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Port Weller Dry Docks Bankruptcy Protection Extended 10/31 - St. Catharines, ON - Bankruptcy protection has been extended
again to give the parent company of Port Weller Dry Docks more breathing room
in its restructuring efforts. Canadian Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. now
has until Nov. 17 to try to work out a deal with its creditors, its union and
others, said Charlie Payne, CS&E's vice-president of business development. CSE entered into building contracts with Hoekman and five single purpose Carisbrooke subsidiaries, for the construction of the short sea shipping hulls and ships at PWDD. While these types of vessels were significantly different than the traditional Great Lakes vessels built by PWDD, the company thought that with seven ships contracted for, they might expect to lose money on the Hoekinan hulls as a learning project, and thereby achieve the necessary efficiencies to become profitable during the building of some or all of the Carisbrooke ships. As part of the overall negotiations with Peters, and in part in return for consulting services to be provided by Peters in respect of the building of the seven vessels, Peters was given 16% of the issued and outstanding shares of CSE by Upper Lakes. In late 2005, PWDD commenced production of the first hull for Hoekman,
known as “Hull 81”. As result of a variety of factors, the company’s estimate
of the number of man-hours of PWDD employees which would be required to
complete Hull 81 proved to be incorrect. Hull 81 requiring over double the
projected man-hours to complete, CSE’s anticipated losses on Hull 81 was
approximately $3,400,000 greater than expected and losses on the second hull
would be approximately $1,200,000 greater than expected, and the profitability
of the Carisbrooke vessels would be approximately $2,000,000 less than
originally anticipated. This meant that without an immediate cash injection
CSE could not continue despite the contracts in hand as CSE did not have the
financial resources complete those projects. |
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Chicago Could Land Floating Museum 10/31 - Chicago - Long a welcome sight to mariners experiencing
trouble on Lake Michigan, the recently retired U.S. Coast Guard cutter Acacia
should soon be familiar to strollers and tourists along the banks of the
Chicago River. The decommissioned 180-foot icebreaker and buoy tender was
donated to the state of Illinois, which is working with Chicago and the
non-profit, locally based American Academy of Industry to make it into a
riverfront museum dedicated to the city's rich maritime history. |
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Highway H20 Could Be a Go 10/31 - Hamilton, Ont. -- The dream of a "short sea" shipping strategy via the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway remains afloat, according to the Hamilton Port Authority (HPA). The HPA, which in 2004 began exploring the possibility of a truck-only ferry across Lake Ontario between Hamilton and Oswego, N.Y., is now looking at an Atlantic connection by establishing a weekly container cargo ferry service between Halifax and Southern Ontario via the St. Lawrence Seaway. The service, says HPA President Keith Robson, would allow container shippers and truckers to directly bypass rail to and from Halifax and Central Canada. Officials in Hamilton, one of the country's largest steel-producing regions located in the middle of Ontario's busy Golden Horseshoe industrial corridor, have been musing about a ferry service via the Great Lakes for years. In an interview with Today's Trucking, Robson said the plan calls for strictly a roll-on tractor-trailer or container chassis service. He admitted that parties involved want to avoid issues that have consumed other cargo transporters like Marine Atlantic, which is constantly battling to prioritize drop-on cargo from big carriers and roll-on units from mainly owner-ops. "We've had that debate. We think it takes longer and is more expensive to have lift-on, lift-off," he says. Up to four vessels could eventually sail the St. Lawrence to the Great Lakes. The largest ship would have capacity for about 1,050 TEUs. The HPA is currently reviewing the costs and talking to a number of shipping lines. He said that he's received interest from shippers and container haulers that like the idea of bypassing congested rail terminals in Toronto. Robson is confident the marine service could be competitive with rail, even knowing full well that trains are much faster than boats. "Obviously, if you put a box on a train in Halifax it can be in Brampton [Ont.] in two days. But you have to get it on the train in Halifax and off in Brampton. Information coming from a lot of freight forwarders is that the average time for the whole process is a total of five days. We think we can at least match that." Bob Gauthier, owner of Seaway Express, a small, specialized LTL carrier that sits off the St. Lawrence in Cornwall, Ont., says he's intrigued by the possibility of an H2O cargo corridor. But with no infrastructure in place in small cities west of Montreal, he wonders how he'd take advantage. "Even if the [vessel] were to make stops along the route, there's no capacity to load or unload," explains Gauthier. "The port in Cornwall is minimal at best. I would think Brockville and Kingston are the same where the infrastructure is more for tourism than an actual working port." The plan currently calls for a direct Atlantic-Hamilton connection (perhaps a stop in Montreal). But even with such infrastructure some day in place in his backyard, Gauthier isn't sure the service would be worth investing in the winter months when the St. Lawrence Seaway is closed. Robson admits the winter could pose a challenge. But that's where the HPA's
prior blueprint for an Oswego, N.Y. service could play a part. He suggests
containers could be transported from Halifax up the Hudson River to Albany,
N.Y., then hauled to Oswego and loaded onto a drop trailer ferry destined for
Hamilton. "We don't expect everybody to take advantage of it and it's not
going to fit everybody's operations," he says. "But we think there's enough
[interest] out there. Midsize companies, especially, are finding it difficult
to get the attention they need to move boxes in and out." |
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Toledo Marina Project Called ‘Doable’ 10/31 - Toledo - We’ve been shown plans for the Marina District
before — at least three times since 2000. This plan, says developer Larry
Dillin, can work. Mr. Dillin, president of Dillin Corp., has completed the
master design for the Marina District and will officially present it at a
news conference Wednesday morning. |
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Port Reports - October 31 Goderich - Dale Baechler Milwaukee - John N. Vogel Port Colborne - J. J. Van Volkenburg Lorain - Charles Mackin |
