Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive

Today in Great Lakes History - June 30

On this day in 1962, the CLIFFS VICTORY passed down through the Welland Canal to become the first boat in the Cleveland Cliffs Fleet to enter Lake Ontario in 20 years.

The b.) CSL ASSINIBOINE was rechristened at Port Weller Drydocks Ltd., on June 30, 2005. She was the a.) LOUIS R DESMARAIS and the fourth CSL vessel to receive a forebody replacement.

On 30 June 1917, while being towed out of the Milwaukee River by the tugs WELCOME and KNIGHT TEMPLAR, the Goodrich LinesÕ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS (steel propeller whaleback passenger steamer, 362 foot, 1,511 gross tons, built in 1893, at West Superior, Wisconsin), with 413 passengers onboard, was caught by the current and swung close to shore. The overhang of her snout-bow sheered off two legs of the water tower of the Yahr-Lang Drug Company and the tower fell onto the vessel, destroying the pilothouse and forward decks. The water from the tower rushed down the length of the upper decks. 16 were killed and over 20 were seriously injured. The surviving passengers were taken to Chicago by train. The vessel was repaired and put back into service the following year.

On 30 June 1900, MARIAN TELLER (wooden propeller tug, 52 foot, 33 gross tons, built in 1879, at West Bay City, Michigan) was towing the barge CANTON on Lake St. Clair. The TELLER sprang a leak about one mile from the Lake St. Clair Lightship. The rising water put out her fires. In the scramble to escape, the yawl was swamped and three lives were lost. Only Captain Cornwall and his son were saved when the passing steamer NORWALK picked them up.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Port Reports - June 30

Goderich - Dale Baechler
Canadian Navigator came in to load Wednesday evening, Algoway entered Thursday afternoon with a stiff northwest breeze blowing. Both were picking up loads at Sifto Salt.

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
The Groupe Ocean tugs were back in port early Wednesday morning to turn the salty Woody at the Redpath slip. She is now facing into the harbor. The passenger vessel Nantucket Clipper arrived around 9 a.m. and berthed at the old fast-ferry terminal. English River arrived around 10 a.m. and backed into the Lafarge slip. The Port Authority workboat Osprey placed the anchor buoys for Metis, which will be towed out to become a fireworks platform for the Festival of Fire, which starts on July 1 The Buffalo fire tug E. M. Cotter departed late Tuesday night.

Milwaukee - John Vogel
About noon on Thursday there were two ships in the outer harbor. One was the Daviken, a 729-footer, at General Cargo Pier 2. It sails under contract to Fednav, Ltd. The Daviken was commissioned at the time of construction as the Malinska, a name under which it sailed form 1987-1997. The second ship was the Federal Maragaree, a very recent addition to the Fednav livery. It was a General Cargo Pier 3. A 606-footer, its registration is in Monrovia.

Holland - Bob VandeVusse
Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41 made a call at the Verplank dock in Holland in the overnight hours Wednesday/Thursday. It delivered a load of 6AAA stone.

Marquette - Rod Burdick
On Thursday at sunrise, Kaye E. Barker was waiting to load ore at the Upper Harbor ore dock, and Adam E. Cornelius was unloading limestone at the Lower Harbor Shiras Dock.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
The tug Invincible and barge McKee Sons loaded Tuesday at Sandusky's Norfolk Southern coal dock.
On Wednesday the Canadian Transport, came alongside the dock and loaded. Thursday saw the Atlantic Erie loading at the NS dock, followed at late afternoon by the Arthur M. Anderson.

Man Electrocuted On Freighter

6/30 - Cleveland - The Coast Guard Cleveland station got a distress call Thursday morning and sent a boat to evacuating two crewmen from the Calumet about one mile east of their station around 11 a.m.

One crewman on the vessel was electrocuted and a second crewman received a shock when he tried to pull him away from the power source.

A Coast Guard boat transported the two crewmen to the Cleveland moorings, where they were transferred to awaiting emergency medical service.

The first crewman, 21-year-old John Harmen of Canton, was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. The shipmate who tried to save him is expected to be OK.

Reported by WTAM 1100

Updates - June 30

News Photo Gallery updated

Tug Boat Race Gallery updated.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - June 30

On this day in 1962, the CLIFFS VICTORY passed down through the Welland Canal to become the first boat in the Cleveland Cliffs Fleet to enter Lake Ontario in 20 years.

The b.) CSL ASSINIBOINE was rechristened at Port Weller Drydocks Ltd., on June 30, 2005. She was the a.) Jean Parisien and the fourth CSL vessel to receive a forebody replacement.

On 30 June 1917, while being towed out of the Milwaukee River by the tugs WELCOME and KNIGHT TEMPLAR, the Goodrich LinesÕ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS (steel propeller whaleback passenger steamer, 362 foot, 1,511 gross tons, built in 1893, at West Superior, Wisconsin), with 413 passengers onboard, was caught by the current and swung close to shore. The overhang of her snout-bow sheered off two legs of the water tower of the Yahr-Lang Drug Company and the tower fell onto the vessel, destroying the pilothouse and forward decks. The water from the tower rushed down the length of the upper decks. 16 were killed and over 20 were seriously injured. The surviving passengers were taken to Chicago by train. The vessel was repaired and put back into service the following year.

On 30 June 1900, MARIAN TELLER (wooden propeller tug, 52 foot, 33 gross tons, built in 1879, at West Bay City, Michigan) was towing the barge CANTON on Lake St. Clair. The TELLER sprang a leak about one mile from the Lake St. Clair Lightship. The rising water put out her fires. In the scramble to escape, the yawl was swamped and three lives were lost. Only Captain Cornwall and his son were saved when the passing steamer NORWALK picked them up.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

L. E. Block to be Scrapped

6/29 - Port Colborne - It has been confirmed that the L. E. Block will be scrapped in Port Colborne by International Marine Salvage. The rusting hulk that has been sitting in Escanaba for many years and has been considered an 'eyesore' by Escanaba City officials.

The two is expected to leave Escanaba on July 7th and arrive in Port Colborne on July 11th. The tow will be handled by the tugs Vac, Sea Hound and the IMS tug Charley E.

Plans are to put the Block in the south slip, and move the Everest outside of the Block. Windoc will remain in her present location in Slip #1.

Reported by IMS.

Pictures in the News Photo Gallery

Engineer's Day is Tomorrow
Have You Made Your Cruise Reservations?

Engineer's Weekend and Boatnerd Gathering at the Soo

Friday, June 30 - 9:30 a.m. - Boatnerds gather on the steps below the MacArthur Lock for a group picture.
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - The Corps of Engineers will open the area between the MacArthur and Poe Locks, the Administration Building and the Davis Building to visitors. This is a once-a-year chance to see inside the Corps operation, and see passing freighters from a different angle.
8:00 - 10:00 p.m. - The Soo Locks Visitors Center Association will have a special meeting on Friday, June 30, 2006, from 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm, at the Soo Locks Visitors Center. The doors to the Center will remain open an two extra hours for SLVCA members to meet and greet Boatnerds. Bring your pictures to share, talk about displays, and spend a pleasant 2 hours inside. We will have tables set up for use, the theater is available, and we will have some free snacks available.

Saturday, July 1 - 6:00 p.m. - Annual Boatnerd Freighter Chasing Cruise. This annual trip aboard the Chief Shingwauk for a full three (3) hours leaving from Roberta Bondar Pavilion in Soo, Ontario. Cruise will return at 9:00 p.m. Cost is C$30.00 per person. Price includes dinner. Cash bar on board. Make reservations by calling (705) 253-9850, or 1-877-226-3665.

9:30 p.m. - Special add-on Firework Cruise - July 1 is Canada's Birthday and the Chief Shingwauk is offering a special 1-1/2 hour fireworks cruise leaving a 9:30 p.m. The cost is C$10.00. Boatnerds who wish to stay aboard for the Fireworks Cruise must make reservations prior to June 15, 2006. Call to see if space is available for the trip extension!

Port Reports - June 29

South Chicago -
The Wolverine loaded petroleum coke early Wednesday at Beemsterboer Dock in South Chicago, bound for Alpena.

Marinette - Lee Rowe
Tuesday saw the Algorail arrive in Marinette and tie up behind the William H. Donner. Wednesday the Chios Pride arrived with metal which was off-loaded by the Donner's cranes.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The M.C.M. Marine tug William C. Gaynor was inbound the Saginaw River Wednesday afternoon pulling a crane barge upriver to the LaFarge dock in Carrollton. Equipment continues to arrive for the upcoming dredging project to open up the Sixth Street Turning Basin and about 1 mile of channel below that. The dredging start date keeps getting pushed back and is now scheduled to begin after July 4th. The Gaynor was outbound Wednesday evening.

Also inbound on Wednesday was the tug Cleveland and barge Cleveland Rocks. The pair went upriver to unload at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee. This is the first trip of many scheduled for the Cleveland-Cleveland Rocks between the Saginaw River and Stoneport over the next three weeks. The tug and barge made a number of trips to the Saginaw River in 2004 then in 2005 was absent from the Saginaw.

Updates - June 29

News Photo Gallery updated

Tug Boat Race Gallery updated.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - June 29

On this day in 1946, the tug DALHOUSIE ROVER, Captain J. R. Mac Lean, capsized in the Welland Canal. There were no survivors among the crew of six.

On 29 June 1910, ALABAMA (steel propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 272 foot, 2,626 gross tons, built in 1909, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) made her first trip in regular service for the Goodrich Line from Chicago to Grand Haven and Muskegon. She ran opposite the VIRGINIA. Cut down to a barge she is being scrapped in La Salle, Ontario in 2006.

On 29 June 1902, GEORGE DUNBAR (wooden propeller freighter, 134 foot, 238 gross tons, built in 1867, at Allegan, Michigan) was loaded with coal when she was damaged by a sudden squall on Lake Erie near Kelley's Island and sank. Seven of the crew elected to stay aboard while the skipper, his wife and daughter made for shore in the lifeboat. Those three were saved but the seven perished on a makeshift raft.

The CHARLES M SCHWAB (Hull#496) was launched in 1923, at Cleveland, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co., for the Interlake Steamship Co. Lengthened with a new midbody and re-powered with the stern section of the tanker GULFPORT in 1961. Sold Canadian in 1975, renamed b.) PIERSON DAUGHTERS and c.) BEECHGLEN in 1982. Scrapped at Port Maitland, Ontario in 1995.

On June 29, 1962, the HAMILTONIAN began her maiden voyage for Eastern Lake Carriers (Papachristidis Co. Ltd.). Renamed b.) PETITE HERMINE in 1967. Purchased by Upper Lakes Shipping in 1972, renamed c.) CANADIAN HUNTER. Scrapped at Alang, India in 1996.

The JOSEPH L BLOCK was christened on June 29, 1976, for Inland Steel Co..

The Canadian schooner DUNSTOWN arrived at Malden, Ontario on 29 June 1875, to be put in place as a lightship. Her sides were painted in large white letters: BAR POINT LIGHTSHIP.

On 29 June 1864, ALVIN CLARK (2-mast wooden schooner, 113 foot, 220 tons, built in 1846, at Truago (Trenton), Michigan) foundered in a terrific squall off Chambers Island on Green Bay. Two of the crew were rescued by the brig DEWITT, but three lost their lives. In 1969, a schooner identified as the CLARK was raised at great expense and put on display for some time at Marinette, Wisconsin, then at Menominee, Michigan, but it only lasted until 1995 when it was destroyed.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Sand Bar in Ludington

6/28 - Ludington, MI - A sand bar in the Ludington, Michigan channel delayed the Saginaw Monday. The shoal is located on the southern side of the channel near the Coast Guard Station.

