Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive

Flooding on the Grand River

7/28 - 4:00 pm - Updates from the Cleveland Free Press

Decades-old Ram Island in the Grand River is Devastated by Storm
One casualty of the flooding appears to be Ram Island off Fairport Harbor, in the Grand River. Structures on the island, used as a boat and fishing club, were destroyed. The island was under six feet of water, officials said. All 24 boats and their docks were washed away. By Friday afternoon most of the boats, several which had sunk, had been recovered by other boaters who helped out.

Rescue teams retrieve boats in Lake County
Boats that broke from moorings during flooding of the Grand River are being towed into Fairport Harbor this afternoon by crews from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

An upper-level disturbance — a low pressure system — moved through the area Thursday and wrung the rain out of the sky, Lombardy said. Winds aloft are fairly light, so storms don’t move away quickly. One storm forms, moves slowly over an area. Then another one forms. “It’s like an escalator or a train” and just keeps dumping rain all over the area, Lombardy said.

Pictures and Video available at WEWS TV-5 website.

Original Article - 7/28 - Fairport, OH - Heavy rains over the past day and a half have caused the Grand River at Fairport and Grand River OH to rise substantially. Rate of river flow at 4:00 am is estimated at 10 to 12 miles per hour.

Heavy rolling turbulence was noted with wave heights in the river estimated at 3 to 4 feet in the vicinity of the old Diamond Alkali Dock.

Extensive debris and flotsam was washing down the river from well above the head of navigation piling up against docks and one by one slowly overloading their anchors; as anchors failed; docks with pleasure boats still attached were piling up against others farther downstream and slowly like dominos more docks were failing.

Numerous boats with varying damage were observed (or last seen) heading out into the lake carried by the raging currents. I was not able to count how many boats were headed out, but I can account for well over 50 that are missing from their marinas. The most unusual sight was the "Carousel" bar; a floating offshore portion of the popular Pickle Bills Restaurant slowing revolving as it was washed towards Lake Erie.

Reported by Tom Meakin

Port Weller Dry Docks Seeks Bankruptcy Protection

7/28 - Port Weller, ON - The operator of Port Weller Dry Docks in St. Catharines has filed for bankruptcy protection. The trustee for Canadian Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. said Wednesday in a release the company is in the process of putting together a restructuring proposal to its creditors.

Robert Kofman, a partner with Toronto bankruptcy trustee RSM Richter Inc., said CSE has about $8 million in debt to its suppliers, plus "other obligations which have not yet been quantified." It has a "number of creditors," he said, adding it is not yet known when the proposal to its creditors will be completed. "I think the company is very optimistic it's going to be able to restructure and it's working diligently to do that," Kofman said. St. Catharines-based CSE has also negotiated an "arrangement with a party that is going to fund the business during these proceedings," he said.

While shipbuilding operations are suspended, the dry docks are still open for business. Ship repair and maintenance work will continue. The shipyard is temporarily closed until early August for a seasonal shutdown. In June, more than a third of the operation's hourly employees - 100 of the 200 to 250 workers - were given short-term layoff notices. For the time being, all hourly workers are on short-term layoff, said CSE spokesman John Armstrong. Its 36 salaried staff continue to be employed. Future employment will depend on "what happens during the restructuring exercise," he said.

Last fall, it was announced that a deal with Peters Kampen Shipyards of the Netherlands would result in two ships and two hulls being built at Port Weller. In March, three more ships were added to that order, making the total value of the contracts $100 million. Work on those ships and hulls has stopped, but one completed hull was delivered recently to Peters Kampen, Armstrong said. "There were some significant changes in process and training that was required to build these vessels," he explained. "That put them (CSE) into some cash flow problems."

David Oakes, economic development director for the City of St. Catharines, said it is "unfortunate the shipbuilding portion of the operation is seeing some difficulties." In the past, the economic development office has worked with the dry docks to try to secure specialized provincial government funding, but those efforts haven't yet borne fruit, he said. "The maintenance and ship repair operations are still in operation," Oakes said. "This isn't a closure. This is a short-term restructuring and we hope they'll be able to work through that so they can secure current and future contracts."

Armstrong said the CSE management team continues to be employed, including its president Alan Thoms, who was unavailable for comment Wednesday. "This isn't a yard that's in trouble, it's a yard that has $80 million worth of work on the books to be done," Armstrong said. "The goal is for it to create a sustainable business model and restructure itself so it can get back to work."

CSE also operates Canal Marine, a marine electrical division on Cushman Road in St. Catharines that has 13 full-time staff and other contract workers. It will continue to operate, Armstrong said. CSE also owns Pascol Engineering in Thunder Bay.

A spokesperson for the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 680, which represents many of the workers at the St. Catharines shipyards, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Reported by Bill Bird from the St. Catharines Standard

Marquette Ore Dock Milestone

7/28 - Marquette - The ore dock in Marquette’s Upper Harbor marked a milestone Saturday when the 400 millionth ton of iron ore was loaded from the 94-year-old dock. “This is quite an accomplishment for the dock, and its 94 years of operation and for all the employees who have worked to load ore onto Great Lakes freighters there,” Clifford Smith, general manager of Cleveland-Cliffs Michigan operations, stated in a press release. Cliffs Transportation Division operates the dock.

An ore dock was originally constructed in the Presque Isle Harbor in 1896, but by 1910, storms had made it obsolete and expensive to repair. Construction on the current dock began in 1911 and was completed in 1912. In the dock’s first year of operation, more than 2.22 million tons of lump ore was loaded compared to about 7.86 million tons of pellets loaded in 2005.

This year, the dock received a significant upgrade when pocket doors were converted from manual operation to an automatic air-operated system. The new door system allows for remote opening and closing of the doors and eliminates the original system that was in place since the dock was constructed.
Conversion of the 100 doors on the south side of the dock was completed this year and the 100 doors on the north side of the dock will be completed in 2007. Total cost of the project is about $4 million.

“To have the dock remaining in operation 94 years after construction speaks well of how management and employees have adapted over the years to changes that have taken place in mining, processing and shipping iron ore,” Smith said. “It’s particularly remarkable when you consider that the size and capacity of freighters loaded today are much different than those in use when the dock was constructed.”

As an example, the pride of the Cleveland-Cliffs’ shipping fleet at the time the ore dock was constructed was the Steamer William G. Mather with a capacity of 10,200 tons. Today, the Michipicoten, which was loaded Saturday, is able to take on a total of 17,567 tons and the dock can accommodate the larger 1,000-foot vessels that have a capacity in excess of 50,000 tons.

Other recent improvements to the dock include security updates as recommended by the U.S. Coast Guard to bring the dock and adjacent facilities into compliance with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security requirements. Updates include new fencing, a new security building and a monitoring system, all of which were necessary to limit access to the dock and ore carriers.

The 400-million-ton total includes both the direct shipping lump ores that were mined on the Marquette Iron Range in the earlier years of mining and iron ore pellets, which have been produced in Michigan since 1956.

Reported by Frank Frisk from the Marquette Mining Journal

High Inventories Slow Lakes Coal Trade In June

7/28 - Cleveland - High inventories of coal at power plants trimmed the coal trade on the Great Lakes in June. Shipments totaled 4.3 million net tons, a decrease of nearly 14 percent compared to a year ago. The trade was also off 4.3 percent compared to the month’s 5-year average.