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Updates - October 31 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 31 On this day in 1984, at approximately 10:30 p.m., the International Railroad bridge at the Soo went askew and blocked boat traffic until 3:40 p.m., on November 4. Twelve boats that were delayed up to 41 hours by the incident cost the operators an estimated $350,000. On 31 October 1888, A W LAWRENCE (wooden propeller tug, 72 foot, 51 gross tons, built in 1880, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin) blew her boiler at 2:30 a.m. off North Point near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The tug quickly sank. Four of the six aboard were lost. None of their remains were ever found. The tug MERRILL rescued the cook and a passenger. The LAWRENCE was owned by Capt. Mc Coy & Banner and valued at $5,000. CANADIAN EXPLORER's sea trials were conducted on October 31, 1983, on Lake Erie where a service speed of 13.8 m.p.h. was recorded. The EDWIN H GOTT was christened October 31, 1978. On October 31, 1973, the H M GRIFFITH entered service.for Canada Steamship Lines on her maiden voyage bound for Thunder Bay, Ontario to load iron ore for Hamilton, Ontario. The GRIFFITH was rebuilt with a new larger forward section and renamed b.) RT. HON PAUL J MARTIN in 2000. The CADILLAC was launched October 31, 1942, as a.) LAKE ANGELINE. ELMGLEN cleared Owen Sound, Ontario on October 31, 1984, on her first trip in Parrish & Heimbecker colors. On October 31, 1966, while down bound in the St. Marys River loaded with 11,143 tons of potash for Oswego, New York, the HALLFAX ran aground on a rocky reef and settled to the bottom with her hold full of water. She had grounded on Pipe Island Twins Reef just north of DeTour, Michigan. The CHARLES L HUTCHINSON, a.) WILLIAM C MORELAND, struck a reef the night of October 31, 1925 three miles south of Manitou Island, off the Keweenaw Peninsula, on Lake Superior. On October 31, 1983, the SYLVANIA was towed out of Toledo's Frog Pond by the harbor tugs ARKANSAS and WYOMING. She was handed over to the tug OHIO for delivery to the Triad Salvage Co., at Ashtabula, Ohio, arriving there on November 1st. Dismantling was completed there in 1984. Thus ended 78 years of service. Ironically the SYLVANIA, the first built of the 504 foot class bulkers, was the last survivor of that class. During her career with Columbia Transportation, the SYLVANIA had carried over 20 million tons and netted over $35 million. On 31 October 1883, CITY OF TORONTO (wooden passenger-package freight sidewheeler, 207 foot, 898 gross tons, built in 1864, at Niagara, Ontario) caught fire at the Muir Brothers shipyard at Port Dalhousie, Ontario and was totally destroyed. She previously had her paddle boxes removed so she could pass through the Welland Canal, and she was in the shipyard to have them reassembled that winter. On 31 October 1874, the tug FAVORITE was towing the schooner WILLIE NEELER on Lake Erie. At about 10:30 p.m., near Bar Point, the schooner suddenly sheered and before the tow line could be cast off, the FAVORITE capsized and sank. One life was lost. The rest of the crew clung to the upper works which had become dislodged from the vessel and they were rescued by the schooner's lifeboats. On 31 October 1821, WALK-IN-THE-WATER (wooden side-wheeler, 135 foot, 339 tons, built in 1818, at Black Rock [Buffalo], New York) was wrecked on Point Abino, on the Canadian shore of Lake Erie during a storm. She was the first steam-powered vessel above Niagara and her frequent comings and goings during her career were very much in the newspapers in Detroit but her loss was not mentioned not at all since this steamer was virtually the only source of news from the east. Her engine was installed by Robert Fulton himself. After the wreck, it went into the steamer SUPERIOR and later ran a lumber mill in Saginaw, Michigan. On 31 October 1880, TRANCHEMONTAGNE (wooden schooner, 108 foot, 130 tons, built in 1864, at Sorel, Quebec) was loaded with rye and sailing in a storm on Lake Ontario. She struck the breakwater at Oswego, New York head-on at about 3:00 a.m. She stove in her bow and quickly sank. The crew took to the rigging, except for one who was washed overboard and rode a provision box from her deck to shore. The Lifesaving Service rescued the rest from the breakwater. The schooner broke up quickly in the storm. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Jody Aho, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Port Reports - October 30 Hamilton - Eric Holmes Alpena -Ben & Chanda McClain Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey & Gordy Garris |
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GLMI Marine Mart set for December 9 10/30 - Detroit - The Great Lakes Maritime Institute is sponsoring
their annual marine mart on Saturday, December 9. |
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Updates - October 30 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 30 On 30 October 1863, TORRENT (2-mast wooden schooner, 125 foot, 412 gross
tons, built in 1855, at Newport [Marine City], Michigan) was carrying railroad
iron from Buffalo to Little Bay de Noc when she foundered in a storm on Lake
Erie, 10 miles east of Port Stanley, Ontario. No lives were lost. |
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Weather Expected to Delay Shipping 10/29 - A strong storm system is expected to delay shipping across
the Great Lakes this weekend. |
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Barge Service to Wallaceburg Delayed 10/29 - Repairs to pilings at the Walpole Island Bridge are delaying implementation of the barge service to Wallaceburg with the shallow draft Radium Yellowknife as tug. Plans calling to bring in corn and export wheat are placed on hold for now. The newly-built loading and unloading devices at the Bruinsma dock in Wallaceburg are nearly completed in anticipation of the service. It is hoped a few runs can be completed this season. The Radium Yellowknife has already been in the area, recently docked at Sarnia elevators. Reported by Al Mann |
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Port Reports - October 29 Soo - Roger LeLievre Saginaw River - Gordy Garris Alpena & Stoneport - Ben & Chanda McClain Grand Haven - Dick Fox Goderich - Dale Baechler Toledo - |
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Updates - October 29 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 29 On this day in 1924, the LEONARD B MILLER collided with the GLENORCHY in the fog on Lake Huron. No lives were lost but the GLENORCHY sank and the estimated damage to the two vessels was $600,000. The whaleback barge 127 (steel barge, 264 foot, 1,128 gross tons) was launched by the American Steel Barge Company of W. Superior, Wisconsin on 29 October 1892. She lasted until 1936, when she was scrapped at New Orleans, Louisiana. On 29 October 1906, the schooner WEST SIDE (wooden schooner, 138 foot, 324 gross tons, built in 1870, at Oswego, New York) was carrying pulpwood from Tobermory, Ontario to Delray, Michigan when she was caught in a severe gale on Lake Huron. There was no shelter and the vessel was lost about 25 miles off Thunder Bay Island. The skipper and his crew, consisting of his wife and three sons aged 10 to 18, abandoned in the yawl. They all suffered from exposure to the wind and waves, but luckily the FRANK H PEAVEY (steel propeller freighter, 430 foot, 5,002 gross tons, built in 1901, at Lorain, Ohio) picked them up and brought them to Port Huron, Michigan. ALGOLAKE (Hull# 211) was launched October 