Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive

Cape May Light Sailing Delayed

1/31 - The coastal cruise boats, Cape May Light and Cape Hope Light, that were purchased by Hornblower Marine Services in 2005, will not sail until 2008.

The two 224-passenger, 300-foot vessels have been tied up in Green Cove Springs, Florida since the 2001 bankruptcy of the former owner American Classic Voyages, Inc., the former parent of Delta Queen Steamboat.

Finalization of financing appears to be the reason behind the delay. The sale was originally expected to be completed by the end of 2006.

The vessels were designed to sail in coastal waters during the year, and in the Great Lakes during the summer. Cape May Light did operate in the Great Lakes in 2001.

From Work Boat magazine

Captain Donald Bert MacAdam Dies

1/31 - Goderich - On Tuesday, January 30, 2007, the Marine Industry lost a respected friend when Captain Donald Bert MacAdam of Goderich, Ontario passed away peacefully.

Donald Bert (DB), was well know as the Goderich Port Master, Lighthouse Keeper and the owner of MacDonald Marine Tug Service. He was also a long service member of the Goderich Volunteer Fire Department.

Visitation is at the McCallum and Palla Funeral Home,11 Cambria Rd, N in Goderich from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm on Wednesday, January 31, 2007.

Funeral service will be held at 2 pm on Thursday, February 1, 2007 at Victoria Street United Church. There will be a one hour visitation at the church prior to the service.

Donations to the Diabetes Society, Victoria Street United Church or the charity of your choice.

Reported by Dale Baechler

Port Report - January 31

Montreal - Kent Malo
The Mathilda Desgagnes has been sold to a shipping firm in Haiti, Transcomar Shipping bought the 48-year old vessel, built at Davie Shipbuilding Lauzon Quebec 1959 as a bulk freighter "Eskimo" for Canada Steamship Lines for transporting supplies to the lower Arctic communities. She was converted to a package freighter in 1964. Converted to a crane equipped package freighter in 1985, and given her present name, the vessel sits at Section 56 in the Port of Montreal with no name on her hull.

Updates - January 31

News Photo Gallery updated

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Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 31

The MANZZUTTI was launched January 31, 1903, as a.) J S KEEFE (Hull#203) at Buffalo, New York by the Buffalo Dry Dock Co.

January 31, 1930 - While the Grand Trunk carferry MADISON was leading the way across Lake Michigan to Grand Haven, she was struck from behind by her sister ship GRAND RAPIDS.

Data from: Max Hanley, 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.

Tug Sinks at the Port of Milwaukee

1/30 - Milwaukee - A 37-foot tug boat sank in the municipal inner mooring basin at the Port of Milwaukee early this morning, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The Andrea J. was tied off to another vessel at a pier located within the mooring basin when it sank in 25 feet of water about 8:30 a.m., according to a statement from the Coast Guard.

According to the statement no one was onboard the vessel, which is owned by the Edward E. Gillen Company.

About 100 gallons of diesel fuel was onboard the vessel and the company broke surrounding ice and deployed an oil containment boom in place as a precaution while the boat was raised, the Coast Guard said.

Reported by Jim Zeirke from the Milwaukee Journal Gazette

Plans to Update Toledo Shipyard Unravel
Jobs, work go elsewhere as millions in funding are lost

1/30 - Toledo - Soon after a Bedford Township company took over operation of the publicly owned Toledo Shipyard 11 months ago, demolition of the facility’s decrepit buildings began, with a new machine and fabrication shop slated to rise in their place.

The demolition went as planned, but since then the building site — located along the Maumee River off the 2200 block of Front Street near the Nabisco flour mill — has remained barren.

Construction of a new ship repair building has been put on hold by what is being described as an administrative foul-up that cost the project a $4 million federal grant arranged through U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo), and by Mayor Carty Finkbeiner’s withholding of $1.5 million in city funds that former Mayor Jack Ford had pledged in 2003.

The result, according to Tony LaMantia, president of Ironhead Marine, is the loss of at least 20, if not 40, seasonal jobs at the shipyard because vessel owners have sent their ships elsewhere for drydock inspections or repair work. “We’ve had three customers tell us that because we didn’t have a facility here, they were reluctant to bring us lakers,” Mr. LaMantia said, referring to commercial cargo vessels that ply the Great Lakes.

Ironhead is still doing fabrication and machining in a rented building at the Port of Toledo general cargo dock several miles away, he said, but ship owners have balked because of the inefficiency inherent in transporting components back and forth between the two locations. Instead, the 20 or so workers at the rented building are primarily involved in building pollution-control equipment for another Ironhead customer.

Despite the setback, some winter work is occurring at the shipyard, which has been owned by the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority since 1985. Surveys and repairs to several barges are keeping a work force of about 30 people busy there, Mr. LaMantia said.

A $1.5 million appropriation last month by the port authority’s board of directors will fund construction of a scaled-down shop building later this year that will be designed to allow expansion once more money becomes available, he said. But predictions that the yard would employ 70 full-time workers by this winter, and later hundreds more if Ironhead could land contracts to build new vessels, have been laid low by the construction delay. “You can’t even pursue that work without having a shop [right next to the water],” Mr. LaMantia said.

Development of plans to modernize the shipyard for new-vessel construction began in 2000 and appeared to be gaining steam in late 2003, when Miss Kaptur announced a $3.5 million federal grant to help pay for new cranes and construction of a new “high-bay” facility. The latter is an enclosed building in which sections of new ships can be constructed before assembly is completed in one of the dry docks at the shipyard. Along with the city’s $1.5 million, Lucas County pledged $1 million toward the project, and Miss Kaptur later announced she had secured an additional $4 million in federal funds.

Work put off
But Manitowoc Marine Group, then the shipyard’s operator, put off starting work on the $12 million project. In February, 2005, the firm told local officials it would limit Toledo operations to repair and maintenance work because of labor problems. Subsequent campaigning to revive the company’s interest in the “high-bay” project was met instead by a Sept. 14, 2005, letter announcing Manitowoc’s plan to opt out of its lease as shipyard operator.
Ironhead, which already had an industrial fabrication shop in Bedford Township, replaced Manitowoc on an interim basis and was formally named the new shipyard operator in February, 2006. During a news conference announcing Ironhead’s new status, Bob Reinbolt, chief of staff to Mayor Finkbeiner, reiterated the city’s $1.5 million commitment to the shipyard project.

But less than two months later, the city advised the port authority that no funds would be available in 2006 and possibly not in the future. An Aug. 11, 2006, letter characterized the city’s funds as a loan that would not be provided “until the port authority and Ironhead identify private money standing behind this project” and “collateral protecting” the loan.

Meanwhile, the final $4 million that Miss Kaptur had arranged was unraveling. Federal officials determined that Congress had placed the money in an account that could only be spent on shipyards owned or operated by the U.S. Navy. “That became an insurmountable stumbling block,” said Steve Fought, a spokesman for Miss Kaptur.

“We ran out of time to get [the money] into a different account,” Mr. Fought said, noting that Miss Kaptur was working with then-U.S. Sen. Mike De­Wine (R, Ohio). “We’re not blaming anybody, but we have to go back and take another shot at it.”
Brian Schwartz, a spokesman for Mr. Finkbeiner, said city officials now are working with the port authority to identify a project at Toledo Express Airport “where we can invest $1.5 million,” which would effectively reimburse the port authority for its own appropriation last month. The Ford administration had been willing to simply place money in the airport reserve fund, Mr. Schwartz said, but it “really can’t be done that way — we have to have a project.”

Money for machines
As for Ironhead’s stake in the shipyard project, Mr. Schwartz said, “the mayor remains concerned, but as the project progresses, hopefully we’ll see progress in that area.” Mr. LaMantia said he has committed to spending $500,000 for machines and other equipment for the new facility and expects annual capital expenses of “a couple hundred thousand a year for the next 20 years, at a minimum.”

While expressing sympathy for the city’s financial straits, Mr. LaMantia said the administration has offered no direct help in finding alternative funding if city dollars aren’t available. “I don’t own the facility — it’s a publicly owned facility,” he reminded.

Fred Keith, business manager for Boilermakers Local 85, said it’s difficult to assess how much his membership has been affected by the delay in the construction of a new shipyard building, but added that there was no doubt the “very outdated” facilities that were demolished needed replacement. “We all wish it could be faster, because that would give [Ironhead] some new opportunities, and give the Boilermakers some new opportunities,” Mr. Keith said. “Because that building didn’t get put up as quickly as anticipated, that definitely hurt,” he said.

Mr. LaMantia said he and his employees will do the best they can with the work they have this winter, so as to establish a positive reputation within the Great Lakes shipping industry. “We’ll make our bones with these barges, and then get the facility built,” he said.

From the Toledo Blade

Toledo's King bridge Closure Starts Today

1/20 - Toledo - A 16-day closing of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Bridge will start as planned at 7:00 a.m. today, but don't expect to see the first of four replacement draw span sections installed at the bridge until later this week, a city official said yesterday.

The most time-sensitive work to be done during the bridge closing is reshaping the King's counterweight vaults so that the replacement draw spans will fit in them and raise and lower properly, Bill Franklin, the city's director of public service, said. A two-day postponement of the first draw span section's installation does not affect either today's closing of the bridge to motorists nor should it delay the bridge's reopening, scheduled for Feb. 16, Mr. Franklin said.

When announcing the closing on Friday, officials said the first of four new bridge sections would be loaded yesterday onto a barge from a storage yard near the Port of Toledo and floated into position today. But Mr. Franklin said yesterday that the loading operation was being extended to ensure proper rigging and balance.

While the King is closed, traffic will be detoured via the I-280 Craig Memorial Bridge between Summit and Front Streets. The detour will require closing the southbound right lane on I-280 approaching Summit because the entrance ramp from northbound Summit has inadequate merging distance. Motorists who can use the Anthony Wayne (High Level) or Michael DiSalle (I-75) bridges to cross the Maumee during the King closing should consider those alternatives.

Original plans for the draw span replacement called for traffic shutdowns no longer than four days. But after starting work early this month, contractor National Engineering quickly discovered that reshaping the counterweight vaults took much longer than expected.

National advised city officials that if done in phases to keep the bridge open to traffic most of the time, the work could not be finished in time to meet a March 15 deadline to reopen the Maumee River to shipping traffic.

Subfreezing cold is expected in the Toledo area for at least the next week. One potential obstacle to reopening the King bridge on time, Mr. Franklin said yesterday, is if thickening ice on the Maumee interferes with barge operations.