While light loading was not the dominant factor in the June decrease, the issue remains important.
Coal users will need to rebuild stockpiles for the winter months. The locks at Sault Ste, Marie, Michigan, close on January 15, so after that date, there will be no coal shipments from Superior, Wisconsin, and Thunder Bay, Ontario, to customers below the Soo Locks until March 25.

The coal trade from Lake Erie ports generally is silent from late January until early or mid-March. Therefore, as the season nears its end, it will be important that vessels be able to carry full loads, but decades of inadequate funding for dredging on the Lakes mean full loads are the exception rather than the rule.

For the year, the Lakes coal trade totals 16.6 million net tons, a slight increase over the same point in 2005. Coal shipments are 8.6 percent ahead of the 5-year average for the first half of the year.

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. More information is available at www.lcaships.com.

Lake Carriers’ Association News Release

Port Reports - July 28

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The Rebecca Lynn and her barge A-410 were in town Thursday along with the English River.

Escanaba - Rod Burdick
Edward L. Ryerson loaded ore on Thursday morning and departed around 1 p.m. EDT for Indiana Harbor.

Halifax - Mac Mackay
The Marshall Island flag Songa Maya sailed from Halifax on Thursday bound for Sarnia. Algoma Tankers have been granted a waiver to use the ship for one or two trips to carry clean petroleum products between Canadian ports.

Updates - July 28

News Photo Gallery updated and more News Photo Gallery updates

Special Ryerson Photo Gallery updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History : July 28

ALGOWEST passed Detroit down bound on July 28, 1982, she had departed on her maiden voyage July 26, from Thunder Bay, Ontario to Quebec City with a 27,308 ton load of barley.

On July 28, 1973, the ROGER M KYES (Hull#200) was christened at Toledo, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. by Mrs. Roger Kyes for the American Steamship Co. Renamed b.) ADAM E CORNELIUS in 1989.

B A PEERLESS (Hull#148) was launched July 28, 1952, at Collingwood, Ontario by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. for British American Transportation Co. Ltd. Renamed b.) GULF CANADA in 1969, and c.) COASTAL CANADA in 1984.

The JOHN T HUTCHINSON was delivered on July 28th to the Buckeye Steamship Co. (Hutchinson & Co., mgr.), Cleveland. The JOHN T HUTCHINSON was part of a government program designed to upgrade and increase the capacity of the U.S. Great Lakes fleet during World War II. In order to help finance the building of new ships, the U.S.M.C. authorized a program that would allow existing fleets to obtain new boats by trading in their older boats to the Government for credit. The JOHN T HUTCHINSON was the ninth Maritimer and fourth of the six L6-S-Al types delivered. "L6" meant the vessel was built for the Great Lakes and was 600 to 699 feet in length. The "S" stood for steam power and "Al" identified specific design features.

On 28 July 1854, BOSTON (wooden propeller, 134 foot, 259 tons, built in 1847, at Ohio City, Ohio) was bound from Chicago for Ogdensburg, New York with pork, corn, whiskey and produce. On Lake Ontario, about 20 miles off Oak Orchard, New York, she collided with the bark PLYMOUTH and sank in about 20 minutes. No lives were lost. The crew and passengers made it to shore in three lifeboats. The boat that the captain was in sailed 50 miles to Charlotte, New York.

In 1900, the freighter PRINCETON (Hull#302) was launched at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

On 28 July 1862, CONVOY (2-mast wooden schooner, 130 foot, 367 tons, built in 1855, at Buffalo, New York) was sailing down bound on a dark night on Lake Erie with 18,000 bushels of wheat when she collided with the empty bark SAM WARD and sank quickly in 12 fathoms of water. Her wreck drifted along the bottom and during the shipping season several vessels collided with her. 

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.

Iron Ore Trade on Lakes/Seaway System Up 3 Percent in June
Gain Would Have Been Greater But For Light Loading

7/27 - Cleveland---Shipments of iron ore from U.S. and Canadian ports on the Lakes/Seaway system destined for the region’s steelmakers rose to 6 million net tons in July, an increase of 3 percent compared to a year ago. However, the June iron ore float still fell 4.6 percent compared to the month’s 5-year average.

There was a slight improvement in utilization of vessel carrying capacity in June. With Lakes water levels undergoing their seasonal rise, the largest iron ore cargos loaded in June topped 65,000 net tons for the first time this year. Nonetheless, even these cargos were less than full loads.

If Great Lakes ports and waterways were dredged to adequately meet the needs of commerce, the top iron load would be more than 71,000 net tons. However, funding for dredging has been insufficient for decades. As a result, U.S.-Flag Great Lakes operators estimate that three of every four cargos they’ve carried in the past 5 years have been less than full loads.

For the year, the iron ore trade totals 23.6 million net tons, an increase of 5 percent compared to both the same point in 2005 and the 5-year average for the first half of the year.

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. More information is available at www.lcaships.com

Lake Carriers’ Association News Release

Steel Imports Remain at Record Level

7/27 - Duluth, MN - Steel imports in June declined compared to May, but year-to-date imports remain on a record level, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Total imports in June were 3.3 million net tons, including 2.8 million net tons of finished steel. The imports were a 14.4 percent and 9.2 percent decline compared to May.

On a year-to-date basis, total imports are up 33 percent and finished steel imports 32 percent compared to 2005. On an annualized basis, total imports would reach 44.6 million net tons and finished steel imports 35.2 million net tons, both all-time records.

A massive expansion of steelmaking capacity in China and other parts of Asia, coupled with state support for those steelmakers, concerns American steelmakers, said Louis L. Schorsch, AISI chairman. American steel industry officials are asking the U.S. government to enforcement trade laws and closely monitor imports.

From the Duluth News-Tribune

Northeast Ohio Steelmaker Calls Back Laid-Off Workers
Dozen Workers Recalled, More May Be Coming

7/27 - Lorain, Ohio -- Republic Engineered Products Inc. has called back about a dozen steelworkers who have been laid off for more than four years. More workers may be recalled, but Republic spokesman John Willoughby said he didn't have details and didn't want to raise too many expectations.

Future decisions depend on production levels and number of orders, he said. "It's just like any other business," Willoughby said. "Anytime you add people, there are costs associated with doing that."

United Steelworkers of America Local 1104 president Don Golden said the union is happy to see workers added to the busy steel bar making mill, the city's third-largest employer with 1,100 workers. "It's a plus for those who have been working a tremendous amount of overtime for quite a while," Golden said.

Those recalled are workers laid off from Republic Technologies International in 2002 when part of the bankrupt company was bought and Republic Engineered was formed. In 2003, Fairlawn-based Republic Engineered filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Last July, the company was bought by Industrias CH, S.A. de C.V. and its subsidiary, Grupo Simec of Guadalajara, Mexico.

Republic Engineered employs about 2,500 people and operates steel plants in Canton and Lorain and rolling and finishing facilities in Canton, Lorain, Massillon in Ohio; Lackawanna, N.Y.; and Gary, Ind.