29, 1976, at Collingwood Shipyards, Ltd. for the Algoma Central Railway. On October 29, 1986, the JAMES R BARKER, who had suffered an engine room fire, was lashed side-by-side to the thousand-foot WILLIAM J DE LANCEY and towed to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for repairs. The pieced together CANADIAN EXPLORER (Hull#71) was christened on October 29, 1983, at the Port Weller Dry Docks. She was created from the bow section of the NORTHERN VENTURE and the stern of the CABOT. The stern of the EXPLORER is now the stern of the CANADIAN TRANSFER. The National Transportation Safety Board ruled on October 29, 1991, that Total Petroleum was responsible for the fire that destroyed the tanker JUPITER because of faulty moorings and exonerated the BUFFALO from primary responsibility. On the afternoon of October 29, 1987, while up bound with coal from Sandusky, Ohio, the ROGER M KYES, went aground on Gull Island Shoal in Lake Erie's Middle Passage and began taking on water. About 3,000 tons of coal was transferred to the AMERICAN REPUBLIC after which the KYES freed herself the next morning. Damage from the grounding required extensive repairs. She was renamed b.) ADAM E CORNELIUS in 1989. The tug portion of the PRESQUE ISLE departed New Orleans, Louisiana on October 29, 1973. The H C HEIMBECKER's last trip started at Thunder Bay, Ontario with a load of grain bound for Owen Sound, Ontario where, on October 29, 1981, it was discovered that one of her boilers was cracked. When unloading was completed on October 30th, the HEIMBECKER proceeded under her own power to Ashtabula, Ohio for scrapping. On 29 October 1892, ZACH CHANDLER (3 mast wooden schooner-barge, 194 foot, 727 gross tons, built in 1867, at Detroit, Michigan) was carrying lumber from Ashland, Wisconsin in tow of the steamer JOHN MITCHELL when the two became separated in a northerly gale in Lake Superior. The CHANDLER was overwhelmed and broke up on shore about three miles east of Deer Park, Michigan. Five of the crew made it to shore in the lifeboat and the Lifesaving Service saved two others, but one perished. Three years earlier, the CHANDLER stranded at almost the same spot and sustained heavy damage. On 29 October 1879, AMAZON (wooden propeller freighter, 245 foot, 1,406 tons, built in 1873, at Trenton, Michigan) was carrying "provisions" - 900 tons of freight plus 7,000 barrels of flour - from Milwaukee to Grand Haven, Michigan. She struck the notorious bar off of Grand Haven in a gale and broke up. All 68 aboard survived. Her engine was later recovered. On 29 October 1880, THOMAS A SCOTT (4-mast wooden schooner-barge, 207 foot, 1,159 tons, built in 1869, at Buffalo, New York as a propeller) was riding out a storm at anchor one mile off Milwaukee when she was struck by the big steamer AVON (wooden propeller, 251 foot, 1,702 gross tons, built in 1877, at Buffalo, New York). The SCOTT sank quickly. She had been bound from Chicago for Erie, Pennsylvania with 44,000 bushels of corn. Three of her crew scrambled onto the AVON while the seven others took to the yawl and were towed in by the Lifesaving Service. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ plumb, Ahoy & Farewell II, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes at B.G.S.U and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Law Enforcement Officers Board Saltie in Ashtabula 10/28 - Ashtabula, OH - Federal and local law-enforcement officers boarded the saltie Yosemite at Pinney Dock in Ashtabula on Thursday. The Yosemite is owned by a Greek Company but registered in the African country of Liberia. It sailed into port at 6:30 a.m. The U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs officers, U.S. Coast Guard, city police, including the department's Special Operations Group and police dogs, greeted the crew and immediately boarded the vessel. "We do random boarding to ensure the safety of the vessel," said Chief Petty Officer Tim Woody of the Coast Guard in Ashtabula. "It was a great opportunity for us to work with other law enforcement (agencies) on all levels." It was the ship's first time in a U.S. port. After two hours of checking paperwork, performing inspections and drilling with the ship's 27-man crew, officials found nothing amiss, Woody said. The ship carried titanium slag, which is a mineral, and previously had stopped in ports in Saudi Arabia and South Africa, police said. Thursday's boarding is more routine now since 9/11. From the Ashtabula Star Beacon |
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Toro Enroute to Sorel 10/28- The Toro, which went aground parallel to Cornwall Island Indian Reserve, below Snell lock on September 5, is back in action. She left the Verreaults Shipyard at Les Mechins, Quebec Friday after having repairs done. Toro is up bound for Sorel where she will reload. The extent of the damages is unknown at this time. It is likely
that the damages were extensive as she spent considerable time in the dry
dock. |
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Clipper Falcon Underway Again 10/28 - Clipper Falcon was proceeding out of the Seaway Friday evening. She was down bound at Iroquois Lock on October 15 with engine problems. The next day she went to the wall above Beauhornois Lock 4 and remained
there until now. |
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Port Reports - October 28 Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski Marquette - Rod Burdick Soo - Roger LeLievre Toledo - |
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Two Harbors Lighthouse Point Settlement Reached 10/28 - Two Harbors, MN - For the moment, what could be “...a
watershed day” for Two Harbors will remain somewhat of a mystery. News that a
tentative agreement between the city and developer Sam Cave over property
ownership in and around Two Harbors was announced during Monday night’s city
council meeting, prompting Mayor Robin Glaser to say, “There aren’t words to
say how important this is going to be.” From the Lake County News-Chronicle |
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Updates - October 28 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 28 On this day in 1939, the Pittsburgh steamer D G KERR, Captain H. D. Mc Leod, rescued six men from the cabin cruiser FRANCIS J H that was disabled and sinking on Lake Erie. On this day in 1953, the MC KEE SONS loaded her first cargo of 17,238 tons of stone at Port Inland for delivery to East Chicago. Originally built as the C-4 MARINE ANGEL, the MC KEE SONS was the first ocean vessel converted to a Great Lakes self unloader. On this day in 1978, a new 420 foot tanker built at Levingston Shipbuilding, Orange, Texas, was christened GEMINI during ceremonies at Huron, Ohio. The GEMINI was the largest American flagged tanker on the lakes with a capacity of 75,000 barrels and a rated speed of 15.5 mph. Sold Canadian and renamed b.) ALGOSAR in 2005. On 28 October 1891, DAVID STEWART (3-mast wooden schooner, 171 foot, 545 gross tons, built in 1867, at Cleveland, Ohio) was dragged ashore off Fairport, Ohio by a strong gale. She was stranded and declared a total loss. However, she was salvaged and repaired in 1892 and lasted one more year. The CANADIAN PIONEER's maiden voyage was on October 28, 1981, to Conneaut, Ohio to take on coal for Nanticoke, Ontario. The CANADIAN TRANSPORT was launched October 28, 1978, for Upper Lakes