From the Toledo Blade

Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston Property Lease Renewal

1/30 - Kingston, Ont. - At their 23 January 2007 meeting, the Council of the City of Kingston passed a resolution supporting in principle the Marine Museum’s application for a lease renewal of the Kingston Shipyards and Drydocks site, which the Museum has occupied since 1977. The lease on this property is due to expire in November of 2007 and has been declared surplus by its owner, Public Works and Government Services Canada.

Achieving formal support of Kingston’s Council marks Round One in the Museum’s campaign to remain in its current location. The Marine Museum’s Board of Trustees must now take their request for a long term lease extension or property transfer to Senator Michael Fortier, Public Works and Government Services.

If you wish to help further, please consider adding your voice to those of the many individuals and groups who have written or called their Member of Parliament in support of a lease extension for the Marine Museum.

For further information about the Marine Museum, or for regular updates on the lease renewal, please visit the Museum’s website at www.marmuseum.ca

Port Report - January 30

Windsor - Kevin Sprague
The Canadian Coast Guard ice breakers Griffon and Samuel Risley are tied up Windsor. The Griffon left the Amherstburg Coast Guard base yesterday and headed out into the western basin of Lake Erie before returning back to the base. Ice is increasingly building up day by day. The Detroit River and extrem western basin of Lake Erie has substantial ice cover now. Vessels transiting this area will likely require ice breaker assistance in the very near future.

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
The Samuel de Champlain/barge Innovation departed Alpena Monday morning and ended the shipping season. The Innovation is headed to Milwaukee for lay-up.

Updates - January 30

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - Help keep this site on line.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 30

The ELMDALE was launched in 1909, as a.) CLIFFORD F MOLL (Hull#56) at Ecorse, Michigan by the Great Lakes Engineering Works.

The CHIEF WAWATAM was held up in the ice for a period of three weeks. On January 30, 1927, she went aground at North Graham Shoal in the Straits. She was later dry-docked at Great Lakes Engineering Works in Detroit where her forward propeller and after port wheel were replaced.

January 30, 1911 - The second PERE MARQUETTE 18 arrived Ludington, Michigan on her maiden voyage.

On 30 January 1881, ST ALBANS (wooden propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 135 foot, 435 tons, built in 1869, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying general merchandise, flour, cattle and 22 passengers in Lake Michigan. She rammed a cake of ice that filled the hole it made in her hull. She rushed for shore, but as the ice melted, the vessel filled with water. She sank 8 miles from Milwaukee. The crew and passengers made it to safety in the lifeboats. Her loss was valued at $35,000.

On 30 January 2000, crew began the removal of the four Hulett Ore Unloaders on Whiskey Island in Cleveland.

Data from: Max Hanley, 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.

Port Reports - January 29

Escanaba - Lee Rowe
The Joseph L. Block loaded at Escanaba Sunday while the Great Lakes Trader waited.  The Joseph H. Thompson remains tied up at the dock undergoing work.

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
The tugboat Manitou arrived in port on Saturday and tied up in the river. The Manitou is breaking ice in the area so the tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation will have no problem going into Lafarge. The Champlain is expected during the early morning hours on Monday.

Kenneth N. Black, “Mr. Lighthouse,” Is Lost

1/29 - Rockport, ME - With his family and close friends around him, the man known around the world as “Mr. Lighthouse,” and founder of the Maine Lighthouse Museum, CWO Kenneth Black, (USCG Retired) passed away peacefully at the Penobscot Bay Medical Center Hospital in Rockport, Maine, on Sunday, January 28 at the age of 82.

Black is largely credited as being one of the principle founders of the lighthouse preservation movement in the United States, and the first person to have a national newsletter about lighthouses, which always ended with his personal comments and the statement, “Be neighborly,” a philosophy that he was known to live by.

Born on June 29, 1923, Black was a Coast Guard veteran of World War II and he saw action at the invasion of Okinawa. After the war served throughout New England and the Great Lakes in various capacities including, being OIC at the Point Allerton, Massachusetts Life Boat Station; Commanding Officer of a lightship; Group Commander of the Quoddy Head Coast Guard Station in Lubec, Maine; Commander of the Coast Guard Cutter OJIBWA and he finished his over 32-year Coast Guard career as Commanding Officer of the Rockland, Maine, Coast Guard Station.

His interest is saving lighthouse artifacts began when he realized that many items were being discarded as automation changed the way lighthouses had been operating since the late 1700’s. He first created an exhibit at the base of Boston Lighthouse in the 1960’s, an exhibit that is still there to this day. As well as being the first Coast Guardsman to decorate a lighthouse at Christmastime, he stared the First Marine Exhibit at the Rockland Coast Guard Station, which evolved into the largest collection of lighthouse lenses and equipment in America. By the time he had retired from the Coast Guard in 1973 he was the official curator of the First Coast Guard District.

When the collection at the Rockland Coast Guard base outgrew its quarters, it moved to the Shore Village Museum building on Limerock Street in Rockland, Maine and Black spent the next 30 years traveling all over New England searching out artifacts. While doing so, many people heard what he was doing and stepped forward to help and donated other artifacts. Some artifacts were easy to get to the museum, while others such as priceless Fresnel lenses or fog bells and foghorns weighing thousands of pounds were more difficult.

Two years ago the gigantic collection, through the help of civic-minded community leaders, moved to its new headquarters on the Rockland waterfront in a recently renovated building where it was renamed the Maine Lighthouse Museum. Although Ken slowed down a bit in recent months, he was still active in many community events and the ongoing development of the new Maine Lighthouse Museum. He was present just a few weeks ago for the press conference announcing the consolidation of the collection of the American Lighthouse Foundation’s Museum of Lighthouse History. That merger will now create the largest lighthouse museum in the United States as well as being a Mecca for lighthouse buffs and an important Maine tourist attraction.

Black made famous the phrase that he coined, “Lighthouses are like people, they come in many different sizes, shapes and colors,” which was also the title of his popular slide presentation that he proudly presented an estimated thousand times, while always promoting the importance of lighthouse preservation.

Although retired for many years, Ken spent many long hours every week in the last thirty-five years volunteering his services to the lighthouse community and other worthwhile causes such as the Salvation Army, Rotary, Shriners and the American Lighthouse Foundation. He received countless awards such as the Coast Guard ‘Public Service Commendation,’ the Harbour Lights ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award, the Lighthouse Digest, ‘Beacon of Light’ award, and the American Lighthouse Foundation’s ‘Keeper of the Light’ Award, to name a few. Even a book about life after retirement included a full chapter about Ken Black.

When the United States Coast Guard wanted to honor him at the dedication last year of the CWO Kenneth Black Exhibition Hall at the Maine Lighthouse Museum, they couldn’t find an award to honor him with because he had already been honored over the years with every award or honor the Coast Guard has to offer. But not to let that stop them, the Guard arranged for a special honor to be given to him by the Foundation for Coast Guard History for his saving of hundreds of artifacts that might otherwise have been lost forever.

At that time he was also honored with special commendations from The Maine State Legislature, the Maine State Senate, the Governor of Maine, The City of Rockland, Lighthouse Digest Magazine, various Coast Guard units, the United States Congress and the one that he loved the best was the special personal recognition from the President of the United States, George W. Bush.

Black was also proud of the fact that his wife Dot serves as President of the Friends of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation and he loved it when friends would call his wife, “Mrs. Lighthouse.”

Tim Harrison, president of the American Lighthouse Foundation, said that Black knew more about the mechanics of vintage lighthouse equipment than anyone, anywhere. Fortunately, for the sake of future generations, Black recorded on film a number of tapes where he explained what each artifact in the collection was used for and why it was used.

Black leaves behind a wife Dorothy (Dot), stepson Joe and his wife Wanda, stepson Jim, and his wife Franny, and his grandsons Keegan, Travis and Christopher. The funeral service will held at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland on Thursday, February 1 at 11:00am.

In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations be made to the One Hundred Million Dollar Club of the Shriners or to the Maine Lighthouse Museum, P.O. Box F, Rockland, ME 04841.

Updates - January 29

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - Help keep this site on line.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 29

The BUCKEYE was launched January 29, 1910, as the straight decker a.) LEONARD B MILLER (Hull#447) at Cleveland, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co.

JOHN P REISS (Hull#377) was also launched this date in 1910, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co.

January 29, 1987 - The BADGER almost capsized at her dock due to a broken water intake pipe.

On 29 January 1953, RICHARD M MARSHALL (steel propeller freighter, 643 foot, 10,606 gross tons) was launched in Bay City, Michigan at Defoe's shipyard (Hull #424). Later she was named JOSEPH S WOOD in 1957, JOHN DYKSTRA in 1966, and BENSON FORD in 1983. She was scrapped in 1987 at Recife, Brazil.

Data from: Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, 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.

Pascol May Stay Afloat

1/28 - Thunder Bay, Ont. - There’s an interested buyer for Pascol Engineering, but it could take until April before the future of the Thunder Bay ship repair facility is known.

The court-appointed monitor for Pascol’s bankrupt parent company Canadian Shipbuilding and Engineering Inc. has applied for a two-month extension of CSE’s bankruptcy protection order — to March 30 — to allow it to complete the sale of CSE’s subsidiaries.

“I can’t comment on anything that’s going on,” Pascol general manager Steve Allen said Thursday. “It’s all in the hands of the receivers and the monitors. “Hopefully I will be able to talk to everybody come April of this year.”

According to court documents, bankruptcy monitor RSM Richter Inc. has received several purchase bids and investor offers for CSE subsidiaries Pascol and Port Weller Dry Docks before a Jan. 15 deadline.

The Port Weller facility ceased operations in November, with all but a handful of staff terminated. Pascol’s dry dock has continued to operate throughout the bankruptcy process, with 70 to 100 full-time and seasonal workers conducting repairs on three ships, the Algosoo, Algoway and Algowood, over the course of this winter.

Union representative Herb Daniher said word of an interested buyer should be good news for members of United Steelworkers Local 5055. “This is a positive development,” Daniher said Thursday. “We all felt that this portion of the company is a viable entity.”

Daniher said Pascol has an efficient workforce of welders, machinists and fabricators who carry out specialized work for the marine industry, along with mining and forestry companies. Because of that, he said, the 97-year-old company has a “niche market” that can allow it to expand under new ownership. “Under the right circumstances, we’re hoping somebody will come in and take us over and we can continue to succeed and grow,” he said.

The extension application filed in Superior Court on Tuesday by RSM Richter indicates Pascol continues to turn a profit, helping provide the necessary revenues to keep CSE solvent during the extended proceedings. “The estate account, together with the projected positive cash flow from Pascol’s operation, should be sufficient to fund (CSE’s) operations until a transaction for one or both of the (Port Weller) and/or Pascol divisions can be completed,” the court documents state.

Robert Kofman, the monitor for RSM Richter, did not return calls Thursday.