Tom O’Bryan of the Grand Haven office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the channel in the area where the Saginaw grounded was only about 19-feet deep, according to the boat’s captain. The boat was running with 23 feet of draft.

“Where it hit was supposed to be 29 feet,” O’Bryan said. “Our survey found there was 23 to 24 feet in most places.”

O’Bryan said a couple of sand shoals had developed recently, including the one the Saginaw found and one between the breakwalls near the entrance to the harbor.

The Corps plans to get a contractor to Ludington to dredge the channel in mid to late July, O’Bryan said. The dredging was announced in late May.

Laman, who unloaded the Saginaw, said it was carrying 19,000 tons of slag that it dropped off at the local aggregate dock. The slag was destined for use in asphalt mix and other products.

“The ship had no problems once it made it (through the sand shoal),” Laman said.

From The Ludington Daily News

'Acres and acres' of sewage in river from Sault plant - Mich. official
Ontario Soo Denies Charge

6/28 - Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., is dumping on Sugar Island, says a Michigan state representative. Democrat Gary McDowell was on the St. Mary's River Monday to inspect for himself long-standing complaints from residents across from the Canadian Sault's east-end sewage treatment plant that discharges are fouling their waters.

He said his nose led him to the plant's discharge pipe. "When you're out there, it's so obvious. Right at the outlet, it's coming out. Even if you didn't see the floaties and the colour (of the water), the smell takes right there," McDowell said Tuesday from Lansing, Mich. "It was absolutely horrible. I was just aghast. It was worse than anything I expected.

"You start to come up to it and you just see acres of sewage. "It's literally sickening what's happening out there."

The Chippewa County Health Department's director of environmental health accompanied McDowell. David Martin, who has taken samples from the river at Sugar Island numerous times, called the level of sewage "unbelievable" Monday.

"It's the worst discharge I've ever seen. Maybe it's going on more than I realized. There were acres and acres and acres of floating sewage, partially untreated sewage," Martin said Tuesday. Like McDowell, he said there's "no question" it's originating from the Ontario Sault.

Sault, Ont., has repeatedly denied raw sewage is being released into the water. Don Elliott, manager of construction and environmental engineering, said earlier this week some speculate what they see is "pollution from years past, from both cities. . . . The water warms, the thought is, and the sludge gasses up and floats to the top."

The 46-year-old plant, which treats the majority of municipal sewage, is in the midst of upgrades that are expected to be completed this summer to get Sault Ste. Marie secondary treatment. The Sault and a handful of other communities were singled out for having just primary treatment in the 2003/04 annual report of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, Gord Miller.

By coincidence, Miller was also on the St. Mary's Monday. He described taking a boat out to the discharge pipe and watching dredging work being done, and called it "reassuring" the Sault is joining the rest of the province. "You, Kingston and Thunder Bay were the only ones left. It's good to see that in a short time, they'll all be on line," Miller said in an interview.

From the Sault Ontario Star

Spilled Sewage Fouls St. Marys River

6/28 - Sault Ste. Marie - “There is no question where it is coming from,” said State Rep. Gary McDowell of the raw sewage streaming into the St. Marys River from Canada. “It didn't take a whole lot to put two and two together.”

McDowell was part of a contingent traveling along the waterway at the request of Sugar Island residents Wayne Welch and D. J. Bumstead. Others on the trip included Chippewa County Chairman Earl Kay, along with Dave Martin and Jim German representing the Chippewa County Health Department.

“What we found was the most appalling, sickening thing I think I have ever seen in my life,” said McDowell. “I just couldn't believe how bad the situation was.” McDowell said to see the beautiful St. Marys River awash in raw sewage “makes you sick to your stomach.” This, from a self-described old farm boy who has shoveled manure in bare feet without batting an eye. “You could see it (the raw sewage) floating on top,” he said, adding the filth covered “acres” of waterway.

If this situation was occurring in any other Eastern Upper Peninsula waterway, McDowell speculated it would only be a matter of hours before state officials brought a quick resolution to the problem. With the Canadian sewage going into international waters, however, the solution is not as easy. McDowell said the first thing he did after returning from his Monday afternoon boat ride was contact Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee), seeking additional allies in the effort to get this mess cleaned up.

“We have to work with the federal government and the Canadian government,” he said. “It's not going to be an easy solution.” McDowell also explained that even though the sewage was coming from Canada, he did not blame the people of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario for the discharge. “The Canadian people are good people,” said McDowell. “They have to stand up to their government.”

From the Soo Evening News

Engineer's Day Only Two Days Away
Have You Made Your Cruise Reservations?

Engineer's Weekend and Boatnerd Gathering at the Soo
Thursday, June 29 - Lee Murdock Free Concert. 7:00 p.m. Free concert at Bayliss Public Library in Sault Ste Marie. www.uproc.lib.mi.us/bpl/ It's free, and they're excited about having this music for the locals and for early arrivals for Engineers Day.

Friday, June 30 - 9:30 a.m. - Boatnerds gather on the steps below the MacArthur Lock for a group picture. Come early and get a name tag.
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - The Corps of Engineers will open the area between the MacArthur and Poe Locks, the Administration Building and the Davis Building to visitors. This is a once-a-year chance to see inside the Corps operation, and see passing freighters from a different angle.
8:00 - 10:00 p.m. - The Soo Locks Visitors Center Association will have a special meeting on Friday, June 30, 2006, from 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm, at the Soo Locks Visitors Center. The doors to the Center will remain open an two extra hours to meet and greet Boatnerds. Bring your pictures to share, talk about displays, and spend a pleasant 2 hours inside. We will have tables set up for use, the theater is available, and we will have some free snacks available.

Saturday, July 1 - Daytime
Informal gatherings at Mission Point, weather permitting. Bring your best pix to compare and show. Bring your radio-controlled boats for an informal regatta.

6:00 p.m. - Annual Boatnerd Freighter Chasing Cruise. This annual trip aboard the Chief Shingwauk for a full three (3) hours leaving from Roberta Bondar Pavilion in Soo, Ontario. Cruise will return at 9:00 p.m. Cost is C$30.00 per person. Price includes dinner. Cash bar on board. Make reservations by calling (705) 253-9850, or 1-877-226-3665.

9:30 p.m. - Special add-on Firework Cruise
July 1 is Canada's Birthday and the Chief Shingwauk is offering a special 1-1/2 hour fireworks cruise leaving a 9:30 p.m. The cost is C$10.00. Boatnerds who wish to stay aboard for the Fireworks Cruise must make reservations prior to June 15, 2006. Call to see if space is available for the trip extension!

Port Reports - June 28

Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer
Ocean bulk carrier Federal Margaree, which left Milwaukee over the weekend, was back at Municipal terminal 2 in the outer harbor on Tuesday morning, loading PL 480 food aid for overseas.
USCGC Acacia remains at the Coast Guard dock, just west of the cross-lake ferry.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
Monday was a busy day on the Saginaw River with a number of vessel passages. The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. was inbound early Monday morning calling on the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville to unload coal. She was outbound later in the morning backing out to Light 12 to turn on head for the lake.
The tug Mary E. Hannah and her tank barge Robert F. Deegan were also inbound Monday morning calling on the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City. This was the second visit in a week for the pair to the Dow dock. They departed the dock and were outbound early Tuesday morning.
The Manistee was inbound on Monday going upriver to the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee to unload. When finished, she backed down to the Airport Turning Basin, turned and was outbound for the lake. She was followed closely by the tug Gregory J. Busch who had assisted her. The Busch was also outbound for the lake.
Finally, the CSL Tadoussac was inbound for the Essroc in Essexville. Once she was secured at the dock, the tug Rebecca Lynn and her tank barge backed from the Bit-Mat dock across the river and headed outbound for the lake. The Tadoussac also finished her unload and was outbound late in the day.

Green Bay - Wendell Wilke
On Tuesday the Catherine Desgagnes was unloading at the Fox River Dock. The tug Susan W. Hannah and barge St. Marys Conquest was unloading just up river at the St. Marys terminal. This is the first time the Conquest has been in the Port of Green Bay since her days as the tanker Amoco Indiana.

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
Toronto Harbour was temporarily closed Tuesday evening for an aerial display and water cannon salute between the firetugs Wm. Lyon Mackenzie and visiting Buffalo fire tug E. M. Cotter. The 106 year old Cotter is being retired to become a museum and is on a farewell tour. She arrived in Toronto Monday afternoon.
The Kingston-based brigantine St. Lawrence II arrived Tuesday afternoon enroute to Tall Ships festivals farther up the lakes. The local brigantine Pathfinder will also be joining in the Tall Ship festivities.
The tug Radium Yellowknife arrived Tuesday morning and began hooking up to the cement barge Metis, which will again be used as a floating fireworks platform for Canada Day celebrations off Ontario Place in Humber Bay. The barge will remain in place for the Festival of Fire fireworks displays.
The small tug/workboat Barney Drake has been added to the construction team at the new City Centre Airport passenger terminals. The Drake took construction materials from Pier 52 to the West Gap Tuesday afternoon, aboard the barge Place Gas & Oil Scow No. 2.
Unloading continues on the salty Woody at Redpath. Woody arrived in port on Sunday and was assisted into Redpath by the Groupe Ocean tugs. Algosoo was also in and out on Sunday after unloading a cargo of salt.

Toledo - Bob Vincent
The Herbert C. Jackson was being loaded at the Midwest Terminals of Toledo International dock with I believe coke breeze.
The Canadian Navigator was unloading ore at Torco.
Around 6:00 pm the tanker barge Great Lakes with the tug Michigan headed up river.
The tanker Algosar was seen heading out at 11:00 pm.
The CSL Assiniboine came under the coal loader at 4:30 am for a load of coal for Sault Ste. Marie.
At 7:00 am, the tug Donald C. Hannah with two barges was heading up river.
The next coal boat will the Mississagi (Wednesday) and the Saginaw, CSL Niagara and Arthur M. Anderson all due Friday.
At the Midwest Terminal Stone Dock the Algomarine is due Friday.
Torco's next ore boat will be the Atlantic Erie ( Wednesday) and the Nanticoke and CSL Niagara are due Friday.

Updates - June 28

News Photo Gallery updated

Tug Boat Race Gallery updated.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - June 28

On this day in 1955, the 456 foot WYCHEM 105, a.) SAMUEL F B MORSE, was loaded with sand at the B&O docks in Lorain and towed to Rocky River, Ohio where she was sunk as a temporary breakwall.

On this day in 1957, the JOSEPH S YOUNG departed Manitowoc, Wisconsin on her maiden voyage. She traveled in ballast to Port Inland, Michigan to load a cargo of stone. The YOUNG was the a.) ARCHERS HOPE, A T2-SE-A1 tanker, converted to Great Lakes service at Maryland Shipbuilding and Drydock, Baltimore, Maryland.

On June 28, 1938, at 8:50 a.m., the WILLIAM A IRVIN departed Duluth with her first cargo of iron ore for Lorain, Ohio. 48 years later, in 1986, almost to the minute, the WILLIAM A IRVIN opened as a museum to the public.

The ATLANTIC SUPERIOR arrived at the Algoma Steel Plant, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario on her maiden voyage in 1982, with a load of taconite but before she was unloaded christening ceremonies were conducted there.

