Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive

Today in Great Lakes History - September 30

On 30 September 1896, SUMATRA (wooden schooner-barge, 204 foot, 845 gross tons, built in 1874, at Black River, Ohio) was loaded with rail road rails in tow of the steamer B W ARNOLD in a storm on Lake Huron. The SUMATRA was "blown down" and foundered off the Government Pier at Milwaukee. Three of the crew were lost. The four survivors were rescued by the ARNOLD and the U.S. Lifesaving Service. The SUMATRA was owned by the Mills Transportation Company.

The 660 foot forward section of the BELLE RIVER (Hull#716) was side launched on September 30, 1976, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Bay Shipbuilding Co. Renamed b.) WALTER J. McCARTHY JR. in 1977.

The ARTHUR SIMARD entered service on September 30, 1973, sailing to Montreal, Quebec to load gasoline.

The GOVERNOR MILLER was towed down the Welland Canal on September 30, 1980, in tow of TUG MALCOLM, STORMONT and ARGUE MARTIN on her way to Quebec City.

The ROBERT C STANLEY departed light on her maiden voyage from River Rouge, Michigan on September 30, 1943, bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota to load iron ore.

On September 30, 1986, the Canadian Coast Guard vessel CARIBOU ISLE struck a rock in Lake Huron's North Channel and began taking on water. C.C.G.S. SAMUEL RISLEY arrived and helped patch the ship. The pair then departed for Parry Sound, Ontario.

On 30 September 1888, AUSTRALIA (wooden schooner, 109 foot, 159 gross tons, built in 1862, at Vermilion, Ohio) was carrying cedar posts from Beaver Island to Chicago when she encountered a gale. She was laid on beam ends and sprung a leak. She headed for shelter at Holland, Michigan, but struck a bar and foundered in the mouth of the harbor. The wreck blocked the harbor until it was removed on 5 October. Her crew was rescued by the U.S. Lifesaving Service.

On 30 September 1875, AMERICAN CHAMPION (wooden scow-schooner, 156 tons, built in 1866, at Trenton, Michigan) dropped anchor to ride out a gale near Leamington, Ontario on Lake Erie. The chains gave way and she struck a bar and sank to the gunwales. The crew of 8 spent the night in the rigging and the next day a local woman and her two sons heroically rescued each one.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Jody Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II, Father Dowling Collection, and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample. The books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Update: Greek Freighter Toro

9/29 - The Greek freighter Toro that went aground at Cornwall Island on September 7 has arrived at Verreault Shipyard at Les Mechins, Quebec, where it will be repaired.

Les Mechins is in the Gaspe approximately 30 nm east of Matane, Quebec.

Reported by Kent Malo

Port Reports - September 29

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel
As of late Thursday morning, only Polsteam's Pomorze Zachodnie was in port. It continued to load at the Nidera elevator.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The McKee Sons was unloading at the Board of Light and Power dock on Harbor Island on Thursday.

Door County - C. Hank
The Joseph Block passed through Port de Morte Passage and at 5:37 pm CDT, passed Waverly Shoal Buoy headed toward the departure buoy in Lake Michigan. She is headed downbound from Escanaba.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey and Gordy Garris
The lower Saginaw River was cluttered with boats on Thursday. The Wolverine arrived on the Saginaw River early Thursday morning, calling on the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City. After unloading, she turned in the basin at the West end of the dock then held station for a short time to allow the Canadian Transfer to make a dock downriver. Once there the Wolverine passed through Independence Bridge and was outbound for the lake.
The Canadian Transfer called on the North Star dock in Essexville to unload potash. After a short unload, she turned off the dock and was outbound for the lake.
Across the river from the Transfer was the tug Barbara Andrie and barge A-390. The pair tied up briefly at the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City to await her fleetmate to depart the Bit-Mat dock where she was unloading. The tug Rebecca Lynn and her tank barge A-410 departed Bit-Mat once the Wolverine cleared downbound and headed out for the lake. This cleared the way for the Barbara Andrie to make the dock to unload asphalt.
Also down bound right behind the Wolverine was the tug Duluth and her barges on their way to the Confined Disposal Island.
The tug Fischer Hayden was tied up at the Essroc dock with a loaded deck barge of stone.

Goderich - Dale Baechler
A busy Friday morning at Sifto Salt with Algorail loading, Algoway waiting at the new harbour dock to shift over and Canadian Transfer at anchor out in the lake waiting to come into port.

Twin Ports - Al Miller
The turning basin off the Duluth port terminal was the �hot corner� about 7:30 a.m. Friday as the outbound St. Clair, loaded with coal, passed the inbound American Integrity, headed to Midwest Energy Terminal.
Presque Isle was docked at the port terminal, ballasted down by the stern and apparently undergoing repair.
Not far away, BBC India continued to load at the port terminal and Federal Nakagawa remained under the loader at the AGP grain elevator.

Updates - September 29

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 29

September 29, 1930, for the first time in the history of Pittsburgh Steamship Company, the boats of the fleet loaded more than one million tons in a 7 day period. The 64 Pittsburgh boats loaded 1,002,092 tons of cargo between 9/23 and 9/29.

The J H SHEADLE (Hull#22) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works, was launched September 29, 1906 , for the Grand Island Steamship Co. (Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co., Cleveland, Ohio, mgr.) Renamed b.) F A BAILEY in 1924, c.) LA SALLE in 1930. Sold Canadian in 1965, renamed d.) MEAFORD, and e.) PIERSON INDEPENDENT in 1979. She was scrapped at Santander, Spain in 1980.

Henry Ford II, 70, of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, passed away on September 29, 1987. Mr. Ford's namesake was the Ford Motor Company self-unloader.

On September 29, 1986, the Polish tug KORAL left Lauzon, Quebec with the JOHN E F MISENER and GOLDEN HIND enroute to Cartagena / Mamonal, Columbia for scrapping.

September 29, 1892 - The ANN ARBOR NO 1 was launched.

On 29 September 1872, ADRIATIC (3 mast wooden schooner-barge, 139 foot, 129 net tons, built in 1865, at Clayton, New York as a bark) was in tow of the tug MOORE along with three other barges in Lake Erie in a heavy gale. She became separated from the tow and foundered. The entire crew of 7 was lost. The wooden schooner DERRICK was used in salvage operations. On 29 September 1854, she had just positioned herself above the wreck of the steamer ERIE off Silver Creek, New York on Lake Erie when she went down in a gale. She had spent the summer trying to salvage valuables from the wreck of the steamer ATLANTIC.

On 29 September 1900, the steamer SAKIE SHEPARD was re-launched at Anderson�s shipyard in Marine City. She had been thoroughly rebuilt there during the summer.

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

Duluth Foghorn is Gone, Probably for Good

9/28 - Duluth - In case you haven't noticed the absence of a familiar sound on Duluth's waterfront, the port's old diaphone foghorn has not issued a single bellow all season. And on Tuesday, members of TOOT, the nonprofit group that owns the horn, began dismantling the massive brass, steel and iron beast.

Eric Ringsred, one of TOOT's founders, blames the city and the U.S. Coast Guard for the foghorn's demise. "We're removing it because of a total lack of commitment," he said. "Partnering with the Coast Guard and the city was a bad idea to start with."

The horn was rendered inoperable when three-phase electrical wiring to the end of the Duluth Entry's south pier failed late last year. Chief Mark Brookmole, the officer in charge of the Coast Guard's Aids to Navigation team in Duluth, said federal equipment on the pier functions fine with single-phase power, and he couldn't justify the expenditure of tax money to restore three-phase electricity to the structure. The Coast Guard has replaced the foghorn with a much smaller, higher-pitched horn some traditionalists have derided as a "peanut horn."

Brookmole said he notified city officials of the situation and gave Duluth the option of restoring three-phase power to the pier at its own cost. Dick Larson, Duluth's director of public works, said repowering the pier probably would cost about $15,000.

But he said the Coast Guard also told the city that if it wanted to continue to operate the old diaphone foghorn as an aid to navigation, it should assume responsibility for all round-the-clock foghorn operations. Along with shouldering that responsibility, the city also learned it would be required to assume all liability for maritime accidents related to the foghorn's operation. "That was something the city was not willing to do," Larson said. "We were in a tough situation. It was pretty clear the city couldn't take over full responsibility from the Coast Guard."
The Duluth City Council was apprised of the situation late last fall but took no action.

Thom Holden, director of the Lake Superior Maritime Museum, said the sound of the foghorn has been missed. "It was a really nice auditory reminder of what the waterfront was like in its early days," he said. Holden mused that perhaps a public campaign could have been mounted to raise money to keep the foghorn operating.

But Larson said that even if a fundraising campaign was successful, it would not resolve the liability issues confronting the city. Larson said there has been no discernible public outcry over the discontinued operation of the foghorn. "Almost a year has gone by without the foghorn, and I haven't heard much," he said.

Back in 1968, Duluth's original foghorn was decommissioned by the Coast Guard. Its replacement, an electric whistle, was not to the tastes of nostalgic residents who formed TOOT -- short for reTurn Our Old Tone -- and raised nearly $100,000 to return an old-style foghorn to the harbor.

With Congressman Jim Oberstar's help, TOOT acquired a foghorn from Kewaunee, Wis., after it was retired from service there in 1981. The old foghorn wasn't warmly received by everyone in Duluth, however. Some residents complained the diaphone was too loud and disturbed their sleep.

Ron Thompson, an assistant hotel manager at Fitger's Inn, said the foghorn sometimes disturbed resting guests. "When it went off, you could hear it in here clear as day, even with the windows closed," Thompson said. In response to complaints, the city restricted the diaphone's hours of operation to between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. "We kept compromising on the hours of operation, and in the end it was compromised right out of existence," Ringsred said. "It might have been better if we had been a little more militant."

The future of the disassembled diaphone horn remains uncertain. "I hope it will go somewhere where it will be heard and appreciated," said Ringsred, adding that he has received inquiries from ports as near as Two Harbors, and from as far away as San Francisco.

Tom Cox, a TOOT member and lifelong Duluthian, said Duluth's failure to preserve the foghorn is "a big mistake." "If you grew up here, you never gave the sound of the foghorn another thought," he said. "It just blended in so well with the seagulls, the ore boats and the bridge horn. You only really missed it after it was gone."

From the Duluth News-Tribune

Lakes Iron Ore Trade Strong Again in August
Shipments Up More Than 11 Percent

9/28 - Cleveland---Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway continued to gain strength in August. Loadings totaled 6.7 million net tons, an increase of 11.3 percent compared to a year ago. The month also outperformed its 5-year average by more than 7 percent.

While the cargo totals are positive, the trade continues to be affected lack of adequate dredging at ports and waterways. The top loads continued to fall short of vessels� rated capacities. Further aggravating the dredging problem are below average water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron. Six of the seven U.S. iron ore loading ports are located on Lake Superior. The seventh, Escanaba, Michigan, is on the north shore of Lake Michigan.

Water levels are cyclical and the result of uncontrollable factors such as decreased precipitation and increased evaporation. However, the lack of adequate dredging is the consequence of continued shortfalls in tax-generated Federal funds appropriated to maintain the Great Lakes system. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates it would cost more than $200 million to clear the backlog of dredging projects throughout the Great Lakes.

For the year, the Lakes/Seaway iron ore trade stands at 37.3 million net tons, an increase of more than 6 percent over both a year ago and the 5-year average for the January-August timeframe.

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

Source: Lake Carriers� Association

Steel Imports Declined from July to August

9/28 - Duluth - Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, total steel imports in August declined 7.6 percent compared to July, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Total imports in August were 3.9 million net tons, including 3.1 million net tons of finished steel. Finished steel imports declined 9.3 percent decline compared to July.

Year-to-date total and finished steel imports are up 42 percent compared to last year.

On an annualized basis, total steel imports would reach an all-time record 46.2 million net tons and finished imports would set a new record of 36.6 million net tons.

For the second straight month, China was the single largest steel importer with 531,000 net tons. Imports in August from China were 186 percent higher than in 2005 and this year would reach about 5 million tons, according to the AISI.

A record surge in imports is being led by countries with a history of unfair trading, said Louis Schorsch, AISI chairman and chief executive officer of Mittal Steel's Flat Products Americans.

From the Duluth News-Tribune

Ports Reports - September 28

South Chicago - David Riley
The John Sherwin's South Chicago dock is tucked between two elevators off the Bishop Ford north of 130th Street. The C. T. C. No. 1 is near the same elevators. Both boats are hard to get for pictures unless you have a boat on the Calumet River.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
Arthur M. Anderson loaded overnight Tuesday-Wednesday at the Norfolk Southern coal dock for Gladstone, Mi.

Early Wednesday morning, the Canadian Enterprise was loading at the coal dock. Her last port was Nanticoke, Ontario, where she delivered western coal.

Indiana Harbor - Brian Z.
The Pineglen arrived at Mittal Steel's east dock on Wednesday at 2:00 pm. She was loaded with QCM ore. The unloading was expected to be completed sometime late Thursday morning/early afternoon.

South Chicago/Calumet River - Tom Milton
The Sam Champlain / Integrity was at LaFarge at the south end of the Calumet River. The St Marys Challenger was not in port.
The Wilfred Sykes was leaving Mittal Steel at Indiana Harbor, just as the James Barker was calling 45 minutes out and inbound for Mittal.

Updates - September 28

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 28

On September 28, 1980, the BURNS HARBOR entered service, departing Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin bound for Superior, Wisconsin to load pellets.

THOMAS WILSON left Toledo on September 28, 1987, in tow of the tug TUSKER for overseas scrapping. WILSON has been laid up since December 16, 1979.

On 28 September 1891, THOMAS PARSONS (2 mast wooden schooner, 135 foot, 350 tons, built in 1868, at Charlotte, New York) was carrying coal out of Ashtabula, Ohio when she foundered in a storm a few miles off Fairport in Lake Erie.

On 28 September 1849, W G BUCKNER (wooden schooner, 75 foot, 107 tons, built in 1837, at Irving, New York) was carrying lumber in a storm on Lake Michigan when she sprang a leak, then capsized. The man to whom the cargo belonged was aboard with his wife and five children. One child was washed overboard while the wife and three children died of exposure. The schooner ERWIN took off the survivors plus the bodies.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Mike Nicholls, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample. The books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

c. Columbus Scrapes Bottom: Escapes Unharmed
City officials scramble to get approval for emergency dredging of marina approach

9/27 - Sault Ste. Marie, ON - A local marine contractor conducted a survey of the waters off the Bondar Marina dock face Tuesday following reports of a cruise ship "scraping bottom" Monday morning as it attempted to dock. City council learned Monday that the captain of the MS Columbus reported touching bottom on his maiden voyage into the port of Sault Ste. Marie for the 2006 cruising season.

No damage had been reported to the 14,000-tonne vessel but two future stops in the Sault, scheduled for Oct. 5 and Oct. 16, could be jeopardized unless the situation is rectified, according to a report to council from Joe Fratesi, the city's chief administrative officer.

Council approved single-sourcing of dredging the marina approach to the appropriate depth to Purvis Marine at a cost not to exceed $50,000. "We dredged the approach to a depth of 21 feet a few years back but have been advised (by Lock Tours Canada-Boat Cruises, which operates out of the marina) that several high spots have since formed in front of the dock at the 16-and-a-half-foot level," said the city's CAO.

Cruise ships, including the 144-metre long Columbus, require a minimum 17 feet of clearance to safely moor along the dock facing. "It could be the result of anything from low water levels to sedimentation and wave action in the river. Regardless, it must be addressed," said Fratesi.

Purvis Marine has advised local authorities they are available to do the necessary work, and if committed immediately, should be completed prior to the return of the Columbus in nine days. Preliminary estimates on the dredging were in the range of $25,000 to $50,000, depending on bottom survey results, said the CAO, and Purvis staff were expected to survey 200 feet out into the St. Mary's River on Tuesday.

City staff were scrambling to "expedite regulatory approvals" from Natural Resources Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, essentially pertaining to fish habitat, as well as the Conservation Authority, for fill removal. Funding for the emergency dredging will come from the 2006 Unforeseen Account.

The Columbus is a 210-cabin vessel with a mainly European clientele whose passengers spend their half-day layovers in the Sault on day excursions to area attractions. The five-star luxury vessel, with capacity for 420 passengers, as well as a 170-member crew, has docked at the Sault nine of the past 10 years.

It was the first passenger liner to moor along the waterfront in 14 years when it arrived on its maiden voyage in 1997. The MS Columbus the first of as many as three cruise liners which would visit in the coming years.

From the Sault Star

Port Reports - September 27

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
The CSL Niagara loaded Sunday at Sandusky's Norfolk Southern coal dock, departing late in the afternoon for an undisclosed Canadian port, possibly Hamilton, Ontario.
At mid-day Tuesday, the Interlake steamer Herbert C. Jackson was positioned under the loading chute at the coal dock.
The Calumet loaded Monday at the Norfolk Southern coal dock for Green Bay.

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel
Tuesday afternoon Polish Steamship's Pomorze Zachodnie (1985, 591 ft)was loading at the Nidera Elevator, while Athena Marine Co.'s Federal Weser (2002, 652 ft; under charter to Federal Navigation) was loading at Pier 2 in the outer harbor.