Financial reports state that CSE has about $8 million owing to its creditors, the largest of which is a $1.24-million claim by the Bank of Nova Scotia. Upper Lakes Group Inc. claims it is owed $1.15 million. RSM Richter’s application to extend CSE’s bankruptcy protection is expected to be heard in a Toronto court on Monday. Upper Lakes has agreed to the extension.

Reported by Tom Stewart from the Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal

Trip Raffle to Benefit BoatNerd

Through the generosity of the Interlake Steamship Co., BoatNerd is offering the chance to win a four-six-day trip for four to take place during the 2007 sailing season (between the months of June and September) on the winner's choice of the classic Lee. A. Tregurtha or the Queen of the Lakes Paul R. Tregurtha.

The trip is the Grand Prize of BoatNerd¹s first ever raffle and fundraising event. Other prizes will also be given away.

All proceeds from this raffle will benefit Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online, the non-profit support organization for the BoatNerd.Com Web site. Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online, Inc. is a non-profit 501(C)(3) corporation. Funds raised will be used to upgrade our equipment, expand our services and pay monthly Internet connection charges.

The drawing will take place at 2 p.m. on June 2, 2007 at the BoatNerd.Com World Headquarters in Port Huron, Mich.
Donation: $10 per ticket, 3 for $25, 6 for $50 or 12 for $100.

Click here to order, or for more information. Tickets are also available by mail, or in person at BoatNerd World Headquarters in Port Huron.

Port Reports - January 28

Halifax - Mac Mackay
Pacifico Trader sailed from Halifax Saturday morning, January 27, bound for Cartagena, Columbia where she will become a bunkering tanker. She is now flying the Panamanian flag. Her Fairbanks Morse engines sounded quite healthy as she headed out to sea, but she was making a lot of smoke.
The ferry Spirit of Ontario 1 left the Novadock floating drydock on Thursday, and returned to pier 6 at Halifax Shipyard. The fast ferry has been in Halifax since December 26 awaiting developments in a tentative sale to European owners.

Kingsville - Erich Zuschlag
The Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker/buoy tender was off Kingsville Ontario Saturday presumably checking the ice line after last nights wind storm.

Updates - January 28

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - Help keep this site on line.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 28

SELKIRK SETTLER (Hull#256) was launched January 28, 1983, at Govan, Scotland by Govan Shipbuilding Ltd.

At 4:00 a.m. on 28 January 1879, the ferry SARNIA was discovered to be on fire while lying at Fitzgerald's yard in Port Huron. All of the cabins were destroyed although the fire department had the fire out within an hour. About $3,000 damage was done. She was in the shipyard to be remodeled and to have a stern wheel installed. Arson was suspected.

On 28 January 1889, The Port Huron Times announced that the Toledo & Saginaw Transportation Company went out of business and sold all of its vessel and its shipyard. The shipyard went to Curtis & Brainard along with the PAWNEE and MIAMI. The BUFFALO, TEMPEST, BRAINARD and ORTON went to Thomas Lester. The C F CURTIS, FASSET, REED and HOLLAND went to R. C. Holland. The DAYTON went to J. A. Ward and M. P. Lester. The TROY and EDWARDS were sold, but the new owners were not listed.

Data from: Joe Barr, 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.

Fire crews feel way through smoke in ship

1/27 - Hamilton, Ont. - Thick black smoke belched from a lake freighter that caught fire in Hamilton harbour while crews were working on it Thursday morning. No one was hurt as firefighters struggled to douse the blaze below decks in the ship.

District fire chief Brian Stark said the fire broke out at 10:45 a.m. inside the Algoville while workers replacing its engine were cutting steel with a torch.

To reach the fire, Stark said, 21 firefighters had to feel their way through the heavy smoke -- the result of oil and lubricant that caught fire. They needed a map so they could locate the site of the blaze two storeys below decks.

Firefighters mixed a chemical with water to extinguish the blazing oil.

There was no damage to the ship and 12 people working inside at the time were safe.

Linda McDonald of the Hamilton Port Authority said the fire didn't affect operations because vessels are laid up for the winter in the port.

The vessel, owned by Algoma Steel, is 40 years old and usually carries grain and iron.

From the Hamilton Spectator

Purchase of land keeps Iron Range project alive
Steel Dynamics of Indiana bought the site for the proposed Mesabi Nugget plant but didn't say whether it would pay to build the factory.

1/27 - Duluth - The $200 million Mesabi Nugget project may become a reality after all. Indiana-based Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) on Wednesday helped secure land and construction permits for the iron nugget plant in Hoyt Lakes. Two months ago, former partner Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. pulled its support for the proposed plant, putting the entire project in doubt.

The intervention by Steel Dynamics -- the company purchased 3,000 of the 4,500 acres needed for the factory from Cleveland-Cliffs -- will allow for some preliminary construction to begin this weekend. That step allows previously granted environmental permits to remain valid. The permits were otherwise set to expire Monday.

For Larry Lehtinen, Mesabi president and founder, Wednesday's events marked a welcome reprieve. "I have been laboring 24/7 since Nov. 17. It was kind of like everybody else went to the funeral and left for the coffee and cookies afterwards. I was the only one in there with my head in the casket still trying to give CPR," Lehtinen said. Steel Dynamics, which makes structural and flat-rolled steel, has not said yet whether it intends to kick in the $200 million still needed to build the factory.

Nevertheless, state and Iron Range officials celebrated the initial victory in keeping alive the promise of next-generation mining technology for the Range. While Minnesota makes taconite pellets, no one in the state makes iron nuggets that can be fed directly into electric arc furnaces, as Mesabi Nugget has planned.

Mesabi Nugget would bring 100 permanent jobs to the Iron Range and employ a Japanese-designed airtight furnace to transform taconite into iron nuggets. Taconite, a mainstay of Iron Range plants, is only 65 percent iron. Mesabi Nuggets would be 97 percent iron -- pure enough to be fed directly into the electric arc furnaces that dot the Great Lakes. The process also is about 33 percent more energy-efficient than current taconite-to-steel processes.

State legislators and economic development officials initially invested $16 million into the venture and recently committed $20 million more in the hope that the venture would mark another step in reviving the Iron Range, where nearly 2,000 workers lost their jobs after EVTAC and LTV Mining went bankrupt in recent years. But in November, Mesabi Nugget's partnership fell apart because two of the five partners -- Cleveland-Cliffs and Steel Dynamics -- could not agree on terms. "Mesabi Nugget is very important to northeastern Minnesota. We are very pleased to see that the project appears to be back on track. ... But the question remains, who will finance the project in its entirety?" Iron Range Commissioner Sandy Layman said.

"This project is not just 100 jobs. It's the advancement of the next-generation technology. It opens up a new market to Minnesota that is represented by companies like SDI who will also be the customer for the product. It [owns] the [steel] mini mills and the electric arc furnaces that we are not capable of feeding right now."

Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, said he's hopeful that SDI will be able "to pull this off and that we can get this thing going. This is one of the projects that we worked really really hard on. ... This is too good to let die on the vine."
In the future, Cleveland-Cliffs could remain just a supplier of taconite powder to the plant, if it is built. The state of Minnesota probably will no longer be a small equity partner but keep its loan agreements intact, Lehtinen said. Kobe Steel in Japan, currently an investing partner, may provide only the unique technology needed to run the plant.

From the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune

Port Board gives OK to move on terminal
Hartung can sign for work in East Toledo

1/27 - Toledo - The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority board of directors yesterday directed the agency's president, James Hartung, to sign contracts with the low bidders to build a marine passenger terminal in East Toledo as long as the project's budget isn't exceeded. Bids for five contracts - for general construction, plumbing, electrical, fire protection, and climate control - are to be opened Tuesday.

But with the port board not scheduled to meet again until Feb. 22, its new-project development committee recommended Mr. Hartung be given authority to approve the construction bids to keep the project on schedule. The engineer's estimate for the terminal construction is $2.7 million, of which $2.4 million is to be paid with federal funds administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The federal funds are from a program for ferry-related projects, and port officials hope the terminal will help attract ferry service between Toledo and Windsor, Ont., or other Lake Erie ports. The terminal has been designed to accommodate Great Lakes cruise ships as well.

In related action, the port board agreed to pay Poggemeyer Design Group Inc. of Toledo up to $30,000 for services related to the contract bidding and for redesigning parts of the terminal plans to accommodate changes requested by the Marina District Design Committee and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Eighty percent of the Poggemeyer work also will be paid from the grant for the terminal, which totals $2,445,125.

From the Toledo Blade

Today in Great Lakes History - January 27

In 1912, the Great Lakes Engineering Works' Ecorse yard launched the steel bulk freighter WILLIAM P SNYDER JR (Hull#83), for the Shenango Furnace Co.

The LEON FALK JR closed the 1974, season at Superior by loading 17,542 tons of ore bound for Detroit.

January 27, 1985 - The CITY OF MIDLAND 41 had to return to port (Ludington) after heavy seas caused a 30-ton crane to fall off a truck on her car deck.

On 27 January 1978, ALLEGHENY, the training vessel of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy (built in 1944, at Orange, Texas as a sea-going naval tug) capsized at her winter dock at Traverse City, Michigan from the weight of accumulated ice. She was recovered but required and expensive rebuild and was sold and renamed TUG MALCOLM in 1979.

On 27 January 1893, Charles Lonsby and Louis Wolf purchased the 161 foot wooden steam barge THOMAS D STIMSON for $28,000. The vessel was built in 1881, by W. J. Daley & Sons at Mt. Clemens, Michigan as a schooner and was originally named VIRGINIUS. She was converted to a steamship in 1887.

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

Cutting Torch Sparks Algoville Fire

1/26 - Hamilton - A freighter caught fire in Hamilton harbour Thursday morning as crews were making repairs. No one was hurt, but firefighters struggled to douse the blaze below decks in the ship.

District Fire chief Brian Stark said the blaze broke out at 10:45 a.m. deep in the hull of the Algoville as workers were cutting steel with a torch. The heavy black smoke coming out of the ship was a result of oil and lubricant that caught fire.

He says 21 firefighters had to feel their way through heavy smoke to reach the fire.

They required a map so they could locate the fire two stories below deck. They mixed a chemical with water to extinguish the oil that caught on fire.

There was no damage to the ship and 12 people were working inside of it when the fire occurred.

From The Hamilton Spectator

Acushnet to be Crowned Queen of USCG Fleet

1/26 - Alameda, CA - With the de-commissioning of the Coast Guard cutter Storis on Feb. 8, 2007, the Coast Guard cutter Acushnet will be crowned the next Coast Guard "Queen of the Fleet".

