac. Both of these 600-footers recovered for long careers. The D.M. CLEMSON was sold for scrap in 1980. The GEORGE M. HUMPHREY was recovered over a year later, renamed the b.) CAPTAIN JOHN ROEN, later converted to a self-unloader, and finished her career as d.) CONSUMERS POWER at the end of the 1985, season before being scrapped in 1988. In 1989, the ROGER M. KYES was rechristened b.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS by American Steamship Co. The wooden 180-foot schooner JOHN A. FRANCOMB was launched at West Bay City, Michigan, on 15 June 1889. She was built by F. W. Wheeler & Co. (Hull #61). She lasted until she was abandoned at Bay City in 1934. GRECIAN (steel propeller freighter, 296 foot, 2,348 gross tons, built in 1891, at Cleveland, Ohio by Globe Iron Works (Hull#40) struck a rock near Detour, Michigan, on 7 June 1906, but made dock at Detour before settling on bottom. After her cargo was removed, she was raised, and towed by her fleet mate SIR HENRY BESSEMER, bound for Detroit Shipbuilding Co. in Wyandotte, Michigan, for repairs, relying on air pressure in her sealed holds to keep her afloat. However, on 15 June 1906, her holds began to fill with water and she sank in Lake Huron off Thunder Bay. Her crew was rescued by SIR HENRY BESSEMER. 1933 – BRENTWOOD ran aground in the St. Marys River and was released on June 19 with about $60,000 in damage. The CSL vessel soon tied up at Midland and was scrapped there in 1937. 1943 – WILLIAM BREWSTER was on her maiden voyage when she collided with the W.D. CALVERLEY JR. and sank on her side in the St. Clair River off Algonac. The ship was not refloated until November and, after repairs, finally left the lakes in June 1944. It operated on saltwater routes until scrapping at Calcutta, India, as e) RAY MAYABUNDAR in 1967. 1962 – NYON, a Seaway visitor in 1961 and 1962, sank in the English Channel, 5 miles south of Beachy Head, after a collision in heavy fog with the Indian freighter JALAZAD. The latter came to the Great Lakes in 1969 and was eventually scuttled off Tema, Ghana, as b) JYOTI VINOD in September 1983. 1965 – BREIM, a Great Lakes visitor from Norway, got stuck in the mud below the Snell Lock at Massena, NY was released the next day after some cargo was lightered. The ship arrived at Visakhapatnam, India, for scrapping as c) CHRISTINA C. on October 24, 1983. 1988 – ALGOWEST and COUDRES D'ILE collided in fog on the St. Lawrence and the small coastal freighter sank with the loss of one life. The former now sails for Algoma as PETER R. CRESSWELL. 2001 – Fire broke out in the engine room of the Cypriot freighter FELIX 60 miles off Las Palmas, Canary Islands and the 21-member crew was removed. The ship first came to the Great Lakes as a) BEGONIA in 1978 and returned as b) TIMUR SWALLOW in 1983 and c) JENNIFER JANE in 1985. The burning vessel was anchored and the fire extinguished June 16. A total loss, the ship arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, under tow as f) ELI on December 1, 2001, and was broken up. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Great Lakes/Seaway iron ore trade up 3.1 percent in May 6/14 - Cleveland, Ohio – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 6.3 million tons in May, an increase of 3.1 percent compared to a year ago, and just about on par with the month’s 5-year average. Shipments from U.S. Great Lakes ports totaled 5.9 million tons in May, an increase of 2.4 percent. Loadings at Canadian terminals in the Seaway totaled 443,000 tons, an increase of 13.7 percent. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 15.7 million tons, a decrease of 7.6 percent compared to the same point in 2017. Year-over-year, loadings at U.S. ports total 14.1 million tons, a decrease of 9 percent. Shipments from Canadian ports in the St. Lawrence Seaway have increased slightly to 1.64 million tons. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Update: American Victory scrap tow 6/14 - The tug Tim Mckeil was in the lower St. Clair River Wednesday evening headed for Superior, Wis., where she will tow out the former American Victory for scrap. When the tow will actually take place is still questionable. Allowing for upbound transit time as well as time to hook up the tow and the likely slow speed of the transit across Lake Superior, the vessels could be in the area of the Soo Locks as early as Tuesday next week. The tow will be bound for Montreal and eventually Turkey where Victo will be scrapped. When this tow is done, the Algorail scrap tow from Goderich will be next. |
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Seaway optimistic cargo shipments will grow after slow start 6/14 - St. Catharines, Ont. – Grain exports, along with demand for construction materials such as stone, cement and asphalt, led to shipping on the St. Lawrence Seaway increasing in May after ice conditions in the St. Marys River and Lake Superior slowed deliveries in April. But despite the increase, figures released by St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. show the total number of transits and total tonnage of cargo moved through the 3,700-kilometre St. Lawrence Seaway was still down compared to last year at the same time. Total cargo moved through the system by the end of May sat at 7.8 million tonnes, down 3.71 per cent from 2017. The number of vessels — ocean-going, lakers and tugs/barges — was only slightly down over last year, with 859 ships moving through the system as compared to 867 last year. Iron ore shipments saw the biggest decrease, down 24.84 per cent, while dry bulk shipments dropped 18.55 per cent. Coal shipments were up 43.42 per cent, while liquid bulk shipments were up 19.44 per cent over the same time as last year. "Looking ahead, we foresee momentum continuing as ships transport Canadian grain exports and a wide variety of dry bulk cargoes including construction materials," said seaway corporation president and CEO Terence Bowles in a release through the Chamber of Marine Commerce. He said the authority is optimistic economic growth will translate into an increase in total cargo volume, with the potential to reach 40 million tonnes by the end of the year. St. Catharines-based shipping company Algoma Central Corp. — it's the largest Canadian ship operator in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region — said its vessels are fully-booked for the year. "We had two brand new self-unloading vessels, the Algoma Sault and the Algoma Innovator, arrive this spring, as well as two vessels purchased and reflagged from the U.S. side of the border," said Algoma chief operating officer Gregg Ruhl. "All are already hard at work delivering products for our customers in the manufacturing and construction sectors." Algoma and its partner NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers (NACC) are expecting the arrival of the NACC Argonaut this month, a recently-converted pneumatic cement carrier that will transport cement products on Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The chamber said Ontario ports were also reporting positive business conditions. "Two thousand eighteen is off to a great start at the Port of Hamilton," said Ian Hamilton, chief executive officer of the Hamilton Port Authority. "Now with three grain terminals running at full capacity, exports of Ontario grain were lined up and ready to go from day one. More than half-a-million metric tonnes of Ontario grain has been exported overseas through the port already this season." St. Catharines Standard |
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Former Algoma Olympic arrives at Turkish scrap yard 6/14 - The tug VB Hispania towing the former Algoma Olympic arrived in Aliaga, Turkey at 5:21 EDT June 13th. |
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Last coal plant on the Saginaw Bay to go offline in 2023 6/14 - Hampton Township, Mi. - The last coal plant on the Saginaw Bay is slated to go offline in 2023, Consumers Energy officials announced Wednesday. The utility on Wednesday, June 13, said coal units one and two in the Karn Generating Complex in Bay County's Hampton Township will be retired in 2023. The decision comes two years after Consumers shut down its Weadock Generating Plant, located next door to the Karn plant. The decision is part of the utility's pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent and eliminate the use of coal to generate electricity by 2040. Patti Poppe, president and CEO of Consumers Energy and CMS Energy said her company plans to continue to support the township and Bay County after the units go offline. "We're grateful for the power the Karn coal units have provided for Michigan over the decades and proud of our co-workers who've operated and maintained them so faithfully," Poppe said in a statement. "The company will be working actively to care for our co-workers through this transition." About 300 employees are expected to be impacted by the closing of the coal units, said John Broschak, vice president of generation and compression for Consumers Energy. Broschak said Consumers has been in negotiation with the workers' unions to help transition employees. "Depending on their preference, we have various avenues for them to transition within the company," Broschak told MLive in an interview. The coal units at Karn came online in 1959 and 1961, respectively, and can generate 515 megawatts of electricity. Consumers Energy plans to replace that power through wind energy. He declined to comment on future sites for wind farms. Consumers will continue to operate units three and four at Karn. Those units run on natural gas and oil, Broschak said. Environmentalists on Wednedsay applauded Consumers' decision. "Consumers Energy is taking a step in the right direction by setting a retirement date for the Karn coal-fired power plant and apparently planning to replace that plant with clean energy. It is way past time for this antiquated technology and dirty fossil fuel to go," said Regina Strong, director of Michigan's Sierra Club. In April 2016, the Weadock plant, along with seven other coal-powered plants across the state, went offline as Consumers began its shift away from coal as a fuel source. Excluding the to Karn units, Consumers operates three coal units in Port Sheldon Township, north of Holland in Michigan. Two of those plants are scheduled to go offline in 2031, while the third will be retired in 2040, Broschak said. |
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Port Reports - June 14
Duluth, Minn.- Superior, Wis. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Pelee Island – Frank Hood
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Coast Guard locates vessel with 49 people after passenger calls 911 6/14 - Chicago, Ill. – The Coast Guard located a motor vessel with 49 people aboard after one of the passengers called 911 stating she was concerned that the operator had become disoriented in heavy fog off of Navy Pier near the Chicago Harbor breakwall, Saturday. Shortly before 11 p.m., a watchstander in the Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan command center received a call from Chicago 911 that a concerned passenger aboard the vessel, Serenity, a 56-foot yacht, reported the vessel had become disoriented in heavy fog with visibility less than one-quarter of a mile. The Coast Guard launched a rescue crew aboard a 45-foot response boat from the Chicago Maritime Safety Station near Navy Pier and began the search. The passenger, who was communicating with the Coast Guard on a cell phone, helped guide the rescue crew toward the Serenity by listening for the horn on the Coast Guard boat. Once on scene, the Coast Guard found the vessel transiting slowly with no operating navigation system. The Coast Guard escorted the Serenity into Monroe Harbor where a Coast Guard boarding team went onto the vessel to conduct a routine safety inspection. In addition to inoperable navigation and radio systems, the vessel did not have enough life jackets on board. Federal and state laws require all boaters to carry enough serviceable life jackets, correctly sized, for every person onboard. The master of the vessel was issued a Coast Guard violation for negligent operations and for operating without the required navigation lights. “The Coast Guard takes safety on the water very seriously,” said Chief Warrant Officer Matt James, commanding officer of Coast Guard Station Calumet Harbor. “This voyage could well have had a much different and tragic ending for these passengers, given the vessel had no way to communicate, was lost in fog in an area that typically sees an increase in boat traffic on a Saturday night after fireworks, and did not have enough life jackets for everyone aboard.” USCG |
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Sunk, burned, and haunted, this tugboat keeps on working 6/14 - Milwaukee, Wis. – In 1897, the Union Dry Dock Co. in Buffalo built a tugboat. In the years following, the tugboat sank (twice) and was raised, burned (twice) and was rebuilt. Today, after 118 strenuous years, the same tug is still at work in Milwaukee (Editor’s note: The Wisconsin was recently relocated to Monroe, Mich.), deftly assisting far larger ships in and out of the port. When it comes to tough workboats, the Wisconsin is in a class all its own. The Wisconsin, some say, is also haunted. In her excellent history Soul of a Port: The History and Evolution of the Port of Milwaukee (The History Press 2010) author Leah Dobkin relates several eerie encounters experienced by the Wisconsin’s crew. Dobkin also quotes the tug’s captain saying he isn’t troubled by talk of ghosts. If they exist, he said, they’re probably friendly enough. Traditional-style tugboats are distinctive-looking vessels. They have wide, round, deep-riding hulls for maximum stability. The low stern keeps lines close to the water for safer towing. The small superstructure gives its crew plenty of deck space all around for line handling and allows the tug to nestle under the curving hulls of bigger ships. It’s a purely functional design but its long-ago builders managed to give the Wisconsin elegant, flowing lines. More practically, this tug is known for its unusually good handling characteristics in rough weather (the Wisconsin is “a good sea boat,” in lake jargon). Since tugboats are usually seen alongside much larger ships, it’s easy to forget that they are not necessarily small themselves. The Wisconsin is 83 feet long, 21 feet wide, and its diesel engine produces more than 1,000 horsepower. For all their great stability and power, tugboats are potentially hazardous places to work. They perform the most demanding tasks in the maritime world, day or night, and frequently in harsh weather. Ghosts are far down the list of things tugboat captains worry about. They know tragedy can strike at any moment – even when you do everything right. It happened to the Wisconsin. In fall 1941, a freighter named the B.F. Jones with a capacity load of iron ore blundered onto a clay bank off the east end of Belle Isle in the Detroit River and stuck fast. The Wisconsin – it was then named the America – her sister tug Oregon, and several other vessels were dispatched to free the grounded freighter. The Oregon tied a heavy towline to bow of the America, which, in turn, attached its own towline to the Jones’ anchor. The two tugs started pulling the anchor further into the river as the big freighter slowly fed out anchor chain. Once the anchor was reset, the Jones could assist in pulling itself free by winding in its anchor chain. It was 2 a.m. on Oct. 23, 1941. Some of the tugboat’s crew were at their duty stations, others were asleep in their bunks. Inexplicably, the Jones’ suddenly stopped feeding out anchor chain. Before the Oregon could react, the America, jerked to a violent halt, rolled upside down, kept rolling until it was right side up, and sank – all within five seconds. Seven men aboard were rescued including the captain of the tug, who escaped by smashing the pilothouse windshield with his fists – seriously injuring himself in the process – and he dragged a company supervisor to the surface with him. Six others drowned in the submerged vessel. Read more and view photos at this link: https://milwaukeenotebook.com/2015/10/19/tugboat |
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Lake Michigan cruises from Michigan City to begin Friday 6/14 - Daily rides on a Lake Michigan cruise ship now based in Michigan City will start Friday. The 70-foot, two-deck Emita II docked in Trail Creek at Millennium Plaza can hold 150 passengers. It was acquired by Lowell resident Victor Tieri, owner of Harbor Country Adventures, who has more than 20 years in the hospitality industry. "It always amazed me that we didn’t have sightseeing boats like they have in Chicago," Tieri said. "Standing on the beach looking out over the lake is completely different than being out on the water and getting a view of the shoreline," he said. Tieri said the ship will offer light food items and a full bar during 90-minute cruises to be offered seven days a week at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and a 7:30 p.m. "Sunset Tour." There also will be a 2˝-hour "party cruise" every Saturday at 9:30 p.m. for people 21 and over with live music on the upper deck. The boat also will be available for private gatherings with catered food allowed. After Labor Day, Tieri said, cruises probably will be offered on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through the end of October, weather permitting. Tieri said each cruise will begin with a presentation about Michigan City's maritime history. Passengers also will learn "fun facts" shared about Lake Michigan and the Indiana Dunes as the boat turns west. Tieri started offering speed boat rides on Lake Michigan six years ago when he started Harbor Country Adventures in New Buffalo, which also offers winery tours on luxury buses. "It went over so well I knew the next boat I was going to get had to be something larger," Tieri said. Two years ago, he began talking with Michigan City Port Authority officials, who welcomed the cruise ship idea with open arms. Tieri said the Emita II, constructed in 1953, was used for cruises of the Erie Canal in the Syracuse, New York, area the past 50 years or so. The longtime tour operators were looking to slow down in their later years, Tieri said. The boat arrived in Michigan City after a 14-day voyage through the canal and Lake Erie, then up Lake Huron and down the entire length of Lake Michigan. Daily cruises are $30 for adults, $16 for children and free for kids 2 and under. Fares are half price for all emergency responders and veterans. People currently active in the military ride at no cost. Tickets can be obtained at www.harborcountryadventures.com or at the dock, Tieri said. It’s believed the last time a tour boat operated in Michigan City was in the 1930s. Jack Arnett, executive director of the LaPorte County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the boat is a nice attraction for boosting Michigan City’s lakefront experience. Tieri is also relocating his speed boat ride business to Michigan City. NW Indiana Times |
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Rand’s Calumet, Manitowoc, Defiance recognized for commitment to safety at sea 6/14 - Jersey City, N.J. – Rand Logistics, Inc. has announced that three of the company’s U.S. flagged vessels have been recognized by the United States Coast Guard for their commitment to safety at sea as part of the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) System Program for the 2017 Sailing Season. The AMVER System, sponsored by the United States Coast Guard, is a computer-based voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea. Rand’s Calumet and Manitowoc received the AMVER Blue Pennant for the vessels’ first year of participation with AMVER. The tug Defiance was honored for the third year and will continue to fly the AMVER Blue Pennant for the vessel’s participation with AMVER. “Rand Logistics is honored to have been recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard as part of the prestigious AMVER Award Program,” stated Michael C. Farrell II, Director of Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) at Rand. “The safety of our employees, customers, vendors and members of the communities in which we operate is our top priority and is one of our Rand Corporate Values.” Captain Karl Hardesty from the tug Defiance and barge Ashtabula attended the AMVER Awards event on Tuesday, May 22, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. as part of the 2018 National Maritime Day celebration. “Because of the efforts of mariners like our vessel captains and crewmembers who play an active role in the AMVER Program, we can all enjoy the beauty of our Great Lakes and rivers knowing that assistance is available if ever it is needed,” Mr. Farrell continued. “We look forward to continuing our involvement with AMVER during our current sailing season and beyond.” The AMVER Awards Program was inaugurated in 1971 to recognize those vessels that regularly participate in the AMVER system and the merchant shipping companies that volunteer to be available for maritime emergency response. Vessels in the AMVER Program commit to a minimum of 128 days on the system annually. Rescue coordinators are able to identify participating ships in the area of distress and divert the best-suited ship or ships to respond. Rand Logistics, Inc. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 14 On this day in 1985, Captain Edward Rogowski passed away. Captain Rogowski started sailing as a deckhand on the 514 foot JOHN SHERWIN in 1936. He retired in 1982 as the first captain of the largest freighter on the Great Lakes, the 1,013 foot PAUL R TREGURTHA.On this day in 1957, the Interlake Steamship Company freighter HARVEY H. BROWN, Captain Percy E. Mc Ginness, delivered the first cargo of coal to the new taconite loading port of Taconite Harbor, Minnesota. ROGER BLOUGH departed the shipyard in ballast on her maiden voyage for U.S. Steel Corp. the night of June 14, 1972, for Two Harbors, Minnesota to load 41,608 gross tons of taconite ore pellets. She was nearly a year late because of a fire in her engine room. On June 14, 1988, the CONSUMERS POWER of 1927, with her former fleet mate JOHN T. HUTCHINSON, departed Lauzon, Quebec, in tow of the Panamanian tug/supply ship OMEGA 809, bound for a scrap yard in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The steamer PRINCESS was sold to Little and Fitzgerald on 14 June 1873. She was built in 1858, at Algonac, Michigan by Z. Pangborn. The wooden scow TINKER was launched at Leighton & Dunford's yard in Port Huron, Michigan on 14 June 1876. 1954 – W.F. WHITE crushed the tug OHIO against a pier in Buffalo and the latter was a total loss. The tug was refloated and scrapped at Cleveland in 1955. 1977 – ALMAR came to the Great Lakes under Greek registry in 1964. It caught fire in the engine room as c) IJESHA LION at Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and sustained major damage. The hull was abandoned by the owners, towed out to sea and scuttled in 1978 Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II, The Marine Historical Society of Detroit and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Tug on the way to tow former American Victory away for scrap 6/13 - The tug Tim Mckeil was upbound in the Welland Canal Tuesday headed for Superior, Wis., where she will tow out the former American Victory, which has had its name shortened to Victo for the tow. In recent days, the vessel’s self unloading boom and other usable equipment have been removed at Fraser Shipyards. When the tow will actually take place is still questionable. Allowing for upbound transit time as well as time to hook up the tow and the likely slow speed of the transit across Lake Superior, the vessels could be in the area of the Soo Locks as early as Tuesday next week. The tow will be bound for Montreal and eventually Turkey where Victo will be scrapped. When this tow is done, the Algorail scrap tow from Goderich will be next. |
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Algoma Olympic, Algolake, Algosteel scrap tow updates 6/13 - The Algoma Olympic is expected arrive under tug in Aliaga, Turkey, at 1 pm local time on June 12. (6 pm EST on June 11) in tow of the tug VB Hispania where she will be scrapped. As of 11:45 AM central time on June 12 she was near Turkey in the Aegean Sea with restricted maneuverability, according to Marine Traffic. The former Algolake and Algosteel are in the Atlantic under tow for scrap and expected to arrive late June in Aliaga. |
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Port Reports - June 13
Duluth, Minn.- Superior, Wis. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
North Channel and Drummond Island
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday Jun 12 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke: Long Point bay anchorage: Welland Canal - Upbound - Jun 11 - Algoma Mariner at 2127- Jun 12 - Algoma Sault at 0006, Mia Desgagnes at 0220, tug Sharon M I & barge Niagara Spirit at 0453, Whistler (Cyp) at 0644. Algoma Hansa at 0824, Algocanada at 0927, light tug Tim McKeil at 1313, Baie St Paul at 1922 and Victory I (Bhs) (ex St Laurnet-16, Sea Voyager-15 Cape May Light-09)at 2120 - Downbound - Jun 11 - Federal Satsuki (Mhl) at 1323 and CSL Tadoussac at 1616 - Jun 12 - Saginaw at 0053 (to wharf 12), tug Sea Eagle II & barge St. Marys Cement II at 0151, Whitefish Bay at 0555, tug Leo A McArthur & barge John J Carrick at 0012, Whitefish Bay at 0555, tug Petite Forte & barge St Marys Cement at 1229, Bro Agnes (Sgp) at 1523 , Algowood eta 2200 and John D Leitch eta 2245
Welland canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Study: Ships move non-native species in the Great Lakes 6/13 - Madison, Wis. – A new study on ballast water discharge has found Great Lakes ships are moving non-native species from the lower lakes to western Lake Superior. The study was conducted by the Great Waters Research Collaborative, which is a project of University of Wisconsin-Superior's Lake Superior Research Institute, Wisconsin Public Radio reported. Researchers sampled 15 ballast water discharges from U.S. and Canadian lake vessels last year and found 13 samples had non-native species, said Allegra Cangelosi, the principal investigator. "It's the concern that we don't really know what happens after they've been discharged," Cangelosi said. "In some cases, the condition might be right that the organism could establish and possibly push out other things that are naturally already in the environment." The report recommends researching ballast water treatment systems for ships. The shipping industry contends more research is needed to understand the potential environmental impact before new ballast water policies are enacted. More research should be done to determine if the organisms were alive or dead at the time of discharge and if they could survive in the lake, said Tom Rayburn, director of environmental and regulatory affairs with the Lake Carriers Association. "If we can establish more than absence and presence so we can take it to that next level of live, dead, survivability and establishment that can give us better models and also help us specifically target and eliminate those pathways through different strategies, management or treatment at that point," Rayburn said. Further studies should use a larger sample size, the association said. The study sampled between 5 to 53 percent of the water volume in ships' ballast tanks that were discharged, which is not a lot of water, Cangelosi said. The Alliance for the Great Lakes contends the study is evidence that action is needed to protect lakes from invasive species. "All ships operating on the Great Lakes — oceangoing and lakers —must be accountable and stop introducing and spreading the biological pollution that is invasive species," said alliance President and CEO Joel Brammeier. Rayburn said the association is working with regulators and researchers to address the issue and create ballast water treatment systems. The Associated Press |
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Seafarer’s Job Fair on June 24 in St. Catharines, Ont. 6/13 – A Seafarer’s Training Institute Job Fair will be held Sunday, June 24 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the St. Catharines Museum, 1932 Welland Canals Parkway, St. Catharines, Ont. The Seafarer’s Training Institute has launched a national hiring initiative aimed at recruiting, training and retaining youth for Canada’s growing merchant marine. Students are invited to meet sailors, discover the world of seafaring and apply for a range of jobs on ships. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 13 On 13 June 2003, after completing her conversion from American to Canadian registry, Lower Lakes Towing's newly-acquired MICHIPICOTEN, a.) ELTON HOYT 2ND, departed the Government dock at Sarnia, Ontario. First she went to the Shell Oil dock in Corunna, Ontario to fuel, then she departed for Marquette, Michigan to load ore for Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. On 13 June 1902, METROPOLIS (wooden side-wheel steamer, 168 foot, 425 tons, built in 1868, at Detroit, Michigan) caught fire and burned to a total loss at her dock in Toledo, Ohio. She was only used occasionally for excursions and spent most of her time tied up to the dock. On June 13, 1983, JOHN B. AIRD began its maiden voyage for Algoma Central Railway, a load of coal from Thunder Bay to Nanticoke, Ontario. IRVING S. OLDS carried a record 17,817 gross tons of iron ore on June 13, 1943, from Lake Superior and transported a total of 736,800 short tons of various bulk cargoes the next year. On the morning of June 13, 1905, running downbound on Lake Superior, the heavily-laden SYLVANIA encountered heavy fog as she approached the Soo. Confused whistle signals resulted in the SYLVANIA glancing off the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., steamer SIR HENRY BESSEMER, which sustained a 175-foot port side gash from the SYLVANIA's anchor. The BESSEMER required $40,000 in repairs and the SYLVANIA's damage totaled $10,000, which included a new anchor and shell plating which was completed at the Craig Shipbuilding Co., Toledo, Ohio. June 13, 1930 - Shortly after leaving Menominee, Michigan, fireman Walter O'Leary of the ANN ARBOR NO 7 became ill. The carferry proceeded at full speed to the nearest doctor at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where surgery was performed to remove gallstones. June 13, 1974 - The CITY OF GREEN BAY, formerly WABASH was sold to Marine Salvage Company to be scrapped. She was scrapped at Castellon, Spain in 1974. On 13 June 1903, CHARLES H. DAVIS (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 145 foot, 391 gross tons, built in 1881, at Saginaw, Michigan) was carrying limestone on Lake Erie off Cleveland when she developed a leak which quickly got worse and admitted water faster than her pumps capacity. She sank near the Cleveland breakwater. She was an unusual vessel, reportedly built of pine and pointed at both ends with her planking set diagonally. 1905 – The wooden steamer YAKIMA had stranded in Lake St. Clair on June 10, 1905, but caught fire and burned on this date while waiting to be salvaged. The remains were later towed into Lake Huron and scuttled. 1906 – The newly-built J. PIERPONT MORGAN carried a record 13, 294 tons of iron ore out of Escanaba for Chicago. 1944 – CANADIAN OTTER was built at Welland in 1920 but, in 1944, was sailing as f) FUKOKU MARU as a Japanese army cargo ship. It was sunk by aircraft from U.S.S. ESSEX while in a convoy from Philippines to Japan in the overnight hours of June 13-14, 1944. 1959 – A fire in the crew quarters of the FEDERAL PIONEER, docked at Section 51 in Montreal, was quickly controlled with only minor damage and sailing was delayed by three hours. The ship was a frequent Seaway trader for Federal Commerce and Navigation, now known as FedNav, and arrived at Hsinkiang, China, for scrapping on January 21, 1971. 1978 – Seven men were lost aboard the ANCO DUKE while cleaning tanks out in the Pacific. They were likely overcome by fumes. The ship later came to the Great Lakes as c) LAKE ANETTE in 1980, as d) SATU MAR in 1984 and as e) TOVE COB in 1987. It was scrapped in Bangladesh in 1993. 1978 – The bulk carrier ARCTIC hit the Cherry Street Bridge at Toledo on its first trip and had to return to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. 1980 – TROYAN first came through the Seaway in 1972. The ship began leaking in heavy weather as c) SUNRISE and foundered June 13, 1980, in the outer anchorage at Bombay, India, while enroute from Japan to Damman, Saudi Arabia, with bagged cement. 2004 – The SINGAPORE STAR first came to the Great Lakes in 1982. It caught fire in the accommodation area while on the Black Sea as c) BARBADOS OKTAY on June 13, 2004. The ship was carrying scrap steel from Novorossiysk, Russia, to Eregli, Turkey. The blaze was put out with tug assistance but the ship was sold for scrap and arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, to be broken up on July 19, 2004. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II, The Marine Historical Society of Detroit and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - June 12
Duluth, Minn.- Superior, Wis. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marathon, Ont.
North Channel and Drummond Island
Milwaukee, Wis. Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Jun 11 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay anchorage: Welland Canal - Upbound - Jun 10 Ojibway at 1647 - Jun 11 - Tim S Dool at 0123, Fairchem Colt (Mhl) at 1120 and Algoma Mariner at 2001 delayed) - Downbound - Jun 10 - Emanuele S (Por) (ex Emilie-15) at 2026, Jun 11 - Algoma Compass at 2047, Damia Desgagnes at 0701, CSL St Laurent at 0741 - Victory I (Bhs) at 0716 (to stop at wharf 16), Federal Danube (Mhl) 0809, Federal Satsuki (Mhl) at 1323 and CSL Tadoussac at 1616
Welland canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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First cruise ship of 2018 season docks in Muskegon 6/12 - Muskegon, Mich. – The Pearl Mist of Pearl Seas Cruises made its first stop of the season on Monday. She is scheduled to moor in Muskegon 9 more times during the 2018 season, and has plans to visit through 2020. This will be the third season in a row for Pearl Mist visits to Muskegon. The ship docked at Heritage Landing, a park and outdoor event venue owned by Muskegon County at the east side of Muskegon Lake. About $350,000 in grants was invested in the dock at Heritage Landing to make it ready for the 2016 cruise ship season. View images and a video at this link: https://www.mlive.com/expo/news/erry-2018/06/f838d4da255473/first_cruise_ship_of_2018_seas.html |
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Photos show 3 thousand-foot freighters converging near Soo Locks 6/12 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Ship lovers got a treat in recent days when three of the Great Lakes' massive thousand-footers where gathered at the Soo Locks in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. David Kaye got some great pictures of the heavyweight trio in the Soo Harbor last Friday, and agreed to share them with MLive readers. He had a lofty vantage point, too. Kaye shot the photos from the 210-foot Tower of History, which has viewing platforms overlooking the locks. The tower has exhibits featuring early history of the area's missionaries, Native Americans and later the local settlers. It's also a great place to watch the bustling maritime action at the Soo Locks. Kaye's photos are being shared by ship watchers around the Great Lakes. A primer outlining the backstory of the photos was shared by DRE Designs, which also posts a lot of great ship details. "(You can see) the Mesabi Miner leaving the Poe Lock and receiving supplies from the Ojibway supply boat, the Paul R. Tregurtha heading into the Poe Lock and the Edgar B. Speer floating along in the harbor patiently waiting her turn to follow into the lock after the (Tregurtha) locks through." "You can also see the State of Michigan moored at the Coast Guard station, the Museum Ship Valley Camp looking fabulous and, if you look closely, you can see our 2 G-tugs moored as well just to the left of the marina... and that's Sault Ste Marie Ontario on the other side of the river. View the photos at this link: http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/06/photos_show_3_thousand-foot_fr.html |
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Lake Michigan water levels causing headaches for some who call the beach home 6/12 - One-third of the metal seawall that stands between Lake Michigan and the homes along the Ogden Dunes shoreline is now exposed due to erosion, according to Rodger Howell, chairman of the town's Beach Nourishment & Preservation committee. Where there is still beach, much of it is too small to even put up a volleyball net, he said. While much of the town's problems are the result of the nearby Port of Indiana and ArcelorMittal bulkhead blocking the natural flow of sand back west to the community's beach, Howell said, the high water levels are making the problem worse. The water level in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, which rise and fall as one, is at a high not seen since the late 1990s, said Lauren Fry, lead forecaster at the Detroit office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. When the lakes rise to levels higher than average, it poses a threat to property along the shoreline, she said. The water in Lake Michigan rises and falls on a predictable annual cycle that begins low during winter and builds through July and August as a result of winter thaws and rains before dropping again, according to forecasts provided by the Army Corps. The water level remains 14 inches below the record high of May 1986, Fry said, but it appears to be on its way up. The rise took off in 2013 and 2014 with record increases those years, she said, and then slowed for a couple of years. It took off again last year with a steep increase and has been on track with seasonal norms so far this year, she said. This year's total increase will depend on how much rain falls this month. The high lake levels have resulted in narrower beaches within the boundaries of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, said Public Information Officer Bruce Rowe. Areas hit particularly hard include the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk, and Central and West beaches, he said. There is also less beach this year at Indiana Dunes State Park, said Assistant Property Manager Mickey Rea. "It's shallow from the (parking) lot to the shoreline," he said. But the state park began with a large beach, so the rising water has not yet caused any real congestion problems among beachgoers, Rea said. One part of the shoreline that typically does better with higher water levels is the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, according to Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator Lauren Edsall. "Generally speaking, high water levels allow for safer navigation and operation at ports than low water levels," she said. "In low-water situations, shipping channels have less draft for ships entering and exiting harbors, which creates additional risk of vessels running aground along the bottom or on a sand bar," Edsall said. "When the water levels are low, vessels might have to 'light load' or carry less cargo, which creates the need for more ships and additional costs." But even the local port can face some challenges as lake water rises. "There can be some complications for engineering inspections of dock walls and mooring structures that are not as easily accessible or visible when the lake levels are high, she said. "However, higher lake levels do not generally create major challenges for ports unless there are additional adverse conditions, such as strong winds or wave action," Edsall said. "In those cases, fendering and mooring devices may need to be adjusted to protect vessels and dock walls from damage." NWI Times |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 12 On 12 June 1898, SAKIE SHEPHERD (wooden propeller freighter, 100 foot, 189 gross tons, built in 1883, at Huron, Ohio) burned while at the dock in Courtright, Ontario. The fire was discovered at 1:00 a.m. and the crew just had time to escape. The schooner YOUNG AMERICA also caught fire and had damage done to her stern. The SHEPHERD was towed to Detroit where she was rebuilt and lasted until 1903, when she sank in Lake Huron. On 12 June 1900, the UNIQUE (wooden propeller, 163 foot, 381 gross tons, built in 1894, at Marine City, Michigan) was sold at public auction at St. Clair, Michigan to satisfy a mortgage. W. J. Laidlaw of Ogdensburg, New York purchased her for $20,000 for the Rapid Transit Co. to run between Ogdensburg and Kingston, Ontario. In 1904, her upper cabins were removed and she was rebuilt as a yacht. She lasted until 1915, when she burned in New York City harbor. "STUBBY", the bow and stern sections of the STEWART J. CORT welded together, passed Port Colborne, Ontario on June 12, 1970, bound for Erie, Pennsylvania under her own power. STUBBY's bow and stern sections were later separated at Erie Marine, Inc., a Div. of Litton, and joined to the 816 foot hull mid-body. The NANTICOKE (Hull#218) departed Collingwood, Ontario in 1980, beginning her maiden voyage for Canada Steamship Lines Ltd. In 1959, the BENSON FORD of 1924 ran aground in the Amherstburg Channel on her upbound trip with coal for the Rouge Plant. After five days of lightering and with tug assistance, she was freed. Damage amounted to 41 bottom plates, which took 30 days to repair. On 12 June 1832, the wooden schooner GUERRIER was sailing from Oswego, New York for Detroit when she capsized in a squall off Bar Point on Lake Erie. Captain Pember and the crew and most of the passengers made it to the Canadian shore, but one family was trapped in the cabin. The husband was able to keep his head above water in the upside down cabin, but through the night, one by one, his four children and then his wife slipped from his grasp and perished. The following day, Capt. Stanard took his steamer NIAGARA to the wreck and rescued the man. On 12 June 1900, the steel tow barge BRYN MAWR (Hull#41) was launched at South Chicago, Illinois by the Chicago Ship Building Co., for the Pittsburgh Steamship Company. The wooden propeller freighter MILWAUKEE (264 foot, 1,770 gross tons) was launched at Quayle & Sons yard in Cleveland, Ohio on 12 June 1879, for the Western Transportation Company of Buffalo, New York. She had supporting arches above decks. In 1902, she was renamed YONKERS and rebuilt as a barge in 1911. She lasted until 1917-1918 when she stranded, then burned. 1897 – I.W. NICHOLAS (ii) stranded at Point Aux Pins in fog and was released two days later. The ship needed drydocking for repairs. 1904 – The sidewheel passenger ship CANADA sank on her side off Sorel after a collision with the CAPE BRETON. Five of the 110 on board perished. The ship was refloated and rebuilt at Sorel in 1905 as ST. IRENEE which later became part of the C.S.L. Fleet. 1919 – GERMAN was cut in two to leave the Great Lakes in 1918 and renamed b) YANKEE. It sank after a collision with the Italian steamer ARGENTIA off Fire Island, NY, while enroute from Norfolk, VA to Boston MA with coal. The hull has been found and is in two pieces on the ocean floor. 1977 – The VERA CRUZ first came to the Great Lakes in 1964 as a 10-year old Liberian flag freighter. It foundered in the Arabian Sea as c) BUKOM ISLAND on June 12, 1974, during a cyclone. The ship was enroute from Umm Said, Qatar, to Singapore with a cargo of bagged fertilizer and seven lives were lost. 1978 – YELLOWSTONE had been built as the C-4 troop carrier MARINE PERCH in 1944. After being laid up in the Reserve Fleet, it was rebuilt as a bulk carrier and renamed at Tampa in 1965. The ship was downbound in the Seaway with grain from Duluth to North Africa in May 1978 and sank after a collision in fog with the IBN BATOUTA on June 12, 1978. YELLOWSTONE was taken in tow but went down June 13 about 14 miles south of Gibraltar. Five lives were lost. 1993 – The deep-sea tug VORTICE was abandoned after fire broke out near the Canary Islands, while on a voyage from Bari, Italy, to Veracruz, Mexico. The vessel was laid up, unrepaired, and then towed to Canada for McKeil Marine. It received partial repairs but was sold and left the lakes for additional work. It returned inland as e) NORFOLK in 2005 and now serves Lafarge North America Inc. as f) SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - June 11
Superior, Wis. – Daniel Lindner
Duluth, Minn. – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Saginaw, Mich. – Todd Shorkey
Pelee Island – Frank Hood Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday Jun 10 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay anchorage: Welland Canal - Jun 9 - Algoma Transport, Lake St. Clair (Atg) (ex Federal Miramichi-16) - Jun 10 - Three Rivers (Atg) at 0558, Ojibway at 1647 - Dwonvbound - Jun 9 - Bro Alma (Sgp) at 0440, CSL Assiniboine, CSL Niagara - Jun 10 - Sten Moster (Gib) at 0807, tug spartan & barge Spartan II at 2034, Algoma Compass at 2007, Emanuele S (Por) (ex Emilie-15) at 2026
Welland canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 11 TASHMOO (steel side-wheel excursion steamer, 308 foot, 1,344 gross tons, built in 1900, at Wyandotte, Michigan) entered regular service for the White Star Line at Detroit, Michigan, on 11 June 1900.On 11 June 1903, HORACE H. BADGER (wooden 3-mast schooner, 129 foot, 263 gross tons, built in 1867, at Conneaut, Ohio as a 2-mast schooner, formerly KATE GILLETT) was carrying coal in a storm on Lake Erie. She was driven onto the breakwater at Cleveland, Ohio and broke up in the storm waves. The crew of seven was rescued by the Life Saving Service. This vessel had been wrecked twice before; once at Cross Village, Michigan, in 1895, and again near Alpena, Michigan in 1896. ATLANTIC SUPERIOR (Hull#222) was float-launched at Thunder Bay, Ontario, by Port Arthur Ship Building Co. Ltd., in 1982, for Federal Commerce & Navigation Ltd., Montreal, Quebec (Canada Steamship Lines Ltd., mgr.), built for the Caribbean trade. MESABI MINER was christened at Duluth, Minnesota in 1977; she became the fourth thousand-foot bulk carrier on the Great Lakes and Interlake Steamship Co.'s second. CARL D. BRADLEY (Hull#718) cleared Lorain, Ohio, in her gray and white livery in 1917, on her maiden voyage light bound for Calcite, Michigan, to load limestone. She was the first Great Lakes commercial ship equipped with both Morse code telegraphy as well as ship-to-shore radio in 1922, which was standard on only 20 vessels by 1924. Renamed b.) JOHN G. MUNSON in 1927, c.) IRVIN L. CLYMER in 1951, she was scrapped at Duluth, Minnesota, in 1994-5. June 11, 1981 - The BADGER steamed out of Ludington en route to Milwaukee under an MDOT subsidy that was approved earlier in March. The propeller E. B. HALE was launched at Cleveland, Ohio, at the yard of Quayle & Sons on 11 June 1874. Her length was 217 foot keel, 227 foot overall. She was owned by Capt. Bradley, Mr. Thomas Quayle and Mr. Loomis, and she cost $100,000. The wooden rabbit J. S. RUBY was launched at Fair Haven, Michigan, on 11 June 1881. Her dimensions were 106 feet 6 inches x 21 feet x 7 feet. She was towed to Port Huron for the installation of her boiler and engine that were built by the Phoenix Iron Works. She lasted until burned to a total loss off Stag Island in the St. Clair River on November 9, 1891. 1872 – Fire broke out aboard the passenger steamer KINGSTON about 18 miles upstream after the ship had left Brockville for Toronto. The ship was beached and the superstructure was destroyed but there were only two casualties. The hull was rebuilt at Montreal and later sailed as BAVARIAN, ALGERIAN and CORNWALL before being scuttled in Lake Ontario about 1929. 1936 – AYCLIFFE HALL sank in fog shrouded off Long Point, Lake Erie after a collision with the EDWARD J. BERWIND. All 19 on board were rescued. After salvage efforts failed, the rigging was blown clear by explosives. The EDWARD J. BERWIND was repaired and last sailed as LAC STE. ANNE in 1982. 1942 – HAVTOR, a Norwegian freighter, first came to the Great Lakes in 1932 and returned as late as 1939. It was sunk by a German submarine enroute from Reykjavik, Iceland, to Pictou, Nova Scotia, and 6 of the crew were lost. 1950 – The Italian freighter MARIA PAOLINA G. had been built in Canada as FORT ISLAND in 1944. It was downbound from the Saguenay River when it struck the Canada Steamship Lines passenger steamer ST. LAWRENCE, which had turned to dock at Tadoussac. Injuries were reported by 25 people and 30 cabins were damaged aboard the CSL ship. 1978 – The hull of the former passenger steamer RAPIDS QUEEN arrived at Toronto under tow from Kingston to be sunk as a breakwall off for the Queen City Yacht Club. It is still there. 1993 – PITRIA SKY first visited the Great Lakes in 1978. It departed Singapore for Shantou in southeast China, as h) HAI HONG 3 on June 11, 1993, but went back out to sea on arrival to ride out a pending typhoon. The ship was never seen again and it disappeared with all hands. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - June 10
Two Harbors/Silver Bay – Gary A. Putney Friday Report: Philip R. Clarke arrived the CN ore docks in Two Harbors on Friday the 8th of June at 01:04 after unloading limestone in Duluth. Upon arriving in Two Harbors she went to South of #1 where she loaded a partial cargo of blast furnace trim. She then shifted to North of #2 where she loaded at least one hold of pellets. Between 08:58 and 09:20 on Friday the 8th she shifted to North of #1 where she finished loading blast furnace trim and departed for Gary on June 8th at 16:35. All three docks she loaded at are gravity (chute) docks. The James R. Barker arrived on Friday the 8th of June at 09:40 for South of #2. She departed Two Harbors on Friday the 8th at 20:00 for Nanticoke. That is her 3rd trip to Nanticoke this season. Arriving Two Harbors on Friday the 8th of June was the Whitefish Bay at 21:58. Her AIS had been showing Duluth until early evening until it switched to Two Harbors. She departed Two Harbors on Saturday the 9th of June at 05:26 for Quebec City. Due Two Harbors on June 9th is the Edgar B. Speer. She should arrive in the afternoon. Northshore Mining in Silver Bay saw the arrival of the Indiana Harbor on June 8th at 19:33. Silver Bay has no inbound traffic scheduled for June 9th.