From NewsNet5.com

United States Steel Income Up

7/27 - Duluth, MN - United States Steel Corp. reported a second quarter net income of $404 million, up sharply from $256 million net income in the first quarter.

Strong steel shipments, firm prices, and good operating performance helped boost earnings, said John Surma, U.S. Steel chairman and chief executive officer.

Steel consumption levels are projected to remain healthy into the third quarter, which would result in strong third quarter earnings, said Surma. Increases in flat-rolled steel prices in the U.S. and Europe are also expected to bolster financials.

In the second quarter of 2005, U.S. Steel reported $249 million net income.

U.S. Steel's two iron ore mines in Minnesota produced 5.4 million net tons in the second quarter, up slightly from the first quarter. U.S. Steel owns and operates Minntac Mine in Mountain Iron and Keewatin Taconite.

From the Duluth News-Tribune

Purchase of Steelmaker Moving Ahead

7/27 - Duluth, MN - Mittal Steel Co. N.V. has moved closer to acquiring European steelmaker Arcelor. Ninety-two percent of Arcelor shares have been tendered in Mittal Steel's attempt to buy the giant steelmaker, according to a Mittal Steel news release. Another offering period runs from July 27 to August 17. At the end of the offering period, Arcelor's remaining shareholders would be able to sell their shares to Mittal Steel before Nov. 17.

Lakshmi N. Mittal, chairman and chief executive officer of Mittal Steel, said he is delighted at the result of the offering, which he called an endorsement of the merger of Mittal Steel and Arcelor. "We are very excited about our future as one company and believe this strong vote of confidence from shareholders paves the way for a speedy integration process, allowing us to realize the full benefits of working together as the undisputed world steel leader."

Mittal Steel is based in Rotterdam. Mittal Steel USA owns and operates Mittal Steel USA Minorca Mine near Virginia.

From the Duluth News-Tribune

EUP'S Newest Lighthouse Awaits Beacon Permit

7/27 - ST. IGNACE - The Eastern Upper Peninsula's newest lighthouse tower already serves as a navigation aid even though its 13.5 mile beacon light will not be switched on for some time yet. Illuminated by ground lighting connected a few days ago, the 52-foot tower marking the entrance to the City Marina can be seen well out into the Straits of Mackinac as it is, reported Marina Director Gene Elmer.

Salvaged from a state rest area near Monroe, the steel tower will become a genuine navigation aid later this summer, when its powerful beacon is finally approved by the U.S. Coast Guard in Cleveland. When finally lit, the re-used tower's beacon will be visible from 13.5 miles out onto the dark waters of the Straits of Mackinac.

Though only 52 feet tall from its concrete pedestal, the new tower stands 62 feet over the water. Even at its limited height, the new white tower is already a downtown landmark and likely qualifies as a day mark for navigation during daylight hours.

Elmer spearheaded a local fund-raising effort to assemble $25,000 in donations to offset a $25,000 state Waterways Commission grant to permanently assemble the lighhouse at the east end of the old Chief Wawatam Dock. While the one-time replica tower was free of charge from the Michigan Transportation Department, the city initially paid to take it apart at Monroe and truck the round sections to St. Ignace.

Though electric power was recently run to the lighthouse and its pad several hundred feet out into the Straits from the "Chief Dock", Coast Guard regulations preclude lighting the beacon light until approval is arranged with the Ninth District in Cleveland. The Coast Guard must also alert shipping interests by posting a Notice to Mariners before the light is switched on.

Elmer expects that approval to come through in the next month or so, after which the light goes on. Special shielding on the land side of the tower's
lantern room will prevent the new light from keeping 'hill area' city residents awake at night with its powerful beacon. Ironically, one other hurdle remains before the new lighthouse goes on navigation charts in the next year or so. "We've got to find a name for it," Elmer said.

The city official said a likely candidate is ³Chief Wawatam Light,² a name more distinctive than the more plebian ³St. Ignace Light² that may otherwise be applied.

Now a working barge, the carferries Chief Wawatam and her sister Sainte Marie dominated the local waterfront for the better part of 70 years, outlasting the fleet of State Ferries that once carried vehicles between Michigan's two peninsulas. The old carferry's deteriorated St. Ignace slip and pier off McCann Street found a new life in the site for the lighthouse and city officials have a general plan for something else on the abandoned rail ferry landing.

Elmer assembled donations from a wide variety of local sources to match the state grant funds, allowing him to proclaim that the city government itself was not asked to chip in from tax funds. Downtown Development Director Deb Evashevski said a planned waterfront boardwalk connection with the new lighthouse and the ³Chief Dock² property awaits final approval from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

In the works for about a year, the boardwalk extension will add 1,155 feet to the popular downtown walkway at a cost of $227,500, of which about 40 percent will be paid from a DNR Land Trust grant and another $40,000 from the state Coastal Zone Management grant fund. The respective grants, matched by several local entities, were approved some time ago, but final approvals must be obtained from Lansing before construction contracts are let.

From the Soo Evening News

2nd Piece of Granite Dislodged
Perry monument is inspected

7/27 - PUT-IN-BAY, Ohio - Engineers examined the granite observation deck of Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial yesterday to check the condition of the 52 fascia stones on the observation deck, and in the process dislodged another, smaller chunk that fell 317 feet to the plaza.

The National Park Service ordered the inspection because a 500-pound piece of granite broke off about 9 p.m. on June 22, punching a hole in the plaza below. The impact created a 2 1/2-foot-wide crater. A woman seated on a bench nearby wasn't hurt. The monument has been closed since then, pending an examination to determine whether it is safe to reopen.

Vertical Access of Ithaca, N.Y., was hired to go over the side of the monument's observation deck to examine each of the stones. "I think we had the perfect team," Superintendent Andy Ferguson said. "They were very meticulous. They systematically looked at each piece and hammered on the fascia."

A chunk of stone about a pound and a half was dislodged from the same area where the first piece broke off, Mr. Ferguson said. The examination, which began at 8 a.m. and lasted until 4:30 p.m., was videotaped to study in depth and will be used to decide when the memorial can reopen, he said. "I think they've done everything they can on site," he said.

Vertical Access, founded in 1992, specializes in industrial roped access techniques derived from rock climbing and caving activities. Four of its engineers anchored ropes from the 11-ton urn on top of the monument and lowered themselves over the observation deck. The inspection included the soffits on the underside of the deck, he said.

The Peace Memorial was opened in 1915 to commemorate Comm. Oliver Hazard Perry's victory over the British in the Battle of Lake Erie. It also celebrates the peace between the United States and Canada. Each of the stones that line the four exterior sides of the observation deck is about 7 feet by 3 feet by 8 inches and is attached to the monument with metal rods, Mr. Ferguson said. The section that fell was roughly 3 feet by 3 1/2 feet and 8 inches thick.

According to the Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce, about 200,000 people visit the memorial each year. Although the monument is closed, other activities at the site's visitors' center continue as scheduled.

From the Toledo Blade

Sugar Island Residents take Sewage Fight to Court

7/27 - SAULT STE. MARIE - Efforts to stem the flow of Canadian sewage into the St. Marys River have continued in two different forms with the Chippewa County Courthouse and Sault Ste. Marie City Commission Chambers becoming focal points in recent days.