The SAM LAUD ran aground June 28, 1975, on a shoal south of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, with a cargo of coal from Chicago, Illinois for Green Bay, Wisconsin. Six-thousand tons of coal were off-loaded the next day into the NICOLET, a.) WILLIAM G MATHER, before she could proceed to Green Bay along with the NICOLET to discharge cargoes. SAM LAUD entered the dry dock at Sturgeon Bay on July 3rd for repairs. She had suffered extensive bottom damage with leakage into seven double bottom tanks and the forepeak. She returned to service on August 21, 1975.

On 28 June 1893, JAMES AMADEUS (wooden propeller tug, 65 foot, 44 gross tons, built in 1872, at Cleveland, Ohio) sprang a leak and foundered near Cleveland, Ohio. Her crew abandoned her just before she went down.

On 28 June 1909, TEMPEST (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 138 foot, 370 gross tons, built in 1876, at Grand Haven, Michigan) burned to a total loss while unloading coal at the Galnais Dock at Perry Sound, Ontario. She was consumed very quickly and six of her crew were killed.

Data from: Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Cargo at Port of Toledo is up 3-fold

6/27 - Toledo - 'Aggressive efforts usually show tangible results'. Port of Toledo officials have been unloading some of their financial worries this season because of a marked increase in cargo business and ships.
General cargo loaded and unloaded at the Port of Toledo has increased three-fold through May compared to the same period last year. The increase is due in part to a deal in Brazil to accept bulk sugar and one struck in Quebec for the Port of Toledo to become a distribution center for aluminum used in automobiles.

"If we were in a depressed economy, no matter how aggressive we were, we wouldn't see results. But in a stable economy or a healthy economy, aggressive efforts usually show tangible results," port authority President Jim Hartung said. "We do a lot of calling to businesses and past customers of the Great Lakes."

A major coup came this year when Seaport Director Warren McCrimmon, through contacts, was able to persuade an aluminum manufacturer in Sett Isles, Que., to use the Port of Toledo, rather than rail and truck, to ship the metal to this area. It turned out to be cheaper. "We got one of the companies to do an experiment to see if they could do it faster and cheaper by barge," he said. Another marketing opportunity arose in Brazil. Midwest Terminals, which has run the unloading and loading operation at the port, also known as stevedoring, since October, 2004, traveled to South America to win the contract.

In addition, steel shipping has rebounded on the Great Lakes because of the repeal by President Bush of tariffs on foreign steel he instituted during his first term. "High times for some people [in shipping] was when steel was king [in the 1970s and in the 1990s]. The Port of Toledo made a strategic decision to diversify, and one of the lows came recently, and we were not hurt as badly as others were," Mr. McCrimmon said. "Now, steel has come back a bit, and we've done better than expected. We are very bullish."

Part of the sea change has been due to Midwest Terminals' decision in 2004 to buy Toledo World Industries, or TWI, the former stevedoring company that had the port authority lease to run operations. Over the years, TWI became less aggressive in marketing because its parent company was sold and stevedoring was no longer a core part of the business. The port authority leases terminals to operators, and they pay a base rent plus a fee per ton back to the port authority. "We get a piece of the action," Mr. Hartung said.

From the Toledo Blade

Archaeologist Examines Wreck near 40 Mile Point Lighthouse

6/27 - Rogers Township, MI - An archaeologist and some students are examining a shipwreck about 200 feet from the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse to see whether they can confirm it is the Joseph S. Fay.

For years, historical accounts have attached the name to the wreck and there is little doubt that the section of ship on the beach is a portion of the wooden steamer, The Alpena News reported Friday.

"I guess I came into this looking at it as an unknown object," said Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Archaeologist Wayne Lusardi. "Is it a shipwreck? ... Can it be identified as the Fay or another ship?" The Fay, which was built in 1871, broke apart near the lighthouse on Lake Huron in 1905.

About 130 feet of wreckage consisting of weather-worn lumber and large metal fasteners lies on the beach in Presque Isle County. More of the wreckage is located just offshore in about 15 feet of water. "We've been exposing the different layers," said University of Michigan graduate Beth Dykstra, a summer intern with the marine sanctuary.

The dimensions of the ship's hold are consistent with the Fay, Lusardi said. In addition to Dykstra, two current University of Michigan students and a Michigan State University student are assisting. Information from the excavation may be incorporated into the Joseph S. Fay exhibit at the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse.

From the Detroit News

Port Reports - June 27

St. Lawrence River - Ron Walsh
The D C. Everest, Evans McKeil and Point Vigor passed through Bradford at 3 p.m. and Iroquois Lock at 5:30 p.m. She actually looks quite good for an idle vessel. The tow was making about 6 knots . However, it was quite a task getting the ship into the lock as there was a stiff wind. She had an eta of 11 p.m. for Crossover Island. Radio traffic confirmed she is going to be scrapped in Port Colborne.
The Point Vigor is going to Hamilton to be used for ship docking etc.
The William J. Moore and McLeary's Spirit departed Iroquois eastbound at 4:20 p.m. She was heading for Quebec to load for Hamilton. The tug Salvor with barge and the Algoscotia both gave eastbound eta's of 6 p.m. for Crossover Island.
The Algosteel was loading salt and will then head for Ogdensburg.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
The John J. Boland was loading at the NS coal dock Monday morning.

Fairport - Herb Hubbel
On Friday the Algoway was in unloading limestone at the lime company dock.
Monday morning the Calumet was in unloading at the Osborne, Grand River side dock. Monday afternoon she moved downriver and started loading salt at Morton Salt.

Goderich - Dale Baechler
Recent visitors to Goderich include the Saginaw who unloaded wheat into the elevator dome in the new harbour last Thursday and the Algosteel and Algorail who both came to load salt on Sunday at Sifto. The tug Margot also stopped in with her barge on the way to the Bruce nuclear plant.

Cleveland - Al Hart
The restored tug Ashtabula burned sometime Sunday at its dock in the Cuyahoga River, Cleveland. The tug was built for Great Lakes Towing in 1915 and was sold Canadian as Tiffin and Jenny T. II. It later came back to the States under her original name. She is privately owned.

Charlevoix - Janet Koch
The USCGC Acacia departed Charlevoix for the last time yesterday at 4 p.m. In spite of a gray day with some rain, hundreds of people showed up. The high school band played from the Weathervane's deck, some guys from the city band played from the bow of a boat, a color guard of some sort stood along the channel and saluted, a fire truck sprayed water, and dozens of boats followed her through Round Lake and out the channel. She went out, turned around and came back for a final salute, then headed south.

Rouge River - Nathan Nietering & Mike Koprowicz
Inbound in the Rouge Shortcut Monday evening around 7 p.m. was Interlake Steamship's Steamer Herbert C. Jackson with a cargo of taconite ore for Severstal Steel. While unloading, they would be fueled by the barge Marysville and tug Carolyn Hoey of the Gaelic Tugboat Company.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The BBC Ontario departed for Oswego at 11 p.m. Sunday night.

Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer
Acacia, retiring U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender and last of a generation of WW II-era 180-footers, visited Milwaukee Monday on its last trip southward to Chicago's Navy Pier.
Also Monday, tug Samuel de Champlain and the brand-new barge Innovation turned in the inner harbor and delivered cement to the LaFarge terminal on Jones Island.

Updates - June 27

News Photo Gallery updated, and more News Photo Gallery updated

Tug Boat Race Gallery updated.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - June 27

On 27 June 1892, in rain and fog, the FRED A MORSE (wooden schooner, 182 foot, 592 gross tons, built in 1871, at Vermilion, Ohio) was being towed down bound by the HORACE A TUTTLE (wooden propeller freighter, 250 foot, 1,585 gross tons, built in 1887, at Cleveland, Ohio) about 12 miles southeast of Thunder Bay on Lake Huron, both carrying loads of iron ore. At the same time, JOHN C PRINGLE (wooden propeller freighter, 173 foot, 474 gross tons, built in 1880, at Detroit, Michigan) was sailing upbound in that vicinity with a load of coal and Italian marble with the schooners HARRISON, SWEETHEART and SUNSHINE in tow. At 1:30 a.m., the PRINGLE collided with the schooner MORSE which sank in less than 15 minutes. The crew made it to the TUTTLE in the lifeboat, although one woman was badly injured. The PRINGLE's bow was stove in, her deck planks forward were split and spread, her bulwarks torn away, and her anchors and foremast were lost. She cast off her tow and made for Alpena, Michigan, where she arrived later in the day.

At 4:04 p.m. on 27 June 1890, the Beatty Line's MONARCH (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 240 foot, 2,017 tons) was launched at Sarnia, Ontario. The launching was watched by numerous people on the decks of various steamers and on both sides of the St. Clair River. The MONARCH was built of white oak and braced with iron. She had 62 staterooms

Package freighter CHIMO (Hull#662) was launched in 1967, at Lauzon, Quebec by Davie Shipbuilding Ltd., for Canada Steamship Lines Ltd. In 1983, CHIMO's stern was attached to the bow and cargo section of the HILDA MARJANNE to create the CANADIAN RANGER.

WILLIAM EDENBORN (Hull#40) (steel propeller freighter, 478 foot, 5,085 gross tons) was launched at West Bay City, Michigan by West Bay City Ship Building Co. for the American Steamship Co., Duluth (A. B. Wolvin, mgr.) on 27 June 1900.

PRETORIA (3-mast schooner-barge, 338 foot, 2,790 gross tons) was launched at J. Davidson's yard (Hull #94) in West Bay City, Michigan on 27 June 1900. Mr. Davidson built her for his own fleet. She was one of the largest wooden vessels ever built and lasted until September 1905, when she sank in Lake Superior.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Engineer's Day Only Four Days Away
Have You Made Your Cruise Reservations?

Saturday, July 1 - Daytime
Informal gatherings at Mission Point, weather permitting. Bring your best pix to compare and show. Bring your radio-controlled boats for an informal regatta.

D. C. Everest to be Scrapped

6/26 - Montreal - The DC Everest left Montreal after several years of lay up.

She is towed by the Evans McKeil with the Point Vigor on the Stern.

They will tow her to Port Colborne where she will be scrapped.

Tonawanda Power Plant Scheduled for Upgrade

6/26 - Buffalo - The NRG Huntley power plant in Tonawanda is on the company's list for a $1.5 billion upgrade by 2,012. An entire modern generating station is proposed containing a completely new coal burning technology that will replace the highly polluting units now in operation there.

The process being considered for installation at Huntley is called Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle where coal is heated under pressure to form a combustible gas that is then burned to produce electricity after it has been cleaned of harmful Sulfur and other chemicals. The two existing generation units will stay in operation but will be upgraded with new pollution control equipment.

Improvements will result in drastic reductions to the plant's notorious Sulfur Dioxide, Carbon Dioxide, and Nitrogen Oxide emissions, known across the country as one of the worst at this time. The upgrade hinges on speculation for the price for Natural Gas remaining high, the New York State permit process, and a steady increase that is being projected for future energy needs.

Total plant output could reach nearly 1,000 megawatts with power being sold out of state and across the entire North Eastern USA.

Coal transportation patterns to the plant from Great Lakes shipments via self-unloader vessels and unit coal trains may be affected if the plant switches to a cleaner product to be used in the new process. Grand River Navigation currently holds the contract for ship delivery to the plant while CSX brings in their trainload traffic.