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Alpena, Mich. – Ben & Chanda McClain Port Huron, Mich. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 10 On 10 June 1891, the tug AMERICAN EAGLE (wooden propeller tug, 46 gross tons, built in 1865, at Buffalo, New York) collided with the tug ALVA B (wooden propeller tug, 73 foot, 83 gross tons, built in 1890, at Buffalo, New York), which was not in motion, about 2.5 miles west of the Cleveland breakwater. The ALVA B hooked up a line and started towing the AMERICAN EAGLE in, but she sank a half-mile from the harbor entrance.On 10 June 1891, CHARLES W. WETMORE (steel propeller whaleback freighter, 265 foot, 1,399 gross tons) left the shipyard at West Superior, Wisconsin, on her maiden voyage, bound for Liverpool, England with a cargo of grain. During her trip to the Atlantic Ocean, she shot the St. Lawrence River rapids. In Liverpool, she loaded machinery for Puget Sound. She only lasted until September 1892, when she stranded one mile north of Coos Bay, Oregon in fog. Bad weather stopped salvage attempts and the vessel was abandoned. Bethlehem's LEWIS WILSON FOY loaded her first cargo June 10, 1978, at Burlington Northern #5, Superior, Wisconsin, with 57,952 tons of Hibbing taconite pellets for Burns Harbor, Indiana. Renamed b.) OGLEBAY NORTON in 1991. In 1892, the keel for the ANN ARBOR NO 1 (Hull#55) was laid at Toledo, Ohio by Craig Shipbuilding Co. The ANN ARBOR NO 4 was sold to the Michigan State Ferries in 1937, and renamed b.) CITY OF CHEBOYGAN. On 10 June 1877, while lying at her dock at Detroit, the wooden side-wheeler R N RICE burned. The damage was estimated at $30,000. After this fire, she was rebuilt as a barge. The propeller MONTGOMERY burned in the early morning hours of 10 June 1878. The fire started while she was laying at the dock in Point Edward, Ontario. The carferry INTERNATIONAL towed her out into the St. Clair River and cast her off to drift. Fortunately there were no injuries. She finally was beached opposite Batchelor's Mill on the Canadian side by the tugs CRUSADER and J H MARTIN. At 10:00 a.m., she was still burning. The MONTGOMERY was a steam barge of 1,104 tons, built in 1856, and owned by Capt. John Pridgeon. She was fully loaded with 29,000 bushels of corn, 320 barrels of flour, 540 barrels of corn meal, 200 bags of timothy seed and 111 bales of broom corn, besides other freight. The local papers claimed that the spectacle presented by the burning vessel as she drifted down the river was "grand and beautiful". The light was so brilliant that the entire city of Port Huron was illuminated and many people came out to watch. The following day, the wreck was towed to the American side of the river just below Avery's Mill. Whatever was left of her cargo was taken off and sold. Her engines and boiler were so badly warped and twisted from the intense heat that they were worthless except as scrap. U.S. Army Corps of Engineer dredge MARKHAM (Hull#904) was launched in 1959, at Avondale, Louisiana, by Avondale Marine Ways Inc. 1940 – PAIPOONGE was cut in two and left the Great Lakes for saltwater service in 1919. It was registered in Latvia as d) KAUPO when it was sunk as a blockship at Dieppe, France, on this date in 1940. The hull was reported as refloated and scrapped in 1946-1947. 1942 – CONTINENT came to the Great Lakes in 1939-1940. The Newfoundland owned freighter was on a bareboat charter to the U.S. Army when it sank, following a collision with the American tanker BYRON D. BENSON, while enroute from New York to Bermuda. 1967 – The former Norwegian Seaway salty FRO was abandoned in sinking condition as c) WINSOME after a fire broke out in the cargo holds and spread throughout the ship on June 10, 1967. The vessel was enroute to Bangkok, Thailand, when it sank in the South China Sea. 1968 – JOHN T. HUTCHINSON suffered damage above the waterline when it was in a collision with the SUSANNE REITH at the head of Lake St. Clair. The latter, a West German salty, was on her first trip to the Great Lakes. This ship was eventually scrapped after arriving at Alang, India, as m) ALFA I on October 18, 2000. 1977 – RUTHIE MICHAELS came inland in 1970 and last reported in as d) EUROBULKER on June 10, 1977. The ship was enroute from Djibouti, to Bandar Shahpoir, Iran when it disappeared with the entire crew of 29. The ship is believed to have sunk off the coast of Oman perhaps as late as June 12. 1998 – The Greek flag bulk carrier OLYNTHIA first traveled the Seaway in 1978. It ran aground off Veraval, India, as d) OCEAN CRUISER in a tropical cyclone while bound for the United Arab Emirates. While released, it appears that the 26-year-old ship never sailed again and was broken up at Bharnvar, India, due to the damage. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody L. Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - June 9
Duluth/Superior – Daniel Lindner
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Green Bay, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
North Channel, Drummond Island and Georgian Bay
Port Colborne, Ont. |
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Annual Great Lakes Marine Market today in St. Clair 6/9 - St. Clair, Mich. – The Lake Huron Lore Marine Historical Society is sponsoring its annual Great Lakes Maritime Market at the Riverview Plaza Mall in St. Clair on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The mall is just across the street from the boardwalk in downtown St. Clair. There will be more that 30 vendors offering various items relating specifically to the ships and shipping industry of this region. Among the items that will be available for sale are historical artifacts, books, photographs, artwork, shipwrecks, memorabilia, advertising and more. It is a great way to learn more about the fascinating history of the Great Lakes shipping for the beginner or the advanced historian. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 9 TASHMOO (steel side-wheel excursion steamer, 308 foot, 1,344 gross tons, built in 1900, at Wyandotte, Michigan) hosted Admiral George Dewey on her inaugural trip from Cleveland, Ohio, to Detroit, Michigan, on 09 June 1900. Admiral Dewey had just returned from his conquest of the Philippines during the Spanish American War and was a national hero. TASHMOO entered regular service for the White Star Line two days later.The Lubeck, Germany-built, 305-foot Greek freighter CASTALIA of 1953 struck the north tower pier of the Mackinac Bridge at 7 p.m. on 09 June 1968, in dense fog. The bridge was not damaged and the ship took on water, but was able to proceed to Chicago without assistance. LIGHTSHIP 103 was delivered to the 12th District Headquarters at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on June 9, 1921, to begin her Great Lakes career. June 9, 1983, ALGOWEST loaded a record 1,047,758 bushels of wheat at Thunder Bay, Ontario. ROGER BLOUGH began sea trials in 1972. June 9, 1911, The ANN ARBOR NO 1 was raised by Smith Wrecking Company of Muskegon after being considered a menace to navigation by the Coast Guard (she had been sunk by the south breakwater at Frankfort, Michigan, after burning on March 8th). She was taken to Muskegon, and repaired sufficiently to become a sand scow for the Love Construction Company. The cost of raising her was $8,000. On 9 June 1884, ANNAPEE (2-mast wooden scow-schooner, 71 foot, 118 gross tons, built in 1867, at Ahnapee (Wolf River), Wisconsin) was bound from Torch Lake, Michigan, for Milwaukee with a load of railroad ties and cordwood when she stranded in fog on North Point in Lake Michigan, 2 1/2 miles from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Later a strong wind blew her into the rocks and she broke up. No lives were lost and part of her cargo was saved. On 9 June 1882, the LIZZIE A. LAW (wooden schooner, 196 foot, 747 gross tons, built in 1875, at Port Huron, Michigan) collided with the R.B. HAYES (wooden schooner, 147 foot, 668 gross tons, built in 1877, at Gibraltar, Michigan) near the foot of Lake Huron. Although the LAW suffered severe damage, she completed her trip to Buffalo and was repaired there. The LAW lasted until 1908, when she was lost in a storm. 1909 ASSINIBOIA and CRESCENT CITY were washed through the Canadian Lock at Sault Ste. Marie when the upbound PERRY WALKER struck the lower gate. All three ships were damaged but were repaired and returned to service. 1963 The newly built SILVER ISLE of Mohawk Navigation and the PRINS ALEXANDER of the Oranje Line, collided in fog and rain on the St. Lawrence near Kingston. Both ships required repairs. The former was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, in 2010 as ALGOISLE while the latter struck a reef and sank in the Red Sea as f) POLIAIGOS on December 28, 1980. 1979 The French freighter MELUSINE first came to the Great Lakes in 1962 and returned as b) LENA in 1978. It sank the French fishing vessel ANTIOCHE III in the English Channel with the loss of 4 lives on this day in 1979. LENA was scrapped at Ferrol, Spain, in 1982, after suffering engine damage on a voyage from Bilbao, Spain, to Detroit. 1998 COMMON VENTURE began Great Lakes trading in 1980. It broke loose of its moorings in a cyclone as f) PEARL OF DAMMAN and grounded at Kandla, India, on this date in 1998. The ship was loaded with sulphur and sustained considerable damage. Following a sale for scrap, the 27 year old carrier arrived at Alang, India, September 12, 1998, for dismantling. 1998 TOKAI MARU was a first time Seaway caller in 1977 and a return visitor as b) EASTERN HERO in 1993. This ship was also blown aground off Kandla, India, by the same cyclone. It was now d) SURPRISE and became a total loss. This ship arrived at Alang October 8, 1998, and was broken up. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody L. 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. |
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Algoway scrap tow continues past Detroit and on to Lake Erie 6/8 - The tugs Evans McKeil and Cheyenne were downbound in the Detroit River Thursday afternoon headed for Port Colborne, Ont., with the retired Algoma Central Corp. laker Algoway in tow. Joining the Cheyenne as her river pilot was Alain Gindroz, who had been the Algoway’s captain in the 1990s. By 10 p.m. Thursday the tow had entered Lake Erie. In the coming weeks, Algoway’s former fleetmate, Algorail, will also be towed out of Goderich, Ont., for scrapping. Scott McCrindle |
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Opinion: ‘Stars aligning’ on Soo Locks expansion 6/8 - Detroit, Mich. – Sometimes presidential impulsiveness can be a good thing. Like when three Michigan congressmen climb into a limousine with President Donald Trump and he asks them for their wish list. By the time the ride from Selfridge Air National Guard Base to a Washington Township sports complex was over, Reps. Paul Mitchell, Jack Bergman and John Moolenaar had secured a nearly $1 billion promise to expand the critical Soo Locks, an infrastructure project state officials had been begging Washington to fund for more than three decades. Trump hastily added the Soo Locks pledge to his April 28 speech at the Macomb County rally. “Your lock isn’t working too well, it’s not working too well,” the president told the crowd. “It hasn’t been fixed in 50 years, in all fairness. I told your congressmen, ‘Write that name down for me. It’s the Army Corps of Engineers. We’re gonna be calling them. It could be tonight, depending on the time we get back.” The call didn’t come that night — nothing moves that fast in Washington — but in the weeks since Trump’s speech, the representatives say they’ve seen a surge of activity within the federal bureaucracy that they believe will soon produce the go-ahead for adding capacity to the locks. “We are closer to getting the Soo Locks to the next step in the process than we’ve been at any point in time,” says Mitchell, R-Dryden. “The Army Corp has been responsive to our requests.” That next step is a revised economic impact study expected in the coming month. A previous study determined the expansion was not economically justified. But Rep. Bergman, R-Watersmeet, says that original report, now 30-years-old, was based on bad metrics and is sorely outdated. Rep. Moolenaar, R-Midland, notes language was included in the water resources bill that passed the House Wednesday to authorize the Army Corps to expedite the Soo Locks project if the new economic report is favorable, as he expects it will be. That would allow funding to be included in the bill when it goes to conference committee later this summer. The lock expansion was first authorized by Congress in 1986, but the funds were never appropriated. Bergman, whose northern Michigan district includes the locks, says he senses a greater sense of urgency since the president’s speech, and is “cautiously optimistic” the corps will move on starting the work next year. It will take seven years to complete. “The president is watching this project,” Bergman says. “The White House is engaged at all levels.” He recounts how the subject came up with Trump. “I was sitting next to him in back of the limo and he asked ‘what are the issues in Michigan, what do I need to know?’” Bergman says. “I said Soo Locks. He said, ‘What are the Soo locks?’ I explained to him the impact on the economy and national security should the locks close and he jumped right on it. He read his notes right into the speech.” Moolenaar says that speech, “galvanized and energized interest in the locks in a way we haven’t seen before.” The Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, connect Lake Superior to the other four Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. The locks are vital to the steel industry —99 percent of the iron ore used in steel making comes from Michigan and Minnesota mines above the locks. Most of it is transported on giant freighters. Sixty percent of those ships are restricted by size to the Poe Lock, which at 1,200-foot long, 110-foot wide and 32-foot deep is the largest of the four Soo Locks and the only one capable of handling the large lake freighters which make up 60 percent of shipping vessels. Nearly 7,000 ships carrying $500 billion of goods pass through annually. Should the Poe Lock become disabled it would back up ships and slow the national economy. Estimates are that a six-month emergency shut down for repairs would impact 11 million jobs nationwide. It would also impact national security, because iron ore is so essential to steel production. “It takes steel to go to war,” says James H.I. Weakley, president of the Lake Carrier’s Association, who is currently on Capitol Hill lobbying for the project. “Without the Soo Locks, there is no steel. There is no rail capacity to move that much ore.” A report from the Department of Homeland Security last year said “it is hard to conceive” of a piece of infrastructure anywhere in the United States that is more consequential than the Soo Locks. “It would be devastating if it shut down,” Mitchell says. Weakley says the value of Trump’s Macomb speech in moving things off the dime is inestimable. “Regardless of who a president is, when the president speaks, it has an impact,” he says. “The people in the corps are really starting to understand the national significance of the project. The stars seem to be aligning.” The Detroit News / Nolan Finley |
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Port Reports - June 8
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday Jun 7– Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal -
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Oshawa: |
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Two Canadian-flagged ships visit Grand Haven 6/8 - Grand Haven, Mich. – This past week, we welcomed two vessels to port that fly the maple leaf off their stern. Early in the morning on the last day of May, Lower Lakes Towing Ltd.’s self-unloading motor vessel Cuyahoga could be heard out in Lake Michigan blowing its foghorn as it approached the Grand Haven piers. The Cuyahoga arrived at first light and headed for Meekoff’s D&M dock on Harbor Island. The vessel had a split cargo aboard, as it was loaded first in Thessalon, Ontario, and then Meldrum Bay, Ontario, so there were two different kinds of stone aboard. The Cuyahoga was unloaded before noon and backed out to Lake Michigan. June 1 saw the arrival of two freighters. First was Interlake Steamship Co.’s self-unloading motor vessel Kaye E. Barker. It arrived with a cargo of coal for the Board of Light & Power plant on Harbor Island at about 9 a.m. Following two hours or so behind the Barker was Lower Lakes Towing’s self-unloading motor vessel Mississagi. Mississagi eased past the Barker and traveled upriver to the Verplank dock in Ferrysburg. The Barker departed at about 4 p.m. and the Mississagi was outbound an hour later. Both ships headed up Lake Michigan. While the Barker was ahead of the Mississagi originally, the Mississagi ended up passing the Barker below Ludington. The Cuyahoga and Mississagi were our first and second Canadian visitors of the season. Both vessels were built as part of the Maritimer class in the early 1940s. The Cuyahoga was built by the American Shipbuilding Co. as the Mesabi and entered service as the J. Burton Ayers later that year. The Ayers began sailing for the Great Lakes Steamship Co., and then spent time with Wilson Marine Transit, then Kinsman Marine, and later the Columbia Transportation Division of the Oglebay Norton Co. The Ayers spent several seasons laid up in the 1990s and, despite being rumored for scrap, was purchased by Lower Lakes in 1995 and renamed Cuyahoga. It has been sailing for them ever since. The Mississagi was built at Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse as the Hill Annex, and began trading on the lakes as the George A. Sloan. The Sloan was converted to a self-unloader during the 1965-66 winter. The vessel sailed first for U.S. Steel and then later for Great Lakes Fleet. In 2001, the Sloan was part of a three-ship sale to Lower Lakes with fleetmates Calcite II and Myron C. Taylor. The Calcite II was renamed Maumee and the Myron C. Taylor became the Calumet. The Sloan was renamed Mississagi and reflagged Canadian. Both the Maumee and Calumet have since been scrapped, and the name Calumet now carries on with another vessel in the fleet. The Cuyahoga is named for the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. it is 620 feet long, 60 feet wide and 35 feet deep. Mississagi’s namesake is the Mississagi Strait located in Lake Huron. It has the same dimensions as the Cuyahoga, but is 6 inches longer. The port of Grand Haven received 12 cargoes last month. We have received 19 cargoes so far this season. This number is the same that we had a year ago. Our five-year average is 17 cargoes for May, so we are ahead of that. There’s a few ships to look out for in the near future. The Wilfred Sykes is expected both at D&M and Verplank’s in the next week or so. Also look for the Cuyahoga at Verplank’s. Additionally, the St. Marys Cement terminal is looking to get a boat sometime this weekend. Sam Hankinson / Grand Haven Tribune |
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‘Know Your Ships’ publisher to sign books in Port Huron area Sunday 6/8 - On Sunday June 10, ‘Know Your Ships’ editor and publisher Roger LeLievre will be at the Barnes & Noble bookstore, 4325 24th Ave. in Fort Gratiot (Port Huron), Mich. from 2-4 p.m. He will be signing copies of the 2018 edition. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 8 June 8 1951, CLIFFS VICTORY entered Cleveland with a load of iron ore from Marquette. The VICTORY completed the one-way trip in 37 hours - 20 hours faster than the best previous time.On 08 June 1854, J. YOUNG SCAMMON (2-mast wooden brig, built in 1845, at Chicago, Illinois) was sheltering from a storm at S. Manitou Island on Lake Michigan when she dragged her anchors, stranded and broke in three pieces. She was driven in so close to the shore that the crew was able to use a broken spar to climb to the beach. No lives lost. On 08 June 1897, RITA MC DONALD (wooden propeller tug, 72 foot, 69 gross tons) was launched by J. Davidson (Hull #84) at West Bay City, Michigan. She lasted until 1920, when she was abandoned in Chicago, Illinois. In 1978, the LEWIS WILSON FOY was christened for the Bethlehem Steel Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) OGLEBAY NORTON in 1991. She now sails as AMERICAN INTEGRITY. In 1938, the GOVERNOR MILLER (Hull#810) a sister ship to the WILLIAM A. IRVIN, began her maiden voyage, leaving Lorain, Ohio. The GOVERNOR MILLER was only the second Great Lakes vessel to be powered by a steam turbine with a direct drive to the propeller shaft via reduction gear. In 1976 - the Midwest Energy Terminal at Superior, Wisconsin, loaded its first cargo of low-sulfur coal. The steamer JOHN J. BOLAND of 1953, took the honors as the first vessel to load at this dock. She was sold Canadian and renamed b.) SAGINAW in 1999. On this date in 1977, the HARRY .L ALLEN was the first freighter to load at Burlington Northern's Dock #5 in Superior, Wisconsin. On 8 June 1847, CHESAPEAKE (wooden side-wheeler, 172 foot, 412 tons, built in 1838, at Maumee, Ohio) was fully laden and had 97 aboard when she rammed the schooner JOHN F PORTER on a dark night off Conneaut, Ohio. As she started to sink, she was run to shore in an effort to save her, but she sank a mile short of the beach. Lake Erie was fairly calm and the crew and passengers tried to get to shore in boats and makeshift rafts. Most made it and many were also picked up by the steamer HARRISON. Estimates of the number of dead vary from 7 to 13. The wooden side-wheel tug and upriver packet TRAFFIC (75 foot, 50 tons, built in 1853, at St. Clair, Michigan) sank near Sebewaing, Michigan on 8 June 1868. She was recovered and repaired, but only lasted a little longer than a year since she burned in Saginaw in October 1869. 1933: WILHELMINE, dated from 1888 and was one of the world's earliest tankers, ran aground off Morgan Point, west of Port Colborne, while enroute from Chicago to Liverpool with 2,700,000 lbs of lard. The crew were removed and the ship abandoned. The hull was refloated June 3 but was not repaired and may have been dismantled at Ashtabula. 1954: The tug EDWARD C. WHALEN sank in Lake Superior near Corbeil Point. It was salvaged in 1955 and rebuilt a decade later as b) JOHN McLEAN. It survives in the Purvis Marine fleet as c) ADANAC. 1977: CYDONIA first came through the Seaway in 1962 and returned as b) VERMONT I in 1969. It was under tow due to rudder damage as e) JOY when a fire broke out in the engineroom near the mouth of the Mississippi River. The vessel was rocked by three explosions and sank in the Gulf of Mexico. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody L. Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Tugs tow Algoway begins trip to scrap yard 6/7 - The tug Evans McKeil arrived at Goderich, Ont., at 9:45 am Wednesday to pick up Algoway and tow her out for scrap. After hooking up, the tow departed at 3:15 p.m. headed for Port Huron/Sarnia and averaging about four knots. The tow entered the St. Clair River downbound about 7 a.m. Thursday. The Detroit-based tug Cheyenne was on the stern for steering assist. Follow the tow's progress by using the various AIS sites; look for Evans McKeil. |
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Port Reports - June 7
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
St. Marys River
Southern Lake Michigan ports Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday June 6 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal -
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Oshawa: |
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3 new vessels for Fednav; Federal Maas sold 6/7 - Fednav has taken delivery of three new vessels. They are the Federal Dart (IMO 9805245), Federal Nagara (IMO 9805257) both 34,500 DWT box-hold, Lakes-suitable ocean carriers built at Oshima, Japan, and Federal Iberville (IMO 9820972), a long term-chartered 63,000-DWT Ultramax bulk vessel built at Imabari, Japan. Fednav's older handy-sized vessel Federal Maas, built in China in 1997, was sold earlier in 2018 to new owners and now sails as the Omolon of Russian registration. Denny Dushnae |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 7 1958, the largest freighter ever built on the Great Lakes slid down the ways at River Rouge, Michigan. The new freighter was christened by Mrs. Edmund Fitzgerald and named EDMUND FITZGERALD. The 729-foot FITZGERALD was owned by Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company and operated by Columbia Transportation under a 25-year bare boat charter.In 1977, tugs refused to tow the new MESABI MINER out of the harbor due to high winds. Captain William McSweeney brought the MESABI MINER out under her own power to begin her maiden trip. On 07 June 1890, EMILY P. WEED (steel propeller freighter, 300 foot, 2,362 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler (Hull #69) at W. Bay City, Michigan for the Hollister Transportation Co. She lasted until 02 September 1905, when she stranded on Sand Island Reef, Apostle Islands on Lake Superior and broke in two. On 07 June 1862, MORNING STAR (wooden side-wheel steamer, 248 foot, 1,265 gross tons) was launched by A. A. Turner at Trenton, Michigan. She only lasted until 1868, when she sank in Lake Erie in a collision with the bark COURTLAND. In 1977, WILLIAM A. IRVIN ran into the side of the Rock Cut after a power failure on board. The vessel received only slight damage. (For a more detailed account, read Jody Aho's book "The Steamer William A Irvin: Queen of the Silver Stackers"). On June 7, 1991, the ALPENA, the former LEON FRASER) began her maiden voyage as a cement carrier, departing Superior, Wisconsin, for her namesake port. Fraser Shipyards, which performed the conversion, took out a full-page ad in the Superior Evening Telegram proclaiming "INLAND LAKES MANAGEMENT, YOUR SHIP IS READY" and a picture of the vessel. On 7 June 1859, COLUMBIA (2-mast wooden brig, 92 foot, 177 gross tons, built in 1842, at Sandusky, Ohio) broke up in a storm near Sherwood Point, Green Bay (Death's Door). She was famous for bringing the first load of copper ore from the Keweenaw Peninsula to through the Soo. She also brought the first locomotive to Marquette. The METEOR (wooden steam barge, 201 foot, 729 gross tons, built in 1863, at Cleveland, Ohio) burned at Buckley's dock at the foot of 2nd Street in Detroit, Michigan on 7 June 1873. The fire supposedly started in her hold at 1:30 a.m. and was not discovered until it was too late. The ship burned to the waterline and sank. Some docks and warehouses also burned in this catastrophe. The wreck was raised in early September 1875, and towed to the foot of Belle Isle where the machinery and hull were sold at the U.S. Marshall's sale on 24 April 1876. Although originally thought to be the end of this vessel, the hull was purchased by Stephen B. Grummond of Detroit for $480. It was rebuilt as the schooner-barge NELSON BLOOM in 1882 and lasted until abandoned in 1925. 1894: The wooden steamer OCEAN received a massive hole in the bow after a collision with the barge KENT at Alexandria Bay on the St. Lawrence. 1902: The whaleback steamer THOMAS WILSON sank after a collision with the GEORGE G. HADLEY a mile off the Duluth piers while outbound with iron ore and nine lives were lost. 1915: JAMES B. EADS and the CHICAGO collided in the St. Clair River. 1941: The fish tug FINGLO caught fire and burned at Toronto. It was rebuilt for harbor duty as the steam tug H.J.D. NO. 1. In 1956-1957, the ship was unofficially renamed Salamander to star in the Canadian television series Tugboat Annie. 1971: SILVER CREST visited the Seaway in 1971 after previous calls as a) VIGRID in 1959 and 1963. It also returned as b) ROSTO in 1963 before becoming d) SILVER CREST in 1968. The ship stranded on Sisal Reef, in the Gulf of Mexico while enroute from Veracruz to Progresso, Mexico, but was refloated on June 12. The vessel arrived at Whampoa, China, for scrapping in July 1973. 1991: HERMES SCAN, a first time Seaway trader in 1977, sank in the Bay of Bengal as d) BRAUT TEAM after developing leaks the previous day. The heavy-lift vessel was reportedly carrying a Chinese steam locomotive for delivery to New York for the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad. All on board were saved. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II, The Marine Historical Society of Detroit and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series |
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Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor sees slight decline in traffic 6/6 - The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor saw a slight decline in shipments during the first quarter of the year. But the deep-water port on Lake Michigan is coming off the highest three-year total in its 57-year history. And it gets more than 90 percent of its traffic during the final three quarters of the year because of all the international vessels that dock there after the St. Lawrence Seaway reopens for the season. Overall, the state's port system did well in the first quarter, with 3.2 million tons passing through its three ports. That included 2.2 million tons at the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon on the Ohio River, which set a state record for cargo volume last year. "Coming off a record-setting year in Mount Vernon, it's encouraging to see the upward trends continue, especially in coal and agricultural shipments, which make up over 90 percent of this port's cargo," Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon Director Phil Wilzbacher said. "This first quarter certainly sets the pace for what we anticipate being another strong year for maritime shipments throughout Indiana." Last year, Indiana's ports handled 11.8 million tons of cargo, including coal, steel, fertilizer, ethanol, limestone, minerals, wind turbines, storage tanks and laboratory equipment. That included 2.8 million tons at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, which posted a 38 percent increase in steel shipments and handled ICARUS, the world's largest liquid argon particle hunter, as it made its way to the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia. NW Indiana Times |
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Port Reports - June 6
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Escanaba, Mich. – Paul Erspamer
Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Southern Lake Michigan ports
North Channel/ Drummond Island
Goderich, Ont. Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday June 5 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal -
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Clinker dust concerns north-end St. Catharines residents 6/6 - St. Catharines, Ont. – Residents of a St. Catharines neighborhood want answers about what's in the air they're breathing after raising concerns with authorities about clinker dust settling on their properties. The dust, used in the manufacture of Portland cement, is being unloaded from ships, piled up and trucked out by a company operating on the Welland Canal north of Lakeshore Road. Residents have complained dust from the Port Weller Marine Terminal is covering their homes, cars and gardens. "We don't know what's in the air we're breathing down here," said David DeRocco, president of the Port Weller Residents Association, adding it's been a growing concern in the area because clinker dust is toxic. "And they're shipping it through the city. We don't know how many people they're affecting." The city said it was approached by residents in late 2017 with concerns about clinker dust appearing on their properties. It raised those concerns with Quebec Stevedoring Co. Ltd., St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. which leases out the land to the company, and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. The city said Quebec Stevedoring Co. Ltd. prepared a dust mitigation plan approved by the environment ministry and has worked on implementing dust suppression measures on the pile and the roads on the site. Trucks are now loaded within a building and barrier walls have been constructed. Residents say it's not working. "This dust is blowing into the canal. It's blowing into the lake. It's blowing on people's houses. It's getting into Malcolmson Park," DeRocco said. "People's homes are being covered in dust and we can't get answers." The city said the company has told it it's willing to work with residents and has offered property and vehicle-washing services to residents if there are further issues. St. Catharines Standard |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 6 On 06 June 1891, BAY CITY (wooden propeller freighter, 152 foot, 372 gross tons, built in 1867, at Marine City, Michigan) burned to a total loss while being repaired at the foot of Rivard Street in Detroit, Michigan. She was loaded with 300,000 feet of white pine lumber at the time. Her watchman reported the fire during the night and firemen thought they had it out, but it re-ignited and the vessel burned to a total loss. This ship had previously burned 20 years before on 10 April 1871, when she was on her first trip of the season after being rebuilt over the winter. Then she caught fire and burned nearly to the waterline but was rebuilt again and lasted until this last fire in 1891.On 06 June 1917, ISABELLA J. BOYCE (wooden propeller sandsucker, 138 foot, 368 gross tons, built in 1889, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin as a freighter) grounded on Middle Bass Island in Lake Erie and then was destroyed by fire. No lives were lost. In 1944, the C-4 bulk carrier MARINE ROBIN participated in the D-Day invasion at Normandy. In 1952, after conversion into a bulk freighter she began service in the lakes for M.A. Hanna Co., as b.) JOSEPH H. THOMPSON. She serves today as a tug barge combination created from the sections of the original vessel. E.B. BARBER (Hull#111) of the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., entered service on June 6, 1953, for Algoma Central Railway Ltd. In 1953, ARMCO (Hull#870) began her maiden voyage from Lorain, Ohio, for the Columbia Transportation Div., bound for Superior, Wisconsin, to load iron ore. On June 6, 1959, ADAM E. CORNELIUS (Hull#) 424) began her maiden voyage for the American Steamship Co., from Manitowoc, Wisconsin. This was the last Great Lakes vessel constructed with telescoping hatch covers. Sold Canadian and converted to a barge she was renamed b.) CAPT. EDWARD V. SMITH in 1988, and c.) SEA BARGE ONE in 1991 and d.) SARAH SPENCER in 1996. Upper Lakes Shipping's POINTE NOIRE was in collision with Cleveland Tanker's SATURN on June 6, 1977, near Fighting Island in the Detroit River. On 6 June 1869, ASA COVELL (wooden propeller tug, 20 gross tons, built in 1852, at Buffalo, New York) was towing the brig IROQUOIS up the Cuyahoga River at Cleveland when her boiler exploded and she sank. Her captain was killed when the pilothouse was blown into the river. On 6 June 1883, HERCULES (wooden schooner-barge, 139 foot, 195 tons, built in 1867, at Algonac, Michigan) was upbound in the south bend of the St. Clair River near Algonac, Michigan when the CLARION (iron propeller package freighter, 240 foot, 1,711 gross tons, built in 1881, at Wyandotte, Michigan) overtook her and collided with her in broad daylight. HERCULES drifted to the bank, capsized and sank. No lives were lost. 1956: NEWBRUNDOC ran aground at Densmore Bay on the southeast side of Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence after straying out of the channel in fog. The ore-laden vessel, enroute from Contrecoeur to Buffalo, was released the next day. 1964: The Norwegian freighter FRO made 10 trips through the Seaway from 1961 to 1965. It ran aground at Milwaukee after loading 7500 tons of scrap for France on June 6, 1964, and was lightered to the YANKCANUCK before being refloated June 9. 1967: FRANKCLIFFE HALL ran aground off Hare Island, Lake Superior in dense fog and received heavy damage to bottom plates. The ship was lightered and released June 9 and went to the Davie shipyard for repairs. This vessel was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, as HALIFAX in 2011. 1967: AUGUSTUS B. WOLVIN struck the bank of the Welland Canal and grounded. A subsequent survey of the damage at Port Weller Dry Docks revealed it was not worth the cost of repairs and the ship was laid up and sold for scrap. 1982: ALGOSEA (i) rammed the west pier at Port Weller entering the Welland Canal in fog turning the bulbous bow by 90 degrees. The damaged ship was allowed to go to Thunder Bay for repairs. It became c) SAUNIERE later in 1982 and was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, in 2011. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II, The Marine Historical Society of Detroit and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Scrap tow updates: Former Algoma Olympic approaching Aliaga 6/5 - The former Algoma Olympic is approaching the Aliaga, Turkey, scrapyard after more than a month of being towed by the VB Hispania. She is expected to arrive on June 13 at 1 p.m. local time. She departed Montreal on May 9. When she arrives, she will be scrapped. Her former Algoma Central fleet and now scrap mates Algolake and Algosteel are expected to arrive late June. In other scrapping news, American Victory's name has been shortened to Victo at Superior, Wis., in preparation for an eventual scrap tow. No date has been announced. As of Monday night, her self-unloading boom had yet to be removed. The tug Evans McKeil entered Lake Erie about 6:15 p.m. Monday on her way to Goderich, likely to tow Algoway away for scrap. Algorail is expected to follow at a later date. |
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Port Reports - June 5
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
North Channel/ Drummond Island
Calcite, Mich. Welland Canal and regional report for Monday June 4 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal -
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Clarkson:
Oshawa: |
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Study: Ships move non-native species from lower Great Lakes to Superior 6/5 - Superior, Wis. – A new study on ballast water discharge has found Great Lakes ships are moving non-native species from the lower lakes to western Lake Superior. Study authors say the research provides clear evidence of the transport of organisms through ships' ballast water tanks while the shipping industry contends more research is needed to better understand the potential impacts of their movement. The study was conducted by the Great Waters Research Collaborative, which is a project of University of Wisconsin-Superior's Lake Superior Research Institute. Principal investigator Allegra Cangelosi said they sampled 15 ballast water discharges from eight U.S. and Canadian lake vessels last year. Of those, 13 contained non-native species, the DNA of bloody red shrimp or both. Several species of zooplankton were detected that were previously unreported at the time of testing. "It’s the concern that we don’t really know what happens after they’ve been discharged," said Cangelosi. "In some cases, the condition might be right that the organism could establish and possibly push out other things that are naturally already in the environment." She added that four discharges were examined "voyage-wide" as ships collected water for their ballast tanks in the lower lakes to their discharge in western Lake Superior. Cangelosi noted the study did not analyze whether specimens were alive or dead at the time water was taken up or discharged from ballast tanks. The report recommends identifying best management practices and researching ballast water treatment systems for ships. The study prompted quick reaction on Thursday from shipping and environmental groups. Tom Rayburn, director of environmental and regulatory affairs with the Lake Carriers Association, said their members would like to see more testing before any new ballast water policies are implemented. He said further study would include whether organisms were dead or alive at the time of discharge and their ability to survive in the lake. "If we can establish more than absence and presence so we can take it to that next level of live, dead, survivability and establishment that can give us better models and also help us specifically target and eliminate those pathways through different strategies, management or treatment at that point," said Rayburn. The association noted they’d like to see a larger sample size to determine impacts from lake vessels. Cangelosi said the study sampled 5 to 53 percent of the water volume contained in ships’ ballast tanks that were discharged. "That’s not much water. The thing is. in some ways. that strengthens the case that these ships are moving organisms because even though it was a relatively small portion of the relevant discharge that we analyzed, we still encountered several project-relevant non-indigenous species," she said. "We conclude that you don’t need more evidence that they’re moving organisms. It’s clear that they are. What might be important is to know what that all means that they’re moving organisms. What’s the risk? That’s a bit harder scientifically to figure out." She said the difficulty in determining risks to the lake ecosystem stems from a multitude of factors that are affecting characteristics within the Great Lakes, such as climate change. Environmental groups like the Alliance for the Great Lakes contends the study is further evidence of the need for immediate action to protect lakes from invasive species. "Today’s report confirms a common sense assumption: lakers contribute to the spread of aquatic invasive species around the Great Lakes," said alliance President and CEO Joel Brammeier in a statement Thursday. "As such, all ships operating on the Great Lakes — oceangoing and lakers — must be accountable and stop introducing and spreading the biological pollution that is invasive species." The Lake Carriers Association’s Rayburn said the group has been working with regulators and researchers to prevent the spread of invasive species and develop ballast water treatment systems for ships. He noted the group commissioned a study by firms Hull and Associates and Choice Ballast Solutions in Ohio, which showed it may cost $639 million to modify the Great Lakes fleet with treatment systems. Rayburn said shoreside treatment options at Great Lakes ports may cost up to $11 billion. Wisconsin Public Radio |
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Halifax tugboat with all-female crew 'like a family' 6/5 - Halifax, N.S. – This makeshift family really pulls together. “We’re a team but it’s also like a family here,” tug master Andrea MacDonald said of the non-traditional, all-woman crew who work the bridge, engine room and deck of the Atlantic Willow as it chugs and tugs around Halifax Harbor and beyond. “It’s going well,” MacDonald, 50, said of her newly assembled tugboat crew of engineer Kelsie MacLean, 23, and deckhand Jocelyn Smith, 29. “We live together. This is home. It’s more comfortable, if you need to get up in the middle of the night, to have all women on board. We were really excited to have the three of us on board. We were all a little curious, even I was thinking, 'Wow, this is going to be different.’ Three women, OK, this has never been done before. “We are getting along very well, the jobs are all getting done, everything is working fine.” Even a makeshift family that works one of the four harbor tugs operated by Atlantic Towing requires a modicum of structure. “I’m like the boat mom,” said MacDonald. Read more and view a video at this link: http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1567431-video-halifax-tugboat-with-all-female-crew-like-a-family |
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Annual Great Lakes Marine Market Saturday in St. Clair 6/5 - St. Clair, Mich. – The Lake Huron Lore Marine Historical Society is sponsoring its annual Great Lakes Maritime Market at the Riverview Plaza Mall in St. Clair on Saturday, June 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The mall is just across the street from the boardwalk in downtown St. Clair. If you have an interest in the ships that ply the Great Lakes, present or past, you will want to attend this event. There will be more that 30 vendors offering various items relating specifically to the ships and shipping industry of this region. Among the items that will be available for sale are historical artifacts, books, photographs, artwork, shipwrecks, memorabilia, advertising and more. It is a great way to learn more about the fascinating history of the Great Lakes shipping for the beginner or the advanced historian. For more information, contact Lake Huron Lore at 586-725-6276 or micheldr2005@yahoo.com |
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Vessels with Great Lakes/Seaway connections reported as a Casualty or Demolition 6/5 - The following information taken from June 2018 Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society. Casualties: none reported
Demolitions: • Jamileh (8511603; Palau) - (ex Trader-17, Kent Trader-09 - (1st trip into Seaway 2008), Normed Antwerp-03, Weser Importer-02, Abitibi Claiborne-01, Weser Importer-88, Scol Enterprise-87) - 7,580 / 1985 general cargo. By Seablite Navigation Corp. (Nereide Marine SA), Liberia, to Pakstani breakers and arrived Gadani Beach 03/10/2017 - commenced demolition 18/10/2017 • Joy K (7306702; Sierre Leone) - (ex Senya-11, Lutz Schroder-86 - 1st trip into Seaway 1975) - 5,202 / 1973 general cargo By Bari Shipping Co SA (ISMGroup Inc), Belize, to Ege Gemi Sokum San Ve Tic AS., Turkey and arrived Aliaga 02/10/2017 - commenced demolition 04/10/2017 • Trom (763433; Comoros) - (ex Tron-17, Strong-17, Caroline-91, J.J. Oberdorff-85 - 1st trip down the Seaway from Marinette Marine - builder's yard - 1978) - 1,094 / 1978 articulated pusher tug. By Tri Dog Logistics Inc). Vanmarc Shipping Ltd Co), U.S.A. to Ayaan Ship Breaking, Pakistan and arrived Gadani Beach 28/09/2017 - commenced demolition 30/09/2017 Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 5 In 1955, J. L. MAUTHE established a new Great Lakes cargo record for a coal cargo delivered to an upper lakes port. She loaded 18392 tons of coal at the Toledo C&O dock.1943, BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS, Captain Harry Ashby, delivered a record cargo of 19343.5 net tons of iron ore at Cleveland. The ore was loaded at Two Harbors, Minnesota. In 1947, the Canada Steamship Lines steamer EMPEROR, loaded with ore and bound for Ashtabula, hit the rocks off Isle Royale at 4:10 a.m. The vessel sank within minutes but the crew was able to launch 2 lifeboats. Captain Eldon Walkinshaw, First Mate D. Moray, and 10 other crew members drowned when one of the lifeboats overturned. Twenty-one other survivors were rescued by the U.S.C.G. cutter KIMBALL. On 04 June 1872, while carrying wooden barrel staves from Bay City, Michigan to Buffalo, New York, the bark AMERICAN GIANT encountered rough weather off Port Stanley, Ontario, on Lake Erie. Heavy seas carried off her deck cargo of 25,000 staves and the vessel became waterlogged. As the crew considered abandoning, the steamer MENDOTA saw their plight and took the GIANT in tow for Buffalo where they arrived the following day. For days afterward, other vessels reported the litter of barrel staves floating in the middle of Lake Erie. At 2:00 a.m., 04 June 1891, in heavy fog, the NORTHERN QUEEN (steel propeller freighter, 299 foot, 2,476 gross tons, built in 1889, at Cleveland, Ohio) struck the schooner FAYETTE BROWN (wooden schooner, 178 foot, 553 gross tons, built in 1868, at Cleveland, Ohio) about ten miles off Dummy Light on Lake Erie. The BROWN, which was loaded with stone blocks, quickly sank in over 60 feet of water. One of the schooner's crewmen climbed aboard the QUEEN while the others barely had time to scramble up the schooner's masts. Accounts of the accident differ. The schooner's skipper claimed that the NORTHERN QUEEN continued on her journey while the schooner's crew clung to the masts while the skipper of the NORTHERN QUEEN claimed that he tried to find survivors, but lost the wreck in the fog and reluctantly continued on his journey, figuring that there were no survivors. Nevertheless, about an hour after the disaster, the steamer ROBERT MILLS (wooden propeller freighter, 256 foot, 1,790 gross tons, built in 1888, at Buffalo, New York) came along, heard the cries of the unfortunate seamen clinging to the masts and rescued them. No lives were lost. On 04 June 1881, the OGEMAW (wooden propeller freighter, 167 foot, 624 gross tons) was launched at Simon Langell's yard in St. Clair, Michigan for Mr. Wood & Company of Cleveland, Ohio. CLIFFS VICTORY sailed on her maiden voyage in ballast from South Chicago, Illinois, in 1951. On June 4, 1968, the keel for OTTERCLIFFE HALL (Hull#667) was laid at Lauzon, Quebec, by Davie Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., for the Hall Corporation of Canada. Renamed b.) ROYALTON in 1983, c.) OTTERCLIFFE HALL in 1985, d.) PETER MISENER in 1988 and e.) CANADIAN TRADER in 1994. She arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping on January 7, 2005. EDGAR B. SPEER (Hull#908) was christened on June 4th 1980, at Lorain, Ohio, for the Connecticut Bank & Trust Co., Hartford, Connecticut, managed by the Great Lakes Fleet of the United States Steel Corp., Duluth, Minnesota. In 1988, IRVING S. OLDS departed Duluth under tow of tug SALVAGE MONARCH, headed for overseas scrapping. She was scrapped by Sing Cheng Yung Iron & Steel Co., in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, scrapping began on November 24, 1988. June 4, 1940 - Oiler George Riemersma, 50, died of a heart attack while at work on the PERE MARQUETTE 21. June 4, 1942 - John A. Clancey, 58, general manager of the Grand Trunk Western Railway and president of the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Carferry Co. died suddenly of a heart attack while at his desk in Detroit. The Port Huron Times reported "The new trim and tidy tug, the P L JOHNSON, built for Capt. Sol Rummage, passed up last night with her first tow. She is of medium size and wears the national colors on her smokestack for which some of the boys call her a floating barber shop." On 4 June 1859, GENERAL HOUSTON (2-mast wooden schooner, 83 foot, 123 tons, built in 1844, at French Creek, New York) was bound from Port Huron for Buffalo with a load of lumber. During a terrific gale, she missed the mouth of the Grand River near Fairport, Ohio and went on the pier where she broke up. Fortunately no lives were lost. The lighthouse keeper on the pier where she broke up later refused to light the lantern while the wreck was in place for fear of drawing other vessels into it. The U. S. Government quickly contracted to remove the hulk from the channel, but a month later, a storm did the job for free, obliterating the wreck so completely that it was reported to have just "disappeared." June 4th is the anniversary of the famous race between the TASHMOO and the CITY OF ERIE, an exciting race that included many thousands of dollars in wagers, great advance publicity, and the use of many other boats to watch the action along the way. The drama was such that carrier pigeons were released at various times to take the latest updates to waiting newspaper reporters. The CITY OF ERIE won the race in a very close match, and the story has been retold in several books about the Great Lakes. 1961: C.A. BENNETT went aground in the Wiley-Dondero Channel of the Seaway while trying to avoid the REDFERN and was released with her own power. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II, The Marine Historical Society of Detroit and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Algolake scrap tow leaves for Turkey 6/4 - The tug Diavlos Force (IMO 8214023) of Panamanian registry departed Montreal early Sunday morning with the former Algolake, renamed for the tow as the Gola of Sierra Leone. They are headed to Aliaga, Turkey, where the Algolake will be scrapped. At present they have an ETA for Aliaga on June 30. Denny Dushane |
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Chem Norma released from grounding 6/4 - Morrisburg, Ont. – The tanker Chem Norma is free. She was yanked from the grip of the St. Lawrence River bottom just before 4 p.m. Sunday after running aground Tuesday. Three tugs, Ocean Tundra, Ocean K. Rusby and Ocean Pierre Julien, worked together with a rising river throughout the day to unloose the stuck ship. Late Saturday, the International Joint Commission took the step of slowing outflow on the river in order to aid in the release of the ship. The Chem Norma was en route to Sarnia, Ontario, on Lake Huron Tuesday morning when it lost steering and ran aground on a submerged berm that was once part of a canal system. Two smaller tugs worked on freeing the boat throughout the week before being joined by the Ocean Tundra, Canada’s most powerful tug boat, Saturday afternoon. The Chem Norma is a double-hulled tanker and is transporting a refined petroleum product. Early Sunday evening, the ship was at anchor not far from where it ran aground, according to Marinewatch.com. Watertown Daily Times |
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Gale warning issued for Monday on St. Marys River 6/4 - The National Weather Service has issued a gale warning for the St. Marys River from Point Iroquois to E. Potagannissing Bay from 6 a.m. Monday to midnight Tuesday. |
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Port Reports - June 4
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Port Inland, Mich.
Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Southern Lake Michigan
North Channel
Alpena, Mich. – Ben & Chanda McClain
Calcite, Mich.
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Pelee Island, Ont. Welland canal and regional report - Sunday Jun 3 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal -
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Bronte:
Oshawa: |
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Updates - June 4 Saltie Gallery updated with pictures of the : BBC Europe, Cinnamon, Emanuel S, Fearless, Federal Biscay, Federal Bristol, Federal Danube, Federal Satsuki, Federal Welland, Flevoborg, Floretgracht, Fuldaborg, Harbour Pioneer, Helena G, HHL Congo, Mamry, Muntgracht, Palabora, Pearl Mist, Resko, Skawa, Sunda, Vancouverborg and Victory I. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 4 In 1955, J. L. MAUTHE established a new Great Lakes cargo record for a coal cargo delivered to an upper lakes port. She loaded 18392 tons of coal at the Toledo C&O dock.1943, BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS, Captain Harry Ashby, delivered a record cargo of 19343.5 net tons of iron ore at Cleveland. The ore was loaded at Two Harbors, Minnesota. In 1947, the Canada Steamship Lines steamer EMPEROR, loaded with ore and bound for Ashtabula, hit the rocks off Isle Royale at 4:10 a.m. The vessel sank within minutes but the crew was able to launch 2 lifeboats. Captain Eldon Walkinshaw, First Mate D. Moray, and 10 other crew members drowned when one of the lifeboats overturned. Twenty-one other survivors were rescued by the U.S.C.G. cutter KIMBALL. On 04 June 1872, while carrying wooden barrel staves from Bay City, Michigan to Buffalo, New York, the bark AMERICAN GIANT encountered rough weather off Port Stanley, Ontario, on Lake Erie. Heavy seas carried off her deck cargo of 25,000 staves and the vessel became waterlogged. As the crew considered abandoning, the steamer MENDOTA saw their plight and took the GIANT in tow for Buffalo where they arrived the following day. For days afterward, other vessels reported the litter of barrel staves floating in the middle of Lake Erie. At 2:00 a.m., 04 June 1891, in heavy fog, the NORTHERN QUEEN (steel propeller freighter, 299 foot, 2,476 gross tons, built in 1889, at Cleveland, Ohio) struck the schooner FAYETTE BROWN (wooden schooner, 178 foot, 553 gross tons, built in 1868, at Cleveland, Ohio) about ten miles off Dummy Light on Lake Erie. The BROWN, which was loaded with stone blocks, quickly sank in over 60 feet of water. One of the schooner's crewmen climbed aboard the QUEEN while the others barely had time to scramble up the schooner's masts. Accounts of the accident differ. The schooner's skipper claimed that the NORTHERN QUEEN continued on her journey while the schooner's crew clung to the masts while the skipper of the NORTHERN QUEEN claimed that he tried to find survivors, but lost the wreck in the fog and reluctantly continued on his journey, figuring that there were no survivors. Nevertheless, about an hour after the disaster, the steamer ROBERT MILLS (wooden propeller freighter, 256 foot, 1,790 gross tons, built in 1888, at Buffalo, New York) came along, heard the cries of the unfortunate seamen clinging to the masts and rescued them. No lives were lost. On 04 June 1881, the OGEMAW (wooden propeller freighter, 167 foot, 624 gross tons) was launched at Simon Langell's yard in St. Clair, Michigan for Mr. Wood & Company of Cleveland, Ohio. CLIFFS VICTORY sailed on her maiden voyage in ballast from South Chicago, Illinois, in 1951. On June 4, 1968, the keel for OTTERCLIFFE HALL (Hull#667) was laid at Lauzon, Quebec, by Davie Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., for the Hall Corporation of Canada. Renamed b.) ROYALTON in 1983, c.) OTTERCLIFFE HALL in 1985, d.) PETER MISENER in 1988 and e.) CANADIAN TRADER in 1994. She arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping on January 7, 2005. EDGAR B. SPEER (Hull#908) was christened on June 4th 1980, at Lorain, Ohio, for the Connecticut Bank & Trust Co., Hartford, Connecticut, managed by the Great Lakes Fleet of the United States Steel Corp., Duluth, Minnesota. In 1988, IRVING S. OLDS departed Duluth under tow of tug SALVAGE MONARCH, headed for overseas scrapping. She was scrapped by Sing Cheng Yung Iron & Steel Co., in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, scrapping began on November 24, 1988. June 4, 1940 - Oiler George Riemersma, 50, died of a heart attack while at work on the PERE MARQUETTE 21. June 4, 1942 - John A. Clancey, 58, general manager of the Grand Trunk Western Railway and president of the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Carferry Co. died suddenly of a heart attack while at his desk in Detroit. The Port Huron Times reported "The new trim and tidy tug, the P L JOHNSON, built for Capt. Sol Rummage, passed up last night with her first tow. She is of medium size and wears the national colors on her smokestack for which some of the boys call her a floating barber shop." On 4 June 1859, GENERAL HOUSTON (2-mast wooden schooner, 83 foot, 123 tons, built in 1844, at French Creek, New York) was bound from Port Huron for Buffalo with a load of lumber. During a terrific gale, she missed the mouth of the Grand River near Fairport, Ohio and went on the pier where she broke up. Fortunately no lives were lost. The lighthouse keeper on the pier where she broke up later refused to light the lantern while the wreck was in place for fear of drawing other vessels into it. The U. S. Government quickly contracted to remove the hulk from the channel, but a month later, a storm did the job for free, obliterating the wreck so completely that it was reported to have just "disappeared." June 4th is the anniversary of the famous race between the TASHMOO and the CITY OF ERIE, an exciting race that included many thousands of dollars in wagers, great advance publicity, and the use of many other boats to watch the action along the way. The drama was such that carrier pigeons were released at various times to take the latest updates to waiting newspaper reporters. The CITY OF ERIE won the race in a very close match, and the story has been retold in several books about the Great Lakes. 1961: C.A. BENNETT went aground in the Wiley-Dondero Channel of the Seaway while trying to avoid the REDFERN and was released with her own power. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II, The Marine Historical Society of Detroit and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Chem Norma Pulled Free and Undergoing Inspection 6/3 - Cornwall, Ontario – 6 p.m. update - Sunday afternoon the Chem Norma, a product tanker that had run aground early Tuesday morning near Morrisburg, Ontario, was pulled free from the edge of the waterway. The ship is now undergoing an inspection process, to ensure that it is ready to resume its transit. Both federal and provincial authorities were engaged in the process, applying due diligence in reviewing the plan to free the ship. Among the authorities involved were The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, Transport Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change. All tankers that transit the St. Lawrence Seaway are double hulled vessels, having both an outer hull and a second inner hull, within which a series of segregated holds exist to carry liquid cargoes. The Chem Norma, carrying refined petroleum products, went aground at 4:09 AM on Tuesday, May 29, due to an issue with its rudder. The vessel came to rest against the edge of a designated anchorage area, and was not blocking any traffic. No pollution has been observed as a consequence of the grounding.
Original report: The Chem Norma, a double-hulled tanker, hit shallow waters and became stuck at 4:09 a.m. Tuesday. The accident was caused by a steering issue that was deemed mechanical. |
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Port Reports - June 3
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Cedarville, Mich.
Brevort, Mich.
Port Inland, Mich.
Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Southern Lake Michigan
Sandusky, Ohio
Pelee Island, Ont. – Frank Hood Welland canal and regional report for Saturday June 2 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Oshawa: |
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Coast Guard rescues 3 after vessel drifts into breakwall in Cleveland 6/3 - Cleveland, Ohio – A crew from Coast Guard Station Cleveland Harbor rescued 3 people from the water after their vessel became disabled and drifted into the Edgewater breakwall Saturday. Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Buffalo command center received a mayday call at approximately 11:59 a.m. from a sailing vessel with 3 people aboard, against the rocks of the Edgewater breakwall. The command center watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and diverted a small boat crew from Station Cleveland Harbor to assist. The boat crew arrived on scene at approximately 12:05 p.m. to find one person in the water and two still aboard the vessel, all wearing life jackets. The boat crew safely retrieved the person from the water and devised a plan to rescue the remaining two people from the vessel. Due to the sea conditions and safety concerns, the Coast Guard crew had the two people enter the water where they were safely recovered. All three people, two men and one woman, were then safely transferred to shoreside EMS where they were evaluated for mild hypothermia. The Coast Guard urges boaters to have their vessels checked to make sure everything is in proper working order. Additionally, make sure there are enough life jackets on board for every passenger. USCG |
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Great Waters Research Collaborative releases study on laker ballast water 6/3 - Superior, Wis. – The Great Waters Research Collaborative (GWRC), a project of the University of Wisconsin-Superior’s Lake Superior Research Institute (LSRI), has released results of a study on nonindigenous species of plankton in ballast discharges from U.S. and Canadian lakers to western Lake Superior. The research builds on work conducted by others in the Great Lakes in recent years. Operators of the lakers proposed the study as a means of complying with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency ballast water permitting requirements, and approached GWRC to undertake the scientific research. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency paid for the study via the U.S. Maritime Administration portion of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The study documented five species of non-indigenous zooplankton not yet established in western Lake Superior, including Hemimysis anomala (“bloody red shrimp”), in laker ballast water discharged there. It also detected, in uptake water, a species of zooplankton (Paraleptastacus wilsoni) that had not previously been recorded in the Great Lakes. Some of the species, including this one, live in harbor sediment and may have escaped routine surveillance to date. Determination of whether the collected nonindigenous species of zooplankton might be able to survive or establish in western Lake Superior waters was beyond the scope of the study. Ten U.S. and Canadian-flag lakers participated in the study. Sampling took place in 2017, primarily in the late summer through early winter, and focused on ballast water discharges into western Lake Superior of water loaded from the lower four Great Lakes. GWRC also conducted “voyage-wide” sampling on a subset of voyages, documenting selected characteristics of the source water system and the associated ballast water uptake, plus ballast water discharge and the associated receiving system in western Lake Superior. Ballast water samples were microscopically analyzed for any non-indigenous species of aquatic organisms not yet detected in western Lake Superior waters. Special emphasis was placed on detections of Hemimysis anomala which, until the summer of 2017 when a single specimen was found, had not previously been detected in western Lake Superior. A genetic detection probe targeted to Hemimysis anomala was used to analyze source and receiving water for presence/absence of its environmental DNA. The Great Waters Research Collaborative: Great Lakes Ship Ballast Monitoring Project Technical Report is available online at uwsuper.edu/lsri/publications. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 3 On 03 June 1882, the schooner C. BELL was launched at the yard of Mason, Corning & Company in East Saginaw, Michigan. Her dimensions were 185 feet x 30 feet x 11 feet, and she cost $20,000.JOHN B. AIRD was christened in 1983, at Thunder Bay for Algoma Central Marine, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. After successfully completing her sea trials on June 3, 1951, CLIFFS VICTORY entered service for Cleveland Cliffs Steamship Co., a little under six months from the time she was purchased from the U.S.M.C. PATERSON (Hull#113) of the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., entered service for N.M. Paterson & Sons Ltd., on June 3, 1954, by carrying 440,000 bushels of wheat from Port Arthur, Ontario. She was scrapped at Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1985. On 3 June 1870, T.F. PARK (wooden side-wheeler, 170 foot, 450 tons, built in 1851, at Chatham, Ontario) caught fire and burned to the waterline at the dock near the Detroit & Milwaukee Grain Elevator at Detroit, Michigan. The hull was later removed after being struck by several vessels. On 3 June 1875, the iron carferry HURON (238 foot, 1,052 gross tons) was launched at Point Edward, Ontario for the Grand Trunk Railway. Miss Jessie S. Hughes of Toronto christened the vessel with a bottle of wine. The hull's iron plates were manufactured in Scotland and shipped to Point Edward where they were assembled. Work began on 12 August 1874. Her engine and boiler were built at Dundas, Ont. This vessel ran between Windsor and Detroit for over a century. Her hull is still in existence, submerged in the old Great Lakes Engineering Works slip in River Rouge, Michigan. 1911: The passenger steamer NORTH WEST was gutted by a fire while fitting out at Buffalo. The hull remained idle until it was cut in two in 1918 for a tow to saltwater, but the bow section sank in Lake Ontario. The stern was rebuilt on the St. Lawrence as MAPLECOURT and returned to the lakes, again in two sections, in 1922. 1923: WILLIAM B. SCHILLER and HORACE S. WILKINSON collided in Whitefish Bay. The former was anchored when hit on the port side at #5 hatch. The SCHILLER’s captain pulled up the hook and raced for shore so as to sink in shallow water. It went down in about 40 feet and was salvaged on July 2. 1940: JOHN J. RAMMACHER and WILLIAM A. REISS (ii) collided just after midnight beneath the Blue Water Bridge at Sarnia-Port Huron and both ships were damaged. 1999: HOPE I lost power in the Seaway while downbound with wheat and stranded above Morrisburg. The hull was holed and the ship was released with the aid of tugs on June 5. The ship first came inland as a) NOSIRA MADELEINE in 1983 and returned as c) HOPE I for the first time in 1993, and then as d) HOPE in 2004. It was last reported as f) H. PIONEER in 2011. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Algosteel leaves for scrap, Algolake may follow today 6/2 - Montreal, Que. – The saltwater tug Fairmount Alpine, assisted by Ocean Echo II, towed the former Algosteel – renamed Oste for the purposes of the tow – from Montreal on Friday. Algosteel’s final port will be a Turkish scrapyard. Another tug, Diavlos Force, is also at Montreal, possibly to tow the Algolake – now named Gola –to Turkey. She has a departure date of June 2. René Beauchamp |
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Coast Guard medevacs man from the Manitowoc off Harbor Beach 6/2 - Detroit, Mich. – The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a medevac of an approximately 54-year-old man off a vessel 15 miles northeast of Harbor Beach, Mich., Friday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Detroit command center received a report from the Manitowoc, a 612-foot vessel, at about 1:15 p.m. local time, about a crewmember suffering from severe abdominal pains. A Coast Guard Air Station Detroit MH-65 Dolphine helicopter flight crew was diverted from a training mission to assist. After a brief return trip to the air station to refuel, the crew traveled north and arrived at the vessel, a U.S. flagged ship en route to Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, at about 2:45 p.m. Once on scene, Petty Officer 2nd Class James Rotz, the crew’s rescue swimmer, assisted the man into the rescue basket. The man was safely hoisted approximately 80 feet into the helicopter. The man was transported to Huron Medical Center in Bad Axe, Michigan in good condition. USCG |
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Port Reports - June 2
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Green Bay, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
North Channel and Georgian Bay,
Southern Lake Michigan Welland canal and regional report - Friday June 1
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal -
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Oshawa: |
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Fednav adds new Federal Nagara to its Laker-class fleet of vessels 6/2 - Fednav Ltd. of Montreal has added another new vessel to its growing fleet of Laker-class vessels. Recently added is the Federal Nagara (IMO 9805257) built in 2018 at Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. of Oshima, Japan. The vessel is 199.98 meters in length with a beam of 23.76 meters. Federal Nagara is a sistership to Federal Dart (IMO 9805245), another new vessel built at Oshima in 2018 with the same dimensions. Both Federal Dart and Federal Nagara have yet to visit the Great Lakes/Seaway system, however each should before the end of the 2018 season. Denny Dushane |
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Boatnerd St. Marys River Cruise reservations being taken 6/2 - Annual Soo Freighter-Chasing Cruise – This annual 3-hour event during the Engineer’s Weekend at the Soo Locks usually sells out. A buffet dinner is part of the trip to take close-up photos and videos of traffic in the St. Marys River. The cruise is limited to 100 passengers and advance reservations are required. Don’t be left out. See the Gatherings page for complete details. |
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S.S. Badger delayed by high winds in Manitowoc 11 p.m. Update - The S.S. Badger arrived in Ludington around 10 p.m. This weekend is the Boatnerd Badger Gathering with a overnight stay aboard the Badger on tonight and a crossing of Lake Michigan from Ludington, Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin on Saturday. Original Story - 6/1 - 4 p.m. - Manitowoc, WI - Due to strong winds on Lake Michigan the S. S. Badger has been delayed in leaving for her return to Ludington. A tug has been called to help pull the car ferry off the Manitowoc dock. The Badge is expected to arrive in Ludington at approximately 9:00 this evening. Overnight passengers will be boarded as soon as the arriving passengers are off the vessel. Evening activities will continue on a delayed schedule. |
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Effort ongoing to free the Chem Norma from the side of submerged lock 6/1 - Morrisburg, Ont. – Efforts remain ongoing today to “wiggle” the tanker Chem Norma free of the Morrisburg waterfront, where the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation has concluded the vessel is stuck in a muddy berm forming the outer side of old Lock 23 — partly informed by an overlay of historical and current Google mapping information assembled and supplied by Nation Valley News. The resulting digital map sandwich, sent to the SLSMC this afternoon, “confirms the idea that the ship nosed into an earthen berm” on the south side of the old, submerged lock, without contacting the nearby remains of a concrete structure also lying below the surface, says SLSMC spokesperson Andrew Bogora. “It confirms what we were looking at yesterday,” Bogora told NVN this afternoon. “We know there is a concrete structure off to the starboard side of the ship, some distance away. Your map shows exactly that. Very nicely done!” he exclaimed in a subsequent email. Bogora said they also know they’re dealing with an earthen berm because the ship’s anchor, when pulled up, was full of clay and silt. The Chem Norma was westbound, headed for Sarnia with a cargo of a refined product, when a steering problem sent the tanker off the Seaway shipping channel shortly after 4 a.m. on Tuesday morning (May 29). Comparing the tanker to a boot stuck in mud, the SLSMC spokesperson acknowledged the two tugboats on scene have so far failed to pull the Chem Norma free of the “little bit of suction” that’s keeping her in place. The tugs arrived from Montreal yesterday evening. As a next step, he said, they hope to “wiggle” her loose by shifting the cargo between chambers on the tanker. If that doesn’t work, another tanker will be brought in to offload product. Another option, though it’s not proposed in this case, would involve slowing the flow at the Cornwall dam to raise the water level in Lake St. Lawrence, the body of water between the city and Iroquois (also known as the St. Lawrence River). It’s been done in the past to free ships that have run aground, he said. Lock 23 formed part of the Rapide Plat Canal that disappeared beneath floodwaters when the St. Lawrence Seaway was completed 60 years ago this summer. Overseeing the effort to extricate the tanker from the lock’s remains are several entities, including SLSMC, Transport Canada, the Canadian Coastguard, Environment Canada and Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change are all overseeing plans to extricate the tanker, according to Bogora. Nation Valley News |
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Cargo ship brings power to the Upper Peninsula 6/1 - L'Anse, Mich. – The Palabora cargo ship completed its journey to L’Anse Bay all the way from Italy Thursday afternoon, May 31. The ship carried 10 reciprocating internal combustion engines for local power stations. "Considering we don't have a big dock here, it is kind of neat when the big ships do come in like the one that was docked this winter during the big storms. Twice in one year is kind of neat," said Sarah Thompson, local resident and Baraga Telephone Company employee. Seven engines will go on to the F. D. Kuester Generating Station in Negaunee. Three are for the A. J. Mihm Generating Station in Baraga. Preparation to accept the ship and its cargo have been underway for quite some time. "We started looking at this in late 2016, so it has been over a year in planning. There has been multiple surveys of the bottom of the lake and also marine surveyors, many hours of engineering and project management and communication," said Sean Lipinski of Vic’s Crane and Heavy Haul. Utility companies worked all spring to open roadways for the engines. "Our outside plant guys have been raising all of the lines in order for the transportation of all of the engines coming in," said Thompson. Each engine weighs 325 tons, is 46 feet long and 20 feet tall. Offloading the engines is expected to take two more days. "The ship is actually offloading itself with its own crane and then we will be using our specialized Goldhofer trailer that has 14 axle lines to take it off the barge," said Lipinski. Engines will be transported one at a time and at night. TV6, FOX UP and UpperMichigansSource.com will have more information about the final leg of transportation upcoming. WLUC |
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Port Reports - June 1
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Southern Lake Michigan
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Calcite, Mich. – Denny Dushane
Goderich, Ont. ¬ Bruce Douglas Welland canal and regional report - Thursday May 31
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton: May 30 - tug Salvage Monarch & barge at 0828 - Departures - May 30 - tug Radium Yellowknife for Oswego and Salvage Monarch & barge for Toronto - May 31 - John D Leitch at 1333 for the canal
Toronto:
Bronte:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Lake Carriers’ Association applauds great waters research collaborative report 6/1 - Cleveland, Ohio – The U.S.-based Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) applauds the findings in the Great Lakes Ballast Monitoring Project Technical Report released today by the Great Waters Research Collaborative (GWRC). LCA and its members were founding partners in the study along with GWRC, and worked in cooperation with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The study provides an analysis of non-native organisms found in ballast water discharged into western Lake Superior by U.S. and Canadian lake vessels. While LCA believes this study is a productive first step, the research needs to go further before ballast management policy can evolve. Specifically, more work is needed to: • Broaden the scope of testing. While uptake and discharge of ballast water were sampled, non-native species were not identified as alive or dead at uptake, nor was it determined if any that were alive survived the voyage and then survived discharge. • Expand the data set. GWRC’s sample data was limited to just a few months, between August and December of 2017. • Expand the data sample size. The research collected samples from just 8 vessels, which took in ballast water from the lower four Great Lakes and subsequently discharged it into Western Lake Superior as part of routine voyages. While lakers make approximately 1,600 voyages to western Lake Superior each year, only 15 voyages were sampled. Moreover, just four of those 15 sampling events were for an entire voyage, which entailed sampling a vessel’s ballast water at uptake in the lower Great Lakes, sampling again at the location where the vessel discharged ballast water, and sampling the ambient waters at both ends of the voyage. “It would be premature to base policy going forward on this limited data,” said Jim Weakley, president of Lake Carriers’ Association. “Let’s do some more work and get some more data to determine whether this study is telling us something new, or if these are limited data points that don’t reflect bigger issues and trends in the Great Lakes.” “We think a broader study is needed in order to evolve effective ballast water management practices for the Great Lakes. A multi-year effort would yield more data and give us more information on which to base changes in the way ballast water is handled in the Great Lakes,” said Weakley. “We welcome the opportunity to continue working with our partners to broaden the solid work already accomplished with this study.” LCA has long recognized the threat non-native species may represent to the Great Lakes and has been a leader in working on solutions for decades. The organization created Voluntary Ballast Water Management Programs to respond to the incursion of Eurasian ruffe in the 1980s and to the viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus in the mid-2000s. In 2001, LCA produced a seven-point initiative that encouraged industry-government partnerships, recommended processes for sediment management, set guidelines for ballast management and encouraged industry support of scientific research. That same year, LCA modified the Coast Guard’s voluntary ballast water management program and added eight very specific requirements for its members specifically designed to address the issue of invasive species. During the past two years, the association has spent about $500,000 on studies related to non-native species in the Great Lakes. One LCA member partnered with the National Parks Service and the National Parks Conservancy of Lake Superior to research ballast water treatment on lakers with a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant. “Our work on this issue is urgent and ongoing, and with this report, we’ve taken a step forward in the right direction,” said Weakley. “I think everyone will agree we share a common goal – to work together to construct a solid scientific foundation upon which we can build sound practices for non-native species management in the Great Lakes.” The full report, which was funded by the U.S. EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative via the U.S. Maritime Administration, can be accessed here: https://www.uwsuper.edu/lsri/publications/upload/LSRI-GWRC-TR-GLSBM-1_FINALv2_31May2018.pdf Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Today in Great Lakes History - June 1 On 01 June 1903, ISAAC ELLWOOD (steel propeller freighter, 478 foot, 5,085 gross tons, built in 1900, at W. Bay City, Michigan) broke the record for ore when she carried a cargo of 8,579 tons out of Duluth harbor. This broke the record held by JOHN SMEATON (steel barge, 458 foot, 5,049 gross tons, built in 1899, at Superior, Wisconsin), which was 8,571 tons of ore.ASA CHILDS (wooden scow schooner, 125 foot, 204 gross tons, built in 1866, at Mentor, Ohio) was carrying lumber in a storm on Lake Michigan when she was driven ashore at Highland Park just north of Chicago, Illinois on 01 June 1879, and was a total loss. The crew escaped in the lifeboat. On 01 June 1914, the St. Joseph-Chicago Steamship Company bought the EASTLAND (steel propeller passenger steamer, 265 foot, 1,961 gross tons, built in 1903, at Port Huron, Michigan) from the Eastland Navigation Company for $150,000. In 1943, IRVING S OLDS collided with the 524 foot steamer CHARLES O. JENKINS in heavy fog 28 miles northeast of Cleveland on Lake Erie and was holed eight feet above the water line. The OLDS was able to help the badly damaged JENKINS back to Cleveland by lashing the two vessels together. After a grueling seven hours the JENKINS was beached in the outer harbor to prevent her from sinking. The OLDS was repaired in time to carry a new record of 17,817 gross tons of iron ore on June 13, 1943. In 1952, the steamer J.L. MAUTHE (Hull#298) was launched at Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Michigan, for the Interlake Steamship Co. The WHITEFISH BAY, loaded with 950,000 bushels of spring wheat, was honored as she carried the billionth metric ton of cargo through the Eisenhower Lock in 1983. On June 1, 1907, the Great Lakes Engineering Works launched the bulk steamer WILPEN (Hull#28) at Ecorse, Michigan, for the Shenango Steamship Co., a subsidiary of Shenango Furnace Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) DAVID P. THOMPSON in 1926, and converted to a self-unloader in 1957, at Superior, Wisconsin. She was renamed c.) JOSEPH S. YOUNG in 1969, and scrapped at La Spezia, Italy in 1979. H. LEE WHITE departed Sturgeon Bay in ballast on her maiden voyage for the American Steamship Co., on June 1, 1974, to load iron ore at Escanaba, Michigan for Indiana Harbor. June 1, 1902 - While northbound for Manistique, Michigan, the ANN ARBOR NO 1 went aground in a heavy fog about noon on South Manitou Island, but was able to free herself and to proceed undamaged. June 1, 1938 - PERE MARQUETTE 21, under the command of Captain Arthur Altschwager, was released from a sand bar in the outer harbor at Manitowoc at 1:06 p.m. today after being aground for six hours. Her sister ship, the PERE MARQUETTE 22, commanded by J.F. Johnson, freed the ferry after taking a line and pulling the big ship back off the bar. June, 1958, The ANN ARBOR NO 6 was taken out of service for extensive refitting. She was renamed b.) ARTHUR K. ATKINSON. On 1 June 1887, LUCINDA VAN VALKENBURG (wooden schooner, 129 foot, 302 gross tons, built in 1862, at Tonawanda, New York) collided with the iron steamer LEHIGH in fog and sank near Thunder Bay Island on Lake Huron. The crew was safely taken aboard the LEHIGH and brought to Port Huron. On 1 June 1892, the steel bulk freighter CHOCTAW was launched at the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company (Hull #17) in Cleveland, Ohio for the Lake Superior Iron Company. Her dimensions were 207 feet x 38 feet x 18 feet and she had a triple expansion steam engine 17 feet, 29 inches, 47 inches x 36 inch stroke. She was built as "monitor" type vessel based on whaleback design with all her cabins aft. She lasted until sunk in a collision in 1915. 1923: The barge BROOKDALE of Canada Steamship Lines was sunk near Montreal after a collision with MAPLEDAWN. The wooden hulled vessel, originally the schooner MORAVIA, was refloated and scrapped. 1943: A collision on foggy Lake Superior between BATTLEFORD and PRINDOC sank the latter off Passage Island. All on board were saved from the downbound, wheat-laden bulk carrier of the Paterson fleet. 1944: The first NEWBRUNDOC had been built at Toronto in 1921 and had previously sailed as CANADIAN ENGINEER and b) DONALD E.McKAY. The ship became f) SAVLATORE in 1934 and, with the outbreak of war, was now the enemy. It was bombed and sunk by British aircraft as part of a German convoy in the Aegean Sea and all hands were lost. 1966: RIO ALTO, a Liberty ship, came to the Great Lakes under Liberian registry in 1963. It developed leaks on the Pacific while enroute from Manati, Puerto Rico, to China as d) AKTOR and sank on this date 860 miles SSW of San Diego, CA in 1966. 1967: RENVOYLE struck the docked SYLVANIA while turning at Port Huron and the latter sank against the dock. The former, a C.S.L. package freighter, received bow damage and was laid up and then sold for scrap. SYLVANIA was refloated, repaired and returned to service. 1979: GEORGES HERBERT, a wooden goelette that occasionally came to the Great Lakes, sank in the Gulf of Mexico while carrying a cargo of corn. 2011: CANADIAN RANGER, under tow on the St. Lawrence, got spun around 180 degrees by a wind gust above the Iroquois Lock and had to be towed through the lock stern first before being realigned below the lock. It reached the scrap yard at Aliaga, Turkey, on July 13, 2011. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Tugboats arrive to assist grounded Chem Norma 5/31 - Morrisburg, Ont. – Two tugboats, the Ocean K. Rusby and Ocean Pierre Julien, have arrived at the scene of the ship run aground in the St. Lawrence Seaway. The Chem Norma, a tanker, hit shallow waters and became stuck at 4:09 a.m. Tuesday, shocking sleeping locals from Morrisburg and Waddington. As of Wednesday evening, AIS showed the tugs alongside Chem Norma. The ship’s horn sounded several times before a sound resembling a small explosion was heard. “It was frightening, as it was so close to shore and the blasts from the horn were loud and ominous, especially the last long blast,” wrote Doris Serviss of Morrisburg in an email to the Times. The ship, a double-hold tanker, was viewed by a Canadian inspector Tuesday and was cleared to resume its trip, according to Andrew K. Bogora, service communications inspector for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. Due to the double-hold requirement of all transport ships on the St. Lawrence River, pollution from the contents of the ship is unlikely. Mr. Bogora said that there was no visible pollution and that the cargo of the ship was a refined product, not crude oil. He was unable to be more specific. View photos at this link: http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/news05/tugboats-aiding-chem-norma-back-to-channel-20180530 |
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Michigan pledges $50 million towards building new Soo Lock 5/31 - Mackinac Island, Mich. – Michigan is setting aside $50 million in state funding to help jump start what could be a $1 billion project to upgrade and modernize the aging Soo Locks, Gov. Snyder and legislative leaders announced Wednesday. Snyder is urging the federal government to provide most of the money to upgrade the critical trade route in the Upper Peninsula, but the second-term Republican said the state funding could help meet any potential match requirement. “We’re stepping up,” Snyder said on the porch of the Grand Hotel during the annual Mackinac Policy Conference. “We’re going to lead the charge to get this one, because it’s good for not just all of us, but for our country and North American and the world.” Republican President Donald Trump appeared to give the project his blessing during an April rally in Macomb County, where he said the Soo Locks are “going to hell” and vowed to “get them fixed up.” The White House has not confirmed whether Trump ended up calling the Army Corps of Engineers to speed up the process, as he promised, but Wednesday’s announcement reflects a new optimism about the potential project by Michigan leaders. The $50 million state commitment will come out of a roughly $500 million budget surplus that Snyder and legislative leaders agreed to divvy up last week. The deal included $330 million in extra road funding, along with $82 million for other infrastructure projects, including the Soo investment. Snyder said his administration is already calling other Great Lakes states in an attempt to secure another $150 million for the Soo Locks project. A broad Trump infrastructure proposal not yet taken up by Congress could require 20 percent of the funding come from non-federal sources, the governor told reporters. Read more at this link: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/05/30/snyder-50-m-soo-locks-upgrade/657845002 |
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Port Reports - May 31
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont. Alpena, Mich. – Ben & Chanda McClain Vessel traffic has been steady this week in the area. On Monday morning (Memorial Day) the tug Defiance and barge Ashtabula arrived at the Alpena Oil Dock. They tied up and unloaded a different cargo that is piled near the road salt. Fleetmate Manitowoc was also in port on Monday as well unloading product at Lafarge on the other dock across from the silos. The Alpena returned on Tuesday morning to load cement for Green Bay after being in temporary lay-up. On Wednesday morning the Great Republic arrived at Lafarge to unload coal.