On Friday, residents of Sugar Island, led by Wayne Welch, filed a 10-count complaint requesting injunctive relief and damages against PUC Services, Inc., operator of Sault Ontario's East End Water Treatment Plant, according to a press release issued by the Law Firm of Anthony Garczynski.

The plaintiffs allege separate counts of nuisance including the violation of Michigan Statutes, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality rules and the Ontario Clean Water Protection Act. Garczynski also appears willing to pursue legal theories of trespass, battery and negligence to bring an end to the steady stream of human waste entering U.S. waters along Sugar Island's north shore.

A spokesperson for the 50th Circuit Court confirmed early this morning that a lawsuit had been filed in this matter. The case has not officially been scheduled on the docket since the defendants have not yet been notified of this action.

City Commissioner Marilyn Burton penned a lengthy resolution for consideration prior to Monday's meeting and received unanimous approval - with minor tweaking - for her proposal. Burton expressed the belief that once the new treatment facility is open in the next couple of months, the flow of raw sewage should come to a halt. The problem, as she saw it, was decades of polluted accumulation still resting at the bottom of the river posing a threat to the health and safety of people living on both sides of the river.

The approved resolution identifies the governments of Canada and Ontario as having primary responsibility under the “Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement” to create a remediation plan to address contaminated sediments in the International Waters of the St. Marys River. Burton also demanded the removal of all contaminated sediment from the river bottom.

Mayor Anthony Bosbous said it was important for the Sault Ste. Marie City Commission to get out front on this matter, even though the city does not appear to be directly affected by the contaminants in lending his support to this measure. The remaining commissioners evidently shared a similar view.

Copies of the Burton resolution will be forwarded to Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, along with Rep. Bart Stupak.

From the Soo Evening News

August 12 - Boatnerd Detroit River Cruise
Mail Your Reservations Today

A 3-hour freighter chasing cruise on the lower Detroit River aboard the luxurious Friendship, driven by Capt. Sam Buchanan. Cruise leaves the Portofino's On The River restaurant, in Wyandotte, MI at 10:00 am.

All this for only $25.00. Limited to the first 100 reservations. Mail your check today to: Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online, Inc., 1110 South Main Street, Findlay, OH 45840-2239.

Click here for Reservations Form. Checks will not be cashed until the week before the cruise. No physical tickets will be issued. You name will be on the Boarding List.

Port Reports - July 27

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey and Gordy Garris
The Manistee was in bound the Saginaw River early Wednesday morning with a split load for the GM Dock in Saginaw and the Valley Asphalt dock in Carrollton. The Manistee finished unloading at the Valley Asphalt dock by 4:15 pm and turned around off the dock in the Sixth Street turning basin, without tug assistance, and was outbound for the lake by 4:30 pm Wednesday afternoon.
The Great Lakes Dock & Materials Company tug Duluth was moving barges between the Essroc dock in Essexville and the Confined Disposal Island at the mouth of the Saginaw River. Meanwhile, dredging of the Sixth Street turning basin in Saginaw continues.
The USCG Cutter Hollyhock was working buoy markers in the Saginaw Bay on Wednesday and docked at the Consumers Power Plant in Essexville Wednesday evening. The Hollyhock arrived in the Saginaw Bay Tuesday evening.

Updates - July 27

News Photo Gallery updated

Special Ryerson Photo Gallery updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - July 27

On 27 July 1884, ALBERTA (steel propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 264 foot, 2,282 gross tons, built in 1883, at Whiteinch, Scotland by C. Connell & Co.) collided in fog 6 miles North North West of Whitefish Point on Lake Superior with the JOHN M OSBORNE (wooden propeller "steam barge", 178 foot, 891 tons , built in 1882, at Marine City, Michigan. The OSBORNE had two barges in tow at the time. ALBERTA stayed in the gash until most of OSBORNE's crew scrambled aboard, then pulled out and the OSBORNE sank. ALBERTA sank in shallow water, 3 1/2 miles from shore. 3 or 4 lives were lost from the OSBORNE, one from ALBERTA in brave rescue attempt while trying to get the crewmen off the OSBORNE.

This was ALBERTA's first year of service. She was recovered and repaired soon afterward. She was the sister of the ill fated ALGOMA which was lost in her first year of service. The wreck of the OSBORNE was located in 1984, 100 years after this incident.

On 27 July 1900, the steel freighter RENSSELAER (Hull#402) was launched in Cleveland, Ohio by the American Ship building Co. for the Pittsburgh Steamship Company.

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.

'Gut feeling' helped Windquest Finish 1st in Chicago-Mackinaw Race

7/26 - Chicago - While not a record-breaker, the 2006 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac drew toward its end with memory-making flourishes for most boats. At 1:23 a.m. Monday, Windquest was the first to cross the finish line between the lighthouse on Round Island and the race committee trailer on Mackinac Island, Mich.

The 300 boats in the 98th Mac set sail Saturday afternoon off Monroe Harbor. "Overall, the sailing was wonderful -- much lighter air than we wanted, but we had some beautiful sailing,'' said Windquest skipper Tom Giesler, 46, of Holland, Mich., and a veteran of 17 Macs.

Windquest, the largest boat in the race at 86 feet, finished in 34 hours, 43 minutes, 23 seconds -- well past the monohull record of 23:30:34 set by Roy Disney's Pyewacket in 2002 -- to earn the Royono Trophy as first to finish. Racing in the Turbo class, Windquest had set the record of 24:17:38 in the 2006 Bacardi Bayview Race to Mackinac the previous weekend.

With light winds at the start, most of the fleet sailed a rhumb line or cut across to Michigan. Saturday night, the crew of Windquest made a dramatic move back into the middle of Lake Michigan. "We thought we would find the most wind in the middle of the lake, and it seemed to help us out,'' Giesler said. "It was a gut feeling and from the weather forecast we received before the start of the race.''

Nitemare was the second boat to finish and the first of the Great Lakes 70s, which were all in by 9 a.m. All of the Turbo section was in by 10 a.m. Adiago was the first multihull at 8:35 a.m. Sea Note was the first from Section 1.

"We were always moving and tried to follow the rhumb line,'' said Randy Adolphs, skipper of Guaranteed.Period., the second boat to finish in Section 2. "That seemed to work out pretty good for us. "It was rains, wind, thunder and lightning -- it was crazy out there [Monday].'' The storms around dawn heightened building tail winds.

"We hit some 16s [knots], which is really flying on that boat,'' Adolphs said. "We had sustained 12s and 14s. Going downhill we call it. We put the nose under a couple times. Those 16s always come when you are on the edge of disaster.''

From the Chicago Sun-Times

Enforcing the Law on Lake St. Clair:
High-tech vessel makes crime-fighting easier
Equipment to aid in border patrols

7/26 - Detroit - With swans floating nearby, a 31-foot-long boat sailed in the still waters of Lake St. Clair on Monday with the sun gleaming off its shiny white coat. The calm scene is fitting because the boat's presence is meant to instill peace of mind for citizens cruising the waters.