The title "Queen of the Fleet" is a distinction given to the oldest commissioned cutter in the fleet. Acushnet will celebrate its 63rd birthday Feb. 5, 2007.

Acushnet was originally commissioned as a Diver Class Fleet Rescue and Salvage Vessel, USS SHACKLE (ARS 9) for the U.S. Navy Feb. 5, 1944. On August 23, 1946, Acushnet was commissioned as an Auxiliary Tug (WAT) in the US Coast Guard. That same year, two other U.S. Navy Diver Class vessels: the Escape (ex-ARS 6) and Yocona (ex-SEIZE ARS 26) also joined the Coast Guard fleet as Auxiliary Tugs (WAT).

Unlike any other ship in the Coast Guard, Acushnet has served in the Navy and Coast Guard as a Fleet Rescue and Salvage Vessel (ARS), an Auxiliary Tug (WAT), an oceanographic vessel (WAGO), and a medium endurance cutter (WMEC). It is the second Coast Guard cutter to bear the name Acushnet and will be the oldest medium endurance cutter still in operation after the Storis.

While both sister ships, Yocona and Escape, have been decommissioned, Acushnet continues to serve as a medium endurance cutter in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. Acushnet's operational history as USS Shackle includes participation in the salvage efforts at Pearl Harbor, Midway Island, Eniwetok, Guam, Saipan, and Japan. The salvage ship also played active roles in the battles over Iwo Jima and Okinawa. During WWII it earned three battle stars.

Acushnet's first homeport as a Coast Guard tug was Portland, Maine, where its crew earned a valiant reputation as a dependable friend to fishermen and boaters in distress. From 1968 to 1978,

Acushnet supported the National Data Buoy Project while designated as an oceanographic vessel primarily in San Diego (1968-1971) and then in Gulfport, Miss. In 1978, Acushnet was reclassified as a medium endurance cutter primarily to enforce maritime laws in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Acushnet crews also executed other duties, such as environmental protection, boating safety, search and rescue, and participated in the largest immigration crisis in the history of the Coast Guard, the Mariel Boat lift from Cuba.

In 1990, Acushnet changed homeports to Eureka, Calif., and patrolled the West Coast from the southern waters of California to the northern waters of the Bering Sea. Acushnet changed homeport to Ketchikan, Alaska in 1998 from where it now patrols primarily the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea.

Nicknamed "The 'A' Team in Alaskan Fisheries," Acushnet is credited with handling the Alaskan environment more effectively than most other cutters even though it lacks a flight deck and modern weapons systems. Its current missions consist of homeland defense, search and rescue, and law enforcement.

During the course of 60 years of service, Acushnet crews have received the following awards for exemplary service: World War II Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal, 2 Coast Guard Unit Commendations, 5 Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendations, 7 Coast Guard "E" Ribbons, Navy Occupation Service Medal, 3 National Defense Service Medals, 2 Humanitarian Service Medals, and 2 Coast Guard Special Operation Ribbons.

From Military.com

Diggers hope to retrieve warship
200-year-old General Hunter sits beside barge

1/26 - Southhampton, Ont. - Archeologists will dig up a 140-year-old barge from beneath the sands of the South-hampton public beach this spring.

They will also test the feasibility of retrieving the 200-year-old British warship buried beside the barge. The archeologists are especially excited about the warship.

Built in 1806, the brig HMS General Hunter was captured by the Americans in the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813. In August 1816, the ship was sailing as an American merchant vessel, under the shortened name of Hunter, when it was washed ashore during a violent storm on Lake Huron. "The General Hunter is both an historically invaluable discovery and an unique archeological find on the Upper Great Lakes," marine archeologist Ken Cassavoy said.

The wooden, flat-bottom barge covers part of the Hunter so must be raised first. The barge was used between 1871 and 1877 in the construction of the long dock connecting Southampton to nearby Chantry Island, said Cassavoy, who is in charge of the shipwreck project.

Starting in April, work will begin to retrieve the barge, an operation that will cost $90,000 to $100,000. Cassavoy hopes the money will be raised through donations of equipment and supplies. As in previous digs, archeologists will be volunteering their time. After the barge is raised, the plan is to sink it in the lake, where it will be used as a dive site, he said.

With the Hunter, archeologists will be taking wood core samples to test the strength of the ship's timbers. This would be the first step in determining whether it is feasible to retrieve and display the warship at the Bruce County museum in Southampton. The Hunter project could cost $3 million and take seven years to complete, Cassavoy said.

This shipwreck story dates back to the Easter weekend of 2001, when a Southampton resident strolling along the beach between Morpeth and Palmerston streets, discovered the ribs of a ship poking out of the sand. An exceptionally harsh winter had gouged sections of the beach like the movement of a glacier.

After an exploratory dig, it was thought the wreck was the Kaloolah, a Great Lakes side-wheel steamer. But a subsequent dig uncovered the bones of two vessels almost touching each other. A further dig in October 2002 turned up a small signal cannon, strengthening a theory that the 15-metre vessel dates back to the late 1790s, since lake ships weren't allowed to carry cannons after 1817.

A dig in the summer of 2004 uncovered more than 30 British and American military buttons, as well as four large cannon balls, numerous musket balls, two gun flints and a musket bayonet. Some of these artifacts are now on display at the museum in Southampton. No one died when the Hunter blew ashore 200 years, and her crew managed to save some objects on board. After each excavation, the shipwreck was returned to the sands that protected it for the last 200 years.

The barge dig is slated to run from April 16 to May 27.

From the Kitchener Record

Noted Naval Architect Dies

1/26 - Cleveland - Naval Architect Richard H. Suehrstedt, 78, passed away on January 15, 2007 at a local hospital near his home in Berea, Ohio.

Mr. Suehrstedt was President of Marine Consultants and Designers for a number of years and contributed substantially to the design of many of the current vessels operating on the Great Lakes. He was highly respected and in demand as an expert witness and supervisor of large vessel repair jobs requiring design improvement and modification.

Richard is survived by his wife Arlene and three sons. A memorial service was held on January 21, 2007 at 2:30pm at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 33 Seminary Street, Berea, Ohio 44017 to which the family suggests memorials contributions to its Cornerstone Fund.

Port Report - January 2

Escanaba - Rod Burdick
On Thursday, fleet mates Joseph L. Block and Wilfred Sykes were at the ore dock. Block was loading taconite on the north side of the dock, while Sykes was backed in and waiting on the south side. Dock officials say that ore shipments could continue all winter.
Tugs Victory and Olive L. Moore remain stern to stern at the North Reiss Dock.

Today in Great Lakes History - January 26

The keel for the CLIFFS VICTORY, a). NOTRE DAME VICTORY (Hull#1229) was laid on January 26, 1945, at Portland, Oregon by Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.

THOMAS F COLE (Hull #27) was launched January 26, 1907, by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse, Michigan for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co..

J F SCHOELLKOPF JR was launched January 26, 1907, as a.) HUGH KENNEDY (Hull#349) at Lorain, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co.

The THALASSA DESGAGNES entered service for Le Groupe Desgagnes on January 26, 1994.

ST LAWRENCE NAVIGATOR was launched in 1967, as a.) DEMETERTON (Hull#619) at South Shields, United Kingdom by John Readhead & Sons, Ltd.

On 26 January 1898, the CITY OF DULUTH (wooden passenger/package freight vessel, 202 foot, 1,310 gross tons, built in 1874, at Marine City, Michigan as a passenger vessel) was carrying passengers, corn, flour and general merchandise from Chicago to St. Joseph, Michigan during a late season run when she struck an uncharted bar in a storm inbound to St. Joseph. She was heavily damaged and driven ashore 350 feet west of the north pier where she broke up. The Lifesaving Service rescued all 24 passengers and 17 crew members using breeches' buoy.

Data from: Steve Haverty, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Ice-breaker will open Green Bay channel
Coast Guard warns ice will be unsafe

1/25 - Green Bay, WI - The U.S. Coast Guard warned that an ice-breaker will slice a path through the bay of Green Bay on Friday and Saturday.

The ice-breaking means snowmobiles, skiers and fishermen should keep away from the shipping channel in the middle of the bay.

"We try our best to get the word out. This will create unsafe conditions out there for a while," said Rick Burch, vessel traffic specialist with the Coast Guard in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mobile Bay will provide the ice-breaking for the commercial tank vessel Algosar into and out of the port of Green Bay.

Dean Haen, port director for Brown County, said the Algosar is carrying fuel oil from Canada to a Green Bay dock. He said fuel oil has been priced low this year because of low demand, and some companies may be choosing to stock up.

From the Green Bay Gazette

Port Reports - January 25

Halifax - Mac Mackay
The ferry Spirit of Ontario 1 is scheduled to leave the Novadock floating drydock today and head to sea. No destination has been given yet.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
On Sunday, the tug Susan W. Hannah and barge St. Mary's Conquest came in from Charlevoix with a load of cement for the St. Mary's Terminal in Ferrysburg.
The Wilfred Sykes came in from Indiana Harbor on Wednesday with a load for Verplank's dock in Ferrysburg.

Marine Pilotage Examination - Great Lakes Region

1/25 - Great Lakes Pilotage Authority will hold pilotage examinations during winter 2007 for the following Districts.
-Cornwall District (Saint-Lambert to Snell lock) -Lake Ontario District -District No. 2& 3 (Port Weller to Port Huron) and (all waters above Port Huron).

Applications must be sent to the Authority on or before February 2, 2007. P.O. Box 95 Cornwall, Ontario K6H 5R9.

The qualifications of applicants are available on the Authority's web site www.glpa-apgl.com under Great Lakes Pilotage Regulations.

Reported by Daniel Trottier

Updates - January 25

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - Help keep this site on line.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 25

On January 25, 1988, the tanker L'ORME NO 1 was involved in an accident at Ultramar Refinery near Quebec City when attempting to tie up during foggy weather. She struck the dock and the impact started a fire that extensively damaged the wharf and the forward section of the ship.

Scrapping on the E J BLOCK began at Port Colborne, Ontario on January 25, 1988.

The JOSHUA A HATFIELD (Hull#782) was launched January 25, 1923, at Lorain, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co.

The W C RICHARDSON was launched January 25, 1908, as the a.) WAINWRIGHT (Hull#175) at Wyandotte, Michigan by the Detroit Ship Building Co.

On 25 January 1890, ALEX NIMICK (wooden propeller, 298 foot, 1,968 gross tons) was launched at W. Bay City, Michigan. She was built by J. Davidson (Hull # 30).

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Marine Museum of the Great Lakes in Peril

1/24 - Kingston, Ont. - the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, in Kingston Ontario, is reported to be in peril.