Reported by Brian Wroblewski

Port Reports - June 26

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The ocean going, heavy lift ship BBC ONTARIO was unloading some type of dimensional cargo at the Gateway Terminal on Sunday morning. She was moored to the East dock face at the extreme North end of the pier head with her stern sticking out into the harbor. The aft deck crane had a huge machine assembly hanging above the cargo hold and there were tractor trailers waiting nearby. Very interesting to see that.
The tug KURT R LEUDKE arrived with two hopper scows at 10AM. She came in the South Entrance and docked her barges at the Cargill Pool Terminal Pier. I also noticed a scow discharge barge tied up to the pump out station at the Stony Point Disposal Pond. They must be gearing up to dredge something, somewhere around town.
The BIDCO tug WESTWIND was also in the area, moored to the Outer Harbor Break wall alongside a spud barge with a derrick crane on deck.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The tug Invincible & barge McKee Sons were inbound the Saginaw River Saturday morning calling on the Sargent Dock in Essexville to unload. Early in the afternoon, the pair turned in the Essexville turning basin and were outbound for the lake.
Sunday morning saw the Onego Merchant, which had arrived on Thursday, headed outbound for the lake after unloading sugar at the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee. On their outbound trip, numerous salutes were sounded along the way to the people who had gathered along the riverbank.
The tug Rebecca Lynn & her tank barge were inbound the Saginaw River late Sunday night. The pair called on the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City to unload. They were expected to be outbound late on Monday.
The Walter J. McCarthy Jr. was inbound the Saginaw Bay early Monday morning with coal for the Consumers Power.

Marquette - Lee Rowe
The Kaye E. Barker arrived in Marquette on a foggy Sunday with a load of coal. The Michipicoten is the next expected vessel.

Updates - June 26

News Photo Gallery updated.

USCGC Mackinaw's Last Trip Photo Galleries (2 pages) updated.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - June 26

On this day in 1942, the LEON FRASER, Captain Neil Rolfson, completed her maiden voyage and delivered a record cargo of 16,414 tons of ore to Conneaut. The down bound trip only required 67.5 hours and broke the record of 15,218 tons set by the Canadian freighter LEMOYNE 15 days earlier.

On this day in 1969, the new Poe Lock was dedicated and opened to traffic. The first boat to transit the new lock was the PHILIP R CLARKE. Captain Thomas Small, a 95-year old retired Pittsburgh Captain was at the wheel of the CLARKE. Thomas Small was also at the wheel of the COLGATE HOYT Ð the first boat to transit the original Poe Lock on August 4, 1896.

On 26 June 1890, the SKATER (wooden propeller excursion steamer, 85 foot, 65 gross tons, built in 1890, at Detroit, Michigan) burned to the water's edge about 20 miles north of Manistee, Michigan. The crew did not even have time to save their clothes, but they all escaped unharmed. The SKATER had just been fitted out for the season and had started her summer route on Traverse Bay. She was rebuilt in Cleveland and lasted until 1942, when she was abandoned at Michigan City, Indiana.

On 26 June 1895, the GEORGE FARWELL (wooden propeller steam barge, 182 foot, 977 gross tons) was launched by Alexander Anderson at Marine City, Michigan. After leaving the ways, she looked like she would capsize, but she righted herself. About 500 people watched the launch. She was taken to the Atlantic Coast in 1900. She only lasted until 1906, when she stranded on Cape Henry, Virginia and was a total loss.

On 26 June 1867, WATERS W BRAMAN (wooden propeller tug, 89 tons, built in 1858, at Boston, Massachusetts for the U.S.Q.M.C. and named RESCUE) was near Pelee Island in Lake Erie when fire started in her coal bunker and quickly spread. Her crew abandoned her in the yawl and were later picked up by the propeller TRADER. She had been sold by the Quartermaster Corps just the previous year and she had come to the Lakes from the East Coast just five weeks before this accident.

On 26 June 1900, Boynton & Thompson purchased the wreck of the NELLIE TORRENT (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 141 foot, 303 gross tons, built in 1881, at Wyandotte, Michigan) to raised her. She had been destroyed by fire at Lime Island near Detour, Michigan on 22 June 1899.

On 26 June 1882, The Port Huron Times reported that the ARAXES (wooden propeller, 182 foot, 569 gross tons, built in 1856, at Buffalo, New York) sank in the Straits of Mackinac. She was raised on 6 July 1882, and repaired. She was built in 1856, and lasted until the summer of 1894, when she sank 4 miles off Bay City in Saginaw.

Data from: Jody Aho, Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

International Tug Boat Race a Success

6/25 - The Detroit River came alive Saturday with roaring diesels and blaring air horns when tug boats of all sizes raced for glory and trophies in the International Tug Boat Race.

22 tugs of all sizes raced in the 30th annual event with the Sarnia based Menasha taking First Place overall.

Visit www.tugrace.com for more information and pictures.

Port Reports - June 25

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The Manistee backed into port early Saturday morning. It had delivered its load to Verplank's dock in Ferrysburg and just was on her way out bound at 8:30 a.m. At 8:15 p.m. the cement barge St. Mary's Conquest with tug Susan Hannah in the notch passed the pier heads inbound for the St. Mary's Cement Terminal in Ferrysburg. It has a light load and should be gone early on Sunday morning. The Manistee is expected back mid week with a load for Meekhof's.

Milwaukee - Bill Bedell & Paul Erspamer
On Saturday, ocean bulker Federal Margaree (reg. Monrovia, Liberia) was backed into the slip at terminal 2 in Milwaukee's outer harbor, unloading steel. After unloading, Margaree is expected to load PL 480 food aid cargo, the first to do so in this port for years. Also Saturday, steamer St. Mary's Challenger unloaded cement at its Kinnickinnic River silo, departing onto Lake Michigan at about 6:30 p.m. American Mariner also arrived Saturday at about 5 p.m., backing into the inner harbor to deliver coal to the WE Energies dock at Greenfield Avenue.

South Chicago - Tom Milton & Steve B.
Early Saturday morning on the Calumet River found the John D. Leitch loading at Beemsterboer at 106th St. The Algoma Central vessel John B. Aird was at KCBX south dock taking on a load of coal. A salty was at the far east end of Iroquois Landing.

Marquette - Rod Burdick
Herbert C. Jackson spent Saturday afternoon unloading western coal at the Lower Harbor Shiras Dock. She sailed to the Upper Harbor ore dock before sunset. Kaye E. Barker arrived off the Upper Harbor after sunrise on Sunday. She loaded ore.

Updates - June 25

News Photo Gallery updated and more News Photo Gallery

USCGC Mackinaw's Last Trip Photo Galleries (2 pages) updated.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - June 25

The whaleback steamer WASHBURN (steel propeller freighter, 320 foot, 2,234 gross tons) was launched by the American Steel Barge Co. (Hull #124) at W. Superior, Wisconsin on 25 June 1892. She lasted until 1936, when she was scrapped at Cleveland, Ohio.

On 25 June 1892, the PILLSBURY (steel propeller whaleback bulk freighter, 320 foot, 2,234 gross tons) was launched by the American Steel Barge Co., at West Superior, Wisconsin. She was rebuilt at Conneaut, Ohio in the winter of 1918-1919 (315.75 feet x 42.25 feet x 24.16 feet; 2,394 gross tons- 1,465 net tons) when she received straight sides and a flattened deck. In 1927, she was converted to crane vessel, with two cranes on deck. In November 1934, she stranded on the north pier at Muskegon, Michigan in a storm and then broke in half. She was scrapped the following year.

In 1927, the B F AFFLECK (Hull#178) was launched at Toledo, Ohio by Toledo Shipbuilding Co., for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

On June 25, 1938, the WILLIAM A. IRVIN began her maiden voyage for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., leaving Lorain, Ohio for Duluth to load iron ore.

INDIANA HARBOR set a record cargo on June 25, 1993, loading 71,369 tons of western low sulfur coal at Superior's Midwest Energy Terminal and transporting it 50 miles to Silver Bay, Minnesota.

The ALGOBAY collided head-on with the steamer MONTREALAIS in foggy conditions on the St. Clair River June 25, 1980, causing extensive bow damage to both vessels. Repairs to the ALGOBAY were made by Herb Fraser & Associates, Port Colborne, Ont. at an estimated cost of $500,000. She returned to service by mid August, 1980.

At 1:00 a.m. on 25 June 1878, the 161 foot, 3-mast wooden schooner PESHTIGO and the 143 foot, 3-mast wooden schooner ST ANDREW collided and sank near Cheboygan, Michigan and the Straits of Mackinac. Newspapers of the time claimed that forest fire smoke hampered visibility. Both vessels sank quickly. Two of the crew of PESHTIGO were lost, but the rest were rescued by the schooner S V R WATSON. The entire crew of ST ANDREW was rescued by the Canadian propeller OCEAN.

On the afternoon of 25 June 1885, the tug NIAGARA had the schooner MOUNT BLANC in tow while coming rounding to pick up the schooner REINDEER near Stag Island on the St. Clair River. The MOUNT BLANC struck the wreck of the tug B B JONES. The JONES had exploded in Port Huron on 25 May 1871, and the wreck was towed to the head of Stag Island where it was abandoned. After striking the wreck of the JONES, the ore laden MOUNT BLANC sank. She was later recovered and repaired and lasted until 1901.

On this day in June 25, 1892, the American Steel Barge Company, West Superior Wisconsin, Captain Alexander Mc Dougall manager, held the first triple launching on the Great Lakes which included the whalebacks PILLSBURY, WASHBURN and the small tug ISLAY. A crowd in excess of 10,000 people witnessed the event. Only the tug ISLAY remains afloat.

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

Port Reports - June 24

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The Atlantic Huron was inbound for the South Entrance at 2:45 p.m. on Friday. She turned in the Outer Harbor and backed up the Lackawanna Slip for the Gateway Terminal.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey and Gordy Garris
The Cuyahoga was inbound the Saginaw River Friday morning going to the upper river to unload at the Buena Vista dock in Saginaw. She finished unloading by 7 p.m. and headed upstream to turn the Sixth Street turning basin.

The tug Gregory J. Busch followed close behind the vessel, allowing the Cuyahoga take her position in the turning basin before assisting. By 8 p.m. the Busch had finished pushing the Cuyahoga around in the Sixth Street turning basin and the Cuyahoga was outbound for the lake, passing the Onego Merchant under the I-75 bridge in Zilwaukee at the Sargent dock by 8:30 p.m. Friday evening.

The Cuyahoga is the third vessel to turn at the Sixth Street turning basin this spring with the assistance from the tug Gregory J. Busch, the other vessels being her fleet mates Maumee (one turn) and Calumet (two turns).

The Ongeo Merchant continued her unload at the Sargent Dock in Zilwaukee, after arriving Thursday morning, all day Friday as trucks came along side the ship at the dock and had the products loaded off into their truck (via deck crane on ship). The Merchant is the first saltwater vessel to head up the Saginaw River through the Bay City drawbridges and unload or load in Saginaw since 2000. The Merchant is expected to finish unloading and depart for the lake sometime Saturday or Sunday.

Toledo Docks - Bob Vincent
Friday night was a busy night at the Toledo Docks. The barge Great Lakes with the tug Michigan passed by heading out around 6:15 p.m. Next the barge Integrity and tug G L Ostrander headed out the channel. The Algosteel came in to off load stone at the Midwest Stone dock. While backing into the stone dock, the Stefania 1 was heading out under tow of the Great Lakes Towing tugs Louisiana and Idaho. The tow had to check down so that the Algosteel could finish backing into the stone dock slip. The Michipicoten also checked down. The Michipicoten and Stefania 1 made a starboard to starboard passing in the channel.