Green Bay, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Southern Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont. ¬ Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Pelee Island – Frank Hood Welland canal and regional report - Wednesday May 30
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal -
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte: |
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Cruise ship Victory II Thunder Bay visit postponed to 2019 5/31 - Thunder Bay, Ont. – The first cruise ship visit to Thunder Bay since 2012 will have to wait one more year. It's because of delays in retrofitting the Victory II, the 202-passenger vessel that was originally scheduled to bring tourists to Thunder Bay this July. The renovations are being done in a European shipyard. Victory Cruise Lines said the delays also forced the cancellation of several other trips. Victory II won't make its debut Great Lakes voyage until July 27—from Montreal to Detroit—which is the same day she was originally scheduled to come to Thunder Bay. City tourism manager Paul Pepe said it's "certainly disappointing" to have to wait until 2019 but the circumstances are "understandable." Pepe said it's still gratifying that Victory Cruise Lines plans two trips to Thunder Bay next year. One will be a "turnaround" trip, meaning that after docking in the city, passengers will disembark and be replaced by a new group of travellers for the return voyage south. The company's website currently lists a nine-night voyage from Detroit to Thunder Bay on Aug. 8, 2019, and a return trip heading south on Aug. 17. Details of the second cruise ship visit in 2019 are not available yet. Victory Cruise Lines is advertising starting fares for the Detroit-Thunder Bay trip at $6,400 including air fare between Toronto and Thunder Bay. Pepe said he's encouraged that the CEO of the company visited the city at Easter to inspect the port facilities and area attractions. "It definitely showed a long-term commitment to us to have the owner of the company himself come in," Pepe said, noting that Victory has already committed to Thunder Bay for the 2020 season. Tourism Thunder Bay, he said, continues to work with a number of other cruise ship operators about the potential for adding the city to their itineraries. He said it is also collaborating with other port cities on ways to boost the Great Lakes cruising industry. TBNewswatch |
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New port director appointed in Milwaukee 5/31 - Milwaukee, Wis. – Mayor Tom Barrett has appointed Adam Schlicht as Municipal Port Director. In this position, Schlicht will direct operations at Port Milwaukee, oversee a staff of 19 people, and administer Foreign Trade Zone No.41. His appointment is subject to Common Council approval. Schlicht brings significant experience in transportation, international marketing, and Great Lakes shipping to his new position. For the past decade, he has been employed by the United States Department of Transportation. Since 2010 he has held positions at the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC), an operating administration of the USDOT. Schlicht most recently led the SLSDC’s Great Lakes Regional Initiative in Cleveland, Ohio, focusing on foreign trade, maritime and economic development activities throughout the United States and Canada, including frequent work directly with Port Milwaukee. “The City relies on the port director to promote commerce and support the local economy. At the same time, we count on Port Milwaukee to operate efficiently and continue to return a dividend to the city’s general fund,” Mayor Barrett said. “Adam’s background and energy are ideally suited to this job, and I am confident he will continue the excellent work underway at the port.” A native of Oak Creek, Schlicht holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He completed graduate work at American University in Washington, D.C., receiving a Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in International Management. Schlicht succeeds former port director Paul Vornholt who was appointed Chief of Staff to Mayor Barrett in April.
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 31 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. |
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Chem Norma grounds in St. Lawrence River near Morrisburg 5/30 - Morrisburg, Ont. – It was a busy day along the waterfront Tuesday and not just because of the beautiful weather. People flocked to Glengarry Park to marvel at a cargo ship, the Chem Norma, which was stranded a few hundred meters from shore. The Marshall Islands-registered ship became stuck when it ran aground early on Tuesday morning. A spokesman for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. said the ship ran aground at 4:05 a.m. due to steering problems. Because the vessel was heading upstream, the oncoming current pushed the nose of the boat towards the north shore. “They already reported (over the radio) that there was a mechanical failure, so they couldn’t steer the boat,” confirmed Ed Snyder, an avid ship-watcher who had been monitoring the situation since early Tuesday morning. “By the time they lose steerage and someone decides to cut power you’re already at the mercy of the current.” The ship drifted out of the shipping lanes marked by buoys and headed towards the shore where it struck the ground and became trapped. It appears the Chem Norma was stuck on the wall of the old canal that ran by Morrisburg before the area was flooded in 1958 to create the St. Lawrence Seaway. The Chem Norma is an oil and chemical tanker, and although the management corporation could not say what it was carrying, it was headed for Sarnia, Ont., which is home to several chemical plants and oil refineries. Fortunately, none of its liquid cargo leaked during the incident. By mid-afternoon on Tuesday, the coast guard had come to survey the situation in the morning, and a small boat from Montreal arrived to ferry two inspectors to the Chem Norma who could be seen walking around on deck. Once the ship is given the all clear, the management corporation says it will be helped on its way by two Groupe Ocean tug boats. Standard-Freeholder |
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Parts of historic laker American Victory to be recycled 5/30 - Superior, Wis. – The American Victory, one of the oldest and most historic boats on the Great Lakes, is seeing the end of her days. For the last 10 years while she was laid up in Superior, her future was uncertain. The question was would she be updated and return to open waters or be scrapped? The answer: scrapped. If boats could talk, the American Victory would have quite the story to tell. "Here is a vessel that served our country during World War II, that it was bombed by the Japanese. There's still a big dent on her deck from an unexploded bomb," said Denise Wolven, the director of the Lake Superior Maritime Visitors Center. The vessel, built in 1942, served the United States in both oceans and the Great Lakes. She's lived a life fit for the history books. “It was vessels like the American Victory that really got me to be a boat nerd more than I was before,” Wolven said. But, she won't be around much longer. "I felt this little connection with the ship and now I'm gonna have to watch it sail away to be scrapped," said Wolven. "So maybe the first that's gonna make me cry is the losing of the American Victory." On Friday, the American Victory was taken to Fraser Shipyards where the process to recycle her parts began. Recycling the historic ship, piece by piece, was a tough decision her owners made. Algoma, an Ontario based company that purchased the 76-year-old ship in December, said updating the ship would have been too costly. "That ship was tough for it to be economical in the US trades," Gregg Ruhl, Algoma's Chief Operating Officer. "For us we did look hard at it's various options and in the short team anyway we were finding it difficult to as a steam ship and her cargo, her length, her capacity to work economically." Ruhl said updating the 80-year-old vessel would have had an estimated 20 million dollar price tag. "We're doing a lot to modernize our fleet. Sometimes older tonnage works well, sometimes it doesn't. And in this case we just couldn't make it work," said Ruhl. "By the time you do all that, at least in the Canadian market, you're better off building a new ship." Even though the boat is being taken apart, it's history will still live on. "Hopefully we will be able to acquire a few pieces for our collection, just kind of walk away with something that we can keep the memory of the American Victory alive here in the Twin Ports," said Wolven. Algoma expects the vessel to leave the Twin Ports within the next couple months on her final voyage, but they still have to determine where she will end up for her full recycling. Officials say the American Victory could stay in North America or go as far away as Turkey. View photos at this link: http://www.kbjr6.com/story/38292071/parts-of-historic-american-victory-to-be-recycled?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KBJR_6 |
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Port Reports - May 30
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
St. Marys River
Southern Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont. - Bruce Douglas Welland canal and regional report - Tuesday May 29
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal -
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Oshawa:
Montreal, Que. – Rene Beauchamp |
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Ship stuck in St. Lawrence River ice cost nearly $1M to free 5/30 - We now know how much it cost to free the ship, Federal Biscay, from the frozen waters of the St. Lawrence River in January. The vessel became stuck in ice in Snell Lock near Massena. It took crews several days to free the ship. After filing a Freedom of Information request, WWNY learned of the costs Tuesday. The St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation states between January 1 and 6, it spent $933,000 to free the vessel. It spent more than $243,000 in wages, nearly $120,000 on diving services and just over $17,000 on ultra-high pressure de-icing services. The big expense was $501,775 on tug boat services. The ship's dilemma kept the seaway open nearly a week after it was supposed to close for the season. The environmental group Save The River said the Federal Biscay's trouble is the reason the shipping season should be shortened. WNYTV |
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New maritime website unveiled in Duluth 5/30 - Duluth, Minn. – As long as there have been ships there has been a curiosity for shipping news. "The No. 1 question we receive is, 'When is the next boat?'" said Denise Wolvin, director of the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Canal Park. To help the museum answer that question, a Duluth-based software engineering firm stepped up to create a new version of a longtime favorite tool for shipping enthusiasts: the shipping tracker. Called Harbor Lookout (harborlookout.com), the new Twin Ports shipping locator offers arrival and departure times. Tourists can schedule their day around a boat arrival through the canal or residents of Park Point and beachgoers can schedule their lives around a raising of the Aerial Lift Bridge. Half locator map of Lake Superior and half arrival/departure board, the new site details shipping traffic in the Duluth-Superior harbor with s few clicks and lots of nice-to-know information. Somewhere outside the Saturn Systems boardroom window was an antenna which collected signals from a radius stretching 50 miles out onto the water. Ships all the way from Two Harbors and Silver Bay registered on both the map and information board. "We're getting real-time data from the ships themselves," said Adam Schwartz-Lowe, a senior software engineer for the 28-year-old company located in downtown Duluth. Three years in the making, the Harbor Lookout web application made its debut this month online and at the visitor center, where it is showcased on the free museum's overhead monitors, including at the second-floor window bank overlooking the lake. Once it was functionally completed, Saturn Systems donated the Harbor Lookout application to the museum. The software engineering firm maintains ownership and is in charge of hosting and administering the website. "I was amazed a company would want to donate something they put a lot of time into," Wolvin said. "We're very grateful." In addition to gathering more accurate estimated times of arrival and departure, the site shares cargo details when it learns them from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the museum and has access to manifests and other shipping data. Saturn Systems turned to the Army Corps during development. They wanted a partner with access. "We have a lot of docks and agents voluntarily share information with us, and that's how we determine a schedule a couple days out," said Wolvin, describing how the Army Corps shares a condensed version of its vast data to be viewed by the everyday person. Duluth News Tribune |
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Canal fans not ready to give up the ships 5/30 - Waterford, N.Y. – The tug Reliable, built during the Great Depression in Syracuse and an enduring symbol of the brawny toil of state canal workers, was unceremoniously hauled down the Hudson River by barge last week en route to an ignoble burial at sea. Maritime historians, who love old tugs with an affection some reserve for retrievers, are shocked at the shabby treatment of Reliable and other cast-off canal vessels scheduled to be sunk for Gov. Andrew Cuomo's artificial reef project off Long Island. "A lot of us were appalled watching the Reliable hauled down the river. It is being done so quickly and without time to weigh other options," said Craig Williams, a retired State Museum senior historian and a board member of the Canal Society of New York State. Williams documented the final journey of Reliable with photographs and video and said the sight "made me sick to my stomach." He commiserated along the shoreline with a retired canal worker who was moved to tears watching the old tug taken away. "It's terribly emotional for those of us who love these old vessels," Williams said. Williams spearheaded an effort to save the 1921 Day Peckinpaugh, a 259-foot bulk cargo carrier and the last survivor of more than 100 similar motorships that carried pig iron, wheat, sugar, rye and cement across the Great Lakes and along the Barge Canal to New York City. The ship was purchased in 2005 by the State Museum and a coalition of not-for-profit organizations as a floating museum to highlight the history of the Erie Canal. It is docked in Cohoes but it, too, is in danger of being added to the list of vessels slated to be sunk for the artificial reefs due to maintenance costs, according to Williams. Canal buffs have voiced their displeasure in posts on the Canal Society's Facebook page at the rapid, large-scale scuttling of surplus canal vessels. A total of 29 canal tugs, derrick boats, scows and tender tugs along with recycled Tappan Zee Bridge material are headed for six artificial Long Island reefs Cuomo announced at an April 17 news conference. The reefs are intended to provide new habitat for marine life and to improve sportfishing and scuba diving appeal. Read more and view an image gallery at this link: https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Canal-fans-not-ready-to-give-up-the-ships-12935559.php#photo-7990374 |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 30 On 30 May 1896, ALGERIA (3-mast wooden schooner-barge, 285 foot, 2,038 gross tons) was launched by J. Davidson (Hull #75) at West Bay City, Michigan. She lasted until 1906, when she foundered near Cleveland, Ohio.COLUMBIA STAR began her maiden voyage in 1981, from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, to load iron ore pellets at Silver Bay, Minnesota, for Lorain, Ohio. She was the last of the 1,000 footers to enter service and, excluding tug-barge units or conversions, was the last new Great Lakes vessel on the American side. During the economic depression known as the "Panic of '73", shipbuilding came to a standstill. Orders for new vessels were cancelled and worked was stopped on hulls that were on the ways. On 30 May 1874, the Port Huron Times reported that a recovery from the "Panic of '73" resulted in a surge of shipyard work at Marine City. "Shipyards are getting ready to start business again with full force. Mr. Fin Kenyon has begun building a steam barge for Kenyon Bros. [the PORTER CHAMBERLAIN]; Mr. George King is going to build a steam barge for Mr. Henry Buttironi [the GERMANIA]; Messrs. Hill and Wescott are going to build a side wheel passenger boat for Mr. Eber Ward [the NORTHERNER]; Mr. David Lester will build another steam barge [the CITY OF DULUTH]. There is one barge on the stocks built by Mr. Hill for Mr. Morley, that will soon be ready to launch [the N K FAIRBANK]. At about 1a.m. on 30 May 1882, the lumber hooker ROCKET, carrying shingles from Manistee to Charlevoix, capsized about four miles abreast of Frankfort, Michigan on Lake Michigan. The tug HALL found the vessel and towed her inside the harbor. The crew was saved, but the vessel was split open and was a total wreck. 1900: SEGUIN, an iron-hulled steamer, was released with the help of the tug FAVORITE after being stuck near Mackinaw City after going off course due to thick fog. 1918: The first IMPOCO came to the Great Lakes for Imperial Oil in 1910. It was sunk by U-101 as b) WANETA enroute from Halifax, NS, to Queenstown, Ireland, with a cargo of fuel oil. The vessel was torpedoed 42 miles SSE of Kinsale Head on this date and 8 lives were lost. 1942: FRED W. GREEN was attacked by three German submarines in the South Atlantic and sunk by U-506 with the loss of five lives including the master. The vessel had been built for saltwater service at Ecorse, Mich., as CRAYCROFT in 1918 and returned to the Great Lakes in 1927 before departing again for deep sea trading in November 1941. 1969: The Toronto Islands ferry SAM McBRIDE ran aground in fog after missing the dock at Centre Island. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Ship runs aground, halts traffic along St. Lawrence Seaway 5/29 - Morrisburg, Ont. - The chemical tanker Chem Norma has run aground along the St. Lawrence Seaway. Morrisburg resident Ron Beaupre said the sound of the horn woke him up as the ship sounded the horn five times around 4:30 this morning. "I heard one long horn and then 4 more," said Beaupre. A lockmaster at Iroquois said all ship activity has been stopped until the ship is inspected. At this time, there is one ship waiting at the Iroquois lock. It is not known what the 144 metre long ship is carrying. An inspector will travel from Montreal to the site of the grounded Chem Norma. All crew will remain on the ship until the inspector and sonar equipment is used to deem the ship safe. CTV Ottawa |
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From Italy to upper Michigan: Power plant generating engines on the way 5/29 - L’Anse, Mich. – An international effort is underway to transport 10 huge natural gas electrical generating engines to L’Anse. The 440-foot international heavy lift cargo ship Palabora left Italy May 1 with the engines and is expected to land at the dredged CertainTeed dock by the end of May. The vessel was in Lake Huron off Harbor Beach Monday evening and was expected through the Soo Locks on Tuesday. The Wartsila Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE) are destined for two power plants under construction by Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp (UMERC). Three of the 325-ton engines will be delivered to the A.J. Mihn Generating Station on Sarya Road in Pelkie. The other seven will be trucked from L’Anse to a new UMERC power plant in Negaunee. L’Anse Sentinel |
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Port Reports - May 29 Duluth-Superior – Daniel LindnerAtlantic Huron arrived Duluth early Monday morning to load coal at Midwest Energy after the departure of the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. Michipicoten, after loading ore at CN throughout the morning, departed just before noon. Capt. Henry Jackman finished unloading salt at Compass Minerals late Monday afternoon and dropped anchor off the Superior entry. Atlantic Huron departed from Midwest Energy soon after. During the evening, Reggeborg arrived from anchor to load grain at CHS. Sunda continued unloading cement at CRH. In Superior, Roger Blough arrived mid-morning to load iron ore pellets at Burlington Northern. Capt. Henry Jackman and CSL Tadoussac were both at anchor outside the harbor waiting to load.
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
St. Marys River
Welland canal and regional report - Monday May 28
Nanticoke:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Oshawa:
Montreal, Que. – Rene Beauchamp |
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Maersk Line plans to double service to Port of Montreal 5/29 - Montreal, Que. – Maersk Line announced on Wednesday that it plans to add a weekly service connecting Montreal with ports in the Mediterranean. The shipping line currently has a weekly service that connects Montreal with ports in northern Europe. “With the favorable pro-trade environment in Canada, we’ve seen healthy growth rates for Canada’s trade overall. Last year, we saw levels around seven per cent for imports and exports,” said Jack Mahoney, the president of Maersk Line Canada. Trade between Canada and Europe, in particular, is growing because of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, he said. “CETA took the tariffs away from nearly everything, 98 per cent of goods, as of Sept. 21 last year. We see that supporting the growth in volumes between Canada and northern Europe and we expect to see a similar thing in the Mediterranean trade,” Mahoney said. While he expects a wide variety of goods to be shipped through the new service, he said agricultural products like peas, beans and lentils as well as automotive products will be a big part of the cargo shipped. Ships leaving Montreal will also stop in Halifax, where they will pick up perishable goods like fish, seafood, pork and beef, he said. Imports will include finished goods, food and beverages, furniture, tile and stone, Mahoney said. The first ship to sail the route is scheduled to leave Salerno, Italy on July 1. It’s expected to arrive in Montreal on July 19. The service will also include stops at ports in France and Spain — that includes stops at large transhipment hubs that connect to the Middle East, India, Pakistan, Asia and Africa, Mahoney said. Montreal was chosen, in part, because of its access to markets in Quebec and, through rail, Ontario. “We’re delivering the import cargo to where a large portion of it would be consumed,” he said. The Montreal Port Authority is already seeing an increase in European trade. “We’re up eight per cent in trade between the Port of Montreal and Europe” over the last year, said Tony Boemi, the authority’s vice-president for growth and development. That’s rare for developed markets like Europe. The increased service is “really good news for us,” he said. “It validates the importance of Montreal as a container port.” Montreal Gazette |
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Amasa Stone freighter exhibit opens at Valley Camp museum 5/29 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Many people are familiar with the Paul R. Tregurtha, Wilfred Sykes and of course the Edmund Fitzgerald, but few know about the Amasa Stone. The Amasa Stone is a freighter that was in service between 1905 and 1959. After it was decommissioned in 1965, it was made into a breakwall in Lake Michigan near what was then the Medusa Cement Company in Charlevoix. But years later, the freighter is still remembered for its decades of service. Over the past 15 years, Joe Komjathy, a member of the U.S. Coast Guard serving on the icebreaker Mackinaw, dedicated his time to creating a model of the Stone. He has donated it to the Museum Ship Valley Camp in Sault Ste. Marie, where it was unveiled to the public on Monday. Komjathy says while it’s a little-known boat, it’s still deserving of recognition and admiration. “To have that initial knowledge of the history of this boat and to actually have that, perhaps awe, to see the beauty of the life that this boat had — that you don’t see.” The Museum Ship Valley Camp is open seven days a week and is located about a half mile east of the Soo Locks. View a video at this link: http://www.9and10news.com/2018/05/28/amasa-stone-freighter-exhibit-opens-sault-ste-marie |
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Obituary: Tom Drzal 5/29 - Tom Drzal, long-time wheelsman for Bethlehem Steel, died in Erie, Pa., on Friday May 25. He sailed many vessels, among them Stewart T. Cort and Burns Harbor. He was also Viet Nam veteran. Arrangements are being handled by the Dusckas-Martin Funeral and Crematory of Erie, Pa. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 29 The 71-foot tug and patrol boat CARTER H. HARRISON was launched at Chicago, Illinois, on 29 May 1901, for the City of Chicago Police Department.STADACONA (Hull#66) was launched in 1909, at Ecorse, Michigan, by Great Lakes Engineering Works for the Stadacona Steamship Co. (James Playfair, mgr.). Renamed b.) W.H. MC GEAN in 1920, and c.) ROBERT S. McNAMARA in 1962. JAMES R. BARKER (Hull#905) was float launched in 1976, at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the Interlake Steamship Co. May 29, 1905: The PERE MARQUETTE 20, while leaving Milwaukee in a heavy fog struck the scow HIRAM R. BOND of the Milwaukee Sand Gravel Company. The scow sank. In 1909, the ANN ARBOR NO 4 capsized at Manistique, Michigan, as a result of an error in loading a heavy load of iron ore. On 29 May 1889, BAVARIA (3-mast wooden schooner-barge, 145 foot, 376 gross tons, built in 1873, at Garden Island, Ontario) was carrying squared timber when she broke from the tow of the steamer D D CALVIN and began to founder near Long Point in Lake Erie. Her crew abandoned her, but all eight were lost. The abandoned vessel washed ashore with little damage and lasted until 1898 when she was destroyed in a storm. PLEASURE (wooden passenger ferry, 128 foot, 489 gross tons) (Hull#104) was launched at West Bay City, Michigan by F.W. Wheeler & Co. on 29 May 1894. She was a small but powerful ferry, equipped with a 1600 h.p. engine. She operated on the Detroit River year round as a ferry and small icebreaker for the Detroit, Belle Isle and Windsor Ferry Company. She was broken up at Detroit in 1940. 1943: LAKE GEORGE was built for French interests at Ashtabula in 1917 but was launched for and named by the U.S. Shipping Board. It was seized as e) FOLOZU by the Japanese at Shanghai on December 8, 1941, and sunk as f) EISHO MARU after being torpedoed by the U.S.S. TAMBOR in the South China Sea. 1964: A. & J. MERCURY was seized on this date while upbound in the Welland Canal to load coal at Ashtabula for non-payment of stevedore fees at Toronto and Hamilton. While eventually released, it was re-arrested on a complaint by the S.I.U. over non-payment of crew wages. The ship was later put up for auction and resumed service as d) SANTA MONICA. It was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, as e) COSMOS TRADER in 1969. A. & J. FAITH, a fleetmate, was seized by the U.S. Marshal at Cleveland while about to leave for Singapore. It remained idle until being sold and renamed c) SANTA SOFIA in August. 1969: The new self-unloader TADOUSSAC launched itself prematurely at Collingwood. Two workers were killed and several others injured. 1974: BANIJA, a Yugoslavian freighter, was inbound in ballast at Port Weller through fog when it hit the pier and required repairs before continuing to Duluth to load. This vessel arrived at Alang, India, as b) STOLIV for scrapping on May 1, 1987. 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, the Detroit Free Press and the Duluth Evening Herald. |
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Port Reports - May 28
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
St. Marys River
Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
Rochester, N.Y. – Tom Brewer Welland canal and regional report - Sunday May 27
Port Colborne anchorage:
Welland Canal -
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Oshawa: Welland canal and regional report - Saturday May 26 Welland Canal: Upbound - May 26 - Victory I (Bhs) (ex Saint Laurent-16, Sea Voyager-15, Cape May Light-09), Flevoborg (Nld), John D Leitch, USEPA Lake Guardian and Federal Satsuki (Mhl) - Downbound - May 26 - Algoma Equinox, Algoma Sault, CSL Assiniboine, Vancouverborg (Nld), Radcliffe R Latimer, Iryda (Cyp) eta 2036, Algoma Discovery, tug Sea Eagle II & barge St Marys Cement II and tug Petite Forte & barge St. Marys Cement
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 28 On 28 March 1997, the USS Great Lakes Fleet's PHILIP R. CLARKE set a record for a salt cargo on a U.S.-flag laker when she loaded 25,325 tons at Fairport, Ohio for delivery to Toledo, Ohio. The previous record was 25,320 tons carried by American Steamship's AMERICAN REPUBLIC in 1987.On 28 March 1848, COLUMBUS (wooden sidewheeler, 391 tons, built in 1835, at Huron, Ohio) struck a pier at Dunkirk, New York during a storm and sank. The sidewheeler FASHION struck the wreck in November of the same year and was seriously damaged. 1935: THOMAS LYNCH and the Norwegian freighter BA collided on a foggy Lake Superior and the former received a hole above the waterline. The saltwater vessel dated from 1921 and was torpedoed and lost in the North Atlantic on July 8, 1941, as c) INGA I. 1942: JACK was torpedoed by U-155 and sunk on the Caribbean while about 100 miles southwest of Port Salut, Haiti. There were 37 lives lost among the 63 reported on board. The ship had been built at Lorain, Ohio, as a) LAKE FRESCO in 1919 and returned inland for package freight service as b) JACK in 1925. 1942: TINDEFJELL came to the Great Lakes for the Fjell Line beginning in 1937. It was taken over by the Germans in April 1941, while at a Norwegian port, and renamed SPERRBRECHER 174 in December. It is reported to have hit a mine and sunk off Dunkirk, France, on this date in 1942. 1982: The tug COMANCHE had an electrical fire while at DeTour, MI, and the blaze destroyed the cabins and pilothouse. The hull was surrendered to the underwriters on June 14 and it later sank while under tow off Ludington on December 12, 1985. 2006: The pilot boat PLACENTIA PILOT was built at Wheatley, ON, in 2000 and left the Great Lakes that December for service at Newfoundland. The ship hit the rocks and had to be beached while trying to put a pilot on the tanker TUVAQ. The ship was listed as a total loss but was salvaged. At last report, it was on a trailer at Port Hawkesbury, NS, pending repairs as b) STRAIT EAGLE. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - May 27
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Green Bay, Wis.
Manistee, Mich. – Gordy Garris
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Rochester, N.Y. – Tom Brewer
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 27 CANADIAN PIONEER (Hull #67) was launched May 27, 1981, at St. Catharines, Ontario, by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. for Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd. She was renamed b.) PIONEER in 1987.NANTICOKE was christened in 1980, for Canada Steamship Lines Ltd. CHARLES DICK (Hull #71) was launched in 1922, at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. for National Sand & Material Co. Ltd. The PETER REISS left Duluth, Minnesota May 27, 1910, on her maiden voyage with iron ore for Ashtabula, Ohio. She was converted to a self-unloader in 1949, and scrapped at Ramey's Bend in 1973. HENRY STEINBRENNER was towed from Toledo's Lakefront Dock in 1994, for the scrap yard at Port Maitland, Ontario. The tug SMITH burned near Bay City, Michigan, on 27 May 1872. Her loss was valued at $7,000 but there was no insurance on her. The ferry SARNIA made her first trip as a carferry between Port Huron and Sarnia on 27 May 1879. She had burned in January 1879, then was converted to a carferry and served in that capacity during the summer. In September, 1879, she was converted to a barge. The tug GORMAN, sunk by the steamer CITY OF BUFFALO was raised. 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. 27 May 1898 - The tug WINSLOW arrived in Bay City, Michigan, from Georgian Bay with a raft of logs for Eddy Bros. & Co. The tug NIAGARA arrived from the same bay with a raft for Pitts & Co. The sawmills along the Saginaw river are now nearly all in operation. 1933 GEORGE M. COX hit Rock of Ages Reef in Lake Superior on its first trip after previous service as PURITAN. The vessel had 121 passengers and freight on board when it struck the reef in the early morning in fog. The ship hung at a precarious angle until all were rescued and then, during an October storm, the vessel slid back into deep water. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, Bowling Green State University, the Detroit Free Press and the Duluth Evening Herald. |
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Emergency order formally bans dropping anchor in Straits Of Mackinac 5/26 - Lansing, Mich. – Governor Rick Snyder has approved six-month ban on ships dropping anchor in the Straits of Mackinac. It’s a response to a mishap in April that caused a mineral oil spill and damage to Enbridge Line 5. There are advisories on maritime maps that say ships shouldn’t drop anchor in the straits, where there’s a risk posed by the Enbridge fuel line and other infrastructure. But it’s not a regulation. In April, a ship dragged an anchor across the bottom of the straits and ruptured a utility line and dented Line 5. “Maritime maps have been marked for some time with the Straits of Mackinac as an advisory to not drop your anchor,” says Snyder Communications Director Ari Adler, “but there’s been no rule or regulation technically prohibiting it, and so this rule now prohibits that.” Adler says the state is trying to get a federal rule adopted by the Coast Guard. “That is taking a little longer than Governor Snyder would like, and, so, in the meantime, he has issued an emergency rule that will help put that prohibition in place,” he says. Adler says the rule can be renewed for another six months, if necessary. Environmental groups say the temporary rule is an improvement. But they also say there are exceptions within the temporary rule for undefined shipping emergencies and ships operating under tribal rules that pose a risk to the Great Lakes. They say that’s a reason why the best move would be to shut down Line 5. A feasibility study is underway on alternatives to Line 5. Michigan Public Radio |
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Toledo railroad bridge shut down for 6 hours 5/26 - Toledo, Ohio – A busy Toledo railroad bridge was shut down for about six hours Friday after a freighter snagged one of its power-supply wires, according to the Norfolk Southern railroad. Jonathan Glass, a railroad spokesman, said the bridge lost power about 1:30 p.m. because of the accident. He identified the vessel involved as the freighter Iryda, which had left a nearby grain elevator shortly before the accident. Glass said the Coast Guard had been notified. Coast Guard staff in Toledo said they had no information about the accident. Trains began running again about 7:30 p.m. after repairs were made, Glass said. Before then, numerous freight trains were stopped at various Toledo-area locations while the bridge was disabled. The bridge, used by scores of trains each day, is part of Norfolk Southern’s main line between Cleveland and Chicago. Toledo Ohio |
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Port Reports - May 26
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Ship that landed on D-Day, then hauled autos, now a museum in Muskegon 5/26 - Muskegon, Mich. – After his ship landed on Omaha Beach at Normandy, sailor Paul Grambsch carefully lowered a tattered American flag to the deck. He rolled up the soiled fabric and tucked it into a sea bag that would be found more than 50 years later, upon his death. That flag saved by the Midwesterner is just one of many artifacts preserved on the World War II ship where it was first hoisted. Next weekend, people will journey to the west coast of Michigan to visit the USS LST 393, which delivered soldiers and tanks to the battle that led to the liberation of Europe and the defeat of Adolf Hitler. The historic USS LST 393 Veterans Museum moored at the Mart Dock in downtown Muskegon on May 13, 2018. The USS LST was one of the vessels present at the landing in 1944 for the D-Day invasion of Omaha Beach. The historic USS LST 393 Veterans Museum moored at the Mart Dock in downtown Muskegon on May 13, 2018. The USS LST was one of the vessels present at the landing in 1944 for the D-Day invasion of Omaha Beach. (Photo: Andraya Croft, Special to the Free Press) The ship, now a museum anchored in Muskegon, is hosting a D-Day commemoration from June 1-2 that includes tours, a dance and military re-enactments. The nonprofit museum is what happens when a little town gets a big idea. The USS LST 393 was restored and transformed by veterans, their families and supporters. In 2017, visitors arrived from 40 states and 13 countries. “People walk around this ship with their mouths open," said John Stephenson, 66, who lives in Sarasota, Fla. and summers in Muskegon. "They see where people slept. And the engine room is so small. You can imagine going to war. This carries you back in time to D-Day.” Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2018/05/24/uss-lst-393-d-day-muskegon/521873002 |
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Hartmann and CSL join forces on newbuild project 5/26 - The CSL Group and Hartmann Family are pleased to announce they have formed a 50/50 joint venture to build and operate a 40,000 DWT gravity self-unloading vessel to trade in Europe. The new ship will be built at Chengxi Shipyard in China and is scheduled for delivery in Germany in 2020. It will service Mibau Stema Group on a long-term charter. The joint venture represents an expansion of existing activities in Europe for both Hartmann and CSL. Hartmann Family is the owner of a fleet of belt self-unloading ships that are chartered to Mibau Stema Group. Mibau Stema Group, a joint venture of Heidelberg Cement AG and Hartmann Family, is the leading supplier of exported aggregates for the construction building industry in Europe. CSL |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 26 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. |
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House urges Corps of Engineers to finish Soo Locks studies quickly 5/25 - Cleveland, Ohio – The Soo Locks’ critical role in the national defense of the United States has prompted the House of Representatives to direct the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to accelerate their project to build a second Poe-sized lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. The Committee on Armed Service’s report on the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (HR5515), which passed the House by an overwhelming majority of 351-66, “urges the Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and all involved executive branch agencies to expedite necessary reviews, analysis, and approvals in order to speed the required upgrades at the Soo Locks.” The committee report notes the Soo Locks are the only waterway connection from Lake Superior to the lower Great Lakes and expresses “concern that of the two current operational locks, only the Poe Lock is large enough to accommodate the 1,000 foot carriers necessary to transport a majority of the iron ore used in domestic steel production … [That] lock is at the end of its 50-year useful lifespan….” Steel is the backbone of national defense and the committee report emphasizes that “a failure at the Soo Locks would have drastic impacts on national security, in that the United States iron mining-integrated steel production-manufacturing supply chain is dependent on the Soo Locks, and there is no redundancy. Indeed, such a failure would cripple steel production that is used for national defense priorities.” In 2017, the Poe Lock handled virtually all of the 39 million tons of iron ore passing through the Soo Locks destined for American steelmakers. The Soo Lock language was sponsored by Cong. Paul Mitchell (R-MI). “Rep. Mitchell has been a tireless advocate for a second Poe-sized lock and Great Lakes shipping in general,” said Jim Weakley, president of Lake Carriers’ Association, the trade association representing U.S.-flag vessels operators on the Great Lakes. “Michigan would be the state hardest hit by a lengthy failure of the Poe Lock. A Department of Homeland Security study determined a 6-month closure of the Poe Lock would push Michigan’s unemployment rate to nearly 23 percent. Nationwide, 11 million Americans would lose their jobs. We must build a second Poe-sized lock as soon as possible.” “I’m proud that my first action on the House Armed Services Committee was reaffirming the national security importance of the Soo Locks,” said Mitchell. “Nearly all domestic iron ore – which is required for certain steel production, a substantial part of our economy and essential for national defense – travels through the Soo Locks. Steel production critical to our nation’s military and millions of American jobs are dependent on the Soo Locks, and there is no redundancy or alternatives to the locks. That’s why I am glad the whole House of Representatives is urging the US Army Corps of Engineers, and all involved executive branch agencies, to expedite necessary reviews, analysis, and approvals in order to speed the required upgrades at the Soo Locks.” Congress authorized construction of a second Poe-sized lock in 1986, but the project stalled due to an inaccurate Corps estimate of its benefits. The Corps has acknowledged that the initial benefits estimate was based on the false premise that the railroads could move the cargo stranded by a failure of the lock and is recalculating it. An Economic Reevaluation Report is expected soon and the updated benefits estimate should enable the project to be funded. President Trump recently pledged his support for a second Poe-sized lock. Speaking to a rally in Washington Township, Michigan, on April 28 Trump stated “The Soo Locks are going to hell. You know that, right? And we’re going to get them fixed up.” Construction of new locks at the Sault Ste. Marie has often been tied to national defense. The now obsolete Davis and Sabin locks were built during World War 1. The MacArthur Lock was constructed at a furious pace to meet demand for iron ore during World War Two and 10,000 troops were stationed at the “Soo” to guard the Locks. Work began on the Poe Lock in 1961, the height of the Cold War. The importance of iron ore to national defense was further underscored when just 10 days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Congress appropriated $8 million of the construction of a near polar-class icebreaker for the Great Lakes. That vessel, the Mackinaw, was launched in 1944 and served the Lakes with distinction until 2006. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Port Reports - May 25
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
Manitowoc, Wis. – Jenson Wetenkamp
Milwaukee, Wis.