Shipping Ltd., Toronto, Ontario. D M CLEMSON (Hull# 716) was launched October 28, 1916, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio. CHARLES M WHITE was launched October 28, 1945, as a C4-S-A4 cargo ship a.) MOUNT MANSFIELD for the U.S. Maritime Commission (U.S.M.C. Hull #2369). On 28 October 1887, BESSIE BARWICK, a 135 foot wooden schooner built in 1866, at St. Catharines, Ontario as a bark, left Port Arthur for Kingston, Ontario with a load of lumber during a storm. For more than ten days, her whereabouts were unknown. In fact, a westerly gale drove her into the shallows of Michipicoten Island and she was pounded to pieces. Her crew was sheltered by local fishermen and then made it to the Soo in a small open boat. On 28 October 1882, RUDOLPH WETZEL (wooden propeller tug, 23 tons, built in 1870, at Buffalo, New York) was racing for a tow with the tug HENRY S SILL when her boiler exploded 12 miles north of Racine, Wisconsin. She quickly sank. All three on board were killed and none of the bodies were ever found. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Iglehart Heading for Lay-up 10/27 - The JAW Iglehart was upbound on the St. Clair River Friday heading to Superior, Wisconsin. Once in Superior the Iglehart is expected to enter long term lay-up. Capacity added by the new barge Innovation has reduced the need for Iglehart's capacity. |
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Port Reports - October 27 Lorain - Charles Mackin Grand Haven Dick Fox Goderich - Dale Baechler & Jacob Smith Marquette - Lee Rowe Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski |
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Updates - October 27 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Seaway Traffic Increases by 10% 10/26 - Brockville - The amount of goods being shipped on the St. Lawrence Seaway is up about 10 per cent from last year, and managers of that system want more. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation says there were 31.9 million tonnes of goods transported over the seaway this year, as of the end of September. Tonnage involving overseas ocean vessels was up almost 30 per cent. Andrew Bogora, spokesman for the seaway agency, said this is largely a result of steel imports from places such as eastern Europe. Grain shipments were also up significantly, Bogora added, and this results from a large harvest last year and many exports to places such as Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Bogora noted the seaway management corporation has been offering incentives to attract products that saw little or no transport on the seaway last year. Some of the products being shipped this year that were uncommon before include wind-turbine blades and associated parts, sugar, aluminum and synthetic gypsum. So-called "new cargoes" are at 400,000 tonnes so far this year, double what they were this time last year, Bogora said. This has resulted in an additional $1 million in revenue for the management agency, bringing the total to about $75 million so far this year. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation is a non-profit Canadian agency that operates locks and passage systems throughout the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes. It works in co-operation with the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, which is owned by the U.S. federal government. The seaway management corporation says its system of locks and channels is at about 60 per cent capacity and can accommodate much more traffic, particularly from growing markets in Asia. The agency is promoting marine travel as having minimal impact compared to other transportation modes in terms of energy usage, environmental impact and traffic congestion. "We can almost double our capacity and almost no one will notice, and that's a very good thing because if you've got more freight moving and no one notices, I would suggest to you that means we're doing our job quite well," Bogora said. The better fuel efficiency with marine travel, as compared to truck and rail transport, means reduced costs for customers and lower greenhouse-gas emissions, Bogora said. He said boats can transport goods with twice the fuel efficiency of trains and eight to 10 times that of transport trucks. However, foreign marine life has made its way into North American waterways by ocean vessels, resulting in an adverse impact on domestic animal and plant species. But the seaway management corporation boasts of increased vigilance in the inspection of ballast water on ships to guard against the transportation of species between different ecosystems. From the Brockville Recorder & Times |
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Vessel Changes Rumored 10/26 - It has been reported that the "Voyageur Pioneer" is due at Thunder Bay, Ontario on Sunday, November 5, 2006. There is speculation that this could be the the Lady Hamilton's new name? 10/26 - The Swedish bulk freighter Menominee is reported to have
been sold to a undisclosed Canadian firm. She was built in 1967-97 as the
Holmsund, and has made a number of appearances on the Great Lakes. |
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Man Boards the McCarthy Jr. at the Soo 10/26 - Sault Ste. Marie - An Indian River man's search for his
girlfriend came to a premature end early this morning when he was booked into
the Chippewa County Jail on a trespassing charge. |
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Port Reports - October 26 Lorain - Charles Mackin Milwaukee - John N. Vogel & Paul Erspamer Grand Haven - Dick Fox Saginaw River - Stephen Hause & Todd Shorkey Toledo - Jim Hoffman |
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Remembering the Fitz Program 10/26 - Cleveland - November 10, 2006 marks anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in the frigid waters of Lake Superior. As immortalized in the Gordon Lightfoot ballad, all hands -- 29 Great Lakes mariners -- were lost during this horrific “gales of November” storm. On Saturday, November 11, the Steamship William G. Mather Museum is offering special guided tours using the similarly-configured Mather to recount what did and may have happened that fateful night aboard the Fitzgerald. Guided tours will be offered every half hour beginning at 12:30 PM with the last tour leaving at 3:30 PM. This program is recommended for high school age and older and outdoor dress is recommended since the program includes trips across open decks. There is no charge for the tour, but advance reservations are required due to the limits of tour group size and high demand. For reservations, call the Mather Museum offices at 216-574-9053 by November 10. Due to its historic nature, the Museum has very limited handicapped accessibility. The Mather Museum is now permanently located north of the Great Lakes Science Center at 305 Old Erieside Ave. |