The next coal boat will be the Algowood Saturday night. The week of June 25, the coal docks could see the Kaye E. Barker, Mississagi, Nanticoke and Saginaw. At Torco Dock, the American Courage unloaded ore from Marquette Thursday night. Next ore boats for next week are Canadian Navigator (Tuesday), Atlantic Erie (Wednesday), and Friday will be the CSL Niagara and Nanticoke. All these boats are coming from Seven Islands. Saturday's ore boat from Port Cartier will be the Frontenac.

Milwaukee - Bill Bedell
The barge Innovation and tug Samuel de Champlain made their first trip to Milwaukee Saturday. She had 3,500 tons of cement to drop off and head back to Alpena. The pair will be back in Milwaukee on Monday.

Alpena/Calcite - Ben & Chanda McClain
On Wednesday morning the Sam Laud was backed into the slip at Lafarge unloading coal. It departed before noon, heading out into the bay bound for Calcite. Later on in the evening the tug G.L Ostrander and barge Integrity arrived in port to load under the silos.

Around 10 a.m. on Thursday the tug Invincible and barge McKee Sons carefully made its way into Lafarge. It tied up at the dock and positioned its boom into the storage hopper to unload cargo. The pair were outbound before 8 p.m.

On Friday afternoon the Alpena returned from its Lake Superior run, taking on a load for Green Bay, WI. Its smoke trail was disappearing on the horizon by early evening.

At Calcite on a bright and pleasant Friday morning two classic steamers arrived at the port to take on cargo. First in was the Saginaw, which carefully backed in to tie up on one the side of the dock. Not long after, the American Valor came in taking its place on the opposite side.

Tall Ships Coming to Cleveland

Watch the majestic “Parade of Sail” of 13 Tall Ships from the deck of the Steamship William G. Mather Museum, on Wednesday, July 12, between 3:00 and 8:00 pm. The “Parade of Sail” is scheduled to pass astern of the Mather at 4:30 pm. The cost is $10.00 person.

Picnic food & beverages will be available to purchase. No coolers permitted. No chairs provided—bring your own lawn chair, blanket or cushion. Parking available in nearby commercial lots—Special Event rates in effect.

For reservations, call 216-574-9053. Limited availability. This is a “Rain or Shine” event to benefit Mather Museum programs.

Updates - June 24

News Photo Gallery updated

and more News Photo Gallery updated

USCGC Mackinaw's Last Trip Photo Galleries (2 pages) updated.

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - June 24

On June 24, 1971, a fire broke out in the engine room of the ROGER BLOUGH at the American Ship Building, Lorain, Ohio yard, killing four yard workers and extensively damaging her Pielstick diesel engines. Extensive repairs, which included replacement of both engines, delayed her delivery for nearly a year.

The b.) RIDGETOWN was launched June 24, 1905, as WILLIAM E COREY (Hull#67), at Chicago, Illinois by Chicago Ship Building Co., the first flagship for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio.

CANOPUS (2-mast wooden brig, 386 tons, built in 1855, at Huron, Ohio) was carrying 16,500 bushels of wheat when she collided with the bark REPUBLIC between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. on 24 June 1865. The CANOPUS sank in about 20 minutes off Clay banks on Lake Erie. No lives were lost.

The wooden scow MYRA of Ashtabula, Ohio was lost in a terrible squall on Lake Erie off Elk Creek on 24 June 1875. Three lives were lost.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Unusual Visitor for Bay City

6/23 - The Dutch Flagged Onego Merchant was inbound the Saginaw River Thursday morning upbound for the Sargent Dock & Terminal in Zilwaukee. Her cargo consisted of 1 ton poly bags of sugar imported from Mexico.

This is a test run as there is a Dutch company who is interested in exporting Sugar Beet Pellets back to Europe for use as animal feed. The Onego Merchant was inbound loaded light with 5,700 Metric Tons of cargo.

This is the first visit of a saltwater vessel since 2002 when the Jumbo Spirit called on the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City.

Reported by: Todd Shorkey

Shipyard Laying Off About 100

6/23 - St. Catharines, Ont. - More than a third of the workers at Port Weller Dry Docks are being given short-term layoff notices because of shifting "work patterns" at the shipyard.

Alan Thoms, president and chief executive officer of parent company Canadian Shipbuilding and Engineering, said he didn't know how long the layoffs will last.
Thoms, reached at home Tuesday night, said work at the shipyard is moving from the shops to the ships. "We're changing our work patterns, so we need to change the people and there will be a short-term layoff," he said.

He said about 100 of the 200 to 250 employees at the dry docks are being laid off. "We're actually going through some negotiations at this moment, so it's an issue that will be resolved probably very soon," Thoms said. He would not comment further.
Kevin McKinnon, president of International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 680, wouldn't provide any information about the layoffs when reached at home Tuesday. "At this time, I don't want to jeopardize anything," he said. But several employees of the shipbuilder told The Standard large numbers of workers had been laid off Tuesday.

Gord Campbell, a 48-year-old steel-fitter, said he and dozens of other workers were called into the cafeteria first thing Tuesday morning to be told they were all losing their jobs in "emergency layoffs." Campbell said that a few weeks ago, the company informed the union that it was having cash-flow problems and wanted to renegotiate the collective agreement, which doesn't expire until 2008.

He said that over the weekend, 15 employees were told not to come into work on Monday. And on Monday, about 20 more employees were called into the office one by one to be told they were either laid off or needed to be re-trained.

On Monday night, the union members gathered at the CAW Hall to vote on the company's new contract proposal. Campbell said it centered around scrapping the seniority system, as well as cuts to benefits and holidays. "They asked us to cut our own throats," the St. Catharines man said. Campbell said the contract was voted down 168-3. The next morning, the layoffs were announced.

The shipbuilders at Port Weller Dry Docks are no strangers to the ups and downs of the manufacturing sector. Over the past several years, employees have been temporarily laid off whenever there were no ships to work on. Last year, most of the workers were off the job from July to October. It was in October that a deal with Peters Kampen Shipyards of the Netherlands was announced, calling for two ships and two hulls to be built at Port Weller. In March, three more ships were added to that order, making the total value of the contract $100 million. It was expected to keep the pay cheques flowing until the end of 2007.

Campbell, who has worked at Port Weller for 25 years, said he plans to look for work in Toronto's construction industry. But he is hopeful things will turn around at Port Weller. "It's sad the company's going through a rough time, but we have to work together to overcome this situation," Campbell said.

From the St. Catharines Standard

Iron Ore Shipments Up on Great Lakes

6/23 - Cleveland - Iron ore shipments across the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway headed for Great Lakes destinations were 12.8 percent higher during the first three months of this year than they were during the same period in 2005. According to figures released this morning by the Cleveland-based Lake Carriers' Association, 5.65 million net tons of iron ore were shipped during the first three months of this year.

Duluth shipped 762,553 tons, a 73 percent increase over last year. Two Harbors shipped 1.4 million tons, a 56 percent increase.

Superior shipped 636,475 tons, a 17 percent decrease from the same period in 2005. And Silver Bay shipped 391,145, a 32 percent decrease.

Lakes Carriers' Association

Port Reports - June 23

South Chicago - Steve B.
Wednesday afternoon found a salty at Iroquois Landing in the Calumet River. The St. Marys Challenger was outbound for the lake with assistance from the G tug South Carolina on the stern end.

Toledo -
Federal Maas was loading at ADM Elevators.
Stefania I was loading at The Andersons Kuhlman Facility.
Tug Pioneer was shuttling a hopper barge from dredge filling at the Kuhlman Corp. dock front to the north bank on the upriver side of I-75 Bridge. Severe weather passed through during the night delaying loading activities.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
A replica of Christopher Columbus' sailing ship Nina will be open for tours at the Erie Basin from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday through Sunday.
Buffalo River Fest takes place on Friday and Saturday at Father Conway Park off Ohio Street. There will be games and rides for the kids, a classic car show, a softball tournament, an historic photo exibit with various waterfront views, and of course a beer tent with live music. See: http://celebratethewaterfront.com/

Marquette - Lee Rowe
On Tuesday, Charles M. Beeghly was loading in Marquette and the John J. Boland delivered a load of coal to the Shiras plant.

Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer
Wednesday evening Agawa Canyon arrived in Milwaukee's inner harbor at about 8 p.m., bringing a load of salt to Jones Island's bulk cargo dock.
Minutes later ocean bulker Isolda departed with the assistance of tugs Virginia and Arkansas, having brought steel and carried away corn from Nidera.
After 11 p.m. St. Mary's Challenger arrived off the Milwaukee piers and transited upstream to its berth at the Kinnickinnic Avenue cement silo.
Saltwater vessel BBC Ontario continued loading mining equipment at Slip #1 in the outer harbor.

Holland - Bob VandeVusse
On Wednesday Holland received two deliveries of coal at the DeYoung power plant. The Wilfred Sykes arrived at about 11 a.m. and departed mid-afternoon. The Maumee arrived about 6 p.m. and departed late in the evening.
On Thursday the first passenger ship of the season, Grand Mariner, tied up at the dock adjacent to the new Boatwerks restaurant. It departed in the evening.

Saginaw River - Gordy Garris
The Buffalo was inbound the Saginaw River early Tuesday morning passing the Pump-Out Island at 5:30 a.m. with stone for the Bay Aggregates dock in Essexville. The Buffalo made the Bay Aggregates Slip to unload by 6:00 am, as the tug Rebecca Lynn and her tank barge A-410 had moved back in the slip to wait. The Buffalo finished unloading by early Tuesday afternoon, backed from the Bay Aggregates slip, turned and was outbound for the lake.
The tug Gregory J. Busch was busy in the upper Saginaw River, Monday morning, moving her deck barge STC 2004 back to its dock in Carrollton after having it docked at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee since last Wednesday along with the deck barge Primary 1, which the Busch turned off the Burroughs dock and departed for the lake with it Tuesday evening after the Bay City based Saginaw River tour boat Princess Wenonah had passed.

Port of Indiana - Sheldon Rody
The Lady Hamilton was unloading steel on Thursday.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
Inbound Thursday was the tug Gregory J. Busch pushing a deck barge bound for the BMT Terminal in Carrollton.
The tug Rebecca Lynn and her tank barge were inbound for the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City early Tuesday morning to unload. A few hours later, she had to shift forward in the slip which is also shared by Bay Aggregates as the Buffalo was inbound with a cargo for Bay Agg. The Buffalo finished unloading by early afternoon and was outbound for the lake. The Rebecca Lynn and her barge then shifted back to the end of the dock to resume their unload for Bit-Mat. The pair were outbound for the lake around midnight.
The tug Mary E. Hannah and the barge Robert E. Deegan were also inbound late Tuesday morning with a cargo for the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City. The pair were expected to be outbound Wednesday morning.
The tug Gregory J. Busch and her deck barge were outbound for the lake Tuesday evening after departing the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee.

Marquette - Rod Burdick
On Thursday the tug Dorothy Ann and barge Pathfinder arrived off the Upper Harbor on a crystal clear summer evening. She was loading taconite at sunset. Mesabi Miner was due with coal early Friday morning.

High-Tech Tracking at Lake Superior Marine Museum:

6/23 - Duluth - This week the Lake Superior Marine Museum unveiled a new "Ships-In-Port" exhibit that allows visitors to track the movements of all the Twin Ports' commercial marine traffic in real time. The computerized system harnesses the same satellite technology that shipping companies use to track vessel movements.

"We're trying to get people to take a little deeper look into the port than they may have in the past," said Thom Holden, museum director. He explained that the new exhibit should give visitors a better sense of how the port works and how cargo flows through it to destinations around the globe.