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland canal and regional report -Thursday May 24 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo: (Tonawanda)
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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First fuel shipments in a decade leave Port of Milwaukee, raising concerns 5/25 - Milwaukee, Wis. – It's a development that brings a new source of business to the Port of Milwaukee but also raises concerns about environmental threats to the harbor and Lake Michigan: Ethanol is being shipped out of the port this spring — the first time either ethanol or petroleum products have moved out of the port in at least a decade, according to port officials. Appleton-based U.S. Oil loaded its first shipment of 100,000 barrels of ethanol on April 30 — a barge bound for Canada from a newly refurbished liquid cargo pier that juts 2,000 feet into the harbor, in the shadow of the Hoan Bridge. The $3.6 million upgrade to the pier — subsidized with a $2.9 million state harbor assistance grant — has the capability to move ethanol and petroleum products, including crude oil. The pier's gleaming white pipelines are connected to U.S. Oil's storage tanks and facilities on Jones Island where liquid petroleum gas, or LPG, is also stored. The company's lease agreement with the port also allows for construction of a plant that scraps old tires and converts them into energy. The startup of ethanol shipments — and the possibility that petroleum products could follow — worries environmental groups. So does the tire plant. "Is this what we want for our port, and our lakes?" asked Eric Hansen of the local chapter of the Citizens Acting for Rail Safety, a Midwest group that is tracking rail shipments of crude oil, some of which moves through Milwaukee. Crude oil is currently not shipped over the Great Lakes, although some crude moves through the St. Lawrence Seaway, according to experts. There is also growing attention being paid to the integrity of an oil pipeline under the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan that is owned by Enbridge Inc., which also operates a pipeline system in Wisconsin. U.S. Oil is a subsidiary of U.S. Venture, a privately held distributor of oil, ethanol, lubricants, tires and auto parts. At one time, the company had entertained plans to ship crude on the lakes. But a company spokeswoman said that it no longer has such plans; and in fact, the city amended its lease agreement with U.S.Venture in September prohibiting crude oil storage or shipping at the port. "We thought that was a big win," said Cheryl Nenn of Milwaukee Riverkeeper, an environmental group. "But ethanol is a new potential source of pollution and we want to make sure that all precautions are taken." U.S. Venture's Alison Fiebig said the company has no plans to move LPG over the lake. She also said there are no current plans for a tire-to-energy facility along Milwaukee's lakefront. The company's interest, she said, is shipping ethanol safely over the Great Lakes to Ontario and Quebec, where domestic supplies can't meet demand for renewable fuel additives to gasoline. About 16% of the 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol exported in 2017 moved through Great Lakes ports, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. "What is oftentimes overlooked is that we are helping Wisconsin corn growers when it comes to ethanol and that’s a really great story — to help them be more competitive by transporting some of the corn crop to Canada," Fiebig said. The company has shipped ethanol over the lakes from the port of Green Bay for six years without incident, she said, a mode of transport that limits the number of ethanol-laden trucks on freeways. In the event of an accident, ethanol quickly mixes in the lake. The environmental threat is loss of oxygen in water where the spill occurs. A 2011 report by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality also indicated that ethanol can still be flammable in water. The immediate response: Control the spill, guard water intake pipes and protect fish and birds in near-shore areas, said Lieutenant Commander Bryan Swintek of the U.S. Coast Guard in Milwaukee. He said U.S. Oil was required to file a response plan with the Coast Guard, and identify contractors who can respond immediately to an accident. "They have a very robust response plan," Swintek said. "Clearly, they want to make sure they are operating in a safe manner." Hansen, the environmentalist, said he still has questions. "We see safety plans that everybody says works well, and then one day they don't work so well," he said. Hansen does not believe there is enough known about oversight of such shipments, whether there are protocols during inclement weather and what the company's long-term plans are for Jones Island. Fiebig said her company expects to make three to seven shipments to Canada a year. "Not very frequently," she said. That could change. A Canadian expert, who in a study last year mapped environmentally risky areas from petroleum shipments, said he foresees increased petroleum shipping of all kinds on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. "When we look at the trends, we see increased activity," said Jerome Marty, a biologist and project director at the Council of Canadian Academies. "Quebec Province is putting together a maritime strategy to use the St. Lawrence more than it has," Marty said. "It's really an important highway to connect to the Atlantic." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 25 On 25 May 1889, JAMES GARRETT (3-mast wooden schooner, 138 foot, 266 gross tons, built in 1868, at Sheboygan, Wisconsin) was driven ashore at Whitefish Bay near Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on Lake Michigan in a gale. She was pounded to pieces by the end of the month. No lives were lost.On May 25, 1898, PRESQUE ISLE (Hull#30) was launched at the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company in Cleveland, Ohio. The vessel is much better known as the cement carrier E.M. FORD, recently scrapped. May 25, 1941: The former Pere Marquette carferry PERE MARQUETTE 17 was re-christened CITY OF PETOSKEY. The wooden schooner J C DAUN was in her first year of service when she encountered a squall in Lake Erie on 25 May 1847, and she capsized five miles off Conneaut, Ohio. Four of the 11 on board were able to make it to her upturned keel, but one of them died of exposure during the night. In the morning, the schooner UNCLE SAM rescued the three remaining survivors. Later the steamer SARATOGA found the DAUN floating upside down, fully rigged with the bodies of some of the crew still lashed to the rigging. The DAUN was righted a few days later and towed in by the schooner D SMART. On 25 May 1854, DETROIT (wooden side-wheeler, 157 foot, 354 tons, built in 1846, at Newport, Michigan) was sailing from Detroit to Chicago with two lumber scows in tow. On Lake Huron, she collided with the bark NUCLEUS in heavy fog and sank. The exact location (15 miles off Pointe aux Barques) was not known until the wreck was discovered in 200 feet of water on 5 June 1994, by Dave Trotter and his determined divers. 1906: HOWARD L. SHAW was in an unusual accident and passed between the cable of the CORALIA and her barge MAIA, raking the top of the pilothouse, deck, stack and spars before the ship went aground. The hull of HOWARD L. SHAW survives today as a breakwall at Toronto. 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. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history |
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Port Reports - May 24
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
North Channel
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Marine City, Mich. – Rod Burdick
Pelee Island – Frank Hood Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday May 23 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Great Lakes chefs keep crews happy with freighter fare 5/24 - Steaks sizzling on an open-air grill against the rolling backdrop of Lake Superior. Delicate strawberry shortcakes stacked three biscuits high. A recipe from home carefully recreated below deck, just to make your week a little brighter. Freighters that crisscross the Great Lakes carry more than 100 million tons of cargo each year. Keeping their hardworking crews happy has a lot to do with the talented chief stewards and cooks who keep a seemingly endless stream of meals, snacks and baked goods flowing from the galleys. "They can eat 24 hours a day if they want to," said Aaron Griffin, chief steward aboard the 826-foot Lee A. Tregurtha, which is run by the Interlake Steamship Company. "You've got to keep them happy. That's the main part of my job is to keep the crew happy." Think of a ship's galley and eating area as your favorite corner diner, where all the customers are regulars and they're all on a first-name basis. The cooks know just how everyone likes their burgers, which vegetables they'll eye for seconds, and even the late-night snacks a few are trying hard to avoid. But this floating restaurant is rolling along on lakes Huron, Michigan, Superior and the rest. Groceries have to be ordered ahead from marine supply companies, sometimes delivered by a ship-to-ship crane. And grilling topside might mean having to pull on long underwear first. For the culinary creators who work on Interlake's fleet of nine Great Lakes ships, this juggling act is typically done on a schedule of 60 to 90 days on ship, and 30 days off. Read more and view photos at this link: http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/05/great_lakes_chefs_keep_freight.html |
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Erie Canal fans not ready to give up the ships 5/24 - The tug Reliable, built during the Great Depression in Syracuse and an enduring symbol of the brawny toil of state canal workers, was unceremoniously hauled down the Hudson River by barge last week en route to an ignoble burial at sea. Maritime historians, who love old tugs with an affection some reserve for retrievers, are shocked at the shabby treatment of Reliable and other cast-off canal vessels scheduled to be sunk for Gov. Andrew Cuomo's artificial reef project off Long Island. "A lot of us were appalled watching the Reliable hauled down the river. It is being done so quickly and without time to weigh other options," said Craig Williams, a retired State Museum senior historian and a board member of the Canal Society of New York State. Williams documented the final journey of Reliable with photographs and video and said the sight "made me sick to my stomach." He commiserated along the shoreline with a retired canal worker who was moved to tears watching the old tug taken away. "It's terribly emotional for those of us who love these old vessels," Williams said. Williams spearheaded an effort to save the 1921 Day Peckinpaugh, a 259-foot bulk cargo carrier and the last survivor of more than 100 similar motorships that carried pig iron, wheat, sugar, rye and cement across the Great Lakes and along the Barge Canal to New York City. The ship was purchased in 2005 by the State Museum and a coalition of not-for-profit organizations as a floating museum to highlight the history of the Erie Canal. It is docked in Cohoes but it, too, is in danger of being added to the list of vessels slated to be sunk for the artificial reefs due to maintenance costs, according to Williams. Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Canal-fans-not-ready-to-give-up-the-ships-12935559.php#photo-7990374 |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 24 On 24 May 1872, the wooden schooner SAM ROBINSON was carrying corn from Chicago, Illinois, to Kingston, Ontario, in dense fog on Lake Michigan. At 7:30 a.m. the propeller MANISTEE collided with the schooner and almost cut her in two amidships. When the MANISTEE backed away, the schooner went over on its starboard side and its masts smashed the MANISTEE's pilothouse and cabins. Luckily the ROBINSON's crew launched their lifeboat before the schooner sank and they were picked up by the MANISTEE and taken to Milwaukee.In 1980, the 1,000-foot BURNS HARBOR was christened for the Wilmington Trust Co., (Bethlehem Steel Co., Mgr.) Wilmington, Delaware. CANADIAN OLYMPIC (Hull#60) was launched in 1976, at St. Catharines, Ontario by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. for Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd. CHICAGO TRADER arrived at Ashtabula, Ohio on May 24, 1977, for scrapping (scrapping did not begin until May 1, 1978, by Triad Salvage Inc.). CLIFFS VICTORY set a record (by 2 minutes) for the fastest time from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to Duluth, Minnesota, in 1953. She logged a time of 17 hours and 50 minutes. The CHARLES M. WHITE had been declared the fastest earlier that year by the Cleveland papers. ALEXANDER B. MOORE was launched at Bangor, Michigan, on 24 May 1873. She was built by Theophilus Boston at a cost of $85,000. She was 247 foot overall, 223 foot keel and could carry 70,000 bushels of grain. Although designed as a 4-mast schooner, she was built as a 3-master. The fourth mast was added two years later. On 24 May 1875, the schooner NINA was bound from Michael's Bay to Goderich, Ontario, when she sprang a leak and went down in mid-lake. Her crew escaped in the yawl, but was adrift on Lake Huron for two days and two nights with only one loaf of bread to divide among themselves. 1953: The TERNEFJELL of 1948 first came to the Great Lakes that year for the Fjell Line and made 17 inland voyages through 1953. It sank on this date off Start Point in the English Channel following a collision with the DOTTERELL. 1980: LAKE WINNIPEG struck the breakwall at Duluth departing with a cargo of grain, and stranded the next day in the St. Marys River near Detour Village, after a steering gear problem. 1982: CORONADO visited the Great Lakes in 1972 and returned as c) HOLSTENBURG in 1974. It went aground on this date in 1982 as e) ARISTEA T. in the eastern Mediterranean enroute from Port Sudan, Sudan, to Lisbon, Portugal. The ship was refloated on June 6 but deemed a total loss and, on November 2, 1982, was scuttled off Pylos, Greece. 1983: LAKE NIPIGON went aground off Port Colborne following a power failure and was released the next day with bow and bottom damage. The ship was repaired at Montreal. 2005: SEAPRINCESS II first came through the Seaway in 1988 and returned as c) SEARANGER II in 1994. It ran aground as e) STARLUCK off Necochea, Argentina, and about 7,000 tons of wheat had to be removed before the ship floated free. Later in the year, the vessel was sold for scrap and it arrived at Chittagong, Bangladesh, for dismantling on November 21, 2005. Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Pilot error cited in tanker’s near miss with Port Huron boardwalk 5/23 - Port Huron, Mich. – The president of a shipping company said the fisherman who captured a freighter heading toward the Port Huron boardwalk wasn't the only one rather excited Monday night. "The crew on board were excited," said Brian Ritchie, president of Rigel Shipping. Port Huron resident Chad Rickert posted the video on Facebook, showing him quickly moving his fishing gear before fleeing from the railing as the lights of the freighter moved closer. The video had more than 41,000 views as of shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday. Rickert could not be immediately reached for comment. Ritchie said the captain of the Jana Desgagnes provided the ship managing company with a full report. He said a pilot was aboard the vessel when an incorrect command was given out to go to port when it should have been starboard. Ritchie said the captain was on the bridge and quickly corrected the error. "We can't deny it was what we call a near miss," Ritchie said. "It was a close call and we don't like those." He said the pilot who made the error had been on the vessel before. "What's puzzling about the whole thing is, as far as we're concerned, the pilot is a very competent pilot," Ritchie said. He said the vessel is carrying clean refined oil and heading to Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay, Ont. Dan Gallagher, president of Lakes Pilots Associaion, said they did not have a pilot aboard the vessel. He said it is possible it was a Canadian pilot. Port Huron Times Herald |
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Erie’s 2nd tall ship en route to city 5/23 - Erie, Pa. – Erie’s second tall ship will soon be in port following what amounts to a 1,800-mile shakedown voyage to Erie from the vessel’s New York City home. Within the next week, expect to see the fishing schooner Lettie G. Howard, owned by the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City, berthed next to the U.S. Brig Niagara behind the Erie Maritime Museum. The twin-masted schooner, built in 1893 in Essex, Massachusetts, will offer public days sails and school-day sails when the Niagara is away on its Great Lakes summer sail-training schedule this year and next. A collaboration with the South Street Seaport Museum will allow the Flagship Niagara League to operate the Lettie G. Howard with Niagara crew. Flagship Niagara League Executive Director and Fleet Captain Billy Sabatini expects the Lettie G. Howard to arrive in Erie by Memorial Day. Public day sails are scheduled to start June 15 and will go daily through summer. School-day sails will start in September. The Lettie can carry a maximum of 37 passengers, including children under 12 as long as they weigh more than 33 pounds. Starting on June 15, two public day sails will be scheduled daily Monday through Thursday. There will be three public day sails on Fridays, five on Saturdays and four on Sundays. A daily sunset sail is scheduled, and the vessel also will offer private sails. GoErie.com |
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Port Reports - May 23
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Port Inland, Mich.
Manitowoc, Wis. Welland canal and regional report - Tuesday May 22 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Welland canal docks:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Museum ship Keewatin to remain in Port McNicoll 5/23 - Port McNicoll, Ont. – Eric Conroy says Owen Sound's inner harbor would have been a “perfect” home for the refurbished S.S. Keewatin, the Edwardian-era steamship-turned-museum that originally operated out of the local port. “I would have loved to see it happen,” the president and CEO of Friends of the Keewatin said Tuesday. “The site right outside of the heritage railway station; the work's all done, the dock is there, the gardens are there. We wouldn't have had to spend a penny. We could have just pulled up, tied up and gone to work. “And the people in Owen Sound – there's a great, built-in organization in terms of volunteers there. Bringing it back to its home base – if I had to leave Port McNicoll – that would be the place I'd want to take it.” But Conroy, who spent this past winter trying to secure a new location for the 111-year-old passenger vessel, said he's also relieved that a deal has been struck that, if awarded final approval, will allow the ship to remain in Port McNicoll. The agreement would mean the Friends' group could continue operating the ship as a museum in the same spot where it spent more than a million dollars last year to build a dock and park to support the vessel as a tourist attraction. “And now I won't have to move the ship. Even though it's a short ride up to Owen Sound, every time you take that thing on the open water, there's a risk involved,” Conroy said. “The other huge thing is the volunteers here. It is what it is because of the people here that made it what it is. The fact that it's going to stay here, I think is fabulous for them.” The S.S. Keewatin was built in Scotland in 1907 in the same Edwardian tradition as the RMS Titanic. The luxury liner was owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway and she and her sister ship, the S.S. Assiniboia, joined three other vessels at their home port in Owen Sound to transport passengers, freight and mail between here and Fort William, now part of Thunder Bay. The ships provided an important link between CPR railway lines in southern Ontario and the top of the Great Lakes. The CPR fleet, including the Keewatin, moved to Port McNicoll after the CPR grain elevator in Owen Sound burned down in December 1911. The Keewatin was decommissioned in 1965. It was then destined to be scrapped, but was saved in 1967 by an American marina owner who purchased her, towed her to Saugatuck, Mich., and established the ship as a maritime museum. Skyline International bought the ship in 2011, made her seaworthy and towed her back to Port McNicoll in 2012. The company intended to incorporate the Keewatin into its plan to develop an 11-kilometre piece of shoreline in Port McNicoll into a community with hundreds of homes, a yacht club, marina, retail shops and entertainment facilities. However, Skyline ended up doing little with the property and sold it last spring to a partnership that includes CIM International. The reported $42-million sale did not include the Keewatin, which forced Skyline and the Friends' group – established in 2012 to save, restore and operate the ship as a museum – to begin searching for a new home for the historic vessel. Conroy told The Sun Times in January that Skyline's first choice for the new location was Midland due to its proximity to Port McNicoll. If that plan didn't work out, the company intended to explore other options, such as moving the ship to Owen Sound, he said. Friends of Keewatin, on behalf of Skyline Investments, presented Midland council with a proposal in late February that would have seen the town receive the vessel and its contents at no cost in exchange for Skyline receiving a federal tax receipt from Midland for the fair market value of the ship, appraised at $48 million. Skyline also offered to fund relocation and renovation costs and ensure the ship didn't operate at a loss for a decade. Midland council didn't accept the offer before a March 19 deadline set by Skyline, saying it needed more time to complete its due diligence. Conroy said while exploring options for the Keewatin's new home, he made a few trips to Owen Sound to give talks on the ship. He was a guest lecturer for the Bluewater Association for Lifelong Learning in December and guest speaker May 1 at the annual general meeting for the Community Waterfront Heritage Centre, which operates a marine and rail museum in the former Canadian National train station on Owen Sound's inner harbour. Conroy said he never heard back from anyone in Owen Sound who was interested in working with the Friends' group to relocate the ship to the Scenic City. He said since his most recent visit to Owen Sound, CIM International has presented Skyline with an offer to acquire the vessel and keep it in Port McNicoll. “They were the ones that said they didn't want the Keewatin and that's what set the whole thing off in the first place,” Conroy said. “But, you see, they weren't from here. They didn't even know what Georgian Bay was. They're from China, mainland China. But over the last six months, I guess they've done research and now realize (the Keewatin) is something they shouldn't let go of and so they came back to us last week with a substantial offer to stay.” He said he expects Skyline will accept the proposal. “The offer is to provide the property, financial support and involvement,” he said. “This is more along the lines of doing what Skyline was going to do – tying it into the marketing of the homes. So they'll be a marketing partner, plus.” The offer must still be signed by Skyline, he said, and ratified by Tay Township since the vessel would remain docked at a township park. Owen Sound Sun Times |
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National Maritime Day celebrates the benefits of waterborne transportation 5/23 - The maritime industry is the lifeblood of United States trade, delivering goods throughout North America and around the world. National Maritime Day, Tuesday, May 22, 2018, recognizes the benefits the maritime industry provides in the U.S. and celebrates those who work on the water. Members of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway shipping industry are among those celebrating National Maritime Day. “National Maritime Day is an opportunity for all to take a moment to appreciate those who work in the marine industry, who protect our waters and deliver resources across the globe,” said Chamber President Bruce Burrows. “The Chamber of Marine Commerce is proud to work with these organizations and individuals every day.” Great Lakes-Seaway ships deliver 164 million metric tons of materials every year for North American businesses. This cargo supports 130,000 jobs in the United States and the successful operations of the country’s mining, steel, manufacturing, agricultural, energy and construction sectors. But the benefits go far beyond economic security and job creation. Marine transport alleviates congested roadways, lowers the risk of accidents and reduces the country’s carbon and air emissions. Shipping is the safest mode of transportation, for both the public and individuals working in the industry. Shipping is about seven times more fuel-efficient than trucks and trains, and has the smallest carbon footprint. (Source: Environmental and Social Impacts of Marine Transport in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway region, Research and Traffic Group.) In North America, marine transportation on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway provides $3.6 billion in annual transportation cost savings, compared to the all-land transportation alternative. This enhances the global competitiveness of North American products and industries and keeps the cost of consumer goods down. The Chamber of Marine Commerce |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 23 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. |
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Port Reports - May 22
Duluth/Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Port Inland, Mich.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Southern Lake Michigan
Alpena, Mich. – Ben & Chanda McClain
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Detroit, Mich.
Toledo, Ohio Welland canal and regional report - Monday May 21 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Clarkson: |
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Bridge-it: Port Robinson ferry returns to Welland Canal channel 5/22 - Port Robinson, Ont. – On quiet days, Rick Giammattolla has time to get out his fishing pole while sitting in a "nice comfortable chair" along the canal bank. It can be a laid-back job for the retired banker who spends the summer months at the helm of Bridge-it, the aluminum pontoon boat that carries passengers across the Welland Canal in Port Robinson. "I do have a fishing pole. I do fish here when there are no passengers," says Giammattolla, who retired from a career in the banking industry a few years ago. But as the summer nears, Giammattolla suspects that his fishing pole will remain tucked away more often than not. Despite a rainy start to the season on Saturday, about 20 passengers climbed aboard Bridge-it for the first ferry rides of the season. And Sunday, cyclists arrived by the dozens to enjoy the free ride across the waterway. On a typical day, Giammattolla says as many as 75 passengers will cross the canal aboard Bridge-it, and as many as 150 per day on weekends. About 80 per cent of them are cyclists. The ferry service — that began 1977 to replace the Port Robinson lift bridge that was reduced to a pile of twisted metal in a collision with the Steelton cargo ship three years earlier — has become an integral part of cycling along Niagara's trails over the decades, drawing cyclists from throughout the region. "We've had days where there have been well over 300, the day the Freewheelers had a Bridge-it promotional day, and all of their riders and friends were encouraged to come down and go for a ride. We had 336 (passengers) that day," Giammattolla says, referring to the St. Catharines-based Niagara Freewheelers Bicycle Touring Club. The ferry's fame has even reached beyond Niagara's borders too, attracting a growing number of people from other parts of the province. Giammattolla recalled crossing the canal with a cyclist from Ottawa last summer, who told him he travelled to Niagara specifically to experience the ferry ride. Meanwhile, shops on the far side of the canal have started posting advertisements beside Bridge-it's dock hoping to lure customers over for an ice-cream cone or a cold beer, leveraging the fame of the only active ferry service on the canal. But in addition to the increasing number of cyclists using the ferry, Giammattolla suspects there might soon be an increase in local users, too — as a result of a huge residential development, a little more than a kilometre away. Services and roads have been added to the Empire Legacy subdivision, and the first of more than 1,000 townhouses and single-detached homes planned for the site have been built. In years to come, when people start moving in to those homes, "you're going to need a bigger boat," Giammattolla says, snagging a famous line from Jaws. It's Giammattolla's second season at the helm of Bridge-it — offering rides daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. until the end of August, and then from 9 a.m. until dusk throughout September and October. But even when the canal is frozen over during the winter months, Giammattolla doesn't stray far from his love for boating. "I've always been in love with the water and boating," he says. "I spend the winter on a boat in the Bahamas, and I spend the summer here." Rides on Bridge-it are free, with funding shared by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. and other nearby entities. Last year the ferry and its two docks were upgraded to allow people with disabilities to take advantage of the service. The St. Catharines Standard |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 22 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. |
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Port Reports - May 21
Duluth/Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Port Inland, Mich.
Green Bay, Wis.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Southern Lake Michigan
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Alpena, Mich. – Ben & Chanda McClain
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, Ohio Welland canal and regional report - Sunday May 20 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, N.Y. – Tom Brewer |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 21 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. |
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Port Reports - May 20
Duluth/Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Port Inland, Mich.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Southern Lake Michigan
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Calcite, Mich.
Stoneport, Mich.
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, Ohio
Fairport, Ohio Welland canal and regional report - Saturday May 19 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Porthole restoration brings Lake Michigan breeze back to historic lighthouse 5/20 - Ludington, Mich. – A Michigan lighthouse is getting an update that will allow visitors to better experience the historic structure. The Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association is in the process of restoring 14 portholes that adorn the 57-foot Ludington North Breakwater Light on Lake Michigan. The original, circular windows, installed when the lighthouse was first lit in 1924, had begun to leak and been painted over several times, making them inoperable. Furthermore, the glass or Plexiglass in some cases, had become so weather damaged that guests who visited the light in the summer months couldn't see out of them, depriving visitors of a majestic view of Lake Michigan and Pere Marquette Harbor. Prior to the restoration, only one of the 14 portholes would open "The portholes are an integral part of the lighthouse," said SPLKA Executive Director Peter Manting. "This work will make it a lot more comfortable and allow guests to see out of them. Now they can take their camera and take photos of what's passing by the porthole. Plus, we can open them up and get a breeze in the lighthouse." Read more and view photos at this link: http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/05/porthole_restoration_project_b.html |
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Chicago Coast Guard hosts training seminar to discuss illegal boating on Great Lakes 5/20 - Chicago, Ill. – Chicago Coast Guard units hosted a week-long training seminar for Coast Guard stations, prevention departments and intelligence divisions from around the Great Lakes region to discuss the topic of illegal passenger vessel operations. Boarding officers, intelligence officers, marine inspectors and marine investigators from as far away as Michigan, Wisconsin and New York received training on topics that included public outreach and education, how to recognize potential illegal charter vessels, boarding procedures, and Coast Guard regulations. Speakers from Illinois Department of Natural Resources also shared best practices from last summer when the Coast Guard, in coordination with IDNR, terminated the voyages of 22 vessels for conducting illegal charter operations on Lake Michigan and the Illinois River near Starved Rock. “Operators of vessels who are unlicensed and transporting paying passengers put those passengers and other boaters as risk,” said Cmdr. Zeita Merchant, commanding officer of Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Chicago. “Our goal is to educate vessel operators and the public about the concerns, consequences and dangers of this issue. We’re also here to help those vessel operators who are unaware they are operating illegally and who want to come into compliance.” Coast Guard and IDNR will be patrolling the Chicago area waterways this summer, keeping the waterways safe by enforcing federal and state boating regulations. USCG |
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Updates - May 20 Saltie Gallery updated with pictures of the Adfines Sky, Beatrix, Cape Dawson, Drawsko, Federal Caribou, Federal Clyde, Federal Danube, Federal Hunter, Federal Katsura, Federal Kivalina, Kitikmeot W, Lubie, Pochard S, Sloman Hermes and Vancouverborg |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 20 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. |
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American Victory moved to Fraser Shipyard in preparation for scrapping 5/19 - Superior, Wis. – The first leg of the scrap tow for the long-idle American Victory began Friday morning when the tugs Kentucky and Arkansas moved her from the old NP ore dock over to Fraser Shipyards in Superior, reportedly to have its unloading boom removed. Once that work is done, it is expected she will be towed down the lakes and eventually overseas for scrapping. |
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Port Reports - May 19
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Port Inland, Mich.
Muskegon, Mich.
Milwaukee, Wis.
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Calcite, Mich.
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Sarnia, Ont. – Brad Kelch
Welland canal and regional report for Friday May 18 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, N.Y. – Tom Brewer |
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Help wanted: Ordinary Seaman / Deckhand (Entry Level) 5/19 - Grand River Navigation Company is the U.S. operating subsidiary of Rand Logistics Corporation. Together with our Canadian sister company, Lower Lakes Towing Ltd., we are one of the largest marine transportation service providers operating on the Great Lakes today with a combined fleet of 15 bulk freight vessels in service to over 50 customers across the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. Our company has immediate openings for the position of deckhand aboard our US flagged self-unloading vessels.