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Updates - October 26 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 26 On 26 October 1878, the new steamer CITY OF DETROIT (composite side-wheel passenger-package freight steamer, 234 foot, 1,094 gross tons, built in 1878, at Wyandotte, Michigan) arrived in Detroit from Cleveland with 276 tons of freight, mostly iron, on deck, and no freight in her hold. This experiment was tried to see if the steamer would show any signs of "crankiness", even under a load so placed. She responded well and lived up to the expectations of her designers. On 26 October 1882, the sunken schooner-barge NELLIE MC GILVRAY was dynamited as a hazard to navigation by the Portage River Improvement Company. She sank at the entrance to the Portage Canal in the Keweenaw Peninsula on 28 August 1882, and all attempts to raise her failed. LOUIS R DESMARAIS was christened October 26,1977. She was reconstructed at Port Weller Drydocks and renamed b.) CSL LAURENTIEN in 2001. On October 26, 1968, the R BRUCE ANGUS grounded in the St. Lawrence River near Beauharnois, Quebec, sixteen hundred tons of iron ore were lightered to free her and she damaged 65 bottom plates. The HUTCHCLIFFE HALL and OREFAX were sold October 26, 1971, to the Consortium Ile d'Orleans of Montreal made up of Richelieu Dredging Corp., Mc Namara Construction Ltd. and The J.P. Porter Co. Ltd. On October 26, 1924, the E A S CLARKE of 1907, anchored in the Detroit River opposite the Great Lakes Engineering Works because of dense fog was struck by the B F JONES of 1906, near her after deckhouse which caused the CLARKE to sink. No lives were lost. On October 26, 1977, the MENIHEK LAKE struck a lock in the St. Lawrence Seaway sustaining damage estimated at $400,000. On October 26, 1971, the ROGERS CITY's, A-frame collapsed while unloading at Carrollton, Michigan on the Saginaw River. Her unloading boom was cut away and temporary repairs were made at Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City, Michigan. The tug ROUILLE was launched on October 26, 1929, as Hull#83 of Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. The schooner HEMISPHERE, which was being sought by the U.S. Marshals at Detroit and the St. Lawrence River, escaped at the Gallop Rapids and has gone to sea. On 26 October 1851, ATLAS (wooden propeller, 153 foot, 375 tons, built in 1851, at Buffalo, New York) was carrying flour from Detroit to Buffalo when she was blown to shore near the mouth of the Grand River (Lorain, Ohio) by a gale, stranded and became a total loss. No lives were lost. On 26 October 1895, GEORGE W DAVIS (wooden schooner, 136 foot, 299 gross tons, built in 1872, at Toledo, Ohio) was carrying coal in a storm on Lake Erie when she stranded near Port Maitland, Ontario. A few days after the stranding, she floated off on her own, drifted two miles up the beach and sank. No lives were lost. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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U.S.-Flag Lakes Cargos Up 3.5 Percent in
September 10/25 - Cleveland—Shipments of dry-bulk cargos in U.S.-Flag Lakers
totaled 11.9 million net tons in September, an increase of 3.5 percent
compared to a year ago. The fleet outperformed its 5-year average for
September by 6.6 percent. Source: Lake Carriers' Association |
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Port Reports - October 25 Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski Unfinished electrical work at the CSX Main Line River Bridge was the reason the tug Gregory L. Busch and barge Primary #1 had to tie up at the Concrete Central Elevator Saturday morning. Power supply to the Buffalo River industrial area is being switched over from the old 25 cycle to the modern 60 Hz format, so the railroad recently decided to replace the entire electrical system at River Bridge. The bridge itself received a set of new motors, motor house, control system, and electronics. A new 8'X15' operator's shanty was custom built with windows, a heater, A/C and all the electronics inside the building. The old one was an 8'x12' stock Control Point relay "house" commonly seen along the tracks but modified with a window where one door was. This building was a pint size replacement built over the foundations for the old RB Interlocking Tower that was burned to the ground by vandals back in the late 1980's. CSX's nearby CP Draw Bridge was updated a few years ago to the new 60 Hz power supply as well. It is unknown at this time when the repairs will be complete or if the railroad will try to lift the bridge by some other means to allow the tow to pass. Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer Grand Haven - Dick Fox Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain Marquette - Lee Rowe Toledo - Thunder Bay - Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey |
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Updates - October 25 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 25 On this day in 1975, a 96 foot mid body section was added to the ARTHUR B
HOMER at Fraser Ship Yards, Superior, Wisconsin. The HOMER became the largest
American flagged freighter to be lengthened. This modification increased her
length to 826 feet and her per trip carrying capacity to 31,200 tons. October 25, 1895 - SHENANGO NO 2 (later PERE MARQUETTE 16) was launched in Toledo, Ohio. She was built by the Craig Shipbuilding Company for the United States & Ontario Steam Navigation Company and later became part of the Pere Marquette carferry fleet. The engines of the propeller WESTMORELAND, which sank in 1854, near Skillagalee Reef in Lake Michigan, were recovered and arrived at Chicago on 25 October 1874. ARK was built on the burned out hull of the steamer E K COLLINS as a side wheel passenger steamer in 1853, at Newport, Michigan, but she was later cut down to a barge. On 25 October 1866, she was being towed along with three other barges down bound from Saginaw, Michigan in a storm. Her towline parted and she disappeared with her crew of 6. The other three tow-mates survived. There was much speculation about ARK's whereabouts until identifiable wreckage washed ashore 100 miles north of Goderich, Ontario. On 25 October 1833, JOHN BY (wooden stern-wheeler, 110 foot, built in 1832, at Kingston, Ontario) was on her regular route between York (now Toronto) and Kingston, Ontario when a storm drove her ashore near Port Credit, a few miles from York. Her terrible handling in open lake water set the precedent that stern-wheelers were not compatible with lake commerce. On 25 October 1887, VERNON (wooden propeller passenger/package-freight steamer, 158 foot, 560 tons, built in 1886, at Chicago, Illinois) foundered in a gale 6 miles northeast of Two Rivers Point on Lake Michigan. The death toll was estimated at 31 - 36. The sole survivor was picked up on a small raft two days later by the schooner POMEROY. He was on the raft with a dead body. Most casualties died of exposure. There were accusations at the time that the vessel was overloaded causing the cargo doors to be left open which allowed the water to pour in during the storm. This accusation was confirmed in 1969 (82 years after the incident) when divers found the wreck and indeed the cargo doors were open. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Port Reports - October 24 Goderich - Jacob & Noah Smith Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer & John N. Vogel |