In addition to providing information about marine traffic, the exhibit also serves up profiles of different ships plying the Great Lakes. A touch-screen computer teaches visitors how to identify different saltie flags. Another screen provides a snapshot of weather conditions throughout the St. Lawrence Seaway system. Visitors also can monitor activity at the Duluth Ship Canal and the Soo Locks via live Web cameras.

The exhibit cost about $80,000 to set up. Half that money was raised locally by the volunteer members of the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association. The remainder came from a matching grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

Dennis Medjo, a member of the Lake Superior Marine Museum's board of directors, said the exhibit has been several years in the making. But in retrospect, he's glad the project didn't come together overnight. "It's so much better than we even anticipated it would be," Medjo said. "It took so long to put the money together that in the meantime the technology improved dramatically."

Holden said he's glad to have the exhibit up and running as the museum heads into its peak months -- July and August. During those months, the museum typically welcomes about 3,000 visitors per day. In the course of a year, the museum receives about 350,000 people, making it one of Duluth's top tourist attractions.

From the Duluth News Tribune

Updates - June 23

News Photo Gallery updated

and more News Photo Gallery updated

USCGC Mackinaw's Last Trip Photo Galleries

Public Photo Gallery updated

Mackinaw’s Last Trip

6/22 – Mackinaw City, MI – The USCGC Mackinaw (WAGB-83) made her last voyage Wednesday, traveling from her homeport of 62 years in Cheboygan, to her new home in Mackinaw City, where she will become the Icebreaker Museum Mackinaw.

As the Old Mackinaw pulled away from the pier in Cheboygan she received a final salute from her replacement, the New Mackinaw (WLBB-30). In true Coast Guard tradition, the final trip started promptly at 1:00 pm as scheduled.

Some 500 persons were on board for the final trip, including crew, family members, dignitaries, and paying guests who donated $200 to the museum fund. Many of the guests were Mackinaw alumni and USCG Auxiliary members. The gray and hazy weather did not diminish the enthusiasm of those on board.

Many Cheboygan area residents turned out to bid farewell to an old friend. The parking lot at Gordon Turner Park was full and the breakwater pier was lined with people and cameras.

A band on the fantail entertained the passengers during the trip. Food was plentiful and guests were permitted access to most of the vessel during the 5-1/2 trip.

The trip took the Mackinaw up the Inside Passage, between Bois Blanc Island (Bob Lo) and the mainland. The cutter turned east and made a last pass through the Round Island Passage between Round Island and Mackinac Island. She then reversed course and headed west to take a last look at the Mackinaw Bridge. Just west of the bridge, she passed the up bound Edwin H. Gott and the vessels exchanged master salutes.

The former railroad ferry dock in Mackinaw City will serve as her new home, and a welcoming crowd was on hand to greet the venerable vessel. The crowd was entertained by the Mackinaw City Civic Band and the Mackinaw City Fire Department flew the colors from an aerial ladder truck on the adjacent former State Ferry Dock.

The museum committee had a tent set up at the end of the pier, and were doing a brisk business in souvenir shirts, hats and books. Mackinaw Commander Joe MacGinnis was kept busy autographing copies of the books for disembarking passengers and those gathered to welcome the ship to Mackinaw City.

What may have been a sad day for the residents of Cheboygan was a happy occasion for Mackinaw City.

Special Photo Gallery

International Tug Boat Race this Saturday

6/22 – The normally sedate Detroit River comes alive with roaring diesels and blaring air horns June 24 when tug boats of all sizes race for glory and trophies in the 30th annual International Tug Boat Race.

The race begins at 1 p.m. at the Ambassador Bridge and runs to the finish line off Windsor's Dieppe Park. Trophies are awarded to the first tug to finish the race as well as to each tug that finishes first in its horsepower class.

It is the most unusual tug race anywhere. As many as 30 tugs of all sizes race in a mad dash for the finish line. Tugs ranging in length from 45 to 140 feet compete at the same time, all muscling for the best position. Some of the larger tugs are actual working tugs with more than 2,000 horsepower. The Detroit River boils as the tugs create a huge wake.

The race features tugs from all over the region -- from tugs based in Detroit to others that arrive from Lake Huron ports just to participate in this great tradition.

Tug boat racing on the Detroit River dates back to the 1950's and was originally a loosely organized event. For many years the event was discontinued until 1976 when the International Freedom Festival started the tradition once again. In 2003 the International Freedom Festival declared bankruptcy and the future of the race was in limbo. Local Detroit tug man Brian Williams, with the help of numerous companies, individuals and the Detroit and Windsor Port Authorities was able to organize the event, keeping the long standing tradition alive.

Spectators can watch the race from anywhere along its route. Among the top viewing spots is at the finish line at Windsor's Dieppe Park. Tugs dock in Windsor for the awards ceremony.

The race has the support of W. Steven Olinek, Deputy Director, Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, and William Marshall, Windsor Harbour Master / Windsor Port Authority.

“The fact is, we’re in favor and support anything that heightens the profile of the river, our maritime heritage and the historic importance of maritime industry in the Port of Detroit,” said Olinek. “The tug boat race does that very eloquently. Our goal is to keep it going and make it bigger and better every year if we can.”

Marshall said he sees the event as “an opportunity to draw the public to the waterfront and an opportunity to foster an international bond."

"For working tugs, the race provides an opportunity to involve family and friends in what they do for a living," he added.

Brian Williams, who owns the Detroit-based tug Acushnet, said there are few things more exciting than watching powerful tug boats racing at full throttle.

“I love tug boat racing,” said Williams. “I’ve been doing it myself for six years. My father has been doing it since the ‘70s.”

He said it’s just as exciting to watch from shore as it is to participate aboard a tug.

“How many tug boats do you ever see in one spot?,” he asked. “There’s no kid out there – and people in general – who doesn’t think a tug is cool. Twenty or so tugs running at full speed is something you don’t see very often.

“When you are on the tug, you’ve got a 3,000-horsepower engine screaming under you. There’s the thrill of actually being on a tug boat, and the waves. It’s a good time,” he said.

A family friendly event, this year’s race coincides with the Windsor Summerfest and World’s Finest Shows Carnival held on Windsor’s waterfront near the finish line.

To learn more about the race please visit www.TugRace.com

Today in Great Lakes History - June 21

On 21 June 1868, the D&C Line's MORNING STAR (wooden side-wheel steamer, 243 foot, 1,075 tons, built in 1862, at Trenton, Michigan) was late in leaving her dock in Cleveland, Ohio because she was loading some last-minute freight (iron bars and glass). As she sailed on Lake Erie to Detroit during the dark and rainy night, she collided with the heavy-laden bark COURTLAND and sank quickly, 10 miles off Lorain, Ohio. Twenty feet of the steamer's bow had been torn off while the bark was swept into one of the paddle wheels and destroyed. The side-wheel steamer R N RICE arrived on the scene at 3:00 a.m. and picked up the survivors Ð only 44 of them. In September, MORNING STAR was raised, towed to Lorain and re-sunk in 55 feet of water, for possible future rebuilding. Attempts were made to raise her again several times, but in the summer of 1872, she was abandoned because it was determined that the previous attempts had reduced her to rubble.

On 21 June 1878, the small passenger steamer J HOLT which ran between Chatham and Wallaceburg, Ontario, burned on Lake St. Clair. The passengers and crew escaped in the lifeboats.

On June 21, 1942, the LEON FRASER entered service as the largest vessel on the Great Lakes. The Pittsburgh Steamship Co. bulk freighter, originally 639 foot 6 inches long, retained at least a tie for that honor until the WILFRED SYKES entered service in 1949. She was shortened, converted to a self-unloading cement carrier and renamed b.) ALPENA in 1991.

June 21, 1942, the U.S. Steel bulk freighter EUGENE J BUFFINGTON ran hard aground on Boulder Reef in Lake Michigan and broke in two. The vessel was subsequently recovered and, after a long career with U.S. Steel, was finally sold for scrap in 1980.

The m/v RANGER III (Hull#385) was side launched at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Christy Corporation, on Saturday, June 21, 1958. The vessel was custom designed by R. A. Stearns (Bay Engineering) also of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for the National Park Service, Isle Royale National Park.

On June 21, 1986, during a severe thunderstorm (and unofficial observations of a funnel cloud) in the Duluth area, the JOSHUA A HATFIELD broke loose from Azcon Scrap Dock in Duluth and was blown across the harbor and ended up hard aground on Park Point (Minnesota Point). She remained stuck for nearly 3 weeks when a storm with east winds pushed the HATFIELD free and she blew most of the way back across the harbor back to the scrap dock. Tugs were dispatched in time to safely guide the HATFIELD back to the scrap dock. (June seems to be a bad month for U.S. Steel in accidents, with the June 7, 1977, accident involving the WILLIAM A IRVIN, the June 15, 1943, collision between the D M CLEMSON and the GEORGE M HUMPHREY, and the June 21, 1942, grounding of the EUGENE J BUFFINGTON on Boulder Reef.)

June 21, 1916 - The ANN ARBOR NO 5, after departing the shipyards in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 21, 1916, where 3 buckets (blades) were replaced on her starboard propeller, arrived Manistique, Michigan. While maneuvering around in the harbor she struck the rocky bottom and broke off the same three blades off her starboard propeller.

June 21, 1994 - The Ludington Daily News reported a planned sale of the CITY OF MIDLAND 41, to Contessa Cruise Lines of Minnesota. The deal included an option to sell the SPARTAN and Contessa was prohibited from competing against Lake Michigan Carferry Co., but it fell through.

The 3-mast wooden schooner GEORGE MURRAY was launched in Manitowoc, Wisconsin on 21 June 1873. At the time, she was billed as the largest vessel ever built on Lake Michigan. Her dimensions were 299 foot long x 34 foot beam x 14 foot depth, with the capacity to carry 50,000 bushels of grain. She was built by G. S. Rand for J. R. Slauson of Racine, Wisconsin.

On 21 June 1900, the wooden bulk freighter R C BRITTAIN was raised at Toledo, Ohio. She was then brought to Sarnia where repairs were made and the engine of the tug F A FOLGER was installed in her. She had previously sunk at Toledo and remained there for several years before being raised. She lasted until 1912, when she burned at Sarnia.

Today in Great Lakes History : June 22

On 22 June 1959, BAYPORT (steel propeller tug, 72 foot, 65 gross tons, built in 1914, at Cleveland, Ohio, formerly named a.) FAIRPORT) had the steamer MOHAWK DEER in tow when she was hooked by her own tow cable, capsized and sank at Collingwood, Ontario. Three lives were lost. The tug was later raised and converted from steam to diesel. Later renamed c.) TWIN PORT, and d.) ROD MC LEAN in 1974. She is currently owned by Purvis Marine and is at the Purvis West Yard at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

On 22 June 1909, W P THEW (wooden propeller freighter, 133 foot, 207 gross tons, built in 1884, at Lorain, Ohio) was in ballast, creeping through the fog off Alpena, Michigan on Lake Huron when she was rammed by the WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE (steel propeller freighter, 532 foot, 6,634 gross tons, built in 1908, at Ecorse, Michigan). After the collision, the LIVINGSTONE drifted away and lost track of the THEW. The THEW sank in 80 feet of water. Fortunately the steamer MARY C ELPHICKE answered the distress whistle and picked up the THEWÕs crew from the lifeboat. No lives were lost.

The WILLIAM R ROESCH (Hull#901) was launched and christened at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co., on June 22, 1973, for the Union Commerce Bank, Ohio (Trustee) and managed by the Kinsman Marine Transit Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) DAVID Z NORTON in 1995.