Marinette/Menominee Scott Best
Its been a busy week and half in port around Menominee and Marinette with several vessels delivering cargos of salt, stone, pig iron and coal to Marinette Fuel and Dock and the launch of the Navy LCS over the weekend. Early Tuesday morning the American Courage made a rare trip to Marinette with a load of coal for MF&D from Conneaut Ohio. Its been several years since Fuel and Dock handled any coal cargoes.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The tug Karen Andrie come in with the barge A-397 trailing behind her on a wire, go under the breakwall, and switch out of pull gear, go into the notch in push mode, and then head across the North Entrance for the Block Rock Canal around noon Tuesday.

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
Tuesday morning the Wolverine arrived at Lafarge and tied up at the coal dock. The Wolverine unloaded coal and finished before 4:00pm, backing out to turn around and head for Stoneport.
The J.A.W Iglehart returned to Alpena on Tuesday, after leaving temp. lay-up in Muskegon. It took on cement for Superior, WI and was outbound after 5:00pm.
The G.L Ostrander/barge Integrity is expected to be in port Wednesday morning.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The CSL Tadoussac called on the Essroc dock in Essexville to unload early Sunday morning. After her unload, she backed from the dock and out to Light 12 in the Saginaw Bay before turning and heading for the lake.
On Tuesday, the tug Manitou escorted the Algosar to the Ashland-Marathon dock in Bay City, turning her around in the river and assisting her to the dock. The Algosar arrived light to load product at Ashland-Marathon.

Holland - Bob VandeVusse
The Earl W. Oglebay came through the Holland channel late Tuesday afternoon. She delivered a load of stone to the Brewer dock, at the far east end of Lake Macatawa.

Updates - September 27

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 27

September 27, 1959 The West Neebish Channel, through which downbound traffic normally passes, was temporarily closed to permit dredging to the maximum Seaway depth of 27 feet. Two-way traffic was instituted in the Middle Neebish Channel until dredging was completed.

On 27 September 1877, the HIPPOGRIFFE (wooden schooner, 295 tons, built in 1864, at Buffalo, New York) had just left Chicago for Buffalo, loaded with oats, on a fine day with clear weather. The crew saw EMMA A COYNE (wooden schooner, 155 foot, 497 tons, built in 1867, at Detroit, Michigan) approaching from a long way off loaded with lumber. The two vessels� skippers were brothers. The two schooners collided about 20 miles off Kenosha, Wisconsin. The COYNE came along side and picked up the HIPPOGRIFFE's crew a few minutes before that vessel rolled over and dove for the bottom.

The CITY OF GENOA arrived with the first cargo of iron ore for the new factory at Zug Island. Reported in the The Detroit Free Press on September 28, 1903.

The H M GRIFFITH experienced a smoky conveyor belt fire at Port Colborne, Ontario on September 27, 1989. Repairs were completed there.

The ROGER M KYES proceeded to Chicago for dry-docking, survey and repairs on September 27, 1976. She had struck bottom in Buffalo Harbor September 22, 1976 sustaining holes in two double bottom tanks and damage to three others.

The GEORGE M HUMPHREY under tow, locked through the Panama Canal from September 27, 1986, to the 30th on her way to the cutters torch at Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

The tanker IMPERIAL COLLINGWOOD (Hull#137) was launched September 27, 1947, at Collingwood, Ontario by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. for Imperial Oil Ltd., Toronto, Ontario. Renamed b.) SEAWAY TRADER in 1979, sold off the Lakes in 1984, renamed c.) PATRICIA II, d.) BALBOA TRADER in 1992.

September 27, 1909 - The ANN ARBOR NO 4 entered service after being repaired from her capsizing at Manistique, Michigan the previous May.

On 27 September 1884, WALDO A AVERY (wooden propeller, 204 foot, 1,294 gross tons) was launched at West Bay City, Michigan. Her construction had been subcontracted by F.W. Wheeler & Co. to Thomas F. Murphy.

On 27-29 September 1872, a big storm swept the lower Lakes. Here are the Lake Huron tragedies. The barges HUNTER and DETROIT were destroyed. The tug SANDUSKY rescued the 21 survivors for them. The schooner CORSAIR foundered off Sturgeon Point on Saginaw Bay at 4:00 pm on Sunday the 29th and only 2 of the crew survived. The barge A LINCON was ashore one mile below Au Sable with no loss of life. The barge TABLE ROCK went ashore off Tawas Point and went to pieces. All but one of her crew was lost. The schooner WHITE SQUALL was sunk ten miles off Fish Point -- only one crewman was saved. The schooner SUMMIT went ashore at Fish Point, 7 miles north of Tawas with two lives lost.

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

Clipper Kristin Update

9/26 - Clipper Kristin is upbound at Iroquois Lock at Monday, bound for Lake Ontario. The tugs Duga and Ocean Jupiter have returned to their base in the lower St. Lawrence River.

Reported by Ron Beaupre

Original Article - 9/23 - St. Lawrence River - The tanker Clipper Kristen went aground at Camerons Crab near Camerons Island in the St. Lawrence Seaway at 3:35 p.m. Friday. The tanker is upbound for Mississauga, Ontario.

The vessel reported they lost power and that the vessels is out of the channel. The Clipper Kristen is not taking on water and no leakage from the liquid cargo was visible.

The 380-foot (116-meter) vessel was told not to try to move as a team from Transport Safety Board will assess the damage.

Camerons Island is near where the Toro went aground last week. Traffic continues to pass the grounded vessel at a reduced speed and one way traffic is permitted only.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

Camilla Desgagnes Disabled and Replaced

9/26 - Tug Ocean Foxtrot left Baie Comeau on Saturday to head north to recover Camilla Desgagnes for an eventual tow back to the St-Lawrence for permanent repairs to her main engine.

Repairs on site were unsuccessful and the vessel has to be towed back.

As a temporary replacement, the soon to be sold, Mathilda Desgagnes was reactivated yet again for another northern run. She left her lay-up berth in Quebec City on Sunday for Montreal and C�te Ste. Catharine to load.

Reported by Bruno Boissonneault

Hornblower to Buy Coastal Cruisers
Cape May Light to Sail Again

9/26 - Hornblower Marine Services has reached a tentative deal with the Maritime Administration to purchase the much-maligned costal cruisers Cape May Light and Cape Cod Light.

Hornblower hopes to have one vessel in operation on the Great Lakes in the spring of 2008 and the other in service a year later. The two 224-passenger, 300-foot vessels have been tied up near Jacksonville, Florida since the 2001 bankruptcy of former owner American Classic Voyages, Inc.

"We saw an opportunity to acquire great assets at an attractive price point", said John Waggoner, president and CEO of New Albany, Indiana-based Hornblower. Price and terms were not disclosed. Industry sources have estimated that the vessels would be sold for about $10 million each, with another $10 million needed for refurbishment.

Marad spokesman Shannon Russell confirmed the agency was talking with Hornblower and hoped to finalize the deal by the end of the year. Hornblower was still arranging financing, and Waggoner said he was optimistic.

Once the purchase is complete, the vessels will need some work. The Cape Cod Light needs a galley and all certifications have expired. The vessels' builder, Atlantic Marine, Inc., may do some of the work, Waggoner said.

From Workboat magazine

Ed Note - Hornblower Marine Services provides marine management and consulting to state, federal and private clients in need of professional turnkey vessel management systems. We help our clients meet changing market conditions through effective and experienced cost effective solutions.

Pictures in the News Photo Gallery

USS Freedom Makes a Splash at Marinette Launch
Unique combat ship will stay docked through winter

9/26 - Marinette, WI - Champagne still cascading from its bow, the sleek yet towering body of the USS Freedom slid into the waters of the Menominee River and launched a new era of naval ships on Saturday morning. Hundreds of people on both sides of the river gathered to watch as Marinette became the birthplace of the Littoral Combat Ship, including employees of the Marinette Marine Corp. who built the ship with partners Lockheed Martin, Navy representatives and government leaders.

Freedom marks a new breed of more agile, faster and multifaceted ships, which will fight in shallow coastal � or littoral � areas. The ship can be configured for three types of missions: anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface and minesweeping. "It has flexibility to deal with change� it will be able to be very relevant in years to come," said Admiral Michael Mullen, chief of naval operations.

The Navy's fleet is generally suited for open seas, but plans are in place for about 55 of these newer ships to be added over the next 30 years. The concept was developed about three and a half years ago by Mullen's predecessor, Admiral Vernon Clark. In May 2004, the Navy awarded contracts to Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors and General Dynamics. Lockheed, a longtime partner with Marinette Marine Corp., is building two ships � Freedom and one in Lockport, La.

For Marinette resident and Vietnam veteran Jim Davis, a 39-year employee of the Marinette Marine Corp., Saturday's launch was an impressive sight as well as a celebration of the work that went into the ship's creation. "Every employee put a lot of time into this," Davis said. "It's nice to know we're giving our country quality ships." More than 1,000 employees were involved in creating Freedom, the biggest project for Marinette Marine to date, according to Robert Herre, president of the Manitowoc Marine Group that owns Marinette Marine.

The ship still needs to be detailed and will continue to dock in Marinette through the fall and the winter. Next year, it will take its maiden voyage into open seas through the St. Lawrence seaway and around the country, eventually heading to its home port in San Diego, Calif. The ship was christened by Birgit Smith of Tampa, Fla., widow of Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, who was killed in Iraq and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

"The name says it all � freedom doesn't come free � it's not only for him, there are so many other service members out there," Smith said.

From the Green Bay Press Gazette

Pictures in the News Photo Gallery

New Mackinaw Almost Ready

9/26 -Sturgeon Bay - The cutter Mackinaw, the newest, most sophisticated ship in the U.S. Coast Guard fleet, went into dry dock Saturday, Sept. 16, at Bay Shipbuilding Co. The $90 million Mackinaw arrived in Sturgeon Bay in August for warranty work little more than a year after being built at Marinette Marine Co. All the work must be done by mid-October, when the Mackinaw is scheduled to return to her home port of Cheboygan, Mich.

The ship, WLBB 30, is totally different from her predecessor, the wide-bodied cutter Mackinaw, WAGB 83. Each is a one-of-a-kind. The WAGB-83 was built during World War II to keep Great Lakes shipping lanes open for war production. The heavy, 75-foot-wide ship was strictly an icebreaker, with limited search and rescue assignments.

By contrast, the new Mackinaw, WLBB 30, �is a multi-mission� ship, said her captain, Cmdr. John Little. Ice breaking remains a winter priority, he said. �We�re the biggest icebreaker, and we go where there�s the biggest ice,� Little said. But the new Mackinaw also will handle buoy tending duties in spring and fall on lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior. She also has assignments in hazardous materials cleanup, drug enforcement, search and rescue, and homeland security, Little said.

More unique than its diverse mission is how the ship is powered. �She has no rudder, no propeller,� said Ensign Jeannette Killen. Instead, the Mackinaw has three diesels to generate electric power that is used for propulsion and �housekeeping.�

And propulsion, Killen said, comes from electricity directed through azi-pods - two engines mounted beneath the ships in torpedo-shaped housings that can move through 360-degrees of arc. By moving the pods and the bow thruster, Killen said, power can be channeled to give the ship both direction and speed. The pods make Mackinaw �extremely maneuverable,� said Killen, an assistant navigator, or �boat driver.�

Practicing with an onboard simulator, drivers Killen and Ensign Matt Kempe continually pit their skills against the computerized standards for maneuvering the ship. The simulator is the only training base because there is no other ship or operating system like it, Killen said. When the standard says to take the Mackinaw from zero to 10 knots through 2 feet of plate ice, Killen can put the ship through her paces in the recommended time, and push the limit a little to be better prepared for emergencies. She can stop the ship - 3.6 million pounds of steel and fixtures - in 4.28 minutes, almost half of the engineered standard of eight minutes. During �man overboard� drills, she can stop the ship in an amazing two boat lengths - 500 feet.

Operating the ship, Killen explained, has become a complex computer game with commands relayed electronically through a joystick that allows a geo-positioning satellite to direct the azi-pods to precise locations. The electronics allow a deck officer to lock in map coordinates on a buoy-tending operation that will hold the ship in position automatically.

The computerized gizmos aboard Mackinaw give the ship officers the ability to �see� and precisely identify ships - and their courses and speeds - from 12 or more miles away. On the bridge, charts can be brought up on computer screens and interfaced with the ship operating systems to keep her on course. Paper maps are no longer required, but are stored in cabinets.

With so many automated systems, the crew is smaller and there is no longer a helmsman to respond to spoken orders from the deck officer. Instead, Little and the navigation officers -- Kempe and Killen - must stay in constant communication. The computerized system and multiple monitors give the officers �a good picture of what�s going on without having to be everywhere on the ship at one time,� Kempe said. The links between the officers and the ship include closed circuit television monitors of diesels and mechanical systems and computerized imaging of the internal workings of the systems. The main monitors are on the bridge, but others are located throughout the ship for easy access by Little and his staff.

Like any other working ship, the Mackinaw has its own kitchen - galley - and dining rooms, medical treatment room and living quarters (the smaller crew means more space for the sailors in two- and four-person rooms. The gym, outfitted like a small version of the YMCA, �gets a lot of use,� Little said. There are firefighting stations, environmental suits for outdoor work in cold and inclement weather; and the buoy deck is heated to prevent ice buildup and provide safer footing.

�We�re working with new techology,� Little said. �The crew is getting to know the ship better.�

From the Door County Advocate

Updates - September 26

News Photo Gallery updated

Click here for more information

Today in Great Lakes History - September 26

September 26, 1930, the schooner OUR SON, originally launched in 1875, sank during a storm on Lake Michigan. Seventy-three year old Captain Fred Nelson the crew of OUR SON were rescued by the self unloader WILLIAM NELSON.

September 26, 1937, the Canadian Seaman's Union signed a tentative wage contract. Sailors would continue a two watch system (working 12 hours every 24 hours) and be paid the following monthly wages: Wheelsmen and Oilers - $72.50, Watchmen and firemen - $67.50, Second Cooks - $52.50, deckhands and coal passers - $50.00, porters - $45.00, Chief Cooks on the Upper Lakes - $115.00, and Chief Cooks on Canal boats $105.00.

September 26, 1957, Taconite Harbor, Minnesota loaded its first cargo of 10,909 tons of taconite pellets into the holds of the Interlake steamer J A CAMPBELL.

On 26 September 1892, JOHN BURT (3-mast wooden schooner, 138 foot, 348 gross tons, built in 1871, at Detroit, Michigan) was carrying grain in a strong northwest gale. Her rudder broke and she was blown past the mouth of Oswego harbor and was driven hard aground. Two died when the vessel struck. The U.S. Lifesaving Service rescued the remaining five crew members. The vessel quickly broke up in the waves.

The CHI-CHEEMAUN cleared the shipyard on September 26, 1974.

The H M GRIFFITH was christened on September 26, 1973 at Collingwood for Canada Steamship Lines.

The C.C.G.S. GRIFFON (Hull#664) was launched September 26, 1969 by Davie Shipbuilding Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec for the Canadian Coast Guard.

ROGER M KYES returned to service on September 26, 1984, she had grounded off McLouth Steel and ended crosswise in the Detroit River's Trenton Channel a month before. She was renamed b.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS in 1989.

The BELLE RIVER was side swiped by the Liberian FEDERAL RHINE, of 1977, at Duluth on September 26, 1985. Both vessels received minor damage.

On 26 September 1914, MARY N BOURKE (wooden schooner-barge, 219 foot, 920 gross tons, built in 1889, at Baraga, Michigan) was docked at Peter's Lumber Dock in St. Mary's Bay, 15 miles north of St. Ignace, Michigan. The crew was awakened at 9:30-10:00 p.m. by smoke coming from her hold and they escaped. The BOURKE burned to the waterline and the fire spread ashore, destroying the dock and a pile of lumber.

At 3:00 a.m., 26 September 1876, the steam barge LADY FRANKLIN burned while moored near Clark's dock, about three miles from Amherstburg, Ontario in the Detroit River. One life was lost. This vessel had been built in 1861, as a passenger steamer and ran between Cleveland, Ohio and Port Stanley, Ontario. In 1874, she was converted into a lumber freighter, running primarily between Saginaw, Michigan and Cleveland. The burned hull was rebuilt in 1882.

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

Toro Update

9/25 - Montreal - The salt water vessel Toro which had grounded earlier this month at Cornwall Island is still in Montreal at shed 3 in the upper harbor. Delays are usually caused by litigation, insurance, deciding if they have to offload and repair the vessel.

The only dry docking facilities are at Les Mechins, Quebec, Verreault Ship Yard, as all other shipyards are now closed.

Les Mechins is East of Matane, Quebec.

Reported by Kent Malo

Port Reports - September 25

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The Earl W. Oglebay paid its second visit of this season and its first since it was sold to Wisconsin & Michigan Steamship Company. The Oglebay Norton emblem had been removed off the stack but not yet painted over. At 10:30 a.m. on Sunday it was unloading at Verplank�s.