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Updates - October 24 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 24 On 24 October 1886, the wooden steam barge RUDOLPH burned on Lake St. Clair and was beached. She was loaded with lumber from East Saginaw, Michigan for Cleveland, Ohio. On 24 October 1902, W T CHAPPELL (2-mast wooden schooner, 72 foot, 39 gross tons, built in 1877, at Sebewaing, Michigan) was carrying stove wood from Grand Marais, Michigan to the Soo in a severe storm on Lake Superior when she sprang a leak. She was blown over and sank 4 miles from the Vermillion Life Saving Station. The Life Saving crew rescued the 2-man crew in the surf boat and took them to the Whitefish Point Lighthouse for the night since the storm was so severe. The THUNTANK 6 (Hull#309) was launched October 24, 1969, at Wallsend, England by Clelands Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., for Thun Tankers Ltd., London, U.K.. Renamed b.) ANTERIORITY in 1972. Purchased by Texaco Canada in 1975, renamed c.) TEXACO WARRIOR. Sold off-lakes in 1984, renamed d.) TRADER, e.) SEA CORAL in 1985, f.) TALIA II in 1985, g.) TALIA in 1985, STELLA ORION in 1995 and h.) SYRA in 2000. The PHILIP D BLOCK along with the W W HOLLOWAY scrap tow arrived at Recife, Brazil. October 24, 1986. The THOMAS W LAMONT and her former fleet mate, ENDERS M VOORHEES arrived at Alegeciras, Spain on October 24, 1987, on the way to the cutters torch. The LAMONT was one of the last bulkers that retained her telescoping hatch covers to the very end. The NIPIGON BAY arrived Thunder Bay, Ontario on October 24, 1980, where repairs were made from damage caused by her grounding earlier in the month. On 24 October 1855, ALLEGHENY (wooden propeller, 178 foot, 468 tons, built in 1849, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying general merchandise and passengers in a storm, when she anchored near the Milwaukee harbor entrance for shelter. She lost her stack and then was unable to get up steam and was helpless. She dragged her anchor and came in close to the beach where she was pounded to pieces. There was no loss of life. Her engine and most of her cargo were removed by the end of the month. Her engine was installed in a new vessel of the same name built to replace her. On 24 October 1873, just a month after being launched, the scow WAUBONSIE capsized at St. Clair, Michigan and lost her cargo of bricks. She was righted and towed to Port Huron, minus masts, rigging and bowsprit, for repairs. On 24 October 1886, LADY DUFFERIN (3-mast wooden schooner-barge, 135 foot, 356 gross tons, built at Port Burwell, Ontario) was lost from the tow of the propeller W B HALL and went ashore near Cabot Head on Georgian Bay. No lives were lost, but the vessel was a total loss. On 24 October 1953, the Yankcanuck Steamship Lines' MANZZUTTI (steel crane ship, 246 foot, 1,558 gross tons, built in 1903, at Buffalo, New York as J S KEEFE) ran aground south of the channel into the Saugeen River. The tug RUTH HINDMAN from Killarney pulled her free. No damage was reported. Data from: 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 include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Voyageur Independent Hits Lock Wall 10/23 - According to local reports the Voyageur Independent collided into the lower wall at Lock # 3 Beauharnois Shipping Canal upon its approach. The vessel struck the end of the wall while upbound. Damages are reported on the port side mid-ship section. The vessel has a tear approximately 3 inches in width over a span of seven feet long, just above the waterline. The vessel reports no ingress of water. The vessel was in ballast. VI moved to Lock # 4 where the vessel was inspected by a SLSA inspector and a Montreal TCMS officer. The vessel then proceeded to Valleyfield to the McKeil Company pier for temporary repairs. Reported by Ron Beaupre |
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Port Reports - October 23 Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski Milwaukee - John N. Vogel Toledo - Bob Vincent Toronto - Charlie Gibbons Hamilton - Eric Holmes Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey |
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Updates - October 23 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 23 On this day in 1949, the new Canada Steamship Line steamer HOCHELAGA successfully completed her sea trials in Georgian Bay. She departed Collingwood the next day to load her first cargo of grain at Port Arthur. On 23 October 1887, the small wooden scow-schooner LADY ELGIN was driven ashore about one mile north of Goderich, Ontario in a severe storm that claimed numerous other vessels. By 26 October, she was broken up by the waves. The CARL GORTHON, was launched October 23, 1970, for Rederi A/B Gylfe, HŠlsingborg, Sweden. Sold Canadian in 1980, renamed b.) FEDERAL PIONEER and c.) CECILIA DESGAGNES in 1985. In 2000, she was used as a movie set, unofficially renamed LADY PANAMA. The rail car ferry GRAND RAPIDS was launched October 23, 1926, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin for the Grand Trunk-Milwaukee Car Ferry Co., Muskegon, Michigan. She entered service in December of 1926. WILLIAM B SCHILLER (Hull#372) was launched October 23, 1909, at Lorain, Ohio for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio. October 23, 1953 - The steamer SPARTAN arrived Ludington on her maiden voyage. Captain Harold A. Altschwager was in command. On 23 October 1868, F T BARNEY (wooden schooner, 255 tons, built in 1856, at Vermilion, Ohio) collided with the schooner TRACY J BRONSON and sank below Nine Mile Point, Northwest of Rogers City in Lake Michigan. The wreck was found in 1987, and sits in deep water, upright in almost perfect condition. On 23 October 1873, the wooden steam barge GENEVA was loaded with wheat and towing the barge GENOA in a violent storm on Lake Superior. She bent her propeller shaft and the flailing blades cut a large hole in her stern. The water rushed in and she went down quickly 15 miles off Caribou Island. No lives were lost. This was her first season of service. She was one of the first bulk freighters with the classic Great Lakes fore and aft deck houses. On 23 October 1883, JULIA (2-mast wooden schooner, 89 foot, 115 gross tons, built in 1875, at Smith's Falls, Ontario) was coming into Oswego harbor with a load of barley when she struck a pier in the dark and sank. No lives were lost. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Clipper Falcon Has Engine Problems 10/22 - The Clipper Falcon experienced engine problems as it was downbound in the Seaway on Sunday, Oct. 15. When Clipper Falcon reached the Snell Lock early the next morning she stopped and delayed traffic for a few hours. The Canadian Miner, upbound with ore pellets, was requested to anchor below Cornwall and she rode the hook for two hours. Radio transmissions mentioned an engine cylinder head problem with Clipper Falcon. Clipper Falcon then went down the river to above the Beauhornois Lock where she tied up on the North wall. Unconfirmed reports suggest the owner is attempting to
contract a tug to bring the ship down out of the Seaway. |
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Port Reports - October 22 Menominee/Marinette - Stephen P. Neal Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski Milwaukee - John N. Vogel Marquette - Lee Rowe Grand Haven - Dick Fox |