June 22, 1957 - W. L. Mercereau, known as the "Father of the Fleet", died. Mercereau developed the Pere Marquette fleet of car ferries into the "largest in the world".

On 22 June 1853, CHALLENGE (wooden propeller freighter, 198 foot, 665 tons, built in 1853, at Newport, Michigan) was bound from Chicago for Buffalo with barreled pork and oats on one of her first trips. However, her boiler exploded off Cheboygan, Michigan. She burned and sank. Five died. The schooner NORTH STAR heard the blast ten miles away and came to the rescue of the rest of the passengers and crew.

On 22 June 1875, The Port Huron Times reported that "the Northern Transportation Company's fleet of 20 propellers, which have been idle all the season owing to difficulties between the Central Vermont and the Ogdensburg & Champlain Railroad Companies, have passed from the control of the Central Vermont Railroad Company and will commence regular trips as soon as they can be fitted out."

Today in Great Lakes History - June 23

On 23 June 1903, the tug O W CHENEY steamed out of Buffalo harbor in heavy fog to tow the steamer CHEMUNG into the harbor. The tug ran too close to the on-coming steamer, was struck by the bow, and the CHENEY oveturned and sank. Three crewmen were killed; two survivors were picked up by the tug FRANK S BUTLER.

On 23 June 1969, RALPH MISENER (steel propeller bulk freighter, 730 foot, 19,160 gross tons, built in 1968, at Montreal, Quebec) transitted the Soo Locks upbound for the first time. She had an innovative self-unloading system with twin booms. The movable crane was equipped with a chain of buckets so it could discharge cargo from either side. This unloading system only lasted until 1976, when it was severely damaged in a squall on Lake Michigan. The vessel was then converted from a combination self-unloader/bulk carrier to a bulk carrier. She was renamed b.) GORDON C LEITCH in 1994.

In 1926, the GLENMHOR (Hull#16), the name was soon corrected to GLENMOHR, was launched at Midland Ontario by Midland Shipbuilding Co., for Great Lakes Transportation Co., (James Playfair). She was 6 feet wider and 4 feet shallower than the largest ship at that time. Purchased by Canada Steamship Lines in 1926, renamed b.) LEMOYNE. Scrapped at Santander, Spain in 1969.

In 1929, the WILLIAM G CLYDE (Hull#804) was launched at Lorain, Ohio by American Shipbuilding Co., for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. Converted to a self-unloader and renamed b.) CALCITE II in 1961. Renamed c.) MAUMEE in 2001.

Launched in 1972, was the ALGOWAY (Hull#200) at Collingwood, Ontario by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., for Algoma Central Railway.

The first whaleback barge, 101, was launched along the shore of St. Louis Bay near Duluth, Minnesota on 23 June 1888. Captain Alexander Mc Dougall, the inventor and designer, was there along with his wife, her sister-in-law and several hundred spectators. As the vessel splashed in to the bay, Mrs. Mc Dougall is supposed to have muttered, "There goes our last dollar!"

On 23 June 1900, the 450 foot steel steamer SIMON J MURPHY (Hull#135) was launched at Wyandotte, Michigan by the Detroit Ship Building Co., for the Eddy - Shaw Transportation Co. of Bay City, Michigan.

On 23 June 1873, B F BRUCE was launched at Crosthwaite's yard in East Saginaw, Michigan. She is not properly a schooner, but what is known as a "three-and-after" in nautical terms. Her capacity was 50,000 bushels of grain (800 tons) and the building cost was $50,000.

Data from: Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Matthew Daley, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. Marine Historical Society of Detroit. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history

Port Reports - June 21

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The American Fortitude gave her Security Call departing the General Mills Frontier Elevator at 8 p.m. Tuesday night..

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Early Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. the Algocape departed JRI Elevators at Pier 25 heading to Port Cartier.
The tug Omni Richileau arrived at 6:30 p.m.
The Canadian Miner arrived at 8:30 p.m. going to Dofasco with iron ore pellets from Port Cartier. Her next port will be Thunder Bay.
The tug John Spence and barge McAshpalt 401 arrived at 9 p.m. going to Pier 24 Provmar Fuels with bunker from Sarnia . Next port will be Detroit. The Michipicoten arrived at 10 p.m. with iron ore from Superior.

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
The past few days have been active with six vessels making stops at local ports. On Sunday evening the Steamer Alpena arrived at Lafarge to load cement for Superior, WI.
In the early morning hours on Monday, the tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation were under the silos taking on cargo.
Also on Monday the Earl W. Oglebay brought a load of coal to Lafarge.
Late evening brought the Cuyahoga into the Thunder Bay River. The Cuyahoga unloaded a cargo of sand for L&S Concrete Mix Co.at the Alpena Oil Dock.
At Stoneport on Monday the John J. Boland was loading summer blend (stone by-product) for Marquette. It departed around 8 p.m. with winds kicking up a bit. Waiting nearby was the Pathfinder, which backed in to tie up at the dock once the Boland cleared.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
On Sunday the H. Lee White loaded coal at the Norfolk Southern dock for delivery to Detroit.
Monday evening the Atlantic Huron moved into Sandusky Bay and loaded at the coal dock. She was loading early Tuesday afternoon and will depart Tuesday evening.
Tuesday morning the Herbert C. Jackson was taking on a cargo of coal at the NS dock.

Twin Ports - Al Miller
Twin Ports boatwatchers saw a lot of early morning action Tuesday. Shortly after 7 a.m., Algowood was loading at Midwest Energy Terminal, Roger Blough was fueling at the Murphy Oil terminal before heading upriver to load taconite pellets at CN (DMIR).
Indiana Harbor was motoring into the Duluth harbor to await its turn at Midwest Energy Terminal.
Goldeneye and Kapitonas Serafinas were ready to load at CHS in Superior and Royal Pescadores was at General Mills in Duluth.
Great Lakes Trader remained in drydock at Fraser Shipyards while tug Joyce L. VanEnkevort was docked in the yard just ahead of the John Sherwin.

Low Water Makes Navigating, Fishing More Challenging

6/20 - Detroit - Lake St. Clair water levels are up since April and should remain steady for the rest of the month, which is good news for boaters and other lake users. But officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said levels are expected to be 7 to 9 inches below the long-term average through October.

"For the boating season through October we can expect to be 1 to 3 inches below where we were last year, and we're expecting it to be 7 to 9 inches below long-term average through October," said Tim Calappi, a hydraulic engineer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office in Detroit. Calappi said overall levels the past five years "have been lower than it is now." "It depends on the month," Calappi said. "One month we might be 3 inches less than last year, and another month might be 1 inch. So much depends on the weather."

Calappi said since January 2005 the Lake St. Clair basin has experienced 3 inches below-average precipitation. "That's helping levels keep lower for the last 16 months," he said. "The biggest supplier of water to the lower Great Lakes (Lake St. Clair, Erie and Ontario) basin is precipitation running off the land and into the rivers and eventually into the Great Lakes. "The flow of water that comes out of the St. Mary's River up north and into Lake Huron is only about 25 to 30 percent of the entire supply of water that will flow into Lake St. Clair each month," he said. "It's really driven by precipitation, evaporation."

According to long range predictions by meteorologists with the National Weather Service in White Lake Township, the southeast Michigan region has a chance for above- or below-average rainfall and temperatures this summer. "Unfortunately, in the Great Lakes basin there's an equal chance of anything happening," Calappi said. "The weather service will have a strong indication of something being different every now and then, but the most recent report said there is an equal chance of anything happening."

This month, water levels on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake St. Clair, are 2 to 3 inches below levels of a year ago. Lake Ontario is 6 inches below last year's level. Levels in Superior, Michigan and Huron are expected to rise 2 inches the next month.

Over the next two months, levels on all the Great Lakes are expected to remain similar to or slightly lower than those measured in 2005, said Calappi, noting a lack of ice cover on Lake St. Clair last winter "increased evaporation rates." "You have more evaporation when there's no ice," Calappi said. "Lake St. Clair is a little different than the big Great Lakes. The bigger lakes' peak evaporation is in the fall, but with Lake St. Clair it's much smaller and it tends to evaporate a little bit more."

Jim Krause of Belle Maer Harbor in Harrison Township said his water level indicator Friday showed a 6-inch increase in levels since April 11, 2006. "It's down over the long-term average, but right now the water's up since spring," Krause said.

Alan Rominske, 64, a fisherman from Roseville, said he prefers pike fishing, which needs deep water. "The higher the water the better," Rominske said. "It seems like the pike are done with the lower water we're getting. They need deep water and now they're harder to find. I'm also not seeing the trophy bluegill anymore -- the 8-9 inch kind." Carl Pisarski, 26, of Mount Clemens, was fishing along the shoreline at Metro Beach Metropark in Harrison Township. "I'd rather the water levels be higher for shoreline fishing," he said. "The lines get caught up on the seaweed and algae on the shoreline. Low water's not good for fishing from the banks."

Boater Therese Kopacz of Rochester Hills was heading near Harsens Island over the weekend and said the water levels have been "pretty good." "The water levels seem lower by the islands in the channels," Kopacz said. "It's normally way up. But it's been OK. I thought it would be higher this year."

From the Macomb Daily

Dredging Set to Clear Saginaw River
Project has been controversial

6/20 - Saginaw -- Dredging of the Saginaw River is set to begin Monday to ease shipping, which has been hampered by a buildup in silt. A federal judge declined to halt the dredging last month after concerns about toxic dioxins in the silt.

U.S. District Judge Bernard A. Friedman refused May 9 to block the Army Corps of Engineers from beginning work on a disposal site for river muck in Bay County's Frankenlust Township and Saginaw County's Zilwaukee Township. The judge ruled that the project would not cause "irreparable harm" to human health or the environment, despite claims to the contrary by the Lone Tree Council and Environment Michigan.

Last week, the corps awarded a $2-million contract to Muskegon-based Great Lakes Dock and Materials to dredge a basin north of the I-675 Henry G. Marsh Bridge and a mile-long stretch of the river's channel downstream. The company is to begin work Monday and expects to have the shipping channel clear within 60 days, the Saginaw News reported. William Webber, spokesman for the Saginaw River Alliance, a dock owners' group, said the river's commerce and about 280 jobs depend on the dredging project.

Last week, he said, a 580-foot barge ran aground in the Saginaw River, destroying one rudder and damaging another. Corps of Engineers official Wayne Schloop said the dredging should keep freighters afloat until further dredging is done. The corps plans to deepen the Saginaw turning basin to 20 feet. It now has patches as shallow as 13 feet.

A June 27 hearing in U.S. District Court in Bay City will consider environmentalists' complaints about the project and what they say is a failure to do an adequate environmental safety review. They say the dioxins, if not handled properly, could have far-reaching effects on the people and animals that live around the proposed dredge disposal site.

From the Detroit Free Press

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Light Loading Plagues Industry
Increase In May Coal Cargos Still Falls Short Of Fleet’s Capacity

6/20- Cleveland - Vessels’ inability to carry full loads again hampered the coal trade on the Great Lakes. While May shipments totaled 4.6 million tons, an increase of 5.5 percent compared to a year ago, tens of thousands of tons of coal were not carried because decades of inadequate funding for dredging ports and waterways are often forcing vessels to light load.

The port of Green Bay, Wisconsin is a case in point. Vessels serving one of the coal-receiving docks on the Fox River were leaving behind approximately 2,500 tons of coal because of draft limitations. For the vessels in question, 2,500 tons is about 15 percent of their designed carrying capacity when hauling coal.