The Museum sits on a site which is leased from the Federal Government. The City of Kingston acts as their property manager. The site is leased to the museum for a nominal fee. However, the museum's lease is up for renewal in November of this year. The Federal Government wants the City of Kingston to take over some properties but has offered only a package deal involving a local lift bridge and more. The City does not want the package offered.

If the lease is not renewed, the museum has had to set up an exit strategy.

This is the last Canadian Marine Museum dedicated to the Great Lakes Shipping Industry. Their collection of artifacts, photographs, blueprints etc. is invaluable. The site is of historical significance as well. The shipyard was opened in the 1890's by Sir John A. MacDonald ,our first Prime Minister.

Marine enthusiasts on both sides of the border can sign the petition which can be accessed at the marine museum web site, www.marmuseum.ca.  The full story is listed there.

Reported by Ron Walsh

Ludington may own ($1) lighthouse soon

1/24 - Ludington - A dollar doesn’t buy much anymore. Unless it’s a lighthouse.

The Ludington North Breakwater Light — aka, the Ludington lighthouse — may soon belong to the city. Pending the city council’s approval and signing of a quitclaim deed from the U.S. General Services Administration, the city will acquire ownership of the lighthouse for the sum total of a dollar.

A dedication will be planned for later this spring. The Big Sable Lighthouse Association will partner with the city to run the lighthouse, while the U.S. Coast Guard will maintain the actual light. Public hours for the lighthouse are planned.

According to a memo from City Manager John Shay to Mayor John Henderson, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality wants the city to enter into a bottomlands agreement though the DEQ has not expressed that directly to the city. Instead the state has expressed its concerns to the federal GSA which maintains the city does not have to enter into such an agreement since the city will be taking ownership of only the lighthouse itself, not the breakwater underneath it.

Shay noted he is awaiting word from the GSA to see if it would object to the city entering into such an agreement with the DEQ after the city receives the lighthouse.

From the Ludington Daily News

Port Report - January 24

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel & Paul Erspamer
Burns Harbor backed into Milwaukee's inner harbor at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, laying up at the Bulk Cargo dock on Jones Island, a short distance south of laid-up cement carrier Integrity. Burns Harbor has spent the winter at the same location in previous years.

Marine Pilotage, opportunity for an exciting career as marine pilot on the St. Lawrence River

1/24 - The Laurentian Pilotage Authority will be recruiting several apprentice pilots in 2007. These apprentice pilots could be called on to exercise the profession of marine pilot on the St. Lawrence River from Montreal to Les Escoumins.

The candidate must:
-Be a Canadian citizen or have permanent resident status;
-Be able to effectively perform its duties both in English and in French;
-Have a college diploma in navigation issued by a marine school in Canada;
-Hold a certificate of competency as Master;
-Have served as master or deck watch officer on board commercial vessels for 24 months in the last 5 years

See our web site for further information on requirements.
Interested candidates who do not fully meet these requirements are also invited to apply.

Applications must be sent to the Authority on or before February 28, 2007
For information, documentation or to submit an application, please contact the Laurentian Pilotage Authority, 555 René-Lévesque Boulevard West, suite 1501, Montreal, Quebec, H2Z 1B1.
Email address: administration@apl.gc.ca Website: www.pilotagestlaurent.gc.ca

Two Boatnerd Gatherings Posted

1/24 - Details of two more Boatnerd Gatherings for 2007 have been posted on the Gathering Page.

The popular cruise on the Huron Lady II will take place on June 2, will take place at 4:00pm following the Port Huron Marine Mart and the Boatnerd Freighter Trip Raffle Drawing.

July 14 - Annual St. Clair River Gathering aboard the Hammond Bay will leave Sombra, Ontario at 11:00am, on Saturday, July 14, for a 3-hour tour of the St. Clair River.

Reservations for both of these events should be made as soon as possible.

Check the Gatherings Page for details.

Updates - January 24

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - More prizes added.

Calendar of Events updated

13th Annual Lay Up List updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 24

The JOHNSTOWN (Hull#4504) was launched January 24, 1952, at Sparrows Point, Maryland by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard.

SPRUCEGLEN was launched January 24, 1924, as a.) WILLIAM K FIELD (Hull#176) at Toledo, Ohio by the Toledo Ship Building Co.

The steel barge MADEIRA (Hull#38) was launched on January 24, 1900, at Chicago, Illinois by the Chicago Ship Building Co.

In 1988, while under tow of German tug EVEREST of 1960, the ENDERS M VOORHEES encountered force 9 winds, parted her towline and went aground and subsequently broke in two at Profitis Elais, Kythnos Island (Thermia) in the Cyclades between the Mirto and Aegean Seas. She was on her way to Turkey for scrapping at the time.

Data from: Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Port Report - January 23

Halifax - Mac Mackay
The name Pacifico Trader has appeared on the bow and stern of the former Algonova. The port of registry is too small to be visible from my vantage point.

Historians searching for answers of the mighty sailing ship Chippewa

1/23- Syracuse, NY - "What we're looking for is the debris that was left over from the shipbuilding project, over 400 carpenters, joiners, cordwainers, blacksmiths were engaged on this project, and those people must have left an awful lot of garbage for us to find. And so what we're really looking for is all that garbage that they left behind for us to find.

And that gives us a lot of ideas about a lot of different things, like how the workmen lived, it also gives us ideas about the kind of technology that was being put into these warships. They would have been the largest warships in the world, they would have been larger than anything the British had built on the ocean, they would have been larger than anything the United States would build until 1821.

Sackets Harbor built and launched more warships than any other American port in the War of 1812. They built and launched eight warships, the largest of which was the 58-gun U.S.S. Superior. Had these been launched, they would have been nine, ten and eleven. And it's also true that Sackets had the largest deployed fleet of any port on the U.S. coast, and it was probably also the largest American squadron in deployment during the War of 1812. It was basically the only thing keeping Great Britain from being able to invade the United States over Lake Ontario.

The war on Lake Ontario has been characterized by more than one person, as a war of carpenters, and it was essentially the carpenters that were winning the war. They actually began pulling ships off from the ocean, and began putting them in "ordinary" or mothball, pulling their guns off, pulling their crews off and shipping those men and crews and guns up to Sackets Harbor for use on those new ships being built there, because it was actually a more important theatre than the oceans.

It was the only theatre in which the U.S. Navy had any impact,” said Dr. Ben Abel, Jefferson County Historical Society Director.

Doctor Abel will be directing the project again this summer when the team returns to the dig site to search for more artifacts from our country's colorful past. And of course it is only five years away from the Bicentennial celebration of the War of 1812.

From News 10 Now, Syracuse

Veteran USNPS Ranger III Sailor Passes

1/23 - Isle Royal - Gerry P. Sterk (1944 - 2007) of Ahmeek (Keweenaw County), Michigan, passed away at Marquette General Hospital in Marquette, Michigan on Saturday, January 20th following a brief illness.

Gerry was born in Ahmeek in 1944 and attended schools in Calumet, MI. Gerry sailed as an AB Seaman with the Interlake Steamship Co., Cleveland Cliffs Iron Co. and for the last twenty years, as an AB Seaman with the U.S. National Park Service onboard the USNPS RANGER III at Isle Royale National Park.

Gerry will be remembered by his co-workers as a hard working, quiet and generous gentleman. He often cooked large full meals, taking all day to prepare, for the boat crew and other park employees. He will be missed by all that knew and worked with him.

Reported by Capt. Wm. Hanrahan, USNPS Ranger III

Updates - January 23

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - More prizes added.

Calendar of Events updated

13th Annual Lay Up List updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 23

January 23 - The CELTIC (wooden schooner-barge, 190 foot, 716 gross tons, built 1890, at W. Bay City, Michigan) broke away from the steamer H E RUNNELS during a fierce gale on Lake Huron on 29 November 1902, and was lost with all hands. No wreckage was found until 23 January 1903, when a yawl and the captain's desk with the ship's papers was found on Boom Point, southeast of Cockburn Island.

The GEORGE A STINSON struck a wall of the Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan on January 23, 1979. The damage was estimated at $200,000.

The rail car ferry GRAND HAVEN sailed on her first trip as a roll on/roll off carrier from Port Burwell on January 23, 1965, loaded with 125 tons of coiled steel bound for Cleveland and Walton Hills, Ohio.

January 23, 1980 - Protesting the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, workers refused to unload the Russian freighter docked at Dow Chemical in Ludington.

Data from: Max Hanley, 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.

Port Reports - January 22

Halifax - Mac Mackay
Algonova's name no longer appears on her bow. Fresh blue paint covers the name and bear logo, although her funnel still carries the Algoma colours and symbol. A new name will likely appear soon, but extreme cold weather may delay that for a few days. It is understood that the tanker has been sold, but no new name has been announced yet.

Algonova is tied up in the Halifax Shipyard, and directly in front of her is Spirit of Ontario 1 in the Novadock floating drydock. The Spirit of Ontario 1 still carried her original name.

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel
The Wilfred Sykes completed unloading at St. Mary's Cement in the inner harbor early Sunday and departed.

Escanaba - Lee Rowe
The Wilfred Sykes loaded ore in Escanaba on a snowy Sunday while a ghostly Joseph L. Block waited in the harbor. The Joseph Thompson/ Jr. were tied up on the opposite side of the dock with workers visible on the boat. Tug Olive Moore was tied up at the power plant behind the tug Victory.

Noted Marine Historian Hospitalized

1/22 - Port Huron, MI - Well-known marine historian and photographer, Fr. Peter J. Vander Linden, suffered a mishap this past weekend. While outside his home at the Herrington in Port Huron, he slipped and fell on some ice. He was taken to Port Huron Mercy Hospital where tests revealed that he had broken his left hip and would require surgery of repair the damage.

Surgery was at 8:00 Sunday morning and was successful. However upon returning to his room, he developed serious respiratory complications and had to be rushed to the intensive care unit. At this time, he is stable and that is all the staff is able to report. His immediate family had been contacted and informed of the situation.

We will post updates with any significant changes to his condition.

Reported by David Michelson

Updates - January 22

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - More prizes added.

Calendar of Events updated

13th Annual Lay Up List updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 22

The c.) WOODLAND, a.) FRENCH RIVER) was sold to International Capital Equipment of Canada and cleared off the Lakes from Montreal January 22, 1991, under the Bahamian flag with the modified name to d.) WOODLANDS.

The GOLDEN HIND was sold on January 22, 1973, to Trico Enterprises Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda (Quebec & Ontario Transportation Co. Ltd., Thorold, Ontario, mgr.)

January 22, 1913 - The SAINTE MARIE (Hull#127) was launched at Toledo, Ohio by Craig Shipbuilding Co.

Data from: Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series.