With a Global Positioning System, an 800 megahertz radio, flashing blue lights with a siren and the ability to hit speeds up to 70 m.p.h., the Macomb County Sheriff's Office's Patrol Boat One propels crime-fighting to the next level. Its inaugural voyage came Monday at the marine division's headquarters, off South River Road in Harrison Township.

The boat previously used for patrols is more than a decade old and tops out at 38 m.p.h., Sheriff's Capt. Dave Teske said. There have been times when the county's old boat fizzled out next to faster boats in chases. Sheriff Mark Hackel said the long-anticipated purchase cost about $120,000; the money came from a federal homeland security grant. "I don't know anyone else in the state that's going to have such a high-tech vessel as we do here," Hackel said. In addition to aiding boaters in distress, Patrol Boat One -- also known as PB1 -- will also be used to crack down on immigrant and drug smuggling.

The Sheriff's Office is a primary law enforcement presence on the lake, along with the U.S. Coast Guard. While they acknowledged border security risks on the lake, the law enforcement officials said there have not been any recent incidents. But "it's an open border, so anything can get through," said Eastpointe resident Paul White, a marine division volunteer. Besides patrolling the 85-square miles of Lake St. Clair, 35 miles of shoreline and 57 miles of rivers approximately 16 hours daily during boating season, the boat will help in marine training during a diving drill next month.

The Sheriff's Office has a fleet of five patrol vessels bought from 1994 to 1999. They were not built for night patrols and are incapable of accelerating to high speeds. However, during the past three years, the marine division has conducted about 450 search-and-rescue missions.

From the Detroit Free Press

Powerboat Racing Rushes into Sault

7/26 - Sault Ste. Marie - “It's a different series, but the boats are very similar,” said Executive Director Leisa Mansfield welcoming the Powerboat Superleague for the Third Annual River Rampage this weekend. “The boats look the same and they still go fast.”

Mansfield said with the new league coming to the St. Marys River Saturday and Sunday, race fans will get to see even more action. There will be five different classes this weekend - 45 SST, Formula II, Formula III, Outlaw and X - making for even more racing action than the old ChampBoat Series which visited the first two years.

The Powerboat Superleague features the fast and the furious with machines capable of going from 0 to 100 miles per hour in less than six seconds, according to a media release. These same boats will sustain speeds of 90 to 120 miles-per-hour even while making the required turns.

Mansfield said the high-speed action of powerboat racing has been a popular attraction for Sault Ste. Marie. “There have been great crowds,” she said of the previous races. Mansfield was optimistic regarding this weekend's event. “We are expecting even more,” she said figuring a crowd of about 5,000 people will gather on the river to watch this year.

The festivities begin Friday evening with a street dance. Hogan's Goat will serve as the feature band for the evening with two other acts also scheduled to appear. Mansfield added the Sault Ste. Marie City Commission approved a measure allowing downtown establishments to serve alcoholic beverages on the streets during these events.

On Saturday, drivers will get their first crack at the river at 11 a.m. with action continuing until 6 p.m. The Aune-Osborn Park will provide the best viewing opportunities for race fans attending this event as the various drivers showcase their machines on a Tour-de-force rectangle course.

On Sunday, the drivers will have an autograph session for race fans from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. The last of the qualifying rounds begin at noon followed by the championship finals in various categories before the last trophy is awarded around 5 p.m.

Mansfield indicated there will be various food vendors at the Aune-Osborn Park providing ample opportunity to purchase food and souvenirs. The Kiwanis Club will also be making this a “kid-friendly” event with inflatables, train rides, a petting zoo and pony rides.

From the Soo Evening News

Port Reports - July 26

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The former Detroit railcar float Lansdowne is at the BIDCO yard. The Milwaukee Road Hiawatha observation cars seem to be pretty well stripped out. All the glass that was broken on them the last time they were in Buffalo a few years ago has been removed. The old restaurant structure that was built up over the railcar deck is gutted down to the steel beams & columns and there seemed to be a small amount of activity on the dock. There are cranes on the dock next to her and the coverings over the paddle wheels are gone and you can actually see part of the remaining structure of her side wheels dangling off the hull of the barge.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
Tuesday saw the return of the James Norris on the Saginaw River. After calling on the Buena Vista dock on Sunday, the Norris was back again at the same dock Tuesday afternoon to unload.
The Calumet was also inbound on Tuesday carrying a split load. She lightered at the Sargent dock in Essexville, then continued upriver to finish at the Buena Vista dock. Calumet first had to wait for the Norris to clear the BV dock by spending some time at the Burroughs dock just downriver.
The USCG Cutter Hollyhock was also inbound on the Saginaw Bay Tuesday evening.

Menominee - Dick Lund
The Keizerborg arrived at a local warehouse early Tuesday morning with a load of wood products. This is the ship's first-ever visit to the Port of Menominee, MI. She unloaded, and was gone within about 12 hours.

August 12 - Boatnerd Detroit River Cruise
Mail Your Reservations Today

A 3-hour freighter chasing cruise on the lower Detroit River aboard the luxurious Friendship, driven by Capt. Sam Buchanan. Cruise leaves the Portofino's On The River restaurant, in Wyandotte, MI at 10:00 am.

All this for only $25.00. Limited to the first 100 reservations. Mail your check today to: Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online, Inc., 1110 South Main Street, Findlay, OH 45840-2239.

Click here for Reservations Form. Checks will not be cashed until the week before the cruise. No physical tickets will be issued. You name will be on the Boarding List.

Updates - July 26

News Photo Gallery updated

Special Ryerson Photo Gallery

Public Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History : July 26

On June 26, 2005, the salty ORLA ran aground at Kahnawake, Quebec and the passing rum tanker JO SPIRIT made contact with her. Both vessels were damaged and repaired in Montreal.

The ALGOWEST sailed on her maiden voyage in 1982 from Thunder Bay, Ontario to Quebec City with a 27,308 ton load of barley.

On July 26, 1943 the BRUCE HUDSON caught fire while loading gasoline at East Chicago, Illinois and four persons lost their lives.

The CONALLISON departed Windsor, Ontario on her first trip for Johnstone Shipping Ltd. on July 26, 1981.

WILLIAM A McGONAGLE (Hull#154) sailed light on her maiden voyage from Great Lakes Engineering Works at Ecorse, Michigan on July 26, 1916, to Duluth, Minnesota to load iron ore. Renamed b.) HENRY STEINBRENNER in 1986. She was scrapped at Port Maitland, Ontario in 1994.

On 26 July 1885, ISLE ROYALE (wooden propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 92 foot, 92 gross tons, built in 1879) sprang a leak near Susick Island near Isle Royale on Lake Superior. She sank but her passengers and crew made it to the island. She was owned by Cooley, Lavague & Company of Duluth. She was originally built as the barge AGNES.

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.

23 Sailors Rescued from Listing Cargo Ship

7/25 - Alaska - Helicopters hoisted 23 crew members from a listing cargo ship to safety overnight, ending a daylong rescue effort as 10-foot waves slapped the ship's tilting deck hundreds of miles off Alaska's Aleutian Islands. The Cougar Ace had been carrying nearly 5,000 cars from Japan to Canada when it began listing to its port side late Sunday night. The crew sent out an SOS, but the nearest Coast Guard ship was nearly a day's trip away.