Responsibilities
Why Choose Grand River Navigation? Job Type: Permanent
VIA Mail: Human Resources Department VIA email: humanresources@grnavigation.com |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 19 On 19 May 1894, LORETTA (wooden propeller freighter, 140 foot, 395 gross tons, built in 1892, at Sebewaing, Michigan as a schooner) was driven ashore near the mouth of the Au Sable River at Oscoda, Michigan in a terrible gale. She was heavily damaged but the crew was rescued. She was salvaged and put back in service but only lasted for two more years when she burned.SIR THOMAS SHAUGHNESSY (Hull#164) was launched May 19, 1906 at Wyandotte, Michigan by Detroit Ship Building Co. for the National Steamship Co. She was scrapped at Castellon, Spain in 1969. On May 19, 1973, the whaleback tanker METEOR was moved from the Pipeline Tankers dock to a permanent berth on Barkers Island at Superior, Wisconsin to serve as a museum ship. B.F. JONES and EDWARD S. KENDRICK, towed by the Polish tug KORAL, arrived for scrapping at Castellon, Spain, near Barcelona on the Mediterranean Sea, on May 19, 1973, a trip of over 4,000 miles. The LAKE WINNIPEG in tow of the tug IRVING CEDAR arrived in Portugal on May 19, 1985. She was the largest Canadian laker and the first Seaway-sized ship, as of that date, to be scrapped. On 19 May 1835, PARROTT (wooden 2-mast schooner, 43 foot, 20 tons, built in 1834, at Ashtabula, Ohio) sailed for Detroit, Michigan carrying iron, glass, whiskey, and hogs on deck. She never made it. The following day, west of Ashtabula, many of the hogs swam ashore and later a lot of gear from the boat drifted to the beach. No storm was mentioned and all six onboard lost their lives. She had been enrolled to a new owner the day before she set sail. On 19 May 1876, the Port Huron Times reported that Capt. Alexander McDougall, formerly master of the steamer JAPAN, had built a large steam fish boat named SASKIWIT at Buffalo during the winter and was then sailing from there to Marquette, Michigan. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Salties delayed by labor dispute leave Toledo cargo dock 5/18 - Toledo, Ohio - – Two of three ships delayed at the Port of Toledo by a labor dispute left the dock Wednesday after the U.S. Coast Guard approved a plan to use tugboats to pull the ships into open water, rather than relying on harbor pilots whose refusal to cross a longshoremen picket line had led to the bottleneck. (Editor’s Note: A third vessel, Reggeborg, departed after this article was posted.) Montreal-based Fednav, which owns the freighters Federal Champlain and Federal Kumano, initially sought a waiver from the Coast Guard that would have allowed the company to maneuver its ships away from the docks without the assistance of a pilot. That request was denied. But Coast Guard spokesman Lorne Thomas said a second request to use tugboats to pull the ships about 500 feet away from the dock and then deliver pilots to the vessels so they could continue their voyages to their next ports was given the OK. “That was safe and a legal approach, so we did not object to that plan,” Mr. Thomas told The Blade. The Champlain had been delayed for about 10 days, and the Kumano for a shorter time, when the pilots — required by regulation to guide overseas vessels through unfamiliar harbors and channels — refused to cross a picket line set up by International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1982. The union has been engaged in a long-running dispute with Midwest Terminals of Toledo International, the stevedore company operating the dock under contract with the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. Keeping the ships tied up there had been seen by the union as a key bargaining chip in its battle with Midwest. Union officials have said the delay could cost the shipping companies and the terminal tens of thousands of dollars a day. Local 1982 and Midwest have been embroiled in a long-standing and complex conflict laced with allegations of racial discrimination and unfair labor practices. Having received decertification petitions from a majority of Local 1982’s members, the company no longer officially recognizes the union, while the union has challenged those petitions as the product of Midwest’s allegedly unfair practices. William Yockey, trustee of Local 1982, expressed frustration with the Coast Guard on Wednesday, suggesting it had broken rules that require it to stay out of labor disputes. "We're very disappointed that the 9th Coast Guard District intervened in a labor dispute to let these ships go off the dock without a pilot,” he said. Though the tug operators who moved the freighters also are represented by a union, Mr. Yockey said there were no provisions in their contract that allow them to refuse to cross another union’s picket. Once the Federal Champlain and Federal Kumano were out in the harbor, Mr. Yockey said the pilots were “duty bound” to take the ship. The freighter Reggeborg, another ship affected by the pilots’ refusal to pass the picket line, remained at the port authority dock Wednesday, though Mr. Thomas said the Reggeborg’s owner was working on a plan similar to that of Fednav to get its ship free. Alex Johnson, president of Midwest Terminals, said his company was unaware of arrangements Fednav had made for its ships to depart other than receiving notice that dock workers were needed to assist them in doing so. Marc Gagnon, director of government affairs for Fednav said the company had advised its owner, Royal Wagenborg of The Netherlands, of the means it had used to move its ships. An inquiry to Royal Wagenborg yielded no response by Tuesday evening. The Fednav spokesman said his company was still calculating its costs associated with the incident, which included hiring a tug to come from Cleveland to assist with the departure maneuver as well as the value of the two ships’ lost time. But it was, he said, “an extremely expensive delay for something that is not our case,” and until the specter of similar delay is lifted, Fednav will have to think carefully before booking any cargoes to or from the Midwest-managed dock. “I think it’s fair to say every ship owner will hesitate” to serve that part of the Toledo port, Mr. Gagnon said. While the Kumano headed downriver toward Maumee Bay and its next call in Sarnia, Ont., the Champlain sailed up the Maumee River to the ADM grain elevator on Miami Street, where it was to take on a soybean cargo destined for Italy, Mr. Gagnon said. Toledo Blade |
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Port Reports - May 18
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Owen Sound, Ont. – Paul Martin
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland canal and regional report for Thursday May 17 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Amazing sunsets, Great Lakes scenery captured by Coast Guard crews 5/18 - Some gorgeous images of sunrises, colorful sunsets and big-water scenes have been flowing out from the U.S. Coast Guard crews plying the Great Lakes this spring. As the boats that traverse lakes Michigan, Huron, Superior and Erie have been switching over from ice-breaking duties to working on the big navigational buoys in the last month, those aboard have been getting some great photographs and sharing them on social media. These little nautical gems give us a glimpse into places many of us landlubbers will never get to see. We're sharing a few of them here, with thanks to the Coast Guard members who framed such great shots. For Petty Officer First Class Tom Westfall, the sunrise-to-sunset views aboard the 225-foot U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alder is never something he takes for granted. He grew up amid the mountains of West Virginia, and later marveled at the expanse of Middle East desert when deployed overseas. But it's the Great Lakes he considers his home now - and it's a sight that never gets old. "The Great Lakes have the best sunsets," said Westfall, who manages the Alder's Facebook page and takes many of the pictures featured there. "Just about every sunset or sunrise is about as good as it gets on the lakes." Westfall, 35, has been in the Coast Guard for 14 years. He served for three years on the Hollyhock, another Coast Guard cutter, and expects to serve four on the Alder. The Alder, nicknamed "King of the Waters," is based in Duluth, Minn. It spends much of its time working in Lake Superior. Westfall also likes using his pictures to keep the crews' families in touch when their loved ones are far away. He manages a Facebook page just for the Alder's 50 families, and is always happy to see when parents and siblings like the photos and follow along on their adventures. "I like to share the views that no one else has." View the images at this link: https://www.mlive.com/expo/erry-2018/05/45b622358d4336/coast_guard_crews_capture_amaz.html |
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Coast Guard units to host free and open to the public events 5/18 - Cleveland, Ohio – Several U.S. Coast Guard stations on the Great Lakes are scheduled to host free events for the public this weekend and in the coming weeks. Some of the events will be open houses and will allow the public to tour the station, learn about the crews, equipment and missions of the Coast Guard on the Great Lakes. These events will coincide with the start of National Safe Boating Week, May 19-25. • Coast Guard Station Oswego will be assisting Oswego Fire Department Friday at Wrights Landing Marina in Oswego New York. In support of National Safe Boating Week, Coast Guard Station Oswego will attend with Coast Guard Auxiliary 2-4. Everyone is invited to come meet the crew, and hear about the importance of boater safety and proper life jacket use. When: May 18, 2018 - 11 a.m. to noon. Contact: (315) 343-1551 • Open House Where: Coast Guard Station Fairport, 2 Coast Guard Rd., Fairport, OH 44057 When: May 19, 2018 - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact: (440) 352-3112 • Open House Where: Coast Guard Station Saginaw River, 2405 Weadock Hwy, Essexville, MI 48732 When: May 19, 2018 - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact: (989) 892-7009 • Open House Where: Coast Guard Station Erie, 1 Coast Guard Rd., Erie, PA 16505 When: May 20, 2018 - noon to 4 p.m. Contact: (814) 838-2097 • Coast Guard Auxiliary Boating Safety Class. The Auxiliary "About Boating Safety" certification and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources safe boating certificate programs will be covered. Where: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, 225 East Spruce Street, St. Charles, MI 48655 When: June 9, 2018 - 8 a.m. into the afternoon. Contact: Commodore Mark Simoni, (989) 239-4731. To find a National Safe Boating Week event near you, visit: http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/ready-set-wear-it USCG |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 18 On 18 May 1872, the 3-mast wooden schooner MARQUETTE was holed in northern Lake Huron by a floating log. The crew manned the hand-operated bilge pumps but could not keep up with the incoming water. The steamer ANNIE YOUNG took the MARQUETTE in tow even though she was sinking and headed for Cheboygan, Michigan. During the tow, the schooner stopped sinking and arrived in port no lower in the water than she had been earlier. An investigation revealed that a large fish got caught in the hole and plugged it.The WILLIAM C. ATWATER departed Sandusky, Ohio May 18, 1925, on her maiden voyage loaded with coal bound for Duluth, Minnesota. She was the first freighter on the Great Lakes equipped with a gyro compass. She was renamed b.) E. J. KULAS in 1936, c.) BEN MOREELL in 1953, d.) THOMAS E MILLSOP in 1955, e.) E. J. NEWBERRY in 1976, and f.) CEDARGLEN in 1982. She was scrapped at Port Maitland, Ontario in 1994. Bethlehem Steel's steamer JOHNSTOWN cleared Erie May 18, 1985, for Quebec City under tow bound for Spain for scrapping. This vessel was the first post-war built U.S. laker to be scrapped. On May 18, 1903, the MAUNALOA hit and sank the 69-foot wooden tug EDWARD GILLEN at Superior, Wisconsin. May 18, 1992 -- The BADGER made her maiden voyage for the newly formed Lake Michigan Carferry Service. On 18 May 1853, CITIZEN (wooden schooner, 54 tons, built in 1847, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was driven aground 6 miles north of Chicago. The U. S. Navy steamer MICHIGAN tried in vain to pull her off, breaking a 14" hawser in the process. She was reportedly the first vessel built at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. On 18 May 1882, AMERICAN EAGLE (wooden propeller, passenger packet & tug, 105 foot, 161 gross tons, built in 1880, at Sandusky, Ohio) was racing off Kelley's Island on Lake Erie when her boiler exploded. Six lives were lost. She was later raised and repaired and lasted until 1908. 18 May 1894: A big storm swept the Lakes on 18 May 1894. The next day, the Port Huron Times gave the following account of the shipwrecks in that storm: "The big storm on Lake Michigan has cost the lives of many men. Only 2 men were saved from the schooner M J CUMMINGS, 6 lost. The C C BARNES is ashore at Milwaukee but the crew was saved. The schooner MYRTLE was wrecked just outside the government pier within a half mile of Michigan Blvd. in Chicago with 6 lost. The schooner LINCOLN DALL went to pieces at Glencoe, 8 miles north of Chicago. She was 196 tons. The schooner JACK THOMPSON, 199 tons, wrecked off 25th Street. The schooner EVENING STAR, 203 tons, wrecked off 27th Street but her crew was saved. The schooner MERCURY of Grand Haven, 278 tons, wrecked off 27th Street and her crew rescued. The schooner J LOOMIS McLAREN, 272 tons, wrecked off 27th Street. The schooner RAINBOW of Milwaukee, 243 tons, wrecked off 100th Street; the crew was rescued. The schooner C J MIXER, 279 tons, wrecked off 100th Street; crew rescued. The schooner WM SHUPE waterlogged and ashore at Lexington, Michigan on Lake Huron. Four were drowned in an attempted rescue. The scow ST CATHARINES is ashore at Rock Falls near Sand Beach. The crew reached shore safely but the boat will fare badly." 1919 – CITY OF MEAFORD, a wooden-hulled passenger freighter was destroyed by fire at the dock in Collingwood. 1922 – GLENFINNAN, downbound with grain, and MIDLAND KING collided in fog southeast of Passage Isle, Lake Superior, and both masters received two-month suspensions. 1928 – The whaleback steamer JOHN ERICSSON was heavily damaged in a collision with the A.F. HARVEY of the Pittsburgh SS Co. in fog on Lake Huron. The latter was lost as b) CEDARVILLE in another collision on May 7, 1965. 1971 – TRANSPACIFIC was entering the harbor at the island of St. Pierre in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to get technical help for a malfunctioning radar when the ship stranded on the rocks. The West German freighter, a regular Seaway trader since 1959, was abandoned. The hull has gradually broken apart by the elements over the years. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Irvin to face tight squeeze: DECC gives preliminary OK on plans to move ship 5/17 - Duluth, Minn. – Plans are being laid to move the museum ship William A. Irvin out of Minnesota Slip for the first time in more than three decades. But the retired laker will face a tight squeeze — with just 15 total inches to spare — as it passes between the abutments of a pedestrian lift bridge that spans the slip. In spite of the Irvin's size — stretching 611 feet from stem to stern with a 30-foot beam — LeRoy Kolenda, a Fraser Shipyards foreman, expressed confidence the vessel can be successfully navigated into the harbor without damage to either it or the bridge. "The key will be to keep the ship under control at all times," he said, adding that wave action, currents and other marine traffic all will need to be closely monitored. The Irvin is owned and operated as a floating museum by the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, an organization that has yet to fully sign off on the move. At a Tuesday afternoon meeting of the DECC Board of Directors, the president of that body, Roger Reinert, expressed concern about potentially causing harm to the recently upgraded bridge. In 2017, Duluth invested about $3 million to overhaul and replace the lifting mechanism for the bridge, which had been plagued for years by breakdowns. In order to make room for the Irvin's transit, that new mechanism will be disengaged, and one side of the bridge will need to be manually pinned in more of an upright position than it can achieve when in operation. Chad Scott, a principal partner of AMI Consulting Engineers, offered assurances that the process should result in no harm to the bridge and predicted it probably would be out of commission for a week at most. If the ship isn't moved, the city could be denied $1.3 million in federal funding set aside to address pollution in the slip, said Jim Filby Williams, Duluth's director of public administration. Filby Williams made a pitch to the DECC Board of Directors Tuesday, asking it for assistance and warning of potential project delays and further disruption without their cooperation. Because of ongoing seawall repairs, the Irvin has been unable to welcome visitors this year. It currently sits idle at anchor in the slip. Contracts for the cleanup work will need to be awarded shortly to keep the project on track said Crague Biglow, a Superfund supervisor for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. He said that work can occur only in the Irvin's absence. The project involves leveling out contaminated sediments that have accumulated in the slip and then hauling in clean dredge materials to cap the pollution in place. Relocating the Irvin will be a labor-intensive ordeal that could cost upward of $600,000. Filby Williams laid out a proposal Tuesday, asking the DECC to cover half of the cost, up to a maximum of $300,000. He said the city would pick up the other half, as well as any unexpected cost overruns.vThe city also has offered to purchase insurance to cover any damage to the ship or bridge. The Irvin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and plans to move it will require approval by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office. If approved, plans call for the Irvin to leave Minnesota Slip in September, then moor temporarily on the harborside seawall in back of the DECC. It would reopen for visitors in time for Halloween, when it operates as a popular "haunted ship." In November, the Irvin would be moved to Fraser Shipyards, where it would be placed in dry dock and repainted for first time in more than 30 years. Filby Williams noted that the ship is overdue for some work and pointed to a recent inspection that revealed portions of the hull had been pitted, leaving steel that was half its original thickness. Filby Williams extended the city's offer to seek a $300,000 historic preservation grant to cover restoration costs incurred at Fraser, with the ship to return to Minnesota Slip in May. The DECC's board unanimously passed a resolution of intent to partner with the city of Duluth, but a final, formal agreement still will need to be approved before the cleanup can progress. Duluth News Tribune |
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Port Reports - May 17
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Marine City, Mich. – Rod Burdick Welland canal and regional report - Wednesday May 16 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Sydney, N.S. – Jason Day |
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"Wear It" life jacket campaign kicks off National Safe Boating Week 5/17 - Cleveland, Ohio – The Coast Guard Ninth District will be supporting Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day on Friday. The annual event, hosted by the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) serves as a fun, educational element just prior to National Safe Boating Week, May 19-25, the official launch of the 2018 Safe Boating Campaign. Educating the boating public about the safety and comfort of life jackets has been a main focus of the campaign. U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that drowning was the reported cause of death in four out of every five recreational boating fatalities nationwide in 2016. In the Great Lakes, where lifejacket use was known, approximately 97% percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets versus the national average of 83%. “Visiting the Great Lakes is a once in a lifetime experience; don’t let it be your last," said Mike Baron, recreational boating safety specialist for the Ninth Coast Guard District. "Always wear your life jacket.” The National Safe Boating Council is asking all participants to take a picture of themselves in their life jacket while at work and post it to the Ready, Set, Wear It Facebook page or submit it directly to the NSBC at outreach@safeboatingcouncil.org. Participants are also encouraged to tweet their picture using #RSWI2018. Coast Guard members join boating professionals and outdoor enthusiasts to heighten awareness of different life jacket styles that are available, and demonstrate their comfort and versatility by wearing them to work. USCG |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 17 On 17 May 1887, WILLIAM RUDOLPH (wooden propeller "rabbit,” 145 foot, 267 gross tons. built in 1880, at Mount Clemens, Michigan) was raised from Lake St. Clair. She sank in the fall of 1886. She was towed to the Wolverine Drydock in Port Huron, Michigan where she was repaired. She lasted until 1913, when she was beached as shore protection near Racine, Wisconsin.ALTON C. DUSTIN (Hull#708) was launched May 17, 1913, at Lorain, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co. for Cleveland Steamship Co. (John Mitchell, mgr.) Renamed b.) J.A. CAMPBELL in 1915 and c.) BUCKEYE MONITOR in 1965. Sank on December 16, 1973, in position 43.3N x 30.15W, in Atlantic Ocean, while in tandem tow with ROBERT S. MCNAMARA and German tug SEETRANS I, bound for scrapping at Santander, Spain. NORTHCLIFFE HALL collided with the Cuban salty CARLOS MANUEL DE CESPEDES in the St. Lawrence River above the Eisenhower Lock on May 17, 1980. Built in 1952, by Canadian Vickers as a,) FRANKCLIFFE HALL (Hull#255), renamed b.) NORTHCLIFFE HALL in 1959, and c.) ROLAND DESGAGNES in 1976, she sank after running aground on May 26, 1982, near Pointe aux Pic, Quebec. E.G. GRACE arrived at Ramey's Bend May 17, 1984, in tow of the tugs GLENEVIS and GLENSIDE for scrapping. On May 17, 1941, The Ludington Daily News reported that the former carferry PERE MARQUETTE 17, which had been purchased by the State of Michigan for use at the Straits of Mackinac, was to be renamed b.) CITY OF PETOSKEY. She was scrapped at Ashtabula, Ohio in 1961. The schooner ST. ANDREWS was launched at A. Muir's shipyard on the Black River in Port Huron, Michigan on 17 May 1875. This was a rebuild job, but Mr. Muir stated that it was the most complete rebuild he ever undertook since there was only a portion of the keel and bottom left from the old hull. Her new dimensions were 135 foot keel x 30 feet x 14 feet, 425 tons (an increase of 102 tons). At about 9 a.m., 17 May 1885, the tug E.T. CARRINGTON (wooden side-wheel tug, 76 foot, 57 gross tons, built in 1876, at Bangor, Michigan) was towing a raft of logs from L'Anse to Baraga, Michigan, when she caught fire and burned to the water's edge. The crew was rescued by the steam yacht EVA WADSWORTH. The CARRINGTON was later rebuilt and lasted until 1907. 1916 – ROCK FERRY, a wooden steamer, ran aground due to fog off Main Duck Island, Lake Ontario but was salvaged and repaired. 1924 – ORINOCO sank about 6 miles off Agawa Bay, Lake Superior, while upbound with coal. The wooden steamer had sought shelter behind Michipicoten Island while towing the barge CHIEFTAIN, but then tried to return to Whitefish Bay. ORINOCO began to leak under the stress and was lost. 1957 – The composite hulled steamer YANKCANUCK ran aground in mud at Whitby but was released in what proved to be her final season. She was laid up at Sault Ste. Marie at 1014 hours on June 27. 1969 – The tug COLINETTE sank in Toronto Bay after the hull was punctured while docking the freighter ATLANTIC HOPE at Pier 35. All on board were saved and the vessel was raised and repaired. It apparently survives as a private yacht named NOMADA. Data from: Skip Gillham, John Dunlap, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Union dispute leaves salties stranded at Toledo 5/16 - Toledo, Ohio – A long-simmering labor dispute between a local longshoremen's union and a Port of Toledo stevedore has led to three ocean freighters being waylaid at the Port of Toledo and a fourth boat being turned away – potentially costing the terminal tens of thousands of dollars a day in lost work. Local 1982 of the International Longshoremen’s Association has been holding an informational picket outside Midwest Terminals of Toledo International since the company withdrew its recognition of the 32-member union early this year after saying it had received signatures from a majority of union members who no longer wished for union representation. Local 1982 leadership has challenged the decertification to the National Labor Relations Board. But as the dispute wears on, lake pilots have refused to cross Local 1982’s picket line — which at times has included a boat — to maneuver the freighters back to open water, keeping three oceangoing ships at the docks from being able to leave legally. As of Tuesday, officials said three ships are effectively stuck in Toledo. One, the Federal Champlain, has been held for more than a week, and its arrival in Toledo also was delayed by about 14 hours earlier this month when the pilot then aboard refused to give instructions for docking with the picket boat present. “For the most part the tug boats and the pilots, they honor the pickets,” said William Yockey, trustee of Local 1982. “That’s where the bottleneck has come from, from the members of the marine community sticking together with their longshoreman brothers.” Officials at both Fednav, Ltd., which owns the Federal Champlain and another of the three ships currently stuck in Toledo, and Midwest Terminals declined to estimate how much the ship delays are costing the port or the ships’ owners. Union leadership has said each vessel is losing tens of thousands of dollars for each day it sits idle in port. “Our vessels are being used as bargaining collateral by the parties involved,” Paul Pathy, Fednav’s president and chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement. “We respectfully request that a peaceful and fair settlement be reached in order for our ships to be released from the terminal and end the shipping delays.” The Lakes Pilots’ Association did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Local 1982 and Midwest have been at loggerheads over a labor contract for more than seven years — an impasse tinged by union allegations of racism on Midwest’s part. |
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U.S.-flag cargo movement on lakes down 14 percent in April 5/16 - Cleveland, Ohio – U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters moved 6.1 million tons of cargo in April, a decrease of 14 percent compared to a year ago. The April float also trailed the month’s 5-year average by more than 5 percent. Iron ore cargos for steel production totaled 3.9 million tons, a decrease of 12.6 percent. Some decrease was inevitable. The winter of 2017/2018 was more typical than 2016/2017 and vessels experienced many more ice-related delays this April. In fact, the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards continued to break ice in Whitefish Bay and the St. Marys River that connect Lake Superior to the lower four Great Lakes into May. Coal shipments fell 36.7 percent to 743,000 tons. Limestone cargos dipped 6.5 percent to 1.1 million tons. Year-to-date U.S.-flag carriage stands at 9.4 million tons, a decrease of 17 percent compared to the same point in 2017. Iron ore cargos total 6.75 million tons, a decrease of 16 percent. Coal loadings total 837,000 tons, a decrease of 43 percent. Limestone cargos have actually increased by roughly four loads in river-class vessels to 1.27 million tons. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Lake Erie, Great Lakes water levels much higher than May historical average 5/16 - Cleveland, Ohio - It's not your imagination; Lake Erie water levels are up. The recent wet spell pushed Lake Erie's water levels this week to 22 inches above the long-term normal for May. But the water is still 4 inches shy of the highest monthly average of the record for May, which is how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers keeps tabs on water levels. Water levels are measured, and forecast, weekly for the Great Lakes. However, water level comparisons and official records are calculated monthly. For May 11, the last weekly update, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers predicted Lake Erie to reach 573.69 inches. That's right around the level this time last year, but is still short of the May record set in 1986. Lake Ontario is 9 inches above the historical May average, while Lake Michigan-Huron is 17 inches and Lake Superior, 6 inches. The historically high water levels are in part due in part to the region's wet April. Cleveland saw 4.38 inches of rain that month, over 20 percent more than normal. Since May 1, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has already seen seven days of rain accumulating a total over 2 inches. But temperature plays a part too, as when water warms it expands, raising the water line. Over the past week, said the Army Corps, "temperatures were generally just above normal across the Great Lakes basin." The Corps says Lake Erie is expected to remain at its current level over the next month, but Lake Superior, Lake Michigan-Huron, Lake St. Clair and Lake Ontario could rise 4, 3, 2 and 1 inches, respectively, over the next month. Cleveland.com |
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Port Reports - May 16
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Houglas
Sarnia, Ont.
Toledo, Ohio Welland canal and regional report for Tuesday May 15 – Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point Bay:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Clarkson:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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There is still ice on some of the Great Lakes 5/16 - Two of the Great Lakes still have chunks of ice floating around on May 13, 2018. Lake Superior and Lake Huron both are reporting some ice still remaining. On May 12, 2018, Lake Superior was still 1.23 percent covered with ice. Lake Huron also had a very small area of ice, registering 0.11 percent ice cover. The amount of ice on Lake Superior now doesn't even come close to this time four years ago. On May 12, 2014, Lake Superior still had 22 percent ice cover. Lake Superior ice wasn't totally melted that year until June 6. M Live |
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Animation shows how 2 meteotsunamis formed on Lake Michigan in one day 5/16 - Two meteotsunamis formed on Lake Michigan on one single day last month and thanks to a handy NOAA animation, we not only know that it happened but how they actually formed. For those wondering exactly what a meteotsunami is, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines them as "large waves that scientists are just beginning to better understand." Tsunamis are triggered by seismic activity while meteotsunamis are created through air-pressure changes and disturbances during "fast-moving" weather events. Some meteotsunamis have been recorded as high as 6-feet high, and have been spotted in the Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico, and off the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. Back on April 13 (Friday the 13th for those keeping track), NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory reports that thunderstorms created the duo of meteotsunamis. "Short, extreme bursts of wind and pressure" were said to be the specific cause that resulted in a sudden spike of water levels near Ludington. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 16 On 16 May 1894, the SHENANDOAH (wooden propeller freighter, 308 foot, 2,251 gross tons) was launched by J. Davidson (Hull #60) in West Bay City, Michigan. She lasted until 1924, when she was abandoned.CANADIAN PROSPECTOR passed upbound in the Welland Canal May 16, 1979, with Labrador ore bound for Ashtabula, Ohio. This was her first trip after being reconstructed. W. R. WOODFORD (Hull#626) was launched May 16, 1908, at West Bay City, Michigan by West Bay City Ship Building Co. for W. A. & M.A. Hawgood. Renamed b.) N.F. LEOPOLD 1911, and c.) E. J. BLOCK in 1943. She was scrapped at Port Colborne, Ontario, arriving in 1998. IRVIN L. CLYMER departed Superior, Wisconsin, on May 15, 1981, and went to Duluth, Minnesota, to load 11,154 tons of taconite ore for Lorain. On May 16, 1981, having departed Duluth in 35 mph winds and 10-foot seas, the CLYMER began taking on water in her ballast tanks. She returned to Duluth, and was quickly repaired. On May 16, 1972, in dense fog, the ROBERT HOBSON struck the Peerless Cement dock at Port Huron, Michigan when her bow was caught by the strong current at the mouth of the St. Clair River. Damage to the hull was estimated at to $100,000. In 1985, the steamer PONTIAC was towed down the Welland Canal by the Mc Keil tugs GLENEVIS, ARGUE MARTIN and STORMONT bound for Quebec City. She would later be scrapped in Spain. The tug B. W. ALDRICH burned at Ludington, Michigan, on 16 May 1874. The damage was estimated at $5,000 and she was rebuilt. May 16, 1997 - The BADGER's planned first voyage of 1997 was delayed for one day because of a faulty boiler tube. E. W. OGLEBAY (steel propeller bulk freighter, 375 foot. 3,666 gross tons) was launched at F. W. Wheeler's yard (Hull #114) at West Bay City, Michigan, on 16 May 1896. She lasted until she stranded on Shot Point, 10 miles east of Marquette, Michigan, on Lake Superior, during a heavy northeast gale and blizzard, on December 8, 1927. Shortly afterwards the hull was gutted by fire and declared a constructive total loss. The hull was removed, partially scrapped, and used as dock at Drummond Island, Michigan. 1905 – The second THOMAS W. PALMER, a composite bulk carrier, collided with HARVARD of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company off Stannard Rock, Lake Superior in dense fog and was nearly cut in two. The crew was able to walk to safety aboard HARVARD before their ship sank. 1919 – D.R. HANNA sank in Lake Huron 6 miles off Thunder Bay Light after a collision with the QUINCY A. SHAW. All hands were saved but the sinking of the grain laden 552-foot freighter was the largest insurance loss on the lakes to that time. The hull has been located upside down in 90 feet of water. 1941 – The Norwegian freighter REINUNGA began Great Lakes visits in 1926 and was forced to spend the winter of 1932-1933 at Dain City along the Welland Canal. The vessel, which dated from 1902, was bombed and sunk by German aircraft as d) KYTHERA at Suda Bay, Crete, on this date in 1941. 1962 – ARGENTEUIL, a former Canadian Coast Guard buoy tender, was rebuilt as a coastal freighter in 1961. It sank in the St. Lawrence near Lauzon, QC, with the loss of 3 lives on this date in 1962. 1975 – MANCHESTER RAPIDO provided a container shuttle service in the Seaway beginning in 1971, went aground off Pasajes, Spain, on March 15, 1975, and then sank. The hull was refloated May 16, 1975, for repairs and a return to service. 1987 – MARIA ANNA SCHULTE first came inland in 1958. It ran aground as e) LUCKY VIRGIN off San Andras Island, Colombia, while en route from Colon, Panama, to Aruba in 1974 and had to be abandoned as a total loss. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Great Lakes water levels on the rise 5/15 - The Great Lakes water levels are above their long-term average May levels with all of them expected to rise — some with bigger spikes than others — into the summer. Lake Superior is expected to rise four inches, Lake Michigan-Huron three inches, Lake St. Clair two inches and Lake Ontario one inch over the next 30 days, according to date from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Only Lake Erie is expected to stay at its current level, officials said. Every lake except for Lake Ontario will experience higher levels than previously in 2017. Then in either August or September, the levels begin to their traditional decline into the fall and winter months, according to the Army Corps data. The Army Corps estimates were released recently for estimated levels through October of this year. Lake levels have been rising with above average amounts since they hit bottom record-low levels in 2013. The Army Corps works with Environment and Climate Change Canada to produce the six-month forecast of the Great Lakes water averages. With an increase in lake levels, experts say, come erosion of shorelines in some areas. The Detroit News |
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Port Reports - May 15
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Goderich, Ont.
Toledo, Ohio Welland canal and regional report - Monday May 14 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Hamilton:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Coast Guard, ferry crews to conduct training on ferry routes near Marblehead 5/15 - Cleveland, Ohio – The Coast Guard and local ferry crews will be conducting drills and training on local ferry routes between Marblehead and Kelleys Island on Tuesday. The public should be aware of the activity and stay clear of the training area. Who: Coast Guard Station Marblehead, Sector Detroit, Marine Safety Unit Toledo, Kelleys Island Ferry, Miller Ferry, and Jet Express. What: Station Marblehead, with the help of MSU Toledo and Sector Detroit will identify three drills (one for each ferry line) to test the response of Station Marblehead crews and the crews of each ferry line. Where: Each drill will be run on the respective ferry's normal route of transit. When: May 15th (Primary date), May 16th (Secondary date). Why: Conducting these drills will bring familiarity to both the crews of Station Marblehead and the crews of each ferry line in the event of an emergency.
It will help identify: Running drills and exercises of this sort will help prepare our crews and the crews of the ferry lines to respond to a range of emergency situations that could happen at any moment during the ferry line's normal operations. The overarching goal is to reduce the potential for harm in these, or similar situations. USCG |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 15 On 15 May 1901, the GILCHRIST (Hull #603) (steel propeller freighter, 356 foot. 3,871 gross tons) was launched at the West Bay City Ship Building Co. in West Bay City, Michigan, for the Gilchrist Transportation Company of Cleveland, Ohio. She lasted until 1943, when she was sunk in a collision on Lake Superior.On May 15, 1997, the "This Day in History" feature started on this web site. The PHILIP R. CLARKE, first of the AAA class of vessel, began her maiden voyage from Lorain, Ohio, on this date in 1952. After extensive renovation at Fraser Shipyard, the IRVIN L. CLYMER departed Superior, Wisconsin on May 15, 1981, and went to Duluth, Minnesota, to load 11,154 tons of taconite ore for Lorain, Ohio. On May 15, 1971, the STONEFAX was sold and was scrapped at Santander, Spain. On 15 May 1854, GARDEN CITY (wooden passenger/package side-wheeler, 218 foot, 657 tons, built in 1853, at Buffalo, New York) was sailing from Chicago to the Soo in a storm when she went on Martin Reef, west of Detour, Michigan, and was wrecked. Her passengers were picked up by the steamer QUEEN CITY. May 15, 1992 -- The BADGER was rededicated and began a new career as a non-railroad carferry. At 3:30 a.m., 15 May 1874, the tug TAWAS came along side of the schooner ZACH CHANDLER several miles off shore from Sand Beach, Michigan on Lake Huron. The boiler of the TAWAS exploded and she sank. Capt. Robinson, 2nd Engineer Dyson, Firemen Thomas Conners and James McIntyre, and Lookout Dennis Burrow were all on the tug and died in the explosion. The blast tore the CHANDLER's sails and rigging, and caused the death of one of her officers when he was struck on the head by a flying piece of debris. The CHANDLER drifted away in the heavy seas, but returned to pick up five survivors from the water. The TAWAS was built at Vicksburg, Michigan by Myron Williams in 1864. Her dimensions were 95-foot x 18-foot, 6-inches x 8-foot, 6-inches. She carried the two old engines from the tug BLISH, which when new were 11-1/2 inches x 20 inches, but having been bored out several times, were 15 inches x 20 inches at the time of the explosion. Her boiler was built by Mr. Turnbull of Corunna, Ontario. 1907 – SAXON ran aground near Caribou Island, Lake Superior, and dumped about 1,000 tons of ore overboard before being released. The ship went to the Atlantic in 1918 and was scrapped at Copenhagen, Denmark, as c) ANNE JENSEN in 1927. 1923 – PERE MARQUETTE 4 and PERE MARQUETTE 17 collided in fog off Milwaukee and the former sustained severe damage above the waterline and was laid up. 1929 – RALPH BUDD stranded at Saltese Point, near Eagle Harbor, Mich., and was abandoned to the underwriters. The grain-laden vessel was released by Reid and sold to Canadian interests. It was scrapped at Hamilton as b) L.A. McCORQUODALE of the Upper Lakes Shipping fleet in 1966. 1963 – LOBIVIA, WESTMOUNT and ROGERS CITY were in a three-way collision in the St. Clair River at Port Huron but there was only minor damage. 1967 – GOLDEN HIND was loaded with grain when it stranded off Cassidy Point, Lake Erie, and was holed in the forward compartment. 1968 – The stern cabins of HOMER D. WILLIAMS were damaged from a collision with WHEAT KING in the St. Marys River and this ship was repaired at Lorain. The latter vessel received bow damage that was repaired at Port Weller. 1972 – The Dutch freighter COLYTTO first came through the Seaway in 1963 and made 8 trips to the end of 1966. It was swept ashore by a typhoon near the mouth of the Limpopo River off the coast of Mozambique as b) CAPE NERITA on this date in 1972. All on board were rescued but the ship was abandoned on the beach as it was not feasible to dig the ship out by a canal. The nearest road was 25 miles away so the hull was not scrapped either. 1999 – The former sandsucker NIAGARA II was scuttled as an attraction to divers off Tobermory, ON. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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A quiet start to carferry Badger’s 2018 season 5/14 - Ludington, Mich. – The SS Badger began its 65th season Friday morning with less hoopla than some years, but with high expectations. The Badger sounded its whistle just before 9 a.m., and shortly after it was escorted out of harbor by the U.S. Coast Guard starting its 65th season of service. Perhaps the biggest challenge Lake Michigan Carferry faced in getting the season off to a timely start was having its leased Manitowoc, Wis., dock repaired quickly after wave erosion washed out the dock during the weekend of April 14-15. A little-less-than $800,000 grant from the State of Wisconsin and a pledge by the City of Manitowoc of up to $550,000 to get the repairs started and done enough for the Badger to dock today ensured the season started on time. “The people in Manitowoc have done a nice job in quickly taking care of it,” Chuck Leonard, vice president of navigation, said Thursday afternoon, as the Badger did its shakedown cruise on Lake Michigan. He said finishing touches still have to be done at the repaired dock, but it is ready for service. The State of Wisconsin estimated costs to repair the city-owned dock at about $1 million. Pat McCarthy, vice president of shore operations, said more than 100 passengers and 50 to 60 cars were expected to be onboard for the initial sailing of the season to Manitowoc. He said a similar number is expected for its return trip. Ludington Daily News |
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Port Reports - May 14
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay Ont.
St. Marys River
Lake Michigan Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Toledo, Ohio Welland canal and regional report - Sunday May 13 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 14 On 14 May 1881, CITY OF ROME (wooden propeller freighter, 268 foot, 1,908 gross tons) was launched by Thomas Quayle & Sons in Cleveland, Ohio. She was the largest vessel on the Lakes when she was launched. She lasted until 1914, when she burned near Ripley, New York on Lake Erie. On May 14, 1959, the SHENANGO II and the HERBERT C. JACKSON both entered service. While the vessels have been fleet mates since 1967, the SHENANGO II was built by the Shenango Furnace Company. She operates today as the c.) HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR, renamed last spring. On May 14, 1943, the THOMAS WILSON entered service as the first of the sixteen vessels in the "Maritime" class. The HOCHELAGA's self-unloading boom was installed on the RICHARD REISS, which had lost her boom April 13, 1994, when it collapsed at Fairport, Ohio. The REISS’ replacement boom was installed on May 14, 1994 by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. BLACK HAWK (wooden schooner, 98 foot, 178 gross tons) was launched in East Saginaw, Michigan on 14 May 1861. Thomas A. Estes was her builder. She was active until abandoned in the Kinnickinnic River at Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1908. On 13 October 1913, she was filled with flammable material and burned off Milwaukee as a public spectacle for the Perry Centennial Celebration. On May 14, 1905, the new Anchor Line passenger steamer JUNIATA made her maiden voyage from the yards of the American Shipbuilding Company in Cleveland, Ohio to Detroit, Michigan. Sailing under the command of Capt. Edward J. Martin she left Cleveland at 7:05 in the morning and arrived at Detroit shortly before 4. On board, in addition to several officials of the line was her designer, Frank E. Kirby. Detroiters were treated to the sight of seeing both the JUNIATA and TIONESTA together for the first time as TIONESTA was loading for Duluth, Minnesota when the JUNIATA arrived from Cleveland and tied up alongside her older sister. The JUNIATA later departed for Chicago where her furnishings were installed. On 14 May 1861, COMET (wooden side-wheeler, 174 foot. 337 gross tons, built in 1848, at Portsmouth, Ontario) collided with the 2-mast wooden schooner EXCHANGE, ten miles off Nine-Mile Point on Lake Ontario. Then an explosion rocked the COMET and she was destroyed by fire 2 or 3 lives were lost, but the survivors reached Simcoe Island in a lifeboat. Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., May 14, 1900. - The tug W.A. ROOTH of the Great Lakes Towing company fleet was caught between the barge JOHN A. ROEBLING and the steamer HENRY C. FRICK in the American canal last night and sunk. The crew escaped without injury. The tug was towing the barge ROEBLING out of the canal and in some manner got between the ROEBLING and the big steamer FRICK. Her sides were crushed in and she went down immediately in twenty feet of water. 1917 – SAXONA and PENTECOST MITCHELL collided head-on in the St. Marys River near Detour and both ships sank with their bows locked together. The former was refloated and repaired as LAKETON while the latter was also salvaged and remained in the U.S. Steel fleet. 1921 – The barge MIZTEC broke loose of the steamer ZILLAH in a storm and sank with all hands in Lake Superior northeast of Vermilion Point. 1952 – JAMES NORRIS began her sailing career, loading a cargo of grain at Fort William. 1991 – The Yugoslavian bulk carrier MALINSKA ran aground off Main Duck Island, Lake Ontario, while outbound from the Great Lakes with a cargo of steel coils. It was lightered and released. The ship had been a Seaway trader since 1987 and now sails in the Algoma fleet as c) ALGOMA DISCOVERY. Data from: Skip Gillham, Chuck Truscott, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Algosteel’s Canadian registry closed 5/13 - Algosteel has been renamed OSTE in preparation of her tow to Turkey for scrapping in a few weeks. Canadian registry was closed May 11. Her new registry is Sierra Leone. Expected late Saturday in Montreal for Seaway inspection is the tug Alice Moran with the barge Montville for delivery at Toledo. Rene Beauchamp |
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Port Reports - May 13
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Port Inland, Mich.
Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, Ohio Welland canal and regional report - Saturday May 12 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 13 The tanker GEMINI (Hull#746) was launched at Orange, Texas by Levingston Ship Building Co. in 1978, for Cleveland Tankers Inc., a subsidiary of Ashland Oil. Renamed b.) ALGOSAR in 2005.The tanker JUPITER made her maiden voyage May 13, 1976 from Smith's Bluff, Texas loaded with lube oil bound for Marcus Hooks, Penn. She was destroyed after exploding in the Saginaw River on September 16, 1990. On May 13, 1913, Pittsburgh Steamship's THOMAS F. COLE collided with the barge IRON CITY on Lake St. Clair. The barge was cut in two. Delivered May 13, 1943, THOMAS WILSON departed under the command of Captain Henry Borgen on her maiden voyage from Lorain, Ohio, bound for Duluth, Minnesota, to load iron ore. The green-hulled schooner EMMA C. HUTCHINSON was launched at 4 p.m. on 13 May 1873, at the E. Fitzgerald yard in Port Huron. She was the largest vessel built at that yard up to that time. She was named for the wife of Mr. J. T. Hutchinson of Cleveland. Her dimensions were 195foot keel, 215 feet overall, 35 foot beam, 14 foot depth, 736 tons. She cost $55,000. Frank Leighton was her builder and Matthew Finn the master fitter. She was outfitted by Swan's Sons of Cleveland. Her painting was done by Ross & Doty of Port Huron. On 13 May 1874, the Port Huron Times reported that someone had stolen the schooner ANNIE FAUGHT and that John Hoskins, the owner, was offering a reward for her recovery. May 13, 1898 - The steamer JOHN ERICSSON, having in tow the barge ALEXANDER HOLLEY, bound down with ore, went aground while making the turn at the dark hole in little Mud Lake. She is on a sand bottom. Tugs and lighters have gone to release her. When the steamer grounded the barge ran into her, damaging the latter's bow and causing a large hole above the water line on the starboard side of the ERICSSON. Both were repaired temporarily. On 13 May 1871, NORTHERNER (wooden barge, 220 foot, 1,391 gross tons) was launched by Capt. Wescott at Marine City, Michigan. Her master builder was John J. Hill. She was towed to Detroit to be fitted out and there was talk of eventually converting her to a passenger steamer. She remained a barge until 1880, when she was converted to a propeller freighter in Detroit. She lasted until 1892, when she burned at L'anse, Mich. 1914 – The package freight carrier CITY OF OTTAWA was upbound in the Cornwall Canal when it sheered over and struck the downbound S.N. PARENT on the port side at #2 hatch. The former was part of Canada Steamship Lines but was best known as the INDIA of the Anchor Line. 1915 – VALCARTIER and A.W. OSBORNE collided in Lake Huron above Corsica Shoal. 1933 – CALGARIAN, en route from Toronto to Montreal with automobiles and general cargo, stranded at Salmon Point in Lake Ontario, and was refloated two days later. 1943 – The caustic soda tanker DOLOMITE 4 was in and out of the Great Lakes via the New York State Barge Canal system. The vessel was torpedoed and sunk by U-176 off the north coast of Cuba on the date in 1943 as b) NICKELINER. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series, the Detroit Free Press and the Duluth Evening Herald. |
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Carferry Badger dock repaired just in time for ferry season 5/12 - Manitowoc, Wis. – On Friday, the SS Badger ferry started its 65th season. The April blizzard left part of the dock and loading equipment in rubble, and threatened to delay the start of the car ferry's sailing season. "The local contractors here just fixed that so we could get in, because it was looking pretty bad," Bob Manglitz, president and CEO of Lake Michigan Carferry, said. It was the talk of the town when the blizzard decimated the dock. Thanks to an emergency grant from the state and twenty hard-working contractors, the dock was fixed in days and the car ferry season was saved. "We had just a small amount of time, but the city and construction workers came and really did a great job – a phenomenal job – getting everything prepared," car ferry station manager Del Whitmire said, adding, "actually it's better than it was beforehand. But they did a wonderful job and they expedited things. They worked around the clock to get things ready for us today, and of course we're ready to rock and roll." While the repairs were enough to get the Badger's sailing season started, there's more work to be done, like putting down new blacktop, to get the dock ship-shape. View a video at this link: http://www.wbay.com/content/news/SS-Badger-Ferry-season-starts-after-damage-482369061.html |
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Port Reports - May 12
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors/Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thursday Report:
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Port Inland, Mich.
Lake Michigan
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Toledo, Ohio
Pelee Island, Ont. – Frank Hood
Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio – Julene Market
Lorain, Ohio – Drew Leonard Welland canal and regional report - Friday May 11 - Barry Andersen Traffic has resumed through both sides of the flight locks.
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Oshawa:
Toronto – Barry Andersen and Gerry Ouderkirk |
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Great Lakes' first woman boat captain remembered for steely nerve, sass 5/12 - S. Manitou Island, Mich. – Great Lakes boat captains have always had a reputation for being a little salty. Maybe it's the rough seas or long hours at the helm. But not many skippers can say they've also been their island's midwife, its postmaster, and later a cook and baker catering to millionaires aboard a Lake Michigan carferry. So in honor of Mother's Day - and the upcoming sailing season - we're tipping our caps to the memory of Florence Haas, the first licensed woman captain to pilot a passenger boat on the Great Lakes. Stories of her prowess on the water still linger in Northern Michigan's Leelanau area and offshore on South Manitou Island, where her namesake Florence Lake continues to draw visitors. Vignettes that detail her life show she had a steady hand with her boat, a steely nerve when it came to reading a storm - and more than her share of salty sass. Read more and view photos at this link: http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/05/great_lakes_first_woman_boat_c.html |
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Coast Guard asks public to label barrels used to mark, weigh down docks 5/12 - Buffalo, N.Y. – The Coast Guard is requesting that homeowners mark barrels that are being used to mark and weigh down docks for quick identification. Painting or marking a large red “X” on the barrel allows Coast Guard crews to quickly identify it as a non-hazardous dock barrel and allow its origin and contents to be resolved without the need for further specialized investigation. Within the Lake Ontario region, barrels are being used to mark and weigh down docks to increase the safety of the waterway by helping identify potential hazards posed by otherwise submerged or unseen docks. Unmarked and adrift barrels become a concern that the Coast Guard has to dedicate time, money and resources to recover. Any questions can be answered via phone at the Sector Buffalo Command Center (716) 843-9527. USCG |
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Obituary: Ellsworth Peterson, icon of Sturgeon Bay shipbuilding, left lasting legacy 5/12 - Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – A stiff wind filling the sails and the sun on his face made Ellsworth Peterson a happy man. There was nowhere that he was happier than sailing near his homeport of Sturgeon Bay. Peterson, who died May 2 at the age of 94, was an icon of the city and its shipbuilding legacy. A native son, Peterson, when he retired, could have lived anywhere in the world. But he chose Sturgeon Bay, where he died in his home on the water facing Green Bay. Peterson's father, Fred Peterson, founded the company that later became Peterson Building Inc. in 1933. Under Ellsworth Peterson's guidance, the national reputation of the company fostered and nurtured by his father grew to international fame. Peterson Building Inc. was regarded as one of the premier shipbuilding companies and a place where there was no project too small or too big for its crews of skilled craftsmen and shipbuilders to undertake. While Ellsworth Peterson lived his life in the public eye and was equally at ease and comfortable with government officials, diplomats and international businessmen, he preferred the company of the workers at PBI and savored the moments with family aboard his treasured schooner, Utopia. The success of PBI was a direct reflection of the extraordinarily talented workers in Door County, and her husband cherished and admired each person's contributions, Carla Peterson said. Read more and view photos at this link: https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/door-co/news/2018/05/10/sturgeon-bayellsworth-peterson-82-shipbuilding-legacy/591944002 |
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Boatnerd gatherings reservations being taken 5/12 - Boatnerd Badger Gathering: Only three staterooms are still available for the June 1-2 overnight Stay on the S.S. Badger in Ludington, Michigan, followed by a round trip across Lake Michigan. A Wisconsin Shoreline Cruise is an option after the Badger is docked Manitowoc and before the return trip to Ludington. Reservations are a must for this fun event. See the Gatherings page for complete details. Only one week left to get your reservations in. Annual Soo Freighter-Chasing Cruise: This annual 3-hour event during the Engineer’s Weekend at the Soo Locks usually sells out. A buffet dinner is part of the trip to take close-up photos and videos of traffic in the St. Marys River. The cruise is limited to 100 passengers and advance reservations are required. Don’t be left out. See the Gatherings page for complete details. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 12 The CABOT (Hull#649) was launched May 12, 1965, at Lauzon, Quebec by Davie Shipbuilding Ltd., for Gulf Ports Steamship Co. Ltd. (Clarke Steamship Co. Ltd., mgr.). In 1983, the CABOT's stern was attached to the bow section of the NORTHERN VENTURE to create the CANADIAN EXPLORER.The THOMAS WALTERS, American Shipbuilding, Lorain (Hull#390) entered service on May 12, 1911, with coal from Sandusky, Ohio to Duluth, Minnesota. Renamed b.) FRANK R. DENTON in 1952, she was scrapped at Ashtabula, Ohio in 1984. The carferry GRAND HAVEN was sold to the West India Fruit & Steamship Co., Norfolk, Virginia on May 12, 1946, and was brought down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, Louisiana for reconditioning before reaching Port Everglades and the Port of Palm Beach, Florida. On 12 May 1875, the scow-schooner SEA BIRD of Chicago was driven onto the beach a half-mile south of the harbor at Holland, Michigan by a Northeaster. After the storm, she was high and dry on the beach. The wooden J.S. SEAVERNS stranded near Michipicoten Island on Lake Superior on 12 May 1884. She had been carrying passengers from Chicago to Port Arthur. She was pulled free by a tug, but then sank. She was formerly a steam barge, being built on the bottom of the side-wheel tug JOHN P. WARD in Saugatuck, Michigan in 1880. The WARD dated back to 1857, had burned in 1865, was then rebuilt as a schooner, and in 1880, was finally rebuilt as the SEAVERNS. 1975 – The tug TARA HILL was damaged by a fire set by vandals at New Orleans. This vessel had operated on the Great Lakes as NORTHERN, CHARLES R. RANDLE SR., HELEN HINDMAN, SUSAN HINDMAN and HERBERT A. Lloyds notes “continued existence in doubt” in 1997, but the hull was likely dismantled much earlier. 1978 – PHOTINIA ran aground off Milwaukee in rough seas and the crew was rescued. The ship was refloated but declared a total loss. It was towed to various Lake Michigan ports in the next two years and was eventually dismantled at Kewaunee, Wis., in 1981. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - May 11
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lake Michigan
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday May 10 - Barry Andersen A mechanical issue at Lock 4 has restricted flight locks to alternating one-way traffic since the morning of May 9. Repairs were ongoing Thursday evening.