Alpena & Stoneport - Ben & Chanda McClain
On Thursday morning the Wolverine brought a load of coal to Lafarge and unloaded throughout the day. By 6 p.m. the Wolverine was seen heading out into the lake.
On Friday morning the Alpena was in port taking on cement for Whitefish, ON. The G.L. Ostrander/barge Integrity was waiting offshore for the Alpena's departure. Both vessels saluted each other as they passed out in the bay.
In the early morning hours of Saturday the Calumet unloaded a cargo of stone for L&S Transit Mix Co. at the Alpena Oil Dock. The Calumet loaded the stone Friday night at Stoneport.
Also returning to port Saturday night after a quick trip across the lake, was the Alpena.
The Samuel de Champlain/barge Innovation is expected on Monday morning.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
At 9 p.m. Sunday the American Fortitude called the Ohio St. Bridge and asked for a lift. The vessel reported that they will be shifting with a tug at the stern. This trip was unusual since the boat loaded in Sarnia, which she doesn't do very often and also since it's her first trip up to ADM.

Charlevoix - Alex Fletcher
Brisk northwest winds brought waves crashing and splashing into the piers and beach at Charlevoix over the weekend. Many spectators came to watch the lake, but one didn't resist getting suited up, grabbing his surfboard, and giving the waves a try. He had mild success, but seemed to enjoy simply paddling around in the waves.

Freighter Cruise Auction - Final Week

9/25 - Final week, a Trip Auction for a cruise aboard the Saginaw. Auction ends October 2, this is likely going to be one of the last auctions for some time.

Boat trips are rare, auctions are even rarer. Most trips are made available to the public only through raffles. This is a rare chance to guarantee a cruise on a working freighter.

Current Bid: $3,100

Updates - September 25

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 25

In tandem tow, the MENIHEK LAKE and LEON FALK JR arrived at Vigo, Spain on September 25, 1985. The MENIHEK LAKE was scrapped at Vigo, and the FALK was towed to Gij�n, Spain for scrapping.

The HENRY C FRICK departed Bay City on her maiden voyage on September 25, 1905 and rammed and damaged the Michigan Central Railroad Bridge at Bay City.

On 25 September 1869, COMMENCEMENT (2-mast wooden schooner, 75 foot, 73 tons, built in 1853, at Holland, Michigan) was carrying wood in her hold and telegraph poles on deck from Pentwater, Michigan for Milwaukee when she sprang a leak 20 miles off Little Sable Point on Lake Michigan. The incoming water quickly overtook her pump capacity. As the crew was getting aboard the lifeboat, she turned turtle. The crew clung to the upturned hull for 30 hours until the passing steamer ALLEGHENY finally rescued them. COMMENCEMENT later washed ashore, a total wreck.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Clipper Kristin Update

9/24 - Noon Update - Sunday at 9:45 a.m. the Group Ocean tugs Duga and Ocean Jupiter pulled the grounded tanker Clipper Kristen off of Camerons Crab, in the St. Lawrence Seaway near Summerstown, Ontario.

It is reported Clipper Kristen will go to the Ste. Zotique, Quebec Lac St Francois Anchorage for assessment.

Walter Statham & Kent Malo

9/24 - The Groupe Ocean tugs Ocean Jupiter (4000 HP) and Duga (4620 HP) were upbound Saturday afternoon. The tugs were heading to re-float the tanker Clipper Kristin.

The Clipper Kristen is aground on Camerons Crab. This area is near Camerons Island, parallel to Summerstown, Ontario, 60 miles West of Montreal in the St Lawrence Seaway.

Little is known at this time what caused the grounding or how much damage was inflicted to the vessel. It was reported that the vessel is not taking on water and there was no visible leakage. Waterborne traffic continues to pass one vessel at a time and at a reduced speed

Reported by Kent Malo and Ron Beaupre

Original Article - 9/23 - St. Lawrence River - The tanker Clipper Kristen went aground at Camerons Crab near Camerons Island in the St. Lawrence Seaway at 3:35 p.m. Friday. The tanker is upbound for Mississauga, Ontario.

The vessel reported they lost power and that the vessels is out of the channel. The Clipper Kristen is not taking on water and no leakage from the liquid cargo was visible.

The 380-foot (116-meter) vessel was told not to try to move as a team from Transport Safety Board will assess the damage.

Camerons Island is near where the Toro went aground last week. Traffic continues to pass the grounded vessel at a reduced speed and one way traffic is permitted only.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

Lee A. Tregurtha Update

9/24 - The re-powered Lee A. Tregurtha is scheduled to load in Escanaba on the 27th for Mittal in Indiana Harbor.

This will keep her on Lake Michigan, should any fine tuning be necessary. The Tregurtha entered Bay Shipbuilding on January 9, 2006 for repowering.

Reported by Frank Frisk

Port Reports - September 24

Lake Superior - Tim Eldred
American Valor was at anchor Saturday off of the western end of Madeline Island waiting out high northeast winds on Lake Superior.

Two Harbors - Tom Milton
Arthur M. Anderson was ready to depart Two Harbors on Saturday, but was waiting for the weather to settle down.

Saginaw River - Gordy Garris & Todd Shorkey
The tug Olive L. Moore and the barge Lewis J. Kuber were inbound the Saginaw River Saturday morning with a split load for the Wirt Stone docks in Bay City and Saginaw. Once the outbound tug Duluth and her barges had cleared the Bay City Wirt dock, the Moore & the Kuber headed upriver to the Saginaw Wirt dock to finish unloading around 4:15 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The pair arrived at the Saginaw Wirt dock to unload at 6:30 p.m. Saturday evening. The pair are expected to be outbound the Saginaw River early Sunday morning. This was the pair's third consecutive trip to the Saginaw River since Monday.
The Sam Laud was inbound the Saginaw River late Saturday evening, calling on the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City. The Laud was expected to be outbound early Sunday morning.

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
The salty Bluebill arrived at Redpath Sugar Saturday afternoon assisted by the Groupe Ocean tugs. Stephen B. Roman was in at the Essroc dock unloading. Toronto Drydock Co.'s new tug M. R. Kane was out in the harbor on trials. CCG Simmonds came in around 6 p.m. to tie up for the night.
CCG Griffon was in on Thursday and departed Friday morning. The tug Americo Dean has been in port for a few days assisting with finishing off the new docks for the Port Authority's new ferry TCCA 1, which has been out in the harbor on trials/crew training most mornings since it arrived last week.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The G tug Washington earned her fee Sunday at 8 a.m. towing the Maumee stern first with the strong winds and waves out of the river. It took a lot of power to get the Maumee headed out through the breakwalls.

Riding the Rails
Depot's Hobo Fest lets wanderers share love of history and adventure

9/24 - Port Huron - Mitchell Porte, 6, stood in awe Friday as a coal-burning steam engine whistled a friendly hello in the form of a series of ear-splitting screams and steam blasts to passing freighter Mesabi Mineron the St. Clair River. The freighter's controllers, not to be outdone, bellowed their own horn back at the steam engine, which was parked near the Thomas Edison Depot Museum.

"That really screamed my ears off," said Mitchell, of Port Huron. Mitchell and his grandmother, Marcia Porte-Phillips of Port Huron, were learning about steam engines and the freedom of riding the rails at the Down by the Depot Hobo Fest.

Porte-Phillips, a retired third-grade teacher at Howard D Crull Elementary School, said the festival was a learning opportunity for both of them. "I'm just a grandma who is scratching her teacher itch," she said.

Visitors to the Hobo Fest can take tours of Flagg Coal Co. No. 75, a fully-restored, 1930 Vulcan steam engine. They also can learn about the hobo lifestyle and practice train safety while riding Canadian National Railroad's Little Obie miniature locomotive.

The festival continues Sunday.

From the Port Huron Times-Herald

Updates - September 24

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 24

On September 24th, the A H FERBERT went hard aground at the Cut-Off Channel's southeast bend of the St. Clair River. Six tugs, GLENADA, ELMORE M MISNER, BARBARA ANN, GLENSIDE, SHANNON and WM A WHITNEY, worked until late on the 26th to free her.

The EDMUND FITZGERALD's first cargo of taconite pellets was loaded September 24, 1958 at Silver Bay, Minnesota for Toledo, Ohio.

The PERE MARQUETTE 22 entered service September 24, 1924.

In early morning fog on the St. Clair River on September 24, 1962, the J L REISS was hit three glancing blows by U.S. Steel's SEWELL AVERY. The AVERY had lost control just below Robert's Landing and crossed the channel from the Canadian side and struck the J L REISS which was proceeding slowly by radar on the U.S. side.

On September 24, 1952, the CHARLES L HUTCHINSON entered service. This vessel was renamed b.) ERNEST R BREECH when it was sold to the Ford Motor Company in 1962, and it was given its present name, c.) KINSMAN INDEPENDENT, when it was sold to Kinsman Lines in 1988. She was sold Canadian converted to a motorship and renamed d.) VOYAGEUR INDEPENDENT in 2005.

On September 23, 1991, J W MC GIFFIN rescued several people in a 24 foot pleasure craft off Presque Ile State Park. The group had been disabled since the day before. They were taken aboard the McGIFFIN and their boat taken under tow. The MC GIFFIN was rebuilt with a new forward section and renamed b.) CSL NIAGARA in 1999.

September 24, 1924 - The PERE MARQUETTE 22 arrived at Ludington, Michigan on her maiden voyage.

On 24 September 1902, H.A. BARR (3 mast wooden schooner, 217 foot, 1,119 gross tons, built in 1893, at W. Bay City, Michigan) was in tow of the �saltie� THEANO with a load of iron ore in a storm 30 miles off Port Stanley in Lake Erie. She broke her tow line in giant waves and foundered. THEANO rescued her crew.

On 24 September 1879, the tug URANIA was towing the schooner S V R WATSON into Sand Beach at about noon when the schooner struck the tug amidships, cutting a hole in the hull and sinking her in three fathoms of water. No lives were lost.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, James Neumiller, Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Tanker Clipper Kristen Aground

9/23 - St. Lawrence River - The tanker Clipper Kristen went aground at Camerons Crab near Camerons Island in the St. Lawrence Seaway at 3:35 p.m. Friday. The tanker is upbound for Missisauga, Ontario.

The vessel reported they lost power and that the vessels is out of the channel. The Clipper Kristen is not taking on water and no leakage from the liquid cargo was visible.

The 380-foot (116-meter) vessel was told not to try to move as a team from Tansport Safety Board will assess the damage.

Camerons Island is near where the Toro went aground last week. Traffic continues to pass the grounded vessel at a reduced speed and one way traffic is permitted only.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

Coast Guard Plan for Practice Firing Zone Stirs Concerns

9/23 - Youngstown, NY - The U.S. Coast Guard barely made a sound as it laid plans to create a practice firing zone off Niagara County in Lake Ontario, and some of those who learned about it this week expressed concerns about the local impact.

"This is a prime fishing and prime sailing area," Douglas Stein, charter boat captain and president of the Niagara River Anglers Association, said about the plan to create 34 "safety zones" on the Great Lakes, including one between Youngstown and Wilson. The Coast Guard "has the whole lake," Stein said. "Why not 10 miles out, or near Golden Hill State Park [in the Town of Somerset]? I can't understand their thinking."

Coast Guard officials plan to use the zones two to three times a year for artillery training, including practice with the new N2 40 Bravo light machine gun - a small caliber standard NATO issue weapon - as well as rifles and 9 mm firearms. Coast Guardsmen will fire the weapons into floating targets, said Chief Petty Officer Robert Lanier of the Coast Guard's Ninth District, based in Cleveland.

Three of the Great Lakes safety zones will be in Lake Ontario, including one off the shore of Youngstown and others near Rochester and Oswego. Four sites on Lake Erie will be set up, mostly in Ohio, including a site near Sandusky Bay and near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. The proposed site off Niagara County is the closest to Buffalo. Lanier said these safety zone sites will be at least five miles offshore.

Stein said that distance from shore is a prime fishing area. He also noted that any sites on Lake Erie near Sandusky Bay would be in a prime walleye fishing spot. Stein said both he and Lake Ontario Trout Salmon President Joe Yaeger oppose the planned local site. He said he has been getting notifications about the Coast Guard plans in the last week.

Lanier said the Coast Guard will stress public safety during practices. He said the Coast Guard received some complaints during the public comment period, which was to have ended Aug. 31 but has now been extended to Nov. 13. Information about the zones, maps of the zones, and ways to respond electronically, by mail or by fax, are available online at www.uscgd9safetyzones.com.

Contacted by The Buffalo News on Thursday, Youngstown Yacht Club Commodore Gary Tisdale said it was the first he had heard about the safety zones. "It's disconcerting," he said. "I'm shocked that we weren't notified in any special mailings, but I'm not surprised" about the training. "It's overkill," Tisdale said. "The lake is not a friendly place anymore. The Coast Guard, Canadian Police and Border Patrol are over-patrolling. We are harassed out on the water. They board our boats all the time."

Youngstown Mayor Neil Riordan said he was not aware of the safety zones until he was contacted by the media. He said neither his office nor the village police force was contacted. "I guess they were keeping a tight wrap on it," Riordan said. "They have been increasing their security procedures, and I support that. [The Youngstown Coast Guard station] is very active in the community."

Riordan said he hopes the Coast Guard will outline what a safety zone is for those concerned about the proposal. Right now, Stein said, the closest meeting planned is in Cleveland.

From the Buffalo News

Ferry's Future Still Not Sealed
City open to other buyers as Euroferries deal languishes

9/23 - Rochester, NY - September 21, 2006) � Rochester's high-speed ferry has amassed a $1.5 million bill while docked in Charlotte this year � and its future is the most unclear it's been since Mayor Robert Duffy announced almost six months ago that the ship had been sold.

British buyer Euroferries Ltd. remains at the table and has agreed to pay some of the expenses. But the company has yet to secure money needed to close the $29.8 million deal. That has opened the door to other suitors with strong interest. "I think it's fair to say the city is keeping its options open," said City Councilman and ferry board president Benjamin Douglas.

Euroferries has pledged to pay $6,000 per day, dating from June 1, to cover expenses of maintaining the ship at the Port of Rochester. Through Aug. 31, those payments exceed actual expenses by $107,000, records show. But Corporation Counsel Thomas Richards, who is negotiating the sale, said adjustments at closing to cover such items as fuel on board would add to the total.

There are "a number of possible scenarios" if Euroferries is not the ultimate buyer, Richards said. He declined to discuss those publicly, saying it was premature and could prejudice the city's negotiating position. Adding greater urgency to negotiations: The St. Lawrence Seaway will close in late December, sealing off access to the Atlantic Ocean and the possibility for any overseas buyer to take the ship before next spring, when the seaway reopens. Neither Bornholms Trafikken of Denmark, which recently toured the ship, nor Euroferries responded to e-mails; company officials could not be reached by phone.

The city still has "some time to spare," said Richards. Financially, the city also has some wiggle room. City Council authorized spending up to $9.4 million to shut down the Rochester-to-Toronto service and sell the ship. More than $1.5 million remains unspent and uncommitted, after a $2.9 million yet-to-be-paid settlement with former manager Bay Ferries Great Lakes LLC.

Duffy announced the city was shutting down the ferry service Jan. 10, and said May 4 that the ship had been sold to Euroferries. The firm planned to start service on the English Channel and is looking for a second ship with plans to order a third. Duffy said the city has rejected offers from firms trying to undercut Euroferries' bid. "They're still in the deal, and they allege they're going to close it," Richards said of Euroferries, depicting sale negotiations as changing little in recent weeks. "There has been activity, including other parties, but that's not news."

Richards spends about three-fourths of his time on the ferry issue, Duffy said. The mayor himself is hounded with questions at every press event, and often starts off speeches with a quick no-news update on the ferry sale. "I can clearly understand the questions, because I have the same ones," Duffy said recently. "The ship is ready to set sail and move. I think the community is also ready for the ship to move."

From the Rochester Democarat and Chronicle

Researchers to Probe Decline in Great Lakes Water Levels

9/23 - Canada and the United States are launching a $17.5-million study to determine why water levels in the upper Great Lakes have declined to near-record lows. The study by the International Joint Commission will consider a number of possible causes, from climate change to erosion caused by dredging in the St. Clair River.

Environment Minister Rona Ambrose announced $500,000 for the study last week. But officials say that is just the first installment in what will be a major, five-year research effort. Ambrose noted that water levels in Georgian Bay together with Lakes Huron and Michigan were as much as 45 centimeters below average this summer. "Clearly, the health of this ecosystem has global significance," she told a news conference at Parry Sound. "Change is already upon us."

Huron and Michigan are at their lowest levels since the 1960s and Lake Superior is at its lowest since 1926, reports the Canadian Hydrology Service at Burlington, Ont. The decline has caused problems for navigation, recreation, power generation and the ecology of the area. Wetlands are drying up, docks are stranded and beaches in some areas are overgrown with weeds. "People that have lived along the shoreline and thought they have a million-dollar property no longer do, because instead of having a nice beach or a nice rocky shoreline in front, they've got muck with bulrushes growing in it," said Mary Muter of the Georgian Bay Association.