By the time a Coast Guard aircraft arrived and was able to drop three life rafts for the crew Monday morning, the ship was at an 80 degree angle, nearly on its side, officials said. The roiling waters shoved the rafts underneath the dipping port side of the 654-foot ship before the crew could secure them. Rescuers tossed another raft toward the higher starboard side, but it was a 150-foot drop to the water.

A merchant marine ship crew that was nearby was unable to rig a line to the cargo ship, and the Cougar Ace's crew was losing power in its hand-held radio. The helicopters appeared to the crew's best chance for survival. "We made the decision to cram in everybody," said Master Sgt. Sal Provenzano with the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center.

In a daring rescue, the crew members, who had donned survival suits aboard their troubled ship, were hoisted Monday night into two National Guard Pave Hawk helicopters and a Coast Guard helicopter, then flown 230 miles north to Adak Island. One crew member with a broken ankle was to be flown by plane to Anchorage, Provenzano said.

It wasn't clear Tuesday morning if their cargo ship was still afloat or what had caused it to list. The Singapore-flagged Cougar Ace — owned by Tokyo-based Mitsui O.S.K. Lines — was carrying vehicles from Japan to Vancouver, British Columbia, said Greg Beuerman, a spokesman for the ship owner.

"Obviously, the primary concern for all involved is the safety of the crew on board," Beuerman said Monday. "The vessel is of critical importance as well, but the first priority is the health and the safety of the crew."

The ship had been caught in rain squalls and 8- to 10-foot seas when it began to list. From Coast Guard aircraft circling overhead, officers spotted a 2-mile oil sheen in the choppy water. The ship had been carrying 430 metric tons of fuel oil or 112 metric tons of diesel fuel, and it wasn't clear how much had spilled into the northern Pacific Ocean.

Early on, the Coast Guard had alerted the clinic at the small town of Adak — a former Naval air station on the island of the same name — to gear up for treating at least one broken ankle and possible hypothermia cases.

Nurse practitioner Michael Terry said residents hustled to set up cots and blankets at the community center, prepare food and coffee, gather donations of warm clothing. The clinic rounded up emergency medics and braced for action. "We actually were preparing to have an air disaster drill at the airport (Tuesday) so we moved it up a day," Terry said.

From Yahoo.com News

Toledo Port Works to Keep up with Dredging
Official: 1 'big storm' from shutdown

7/25 - Toledo - Wayne McCrimmon, Toledo's seaport director, fights a yearly battle against storms and water currents that swirl around the Maumee River muck so much they could threaten what has lately been a healthy bottom line. Known as Toledo Harbor, the seven-mile river shipping channel that runs to I-75 plus another 15 or so miles out into Lake Erie must be kept wide and deep enough for ships and their valuable cargo to make it to the Port of Toledo, which has enjoyed increased business this year.

Sediment builds up each year, and the navigation channel narrows. Dredging it is a continuous process; you have to keep up or risk becoming overwhelmed. "We've lived on the edge for years. You get used to it," said Mr. McCrimmon, who works for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. "We've been very lucky, because Lake Erie is up this year. It's the only Great Lake with more water this year. Whenever we have had [the largest ships come in], we have also had lots of water in the river. We've been lucky."

But the channel is just one "big storm" away from being shut down, Mr. McCrimmon said. The U.S. Coast Guard would make that decision, likely prompting emergency dredging by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and lost revenue for Toledo, as ships would be turned away, he said.

Clearing out the Maumee and Lake Erie channel is the largest dredging project each year on the Great Lakes. Other Great Lake ports have had worse problems forcing ships to "light-load," meaning captains can't fill to capacity because the ship would be too heavy to safely navigate the port channels. The corps takes care of about 300 ports across the country. The 2006 federal budget provides $921 million, including $588 million for "maintaining existing channels."

To keep up with the dredging, Mr. McCrimmon estimates $5 million to $10 million more each year is needed for Toledo. The issue is especially important because the Port of Toledo is making a financial comeback and is having a banner year.

General cargo loaded and unloaded has increased three-fold through May, compared to the same period last year. That increase is due in part to a deal in Brazil to accept bulk sugar and one struck in Quebec for the port to become a distribution center for aluminum used in automobiles.

Local officials and U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) have pushed for years for more money to complete the needed dredging and clear up the backlog. At the current pace, it's a losing battle, Mr. McCrimmon said. About 1.3 million cubic yards of material are deposited each year in Toledo Harbor. The most the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can dredge annually is 850,000 cubic yards, he said. The corps estimates it has 3 million to 4 million cubic yards to dredge out of Toledo Harbor, he said.

One problem cited by the corps is where to put the muck after it's sucked out of the channel. " 'We have to slow down,' the corps says. The response from the ports would be, 'Let's find a reuse for those dredged materials.' So the issue of where you put it is cloudy," said Steve Katich, staff director for Miss Kaptur. "The corps is recalcitrant. They are unable to move forward, and we find ourselves back in this situation."

The corps has also found itself in the middle of a long-running environmental battle involving dumping the silt. For years, the corps dumped it into an Oregon facility. But about 20 years ago, it began dumping more than half into open Lake Erie waters, prompting complaints that the silt may contain harmful contaminants or stir them up from the bottom. The Ohio EPA restricted the practice to a lesser amount, and the issue of where to dump and who will pay for a new facility or for other strategies - Ohio, Michigan, or the federal government - still looms.

Last year, a task force of the corps, Ohio EPA, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources was to study the potential of using silt to build undefined "habitat restoration units" at Little Cedar Point, Turtle Creek, or other areas. "The answer to the dredging problem is to legislatively say to the corps, 'Do it,' " Mr. Katich said. "But the reuse of those materials has to be advanced because even if you could dredge more, you don't have anywhere to put it. So you have these legislative battles."

The issue of how to use or where to dump the silt and muck must be resolved, Mr. Katich said. Ideas have involved developing fertilizer from the silt or filling abandoned strip mines with it. "At least we can credit the Bush Administration for not zeroing out ports [in the budget]. I think we will feel successful in adding to the Corps of Engineers' budget to allow additional dredging on the Maumee River," he said. "We do know it's a growing problem."

From the Toledo Blade

Theme Boats Set Sail in Port Huron Area Waters

7/25 - Port Huron - Very soon, it may not be surprising to see a school bus or Air Force Oneon local waterways. James Relken, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Theme Boat Owners, is working to get themed boats, such as those, on the water to raise money for charities.

The association is volunteer driven and looking for help ranging from pontoon-boat owners willing to turn their watercrafts into a theme boat to craftsman and designers willing to pitch in and help make the transition, Relken said. "It's now starting to take off," he said. "We've moved it from one pontoon boat to - we expect in the next few months - several dozen."

The association became official May 1, with a design location on Griswold Street and a management office on Pine Grove Avenue, both in Port Huron. Relken said the group has recruited 80 volunteers but will need about 250 to complete all the orders coming in. The association will not charge boat owners interested in remodeling their vessels and will help them find materials and labor, Relken said.

The idea for the organization is spreading from Gerry Kramer's work with his boat Jungle Cruiser. About 20 years ago, Kramer, a Port Huron real-estate broker, outfitted his pontoon boat with a Hawaiian, Jimmy Buffett theme, complete with thatch grass, bamboo and a life-sized, stuffed gorilla named Hugo.