Buffalo Flashback - 1959
An event on the night of January 21st, 1959 was one of the strangest stories in Buffalo maritime history.
The freighter McGilvary Shiras broken free from her moorings at the Concrete Central Elevator due to a quick thaw, and heavy ice flow on the Buffalo River. She floated downriver, navigated 3 right angle turns, and then collided with the Michael K. Tewksbury at the Standard Elevator, breaking her loose from the dock.

The Ohio St. Bridge was lifted out of their way and both ships were able to make the 45-degree bend through the bridge before careening down the river and plowing into the Michigan St. Bridge. The bridge's center span collapsed into the river and the East lift tower crashed into the Firetug engine house building, trapping the Buffalo Fireboat Edward M Cotter inside the slip.

The West side tower collapsed a few days later during a wind storm, adding to the large amount of steel debris and wreckage on the ship's sterns, in the water, and on shore.

The resulting clean up, bridge replacement, and lawsuits took many years and multi-millions of dollars to settle. Court battles ensued over lack of ice breaking on the Buffalo River, poor mooring practices by the shipping companies, deteriorated dock fixtures that were not properly maintained by the elevator owners, and even the failure by the City of Buffalo to lift the Michigan St. Bridge.

From Brian Wroblewski

Edward L. Ryerson arrives for lay up

1/21 - Sturgeon Bay, WI - Saturday about 1:15 p.m. the Edward L. Ryerson entered the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal heading for Bay Shipbuilding and lay up. It was a brisk sunny afternoon day and as they transited the canal and there were many salutes.

Reported by Wendell Wilke

Coast Guard's plan to get out of lighthouse business makes waves across Michigan

1/21 - Traverse City -- Like candles blown out by an ill wind, the lighthouses of Michigan are going dark, one by one.
The blinking beacons, rendered obsolete by technology, are slowly crumbling into the Great Lakes, say preservationists and government officials. Politicians and residents are trying to save the lights, passing another law last month, but their efforts are being hamstrung by a lack of money.

The number of lighthouses in the nation has dropped from 2,300 in the late 1800s to 950 in 1995 to 600 today. Michigan, with 116, has more than any other state. "Money is everything," said Kirk Lindquist, president of the Michigan Lighthouse Fund, a Lansing group that raises money for lighthouse owners. "Some are doing well but others go month to month, year to year."

Lighthouses provide a rich link to Michigan's history, especially its maritime past, supporters said. The lighthouses have been part of Michigan, some since about statehood, guiding ships by flame before the invention of electricity. The brick and stone structures also provide much of the identity for the lakefront communities that house them, supporters said.

"It's part of our past," said Doug McCormick, 92, a retired Coast Guard chief boatswain who, until recently, was the volunteer caretaker of the Grand Traverse Lighthouse at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. Like many of the people rallying behind lighthouses, McCormick is closer to the end of his life than the beginning.

The son of a lighthouse keeper, he was born in another lighthouse and had hoped to die in one. But his work at Grand Traverse, run by a historical group, ended when he suffered a stroke four years ago. The 148-year-old lighthouse, where McCormick spent his childhood, remains as a museum but its function has been replaced by a light tower erected beside it.

Technology replaces lights
In the early 1900s, Michigan's 3,300 miles of coast were covered with lighthouses to guide the heavy commercial traffic to safe harbor and away from crippling shoals. The Coast Guard began automating the lights in the late 1960s, making lighthouse keepers unnecessary. By the 1990s, global positioning systems and other modern navigation equipment left the lights similarly unneeded.

The Coast Guard stopped staffing the lighthouses after they went automatic, then began giving them away in the mid-1990s.

Neglected for a decade and sometimes longer, the lonely sentinels have been left to the ravages of raw weather and relentless surf. Some are listing or looted. They have missing roofs and windows, peeling asbestos and paint, rotting stairs and floorboards. Some are simply forgotten. The Waugoshance Lighthouse, built in 1851 in the Straits of Mackinac, was used for target practice by U.S. fighter aircraft training for World War II. "It's like the ruins in Rome," said Dick Moehl, president of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association. "No one did anything. No one cared."

The Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, located in Port Huron at the entrance to the St. Clair River, doesn't look like a bomb hit it, but it still needs help. The oldest lighthouse in Michigan, the 177-year-old structure needs numerous bricks replaced after they were shattered when water trapped inside them froze.

"It's falling apart," said Bob Hanford, 81, a retired Detroit cop who has voluntarily cared for the lighthouse for 17 years. "It seems to get worst in the winter time." Port Huron plans to repair the 86-foot white tower, which is shown on the city seal, after assuming ownership sometime this year. The bill could exceed $1 million.

Boaters rally for lighthouses
Despite being dismissed as government surplus, lighthouses continue to have a strong hold on Michigan residents, especially boaters. When the Coast Guard turned off the light at the Sturgeon Point Lighthouse above the Michigan thumb, a local group collected 1,000 signatures in 10 days on a petition to reverse the action. It was turned back on.

The group, the Alcona Historical Society, has turned the 70-foot tower, built in 1869, into a museum. "It has such a strong history," said group president Gordon Bennett. "It's a strong drawing card for the county."

In shedding the lighthouses, the Coast Guard has found no shortage of groups willing to take them: communities, businesses, historical groups, citizens, even a school district. More than half of the state's lighthouses have been transferred to new owners.

State politicians and those in Washington also have rallied to the causes, enacting laws to make it easier for the Coast Guard to pass ownership to others. Last month, President Bush signed a bill directing the National Park Service to undertake a three-year study to find funding to preserve Michigan lighthouses. The bill didn't include any money for the study, however, so it's unclear when the park service will begin the project.

Restoration costs are high
While lighthouses enjoy strong support from residents and elected officials, there's still one more thing it needs: money. A tower that cost $19,000 to build in the 1800s could cost up to several million dollars to restore. "It's a constant job," said Chuck Brockman, 72, a retired newspaper designer who has been raising money for 17 years to fix two lighthouses on Lake St. Clair. "It's very expensive, especially over open water."

A handful of lighthouses has even raised money by allowing overnight guests. The Grand Traverse Lighthouse hosts people for $220 per week, $195 if they're a member of the museum group. While they're there, they greet visitors, talk about museum history, assist in the gift shop and help with maintenance.

From the Detroit News

Port Report - January 21

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel
Interlake's James R. Barker arrived for winter lay up during the day on Friday. It is at the Heavy Lift Dock in the inner harbor. Early Saturday afternoon the Wilfred Sykes was unloading at the Badger Plant of St. Mary's Cement in the inner harbor.

Updates - January 21

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - More prizes added.

Calendar of Events updated

13th Annual Lay Up List updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 21

On this day on 1959, gale force winds and ice at Buffalo, New York caused the steamer MAC GILVRAY SHIRAS to break lose from its moorings and on the way down the Buffalo River collided with the MICHAEL K TEWKSBURY and severed her moorings. Both vessels crashed into the Michigan Avenue Bridge causing millions of dollars in damage.

On 21 January 1895, CHICORA (wooden propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 199 foot, 1,123 gross tons, built in 1892, at Detroit, Michigan) was bound from Milwaukee for St. Joseph on a mid-winter run when he foundered with little trace. All 25 on board were lost. The ship's dog was found wandering on the beach by St. Joseph, Michigan a few days later. A well organized search for the wreck continued until mid-June. Many small pieces of wreckage were washed ashore in the Spring.

On January 21, 1978, the Multifood Elevator #4 at Duluth, Minnesota caught fire and collapsed onto the deck of the steamer HARRY L ALLEN which was laid up beneath the elevator. Her pilothouse was destroyed by fire. Severe warping and cracking of her plating occurred when cold water was poured onto her red-hot deck. Declared a constructive total loss, she was scrapped at Duluth in 1978.

Data from: Brian Wroblewski, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, 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.

Duc D'Orleans To Be Restored

1/20 - Sarnia - The historic Port of Sarnia group and the Sarnia Sea cadets have formed a non-profit partnership to restore the retired excursion vessel Duc D'Orleans to her wartime livery.

Built in Sarnia 1943 by Mac-Craft Corp. QO 105 as a 112-foot fairmile, the vessel was retired in 2006 upon arrival of a replacement steel vessel named Duc D'Orleans II.

Owners Ken and Sherry Bracewell, interested in seeing the historic vessel remain in Sarnia, have donated Duc D'Orleans to the restoration group. Government funding will be requested to assist with the project.

Following war service the vessel was used by McGill University to conduct experiments in the St. Lawrence River before becoming a cruise vessel based in Quebec City.

In 1978, Bracewell and partner Jacques Beauchamp purchased the vessel and brought her home to Sarnia.

Port Report - January 20

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
The tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation arrived in port Friday morning after delivering to Whitefish, ON. It took on cargo under the silos at Lafarge. The Innovation was outbound in the bay at 4pm, heading for South Chicago.
Ice has formed in the river and along the outer edges of the bay.

Updates - January 20

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - More prizes added.

Calendar of Events updated

13th Annual Lay Up List updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 20
Compiled by Mike Nicholls

NORDIC BLOSSOM was launched January 20, 1981 as the a.) NORDIC SUN.

On January 20, 1917, American Ship Building's Lorain yard launched the steel bulk freighter EUGENE W PARGNY for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

January 20, 1911 - The ANN ARBOR NO 5 made her first trip into Kewaunee.

On 20 January 1923, CHOCTAW (steel propeller packet, 75 foot, 53 gross tont, built in 1911, at Collingwood) burned at her dock at Port Stanley, Ontario.

On 20 January 1978, HARRY L ALLEN (formerly JOHN B COWLE, built in 1910) burned at her winter lay-up berth at Capital 4 grain elevator dock in Duluth. She was declared a total loss.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, 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

Please e-mail if you would like to contribute a significant event in Great Lakes history.

More Salt Needed From Goderich Now That There's Snow

1/19 - Goderich - The plant manager at the Sifto Salt Mine in Goderich says the lay-off this year isn't much worse than it is most years.
Roland Howe says 89 of the 450 employees are currently laid off. He says the unusually warm winter has had some impact.

But he says the greatest demand on their production is when the ships are running and most of those deliveries to the entire Great Lakes region were made earlier in the winter.

Howe says the last ship of the season will likely be loaded this weekend and then they'll focus on the local Ontario market for the rest of the season.

The shipping season typically opens again in mid-March.

From CKNX Radio

Port Reports - January 19

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel
The tug Michigan and its petroleum barge Great Lakes continue to remain at anchor in the outer harbor on Thursday.

Twin Ports - Al Miller
As the sun rose in the Twin Ports on Friday, the Mesabi Miner was arriving in port, marking an end to Duluth-Superior’s 2006-2007 shipping season. The Miner appeared to be trying to dock at the Murphy Oil dock at the port terminal about 7:30 a.m. From there it was expected to proceed to Midwest Energy Terminal to lay up.