Citing a study by Blair Associates of Oakville, Muter said the Lake Huron-Michigan water level decreased by 2.4 cm between 2000 and 2005, which she described as a major drop. "If you converted half a centimetre into volume of water you'd be talking millions of gallons of water." Yet the lower lakes, Ontario and Erie, are at or slightly above normal levels, which has scientists baffled. Normally, water levels throughout the lakes would rise and fall more or less in tandem.

Computer models simulating climate change predict that water levels will decline throughout the Great Lakes, but don't explain why the upper lakes would be affected more than the others. "The real thing that's got everybody concerned is not only are Lake Michigan and Huron dropping, but they're dropping relative to Erie," said Frank Quinn, a hydrology consultant at Tecumseh, N.Y.

"The lakes have been low in the past, but the graphs show that all of a sudden starting probably in the late 1980s or early 1990s there came a major difference in the water levels. "If it was just generally low lake levels you would expect to find the same problem on Erie and Huron."

One possible explanation is that global warming has changed rainfall patterns, said Ralph Moulton at the Canadian Hydrology Service. There has been unusually low rainfall this year in Northern Ontario compared with the southern part of the province, but it's not clear if that is part of a trend. Another possible culprit is dredging in the St. Clair River when the St. Lawrence Seaway was being completed. The theory is that the dredging led to accelerated erosion, allowing increased outflow to Lake Erie. "By dredging they removed the hard covering core of the bottom sediments," said Muter. "Once you remove that layer you expose soft eroding clay to a very high current there."

She said there is a lot of concern about property values around Georgian Bay.

From the Canadian Press

Cleveland-Cliffs to Buy Brazilian Mining Firm

9/23 - Iron ore supplier Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc., has struck a deal to acquire 100 percent of a Brazilian mining firm.
Centennial Amapa owns 30 percent of the Amapa Project, a Brazilian iron ore project. The project also features a 192-kilometer railway and real estate on the banks of the Amazon River for development of an iron ore terminal. The project, currently under construction, is expected to produce 6.5 million tons of direct-reduced grade pellet feed per year once fully operational.

Under the deal, Cliffs would buy 100 percent of the Centennial Amapa shares for $133 million in U.S. funds. Cliffs would also provide technical support for construction and operation of the project. About $275 million in additional capital would be required for the project, according to a Cleveland-Cliffs news release.

Cleveland-Cliffs manages and holds ownership in six North American iron ore mines, including Hibbing Taconite, Northshore Mining Co. and United Taconite. Cliffs also holds majority ownership in Portman, an Australian iron ore producer.

Reported by Frank Frisk from the Duluth News-Tribune

Port Reports - September 23

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel
Friday afternoon the tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation were at the LaFarge dock in the inner harbor. The saltie Kapitan Vega was at Terminal 2 in the outer harbor.

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
At the Midwest Terminal Overseas Dock there is a grain loading operation going on where they are bringing in corn by truck dumping it on the ground and using a front end loader to load the grain onto a small moveable belt loader onto barges. The four large covered green barges, that were being worked on at the small shipyard in Ramey's Bend last year, are there. These are the 4 "Big" barges at Toledo loading the corn cargo. This may be the tug/barge operation that they are talking about that will be hauling the corn cargoes to Wallaceburg, Ontario for the ethanol plant there. There was no tug present for the time being but it is believed it will probably be the tug Commodore Straits handling the tow.
Also at the the Midwest Terminal Overseas Dock there is a new large warehouse type structure being built.
At the Shipyard, Ironhead Marine has torn down all of the existing buildings all that remains are the two drydocks. Construction of a new building should be
starting anytime now.
All that remains at the CSX "Frog Pond" is the railroad car float Pere Marquette 10. No one seems to know to what happened to the railroad car floats Roanoke and Windsor that were tied up alongside the PM10.

Indiana Harbor - Brian Z.
The Edward L. Ryerson was unloading taconite pellets at Mittal Steel east dock, Indiana Harbor on a gloomy and rainy Friday afternoon. Storm warnings were expecting to possibly slow the unloading. She was due to depart the dock sometime on Saturday morning.

Updates - September 23

News Photo Gallery updated

and more News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 23

September 23, 1922, the 306 foot NEPTUNE loaded the first Head-of-the-Lakes cargo of pig iron at Zenith Furnace, Duluth, Minnesota. The 5,000 tons of malleable pig iron was delivered to Buffalo, New York.

September 23, 1975, the HERBERT C JACKSON lost power while upbound on Lake Superior. She was towed back to the Soo by the USS straight decker D G KERR.

September 23, 1952, the steamer CHARLES L HUTCHINSON became the first boat christened at Cleveland since the early years of World War II. The 644 foot HUTCHINSON, Captain T. A. Johnson, is the new flagship of the Pioneer fleet and one of 35 boats in the three fleets operated by Hutchinson & Co. Renamed b.) ERNEST R BREECH in 1962, c.) KINSMAN INDEPENDENT in 1988. Sold Canadian in 2005, and sails today as the motorship d.) VOYAGEUR INDEPENDENT.

On 23 September 1910, the BETHLEHEM (steel propeller package freighter, 290 foot, 2,633 gross tons, built in 1888, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying general merchandise when she went ashore in a gale on the SW side of S. Manitou Island in Lake Michigan. Lifesavers and the crew unloaded her over several days. Although battered by several storms while ashore, she was eventually pulled free and repaired. She lasted until 1925, when she was scrapped.

The scow WAUBONSIE was launched at the Curtis yard in Fort Gratiot, Michigan on 23 September 1873.

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

Dredging of Saginaw River Turning Basin Nearing Completion

9/22 - Bay City - John A. Glynn hopes the days of giant Great Lakes freighters scraping the bottom of the Saginaw River are over. Dredging crews have cleared most of the freighter turning basin, where silt buildup mired two vessels north of Interstate 675 this year.

That means the Upper Saginaw River Alliance, a coalition of dock owners, can stop spending $15,000 to $20,000 a week to keep a tugboat on call to help ships turn around in the river, said Glynn, a vice president for Wirt Stone Dock in Buena Vista Township.

The amount of shipped tonnage arriving at the firm's dock has sunk by roughly 25 percent since this time last year, hitting the bottom line of the company's business, he said. The dock typically handles more than 1 million tons of sand and crushed and decorative stone products a year. ''The amount of cargo this year is way down from the pace we usually carry,'' he said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers emergency $2 million project to dredge the turning basin north of the Henry G. Marsh Bridge in Saginaw - near where the ships were stuck - and other major shallow areas should end within four to six weeks, depending on the weather, said Michael K. O'Bryan, the Corps' district chief of engineering and technical services corps in Detroit.

''They're telling me the turning basin is pretty well cleared out, which is where the main bottlenecks were,'' O'Bryan said. The project remains ''a little behind schedule,'' he said. ''It seems like we are two-thirds of the way done.'' Crews have dredged about 70,000 cubic yards of material out of an expected 104,000 cubic yards it plans to remove, he said. Dredge workers have dug the basin about 20 feet deep. The river is 13 feet deep in other spots.

The dredging and divers never found a ship's rudder that officials once believed came off the 875-foot Great Lakes Trader in the basin this summer, said Saginaw County Public Works Commissioner James A. Koski. The rudder ''wasn't in the turning basin, we know that,'' he said. ''Otherwise we would have found it already.''

The federal agency hired Muskegon-based Great Lakes Dock & Materials to dredge the basin and the area around it. Barges haul sediments 22 miles to Gull Island, a Saginaw River disposal site at the mouth of the river in the Saginaw Bay, officials said.

A project manager said this summer the company hoped to complete the work by August. The Times News Service could not immediately reach company officials for comment late Monday afternoon, but O'Bryan said windy conditions at the island disposal site likely have slowed work. ''It would be nice if they finished, especially with the shipping season rapidly drawing to a close,'' Glynn said. ''Right now, it's a pretty good trick to get enough material to carry us 'till spring.''

The company has used supplies at its piers in Bay City and Essexville to compensate for the drop in demand at its Saginaw dock through the season, Glynn said. Freight traffic normally brings in 250 vessels every year on the river, with cargo that could fill 106,000 tractor-trailer trucks.

The Corps has asked Washington, D.C., lawmakers for $3.6 million in 2007 to dredge the river from Saginaw to the bay. Meanwhile, crews should finish construction of a 281-acre site to deposit river spoils in Frankenlust and Zilwaukee townships by late fall, Koski said. Barring ongoing legal challenges over zoning, health issues and concerns about dioxin contamination, the site could accept the first river dredging next fall, he added.

From the Bay City Times

Test Container Sails into Port

9/22 - Thunder Bay - The Highway H2O traveling container has made its way to Thunder Bay.

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation is sponsoring the 20-foot 'Travis the Traveling Container' which was shipped from Denmark to Duluth. That's a total of 8,000 kilometers, a trip that took about 13 days. And now, the traveling container is on the second part of its journey, to visit more ports on the Great Lakes.

The corporation is trying to attract attention to the benefits of moving containers via ships, instead of using road or rail. Corporation spokesperson Aldert Van Nieuwkoop says moving the container via the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes was nine days quicker than if it traveled by rail or road. He says this method of travel also saves money and can create a growth market for the Seaway and the ports on the Great Lakes.

�''We believe that the gateway into North America, where we have some hundred million people who live in this area around the Great Lakes, is a big consumer market and a lot of these containers end up in this area. The St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes can form a viable alternative to bring containers in with smaller vessels.�''

Nieuwkoop says vessels these days carry around 13,000 containers on the ocean-going vessels which would be broken down into smaller loads for movement on the Great Lakes but still be efficient.

Travis the Traveling Container will continue it's trip to other ports, possibly including Windsor, Hamilton and Toronto.

From the Thunder Bay News

Coast Guard Creates Live Fire Web Site

9/22 - Cleveland - The Ninth Coast Guard District has created a Web site for the sole purpose of informing the public about the 34 proposed permanent safety zones on the U.S. waters of the Great Lakes.

The site will contain information such as all copies of Federal Registry entries, charts of the proposed zones, comment submission information, and press releases.

The site is www.uscgd9safetyzones.com.

From the Port Huron News Tribune

Port Reports - September 22

Menominee/Marinette - Stephen P. Neal
The Selvick tugs Jimmy L. , Jacqulin Nicole (tied to the Jimmy), and Camron O. all came up the Menominee river Thursday to Marinette Marine probably in preparation for the Saturday launch of the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship the USS Freedom. The launch will take place between 10 a.m. and Noon Saturday. During this time the Menominee River will be closed above the drawbridge.

After the launch new special restrictions will take effect. These are long term restrictions that could be in place for 10 years or more if more orders are placed. Basically when coming up the Menominee River above the bridge stay to the Menominee side of the river. A floating chain boom will be placed around Marinette Marine's property taking up about 1/2 of the river on the Marinette side. Sounds like they are going to have armed navy guards there also. If you want any details on the restrictions contact one of the local marinas or the USCG.

Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer
The Wilfred Sykes was in Milwaukee's inner harbor at about 4:30 Thursday afternoon. Sykes moved very slowly southward along the wall to the hopper at St. Mary's Cement, to deliver a load of cement clinker.

Toledo - Bob Vincent
The Canadian Progress was heading out of Toledo around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Canadian Transfer was heading into Toledo with the Great Lakes Towing Co. tug Idaho on the stern around 7:20 p.m. Wednesday.
During the night or early Thursday morning the Algomarine heading up river. Shortly after that the Catherine Desgagnes headed to the Midwest Terminal International dock.
The Cason J. Callaway left Toledo with a load of coal for Marysville, MI at 3:30 a.m. Thursday.
Next coal boats will be the John J. Boland and the Saginaw both due Sunday.
The Algoway is at the Midwest Terminal Stone unloading.
Next ore boat will be the CSL Laurentien on Friday and the Atlantic Erie on Saturday.
Sandusky - Jim Spencer
CSL's Nanticoke slipped across Sandusky Bay Thursday afternoon, having loaded at the Norfolk Southern coal dock.

Grand Haven & Muskegon - Dick Fox
The St. Mary's Challenger came into the St. Mary's Terminal in Ferrysburg about 11 a.m. Thursday morning. This was its first visit in 4 months

In Muskegon Thursday morning, the Kaye E. Barker was unloading at the Consumers Power Cobb Plant and the barge PM41 and tug Undaunted were unloading at the Mart Dock.
The Paul H. Townsend and the J. A. W. Iglehart both appear to be in lay-up at the Mart Dock.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The CSL Niagara was under the loading spouts and taking on coal at the Gateway Terminal in Lackawanna at 10 a.m. Thursday morning.
The tug Karen Andrie and barge 397 were at the North Entrance at 3:50 p.m. on their way in.
American Fortitude give a security call at 9 p.m. Wednesday while departing General Mills.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The tug Olive L. Moore and barge Lewis J. Kuber were outbound the Saginaw River Thursday afternoon after fueling at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee. The pair had unloaded overnight at the Saginaw Rock Products dock in Saginaw.
Inbound was the Calumet, bound for the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee to unload. She had arranged to pass the Moore & Kuber at the old Bay Aggregates dock in Downtown Bay City, but the Calumet, loaded to 21'3" and with a water level of minus 2 inches, got hung up on a high spot in the channel between the Liberty and Veteran's bridges. While she worked to free herself, the downbound Kuber waited at the old Bay Aggregates dock. A short time later after working back and forth, Calumet was free and headed upbound. When she was clear, the Olive L and Kuber departed the Bay Aggregates dock and continued their outbound journey. Calumet was outbound from the lake after unloading Thursday night.

Toledo -
Algomarine was off-loading sand at Kuhlman Corporation near I-75 Thursday.
Geo. Gradel crane barge Crow and two hopper barges were continuing their work on reconstruction of the downstream slip end at Hocking Valley Docks at the foot of Consaul Street.
Catherine Desgagnes was taking on metal ingots at Midwest Terminals of Toledo as Pomorze Zachodnie (translated from Polish "Over the Western Sea") came in from Maumee Bay about 3:30 pm. She was loaded.
Four green, covered hopper barges line the upstream end where a new iron beam structure is being built.
For those interested the old Pennsylvania RR overpass on Main near Front Street will be removed this weekend causing traffic through there to cease. The road through International Park by Willis B. Boyer and Ste. Claire may be an alternate choice to go accessing Miami Street.

Steam Engine Event at Port Huron Museum
2nd Annual Down by the Depot / Hobo Fest

9/22 - Port Huron - Come experience life as a hobo and railroading as it used to be at our Hobo Fest. Experience the sites, sounds and smells of a hobo camp and live steam locomotive. Thrill to the coronation of the Hobo King and Queen, and try your hand at our SPAM carving contest.

Flagg Coal Company #75 returns
This year the #75 will return for the 2nd Annual Hobo Festival, which will be taking place September 22 - 24. Thrill to the sounds of a live steam locomotive. The Flagg Coal Co.# 75 Steam Engine has arrived on site, as in the past will offer steam salutes to all passing commercial vessels.

The father and son team of John and Byron Grambling spent a decade restoring this locomotive to operating condition, and it returns to Port Huron for the first time since 2004. Cab tours of the locomotive will be available from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., with demonstration runs done on the half hours.

For further info on the #75, check out the Steam Railroading Institute of Owosso's website Steam Railroading Institute

Reported by Frank Frisk

Updates - September 22

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 22

On September 22, 1958, the EDMUND FITZGERALD entered service, departing River Rouge, Michigan for Silver Bay, Minnesota on its first trip. The FITZGERALD's first load was 20,038 tons of taconite pellets for Toledo. The vessel would, in later years, set several iron ore records during the period from 1965 through 1969.

While in ballast, the ROGER M KYES struck bottom in Buffalo Harbor September 22, 1976, sustaining holes in two double bottom tanks and damage to three others, whereupon she proceeded to Chicago for dry docking on September 27, 1976, for survey and repairs. Renamed b.) ADAM E CORNELIUS in 1989.

While being towed from Duluth, Minnesota by the Canadian tug TUSKER on September 22, 1980, the D G KERR rammed into the breakwater at Duluth causing $200,000 in damages to the breakwater. The tow apparently failed to make the turning buoy leaving Duluth Harbor.

On September 22, 1911 the HENRY PHIPPS collided with and sank her Steel Trust fleet mate, steamer JOLIET, of 1890, which was at anchor on the fog shrouded St. Clair River near Sarnia, Ontario. The JOLIET sank without loss of crew and was declared a total loss. The PHIPPS then continued her downbound journey and collided with the Wyandotte Chemical steamer ALPENA, of 1909, that incurred only minor damage.

The T W ROBINSON and US.265808 (former BENSON FORD departed Quebec City in tow of the Polish tug JANTAR bound for Recife where they arrived on September 22, 1987. Scrapping began the next month in October.

MATHILDA DESGAGNES was freed from polar ice in the Arctic on September 22, 1988, by the West German Icebreaker Research Vessel POLARSTERN.

September 22, 1913 - The ANN ARBOR NO 5 struck bottom in the Sturgeon Bay Canal and damaged her rudder and steering gear. After undergoing repairs at Milwaukee, she was back in service the following October.