Kramer said he takes groups out on the boat for weddings, birthdays and other celebrations. Instead of asking for a fee, he has the group make a donation to a maritime charity. Kramer said the boat has raised more than $30,000 for charity.

"The idea works so well, we're doing other boats," Kramer said. "Our goal is to make Port Huron theme-boat capital of the world."

From the Port Huron Times-Herald

T/V Manatra on Second Training Cruise

7/25 - Chicago - The training vessel Manatra, home ported in Chicago, will be departing on Sunday at 10:00 am CST heading for St. Joseph, Mi. harbor and the USCG station. This is her second of two yearly voyages for the sole purpose of Sea Cadet training.

The cadets will assist in navigation, steering, line handling and even the preparing of meals underway. Our Sea Cadets are drawn from all over the country and every year find their way to our floating classroom to sharpen nautical skills, gain experience at sea, and have fun!

Other ports-of-call will be Grand Haven, Muskegon and Milwaukee (weather and time permitting). While underway, she is staffed by some of the finest Sea Cadet officers to be found and an all-volunteer professional crew. One of our last underway tasks will be to escort the Tall Ships into Chicago on Thursday. Manatra is a 501(c)3 Illinois non-profit corporation.

Reported by A. Jurincie

Port Reports - July 25

Toledo - Bob Vincent
The tug Donald C. Hannah was observed coming in pushing the barges H-2902 and H-2903 around 8:00 pm Sunday night.
The Agawa Canyon was unloading stone at the Midwest Stone Terminal. Left Toledo around 1:00 am Monday morning.
The Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin unloaded ore from Seven Islands at the Torco Ore dock and then came under the coal loader at 11:00 pm for a load of coal for Bowmanville, ON. The next ore boat is the CSL Niagara due Wednesday and Friday the John J. Boland and CSL Assiniboine are due.
Next coal boat will be the Herbert C. Jackson due Thursday and on Friday the John J. Boland, Wolverine and the Saginaw are due.
The Pere Marquette 10 is lay-up in the frog pond next to the stone dock.
The dredge Buxton II with tug Muskegon was dredging the shipping channel near Torco Docks.

Twin Ports - Al Miller
The saltie Margaretha Green spent Monday at Duluth’s port terminal loading an unusual export cargo – three ore-crushing lines from the former LTV Steel Mining Co. mill in Hoyt Lakes, Minn.
LTV closed its mine and taconite processing plant in 2000, putting 1,400 people out of work. While much of the plant’s equipment was labeled as outdated, that didn’t apply to the machinery that crushed the taconite ore so it could be processed into pellets. So the equipment was sold to two buyers.
The ore-crushing machinery loaded aboard the Margaretha Green was sold to Jindal Group, which operates 12 steel mills in India and two in the United States. The ship will carry the equipment to India.
The remaining 27 crushing lines at the old LTV site now belong to Polymet Mining Corp., which purchased the LTV mining operation in 2005. Polymet plans to keep the crushing lines in Hoyt Lakes to process rock bearing precious metals such as nickel, gold, silver, palladium and platinum.

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
On Friday afternoon the Steamer Alpena arrived in port to take on cement for Superior, WI. The Alpena is expected to return on Wednesday.
The Samuel de Champlain/barge Innovation was at Lafarge on Saturday morning and was seen heading out into the bay before 1pm.
The Philip R. Clarke was loading at Stoneport on Sunday and departed the dock before 4:00pm.
The Wolverine and Cason J. Calloway loaded at Stoneport on Monday.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The self unloading barge McKee Sons with tug Invincible in the notch came into port overnight on Sunday/Monday from Chicago. It delivered its second load of coal for the Board of Light and Power Sims Plant on Harbor Island in three days and was gone by daylight.

Marquette - Lee Rowe
The Michipicoten and Saginaw both arrived in Marquette on Monday for ore, with the Herbert C. Jackson expected at the lower harbor later.
The Jackson will move to the ore dock on Tuesday.

Saginaw River - Gordy Garris
The Saginaw River was busy on Sunday with multiple commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River as the Tall Ships Festival took place in Downtown Bay City and ship rides and tours came to an end. The tanker Algosar made her first ever appearance under her current name and colors to the Saginaw River Sunday morning calling on the Ashland Marathon dock in Bay City to unload. Her cargo consisted of 2,330 MT of Gasoline. The tanker had last visited the Saginaw River in 2003 as the Gemini. The Algosar made an unusual move by turning around off the dock with assistance from the tug Manitou before unloading at the Ashland Marathon dock around 10:00am Sunday morning. At 7:00am Monday morning, the Algosar departed the Ashland Marathon dock and headed directly outbound for the lake.
Once finished assisting the Algosar, the Manitou headed upriver through the Bay City drawbridges and docked at the Old Bay Aggregates dock in Downtown Bay City.
The Steamer James Norris was in bound the Saginaw River early Sunday morning headed upriver to the Buena Vista Stone dock to unload. The Norris departed the Buena Vista Stone dock and headed upstream to the Sixth Street turning basin to turn around by late Sunday afternoon. The Norris was closely followed by the tug Robin Lynn who departed the Burroughs dock and later pushed the Norris around in the Sixth Street turning basin. This was the Norris's first visit to the Saginaw River this year.
Unloading just a few hundred yards ahead of the James Norris was the tug Undaunted and the barge Pere Marquette 41 at the Wirt Stone dock in Saginaw. The pair had arrived in Saginaw late Saturday night. The pair were out bound from the Sixth Street turning basin in Saginaw early in the afternoon on Sunday. This was the Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41's first visit to the Saginaw River this year.
The CSL Tadoussac was in bound the Saginaw River early Sunday afternoon headed for the Essroc Terminal in Essexville to unload. At 10:30pm Sunday night, the CSL Tadoussac departed the Essroc Terminal in Essexville, backed out of the river and turned around at Light 12 in the Saginaw Bay Entrance Channel and headed out bound for the lake late Sunday night, following the James Norris out of the Entrance Channel about an hour and a half behind her.
The Tall Ships Windy II, Madeline, Royaliste, Appledore V, Saint Paul, and the Fireboat Edward M. Cotter all departed their docks in Downtown Bay City Sunday evening, and headed outbound for the lake. All of the ships are bound for Green Bay, WI except for the Fireboat Edward M. Cotter, which is headed for Lake Erie. The Tall Ships Brig Niagara, Picton Castle, Pride of Baltimore II, and the Unicorn departed from their docks in Downtown Bay City around 9:00am Monday morning, and headed outbound for the lake, bound for Green Bay, WI. Upon reaching the mouth of the Saginaw Bay, the outbound Tall Ships were joined by the Tall Ships Playfair and Pathfinder on their journey to Green Bay, WI. The Appledore IV will move back to her regular mooring at Wenonah Park and resume her regular daily group trips to the bay, and the Appledore V will return to the Saginaw River after the 2006 Great Lakes Tall Ships Challenge had ended.
The Great Lakes Dock & Materials Company tug Duluth was moving barges between the LaFarge dock in Saginaw and the Essroc dock in Essexville on Monday. The tug Duluth waited at the Pump-Out Island with her barge for the outbound Algosar and the outbound parade of Tall Ships to clear before continuing inbound to Saginaw late Monday morning.
Once the tug Duluth arrived at the LaFarge dock in Saginaw, she gathered another barge and proceeded downriver to the Essorc dock in Essexville by 12:45pm Monday afternoon. By Monday evening the tug Duluth was headed back upriver to Saginaw through the Bay City drawbridges.