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto – Barry Andersen and Gerry Ouderkirk
Oshawa: |
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Help wanted: Fettes Shipping Inc. 5/11 - Fettes Shipping is looking for deck officers with dry bulk or tug/barge experience. We offer high salaries and benefits, medical coverage and Family Security Plan all under collective agreement. We expect from candidates strong communication skills and good work ethic. Candidates must be able to travel to the U.S. portions of the Great Lakes area and must have a valid Canadian passport, all applicable Transport Canada certificates and valid medical certificate issues by Transport Canada. Please send your resume to Human Resources
Fettes Shipping Inc. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 11 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. |
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Coast Guard’s ice-breaking Operation Taconite ends 5/10 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Commander, Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie has concluded its domestic ice breaking operation known as Operation Taconite. With the ice throughout the Western Great Lakes nearly melted, ice breaking in support of commercial navigation is no longer required. During the 145 days of the 2018 domestic ice-breaking season (15 Dec - 09 May), the 10 assets assigned to Operation Taconite delivered 3,179 hours of icebreaking to the benefit of 888 vessel transits: 386 of these transits required direct ice-breaking assistance. These same ice-breaking assets put forth an additional 3,588 hours of preventative icebreaking to establish and maintain tracks in the ice-choked waterways of Green Bay, the Straits of Mackinac, the St Marys River, Georgian Bay and the western Lake Superior Ports of Thunder Bay, Duluth, and Superior to name a few. It is estimated that more than 17 million tons of dry bulk and liquid cargoes were shipped during the 145 days of this operational period. This translates to $623 million dollars of cargo critical to power generation, industrial productivity and public safety, moved during the harsh winter months of the 2017-18 domestic ice breaking season. USCG |
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Great Lakes limestone trade down 23 percent in April 5/10 - Cleveland, Ohio – The coldest April since 1997 put a chill on the Great Lakes limestone trade. Shipments totaled just 1,254,226 net tons, a decrease of 23 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings trailed the month’s 5-year average by even more – 33.3 percent. Loadings at U.S. ports totaled 1.1 million tons, a decrease of 19 percent. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 177,000 tons, a decrease of nearly 41 percent. Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at 1.5 million tons, a decrease of 12.8 percent. Shipments from U.S. ports total 1.3 million tons, a decrease of 7 percent. The year-to-date total for U.S. ports includes 17,664 tons loaded in February and 218,452 tons shipped in March. No limestone moved from Canadian quarries during the first quarter, so the April total is also the year-to-date total for Canadian ports. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Algoma Olympic scrap tow departs Montreal 5/10 - The Oma (ex-Algoma Olympic) scrap tow departed Montreal Wednesday under tow of VB Hispania. The tow was nearing Quebec City Wednesday night |
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Phone cord may have caused Damia Desgagnés grounding 5/10 - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says a telephone cord brushing a sensitive touch screen may have caused a fuel tanker to run aground near Cornwall, Ont. last spring. The Damia Desgagnés ran aground between Iroquois, Ont., and Morrisburg, Ont., late June 15, 2017, after what was described at the time as an engine failure. No fuel spilled into the water and the ship suffered no damage in the incident. It was refloated June 17. In a report released Wednesday, the TSB said the engine cut off after the main shutdown button was accidentally pressed. Investigators said the control system's touchscreen is highly sensitive and could have been accidentally activated by a telephone cord located next to it. What's more, the TSB said a message warning that the engine was about to shut down was confusing, and testing after the incident showed the shutdown couldn't have been reversed anyway. "The message did not specify that the engine was about to shut down, nor did it indicate how the shutdown was activated or from where (bridge, engine room, emergency stop, etc.,)" the report said. The incident is a reminder to crews to get to know their vessel's controls, including any warning messages, the TSB said. View photos at this link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/tsb-tanker-grounding-st-lawrence-1.4654968 |
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Port Reports - May 10
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Port Inland, Mich.
Lake Michigan
Cheboygan, Mich.
North Channel and Georgian Bay.
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Erie, Pa. Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday May 9 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Cruise ship stuck in Trois-Rivičres due to swollen St. Lawrence River 5/10 - Trois-Rivčres, Que. – The 1,200-passenger cruise ship, the MS Marina, is unexpectedly having to unload all its passengers in Trois-Rivčres, Que., because it cannot get them to their final port of call, Montreal. The swollen waters of the St. Lawrence River means the water level has risen so high, the ship can't fit under the Laviolette Bridge that spans the river, connecting Trois-Rivičres on the north shore to Bécancour, on the other side. "Everyone is getting off here, with 2,000 suitcases," said Jean Perron, cruise ship co-ordinator for the Trois-Rivičres economic development organization, IDÉ Trois-Rivičres. Organizers working with the Oceania cruise line have set up a large tent to contain and distribute all the passengers' luggage. Part of the road that runs along the port, the Terrasse Turcotte, has been closed to traffic to deal with the outflow of buses that will whisk cruise passengers to their final destination. A second wave of passengers are also being bused from Montreal and will spend a pre-scheduled day in the city of 114,000 Wednesday before the ship turns around to head across the Atlantic, to Southampton, U.K. It will be forced to make a U-turn in the St. Lawrence – a manoeuvre that has never been tried before in that section of the river. The problems with the high-water levels have spurred some questions about whether cruise ship lines might hesitate to book trips to Montreal in the spring in the future. Perron said the subject is sure to be discussed. CBC |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 10 1923 –H.A. ROCK of the Forest City Steamship Co. went aground in Georgian Bay. The vessel was taken to drydock where the plates were removed, re-rolled and put back. The ship was idle May 18 to June 1 and the cost was $13,707.60.Steamer COLUMBIA (Hull#148) was launched in 1902 by the Detroit Ship Building Co., Wyandotte, Michigan. The steamer was built for day excursions between Detroit and Bob-Lo Island. The vessel has been in lay-up since September 2, 1991 at Nicholson's Terminal. On May 10, 1981, WILLIAM J. DELANCEY entered service for Interlake Steamship Co. She became the largest vessel on the Great Lakes at that time, and at least in the last 130 years, she has held the honor of being the largest vessel on the Great Lakes longer than any other vessel. Renamed b.) PAUL R TREGURTHA in 1990. On 10 May 1858, LEMUEL CRAWFORD (3 mast wooden bark, 135 foot, 450 tons, built in 1855, at Black River, Ohio) was carrying wheat from Chicago to Buffalo. She ran into a heavy gale and went out of control near Pelee Passage and struck a reef 1-1/2 miles off East Sister Island in Lake Erie. She began to sink immediately and the 13 onboard scrambled up her masts and lashed themselves to her rigging. After two days, they were finally rescued by the tug R R ELIOTT out of Detroit. May 10, 1922 - The ANN ARBOR NO 4 ran aground at Green Isle. She was released with no damage. The first Welland Canal was opened between St. Catharine's and Lake Ontario on 10 May 1828. The first vessel to navigate this route was the schooner WELLAND CANAL. This was a new vessel having been launched at St. Catharines, Ontario on 24 April 1828. On 10 May 1898, ISAAC LINCOLN (wooden propeller freighter, 134 foot, 376 gross tons) was launched at Anderson's yard in Marine City, Michigan for A. F. Price of Freemont, Michigan and Capt. Egbert of Port Huron, Michigan. She cost $40,000. She lasted until 1931, when she was abandoned. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Great Lakes/Seaway iron ore trade down 6.3 percent in April 5/9 - Cleveland, Ohio – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 5.5 million tons in April, a decrease of 6.3 percent compared to a year ago. However, shipments topped the month’s 5-year average by nearly 15 percent. Shipments from U.S. Great Lakes ports totaled 5.1 million tons in April, a decrease of 4.5 percent. This is the first April since perhaps the 1850s that no iron ore was shipped from Escanaba, Mich. The mine that shipped through Escanaba has been permanently idled. This means all the iron ore shipped to U.S. steel mills in April had to transit the Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. The MacArthur Lock is undergoing maintenance so has yet to open for this season. Loadings at Canadian terminals in the Seaway totaled 380,000 tons in April, a decrease of 18.2 percent. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 9.4 million tons, a decrease of 13.7 percent compared to the same point in 2017. Year-over-year, loadings at U.S. ports total 8.2 million tons, a decrease of 15.6 percent. Shipments from Canadian ports in the St. Lawrence Seaway have increased slightly to 1.2 million tons. Lake Carriers’ Association |
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Former Algoma Olympic to be towed away for scrap today 5/9 - OMA (formerly Algoma Olympic) has a departure time for Turkey Wednesday at sunset under tow of the saltwater tug VB Hispania, assisted by Ocean Bravo until Les Escoumins. The vessel was built in 1976 as Canadian Olympic at Port Weller Dry Docks, St. Catharines, Ont., for the Upper Lakes Group, Inc., Toronto, Ont. She was named in recognition of the 1976 Olympic Games held in Montreal. In 2011 she became part of the Algoma Central Corp. fleet when that company bought out Upper Lakes. At that time she was renamed Algoma Olympic. When the vessel reaches Turkey she will be scrapped. René Beauchamp |
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Port Reports - May 9
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors – Gary A. Putney
Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marquette, Mich. – Rod Burdick
Southern Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday May 8 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Picton:
Rochester, N.Y. – Tom Brewer |
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Turkish shipyard launches another dual-fuel tanker for Desgagnés 5/9 - C Turkish Besiktas Shipyard has launched another dual-fuel LNG IMO-II chemical tanker for the Canadian shipping company Desgagnés Group. The 14,000 dwt tanker, named Rossi A. Desgagnés, was launched on May 5, 2018. The ice-class tanker is the final in a series of four asphalt-bitumen-chemical tankers ordered by Desgagnés. Each of the four vessels can be powered by any of three types of fuel – heavy fuel oil, marine diesel oil or liquefied natural gas (LNG). With 10,000 gross tons, the newbuilding features a length of 135 meters and a width of 23.5 meters. The third ship from the batch, Paul A. Desgagnés, was launched at Besiktas Shipyard’s facilities in July 2017. Mia Desgagnés, the second tanker, was launched in December 2016. Damia Desgagnés, the world’s first dual fuel LNG asphalt tanker, was delivered to the company in April 2017. View a video of the launch at this link: https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/252136/besiktas-splashes-another-dual-fuel-tanker-for-desgagnes |
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Michigan's Congressional delegation urges Trump to follow through on Soo Locks fix 5/9 - Members of Michigan's Congressional delegation said they appreciated President Donald Trump's interest in upgrading the Soo Locks. Now, they want to make sure he follows through with continued support. In a letter to the president dated May 4, all 13 sitting Michigan U.S. representatives joined more than 50 members of Congress to urge Trump to remain engaged on rebuilding and improving the Soo Locks. The representatives said they were committed to making headway in Congress on the project as well. The letter was led by Michigan U.S. Reps. Paul Mitchell, R-Dryden, Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet and John Moolenaar, R-Midland and Ohio Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. "We believe this project is consistent with your commitments to rebuilding our nation's infrastructure, and feel that the Soo Locks can be the crowning achievement for this effort," the letter reads. Midwestern lawmakers have been calling for significant upgrades to the Soo Locks, located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, for decades. Those efforts recently got a signal boost when President Donald Trump said he supported revamping the decades-old structure during a rally in Macomb County. M Live |
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CSL expands presence in global cement shipping joint venture 5/9 - Canada's CSL Group has entered into an agreement with Limassol, Cyprus, headquartered SMT Shipping to acquire 50 percent of Eureka Shipping Ltd., SMT's pneumatic cement vessel business. The new joint venture will allow Eureka and CSL to combine expertise, resources and innovative technologies to expand services to customers in the seaborne cement powder and fly ash transportation markets around the world. CSL's Australian cement shipping business is not included in the joint venture. "The joint venture represents an important step in CSL's strategy to increase its presence in the global construction material sector," said Louis Martel, President and CEO of the CSL Group. There will be no change in the day-to-day management and operation of vessels in the Eureka fleet. The transaction is subject to certain regulatory conditions and is expected to close by end of June. Eureka Shipping Ltd. operates a fleet of self-unloading cement carriers in the Baltic Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Caribbean and Asia. The SMT Shipping Group has, over the past 30 years, built a fleet of about 45 vessels through a number of joint venture companies operating in various bulk commodities markets, focusing on highly efficient geared bulk carriers, floating storage/transhipment terminals and belt-unloaders. The CSL Group is the largest owner and operator of self-unloading ships in the world. Headquartered in Montreal with divisions operating throughout the Americas, Australia, Europe and Asia, CSL delivers more than 70 million tonnes of cargo annually for customers in the construction, steel, energy and agri-food sectors. Marine Log |
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Final cables secured, response concludes on Straits of Mackinac 5/9 - Mackinaw City, Mich. – The Unified Command announced that work on the remaining Consumers Energy cables was completed, Tuesday, and that the multi-agency response on the Straits of Mackinac has concluded. Crews contracted by Consumers Energy capped the remaining two retired cables, which featured no free flowing fluid, and returned them to the bottom of the Straits where they were secured by concrete mats placed on top of the cables. Last week, damaged ATC cables were secured with concrete mats after being capped and returned to the bottom of the Straits. “Since the beginning of this response, the Unified Command, together with the many federal, state, local and tribal partners, worked diligently to mitigate any pollution threat to our Straits and precious wildlife, and to be transparent in our efforts, said Cmdr. Shaun Edwards, Incident Commander. “Although our mission is complete, we all remain committed to learning the cause this incident and doing our best to eliminate any threat of something like this happening again.” During the response, the Coast Guard and other agencies continually surveyed the Straits from the water, the air and from the shoreline. There have been no reports of pollution or inured wildlife. The cause of the incident remains under investigation by the Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board. Results of the investigation will be made public once investigation has been completed. USCG |
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National Museum honors mothers with free admission this weekend 5/9 - Toledo, Ohio – The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced that all mothers, accompanied by a paying family member, will be admitted free to the museum this weekend May 12 and 13th . The museum developed the honor as part of its effort to make sure that people know Great Lakes history is for everyone ¬– not just for dads and sons. “The role of women on the Great Lakes cannot be underestimated. Women served in so many capacities including lighthouse keepers, lifesavers, crew members of commercial vessels and even today, Commander of the 9th District of the United States Coast Guard,” said Christopher Gillcrist, Executive Director of the museum. “Our museum seeks to insure that these stories get told as well.” The museum’s offer of free admission to mothers on this weekend includes mothers who are brought to the museum by their children. “Even if the child is below the age of six, and therefore does not pay an admission charge, his or her mom will get into the museum free.” The museum is open on Saturday May 12 from 10AM-5PM and on Sunday, May 13 from 12 noon till 5PM. The museum located at 1701 Front Street Toledo Ohio 43605. For more information call 419-214-5000 extension 0. |
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Buffalo Naval Park begins tourist season with leadership upheaval 5/9 - Buffalo, N.Y. – A leadership upheaval over a 10-day period has resulted in the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park losing its executive director and two longtime board members just as the summer tourism season begins. The changes follow an investigation into workplace misconduct by Don Alessi and Anthony Diina, board chairman and vice chairman, respectively. A statement issued May 3 by Kathleen Garvey, who was elected as new chair following Alessi’s resignation from the post, said the organization considers workplace misconduct related to the park counter to its mission and values. “We take these allegations seriously and promptly retained outside counsel to investigate the claims made,” she said. “Upon receipt and analysis of a report by outside counsel, the board determined it in its best interest, and in the best interest of the Naval Park, for the chair and vice chair to leave the board.” Diina resigned his post on April 26, the same day as a resignation by Capt. Brian Roche, who had served as executive director for about a year. Both came just weeks after the official start of the season at the park, located at Buffalo's Canalside district. Alessi was removed from his post by the board during the May 3 meeting. Roche, retired after 36 years with the U.S. Coast Guard, was hired to replace longtime leader Col. Patrick Cunningham, who led the park for 25 years and passed away the same evening board members voted to hire Roche. Both Alessi and Diina had been involved with the organization since its start in 1979. Diina, Alessi and Roche did not respond to calls for comment, and park officials refused to comment beyond Garvey’s official statement. The shake-up comes as the park begins its 39th season, and just months after participating in a national military event: The commissioning of the new USS Little Rock next to the old USS Little Rock, a museum ship in the park’s collection. Operating on a budget of about $1 million, the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park is recognized as the nation’s largest inland naval park. It is home to three museum vessels: USS Little Rock, a guided missile cruiser; USS Sullivans, a destroyer; and USS Croaker, a World War II submarine plus an outdoor exhibit area, a museum building and gift shop. While a search is conducted for a permanent executive director, Paul Marzello has been named to the post on an interim basis. Marzello has served as director of development and special projects for two and half years, helping to lead a $1 million renovation project planned for the downtown organization. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 9 The JOHN J BOLAND (Hull# 417) was launched May 9, 1953 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. for the American Steamship Co. making way for the keel of the DETROIT EDISON (2) to be laid. The BOLAND was renamed b.) SAGINAW in 1999.On May 9, 1951 the CLIFFS VICTORY arrived at the South Chicago yard of the American Ship Building Co. completing her 37-day, 3,000 mile journey from Baltimore, Maryland. There her deck houses, stack, masts, deck machinery, rudder and propeller were installed and the floatation pontoons removed. The ROBERT C. NORTON (2) was laid up on May 9, 1980 for the last time at the Hans Hansen Dock at Toledo, Ohio. PETER REISS (Hull#522) was launched at Superior, Wisconsin by Superior Ship Building Co., on May 9, 1910 for the North American Steamship Co. (Reiss Coal Co.). On 9 May 1864, AMAZON (2-mast wooden brig, 93 foot, 172 tons, built in 1837 at Port Huron, Michigan as a schooner) was carrying coal from Cleveland for Lake Superior when she went out of control in a storm just as she was leaving the St. Clair River for Lake Huron. She was driven ashore near Point Edward, Ontario and was broken up by the wave action. At the time of her loss, she was considered the oldest working schooner on the Lakes. May 9, 1900: The carferry PERE MARQUETTE (15) began carferry service to Milwaukee for the Pere Marquette Railway. On Friday night, 9 May 1873, the schooner CAPE HORN collided with the new iron propeller JAVA off Long Point on Lake Erie. The schooner sank quickly. The only life lost was that of the cook. On 09 May 1872, the CUBA (iron propeller bulk freighter, 231 foot, 1526 gross tons) was launched at King Iron Works in Buffalo, New York for the Holt and Ensign Commercial Line. Innovations in her design included water-tight compartments for water ballast, 4 water-tight bulkheads that could be closed if the hull were damaged, and a new fluted signal lamp that could be seen for 13 miles. She was powered by two 350 HP engines. She was a very successful vessel and lasted until 1947 when she was scrapped. She was renamed b.) IONIC in 1906 and c.) MAPLEBRANCH in 1920. Converted to a tanker in 1935. Scrapped at Sorel, Quebec in 1946-7. 1906 – The schooner ARMENIA was wrecked in Lake Erie near Colchester Reef when it began leaking in a storm while under tow of the FRED PABST on the first trip of the season. The ore-laden barge was cut loose but all on board were saved. The wreck was later struck by the CHARLES B. PACKARD on September 16, 1906, leading to the latter's demise. 1926 – While backing from the NHB Elevator in Port Colborne, the JOHN P. REISS struck the A.D. MacBETH at the dock, damaging the latter's stem. 1964 – The small ferries JOHN A. McPHAIL and JAMES CURRAN broke loose while under tow of the G.W. ROGERS and sank in a storm off the mouth of Saginaw Bay. They were en-route to Kingston from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., for a new service to Wolfe Island. 1974 – The coastal freighter ST. PIERRE ran aground in the old Lachine Canal at Montreal, was holed, capsized and sank. The vessel was broken up on location later in the year. 2011 – The Erie, Pa.-based passenger excursion ship VICTORIAN PRINCESS sustained major fire damage when a welding torch ignited materials in the engine room. The ship was out of the water and on blocks for maintenance work when the blaze broke out. The vessel missed the 2011 season. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - May 8
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marquette, Mich. – Jake Stevens
St. Marys River
Southern Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Toledo, Ohio Welland Canal and regional report - Monday May 7 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto: Oshawa: Anchored (off Oshawa) - May 5 - Isabelle G (Por) (ex Eider-18) - at 2100 and Hanse Gate (Atg) (ex CL Hanse Gate-15 Federal Manitou-11) anchored at 2329 - Docked - May 6 - Isabelle G (Por) at 1034 and Hanse Gate (Atg) at 1222
Oshawa, Ont. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 8 The 1,000-foot COLUMBIA STAR was christened May 8, 1981, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for Columbia Transportation Div., Oglebay Norton Co.EDGAR B. SPEER (Hull#908) was launched May 8, 1980, at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. (U.S. Steel Corp., mgr.), after long delay because of labor strife. FRED R. WHITE JR was christened May 8, 1979, named for Oglebay Norton's then vice-chairman of the board. On May 8, 1979, the ASHLAND struck the north entry pier of the Duluth Ship Canal while outbound loaded. Thick ice blowing in from Lake Superior had interfered with her maneuverability. She dropped her anchor to lessen the impact but drifted over the flukes ripping a two by five foot hole in her bottom port side forward. She was inspected and repaired at the Duluth Port Terminal. One anchor was lost. CHAMPLAIN's starboard side was damaged when she sideswiped the Swedish steamer BROLAND near the lower end of the St. Clair River cut-off, May 8, 1963. May 8. 1936 – The Pere Marquette Railway Co. announced plans to construct a new $1 million ferry dock at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The 3-masted wooden schooner FRANK C. LEIGHTON was launched at 10:30 a.m. on 8 May 1875, at Dunford & Leighton's yard in Port Huron, eight months after work on her began. She was launched complete except for her mizzen mast, which was just about ready to go in position. She was named for Capt. Leighton's son. Her dimensions were 138 foot keel, 145 foot overall, 26 foot beam and 12 foot depth. She cost $20,000 and was owned by Dunford & Leighton. The 254-foot wooden freighter AMAZON was launched at A. A. Turner's yard at Trenton, Michigan, on 8 May 1873. On 08 May 1929, GEORGE W. PARKER wooden propeller sandsucker, 105 foot, 143 gross tons, built in 1903, at Marine City, Michigan by A. Anderson for Fishback Plaster Co., formerly a.) L. G. POWELL) was destroyed by fire and sank in the channel 6 miles south of Algonac, Michigan. Her crew escaped in the yawl. 1916: S.R. KIRBY was downbound in a Lake Superior storm when it was struck by two huge waves, broke its back and foundered. The composite hulled freighter sank quickly and only two of the 22 on board survived. 1918: The Norwegian freighter POLLUX came to the Great Lakes in 1907. It was torpedoed as b) DUX by U-54 about 7 miles northwest of Godrevy Lighthouse while carrying coal from Swansea, UK to LaRochelle, France. 1934: The hull of the first CANADOC was punctured when the ship went hard aground at St. Joseph's Island. The vessel was later freed, drydocked and repaired. 1938: JAMES B. FOOTE hit a dock at Chicago, under tow of the tug KANSAS, while loaded with corn for Sorel. The rudder, stock and a propeller blade were lost. 1942: The Hall Corp. canaller MONT LOUIS was torpedoed and sunk in the Caribbean by U-162 with the loss of 13 lives. Only 8 survived by clinging to the wreckage. The ship was carrying bauxite from Dutch Guiana to Trinidad when it was attacked and it sank so quickly that the lifeboats could not be launched. 1949: E.C. COLLINS and HENRY FORD II were in a collision in the St.Clair River. 1967 ELIN HOPE had been chartered to the Ontario Paper Company to carry newsprint from Baie Comeau to New York from 1950 to 1953. The ship came to the Great Lakes as b) PROCYON in 1961 and arrived at Madras, India, as c) KR ASHOK with the cargo of coal on fire on this date in 1967. The vessel settled on the bottom during firefighting operations. It was refloated May 19 and eventually scrapped at Madras in 1968. 1978: The third OUTARDE went aground in the St. Lawrence near Buoy 41-M and was not released until May 16. There was only minor damage to the ship. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Port Reports - May 7
Duluth-Superior – Daniel Lindner
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marquette, Mich. – Jake Stevens and Rod Burdick
St. Marys River
Port Inland, Mich.
Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
Southern Lake Michigan
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Pelee Island, Ont. – Frank Hood Welland Canal and regional report - Sunday May 6 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Rochester, N.Y. – Tom Brewer
Erie, Pa. – Jeffrey Benson
Rimouski, Que. – Marine Bulletin |
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Partnership offers plan to restore Lake Superior’s Stannard Rock Lighthouse 5/7 - Marquette, Mich. – Michigan’s coastline boasts more lighthouses than any other state. The Superior Watershed Partnership invites the public to a free presentation about Stannard Rock Lighthouse at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Citizen’s Forum in Lakeview Arena. Learn about the history of this remote lighthouse and the plans for its continued preservation. The SWP acquired Stannard Rock Lighthouse from the federal government in 2015 and is working with partners to complete a Historic Structure Report to guide the ongoing rehabilitation of this unique structure. About 42 miles from Marquette in Lake Superior, the Stannard Rock Light Station is the farthest lighthouse from a coast in the United States and often was referred to by the Coast Guard as one of the loneliest places in the country. This presentation will provide an in-depth view of the history and development of the 136-year-old isolated station, as well as its current condition, the work and mission of the Superior Watershed Partnership & Land Trust, and the recommendations established to guide the future of the station. The current challenges and potential solutions for the station will be discussed. Participants will be able to view many historic photographs of this station and footage of the station today, including as seen from a drone. Michigan offshore light stations are difficult to visit and not easily visible to the general public. As a result, nonprofit stewards have a difficult time with fundraising and educating the public on the significance of these resources. To assist these stewards, a comprehensive document such as an HSR is essential for evaluating and identifying existing conditions, providing a solid plan for future rehabilitation projects that fully comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, and collecting important historical information. Everyone is invited to come learn more about Stannard Island Light Station and how to get involved with its rehabilitation. Learn about the key features at the station that were evaluated. Learn about the process of identifying uses and determining the treatments for the historic resources and features, taking into account accessibility, hazardous materials and compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. This presentation also provides continuing education credit through the American Institute of Architects. The presentation is hosted by the Superior Watershed Partnership with support from the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program in cooperation with the State Historic Preservation Office, OX Studio and the Smay Trombley Architecture firm. For more information, contact the SWP at info@superiorwatersheds.org or call 906-228-6095. Iron Mountain Daily News |
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Lake Superior is six inches above average; outflow will be increased 5/7 - Thunder Bay, Ont. – Lake Superior’s water level declined by a record 3 cm (1 inch) in April, normally the month that it begins its seasonal rise, and at the beginning-of-May, Lake Superior is 15 cm (6 in) above average (1918 - 2017), but 4 cm (2 in) below the level at this time last year. Lake Michigan-Huron saw wetter weather in April and levels resumed their seasonal rise, increasing 10 cm (4 in) last month. Lake Michigan-Huron is currently 41 cm (16 in) above average, 10 cm (4 in) above last year’s beginning-of-May level and the highest since 1998. The seasonal water level rise is expected to begin on Lake Superior and continue on Lake Michigan-Huron in May. Despite the recent decline on Lake Superior, the above-average levels coupled with strong winds and waves continue to result in shoreline erosion and coastal damages across the upper Great Lakes system. Additional shoreline erosion and coastal damages may occur this spring and summer should active weather continue. The Board recently obtained approval from the International Joint Commission (IJC) to temporarily deviate from Regulation Plan 2012 from May through November 2018 in a manner similar to that employed in the past three years, which were also marked by high lake levels and outflows. Over the next several months, the Board expects to adjust the gate settings at the Compensating Works and release flows greater than those prescribed by Regulation Plan 2012 in order to offset the effects of reductions in hydropower flows due to maintenance activities that occurred this past winter and that are expected to continue through the summer and fall. Accordingly, the Board, under authority granted to it by the IJC, has set the Lake Superior outflow to 2,290 cubic meters per second (cms) (80,870 cubic feet per second (cfs)) for the month of May, which is 50 cms (1,766 cfs) more than that prescribed by Regulation Plan 2012. Actual outflows may vary depending on hydrologic and ice conditions, as well as maintenance activities at the hydropower plants on the St. Marys River. The Board continues to monitor ice conditions and will increase the gate setting at the Compensating Works as soon as ice conditions permit, possibly as early as next week. The average St. Marys Rapids flow in May is expected to be approximately 280 cms (9,888 cfs) and the gates are expected to be opened to the equivalent of two gates fully open. Anglers and other users of the St. Marys Rapids need to be cautious of the changing flows and water levels that will be experienced in the rapids in May. The Board stresses that hydrologic conditions are the primary driver of water level fluctuations. Water levels of the Great Lakes cannot be fully controlled through regulation of outflows, nor can regulation completely eliminate the risk of extreme water levels from occurring during periods of severe weather and water supply conditions. It is not possible to accurately predict such conditions weeks in advance, but given the current levels of the lakes and the possibility that wet conditions may continue, the Board advises all those that may be impacted prepare for the possibility of high water levels, should they occur this spring, summer and fall. Lake Superior News |
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Response efforts under Straits resume following days of inclement weather 5/7 - Mackinaw City, Mich. – The Unified Command announced that crews contracted by American Transmission Company have completed laying concrete mats on top of the capped ATC cables, Saturday, while capping of the Consumers Energy cables has also begun. Inclement weather throughout the week, including fog, showers and heavy surf, hindered response efforts. All of the affected utility cables owned by ATC were soldered, capped, sealed and laid on the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac in its original position, April 29. ATC is preparing a long-term plan to remove the damaged cables, under the oversight of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Efforts are now being focused on three, retired-in-place Consumer Energy Cables. Those cables will be brought up from the bottom of the Straits, sampled, and then capped similar to the process used on the ATC cables, and returned to the bottom of the Straits with concrete mats laid on top of the capped cables. Consumers Energy reported to the Unified Command that there is no free flowing fluid within their retired cables. The cause of the incident is under investigation. USCG |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 7 ALGOPORT (Hull#217) was launched at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., May 7, 1979 for Algoma Central Railway.HUTCHCLIFFE HALL entered service on May 7, 1954. A.M. BYERS (Hull#448) was launched May 7, 1910 at Cleveland, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the North American Steamship Co. (R.A. Williams, mgr.). Renamed b.) CLEMENS A. REISS in 1959 and c.) JACK WIRT in 1970. May 7, 1903 - The Benton Harbor, Coloma & Paw Paw Lake Railway was purchased by the Pere Marquette Railroad. May 7, 1929 - The Pere Marquette notified Ludington it was interested in buying the frontage on Pere Marquette Lake that had been used by the Monroe Body Company. The city council asked $25,000 for the property, and the railroad agreed. Work on the No. 3 slip began a few months later. On 7 May 1874, the schooner JENNIE MATHEWS was launched at Hardison's yard in Port Huron, Michigan. The launch started very slowly but with the help of men pulling on ropes, the vessel slid into the Black River nicely. Her first skipper was Capt. McGifford and her owner was Mr. Hardison. On 07 May 1954, official ground-breaking ceremonies were held for the Mackinac Bridge. It was completed three and a half years later. 1891: The new Canadian Pacific steamer MANITOBA, although built in 1889, had been laid up due to a recession and finally sailed on her maiden voyage on this date in 1891. 1935: A fire aboard ALEXANDER LESLIE at the port of Erieau, Ont., killed one member of the crew and injured two others. 1965: CEDARVILLE and TOPDALSFJORD collided in fog in the Straits of Mackinac. Ten lives were lost when the former, a self-unloader in the Bradley fleet, sank. The latter, a Norwegian freighter, had been a Seaway trader since 1960. Later, on May 11, 1984, as d) JIN XIAN QUAN, it sank the SEA CARRIER, another former Seaway trader as SVANEFJELL, in the Strait of Formosa off Taishan Island. TOPDALSFJORD was last noted as e) CHANGHI and was deleted from Lloyd's Register in 2005. 1998: CANADIAN ENTERPRISE loaded a record 32,366 tons of road salt at Goderich for delivery to Milwaukee. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - May 6
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
St. Marys River
Cedarville, Mich.
Port Inland, Mich.