On 22 September 1887, ADA E ALLEN (wooden propeller steam barge, 90 foot, 170 gross tons, built in 1872, at Walpole Island, Ontario.) caught fire while moored at Amherstburg, Ontario. She was cut loose and set adrift to prevent the fire from spreading ashore. She drifted to Bois Blanc (Bob-Lo) Island and burned to a total loss.

On 22 September 1882, Mr. H. N. Jex accepted the contract to recover the engine and boiler from the MAYFLOWER, which sank in the Detroit River in 1864. He was to be paid $600 upon delivery of the machinery at Windsor, Ontario. He succeeded in raising the engine on 12 October and the boiler shortly thereafter.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, James Neumiller, Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Toro Update

9/21 - Montreal - Toro was docked at Montreal, Quebec, with the assistance of the Tug Ocean Jupiter at shed # 4, King Edward pier, after arriving under her own power Wednesday morning from her grounding point in the St Lawrence Seaway parallel to Cornwall Island, Akwesasne Territorial Lands.

A complete assessment will be done to determine how much damage was caused to Toro's hull due to the grounding.

Reported by Kent Malo

Coal Orders Strengthen In August

9/21 - Cleveland - After slumping significantly in July, coal shipments on the Great Lakes rebounded by nearly one million tons in August. However, the 4.8 million net tons of coal moved on the Great Lakes last month still represented a decrease of 3 percent compared to the corresponding period last year.

For the year, the Lakes coal trade stands at 25.3 million net tons, a decrease of 4.2 percent compared to the same point in 2005, but an increase of nearly 500,000 net tons compared to the 5-year average for the January-August timeframe.

Three Cargos Symbolize System�s Plight
Three coal cargos carried by the same vessel illustrate how differing project depths, fluctuating water levels, and inadequate dredging are limiting the efficiencies of Great Lakes shipping. During the month of August, a 635-foot-long U.S.-Flag Laker delivered coal to the Michigan ports of Harbor Beach, Monroe, and Alpena.

The cargo carried to Harbor Beach totaled 12,344 net tons. When destined for Monroe, the vessel was able to increase its draft and carry 14,408 net tons. The ship could load even deeper when bound for Alpena and as a result, delivered 15,853 net tons to that port.

Nonetheless, the vessel�s rated capacity for coal tops 19,000 net tons, so not even the largest cargo even approached a full load.

Source: Lake Carriers� Association

Port Reports - September 21

Montreal - Laurent
Wednesday evening the Toro was tied up nose first at Alexandria Shed Hangar 4. She has a compressor on deck and repair company trucks were seen near the pier.

Kingsville - Erich Zuschlag
The Cuyahoga was in Wednesday evening unloading stone. She is the 11th ship into the small fishing harbour this season.

Alpena & Stoneport - Ben & Chanda McClain
Early Monday morning before 4 a.m. the G.L Ostrander and barge Integrity arrived in port and tied up at the Lafarge dock.
Tuesday night the Alpena made its way in with spotlights shining to take on cargo for Detroit. The tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation was expected to arrive at Lafarge Wednesday afternoon.
Tuesday evening the tug Olive L. Moore and barge Lewis J. Kuber were loading at Stoneport. It was a typical fall day with chilly winds and passing rain showers. The Maumee and Great Lakes Trader were on the schedule for Wednesday.

Lower Lake Michigan - Brian Z.
The Wolverine was loading petroleum coke at KCBX terminal late Tuesday in South Chicago.
The Maumee followed the Wolverine, taking on a cargo of coal early Wednesday.
Over in East Chicago, Indiana the Wilfred Sykes was spotted discharging a cargo of limestone at Mittal Steel.

Marquette - Lee Rowe
The Paul R. Tregurtha arrived in Marquette on Wednesday with a load of coal for the WE Power Plant. Several people waited on the dock for her arrival.

Toledo -
Wednesday at 5 p.m. the Canadian Progress got underway after taking on grain at ADM Elevators. She was assisted by a Great Lakes Towing Co. tug.

Saginaw River - Gordy Garris
The tug Samuel D. Champlain and the cement barge Innovation finished unloading next to the E. M. Ford at the LaFarge Cement Terminal in Carrollton early Wednesday morning, turned around at the Sixth Street turning basin and were outbound for the lake
The tug Olive L. Moore and the barge Lewis J. Kuber were inbound the Saginaw River early Wednesday afternoon with a split cargo for the Sargent dock in Essexville and the Saginaw Rock Products dock in Saginaw. The pair are expected to be outbound the Saginaw River early Thursday morning. This was the pair's second trip to the river in the past two days.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
The Adam E. Cornelius and the Nanticoke loaded Wednesday at Sandusky's windswept Norfolk Southern coal dock.

Port of Indiana - Sheldon Rody
The Buffalo was unloading stone at the Port of Indiana Wednesday afternoon.

Updates - September 21

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 21

On 21 September 1892, the whaleback steamer JAMES B COLGATE (steel propeller whaleback freighter, 308 foot, 1,713 gross tons) was launched by the American Steel Barge Co. (Hull #121) at W. Superior, Wisconsin. She only lasted until 1916, when she foundered in the "Black Friday Storm" on Lake Erie with the loss of 26 lives.

ALGOWAY left Collingwood on her maiden voyage in 1972, and loaded salt for Michipicoten, Ontario on Lake Superior.

On 21 September 1844, JOHN JACOB ASTOR (wooden brig, 78 foot, 112 tons, Built in 1835, at Pointe aux Pins, Ontario but precut at Lorain, Ohio) was carrying furs and trade goods when she struck a reef and foundered near Copper Harbor, Michigan. She was owned by Astor's American Fur Company. She was reportedly by the first commercial vessel on Lake Superior.

On 21 September 1855, ASIA (2-mast wooden schooner, 108 foot, 204 tons, built in 1848, at Black River, Ohio) was carrying corn from Chicago for Buffalo when she collided with the propeller FOREST CITY off the mouth of Grand Traverse Bay. ASIA went down in deep water in about 10 minutes, but her crew just had enough time to escape in her boat. The schooner HAMLET picked them up.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, B.G.S.U. and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Toro Freed

9/20 - The Greek freighter Toro was pulled free from her perch on the rocks at Cornwall Island on Monday. Due to the currents in the area the ship was turned around and was heading upbound after the tugs pulled her free.

Toro was then brought to Snell Lock where she will be taken to Ste. Zotique, Quebec, anchorage for a complete assessment.

Tug Tony McKay was reported coming to Montreal with barges Big 448 and Big 551. She was in Lock 3 at Beauharnois Tuesday evening.

Reported by Ron Beaupre and Kent Malo

Original Article - 9/9 - Cornwall Ontario - The Greek vessel Toro is still aground out of the channel parallel to Cornwall Island Native Territory. It is reported that the pilot said port and and wheelsman went to starboard at buoy # 1. With a good current running at that juncture, there was no way to correct the ships heading as Toro was out of the channel when the mistake was noticed.

The vessel grounded on rock which did considerable damage to bulbous bow and bottom up to number 2 hold. Offloading has not begun but when they do start some 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes will have to be removed.

No final arrangements have been made as to who will tow the vessel and to where, and offloading will have to be done into shallow barges due to the vessel's location.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

Shipping Plans to Wallaceburg Underway

9/20 - Construction is underway at the Bruinsma Dock (former site of Canada & Dominion Sugar Co.) in Wallaceburg, preparing for the new tug and barge service operated by Norlake Transportation Co. of Trois Rivieres, Quebec. It is expected U.S. corn will be barged to Wallaceburg to augment supply to the two nearby ethanol plants.

The new venture also offers the potential for local products to be shipped out including agricultural items, containers as well as large objects too large to ship overland. Barges as long as 200 ft in length will be pushed by tugs for the service expected to begin shortly.

Norlake plans to try a test run within a few days which includes passing through two vehicular bridges as well as negotiating a number of sharp bends along the 10 mile route from the St. Clair River (at Port Lambton) via the Chenal Ecarte (Snye) and Sydenham Rivers.

Since 1847, when the historic site was declared a port of entry, Wallaceburg has seen little commercial traffic in recent years. During its busy period, Wallaceburg was known as Canada's Inland Deep Water Port.

Reported by Al Mann

U.S.-Flag Carriage Dips on Lakes in August
Lower Water Levels Amplify Light Loading Impacts

9/20 - Cleveland�Shipments of dry-bulk cargos in U.S.-Flag Lakers totaled 11,655,356 net tons in August, a decrease of 4.2 percent compared to a year ago. The August float was also 2.6 percent off the month�s 5-year average.

Demand for iron ore remained strong, with shipments rising 9.4 percent compared to a year ago. However, high inventories of coal trimmed shipments of that commodity overall by 8.4 percent.

With demand steady in the long haul trades - iron ore and Lake Superior coal - the limestone float felt the effects of tight vessel capacity. Shipments slipped 14.6 percent compared to a year ago.

However, the conversion of the former steamship Buckeye into the self-unloading barge Lewis J. Kuber was completed in early September and the vessel loaded its first stone cargo at Marblehead, Ohio, on September 13. The self-unloading barge Joseph H. Thompson, another vessel that generally hauls stone, is also expected to return to service once repowering of its tug is completed.

With water levels on most of the Great Lakes below long-term average, the effects of light loading were again pronounced in August. Even the largest cargo of the month � 67,544 net tons of iron ore � still represented less than a full load. The top coal cargo � 65,999 net tons - was likewise less than the vessel�s rated capacity. The Lakes are now beginning their seasonal decline, so loads will be further reduced, thus heightening the need for dredging.

Source: Lake Carriers� Association

Mather Museum and Great Lakes Science Center to Combine

9/20 - Cleveland � The Great Lakes Science Center and the Steamship William G. Mather Museum are pleased to announce the two lakefront attractions will combine their business operations effective October 1, 2006.

The Science Center and Mather have worked together on large scale community projects in recent months, including Huntington Cleveland HarborFest, educational programming and summer camps. The permanent union was motivated by the Mather�s move in September 2005 from East Ninth Street to the Dock 32 location, just north of the Science Center. The Harbor Heritage Society, which operates the 82-year-old freighter museum, is donating the Mather and its collections to the Science Center.

An early outcome of the business combination will be an architectural connection between the two museums on North Coast Harbor. The connector is being designed by Dennis Barrie and architects from Westlake, Reed, Leskosky. Barrie, design consultant for the connector and exhibits, has completed many high-profile museum projects including the Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood. Cleveland Cliffs Inc has pledged $1.25 million toward the connector which will provide sheltered year-round pedestrian access to both the Science Center and Mather. The project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2008.

Both organizations have future plans to develop large scale exhibits around the Great Lakes theme to enhance the visitor experience as well as to expand educational programming. The new exhibit spaces, redesigned by Barrie, will include up to 25,000 square feet in the Mather cargo hold and 12,000 square feet in what is currently the Science Center�s Environment Gallery.

The Steamship William G. Mather Museum opened to the public in 1991 as northeast Ohio's only floating maritime museum. Named for the founding family of Cleveland Cliffs, the ship stretches 618 feet long and rises five stories above the water. The Mather Museum is currently open Friday and Saturday 10:00AM to 5:00PM and on Sunday from noon to 5:00PM. For more information, call 216 574-6262 or visit www.wgmather.org.

The Great Lakes Science Center, now in its tenth year, is one of the nation�s leading science and technology museums, featuring more than 400 signature hands-on exhibits, themed traveling exhibitions, daily demonstrations and the awe-inspiring OMNIMAX� Theater. The Science Center is open daily 9:30AM to 5:30PM with discounted parking for guests in the attached 500-car garage. For more information, contact the Science Center at 216 694-2000 or visit www.GreatScience.com

Great Lakes Science Center news release

Former Lighthouse Keeper Returns to DeTour Reef Light

9/20 Drummond Island, MI - On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, Milton Lovett stepped onto the DeTour Reef Light for the first time in almost 48 years. As a young man Milton served on the Light from 1958-1959 as an EN3 (Engineman 3rd Class) with the Coast Guard.

He was one of the few men who volunteered for the duty. �I thought it was great that I got so much time off� he stated. The job schedule consisted of 3 weeks on the Light followed by one week off plus an additional 30 days of leave because of the remoteness of the assignment. �I was able to do a lot of traveling and have a lot of fun. Of course that was before I met my wife.�

After a 25 year career with the Coast Guard, with additional assignments in Texas Alaska, New York, Florida, Louisiana and Alabama, Milton retired as a W4 (Commissioned Warrant Officer). He and Geneva, his wife of 46 years, now live in Alabama.

The Light he worked on in the late 1950�s looks much the same Milton observed, however the color on the walls isn�t the same. He especially remembers the ugly pea soup green on all of the walls of the living quarters. The only paint choices provided by the Coast Guard were white, gray, black, and an ugly pea soup green. Also there was more furniture in the lighthouse, including bunk beds in the assistant keeper�s bedroom. DRLPS restored the lighthouse to the original 1931 wall colors and twin beds as indicated by the August 1931 bid specifications for the furnishings of DeTour Reef Light Station issued by the Superintendent of Lighthouses of the U. S. Lighthouse Service.

While he was in the area he also had the opportunity to see the Light�s original Fresnel lens at the DeTour Passage Historical Museum. He reminisced about the many hours he spent cleaning the lens.

In an effort to learn more about the Light�s active years, DRLPS Historian, Chuck Feltner, has researched log books back to 1931, when the lighthouse was built. Using the internet, local sources solid hunches, and a lot of phone calls, he has located a total of 15 past keepers and talked with 11 of them, including Milton.

By the end of the year, the DRLPS plans to release a 4 DVD set entitled �DeTour Reef Light: A Collection of Historical Materials�. The collection will contain pages of log books, correspondence, original photos and original engineering and architectural drawings used to build the Light. Oral history videos will include interviews of Alfred Lemieux, one of the builders of the Light in 1931; Keepers Jim Williams, Floyd Colvin, Ron Freels, and Robert Soldenski; 95 year old Glen Shaw from DeTour, MI, who as a tug boat captain, watched the Light being built; and Jim Woodward, who as a young civilian Engineer at the Coast Guard�s Ninth District in Cleveland, worked on drawings related to the shutdown of the Light in 1974.

If you have information on former keepers stationed at DeTour Reef Light, or have any historical material such as photographs, memorabilia, etc., please contact Chuck Feltner cfeltner@starband.net

The DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society (DRLPS) has worked diligently since 1998 to restore and preserve the DeTour Reef Light located one mile offshore in northern Lake Huron at the far eastern end of Michigan�s Upper Peninsula between DeTour Village and Drummond Island. This summer marked the second year that public tours and a weekend lighthouse keepers program have been available at this unique lighthouse.

To learn more about the organization please visit www.DRLPS.com

City OKs Study of Lighthouse Repairs, Future
Port Huron hoping to acquire historic Fort Gratiot complex

9/20 - Port Huron - As part of a long, ongoing effort to transfer ownership of the Fort Gratiot Light Station to the city of Port Huron, the Port Huron City Council will pay an architectural firm $23,500 to continue its evaluation of the complex.

The Port Huron City Council last week approved the second of two agreements with Quinn Evans Architects of Ann Arbor to continue developing a historic-structures report of the complex, which includes the 177-year Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, the lighthouse keeper's residence and the old Coast Guard Station.

The firm has been working on the report's first phase since July, paid for by the Port Huron Museum from money it received from of a state grant. Money for the city's portion of the study will come from a federal grant, city Engineer Robert Clegg said.

The report will determine what structural, mechanical and other improvements are needed to restore the buildings, which sit on the Lake Huron shoreline off Omar Street. The study is expected to be finished early next year. It is required by the U.S. Department of Interior to transfer ownership of the light station from the federal government to the city, museum curator T.J. Gaffney said.

Built in 1829 and standing 86 feet tall, the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse is the state's oldest operating lighthouse. It is featured on the city's official seal.

The city has been trying to secure ownership of the light station since 1997. The federal government has agreed to transfer the ownership, but the process has not been completed. Gaffney said the city could get control of the complex early next year. The process has slowed, he said, by major changes in the Coast Guard since Sept. 11, 2001, as well as leadership changes at the museum. This year, the Port Huron city manager and the museum director resigned. "It's not something you can do overnight," Gaffney said,

Once acquired, the light station will become one of the Port Huron Museum's satellite sites, which now include the Thomas Edison Depot Museum and the Huron lightship, both on the Thomas Edison Parkway, and the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bramble, which sits at the Acheson Ventures' Seaway Terminal.

"(The light station) is important to the museum and the city," interim museum director Dick McGrath said. "It is a wonderful property." Eventually, design plans will be prepared and work will begin to restore the light station, Clegg said. Work could begin early next year, Gaffney said.

In the meantime, the Coast Guard has been allowing the museum to give tours of the lighthouse. Mark Sawher of Clyde Township, whose family toured the lighthouse in June, said the city should own the structure. "The city needs to take control and get it back in shape," he said.