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After 32 years steering the Maid of the Mist, Captain Richard Schuyler is retiring 10/22 - Niagara Falls - The obvious question for the captain of a
boat that plays chicken with the Horseshoe Falls a dozen times a day or more
must be, "Have you ever seen anyone go over?" But what comes out is: "Why
would anyone polish jelly beans? And ... how?" |
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Updates - October 22 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 22 On 22 October 1903, while being towed by the GETTYSBURG in the harbor at Grand Marais, Michigan in a severe storm, the SAVELAND (wooden schooner, 194 foot, 689 gross tons, built in 1873, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was torn away and thrown against some pilings which punctured her hull. She sank to her main deck and was pounded to pieces by the storm waves. No lives were lost. The tug PRESQUE ISLE completed her sea trials on October 22, 1973, in New Orleans. On October 22, 1986, the ALGOCEN spilled about four barrels of diesel fuel while refueling at the Esso Dock at Sarnia. The TOM M GIRDLER departed South Chicago light on her maiden voyage, October 22, 1951, bound for Escanaba, Michigan where she loaded 13,900 tons of ore for delivery to Cleveland, Ohio. The THORNHILL ,of 1906, grounded on October 22, 1973, just above the Sugar Island ferry crossing in the St. Marys River. On 22 October 1887, C.O.D. (wooden schooner-barge, 140 foot, 289 gross tons, built in 1873, at Grand Haven, Michigan) was carrying wheat in Lake Erie in a northwest gale. She was beached three miles east of Port Burwell, Ontario and soon broke up. Most of the crew swam to shore, but the woman who was the cook was lashed to the rigging and she perished. October 22, 1929 - The steamer MILWAUKEE (formerly MANISTIQUE MARQUETTE AND NORTHERN 1) sank in a gale with a loss of all 52 hands. 21 bodies were recovered. Captain Robert Mc Kay was in command. On October 27, 1929, a Coast Guard patrolman near South Haven, Michigan, picked up the ship's message case, containing the following handwritten note: "S.S. MILWAUKEE, OCTOBER 22/29 8:30 p.m. The ship is taking water fast. We have turned around and headed for Milwaukee. Pumps are working but sea gate is bent in and can't keep the water out. Flicker is flooded. Seas are tremendous. Things look bad. Crew roll is about the same as on last payday. (signed) A. R. Sadon, Purser." On 22 October 1870, JENNIE BRISCOE (wooden schooner, 85 foot, 82 tons, built in 1870, at Detroit, Michigan) was raised from where she sank off Grosse Ile, Michigan a couple of months earlier. She was in her first season of service when she collided with the propeller FREE STATE and sank there. Her raised wreck was sold Canadian in 1871, and she was rebuilt as the propeller scow HERALD. In a severe gale on 22 October 1873, the three barges DAVID MORRIS, GLOBE, and SAGINAW from Bay City grounded and sank off Point Pelee on Lake Erie. On 22 October 1887, DOLPHIN (wooden schooner-barge, 107 foot, 147 tons, built in 1855, at Milan, Ohio) and G D NORRIS (2-mast wooden schooner, 128 foot, 262 gross tons, built in 1856, at Cleveland, Ohio) were both carrying lumber and were in tow of the steamer OSWEGATCHIE in a storm on Lake Huron. The tow line broke when the vessels were off Harbor Beach, Michigan. The DOLPHIN capsized and foundered. All 6 or 7 onboard perished. The NORRIS sank to her decks and her crew was rescued by the passing steamer BRECK. The NORRIS drifted ashore near Goderich, Ontario. Data from: Joe Barr, 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 include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Public Sounds off on Coast Guard Training 10/21 - Marysville, MI - Location, environmental safety and notification of boaters were the top concerns of a large group of people that gathered Thursday to comment on the U.S. Coast Guard's plan to start firing live ammunition on the Great Lakes. The meeting, organized by the Coast Guard, was one of nine in Great Lakes cities to hear public comment on the proposal to establish 34 permanent live-fire zones on the lakes. Several in the audience of between 75 and 100 people took issue with the Coast Guard's study showing no long-term effects from lead, zinc and other materials in the bullets or casings during a five-year period. Five years isn't enough to predict long-term effects, said Judy Ogden of Burtchville Township. The recreational boater and angler said she fears toxic materials could build up in the long term. "There's the possibility that the lead would accumulate into worms and whatever's in the bottom of the lake," she said. Ogden and several other people at the meeting also were worried about boater notification. The Coast Guard plan includes six zones on Lake Huron, one of which will stretch from Port Sanilac about 18 miles north to White Rock. The zones will be used several times a year for target practice. The Coast Guard plans to announce firing exercises on maritime radio two hours prior to their start. Bulletins will be issued every 15 minutes during the exercise, and a boat will monitor the perimeter of zones. Not everyone listens to maritime radio, Ogden said. The local safety zone, which is about six miles offshore, is where charter boat captain Jeff Parker fishes. He said he hopes the Coast Guard listens to the public. "It isn't that I think they don't need to be prepared," Parker said. "They are a branch of the military. But they're used to getting what they want." Coast Guard officials did not respond to any statements made during the public meeting. They will continue to accept public opinion through Nov. 13. After that, the Coast Guard will make a decision about establishing the zones. It's unknown when that will happen. Christine Brown of Jeddo thinks the zones are a good idea. The Coast Guard should expand the target practices to include even bigger weapons, she said. "We need to give (the Coast Guard) all the proper tools they need to do the job," she said. Reported by Frank Frisk from the Port Huron Times-Herald |
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Barge Service to Wallaceburg Nears 10/21 - Norlake Transportation will be operating their tug Radium Yellowknife and barges into the inland port of Wallaceburg, Ontario beginning the week of October 23. Plans call for corn to be unloaded at the Bruinsma Dock in Wallaceburg and wheat transported out to some undisclosed location. It is expected each trip will utilize two barges once the service is fully underway. The route, via the Chenal Ecarte and Sydenham Rivers requires passage through the Walpole Island Bridge and the Don Truan Base Line Bridge adjacent to the Bruinsma site (former Canada & Dominion Sugar Co. location.) Last main commercial marine service to Wallaceburg came in the fall of 2003 when the tug Keewatin hauled in barges of gravel to Port Baldoon for Southwestern Sales. Reported by Al Mann |