Southern Lake Michigan
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Calcite, Mich. Welland Canal and regional report - Saturday May 5 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay anchorage:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa:
Oswego, N.Y. – Ned Goebricher |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 6 On May 6, 1984 the CANADIAN RANGER sailed from Port Weller on her maiden voyage to load coal at Toledo, Ohio.In 1944 the HILDA (2) and the barge MAITLAND NO.1 started the rescue operation of freighter GEORGE M. HUMPHREY (1) which sank in a collision with the D.M. CLEMSON (2) in the Straits of Mackinac. This day in 1923 the EDWIN E. SLICK was struck by the steamer J. LEONARD REPLOGLE in the ice on Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior. HARVEY D. GOULDER entered service on May 6, 1906. On May 6, 1934, ROYALTON (1) helped rescue the steamer TEN, which had lost power in a Lake Superior ice field and required a tow to safety. On May 6, 1975 while unloading iron ore at Conneaut, Ohio, a leg and bucket from No.2 Hulett gave way and fell into the RALPH H. WATSON's cargo hold. A crane was rigged to remove the wreckage. A nine by twelve foot patch was required on her port side tank, which was holed in the accident. On 6 May 1847, CUBA (wooden schooner, 89 foot, 139 tons, built in 1844 at Peninsula, New York as a brig) was carrying wheat near Point Breeze, New York in Lake Ontario when she was run down and sunk in a collision with the steamer GENESEE CHIEF. No lives were lost. On 6 May 1858, the bark E.S. ADAMS began her voyage from Amherstburg, Ontario to London, England with a load of walnut timber. The transatlantic portion of the voyage took only 26 days and the vessel was back on the lakes in September 1858. EASTLAND was launched on 06 May 1903 at the Jenks Ship Building Company (Hull #25) at Port Huron, Michigan for the Michigan Steamship Company. She was christened by Mrs. Frances E. Perene. 1914: CITY OF ROME caught fire in Lake Erie and the blaze spread quickly. The vessel was run aground near Ripley, NY and the 15-member crew took to the lifeboats and rowed ashore. The 33-year old wooden freighter was a total loss. 1977: The West German freighter SUSANNE FRITZEN made 19 trips through the Seaway from 1963 through 1967. The vessel arrived at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with engine trouble as c) MARGRIT B. on this date in 1977. It remained idle and had to be towed to Piraeus, Greece, and laid up in 1978. The ship left there February 15, 1979, for the scrapyard in Barcelona, Spain. 1988: The Cypriot flag freighter PONTOKRATIS was under tow and downbound in the Little Calumet River at Chicago when the CSX railroad bascule bridge ended up across the stern cabin and pilothouse. There were no injuries and both sides launched a lawsuit. The vessel was released May 16 and continued to visit the Seaway as late as 2006. It renamed NAVIGATOR M. in 2010. Data from Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Port Reports - May 5
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marquette, Mich. – Jake Stevens
St. Marys River
Cedarville, Mich. – Denny Dushane
Port Inland, Mich. – Denny Dushane
Milwaukee, Wis. – Paul Erspamer
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Stoneport, Mich. – Denny Dushane
Calcite, Mich. – Denny Dushane
Toledo, Ohio – Denny Dushane Welland Canal and regional report - Friday May 4 - Barry Andersen Winds reported gusting 35 - 60 knots – traffic delayed
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Coast Guard hoists 5 people from breakwall near Harbor Beach 5/5 - Harbor Beach, Mich. – An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit rescued 5 people from the rocks after their fishing vessel lost power and was blown against a breakwall by high winds Friday. Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Detroit command center received a call at 2 p.m. from the Huron County Sheriff Department about a 25-foot fishing vessel with 5 people aboard against the rocks of the Harbor Beach breakwall. The command center watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and requested an aircrew from Air Station Detroit launch aboard a Dolphin helicopter. Due to seas between five and eight feet, surface assets were not able to launch. The Coast Guard aircrew launched about 2:25 p.m. and arrived on scene at about 3 p.m. to find the passengers, all adult males ranging in approximate age of between 18-55, had made their way safely on to the rocks. With winds gusting up to 45 miles an hour, the Coast Guard aircrew hoisted the five people in two separate missions and brought them to a nearby field to waiting EMS. There were no injuries. Everyone on the boat was wearing a life jacket. “We urge all boaters to check the weather forecast before deciding to venture out into the open waters,” said Lt. Cmdr. Chad Eckhardt, pilot of the aircrew. “If your boat malfunctions in heavy surf and high winds, you can find yourself in a dangerous and life threatening situation real fast. For anyone who falls into these cold waters, their trip can become deadly." The Coast Guard also urges boaters to have their vessels checked to make sure everything is in proper working order, especially before getting underway for the first time after the winter. In addition, make sure there are enough life jackets on board for every passenger, and dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature. The water temperature is still in the 40s. Someone who unexpectedly falls into the cold water can quickly be overcome by hypothermia, if they survive the initial shock of the cold water and the natural gasping reflex which can cause a person to inhale water and drown. USCG |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 5 May 5, 1904 the Crisp Point Light on Lake Superior went into service.WILLIAM CLAY FORD (Hull#300) was launched at River Rouge, Michigan, by Great Lakes Engineering Works, May 5, 1953, for the Ford Motor Co. On May 5, 1980, the SHARON, a.) ARCHERS HOPE of 1945, grounded in the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River. She was freed on May 7th and proceeded to Monroe, Michigan, and was laid up there on May 8, 1980. No repairs were made and she never sailed again. On May 5, 1914, the GEORGE F. BAKER was traveling down bound in Lake Superior in dense fog with 10,500 tons of iron ore from Ashland, Wisconsin. She ran hard aground on Sawtooth Reef off Eagle River, on Upper Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. May 5, 1914 - An unusual cargo, two "Jack Johnsons" (Navy guns) were hauled by the PERE MARQUETTE 17. The small schooner ST PETER was loaded with grain when she sank 35 miles from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on 5 May 1874. The crew reached shore in the yawl. The steam barge KITTIE M. FORBES was launched in Bay City, Michigan, on 5 May 1883. She was owned by Capt. William Forbes and named for his daughter. Her keel was laid on 1 December 1882. Her dimensions were 195 feet keel, 209 foot overall, 35 foot beam and 14 foot depth. Her engine was built by Samuel F. Hodge. On 05 May 1902, MILWAUKEE (steel propeller freighter, 325 foot, 3,327 gross tons) was launched at the Chicago Ship Building Company (Hull #55) at South Chicago, Illinois, for the Western Transit Co. She lasted until 1940, when she was scrapped at Hamilton, Ontario. 1960: The coastal freighter FEDERAL EXPRESS had been built at Midland in 1944 as H.M.C.S. WEST YORK. It was hit at the dock in Montreal on this date in 1960 by the Swedish freighter POLARIS, drifted downstream and sank. The stern was raised August 12, 1960, and the remainder of the hull came up in pieces. 1964: The downbound bulk carrier ERNEST T. WEIR sustained damage to the port bow when it collided with tanker MERCURY in Lake St. Clair. The latter had sheered to the left, went aground after the accident and developed a list. Both ships were repaired and ERNEST T. WEIR survives today as the idle self-unloader AMERICAN FORTITUDE. 1978: JALAVIHAR first visited the Great Lakes in 1966 under the flag of India. It ran aground in the Red Sea as d) KATERINA on this date in 1978. After being released it continued to Palermo, Italy, where it was declared beyond economical repair and was eventually scrapped at Split, Yugoslavia. 2009: VICTORIA first came through the Seaway in September 2004. On May 5, 2009, the ship, loaded with 10,000 metric tonnes of rice and its crew of 11 Romanian sailors, were captured by pirates, about 75 miles south of Yemen and held hostage. After the payment of a reported $1.8 million ransom, the vessel was released on July 18, 2009. It was back on the Great Lakes in 2011. Data from: Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Eight days to make $800K dock repairs for Badger 5/4 - Manitowoc, Wis. – Heavy-duty dock repairs are underway in Manitowoc this week after a storm ripped through Wisconsin just weeks ago. People expecting to ride the S.S. Badger across Lake Michigan are relying on an $800,000 state grant. The money will fix loading equipment needed for the ferry to operate and other damage caused by the storms, but it has to be done in the next eight days. Urban Geimer of Two Rivers looked on as workers re-built Thursday, pointing out to Action 2 News what he’d seen, saying, “that all got washed away, that was all gone.” "For the last eight years I've been here almost every day for the car ferry,” said Geimer, who proudly wears an S.S. Badger jacket every day that he bought on the boat years ago. "I was down at The Fat Seagull tavern down here and somebody told me that there was some damage." "The people that come off the car ferry – they normally will come stop here,” said Newey Boonperm who works at The Fat Seagull. Boonperm is among Restaurant workers nearby also breathing a sigh of relief the S.S. Badger will run its normal season. "We are happy that the dock is getting fixed because it does bring a lot of business towards this way. Manitowoc needs all the business we can get especially downtown." Many in the Manitowoc area couldn't believe their eyes when they first laid eyes on the damage the strong winds, snow and waves brought to the dock. "They're working hard, hopefully they get it ready by the 11th,” said another onlooker, William Rodewald of Manitowoc. For Rodewald, the history on the carferry runs deep. “My first trip on the carferry was December of '65,” he said. Asked if he would be riding the S.S. Badger this season, he responded, “In June my family's going. It's an enjoyable trip, believe me. This is a state highway through here, and the carferry is part of that state highway. So we gotta keep it goin!" WBAY |
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President’s promise to “fix” the Soo Locks resonates with Sault residents 5/4 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – “After spending all that money in the Middle East, can you imagine? And we can’t fix a lock… we’ll get it fixed,” said President Trump who promised federal action during his rally in Macomb County recently to help rebuild the Soo Locks. The president said he was going to immediately look into what needs to be done to fix the aging infrastructure. The comments have put Sault Ste. Marie in the national spotlight and it’s creating quite a buzz among people that live in this area. “Agree or disagree with him it’s very, very cool to hear an official mention the town and the area,” Ben Deatrick, said. Deatrick has lived in the Soo for quite a while, and one thing that hasn’t changed much in that time are the locks. “Your lock isn’t working too well, it’s not working too well, it hasn’t been fixed in 50 years, in all fairness,” Trump added. Those comments resonate with people like Deatrick. “I say great, fantastic, we certainly need a new lock and it could be a great benefactor to our city. A lot of those ships just to have to wait you know at the pier for two to three hours, sometimes all day, they really could use the new lock,” Deatrick added. Larry and Janet Besaw may not agree with a lot of what the president says but can agree with his comments about the locks. “Not just for this area but the country in general, without the locks the shipping stops that tons and tons of shipping so it would be foolish not to,” Janet Besaw said. “It was interesting to hear him say it, considering years ago supposedly they approved the upgrade of the locks so congress had no funding for it so they basically said yea go ahead do it,” she added. That was in 1986. Thursday in Lansing, Gov. Rick Snyder announced that Lt. Gov. Brian Calley is expected to work alongside the White House as they figure out the next steps to rebuild. 9&10 News |
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Chi-Cheemaun ferry starts runs Friday 5/4 - South Baymouth, Ont. – Mother Nature has pulled through at the last minute, banishing the ice from the port of South Baymouth just in time to see the Chi-Cheemaun make her inaugural 2018 crossing this Friday, May 4. As was reported last week, the ‘fast ice,’ or ice fastened to the shore in South Bay, was of concern to the Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC), the ferry’s parent company, but these fears have been abated with warm temperatures and good wind conditions. Kaleena Johnson, the OSTC’s manager of customer and media relations, told The Expositor, “At this time, we have no concern. The Chi-Cheemaun will be departing Tobermory at 8:50 am on Friday.” The ferry will arrive at South Baymouth at 10:50 am, undoubtedly greeted by a large group of people who mark her sight as the official start of the summer tourism season. Ms. Johnson said fares are staying the same this year, with the exception of a $5 increase to the dinner and concert series cruises. “This year there was a complete redesign of the aft lounge, which once housed the arcade,” Ms. Johnson explained. “It’s now very vibrant, colorful and inviting for families to come sit and enjoy the passage.” Ms. Johnson said the OSTC has again partnered with Parks Canada and, new this year, Wikwemikong Tourism and will see representatives from both organizations host talks and events in the aft lounge all season long. “There will also be interactive touch screens for the kids with fun kids’ programming,” she added. The OSTC prides itself in giving travellers a truly cultural experience while riding the ferry, Ms. Johnson said, noting that local foods, drinks and crafts, as well as experiences, are sourced whenever possible. Sailors can expect to see Manitoulin Brewing Company and Split Rail Brewing beers on tap, Manitoulin Pizza Company products for sale, whitefish sourced from Island waters, as well as goods like Anchored Jewelry’s hand-stamped jewellery and First Nation crafts from Manitoulin for sale. The Chi-Cheemaun will once again host its popular concert series with the schedule as follows: June 8, Shakura S’Aida; June 16, the Craft Booze Cruise; June 30, Trent Severn; July 18, Samantha Martin with Delta Sugar; July 28, Danny Michel and Emm Gryner; August 16, The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer; and September 14, the Trevor MacKenzie Band. Those travelling on a Sunday in July can look forward to a free event that sees authors and musicians paired. “We will be offering stargazing trips during the height of the Perseids meteor shower in August too,” Ms. Johnson added. “We’re creating an experience in and of itself,” she said. “We’re getting people to come back to enjoy more than just the views.” Manitoulin Expositor |
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Port Reports - May 4
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marquette, Mich. – Jake Stevens
Green Bay, Wis.
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Jim Conlon
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Pelee Island, Ont. – Frank Hood Welland Canal and regional report - Thursday May 3 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Maritime Task Force sees Lakes/Seaway shipping moving forward 5/4 - Toledo, Ohio – Increases in cargo movement on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway in 2017 were but two of several positive developments last year. The 2017 Annual Report of Great Lakes Maritime Task Force (GLMTF) released Thursday highlights progress on maintaining the Jones Act as the foundation of America’s domestic maritime policy; building a second Poe-sized lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; construction of another heavy icebreaker for the Great Lakes; and increased funding for dredging Great Lakes ports and waterways. The Jones Act requires that cargo moving between U.S. ports be carried in vessels that are U.S.-crewed, -built and -owned. Although the Jones Act was enacted in 1920, the United States has reserved domestic waterborne commerce to U.S.-flag vessels since 1817. Following the hurricanes that battered Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico, there were claims the law was inhibiting relief efforts, particularly in Puerto Rico, but there was no basis in fact. “The docks were jammed with cargo. The problem was the land-based transportation infrastructure was so tattered after the hurricane that cargo could not move inland. Congress wisely rejected making any changes to the Jones Act.” On the infrastructure front, GLMTF continued its efforts to build a second Poe-sized lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The Soo Locks connect Lake Superior to the lower Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway and typically handle 80 million tons of cargo per year, 90-plus percent of which transit the Poe Lock. Although authorized by Congress, the project has been stalled by a flawed benefit/cost analysis by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but President Trump has pledged to get the project moving. The Task Force is also focused on building another heavy icebreaker to partner with the Mackinaw so the U.S. Coast Guard can keep cargo moving during the ice season, typically mid-December to mid- or late-April. The Annual Report notes that in December 2017 and January 2018, U.S.-flag lakers had more than 1.8 million tons of cargo delayed or cancelled by ice. “While the Mackinaw performed well, the Coast Guard’s smaller icebreakers were often overmatched, and some had to be taken out of service for varying periods of time ... The only way the fleet can reliably meet the needs of commerce is if the United States Coast Guard has two heavy icebreakers stationed on the Great Lakes.” The Great Lakes are currently in a period of high water, but it is inevitable that they will fall again, so it is imperative that Congress continue to increase expenditures from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and give the Lakes their fair share of dredging dollars. “Thanks to GLMTF’s commitment to restoring adequate funding for dredging, the Lakes’ annual appropriation has just about doubled, from $80 million in 2012 to almost $160 million in 2017, but the need remains great. Nearly 15 million cubic yards of sediment still clog the Great Lakes Navigation System.” GLMTF continued to support passage of the S. 168, the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA). This legislation will bring much needed clarity and consistency to governance of ballast water discharges and put oversight where it best belongs: The U.S. Coast Guard. The current patchwork approach of regulations differing from federal agency to federal agency and state to state makes compliance nearly impossible. Great Lakes Maritime Task Force |
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Great Lakes Commission launches online portal for maritime jobs 5/4 - Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) recently launched a one-stop online portal for information about maritime careers on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. The website, which provides information on types of maritime careers, employers, training and certifications, is also now accepting postings for available jobs. Employers interested in posting a maritime job on the career portal can click here. “In our longstanding role of advocating for the regional water-based economy, the Great Lakes Commission is proud to present this new maritime jobs website,” said Steve Fisher, executive director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association and GLC commissioner from Indiana. “Ports and shippers support real jobs and economic development across the Great Lakes region, and this website will allow them to more efficiently attract talent. With growing demand for jobs both aboard ships and on shore, and a projected shortage in qualified personnel, the maritime industry offers attractive career opportunities in the Great Lakes and beyond.” “We’re strategically focusing our efforts on finding, developing and training a team of professionals for a growing workforce to successfully accomplish current and future contracts,” said Joe Starck, President, The Great Lakes Towing Company. “This starts with hiring world-class talent and the Great Lakes Maritime Careers website would be another great way to find qualified candidates.” A comprehensive online careers website for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River maritime industry was called for as a tool to better connect industry with prospective applicants in the 2016 Strategy for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Maritime Transportation System, developed by the Conference of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers. The strategy recommends actions to maintain and expand the maritime transportation system. As part of its work to support commercial navigation in the Great Lakes region, the GLC developed the online portal with input from regional stakeholders. The maritime industry on the Great Lakes moves 200 million tons of freight each year, generates 227,000 jobs and $34 billion (USD) in business revenue, and supports industries such as manufacturing, steel production, agriculture and power generation. Great Lakes Commission |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 4 On May 4, 1958, JOHN SHERWIN entered service. The SHERWIN has been in lay-up for over half of her life on the Great Lakes. She last sailed on November 16, 1981.On her maiden voyage May 4, 1976, ST. CLAIR departed Sturgeon Bay for Escanaba, Michigan, to load 39,803 gross tons of iron ore pellets for Indiana Harbor, Indiana arriving there on May 5th. OREFAX ran aground on May 4, 1963, way off course near Manistique, Michigan. She was lightered and pulled off by the Roen Salvage Co. and made her way to Toronto, Ontario, where she discharged her cargo and left for repairs. The tanker VENUS, a.) MARTHA E. ALLEN of 1928 suffered an explosion on May 4, 1972, when the crew was cleaning tanks while at anchor waiting for the fog to lift about seven miles west of the Eisenhower Lock in the Seaway. Two explosions rocked the ship, killing her skipper, Captain Stanley, and injuring three crewmen. On 04 May 1839, ATLAS (wooden schooner, built in 1836, at Dexter, New York) was carrying building stone from Chaumont Bay to Oswego, New York, when she foundered 6 miles from Oswego. The steamer TELEGRAPH rushed out of Oswego to assist her but only found a little flotsam. All five on board were lost: Capt. Asahel Wescott, Ortha Little, William Ackerman, John Lee and Asa Davis (a passenger). 1889: The new Canadian Pacific steamer MANITOBA was launched at Owen Sound. 1911: The STEPHEN M. CLEMENT sank the ERWIN L. FISHER in a collision on the Detroit River. The former last sailed as PEAVEY PIONEER and was scrapped in 1968-1969. 1968: The Swedish freighter BRORIVER made 9 trips to the Great Lakes in 1965-1966. It was sold and renamed d) THALIA later in 1966 and caught fire on the Atlantic on this date in 1968. The blaze originated in the engine room but gutted the ship. It was abandoned the next day and was eventually towed to Dakar, Senegal, where it was forced to anchor 8 miles out, as officials did not want it in the port. The vessel later sank at the anchorage. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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S.S. Badger receives $800K state grant to fix damage from Blizzard Evelyn 5/3 - Manitowoc, Wis. – The S.S. Badger carferry is getting nearly $800,000 in state money to repair its dock, which was damaged by Blizzard Evelyn. Gov. Scott Walker's office says high winds and waves damaged loading equipment and structures and severely eroded the harbor side. The vehicle apron needs to be rebuilt, and a broken counterweight needs to be added. Those repairs are expected to be made by the ferry's opening day, which is set for May 11. In all, the project is expected to cost nearly $1 million. In addition, plans call for an armored retaining wall to be built on the harbor side to protect the facility from future wind and wave damage. Walker's office says the current shoreline structure was not engineered, and is made up of a mix of construction debris and small-diameter quarry stone. “The S.S. Badger is an important aspect of our communities helping with both manufacturing and tourism,” Walker said in a news release. “This grant will help speed up repairs to the harbor and aboard the S.S. Badger, ensuring the ferry is ready to transport passengers, vehicles, and commercial goods as they prepare to open for the upcoming season.” The City of Manitowoc owns the dock and leases it to the S.S. Badger. The state grant comes from the Harbor Assistance Program. Fox 11 |
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Port Reports - May 3
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Owen Sound, Ont. – Paul Martin Welland Canal and regional report - Wednesday May 2 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Colborne anchorage:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Mississauga:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Aging Soo Locks now a focus of the White House 5/3 - Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump spoke on the aging Soo Locks at an event in Washington Township, Michigan, on Saturday, April 28. “The Soo Locks are going to hell,” Trump told the crowd. “You know that right? And we’re going to get them fixed up.” The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates that a six-month unexpected closure of the Poe Lock would result in dire consequences for the national economy. The DHS projected that 11 million Americans would lose their jobs, and the State of Michigan’s unemployment would reach 22%, exceeding the peak unemployment rate of 15% during the Great Recession of 2008. According to DHS, entire U.S. manufacturing industries would be incapacitated, including automobiles, appliances, construction, farming, and heavy manufacturing. “Businesses located at or near our ports are dependent on commerce through the Soo Locks,” said Steve Fisher, Executive Director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association. "Thousands of jobs in the energy, steel and agriculture sectors rely on this critical waterway.” The Soo Locks were constructed in Michigan in 1855 to allow ships to navigate the 21-foot height difference between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Where once there were four locks to serve Great Lakes shipping, now there are only two, with the largest lock, the Poe, handing over 90 percent of all cargoes. The other lock, the MacArthur, is too small for the larger, modern ships that transport cargo such as iron ore. Trump further stated in his speech that he would immediately talk to the Army Corps of Engineers to jumpstart the process of fixing the Soo Locks. “We depend on the Corps to maintain this marine highway,” said Jim Weakley, President of the Lake Carriers’ Association. “Without the locks connecting Lake Superior to the lower lakes we could not do our job.” Great Lakes Seaway Partnership |
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National Museum begins on-line campaign to excavate schooner 5/3 - Toledo, Ohio – The National Museum of the Great Lakes had begun an on-line fundraising campaign to raise funds to complete up to 10 days of underwater survey and excavation of their recent shipwreck discovery thought to be the long sought Lake Serpent. Christopher Gillcrist, executive director of the museum said that “the internet provides organizations like ours the opportunity to reach out to potential supporters across the world.” Carrie Sowden, archaeologist at the National Museum of the Great Lakes will lead a team of volunteers this summer excavating the bow section of the boat as well as areas that might provide evidence that the vessel is indeed the Lake Serpent. The estimated cost of the project is $13,000. The museum has already raised $10,500 from over 50 contributors so far both on-line and in personal solicitations. The museum has established an on-line funding web site at www.indiegogo.com/projects/lakeserpentproject/ or interested parties can go to the museum’s website at www.inlandseas.org or call 419-214-5000. National Museum of the Great Lakes |
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Study puts $6.3 billion price tag on potential Mackinac Straits oil spill 5/3 - St. Ignace, Mich. – A new study from a Michigan State University researcher estimates an oil spill in the Straits of Mackinac could have an economic impact of more than $6 billion. The study, led by MSU professor Robert B. Richardson, was prepared for For Love of Water (FLOW), a Traverse City-based advocacy group that has advocated for the shutdown and decommissioning of Enbridge Energy's Line 5 oil and gas pipeline. The pipeline, built in 1953, runs 645 miles from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Canada, and transports up to 540,000 barrels of light crude oil and natural gas liquids per day. Groups like FLOW have called for the aging pipeline to be shut down because of the risk a spill could pose to the Great Lakes. FLOW Executive Director Liz Kirkwood called the new study "another compelling reason for the state to take swift action to shut down Line 5." Federal authorities requested the pressure in the oil pipeline be reduced after new damage was found. "This study puts credible numbers behind what common sense tells us, that a Line 5 spill could cause catastrophic economic impacts in addition to environmental destruction," Kirkwood said in a statement. The study assumes a spill of about 2.5 million gallons of crude oil, which amounts to about 59,500 barrels, damaging about 900 miles of shoreline. The study's authors said it is not intended to be a "worst-case scenario," but a "reasonable case that is informed by expert knowledge." "The scenario reflects the real possibility of technological failure and delay in human response," the study states. "In the context of Line 5, the worst-case scenario may be far greater in terms of scale, scope, and the magnitude of impacts." Read more and view images at this link: http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2018/05/study_puts_63_billion_price_ta.html |
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Saltie demolition 5/3 - Vessels with a Great Lakes / Seaway connection reported as a casualty or sold for demolition. Taken from May 2018 issue of Marine News - Journal of the World Ship Society: Casualties: none reported Demolitions: Rakan-M (7341685; Tanzania) (Rakan-M-16, Enas H-11, Karim-09, Wilson Mugga-07, Selnes-04 (1st trip into the Seaway 1980) and Risnes-79 (1st trip into the Seaway 1978) 3,685 / 1975 bulk carrier. By RMM Shipping Co. SA (Industrial Shipping Ltd), Belize to Nagarsheth Shipbreakers, India and arrived Alang 21/09/2017, commenced demolition 5/10/2017. Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp |
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Pirate-themed cruises coming to Munising 5/3 - Munising, Mich. – Pirates are making their way to Munising, and you can join them by taking a ride on the Munising Pirate Cruises. Their pirate ship is currently dry docked in Sault Ste. Marie. As soon as the ice melts, it will begin operations in Munising, they're hoping that's around Memorial Day. There will be different cruise options; a family friendly version, where kids can learn what it takes to become a pirate, and an adults only version at sunset, with drinks served from the ship’s bar. The cruises are currently looking for people to portray the pirates on the ship. “We are looking for social, active people that have a good amount of energy to be able to keep the kids entertained and under control, while also having a good time and staying in character,” said Deidre Phillipson, manager of Munising Pirate Cruises. “They have to be able to work with this environment because it is very social, and it is very customer service.” Upper Michigan Source |
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Boatnerd gatherings reservations being taken 5/3 - Boatnerd Badger Gathering: A few staterooms are still available for the June 1-2 overnight Stay on the S.S. Badger in Ludington, Michigan, followed by a round trip across Lake Michigan. A Wisconsin Shoreline Cruise is an option after the Badger is docked Manitowoc and before the return trip to Ludington. Reservations are a must for this fun event. See the Gatherings page for complete details. Annual Soo Freighter-Chasing Cruise: This annual 3-hour event during the Engineer’s Weekend at the Soo Locks usually sells out. A buffet dinner is part of the trip to take close-up photos and videos of traffic in the St. Marys River. The cruise is limited to 100 passengers and advance reservations are required. Don’t be left out. See the Gatherings page for complete details. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 3 On May 3, 1959, the first large saltwater vessel to transit the new St. Lawrence Seaway arrived at Duluth. The RAMON DE LARINAGA of 1954, took the honors as the first salty, passing under Duluth's Aerial Bridge at 1:16 p.m., followed by a salty named the HERALD of 1943, sixteen minutes later.In 1922, the PERE MARQUETTE 16, as the barge HARRIET B, collided with the steamer QUINCY A. SHAW, and sank off Two Harbors, Minnesota. On 3 May 1840, CHAMPLAIN (wooden side-wheeler, 225 tons, built in 1832, at Chippewa, Ontario) was carrying general merchandise when a storm drove her ashore four miles south of St. Joseph, Michigan. Although abandoned, she was later recovered and rebuilt. On 03 May 1883, lightning struck and set fire to the barge C F. ALLEN while she was loading at North Muskegon, Michigan. She burned to the water's edge. Her loss was valued at $6,000, but she was not insured. 1905: HESPER was blown aground in 60 mph winds near Silver Bay, MN. The vessel was carried over a reef by a giant wave and broken to pieces. All on board were rescued. 1909: The EDWIN F. HOLMES hit a dredge in the Detroit River. The 108-year-old vessel still survives as the J.B. FORD. 1941: TRAJAN had been built at Ecorse, MI as a) YAQUE in 1915. It returned to the Great Lakes as b) DORIS in 1928 taking out the head gates at Lock 13 of the Welland Canal on September 23 and was back for several trips after becoming c) TRAJAN in 1932. The vessel was bombed and sunk by German aircraft in the North Sea on this date while enroute from Blyth to London with a cargo of coal. 1961: The tug BERT VERGE was towing the retired laker FORESTDALE across Hamilton Bay to the scrapyard at Stelco when it got caught by the wind, pulled over on its beam ends and sank with the loss of 2 lives. The tug was later salvaged and survives today as a pleasure craft out of Port Dover. 1982: A fire in the officer's quarters aboard the rail car barge SCOTIA II broke out at Sarnia. The damage was repaired and the ship resumed cross-river service until making its last run in April 1995. 1987: The Polish freighter ZIEMIA BIALOSTOCKA began Great Lakes service in 1980 after 8 years of deep sea trading. The ship hit the Sidney Lanier Bridge at Brunswick, GA, on this date in 1987 with major damage to the vessel and structure. The ship last visited the Great Lakes in 1996 and arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping on September 20, 1998. Data from: Skip Gillham, Al Miller, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. |
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Coast Guard breaking ice on Portage Lake, Keweenaw 5/2 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Coast Guard cutter Alder will finish the break out of the Keweenaw Waterway, including Portage Lake, later this week. Coast Guard Cutter Alder plans to transit the Keweenaw Waterway from north to south, completing the passage by May 03. |
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Port Reports - May 2
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marquette, Mich. – Rod Burdick
North Channel and Georgian Bay
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas
Saginaw River – Todd Shorkey
Toronto, Ont. – Gerry Ouderkirk
Oshawa, Ont. Welland Canal and regional report - Tuesday May 1 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay anchorage:
Buffalo:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Toronto:
Oshawa: |
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Point LeBarbe response completed; McGulpin Point response begins 5/2 - Mackinaw City, Mich. – A unified command has been established to assess damage to the Consumers Energy cables near McGulpin Point, Mich. The McGulpin Point Unified Command consists of members from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Coast Guard and Consumers Energy. Consumers Energy is developing a plan, under the oversight of the unified command, to respond to the damage to their de-energized, retired cables in the Straits of Mackinac. The company reported that there is no free flowing fluid within their armored, solid-centered cable. Consumers Energy is working to obtain a sample of the affected line to test for chemical properties within the 46 kV cable. The Point LeBarbe Unified Command completed its operations Sunday and transitioned all new operations to the McGulpin Point Unified Command. USCG |
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Toledo’s Schoonmaker museum ship opens Tuesday 5/2 - Toledo, Ohio – Opening day for the Col. James M. Schoonmaker museum ship is Tuesday. The massive lake freighter that sits on the Maumee River outside the National Museum of the Great Lakes is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. Tuesday also marks the launch of the museum ship’s smart phone tour app, which you can download for free by searching “Schoonmaker” in the app store. Opening day tours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors, $12 for youth 6 to 17 years old, and free for children 5 or younger. Toledo Blade |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 2 The STEWART J. CORT created a sensation as she passed Detroit/Windsor on mid-day on May 2, 1972, amid throngs of people lining both sides of the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers, whistling acknowledging salutes on her up bound maiden run.ADAM E. CORNELIUS (Hull#53) was launched at St. Clair, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works on May 2, 1908. Renamed b.) DETROIT EDISON in 1948, c.) GEORGE F. RAND in 1954. Sold Canadian in 1962, renamed d.) AVONDALE. She was scrapped at Castellon, Spain, in 1979. On 2 May 1874, the steamer 8TH OHIO was chartered by Magner & Company to carry their circus to various Great Lake ports throughout that season. The 3-mast schooner EDWARD KELLEY was launched at Dunford & Leighton's yard in Port Huron on 2 May 1874. She was built for the Lake Superior Transportation Company of Cleveland, Ohio. A. O. Miller's coronet band played at the launching. On 02 May 1903, ACADIA (wooden schooner-barge, 102 foot, 188 tons, built in 1873, at Smith's Falls, Ontario) was carrying coal from Oswego, New York to Kingston, Ontario, when she went aground in a storm near the Duck Islands on Lake Ontario. She was later recovered, but foundered again in July 1908. Again she was recovered and this time rebuilt as a barge. 1895 N.K. FAIRBANK was traveling from Chicago to Ogdensburg, NY with 50,000 bushels of corn when it stranded, due to fog and smoke, off Morgan's Point 6 miles west of Port Colborne. The wooden steamer caught fire and burned to the waterline. The hull was later refloated and, in 1899, rebuilt as the ELIZA H. STRONG only to burn again in October 1904. 1967 SHELTER BAY went aground in the Brockville Narrows when a bolt in the steering gear sheared off and the vessel veered off course, was holed by rocks and had to be beached off Royal Island. This member of the Q. & O. fleet was bound for Chicago with iron ore, but had to be lightered and then sailed to Port Weller Dry Docks for repairs. Data from: Skip, Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Interlake Logistics Solutions introduces barge Montville to Great Lakes service 5/1 - Middleburg Heights, Ohio – The Interlake Steamship Co., through Interlake Logistics Solutions, has announced it will time charter an asset from the East Coast to operate on the Great Lakes this spring: The 418-foot Montville, a single-hold, covered hopper barge with a 14,400-short ton capacity that will be able to carry a wide variety of cargoes. The Montville barge will eventually feature a rail-mounted gantry that will support a large material handler capable of digging or lifting cargo out of the cargo hold and onto shore. “We are very excited to bring the Montville into service to provide new maritime logistic solutions for our partners on the Great Lakes,” says Interlake President Mark W. Barker. “We’re seeing an increasing need for moving other types of cargo than the free-flowing bulk cargoes that we have traditionally moved. We felt that it was important to respond and fulfill the needs of our customers.” Brendan O’Connor, Interlake’s Vice President of Marketing and Marine Traffic, says the Montville barge will be able to carry a wide range of cargoes from bulk products to steel to specialty project cargoes such as wind turbines, generators, heavy equipment and other large structural components. “While barge service is available in the region, we believe the Montville is a unique asset,” O’Connor says. “Its sheer size and versatility sets it apart. The Montville will be largest U.S.-flagged barge of its kind on the Great Lakes. With its large, open cargo hold – that is completely covered -- it will be able to carry high cubic cargoes as well as heavy cargoes protected from the environment.” Interlake is partnering with Moran Towing to assist with the operations Interlake Steamship Co. |
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DTE Electric plans to keep Belle River, Monroe coal plants running 5/1 - Louisville, Ky. - Even though it is retiring three of its coal plants by 2023, DTE Electric intends to keep running its 1,395-MW Belle River and 3,000-MW Monroe coal plants until around 2030 and 2040, respectively, Trevor Lauer, DTE president and chief operating officer, said Friday in an interview. Lauer's comments came after Michigan's largest utility received final approval from the state's Public Service Commission to build a 1,100-MW, $951.8 million natural gas-fired plant at the utility's Belle River plant in St. Clair County. Environmentalists opposed the gas-fired plant, urging DTE to replace the coal units with more renewable resources. DTE plans to retire about 2,100 MW of older coal capacity by 2023, using the new gas-fired plant as a partial replacement once it goes into commercial operation in second-quarter 2022. |
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There’s a watch on South Bay ice pack as Chi-Cheemaun’s season draws near 5/1 - Owen Sound, Ont. – The Chi-Cheemaun’s first official sail of the 2018 season is scheduled for Friday, May 4, but the Owen Sound Transportation Co., the ferry’s parent company, is keeping a close eye on the remaining ice in Lake Huron. “The Environment Canada ice chart shows fast ice up inside South Bay, but our dock cameras show it clear at the South Baymouth dock and at the entrance from the lake,” said OSTC President and CEO Susan Schrempf. (‘Fast ice’ refers to ice that remains fastened to the shoreline.) “If the ice north of us is broken up and the wind shifts from southwest to north, the ice will blow down to the dock and entrance, and that will be a problem. We cannot operate the Chi-Cheemaun in ice, broken or otherwise.” Ms. Schrempf did go on to note that “much change can happen in two weeks, and no one is able to predict it with any accuracy. Best case scenario for the ferry is for the ice to deteriorate in the north end of South Bay without being broken up by an ice breaker.” Manitoulin Expositor |
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Port Reports - May 1
Two Harbors-Silver Bay, Minn. – Gary A. Putney
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Marquette, Mich. – Jake Stevens
Goderich, Ont. – Bruce Douglas Welland Canal and regional report - Monday Apr 30 - Barry Andersen
Nanticoke:
Long Point bay anchorage:
Welland Canal:
Welland Canal docks:
Port Weller anchorage:
Hamilton:
Bronte:
Oshawa: |
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Summer in store for Minnesota Slip? 5/1 - Duluth, Minn. – The $6.1 million Minnesota Slip seawall reconstruction project has resumed after a lengthy delay, said a city of Duluth news release on Monday. "Seawall installation will be complete by mid-June, but there remains additional landscaping and sidewalk work that will continue the rest of the summer," said a statement from city spokeswoman Pakou Ly. Contractors began steel sheet piling on Monday, making it a good length of the way down the slip, which is home to the 611-foot S.S. William A. Irvin Ore Boat Museum. After a January start, the project had been on hold since early March after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stopped work in order to secure necessary historic preservation approval at the state level. The oversight was corrected this week, when the Minnesota Historic Preservation Office gave clearance to the city, enabling the project to continue. Contractors are reinforcing the old timber construction that dates to the late 1800s. The project will fortify the seawalls and prevent further erosion of the dockwall. Current work is scheduled to be done by Grandma's Marathon, June 16 — one of the busiest days of the year in Duluth as it fills Canal Park and the race route to Two Harbors with thousands of racers, volunteers and spectators. But the project also figures to require season-long work-arounds. "This project is long term," Ly told the News Tribune. "The seawall installation will hopefully be done before Grandma's, but then we have soil, landscaping and sidewalk restoration to do." Ly said the project could stretch well through summer before a scheduled clean-up of the bottom of the slip starts — work scheduled by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. In a twist of good news for the Minnesota Slip, its pedestrian bridge is expected to reopen on Friday, Ly said, having been sandblasted and repainted into a new shade of blue — this time teal. An equipment staging area has reduced Harbor Drive behind the DECC to one lane of traffic. The bridge had been enclosed in plastic since March. Historically plagued by problems, the Minnesota Slip pedestrian bridge remains relatively fresh off of a $3 million mechanical fix in 2017. The new season promises a test of some rewiring required as part of a repair last August, which followed the overhaul. In January, a crew moved the Irvin away from the dockwall and toward the middle of the slip, where it has been floating at anchor ever since. The Minnesota Slip is also set to undergo soil remediation by the MPCA later this fall – a final hurdle to complete an update of the slip. The slip is just part of ongoing work throughout the port, where about half of 14 miles of seawall between Duluth and Superior is in need of new steel sheet pilings and modernization. Work along the seawall behind the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center has been identified since at least 2016, when DECC staff began fencing off areas along the dockwall near the Irvin due to sinkholes in the green spaces and heaving on the sidewalks. The June timeline to reopen the Minnesota Slip figures to hurt the Vista Fleet tour boat operation, which keeps its boats in the slip. Owner Justin Steinbach previously described 30 percent of his business being jeopardized by the six-week delay in work as the fleet is unable to use the smaller of its two vessels, the Vista Queen, without having use of the slip. He could not be reached in time for this story. Duluth News Tribune |
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Cables capped, sealed in Straits of Mackinac as response continues 5/1 - Mackinaw City, Mich. – All of the affected utility cables owned by American Transmission Co. have been soldered, capped, sealed and laid on the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac in their original position. ATC is preparing a long-term plan to remove the damaged cables, under the oversight of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. A total of 625 gallons of mineral oil were recovered from the lines. Consumers Energy is developing a plan, under the oversight of the Unified Command, to respond to the damage to their de-energized, retired cables in the Straits of Mackinac. The company reported to the Unified Command that there is no free-flowing fluid within their retired cables. Consumers Energy is working to obtain a sample of the affected line to test for chemical properties within the 46 kV cable. USCG |
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Today in Great Lakes History - May 1 EDMUND FITZGERALD collided with the Canadian steamer HOCHELAGA at the mouth of the Detroit River, May 1, 1970, suffering slight damage at hatches 18 and 19.STEWART J. CORT departed Erie on her maiden voyage at 0400 May 1, 1972. She was delayed by fog in Western Lake Erie. The steel-hulled bulk carrier SHENANGO (Hull#62) was launched on May 1, 1909, by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse, Michigan. Scrapping began on the CHICAGO TRADER at Ashtabula, Ohio, on May 1, 1978. The JOHN T. HUTCHINSON (Hull#1010) was launched at Cleveland, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. on May 1, 1943. The IRVING S. OLDS sustained an eight-foot long crack across her spar deck and eight inches down one side in a storm on Lake Huron May 1, 1963. LIGHTSHIP 103 (HURON) was launched at Morris Heights, New York by Consolidated Shipbuilding Corp. on May 1, 1920, for the U.S. Lighthouse Service. The SOO RIVER TRADER brought the first shipment of bulk cement to open the $18 million St. Lawrence Cement distribution dock at Duluth, Minnesota on May 1, 1982. May 1, 1903 - The ANN ARBOR NO 1 sighted a burning vessel about 15 miles out of the Sturgeon Bay Ship canal, the steamer JOHN EMERY OWEN. The crew had already been picked off after the fire started, so the ANN ARBOR NO 1 put out the fire with her fire hoses. The NO 1 then towed the abandoned steamer to Sturgeon Bay and tied her up at the west end of the canal. On 1 May 1875, CONSUELLO (wooden schooner, 103 foot, 142 gross tons, built in 1851, at Cleveland, Ohio) left Cleveland with a load of black stone for Toledo. Near Kelley's Island, a storm caused the cargo to shift and the ship capsized and sank. When she hit bottom, she jerked upright so the tops of her masts were above the water. Two of the crew, Fred Donahue and James King, were able to cling to the masts and they were rescued after about an hour and a half. Five others, including the captain and his wife, were drowned. On 1 May 1876, the little steamer W.D. MORTON, which for two years had run as a ferry between Port Huron's Black River and Sarnia, left her dock for the Delaware River where she ran on a centennial excursion route for the exposition held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania She left the Lakes via the Erie Canal. On 01 May 1858, OGONTZ (wooden propeller steamer, 343 tons, built in 1848, at Ohio City, Ohio) was purchased by Capt. A. E. Goodrich and George C. Drew for $5,600. This was the second vessel in the Goodrich Line. Just two years later, Capt. Goodrich had her machinery removed and she was sold to W. Crostin for $500. He converted her to a sailing vessel and she operated for two more years before she foundered in a storm. 1892: CELTIC, enroute from Fort William to Kingston with wheat and general cargo, sank in Lake Erie east of Rondeau after a collision with the steamer RUSSIA. The accident occurred in fog and one life was lost. 1909: ADELLA SHORES foundered with the loss of 14 lives in a Lake Superior storm while enroute from Ludington to Duluth with barreled salt. 1917: CASE began leaking on Lake Erie and was beached at East Sister Island, near Point Pelee and the ship caught fire when a lantern was knocked over. Some cargo was salvaged in August but the hull was left to break up in place and today the remains are scattered on the bottom. 1933: WILLIAM SCHUPP stranded on a shoal off Cockburn Island, Lake Huron, while enroute to Fort William in ballast. Once released, the vessel was repaired at Collingwood. It became MONDOC (ii) in 1945 and was scrapped at Deseronto, ON in 1961. 1940: ARLINGTON foundered in a Lake Superior storm on the second trip of the 1940 season. The wheat laden steamer was bound for Owen Sound went down stern first, taking Capt. Burke to his death. The rest of the crew survived and were picked up by the COLLINGWOOD. 1963: CAPE TRANSPORT was mauled overnight in a wild storm on Lake Huron off Harbor Beach. The steering gear was damaged, the radio knocked out and pilothouse windows were smashed. The HOLMSIDE, and later the RALPH S. MISENER, stood by. The ship reached a safe anchorage on May 2. Fleetmate OREFAX sustained damage to the forward cabins while upbound on Lake Huron in the same storm. Data from: Skip Gillham, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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