From the Port Huron Times-Herald

Port Reports - September 20

Menominee/Marinette - Stephen P. Neal & Scott Best
Tuesday afternoon about 2 p.m. CSL's Birchglen arrived at Marinette Fuel & Dock with a cargo of pig iron ingots. This is the first ever visit for the Birchglen, last year CSL's Cedarglen made two trips to Marinette with pig iron. Birchglen is only the third different ship to bring pig iron to Marinette this season with all the rest coming from the Chios Pride and Catherine Desgagnes.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
Traffic was heavy on the Saginaw River Tuesday with four vessels calling on her docks. The Earl W. Oglebay was inbound early going upriver to unload at the GM Dock in Saginaw. She was followed by the Cuyahoga who arrived with a split load, lightering at the Buena Vista dock before finishing up at the GM dock. The Maumee was next, unloading at the Wirt Stone dock in Saginaw. Finally, the tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation made their first ever trip to the Saginaw River, tying up along side the E.M Ford at the LaFarge Terminal in Carrollton to unload Tuesday evening.
Turning in the Sixth street Turning basin, the Earl W. Oglebay was outbound Tuesday night. Both the Cuyahoga and Maumee were also expected to be outbound late Tuesday, followed by the Champlain-Innovation during the day on Wednesday.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
Tug Gregory J. and Busch & barge Primary 1 are expected to arrive in Duluth Tuesday to load at the Port Terminal. The cargo is anticipated to be wind tower sections for Buffalo, NY. The cargo would then be transferred to a wind farm in upper New York State.
At about 6:30 p.m., the American Fortitude entered the outer harbor.
By 7:30 p.m. they were docked at General Mills. A mobile crane lifted something up onboard. It appeared to be a chute. By 7:45 p.m. the boom was raised moving towards the elevator. By 8 p.m. the orange chute was in the receptacle.

Soo - Roger LeLievre & Cathy Kohring
Edward L. Ryerson passed downbound en route to Indiana Harbor around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, She was preceded by Algomarine, Herbert C. Jackson and Roger Blough. The Blough, experiencing steering problems, tied up at the Carbide Dock with the help of the tug Missouri.
Stewart J. Cort was anchored near Pipe Island in the lower St. Marys River after passing downbound earlier in the day. She is believed to be participating in meetings conducted annually between company officials and vessel crews. The Jackson and the Charles M. Beeghly were expected to join her later Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. The pilot boat Linda Jean running Interlake's people out to all of their anchored boats for their meetings.

Updates - September 20

News Photo Gallery updated

Special Ryerson Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 20

John Jonathon Boland was born on 20 September 1875, in New York. Along with Adam E. Cornelius, he formed the partnership of Boland and Cornelius in 1903, and was one of the founders of the American Steamship Company in 1907. He died in 1956.

On September 20, 1986, vandals started a $5,000. fire aboard the laid up NIPIGON BAY at Kingston, Ontario where she had been since April, 1984.

GEORGE A STINSON's self-unloading boom was replaced on September 20 1983. The boom had collapsed onto her deck due to a mechanical failure on the night of April 19, 1983, at Detroit, Michigan. No injuries were reported. She continued hauling cargoes without a boom until replacement. She was renamed b.) AMERICAN SPIRIT in 2004.

On September 20, 1980, the EDGAR B SPEER entered service for the U.S. Steel Fleet.

The CHARLES E WILSON sailed light on her maiden voyage from Sturgeon Bay September 20, 1973, bound for Escanaba, Michigan to load ore. She was renamed b.) JOHN J BOLAND in 2000.

The CHARLES M WHITE was christened at Baltimore, Maryland on September 20, 1951.

On 20 September 1873, W L PECK (2 mast wooden schooner-barge, 154 foot, 361 gross tons) was launched at Carrollton, Michigan.

On 20 September 1856, COLONEL CAMP (3-mast wooden bark, 137 foot, 350 tons, built in 1854, at Three Mile Bay, New York) was carrying wheat to Oswego, New York when she collided with the wooden steamer PLYMOUTH and sank in just a few minutes. No lives were lost.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Port Reports - September 19

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The Algosar departed the Ashland-Marathon dock in Bay City Monday afternoon outbound for the lake. She had arrived at the dock on Saturday.
Also outbound Monday afternoon was the Algoway from the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee. She was assisted stern first down to the Airport Turning Basin in Bay City by the tug Robin Lynn. Once turned, she was outbound for the lake. During her inbound trip last night, the Algoway had to stop and secure at the Wirt dock in Bay City as the Lafayette Bridge suffered a mechanical problem with a main drive motor. Once the electrician from Lansing had made the repair, Lafayette notified the Algoway and she was underway again for the Sargent dock.
Following about twenty minutes behind was the tug Olive L. Moore and barge Lewis J. Kuber who had unloaded overnight at the GM dock. They pair experienced a minor mechanical problem while in the upper river which delayed their outbound trip for a short time. Boatnerds along the Saginaw River should see this pair often as the Captain stated that the plan is to run the Moore & Kuber between Stoneport and the Saginaw River.

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel
Algoma Central's Agawa Canyon was in port discharging salt in the inner harbor on Monday.

Updates - September 19

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 19

At Rush Street in Chicago, Illinois, a hand-operated ferry carried pedestrians across the Chicago River. The ferry operator would pull on a rope, hand over hand, to move the ferry across the river. At a signal from schooners, the rope was dropped and the schooner would sail over it. On 19 September 1856, the rope was dropped but the impatient passengers picked it up to move the ferry themselves. The incoming schooner snagged the rope and the ferry was spun around and capsized. 15 people were drowned.

When Cleveland Tankers new SATURN entered service and made her first trip to Toledo, Ohio on September 19, 1974, she became the first of three tankers built for the fleet's modernization program.

The EDGAR B SPEER departed the shipyard on her maiden voyage for U.S. Steel on September 19, 1980, bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota where she loaded her first cargo of taconite pellets.

The twin screw rail car ferry GRAND HAVEN of 1903, was laid up in the spring of 1965, at the old Pennsylvania Dock at Cleveland, Ohio and later at dockage on the Old River Bed where she sank on September 19, 1969.

September 19, 1997 - officials at Lake Michigan Carferry, Inc. announced that the CITY OF MIDLAND 41 would be converted to a barge.

On 19 September 1893, SAMUEL BOLTON (wooden schooner-barge, 150 foot, 330 gross tons, built in 1867, at Bangor, Michigan as a schooner) was loaded with lumber and being towed in fog in Lake Huron. She got lost from the tow and drifted ashore near Richmond, Michigan where she broke in two and was then torn apart by waves. She was owned by Brazil Hoose of Detroit.

On Saturday, 19 September 1891, at 11:00 a.m., the whaleback steamer CHARLES W WETMORE left Philadelphia, Pennsylvania loaded with the materials to build a nail mill, iron smelter and shipyard for the new city of Everett, Washington. Her skipper was Captain Joseph B. Hastings and she had a crew of 22.

On 19 September 1900, the Great Lakes schooner S L WATSON foundered off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She had been sent to the Atlantic the previous autumn by her owner J. C. Gilchrist of Cleveland.

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

Toro Update

9/18 - Sunday morning an attempt was made to pull Toro off her strand. The tugs Tony MacKay, Progress and Carrol C 1 pulled together for over an hour but Toro did not budge.

Traffic through the area was halted. Emerald Star waited on the hook at Wilson Hill anchorage until traffic resumed. Only one way traffic is allowed by the grounded ship.

Three barges have been loaded with grain and they are docked at Cornwall.

After the failed attempt Progress and Carrol C. 1 left to dock at Cornwall.

Late Sunday evening radio traffic indicates another attempt will be made at 9:00 am Monday

Reported by Ron Beaupre & Ron Walsh

Earlier Reports -
9/16 - Lightering operation of bulk carrier TORO started on Tuesday. The contract for salvaging the stricken vessel was awarded to a consortium formed by McKeil Marine and Titan Salvage. The salvers estimate that around 3,000 MT will have to be removed for the vessel to float free and be towed to a shipyard for repairs.

Reported by Bruno Boissonneault

Previous Reports -
9/13 - It is being reported that salvage of the grounded salty Toro would begin Wednesday.

A partnership between McKeil Marine and Titan Salvage has received the bid to re-float the vessel.

9/9 - Cornwall Ontario - The Greek vessel Toro is still aground out of the channel parallel to Cornwall Island Native Territory. It is reported that the pilot said port and and wheelsman went to starboard at buoy # 1. With a good current running at that juncture, there was no way to correct the ships heading as Toro was out of the channel when the mistake was noticed.

The vessel grounded on rock which did considerable damage to bulbous bow and bottom up to number 2 hold. Offloading has not begun but when they do start some 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes will have to be removed.

No final arrangements have been made as to who will tow the vessel and to where, and offloading will have to be done into shallow barges due to the vessel's location.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

Port Reports - September 18

Owen Sound - Ed. Saliwonchyk
Saginaw departed Owen Sound early this afternoon after unloading grain from Thunder Bay at the Great Lakes Elevators. She is heading to Meldrum Bay from here.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The tug barge combination Undaunted and Pere Marquette 41 came in light early Sunday morning, docked at Verplank's, was loaded and waiting to depart at 4:00pm.

Goderich - Wayne Brown
Algoway finished loading at the Sifto Salt dock and departed around 2:00 pm Sunday.
Cedarglen is loading grain at the elevators.
The saltie EMS Moon is tied up light waiting to load.

Alpena & Lake Michigan - Ben & Chanda McClain
On Friday the Cuyahoga came into Lafarge to unload cargo into the storage hopper. Arriving after the Cuyahoga tied up was the tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation. It pulled into the slip to take on product under the silos.
Over the weekend on the Lake Michigan side, the Wilfred Sykes was loading at Port Inland on a breezy Saturday.
The American Victory was unloading coal in Escanaba at the power plant Sunday morning.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
CSL Assiniboine loaded Sunday afternoon at the Norfolk Southern coal dock for an unnamed Canadian port.
Loading on Saturday for Sault Sainte Marie, Ont., was the Herbert C. Jackson.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The Sam Laud call on the Bay Aggregates slip in Bay City early Sunday morning. She completed her unload, backed from the slip, and was outbound for the lake around sunrise.
The tug Olive L. Moore and barge Lewis J. Kuber were inbound late Sunday night headed all the way upriver to unload at the GM dock. The pair was expecting a 5 hour unload before departing for the lake Monday morning. This is only the second trip for the Moore & Kuber and their first to the Saginaw River together. The tug Olive L. Moore is no stranger to the river however having visited pushing the McKee Sons in the past.
Inbound behind the Moore/Kuber was the Algoway who headed up to the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee to unload. She was expected to be outbound before noon on Monday.
The Algosar was still at the Ashland-Marathon dock late Sunday night after arriving on Saturday.

Updates - September 18

News Photo Gallery updated

And more News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 18

On 18 September 1855, SEBASTOPOL (wooden side-wheel steamer, 230 foot, 863 tons, built in 1855, at Cleveland, Ohio) was sailing on Lake Michigan in a gale. Her cargo included copper, tin, lead and iron ingots, safes and general merchandise. Her skipper misread the shore lights while she was coming in to Milwaukee and she stranded 500 feet from shore, broadside to the storm waves which pounded her to pieces. Most of the crew and 60 passengers were saved with the help of small boats from shore, but about 6 lives were lost. This was the vessel�s first year of operation. Her paddlewheels were fifty feet in diameter.

On 18 September 1679, GRIFFON, the first sailing ship on the upper Lakes, left Green Bay with a cargo of furs. She left the explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, behind. GRIFFON never reached her planned destination.

The E J BLOCK, a.) W R WOODFORD of 1908, returned to service on September 18, 1946, as the first large bulk freighter powered by a diesel-electric power plant and one of the first equipped with commercial radar on the Great Lakes. She lasted until scrapped at Ramey's Bend in 1988.

On September 18, 1959, the HENRY FORD II ran aground in the St. Marys River and damaged 18 bottom plates.

On September 18, 1958, the BEN MOREELL, a.) JAMES MAC NAUGHTON collided with and sank the car ferry ASHTABULA in the harbor at Ashtabula, Ohio. Captain Louis Sabo was in command of the ASHTABULA.

LAKE WINNIPEG was the first vessel to enter the Nipigon Transport fleet. She loaded her first cargo of 22,584 gross tons of iron ore clearing Sept Iles, Quebec on September 18, 1962, bound for Cleveland, Ohio.

The Pere Marquette carferry CITY OF MIDLAND 41 (Hull#311) was launched on September 18, 1940, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She was built by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Corporation at a cost of $2 million. She was named after Midland, Michigan for one of the Pere Marquette Railway's biggest customers, Dow Chemical Co. She was christened by Miss Helen Dow, daughter of Willard H. Dow, president of Dow Chemical Co. Converted to a barge in 1998, renamed PERE MARQUETTE 41.

On 18 September 1871, E B ALLEN (wooden schooner, 111 foot, 275 tons, built in 1864, at Ogdensburg, New York) was carrying grain when she collided with the bark NEWSBOY and sank off Thunder Bay Island in Lake Huron.

On 18 September 1900, the large steamer CAPTAIN THOMAS WILSON was taken from her launch site on the Black River in Port Huron out to the St. Clair River. The tug HAYNES was at the bow and the tug BOYNTON at the stern. It took an hour and a half to maneuver through the various bridges. Newspapers estimated that a couple thousand persons watched the event. Once the WILSON made it to the St. Clair River, she was towed to Jenks Shipbuilding Company where she was completed and received her machinery.

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

Trouble in the Arctic for Camilla Desgagnes

9/17 - Canadian Ro/Ro vessel Camilla Desgagnes experienced Main engine failure shortly after departing Inlet Milne on the very northern tip of Baffin Island on September 7.

The vessels small workboats started to tow the lifeless vessel to a safe anchorage until assistance was given by CCGS Henry Larsen to tow the vessel back to Inlet Milne for repairs by the crew. As of Sunday the vessel remains there.

The Camilla Desgagnes had left C�te Ste. Catherine on August 16 for her second trip up north with stops in Montreal for bunkers, Sept-�les for cargo and the proceeded to Iqaluit (Frobisher Bay), Qausuittuq (Resolute Bay), Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay), Nanisivik, Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) and Inlet Milne.

She is only used under Canadian flag for the summer Arctic season and with all Desgagnes vessels making 4 trips this season it will be interesting to see if this breakdown will see the laid-up Mathilda Desgagnes being re-activated once again.

Corn to be Barged to Wallaceburg

9/17- Wallaceburg, ON - A scheme to bring corn to the Ontario inland port of Wallaceburg by tug and barge has drawn protests from local farmers.

Plans call for 60,000 bu. of corn to be brought to the Wallaceburg Bruinsma Dock to supply the two area ethanol plants. However, local farmers object because millions of acres of area corn lies unharvested fearing local elevators will be jammed with the incoming barged corn.

The dock space in Wallaceburg has been leased to the Lake Superior Grain Co. of Trois Rivieres, Quebec with the first shipment scheduled for Thursday, September 21 via the Chenal Ecarte and Sydenham Rivers.

Last commercial marine traffic to Wallaceburg came in the fall of 2003 when the tug Keewatin and barge Stone Merchant brought in 18,000 tonnes of gravel to the Port Baldoon Dock for Southwestern Sales Co.

Reported by Al Mann

Port Reports - September 17

Kingsville - Erich Zuschlag
The Algoma Central Marine self-unloader Algoway was in the harbour today unloading gravel. If you are ever in Kingsville and there is a freighter in the dock, don't take pictures from the stone dock, unless you like being talked to by security and police.

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
The new Toronto City Centre Airport ferry TCCA 1 arrived in port overnight from the Welland Canal on it's maiden trip to the city.
HMCS Fredericton remained in port offering public tours today and Sunday.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The Agawa Canyon was inbound the Saginaw River early Friday morning calling on the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee to unload. She was outbound during the evening. This was the second trip in Three days for the Agawa Canyon as she unloaded at the Buena Vista dock on Wednesday.
The Algosar was inbound Saturday morning calling on the Ashland-Marathon dock in Bay City. The tug Manitou assisted the Algosar in turning to face outbound before she made the dock, then departed for the lake. Algosar was still at the dock Saturday night.

Praises Fly as Project for Wind Farm Begins

9/17 - Buffalo - The developers of a wind turbine farm on the old Bethlehem Steel plant property celebrated its groundbreaking Friday, hailing the project, dubbed "Steel Winds," as a bold and progressive step for the region and the environment.

"As of today, we're not at an old steel mill," said Paul Curran, the managing director of BQ Energy, the Pawling, N.Y.-based company spearheading the project, as he addressed politicians and local business officials who gathered at the site. "We're at a new wind farm," Curran said.

Eight giant windmills, each taller than Buffalo City Hall, will be erected along a bluff on the western edge of the sprawling industrial site by around Thanksgiving, according to Curran's plan. The windmills will be operating by late December or early January and will feed enough electricity to power about 6,000 households into the National Grid power grid - 20 megawatts.

Several Western New York communities have opposed other wind farms, but in all of those cases the turbines were in rural areas. Both developers and politicians praised Lackawanna residents for welcoming the Steel Winds project, noting that the massive wind turbines will be located in the polluted, nearly abandoned steel plant site. "This is a classic example of taking a lemon and making lemonade," said County Executive Joel A. Giambra.