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Regional Association Recognizes Maritime Historian and Preservationist 10/21 - The Association for Great Lakes Maritime History, a regional association of over 100 maritime museums and historical societies, recently recognized the efforts of a leading maritime historian and a dedicated historic preservationist. At the Association’s recent Annual Meeting in Alpena, Mich., maritime historian and author Frederick Stonehouse of Marquette, Mich. was awarded the Association’s 2006 Award for Historic Interpretation. Dr. Charles Feltner of DeTour Village, Mich. was presented with the Association’s 2006 Award for Historic Preservation. FREDERICK STONEHOUSE While many have written about shipwrecks and lighthouses, Stonehouse has taken the lead in exploring many new aspects of the region’s marine heritage. His book Haunted Lakes created an entirely new genre in Great Lakes publishing. Similarly, one of his most recent books, Great Lakes Crime - Murder, Mayhem, Booze and Broads looks at an often forgotten side of the region’s marine heritage. Stonehouse has also developed and taught several university courses on Great Lakes maritime history as ad hoc instructor at Northern Michigan University. Each year, he also makes room in his busy schedule to make presentations at conferences through the region and is an active consultant for numerous Great Lakes maritime history projects and programs. In addition to serving as a consultant for both the U.S. National Park Service and Parks Canada, Stonehouse has been an "on-air" expert for National Geographic and History Channel. He is also a past president of the National Board of Directors of the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association and the Marquette Maritime Museum. DR. CHARLES FELTNER |
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Port Reports - October 21 Toronto - Charlie Gibbons Grand Haven - Dick Fox Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey |
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Updates - October 21 News Photo Gallery updated Public Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - October 21 On this day in 1980, the converted ELTON HOYT 2nd loaded her first cargo of 1,000 tons of pellets at Taconite Harbor. After field testing her new self unloading gear, she loaded 21,000 tons of pellets for delivery to Chicago. The Anchor Line's CONEMAUGH (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 251 foot, 1,609 gross tons, built in 1880, at W. Bay City, Michigan) and the Union Line's NEW YORK (wooden propeller package freighter, 269 foot, 1,922 gross tons, built in 1879, at Buffalo, New York) collided on the Detroit River at 7:30 p.m., 21 October 1891. The CONEMAUGH sank close to the Canadian shore. She was carrying flour and other package freight from Chicago to Buffalo. She was later raised and repaired, and lasted until 1906 when she was lost in a storm on Lake Erie. The JOHN B AIRD arrived at Sarnia, Ontario on October 21, 1990, for repairs after suffering a conveyor belt fire a week earlier. The JAMES A FARRELL and fleet mate RICHARD TRIMBLE were the first vessels to lock down bound in the newly opened Davis Lock at the Soo on October 21, 1914. On October 21, 1954, the GEORGE M HUMPHREY set a record when she took aboard 22,605 gross tons of iron ore at Superior, Wisconsin. The record stood until 1960. The crew on the SAMUEL MATHER was safely removed from the badly exposed steamer on October 21, 1923, by the Eagle Harbor life saving crew. She had run aground on the 19th. Renamed b.) PATHFINDER in 1925, sold Canadian in 1968, renamed c.) GODERICH. Renamed d.) SOO RIVER TRADER in 1980, e.) PINEGLEN 1982. Scrapped at Port Maitland in 1984. It was announced on October 21, 1986, that Canada Steamship Lines and Upper Lakes Group would merge CSL's Collingwood shipyard and ULS' Port Weller shipyard and create Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering (1986) Ltd. On 21 October 1941, AMERICA (steel tug, 80 foot, 123 gross tons, built in 1897, at Buffalo, New York) was on a cable along with the tug OREGON off Belle Isle in the Detroit River trying to pull the steel bulk freighter B F JONES off a bar. The cable tightened, pulling AMERICA out of the water and spinning her upside down. Six of the crew of 13 lost their lives. AMERICA was later recovered. Still owned by Great Lakes Towing Co., AMERICA was renamed b.) MIDWAY in 1982 and c.) WISCONSIN in 1983. October 21, 1954 - Capt. Allen K. Hoxie, skipper of the MILWAUKEE CLIPPER, retired. On 21 October 1886, W L BROWN (wooden propeller freighter, 140 foot, 336 gross tons, built in 1872, at Oshkosh, Wisconsin as NEPTUNE) was carrying iron ore from Escanaba for DePere, Wisconsin. A storm struck while she was on Green Bay. She sprang a leak one mile from Peshtigo Reef and went down in 76 feet of water. No lives were lost. All of her outfit and machinery were removed the following summer. This vessel's first enrollment was issued at Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 22 April 1873, as NEPTUNE, but this enrollment was surrendered at Milwaukee on 30 September 1880, endorsed "broken up." However she was re-enrolled as a new vessel at Milwaukee on 15 June 1880, having been rebuilt by A. L. Johnson at Green Bay, Wisconsin as the W L BROWN. Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Corps Plans to Build Island from Dredge Materials 10/20 - Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to build an island on Lake Erie to dispose of mud and sand dredged from Cleveland Harbor and the Cuyahoga River. The muck needs to be cleared to keep the harbor and river deep enough for ships to navigate, and the current dump site for dredge material at Burke Lakefront Airport in downtown Cleveland is filling up. It would cost about $100 million to build the 100-acre island, which must include a stone barrier because the muck is polluted with heavy metals and other chemicals and cannot be dumped directly into the lake, said Phillip Berkeley, chief of the planning services team working on the project. A stone breakwall about a half-mile off shore but near the mouth of the river is the best potential site, Berkeley said Wednesday. The city would pay about $25 million of the cost of the island, he said. Putting the island along the breakwall fits with the lakefront plan Cleveland adopted in 2004, City Planning Director Bob Brown said. "It's not a pipe dream," Brown said. "The dredge material has to be disposed of somewhere." The group heading a cleanup of the Cuyahoga River said more planning is needed to determine the environmental impact of the plan. "If done badly, it could be a disaster," said Jim White, executive director of the Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan. "If done well, it could be a big benefit." The corps will release its final plans for the new disposal site in June,
building the framework over the next few years so that the first loads of mud
could be deposited in 2014, Berkeley said. The lake is between 25 and 30 feet
deep near the breakwall, so the site could hold at least 20 years' worth of
dredged material, Berkeley said. |
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Cruise group wants to double St. Lawrence
traffic 10/20 - Quebec City - Seventy-five cruise ships carrying 100,000 passengers and crew will have visited this picturesque port city this year when the 2006 sailing season ends later this month. But those numbers may soon double - even triple - if efforts aimed at de |