Wyandotte, Michigan is another port where draft restrictions are reducing coal deliveries. A vessel that has a rated capacity of 19,500 tons of coal per trip could only carry 15,490 tons on a recent delivery to Wyandotte. In this instance, lack of dredging negated nearly 21 percent of the vessel’s carrying capacity.

For the year, the Lakes coal trade stands at 12.3 million tons, an increase of 7.5 percent compared to the same point in 2005. The trade is 13.8 percent ahead of its 5-year average for the January-May time frame.

Lake Carriers’ Association represents 18 American corporations that operate 62 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 can transport as much as 125 million tons of cargo a year when high water levels offset the lack of adequate dredging of Great Lakes ports and waterways.

Lake Carriers' Association News Release

Port Reports - June 20

Twin Ports - Al Miller
Monday was a busy day in the Twin Ports grain trade. Maritime Trader made a rare call in Superior to load at HSC berth 1, while the saltie Royal Pescadores was loading at General Mills in Duluth. Anchored on the lake early in the morning were Kapitan Serafinas and Goldeneye.
Elsewhere, the John G. Munson was scheduled to load coal at Midwest Energy Terminal while St. Clair was due to load taconite pellets at DMIR.
A barge, that appeared to be Great Lakes Trader, was in the Fraser Shipyards drydock on Monday afternoon with its tug waiting outside the dock. There was no word yet on why the barge was drydocked.
Monday was a busy day in the Twin Ports grain trade. Maritime Trader made a rare call in Superior to load at HSC berth 1 while the saltie Royal Pescadores was loading at General Mills in Duluth. Anchored on the lake early in the morning were Kapitan Serafinas and Goldeneye. Elsewhere, the John G. Munson was scheduled to load coal at Midwest Energy Terminal while St. Clair was due to load taconite pellets at DMIR.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
Grand Haven has received two cargos since our last report. On Saturday the barge St. Mary’s Conquest with tug Susan Hannah delivered a load of cement to the St. Mary’s Ferrysburg terminal. It had departed by 4:30 p.m. The Wilfred Sykes pulled into Verplank’s later Saturday night and was gone early on Sunday morning.

Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer
On Monday saltwater vessel BBC Ontario (reg. St. John's, Antigua) was at open slip 1 in the municipal docks in Milwaukee's outer harbor, loading crane & mining equipment from P & H for a South American port.
Cruise vessel Niagara Prince was in port Saturday, discharged passengers near the Summerfest grounds, and docked near the Lake Express ferry. Niagara Prince departed Sunday, but is scheduled to return on June 26.
Saltie Isolda continues loading corn at Nidera, and mega-yacht Blue Moon remains just outboard of the Lake Express ferry.
Looking ahead, saltwater vessels Federal Margaree and Daviken are anticipated in port this week, both carrying steel, and Margaree anticipated to load PL 480 food aid cargo while here.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
Calumet was inbound the Saginaw River Sunday evening with a split load. She stopped to lighter at the Wirt Essexville Sand & Stone dock before continuing upriver to finish at the Buena Vista Dock in Saginaw. Calumet was outbound passing through Bay City Monday morning around 7am.
The American Courage was inbound for the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City late in the morning Monday to unload. This was her first visit to the Saginaw River since being renamed and first since 2005 when she was the Fred R. White, Jr. The American Courage was expected to be outbound later in the day Monday.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The Rebecca Lynn with her barge (A-410) were down bound the Niagara River going by the Buffalo Yacht Club about 9:45 a.m.
The Adam E Cornelius was unloading at 10:30 a.m. at the steel mill. The stone was being loaded in to open top railroad hopper cars as they were unloading.
About 4:45 p.m. Monday, the American Fortitude came straight into General Mills without assistance.

11 days until Engineers Day at the Soo Locks June 30

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Updates - June 20

News Photo Gallery updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - June 20

On this day in 1943, the IRVING S OLDS departed Two Harbors with 20,543 tons of ore and the BENJAMIN F FAIRLESS departed Two Harbors with 20,386 tons of ore. It was the first time that two lakers departed the same harbor on the same day with cargos in excess of 20,000 tons.

The SENATOR (steel propeller freighter, 410 foot, 4,048 gross tons) was launched by the Detroit Dry Dock Company (Hull #122) at Wyandotte, Michigan on 20 June 1896, for the Wolverine Steamship Company. She lasted until 31 October 1929, when she collided with the steamer MARQUETTE in fog off Port Washington, Wisconsin and sank with her cargo of 241 automobiles.

On 20 June 1893, GEORGE STONE (wooden propeller freighter, 270 foot, 1,841 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler & Co. (Hull #98) at West Bay CIty, Michigan. She lasted until 1909, when she stranded and burned on Lake Erie.

The WILLIAM P COWAN (Hull#724) cleared Lorain, Ohio on her maiden voyage in 1918. Renamed b.) AMOCO ILLINOIS in 1962. Scrapped at Windsor, Ontario by M & M Steel Co., in 1987.

In 1903, the twin screw rail car ferry GRAND HAVEN (Hull#92) was launched at Toledo, Ohio by the Craig Ship Building Co., for the Grand Trunk Carferry Line, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

On June 20, 1953, the Canada Steamship Lines bulk freighter BURLINGTON collided with and sank the Paterson steamer SCOTIADOC in Lake Superior.

On June 20, 1959, the SEAWAY QUEEN began her maiden voyage. The vessel was appropriately named, as at the time she was the largest Canadian vessel on the Great Lakes, the 2nd largest on the Great Lakes overall (behind the EDMUND FITZGERALD), and she entered service the same week that Queen Elizabeth II and President Dwight D. Eisenhower formally dedicated the St. Lawrence Seaway. She was one of the more popular and classic looking vessels on the Great Lakes.

June 20, 1936 - The PERE MARQUETTE 21 was blocked in Manitowoc following an accident which disabled the Manitowoc Tenth Street Bridge, making it impossible to raise the structure.

June 20, 1993 - The BADGER struck the Ludington breakwall while arriving Ludington. She was sent to Sturgeon Bay for repairs. Ten operating days and twenty-one sailings were lost.

The 230 foot wooden freighter JAMES DAVIDSON (Hull#4) was launched at West Bay City, Michigan for James Davidson at his shipyard on 20 June 1874. JAMES DAVIDSON was wrecked in Lake Huron in 1883.

The MINNEHAHA, a wooden "clipper" schooner, was launched at James A. Baker's shipyard in Oswego, New York on 20 June 1857. Her dimensions were 110 foot keel, 125 foot overall, x 25 foot 6 inches x 10 foot 6 inches. She could carry 13,000 bushels of grain. Mr. James Navagh, her master builder, received a gold watch and chain worth $200 in appreciation of his fine work on this vessel.

On Wednesday night, 20 June 1877, the schooner EVELINE (wooden schooner, 118 foot, 236 gross tons, built in 1861, at Litchfield, Michigan) was struck by lightning about sixty miles out from Alpena, Michigan. The bolt shattered the mainmast, throwing three large pieces over the vessel's sides. The large spar was split perpendicularly in two and the lightning bolt followed the grain of the wood in a circular manner until it reached the main boom jaw, which is enclosed in a band of iron fastened by a large bolt. This bolt was literally cut in two. The mate, George Mayom, had the left side of his body blistered and the skin burned off from the shoulder to the foot. His right leg, hands and arm were also severely burned, and he suffered internal injuries and bled freely. The vessel made it to port and she was repaired. She lasted until September 1895, when she sank off Kewaunee, Wisconsin.

Data from: Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Port Reports - June 19

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
American Fortitude is due to arrive with grain from Duluth for the General Mills Frontier Elevator some time on Monday morning.
Adam E. Cornelius is headed for the Gateway Terminal in Lackawanna with stone out of Calcite, Michigan.

The House of Representatives passed a bill containing funds for the design of a new lift bridge over the Buffalo River. $500,000 has been earmarked to plan the structure that will be located between the Inner and Outer Harbors near the Erie Basin. The bridge may require two lift spans to cross the shipping channels of the river and the City Ship Canal. The exact location has not been determined at this time but preliminary plans suggest a jumping off point somewhere near the foot of Main St., crossing the river to the North tip of Kelly Island, and then across the City Ship Canal towards Fuhrman Blvd. This span is seen as a necessary catalyst for future Outer Harbor development and as a replacement for the current Skyway, high-level bridge. Several obstacles including the Metro Rail tracks at the foot of Main St., along with the bridge abutments for the Skyway, and the old Connecting Terminal grain elevator present challenges to any span crossing that area. If the bill passes the Senate and gets past the President, Rep. Brian Higgins may request that $1,000,000 be set aside from an already appropriated $23,000,000 waterfront road improvement bill so that final design work can be completed on the bridge.

Muskegon - Herm Phillips
After unloading at the LaFarge Dock in Muskegon. Inland Lakes Managements steamer J.A.W. Iglehart arrived at the West Michigan Mart Dock to begin a three week lay-up on June 17th. She joins fleetmate Paul H. Townsend which still has no sail date for this year.

Milwaukee Paul Erspamer
On Sunday saltie Isolda shifted over from general cargo terminal 2 in Milwaukee's outer harbor (where it had unloaded steel) to a berth under the chutes at the Nidera grain elevator in the inner harbor, where it awaited a cargo of corn.

Updates - June 19

News Photo Gallery updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History : June 19

On 19 June 1889, NORTH STAR (steel propeller freighter, 299 foot, 2,476 gross tons, built in 1889, at Cleveland, Ohio) collided with CHARLES J SHEFFIELD (steel propeller freighter, 260 foot, 1,699 gross tons, built in 1887, at Cleveland, Ohio) about sixty miles west of Whitefish Point on Lake Superior in heavy fog. The NORTH STAR kept her bow in the SHEFFIELDÕs side after the impact, giving the crew time to board. The SHEFFIELD then sank in 8 minutes. Her loss was valued at $160,000. The courts found both vessels to be equally at fault after years of litigation.

In 1954, the GEORGE M HUMPHREY (Hull#871) (named for President Eisenhower's Secretary of Treasury) was launched at Lorain, Ohio by American Shipbuilding Co, for National Steel Co., M.A. Hanna, mgr.

In 1978, the ALGOBAY (Hull#215) was launched at Collingwood by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. for Algoma Central Railway. Renamed b.) ATLANTIC TRADER in 1994, and renamed c.) ALGOBAY in 1996. She has been idle at Toronto since December 25, 2002.

On 19 June 1836, DELAWARE (wooden passenger/package freight side wheeler, 105 foot, 178 tons, built in 1833, at Huron, Ohio) was carrying general merchandise and passengers in a storm on Lake Michigan when she was thrown ashore off Niles, Illinois. She broke in two and was wrecked. No lives were lost.

On 19 June 1900, the wooden schooner THOMAS L HOWLAND was raised and towed to Buffalo, New York for repairs. She had been sunk by the ice off Windmill Point in the Detroit River early in the season.

At 5:30 p.m., on 19 June 1872, the wooden package freight/passenger propeller MONTANA (236 foot, 1,535 gross tons) was finally afloat at Port Huron, Michigan. She was successfully launched at the Port Huron Dry Dock Company on Saturday, 15 June, but she got stuck in the mud. The tugs VULCAN, PRINDEVILLE, BROCKWAY and BURNSIDE were all employed to free her and the MONTANA's engines were also going. It took four days of pulling, hoisting and dredging to free her. The effort to get her free and afloat cost Alexander Muir, he