Updates - July 25

News Photo Gallery updated and more News Photo Gallery updated

Special Ryerson Photo Gallery

Public Photo Gallery updated

August 12 - Boatnerd Detroit River Cruise
Mail Your Reservations Today

A 3-hour freighter chasing cruise on the lower Detroit River aboard the luxurious Friendship, driven by Capt. Sam Buchanan. Cruise leaves the Portofino's On The River restaurant, in Wyandotte, MI at 10:00 am.

We'll go where the boats are. Maybe up the Rouge River, maybe down the Detroit River. Bring your camera. To make the trip even more interesting, a pizza buffet will be delivered by the mail boat J. W. Westcott. Cash bar on board. Plenty of free, safe parking at Portofino's. Click here for directions.

All this for only $25.00. Limited to the first 100 reservations. Mail your check today to: Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online, Inc., 1110 South Main Street, Findlay, OH 45840-2239.

Click here for Reservations Form. Checks will not be cashed until the week before the cruise. No physical tickets will be issued. You name will be on the Boarding List.

Today in Great Lakes History - July 25

Algoma Central Marine's former ALGOCEN departed Montreal on July 25, 2005, under tow of the tugs ATLANTIC OAK and ANDRE H bound for Keasby, New Jersey. She was renamed b.) VALGOCEN and was registered in Panama.

The bow section of the ROGER BLOUGH (Hull#900) was floated into the new American Ship Building Co. Lorain dry dock on July 25, 1970, and was joined with the 421 foot stern section. The launch of the completed hull was scheduled for July, 1971, but a fire broke out in the engine room on June 24, 1971, killing four yard workers and extensively damaging her Pielstick diesel engines. Extensive repairs, which included replacement of both engines, delayed the launch for nearly a year.

The CANADA MARQUIS was up bound at Detroit, Michigan on July 25, 1983, on her maiden voyage for Misener Holdings Ltd. She sails today as CSL's e.) BIRCHGLEN.

July 25, 1983 - A wedding was held aboard the BADGER during the sailing of "Love Boat II". Chris Gebhart and Pat Sroka of Ludington were married by Rev. John Christensen.

The wooden lumber tug CYGNET, which worked on the Shiawassee and Bad Rivers and Lake Huron, was destroyed when her boiler exploded in "Blow-up Bayou" on the Shiawassee River.

The wooden bulk freighter D C WHITNEY was launched at Langell's shipyard in St. Clair, Michigan on 25 July 1882. Her dimensions were 229 feet x 40 feet x15 feet, 1090 gross tons.

Data from: 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 - July 24

Escanaba - Lee Rowe & Dick Lund
An eager group of boatnerds watched the Edward Ryerson approach Escanaba Saturday at Sand Point and enjoyed a three-long, two-short salute from the ship. They gathered again at the ore dock to watch her arrive and tie up for her first load.

Burns Harbor/South Chicago - Steve B.
Several vessels in and around the South end of Lake Michigan on Saturday. The Joseph L. Block was heard making a security call inbound for Indiana Harbor at around 9 a.m.
Over at Iroquois Landing, the salties Puffin and Sir Henry were seen tied up and unloading steel. By mid afternoon, the Puffin had already made its turn out of Calumet Harbor and was headed up the lake for Thunder Bay. Shortly thereafter, the Sir Henry departed, not for the lake, but rather farther down the Calumet River enroute to Nidera Grain at 117th St. She was assisted by the G tugs South Carolina on the bow and Colorado on the stern. There was some concern by the NS bridge operator if she would clear the bridge or not.
The Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw arrived at Calumet Harbor in late afternoon.
Over at Burns Harbor, the salties Vechtborg and Federal Manitou were in port.

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Friday evening saw the Canadian Transport depart at 5:30 p.m. in ballast for Conneaut. The Algosea departed the Petro Canada Pier in Bronte ( Oakville ) at 8 p.m. for the Welland Canal.
Saturday the Olympic Miracle arrived at 6 a.m. going to Pier 14. At 6:15 a.m. the Peter R. Cresswell arrived going to Pier 26. The Maritime Trader arrived at 8:30 a.m. going to Pier 25 ( JRI Elevators ). The Federal Agno then arrived at 9:30 a.m. going to Pier 23. The tug Anglian Lady and barge PML 2501 arrived at 1 p.m. The Ocean Groupe tug Omni Richelieu arrived at 3 p.m. going to Pier 8.
The Peter R. Cresswell departed Pier 26 at 3:15 p.m.

Marquette - Rod Burdick
Michipicoten loaded ore late Friday evening. Fleetmates Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder and Charles M. Beeghly loaded taconite on Saturday. Michipicoten was due back Sunday morning, and Paul R. Tregurtha was due with western coal on Sunday afternoon.

Sturgeon Bay - Wendell Wilke
The Edward L. Ryerson departed Bay Shipbuilding Co. at noon northbound for Escanaba. She left the Sturgeon Bay Ship Channel passing Sherwood Point entering Green Bay waters around 12:45 p.m. Remaining at the yard presently is the Lee A. Tregurtha in final stages of repowereing. She is tentatively scheduled to depart around August 11. Also presently under construction in the large graving dock is the 1st of the off-lakes petroleum barges to be named Double Skin 141.

Twin Ports - Al Miller
Late afternoon Sunday was a busy time in Duluth-Superior. Alpena was unloading at LaFarge's terminal in Superior. American Century was loading at Midwest Energy Terminal while Herbert C. Jackson rode at anchor in Duluth harbor waiting for its turn. John G. Munson was inbound to Duluth entry and due to load at Midwest Energy following the Jackson. Salties Irma and Margaretha Green were anchored out on the lake.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The self unloading barge McKee Sons with tug Invincible in the notch came into port early Saturday afternoon and docked at the Board of Light and Power Sims Plant on Harbor Island. It delivered its load of coal and was seen backing out through the pier heads at about 8 p.m.

Green Bay/Sturgeon Bay - Wendell Wilke
St. Marys Conquest was unloading in Green Bay on Sunday at 3:00 pm. At 6:30 am Monday, she was south bound in the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal.

Updates - July 24

News Photo Gallery updated and more News Photo Gallery updates

Special Ryerson Photo Gallery

Calendar of Events updated

Public Photo Gallery updated

August 12 - Boatnerd Detroit River Cruise
Mail Your Reservations Today

A 3-hour freighter chasing cruise on the lower Detroit River aboard the luxurious Friendship, driven by Capt. Sam Buchanan. Cruise leaves the Portofino's On The River restaurant, in Wyandotte, MI at 10:00 am. We'll go where the boats are. Maybe up the Rouge River, maybe down the Detroit River. Bring your camera. To make the trip even more interesting, a pizza bu