Officials also said the project can use the infrastructure at the steel plant, including the power substation, power lines and even the harbor channel to ship in the 300-foot blades from Brazil. The project is set to receive millions in tax breaks from the state and federal government, including about $5 million in state tax credits for developing on a brownfield site. Although Steel Winds won't have to pay property taxes, BQ Energy will pay the City of Lackawanna $100,000 every year for the next 15 years.

Two local construction crews - Hohl Industrial and Pinto Construction - began work on the site earlier this week. They have dug two holes, about 60 feet wide and roughly 10 feet deep, into the steel slag of the bluff. The construction phase will employ about 40 workers at its peak, but once complete, the windmills will require a staff of no more than five people, Mitzkovski said.

Steel Winds will mark several firsts for the region and for the wind power industry. It's the first wind farm to be built on the U.S. shore of Lake Erie. It's also the first project BQ Energy will be getting off the ground. The firm also hopes to put a wind farm on the now-closed Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island in New York City.

Reported by Brian Wroblewski from the Buffalo News

Updates - September 17

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 17

On 17 September 1898, KEEPSAKE (2-mast wooden schooner, 183 foot, 286 gross tons, built in 1867, at Newport [Marine City], Michigan) was carrying coal from Ashtabula when she was struck by a terrible storm on Lake Erie. Her rudder was damaged, a sail torn away and her bulwarks were smashed. The CITY OF ERIE saw her distress signals at 3:30 a.m. and came to help. With the CITY OF ERIE's searchlight shining on the doomed schooner, a huge wave swept over the vessel taking away everything on deck and snapping both masts. The crew, some only half dressed, all managed to get into the lifeboat. They rowed to the CITY OF ERIE and were all rescued. Three days later, the other lifeboat and some wreckage from the KEEPSAKE were found near Ashtabula by some fishermen.

GRIFFON (Hull#18) was launched September 17, 1955, at St. Catharines, Ontario by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. for Beaconsfield Steamship Ltd., Montreal, Quebec. Renamed b.) FRANQUELIN in 1967, c.) EVA DESGAGNES in 1987. Sold foreign in 1989, renamed d.) TELCHAC, scrapped at Tuxpan, Mexico in 1992.

On September 17, 1985, PATERSON suffered a crank case explosion as she was bound for Quebec City from Montreal. She was repaired and cleared on September 21. Renamed b.) PINEGLEN in 2002.

On 17 September 1830, WILLIAM PEACOCK (wood side wheel steamer, 102 foot, 120 tons, built in 1829, at Barcelona, New York) suffered the first major boiler explosion on Lake Erie while she was docked in Buffalo, New York. 15 - 30 lives were lost. She was rebuilt two years later and eventually foundered in a storm in 1835, near Ripley, Ohio.

On 17 September 1875, the barge HARMONY was wrecked in a gale at Chicago, Illinois by colliding with the north pier which was under water. This was the same place where the schooner ONONGA was wrecked a week earlier and HARMONY came in contact with that sunken schooner. No lives were lost.

On 17 September 1900, a storm carried away the cabin and masts of the wrecked wooden 4-mast bulk freight barge FONTANA. The 231-foot vessel had been wrecked and sunk in a collision at the mouth of the St. Clair River in the St. Clair Flats on 3 August 1900. She had settled in the mud and gradually shifted her position. She eventually broke in two. After unsuccessful salvage attempts, the wreck was dynamited.

Tragedy struck in 1949, when the Canada Steamship Lines cruise ship NORONIC burned at Pier 9 in Toronto, Ontario. By morning the ship was gutted, 104 passengers were known to be dead and 14 were missing. Because of land reclamation and the changing face of the harbor, the actual site of Noronic's berth is now in the lobby of the Harbour Castle Westin hotel.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Toro Update

9/16 - Lightering operation of bulk carrier TORO started on Tuesday. The contract for salvaging the stricken vessel was awarded to a consortium formed by McKeil Marine and Titan Salvage. The salvers estimate that around 3,000 MT will have to be removed for the vessel to float free and be towed to a shipyard for repairs.

Reported by Bruno Boissonneault

Previous Reports -
9/13 - It is being reported that salvage of the grounded salty Toro would begin Wednesday.

A partnership between McKeil Marine and Titan Salvage has received the bid to re-float the vessel.

Cleveland-Cliffs Buys Big Shovels

9/16 Duluth - Iron ore supplier Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is making a major investment in one of its Northeastern Minnesota iron ore mines. Board members of the Cleveland-based iron ore supplier have approved spending $50 million to buy four new electric shovels at its Northshore Mining Co. Peter Mitchell Mine near Babbitt.

The new equipment would replace aging shovels that have been loading iron ore and waste rock at the mine for more than 25 years, according to company officials. "These new shovels will help us meet our targets and remain competitive," said Jeff Lipovetz, area manager of the mine. "We've done a great job with the old shovels, but we will be much more efficient with the new, more reliable ones."

Cleveland-Cliffs owns and operates Northshore Mining Co. The taconite facility has a mine near Babbitt and processing plant in Silver Bay.

The new shovels, each equipped with a 35-yard bucket, will be acquired during a three-year period. The first is expected to arrive in the spring and the second will be delivered in the third quarter of 2007. The shovels will be bought from P&H Minepro Services, an equipment supplier in Hibbing, said LaTisha Gietzen, Cleveland-Cliffs district manager of public affairs.

Cleveland-Cliffs this year plans to make $150 million in capital improvements at its Minnesota mines. Much of the spending will be on new equipment such as shovels, trucks and front-end loaders, Cleveland-Cliffs officials said earlier this year.

In Northeastern Minnesota, the company also manages and holds ownership in Hibbing Taconite and United Taconite.

A decision by the company whether to restart an idle pelletizing furnace and concentrating lines at Northshore Mining Co.'s processing plant in Silver Bay may come this spring. The $29 million project would boost the plant's pellet capacity by about 800,000 tons, bringing its annual capacity to about 5.6 million tons.
Northshore's Peter Mitchell mine holds the largest iron ore reserves of Cleveland-Cliffs' six North American iron ore mines.

From the Duluth News-Tribune

Energy Source Rising on Lake Erie Shore

9/16 - Buffalo - The first wind farm along the Lake Erie shoreline is beginning to take shape. Officials gathered on the former Bethlehem Steel property in Lackawanna on Friday morning to break ground on the construction of eight wind-generated turbines that have to potential to produce 20 megawatts of power.

The 20 megawatts is enough to provide energy needs for 6,000 homes in the immediate Buffalo Niagara region. The turbines have a peak height of 410 feet.

The project is being developed by BQ Energy of Pawling and UPC Wind of Newton, Mass. along with Clipper Windpower of Carpinteria, Calif. The Buffalo law of Phillips Lytle handled the permitting and land development issues. The wind farm will occupy 10 acres of land on the Bethlehem property.

The wind power project is part of an initiative being championed by Gov. George Pataki to develop new sources of clean and renewable energy sources. "I view this project as not just a great success in helping to achieve the Governor's executive order on the renewable portfolio standard, but also as a catalyst for redevelopment of the remainder of this former industrial site," said Erie County Executive Joel Giambra. Officials said the first of the eight wind turbines should be installed and operating by the end of the year.

"Now we have the opportunity to see what is natural to our environment breathe new life and a new future into a site begging for redevelopment," said Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo.

From Buffalo Business First newspaper

Port Reports - September 16

Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer
Early Friday afternoon, the tug Rebecca Lynn and its oil barge A-410 were docked at the far south pier, with lines to the Jones Island Storage Tanks, in the outer harbor.
Also in the harbor at the time were FedNav's Lake Ontario on the north side of Pier 1 in the outer harbor, and the Polish Steamship line's Iryda in the slip on the south side of Pier 1.

South Chicago - Brian Z.
he Great Lakes Trader departed the Calumet River piers at 10:15 am on a sunny Friday and proceeded light into Lake Michigan. The Arthur M. Anderson also was seen departing the Calumet River at 3:15 pm with a coal cargo loaded at KCBX terminal.

Marquette - Rod Burdick
On Friday at sunset, Steamer Kaye E. Barker arrived at the Upper Harbor with a load of coal for the Presque Isle Power Plant. She is scheduled to load ore early Saturday morning.

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
HMCS Fredericton dropped in for a visit Friday morning assisted by Omni Richelieu into Pier 28 - The Queen Elizabeth II terminal. The fire tug Wm. Lyon Mackenzie gave a water cannon salute and Fredericton returned the honour with a ten gun salute.

Updates - September 16

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 16

On 16 September 1893, HATTIE EARL (wooden schooner, 96 foot, 101 gross tons, built in 1869, at South Haven, Michigan) was driven ashore just outside the harbor of Michigan City, Indiana and was pounded to pieces by the waves. No lives were lost.

At about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, September 16, 1990, the inbound motor ship BUFFALO passed close by while the tanker JUPITER was unloading unleaded gasoline at the Total Petroleum dock in the Saginaw River near Bay City, Michigan. As the BUFFALO passed the dock's aft pilings broke off and the fuel lines parted which caused a spark and ignited the spilled fuel. At the time 22,000 barrels of a total of 54,000 barrels were still aboard. Flames catapulted over 100 feet high filling the air with smoke that could be seen for 50 miles. The fire was still burning the next morning when a six man crew from Williams, Boots & Coots Firefighters and Hazard Control Specialists of Port Neches, Texas arrived to fight the fire. By Monday afternoon they extinguished the fire only to have it re-ignite that night resulting in multiple explosions. Not until Tuesday morning on the 18th was the fire finally subdued with the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard's BRAMBLE and BRISTOL BAY. The tanker, which was valued at $9 million, was declared a total constructive loss, though the engine room was relatively untouched. Unfortunately the fire claimed the life of one crew member who drowned attempting to swim ashore. As a result the Coast Guard closed the river to all navigation. On October 19th the river was opened to navigation after the Gaelic tugs SUSAN HOEY and CAROLYN HOEY towed the JUPITER up river to the Hirschfield & Sons Dock at Bay City (formerly the Defoe Shipyard) where a crane was erected for dismantling the burned out hulk. Her engines were removed and shipped to New Bedford, Massachusetts for future use. The river opening allowed American Steamship's BUFFALO to depart the Lafarge dock where she had been trapped since the explosion. JUPITER's dismantling was completed over the winter of 1990-91. Subsequent investigation by the NTSB, U.S. Coast Guard and the findings of a federal judge all exonerated the master and BUFFALO in the tragedy.

Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd. purchased all nine of the Soo River's fleet on September 16, 1982, for a reported C$2.5 million and all nine returned to service, although only four were running at the end of the season.

The NORISLE went into service September 16, 1946, as the first Canadian passenger ship commissioned since the NORONIC in 1913.

On September 16, 1952, the CASON J CALLAWAY departed River Rouge, Michigan for Duluth, Minnesota on its maiden voyage for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

On 16 September 1895, ARCTIC (2 mast wooden schooner, 113 foot, 85 gross tons, built in 1853, at Ashtabula, Ohio) was rammed and sunk by the steamer CLYDE in broad daylight and calm weather. ARCTIC was almost cut in half by the blow. The skipper of CLYDE was censured for the wreck and for his callous treatment of the schooner's crew afterwards. Luckily no lives were lost.

On 16 September 1877, the 46 foot tug RED RIBBON, owned by W. H. Morris of Port Huron, Michigan, burned about 2 miles below St. Clair, Michigan. Capt. Morris ran the tug ashore and hurried to St. Clair to get assistance, but officials there refused to allow the steam fire engine to go outside the city. The tug was a total loss and was only insured for $1,000, half her value. She had just started in service in May of 1877, and was named for the reform movement that was in full swing at the time of her launch.

On 16 September 1900, LULU BEATRICE (2-mast wooden schooner, 72 foot, 48 gross tons, built in 1896, at Port Burwell, Ontario) was carrying coal on Lake Erie when she was wrecked on the shore near the harbor entrance at Port Burwell in a storm. One life was lost, the captain's wife.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Jody L. Aho, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

John Sherwin Tow Update from Milwaukee

9/15 - Interlake's John Sherwin, delayed in Milwaukee by weather for several days, was on the move again Wednesday night at 10:30 p.m.

Again moved as a dead-boat tow by two Great Lakes Towing tugs, the Sherwin was showing deck lights Wednesday night not previously used this trip (a generator was installed during its Milwaukee stay).

Sherwin is proceeding to Chicago with a partial load of yellow corn. Plans are to use the Sherwin as a grain storage barge in that port. She is expected to be towed up the Calumet River to the old Continental Elevator site at Lake Calumet.

Video of the move

Reported by Paul Erspamer

Mariners Church to Expand Scope of Annual Memorial Service

9/15 - Detroit - The Mariners Church, long known for it service to and for sailors, is expanding its annual memorial service.

Formerly known as the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Service, the November 12 event will now be called the Great Lakes Memorial Service and will be dedicated to all mariners on the Great Lakes.

It was noted that the families of the Fitzgerald sailors had decided that enough was enough and those men should be left to rest in peace.

The new service will begin at 11:00 am and will honor all who sail the Great Lakes.

USCG Exercise Postponed

9/15 - Milwaukee - A previously scheduled live-fire training session for the Milwaukee-based Coast Guard unit was postponed today by 9th District Rear Admiral John Crowley, who said he wanted more discussion with Great Lakes communities on the training proposal.

Crowley also withdrew his approval for a similar weapons training exercise yesterday in Sault Ste. Marie because he wanted to focus "informational outreach efforts on the location of our proposed permanent safety zones," he said in a statement, and "hold public meetings to engage the Great Lakes communities" during the re-opened public comment period on establishing permanent live fire zones in the Great Lakes.

The training and extra weaponry on the boats are part of a homeland security measure to give the Coast Guard the power to protect the Lakes in a post-Sept. 11 world. To use the equipment effectively, the Coast Guard says, they need to practice.

Reported by Paul Erspamer from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Port Reports - September 15

Twin Ports - Al Miller
Cason J. Callaway�s stay at Fraser Shipyards was brief � the vessel was gone by Wednesday afternoon.
Elsewhere Thursday, Quebecois was about finished unloading at St. Lawrence Cement.
Paul R. Tregurtha was loading coal at Midwest Energy Terminal, with fleetmate Mesabi Miner expected later the same day. The Tregurtha is a SMET regular, with five trips (including this one) scheduled for the remainder of September.
Also due at SMET were American Mariner and St. Clair.
Down the bay, CSL Tadoussac was loading at BNSF ore dock.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
The John G. Munson loaded at the Norfolk Southern coal dock Thursday. The 768-foot Great Lakes Fleet vessel was upbound on Lake Huron for Ontonagon, Michigan on the Keweenaw Peninsula in the heart of Copper Country.

Lorain - C. Mackin
The Edward L. Ryerson made its way through the Charles Berry Bridge at 1:45 a.m. Thursday morning on its way upriver to the Jonick dock.

Alpena - Ben and Chanda McClain
On Thursday evening the Steamer Alpena made its way to the Lafarge plant to load for Duluth and Superior, WI.
On the schedule for Stoneport was the David Z Norton which was expected to load stone around 4:00 pm

Boatnerd Logos Delayed

9/15 - If you recently ordered a Boatnerd bumper sticker, you should be receiving them within a week.

Our inventory ran out and a new shipment is due this week.

Bumper stickers and interior window clingers can be ordered by using a form on the main page, or purchased at the Boatnerd World Headquarters in Port Huron.

Updates - September 15

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 15

On 15 September 1886, F J KING (wooden schooner, 140 foot, 280 tons, built in 1867, at Toledo, Ohio) was carrying iron ore from Escanaba, Michigan to Chicago, Illinois. She sprang a leak and sank in a heavy southwesterly gale three miles off Rawley Bay, Wisconsin. Her crew reached shore in the yawl. Her loss was valued at $7500.

The A H FERBERT of 1942, was towed out of Duluth by the Sandrin tug GLENADA September 15, 1987, they encountered rough weather on Lake Superior and required the assistance of the another tug to reach the Soo on the 19th. On the 21st the FERBERT had to anchor off Detour, Michigan after she had run aground in the St. Marys River when her towline parted. Her hull was punctured and the Coast Guard ordered repairs to her hull before she could continue. Again problems struck on September 24th, when the FERBERT went hard aground at the Cut-Off Channel's southeast bend of the St. Clair River. Six tugs, GLENADA, ELMORE M MISNER, BARBARA ANN, GLENSIDE, SHANNON and WM A WHITNEY, worked until late on the 26th to free her. The FERBERT finally arrived in tow of GLENSIDE and W N TWOLAN at Lauzon, Quebec on October 7th.

The steamer WILLIAM A AMBERG (Hull#723) was launched September 15, 1917, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. for the Producers Steamship Co., (M.A. Hanna, mgr.). Renamed b.) ALBERT E HEEKIN in 1932, c.) SILVER BAY in 1955, d.) JUDITH M PIERSON in 1975 and e.) FERNGLEN in 1982. Scrapped at Port Maitland, Ontario in 1985.