Lorain - Jim Reagan
The Edward L. Ryerson cleared the Port of Lorain at approximately 7:15 pm Thursday evening. As it backed downriver through the Bascule Bridge it blew a salute and then quietly slipped out of the harbor heading back up the lakes to winter lay up at Sturgeon Bay.

Updates - January 19

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - More prizes added.

Calendar of Events updated

13th Annual Lay Up List updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 19
Complied by Mike Nicholls

On 19 January 1824, the Welland Canal Company was incorporated to build the first Welland Canal.

The DAVID M WHITNEY (steel propeller freighter, 412 foot, 4,626 gross tons) was launched on 19 January 1901, by the Detroit Ship Building Company (Hull #138) in Wyandotte, Michigan for the Gilchrist Transportation Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) EDWIN L BOOTH in 1914, c.) G N WILSON in 1921, d.) THOMAS BRITT in 1928, and e.) BUCKEYE in 1943. She lasted until 1969, when she was scrapped in Spain.

January 19, 1927 - The Grand Trunk carferry MADISON was christened with a bottle of Wisconsin milk. She entered service in March of 1927.

The CLARENCE B RANDALL, the a.) J J SULLIVAN of 1907, was towed to Windsor, Ontario on January 19, 1987, for scrapping.

Data from: Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Max Hanley, 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

Lakes Limestone Shipments Up 3.3 Percent in 2006
Weather Boosts Trade at End of Year

1/18 - Cleveland---Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 39 million net tons in 2006, an increase of 3.3 percent compared to 2005. However, for most of 2006, shipments were slightly behind the previous year, but much calmer weather in November and December allowed loadings to rebound significantly, erase the deficit, and then exceed the 2005 total.

In terms of the 5-year average, 2006 shipments were again roughly 3.3 percent ahead of the pace.

Although limestone generally moves in smaller vessels, the trade exhibited all the ill-effects of the decades-long dredging crisis on the Great Lakes. Many stone cargos were less than full loads. In early April, it appeared stone deliveries to customers along the Saginaw River in Michigan would cease due to lack of adequate draft. Only emergency dredging kept the River open to commercial navigation.

Source - Lake Carriers Association

Weather Nudges 2006 U.S.-Flag Total Over 2005 Tally
Increase Small, Less Than 2 Percent

1/18 - Cleveland—Thanks to better weather in the final two months of 2006, U.S.-Flag carriage of dry-bulk cargos on the Great Lakes increased 1.9 percent compared to 2005. The 109.7 million net tons hauled in 2006 also represent an increase of 6 percent over the fleet’s 5-year average.

Strong demand for iron ore and limestone pushed shipments in U.S.-Flag Lakers over 2005 levels, but coal cargos slumped, in part because of high inventories. However, the coal trade exemplified the problems that result from inadequate dredging.
When high water levels offset the lack of dredging in the mid-1990s, the largest U.S.-Flag Lakers were carrying nearly 71,000 net tons each trip in the Head-of-the-Lakes trade (Lake Superior to lower Lakes ports). The top coal cargo carried through the Soo Locks in 2006 totaled only 66,429 net tons.

The problem became more acute in the final months of 2006. As water levels on Lake Superior plunged, vessels in both the coal and iron ore trades saw individual loads fall to 90 percent or less of designed carrying capacity. In fact, the vessel that has held the Lakes record for coal in the Head-of-the-Lakes trade since 1997 - 70,903 net tons - was able to carry only 61,832 net tons on its final voyage of 2006.

The iron trade suffered a similar fate as the year drew to a close. The record ore cargo in the Head-of-the-Lakes trade is 72,300 net tons and was lifted in 1997, yet in December of 2006, the same vessel could only haul 60,649 net tons of pellets on its final trip.

Lake Carriers’ Association represents 18 American corporations that operate 63 U.S.-Flag vessels on the Great Lakes. These vessels carry the raw materials that drive the nation’s economy: Iron ore and fluxstone for the steel industry, limestone and cement for the construction industry, coal for power generation.... Collectively, these vessels transport as much as 125 million tons of cargo a year when high water levels offset lack of adequate dredging.

More information is available at www.lcaships.com

Source: Lake Carriers’ Association

Port Reports - January 18

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel
Wednesday morning the tug Michigan and its petroleum barge Great Lakes were sitting in the outer harbor. Their place of docking in the harbor is presently uncertain, according to port authorities.

Lorain - Jim Reagan, C. Makin & Luke Archer
Wednesday, at 10:20 AM the Edward L. Ryerson, drawing 26 feet of water, was upbound on the Black River through the Bascule Bridge bound for the Jonick Dock and Terminal with the last load of ore pellets of the season. Unloading is expected to take about 30 hours. Wednesday evening the Ryerson unloading in Lorain. All three shore cranes were busy taking bites out of the BN Superior taconite pellets.

DeTour - Cathy Kohring
On a cold but sunny Wednesday in DeTour, the CGC 101/Katmai Bay and 104/Biscayne Bay and 30/Mackinaw were busy with ice breaking duties now that Operation Taconite has begun. The two smaller boats continued up the river for the night, while the Mackinaw is spending the night tied up to the Interlake Steamship Lines Dock. The St. Mary's River is completely covered over with ice in the north DeTour area clear to the Soo.

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
American Century was off the Torco Dock around 7:50pm Wednesday evening. She is waiting for the "G" tug Nebraska to assist her into the CSX #2 Dock for winter lay up. She will be turning around off the CSX Docks and will go in stern first behind the American Mariner which is also tied up at the CSX #2 Dock. If the Century is the last boat scheduled to arrive at Toledo, this will make a total of seven freighters tied up here which is the lowest number of boats ever to spend the winter at this port.

Updates - January 18

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - More prizes added.

Calendar of Events up dated

13th Annual Lay Up List updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 18

On 18 January 2004, the Great Lakes Fleet's 1000 footer EDGAR B SPEER became stuck in the ice in the Rock Cut in the St. Mary's River. Over the next two days, the U.S.C.G.C. MACKINAW tried to free her, but unsuccessfully. On 21 January, the tugs RELIANCE, MISSOURI, JOSEPH H THOMPSON JR and JOYCE L VAN ENKEVORT all coordinated their efforts under the direction of Wellington Maritime's Captain John Wellington and got the SPEER free.

The CABOT was refloated on January 18, 1967. On December 16, 1966, while loading at Montreal, the CABOT rolled over on her side and sank. The CABOT's stern section, used in the interim as the stern section of the b.) CANADIAN EXPLORER, now sails as the stern section of c.) CANADIAN TRANSFER.

The MONDOC had her Canadian registry closed on January 18, 1979. The vessel had been renamed b) CORAH ANN and sold to a Jamaican company. CORAH ANN was scrapped in 2003.

The National Steamship Co. was incorporated January 18, 1906.

L. P. Mason and Company of E. Saginaw, Michigan sold the steam barge PORTER CHAMBERLAIN (wooden steam barge, 134 foot, 257 gross tons, built in 1874, at Marine City, Michigan) on 18 January 1888, to Comstock Brothers and L. & H. D. Churchill of Alpena, Michigan.

Data from: Joe Barr, 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.

Port Reports - January 17

Twin Ports - Al Miller
As the sun rose on a clear, cold Tuesday morning in Superior, the Mesabi Miner was under the big chute at Midwest Energy Terminal loading the Twin Ports’ final cargo of the 2006-2007 navigation season. The Miner was expected to depart in early afternoon to deliver the coal to the WE-Energies plant at Presque Isle near Marquette. The ship is due back in port Friday to lay up at the Midwest Energy Terminal.

Goderich - Dale Baechler
After making an attempt and deciding it was too windy to enter the harbour Tuesday afternoon, Canadian Transport came in through the night and is loading Wednesday morning at Sifto Salt.

Sturgeon Bay - Chris and Tiffany Wesendorf
The Edgar B. Speer arrived off Sherwood Point sometime during the night Monday and started making it's way in to the shipyard backwards. The tug Jimmy L. went out to assist. When the Speer reached the shipyard they pulled out the Reserve to give the Speer more room to get into Berth 15.

Updates - January 17

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - More prizes added.

13th Annual Lay Up List updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 17
Complied by Mike Nicholls

January 17 - NORTHERN VENTURE closed the Welland Canal for the season as she passed down bound for Hamilton with coal in 1975.

In 1978, the CLIFFS VICTORY, JOSEPH H FRANTZ, WILLIAM G MATHER, ROBERT C NORTON, CRISPIN OGLEBAY and J BURTON AYERS formed a convoy in the Detroit River bound for Cleveland.

The PHILIP D BLOCK (Hull#789) was launched at Lorain, Ohio, by the American Ship Building in 1925.

The tanker GREAT LAKES was launched in 1963, as the a.) SINCLAIR GREAT LAKES (Hull#1577) at Decatur, Alabama by Ingalls Iron Works Co.

JOHN E F MISENER was float launched in 1951, as a.) SCOTT MISENER (Hull#11) at St. Catharines, Ontario by Port Weller Drydocks, Ltd.

January 17, 1902 - The PERE MARQUETTE 2 ran aground at Ludington.

PERE MARQUETTE 19 grounded in limited visibility on January 17, 1916, two miles south of Big Point Sable, Michigan, 600 feet off shore. The captain made three unsuccessful attempts to find the Ludington Harbor entrance and on the turn around for the fourth attempt she grounded.

On 17 January 1899, the GERMANIA (wooden propeller freighter, 136 foot, 237 gross tons, built in 1875, at Marine City, Michigan) caught fire and burned to the water's edge at Ecorse, Michigan. The previous day, Norman Reno of Ecorse did some painting inside the cabin and it was presumed that the stove used to heat the cabin may have caused the blaze. The vessel was in winter lay-up at the rear of the home of Mr. W. G. Smith, her owner.

Data from: Max Hanley, Brian Bernard, 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.

Soo Locks Closing

1/16 - 2 a.m. Update
The Joseph L Block cleared the lower piers downbound early Tuesday morning at 1 a.m. followed by the last boat of the season, Edward L Ryerson. The downbound Ryerson officially closed the 2006-2007 shipping season stretching the 12 o'clock deadline by just over an hour as she entered the Poe Lock. The Ryerson cleared the lower piers at 2:20 a.m.

11 p.m. Update
At 11 p.m. the Joseph L. Block was ready to depart Algoma Steel. The Edward L. Ryerson was near Gros Cap in the St. Marys River.  The Block planned on heading upbound to Big Point where she will make her turn downbound for the locks. The fleet mates should lock down close together.

The last laker to transit the locks upbound was the Joseph L Block on Sunday January 14th. On Monday the tug Avenger IV  made the last upbound passage for the season.

10:30 p.m. Update
The Soo Locks are set to close early this morning, officially closing at midnight. The Edward L. Ryerson is expected to be the last vessel through the locks for the 2006/2007 season. The Ryerson was nearing Whitefish Point about 9:50 p.m. Monday night. This would place her at the locks between 1 - 2 a.m.  The Ryerson is heading to Lorain to unload.

The Joseph L. Block was expected to depart Algoma Steel downbound around 10:40 p.m.

Monday was a busy day, the CSL Tadoussac, Paul R. Tregurtha, Burns Harbor and Canadian Coast Guard Ship Samuel Risley all locked downbound with the Risley tieing up at the Roberta Bondar Marina.

Reported by Jerry Masson

New Prizes listed in the Raffle to Benefit BoatNerd

1/16 - Three new prizes have been donated to our fund raising raffle:
1. A private two hour St. Clair River cruise for up to 20 people onboard the Hammond Bay.  Your own private charter for the 2007 season.
2. Two tickets for the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association “Lunch at the Lighthouse” cruise to St. Helena Island.
3. Two round trip tickets to Beaver Island.  The 2 hour ferry ride from Charlevoix will take you to St. James, Beaver Island, located 32 miles northwest of Charlevoix.

And the grand prize a four-six-day trip for four to take place during the 2007 sailing season (between the months of June and September) on the winner's choice of the classic Lee. A. Tregurtha or the Queen of the Lakes Paul R. Tregurtha.

All proceeds from this raffle will benefit Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online, the non-profit support organization for the BoatNerd.Com Web site. Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online, Inc. is a non-profit 501(C)(3) corporation. Funds raised will be used to upgrade our equipment, expand our services and pay monthly Internet connection charges. This is your chance to help keep this site in operation!

The drawing will take place at 2 p.m. on June 2, 2007 at the BoatNerd.Com World Headquarters in Port Huron, Mich.
Donation: $10 per ticket, 3 for $25, 6 for $50 or 12 for $100.

Click here to order, or for more information. Tickets are also available by mail, and at Boatnerd World Headquarters in Port Huron. If you are interested in donating a prize please click here

Great Lakes Coal Trade Down 2.1 Percent in 2006
Shipments from Superior, Wisconsin Reach New Plateau

1/16 - Cleveland—Shipments of western and eastern coal on the Great Lakes totaled 41.8 million net tons in 2006, a decrease of 2.1 percent compared to 2005, but a slight increase over the trade’s 5-year average.

While the decrease reflects the affects of high inventories, especially earlier in the year, the dredging crisis also played a role in the downturn. Decades of inadequate dredging of ports and waterways limited vessel carrying capacity.

Then, in the final months of year, plummeting water levels on Lake Superior further trimmed vessel capacity. The last loads of the year in 1,000-foot-long vessels were often less than 63,000 net tons. As a result, the vessels were utilizing less than 90 percent of their rated capacity.

One bright spot was another record year for shipments of western coal from Superior, Wisconsin. Superior Midwest Energy Terminal loaded 21.3 million net tons in 2006, an increase of 850,000 tons over the benchmark it set in 2005.

However, shipments of eastern coal from Lake Erie ports fell to their lowest level in recent memory. Demand for eastern coal has declined as utilities switch to low sulfur western coal.

Source: Lake Carriers’ Association

Port Report - January 16

Detour - Cathy Kohring
The Ryerson passed by DeTour about 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, officially closing the shipping season on the St. Marys River for Locks transit.  They were only about 45 minutes behind the Joseph L. Block, but were already breaking through newly formed ice in the shipping channel by Lime Island.  The River is covered over with ice and with temps at minus 8 Tuesday morning, making ice very rapidly. 

Storm Pictures

1/16 - For the last few weeks, a series of on-board storm pictures alleged to be from Lake Superior have been circulating the internet. The pictures also are alleged to be of a Misener boat taken just last month, or sometimes November, 2006. Boatnerd News receives copies of these every day.

Be advised that Misener went out of business in the 1990's, and the pictures were taken in the North Atlantic. They can be viewed here: In the BoatNerd Public Gallery

Updates - January 16

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter - More prizes added.

13th Annual Lay Up List updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 16

The COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS (Hull#791) was launched in 1926, at Lorain, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co.

In 1987, the DETROIT EDISON was at Brownsville, Texas for scrapping, she was raised after being scuttled by vandals.

On her way to the cutters torch, the dead ship ASHLAND was anchored off Bermuda in 1988, when she dragged her anchors and was swept onto rocks. She suffered massive bottom damage but the tow continued.

On 16 January 1909, TECUMSEH (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 200 foot, 839 gross tons, built in 1873, at Chatham, Ontario) burned to a total loss at her winter berth at Goderich, Ontario.

In 1978, the CANADIAN CENTURY and NORTHERN VENTURE departed Toronto for Hamilton with coal after laying up at that port due to the bridge tenders strike which closed the Burlington Lift Bridge to navigation.

On 16 January 1875, The Port Huron Times printed the following list of vessels that were total losses in 1874: Tug IDA H LEE by collision in Milwaukee, Tug TAWAS by explosion off Sand Beach, Steamer W H BARNUM by collision in the Pelee Passage, Steamer TOLEDO by partially burning at Manistee, Tug WAVE by burning on Saginaw Bay, Tug DOUGLAS by burning on the Detroit River, Steamer BROOKLYN by explosion on the Detroit River, Steamer LOTTA BERNARD by foundering on Lake Superior.

Data from: Joe Barr, Brian Bernard, 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.

Port Report - January 15

Soo - Jerry Masson & Roger LeLievre
The arrival of the upbound Joseph L Block in the harbor Sunday will add to the list of who will be the last boat to transit and signal the closing of the one remaining lock, the Poe, to winter navigation at the Soo.
The Joe Block locked through and was in the upper river this afternoon heading to the export dock at Algoma Steel. The Block should be ready to depart Algoma late Monday night and lock through downbound into the lower river.
The Ryerson, Tadoussac and possibly one or two more ships are expected to lock through Monday.

Edward L. Ryerson left Superior around 9:00pm Sunday, and is due at the Soo Locks close to midnight Monday. Either the Ryerson or the Joseph L. Block, which is at Algoma Steel loading, will be the last downbound vessel.

Updates - January 15

News Photo Gallery updated

Win a Trip on  a Great Lakes Freighter

13th Annual Lay Up List updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - January 15
Complied by Mike Nicholls

In 1978, the up bound McKEE SONS, LEON FALK JR, WILLIAM P SNYDER JR, A H FERBERT and CHAMPLAIN became stuck in heavy ice outside Cleveland Harbor. Eventually they were freed with the help of the U.S.C.G. icebreaker NORTHWIND and the U.S.C.G. MARIPOSA.

FORT YORK (Hull#160) was launched January 15, 1958, at Collingwood, Ontario by Collingwood Shipyards, Ltd.

In 1917, the ANN ARBOR NO 6 left Ecorse for Frankfort on her maiden voyage.

On 15 January 1873, A. Muir began building a wooden 3-mast schooner ("full sized canaler") at his shipyard in Port Huron. Fourteen men were employed to work on her, including master builder James Perry. The schooner was to be the exact counterpart of the GROTON, the first vessel built at that yard. The vessel's dimensions were 138 foot keel, 145 foot overall, 26 foot 2 inches beam and 11 foot 6 inch depth.

On 15 January 1886, the tug KITTIE HAIGHT was sold to Mr. Fisken of Toronto for $3,900.

Data from: Joe Barr, Brian Bernard, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, 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.

Coast Guard begins icebreaking operations in the western Great Lakes

1/14 - Sault Ste. Marie - The Coast Guard commenced Operation Taconite this morning in anticipation of colder temperatures and increased commercial shipping activity associated with the annual closure of the Sault Locks, all of which will occur over the holiday weekend.

Operation Taconite is the Coast Guard's largest domestic icebreaking operation, encompassing Lake Superior, St. Mary's River, the Straits of Mackinac and Lake Michigan. As a result of the operation, certain waterways may be closed as ice conditions require.

Prior to the closure of any waterway, due consideration is given to the protection of the marine environment, waterway improvements, aids to navigation, the need for cross channel traffic (e.g. ferries), the availability of icebreakers, and the safety of the island residents; who in the course of their daily business use naturally formed ice bridges for transportation to and from the mainland.

Currently there are no channel closures; however the implementation of Operation Taconite will place some additional measures on shipping throughout the lakes, St. Mary's River, Straits and Green Bay. Restricting tanker transits to daylight only, once ice forms, reducing speeds by 2 m.p.h. in various parts of the region, and placing additional reporting points throughout the operation’s area are a some examples of the additional measures.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users that there are no channel closures at this time, to plan their activities carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels. Recreational users and island residents should stay tuned to local media resources for the status of channel closures.

Reported by Jerry Masson from USCG Press Release/SooToday

 Union sues U.S. Coast Guard to stop 'kit' shipbuilding
Metal Trades Department (AFL-CIO) sues Coast Guard to block kit ships

1/14 - Washington, DC - The Metal Trades Department of the AFL-CIO has sued the U.S. Coast Guard to block controversial rulings that violate the 80-year-old Jones Act to allow U.S. shipbuilders to mass produce so-called "kit ships."

The suit, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, charges that a ruling issued on May 24, 2006 and affirmed on November 15, 2006 by the Coast Guard's National Vessel Documentation Center, ignores the requirements of the Jones Act that stipulate that ships moving between U.S. ports must be "built in" the U.S.

The Documentation Center's rulings effectively authorized plans by Aker Shipyards Philadelphia (APSI) and NASSCO, a division of General Dynamics, to produce a series of tankers that are assembled from thousands of parts and modules imported from Korea. "If these ill-considered, illogical and unacceptable regulations remain in place, America will lose its shipbuilding industry completely," declared Metal Trades Department President Ron Ault. U.S. shipbuilders now account for less than one percent of the world market share.

Aside from an anemic flow of orders from the U.S. Navy, the nation's six major shipbuilders have been counting on a surge in demand for modern double-hulled tankers to replace an outdated fleet delivering commodities to U.S. ports. The Coast Guard's interpretation of the Jones Act now puts that prospect in jeopardy, Ault explained.

The Metal Trades Department estimates that 55,000 skilled shipbuilding workers it represents are directly imperiled. Another 250,000 jobs supported by U.S.-based marine equipment suppliers - pipe and chain manufacturers, specialty steel mills, valve producers, and manufacturers making propulsion equipment and specialty fittings - would quickly collapse.

"The American shipbuilding industry is the last remaining piece of