On September 15, 1925, the JOHN A TOPPING left River Rouge, Michigan light on her maiden voyage to Ashland, Wisconsin to load iron ore for delivery to Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) WILLIAM A REISS in 1934, she was scrapped at Alang, India in 1994.

On September 15th lightering was completed on the AUGUST ZIESING, she had grounded above the Rock Cut two days earlier blocking the channel.

September 15, 1959, was the last day the U.S. Coast Guard Buoy Tender MESQUITE was stationed at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

MIDDLETOWN suffered a fire in her tunnels on September 15, 1986. 2nd & 3rd degree burns were suffered by two crew members. She was renamed f.) AMERICAN VICTORY in 2006.

In 1934, the ANN ARBOR NO 6 collided with the steamer N F LEOPOLD in a heavy fog.

September 15, 1993 - Robert Manglitz became CEO and president of Lake Michigan Carferry Service after Charles Conrad announced his retirement and the sale of most of his stock.

On 15 September 1873, IRONSIDES (wooden propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 220 foot, 1,123 tons, built in 1864, at Cleveland, Ohio) became disabled when she sprang a leak and flooded. The water poured in and put out her fires. She sank about 7 miles off Grand Haven, Michigan on Lake Michigan. Reports of the number of survivors varied from 17 to 32 and the number lost varied from 18 to 28.

On 15 September 1872, A J BEMIS (wood propeller tug, 49 tons, built in 1859, at Buffalo, New York) caught fire while underway. The fire originated under her boiler. She ran for shore but sank 3�4 mile short, about 6 miles from Alpena, Michigan. No lives lost.

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

Coast Guard Fires Machine Guns off Two Harbors

9/14 - Two Harbors, MN - Crew members on two U.S. Coast Guard boats fired machine guns at a floating target on Lake Superior, drawing verbal fire from the mayor of Duluth. Coast Guard crews fired the M-240 machine guns about eight miles offshore from Two Harbors, said Chief Petty Office Robert Lanier, spokesman for the Coast Guard's Great Lakes district, based in Cleveland.

Duluth Mayor Herb Bergson said he had been led to believe there would be no live fire exercises during the Coast Guard's extended public comment period on the issue, which runs through Nov. 13. Lanier said the target practice was announced on marine band radio Channel 16 more than two hours before firing began and every 10 minutes during the exercise.

The Coast Guard last month proposed establishing 34 permanent live-fire training zones across the Great Lakes, including three in Lake Superior. The zones would be closed to the public only during the drills. Currently, temporary zones are created for each drill. The safety zones combined would encompass 2,376 square miles, or 2.5 percent of the Great Lakes' 94,488 square miles.

That proposal was put on hold for 60 days after Minnesota and Wisconsin congressmen complained that neither their offices, the public nor the media were given proper notice. Lanier said Tuesday that creation of the permanent zones was put on hold, but live-fire training was not, and that there are no plans to suspend exercises during the public discussion on creating the training zones.

"We need to do the necessary training to conduct our missions of maritime safety, homeland security and national defense. ... We never intended to say that we were putting training on hold,'' Lanier said. The Coast Guard has held 24 live-fire exercises across the Great Lakes this year and at least two more are scheduled, though not on Lake Superior, he said.

The mayor said he opposes all live-fire training on the Great Lakes. He said the shooting should be done on land at police ranges where lead is controlled. Lanier said an internal environmental review found no major impact. "We think creating permanent safety zones is the best way to make sure we can do our training with the least impact on the public. Our number-one priority is public safety,'' Lanier said.

From the Duluth News Tribune

Lakes Limestone Trade Down Nearly 8 Percent In August
Light Loading Limits Even Top Cargo

9/14 - Cleveland---Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 4.3 million net tons in August, a decrease of 7.7 percent compared to a year ago. The trade was nearly 9 percent below the month�s 5-year average.

While the August stone float was down, the trade registered its largest cargo of the season, 50,274 net tons carried by the 1,000-foot-long integrated tug/barge Presque Isle. However, due to system constraints and the lack of adequate dredging, the vessel had to trim 14 inches from its loaded draft, which equates to more than 3,600 net tons of limestone left at the loading dock.

The cargo also falls nearly 9,000 net tons short of the Lakes� record for limestone.

For the year, the Lakes limestone trade stands at 23.1 million net tons, a decrease of 2 percent compared to the same point in 2005, but an increase of 3.4 percent compared to the 5-year average for the January-August timeframe.

Source : Lake Carriers' Association

Port Reports - September 14

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The Manistee came into Grand Haven bow first early Tuesday evening. At 9 p.m. it was still unloading at Meekhof�s D & M dock by the power plant on Harbor Island. Overnight it finished unloading at Meekhof�s dock by the railroad swing bridge. Then the Manistee backed down to the Construction Aggregates dock to take on an out bound load. About 8:15 on Wednesday morning, she backing out into the lake and turned south.
Some time overnight Tuesday, the Algorail was reported to have delivered a load to Verplank�s.
About 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the tug barge Undaunted and barge PM41 came up the river bow first, light (no cargo on board). Finding the turning basin full of construction and dredging barges, the captain skillfully executed a turn in the river using the bow thruster on the barge to aid in the maneuvering. This vessel then headed to Verplank�s to take on an outbound load.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The Reserve made a rare appearances at the Gateway Terminal Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. This may be the first time she has been here in the last 20 years.

Marquette - Lee Rowe
The Charles M. Beeghly loaded ore in Marquette Wednesday. Because of construction on the road to the Shiras Power Plant, vehicle traffic to that dock is closed for the next couple months. Stone has been brought to the coal hopper at Presque Isle, and this will be the only access until construction is finished.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
The Adam E. Cornelius and the Herbert C. Jackson both loaded Wednesday at Sandusky's Norfolk Southern coal dock.

Toledo -
Stefania I was finishing up loading at ADM Elevators on Wednesday. The increase in fuel prices resulting in an increase of ship traffic to transport corn for ethanol production.
Ste Claire, the old Bob Lo boat came in this afternoon under the tug escort of Shannon and Carolyn Hoey. She was moored at the International Park dock just downstream from the Willis B. Boyer.

St. Clair Rotary Trip Winner Announced

9/14- St. Clair, MI - Pat Loftis, of St. Clair Michigan was the lucky winner of the freighter trip raffle sponsored by the Rotary Club of St. Clair. The drawing was held September 9.

The winner receives a trip for four adult aboard an Interlake boat.

Updates - September 14

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 14

September 14, 1962, the HORACE S WILKINSON was involved in a collision with the Canadian freighter CAROL LAKE in the Welland Canal. Rather than repair the WILKINSON, Wilson Marine had her towed to Superior, Wisconsin for conversion to a barge. All cabin superstructure, the engine, boilers, and auxiliary machinery were removed. The stern was squared off and notched to receive a tug. The WILKINSON was renamed WILTRANCO I and reentered service in 1963, as a tug-barge combination with a crew of 10, pushed by the tug FRANCIS A SMALL of 1966.

September 14, 1963, the BENJAMIN F FAIRLESS, Captain Earl C. Bauman, received a National Safety Council Award of Merit for operating 1,001,248 consecutive man-hours without a lost time accident. This accomplishment required 15 years, 600 round trips, and 1,200 passages through the Soo locks.

Captain Albert Edgar Goodrich died on 14 September 1885, at the age of 59 at his residence, 1474 Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. He was a pioneer steamboat man and founded the Goodrich Transportation Company, famous for its passenger/package freight steamers on Lake Michigan.

The J J SULLIVAN (Hull#439) was launched September 14, 1907, at Cleveland, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. for the Superior Steamship Co. (Hutchinson & Co., mgr.). Renamed b.) CLARENCE B RANDALL in 1963. She was scrapped at Windsor, Ontario in 1988.

On 14 September 1871, R J CARNEY (wooden barge, 150 foot, 397 gross tons) was launched at Saginaw, Michigan.

The 203 foot wooden schooner KATE WINSLOW was launched at J. Davidson's yard in East Saginaw, Michigan on 14 September 1872.

The steamer ASIA sank in a storm off Byng Inlet on Georgian Bay September 14, 1882. Over 100 people lost their lives with only 2 people, a man and a woman being rescued. ASIA was built in St. Catharines, Ontario in 1873, and was bound from Collingwood, Ontario to the French River and Canadian Sault.

Data from: Clive Reddin, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Boblo Boat Tow

9/13 - The Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday that the old Boblo boat Ste. Claire will be towed by the Gaelic Tugboat Co. from its berth in River Rouge to Toledo Thursday morning starting around 8 a.m. And it isn't coming back.

Boat owner Diane Evon of Toledo said she couldn't reach a permanent agreement with local officials over docking the vessel, so it will tie up next at The Docks at International Park on the Maumee River, across from downtown Toledo. Starting Sept. 28, the Ste. Claire's annual haunted house will be open to the public. After Halloween, it goes to a shipyard for more rehab. She hopes to have it shipshape by 2009 or 2010. "It's too bad we have to leave," Evon said. "Metro Detroit really embraced her."

The Ste. Claire's sister ship, the Columbia, has been sold to a New York group and is scheduled to leave the area for good next spring. It remains in a slip in River Rouge for now. For most of the 20th Century, the boats ferried metro Detroiters to the amusement park on Boblo Island near Lake Erie.

Reported by Detroit Free Press

John Sherwin Tow Update

9/13 - The Sherwin tow is expected to resume on Thursday as the tugs Ohio and Wisconsin will be departing Milwaukee to complete the relocation of the John Sherwin to Chicago.

Severe weather and high winds and waves on Lake Michigan has delayed the move after loading in Milwaukee.

Reported by Frank Frisk

Previous Report - 9/7 - Interlake's John Sherwin, towed as a dead vessel by the G tugs Ohio at the bow and Arkansas at the stern, arrived off Milwaukee's main light and breakwater entrance just before 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The slow-moving tow was delayed a bit as it waited for the departing self-unloader Calumet, which had delivered a load of salt to the bulk cargo dock in Milwaukee's inner harbor. Calumet turned in the inner harbor basin and departed onto Lake Michigan allowing the Sherwin tow to proceed.

Ohio brought the laker through the main gap then turned south so Arkansas could bring the stern around. Arkansas (based in Milwaukee) then pulled the Sherwin stern-first up the Milwaukee River and southward into the inner harbor. Shortly after 10 p.m., the tow slid into place along the Port of Milwaukee's heavy lift dock where a generator was loaded on board.

The tow proceed across the inner harbor turning basin to the Nidera elevator after 11 p.m.

The Sherwin is expected to load a half load of yellow corn at Nidera on Thursday and Friday before resuming its journey to Chicago.

Reported by Paul Erspamer

Weather Problems Cause Delay for the S.S. Badger

9/13 - Ludington - High winds caused the S.S. Badger to be about three hours late in returning to Ludington from Manitowoc, Wis., Monday night, according to Lake Michigan Carferry Media Relations Director Lynda Daugherty.

The carferry left the dock on time, but didn�t make it far due to 30-mile-per-hour winds from the east, Daugherty said. The ship was in the Manitowoc harbor from about 2 to 5 p.m. (Wisconsin time), before it could make the turn to head back to Michigan.

The S.S. Badger arrived in Ludington at 10 p.m.

Originally, the crew thought an engine may have lost power. �The engine crew went down and inspected the situation and said the ship did not lose an engine,� Daugherty said this morning. The S.S. Badger did not require any repairs and it ran at full speed back from Manitowoc Monday night.

Passengers were offered free food and beverages while aboard during the wait, and people who needed to communicate with family members or friends picking them up were accommodated, according to Daugherty. �The people on board were very understanding of the situation,� she said. �We had a full staff come in when we docked in town and helped people off the boat and get their cars faster.�

The engineers said the ship is up and running at 100 percent and there is no damage, she said.

�I have been here four seasons and nothing like this has ever happened,� Daugherty said. �It has also been five years since we canceled a trip because of the weather.�

From the Ludington Daily News

Toro Grounding Update

9/13 - It is being reported that salvage of the grounded salty Toro would begin Wednesday.

A partnership between McKeil Marine and Titan Salvage has received the bid to refloat the vessel.

Previous Reports - 9/9 Update - Cornwall Ontario - The Greek vessel Toro is still aground out of the channel parallel to Cornwall Island Native Territory. It is reported that the pilot said port and and wheelsman went to starboard at buoy # 1. With a good current running at that juncture, there was no way to correct the ships heading as Toro was out of the channel when the mistake was noticed.

The vessel grounded on rock which did considerable damage to bulbous bow and bottom up to number 2 hold. Offloading has not begun but when they do start some 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes will have to be removed.

No final arrangements have been made as to who will tow the vessel and to where, and offloading will have to be done into shallow barges due to the vessel's location.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

9/8 - Update - Toro remains aground downriver from the Snell Lock. She went ashore at buoy 1. This buoy has been shifted upriver away from Toro to enable lightering to take place.

It is not known what outfit is being used to get her off the bank. Her location is almost due south of the east end of Cornwall Island and she is out 4 to 6 feet at the bow.

Toro appears to be almost clear of the shipping channel but mariners are warned of her position as they enter this area.

Reported by Ron Beaupre

Original Article - 9/7 - The 16,886 Ton Greek saltie Toro went aground below the Snell Lock Tuesday evening around 9 p.m. The reason for grounding was unknown, the pilot reported they were taking on water in the forepeak but were out of the shipping channel.

The Algoisle, bound for Hamilton with iron ore, was told to be prepared to stop which she did below the Toro near Cornwall Ontario.

The Toro was downbound at the time of the mishap and was bound for Progresso, Mexico with a load of wheat from Thunder Bay, Ontario with a scheduled stop for fuel in Montreal.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

Michigan Lighthouses Seen as Beacons of Heritage
Lawmakers aim for federal funds to aid preservation efforts

9/13 - Washington - The golden age of Michigan's storied lighthouses has passed, but the state's congressional lawmakers have a plan to keep all their lights shining on the shores of the Great Lakes.

A House committee held a hearing this week on a bill backed by a bipartisan group of 10 Michigan representatives that would require the federal government to spend $500,000 to assess the condition of the state's 124 lighthouses and estimate the cost of preserving them - in the process drawing private donations and tourists. A Senate committee approved a similar bill in March.

The National Park Service opposes the legislation, saying its parks in Michigan already preserve the state's most important maritime resources. But both Stabenow and Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, lead sponsors of the bill, hope Congress will approve it this year. "Lighthouses fuel the economy of many Michigan communities, drawing thousands of tourists each year and creating jobs," Stabenow, of Lansing, said Friday. She came up with the idea for the legislation after visiting small coastal towns.

Lighthouses were no longer essential as a navigation tool after global positioning systems became common beginning in the 1980s. But in Michigan, which has more miles of shoreline and more lighthouses than any other state in the continental United States, many people view lighthouses as an important part of the state's cultural history.

"They are sources of identity for Michigan's lakeshore communities," Kirk Lindquist, president of the Michigan Lighthouse Fund, told the House subcommittee on national parks. His Lansing-based nonprofit raises money for groups that own Michigan lighthouses.

The Coast Guard has been transferring ownership of lighthouses to state and municipal governments and nonprofit groups since the mid-1990s. Before that process began, the Coast Guard spent $300 million a year to operate the nation's 597 lighthouses, Lindquist said. Small governments and nonprofits don't have the money to do the repairs that many of the lighthouses need, Lindquist said.

One goal of the bill is to generate enthusiasm among private donors for the preservation effort. The bill also would require the National Park Service to recommend how to link the lighthouses in a way that attracts visitors. One model would be Michigan's Motor Cities National Heritage Area, which offers tours of the state's automotive plants. "Heritage tourism is an underdeveloped part or Michigan's economy," said Sandra Clark, director of the Michigan Historical Center.

From the Lansing State Journal

Port Reports - September 13

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
Algoma's Algolake was loading at the Norfolk Southern coal dock Tuesday afternoon for an unspecified Canadian port, possibly Sault. Ste Marie, Ont.

Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer
Tuesday morning American Mariner was docked at the WE Energies coal yard at Greenfield Avenue in the inner harbor, discharging coal.
Algorail from the Algoma Central line departed after delivering salt.
John Sherwin and G-tug Ohio remained in the inner harbor, waiting to resume their voyage to Chicago with yellow corn from Nidera.

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
One of the navigation aids out in the bay was reported to be missing or off station by the Manistee Sunday night. That is what caused it to have difficulty going into Lafarge. On Monday night the tug G. L. Ostrander and barge Integrity carefully came into port among strong east winds to take on cargo. It was also noted that the junction buoy was gone.
The Manistee loaded at Stoneport on Monday followed later in the day by fleetmate Calumet. Tuesday the tug Invincible and barge McKee Sons was at the dock.

Twin Ports - Al Miller
Cason J. Callaway arrived in Duluth on the morning of Sept. 12 to unload at the Reiss Inland dock. It appeared to be going upriver with a tug at the bow. The vessel was in Fraser Shipyards in Superior on Wednesday morning. The vessel was ballasted down by the stern, so the work seemed to be focused on the bow. Elsewhere in port, the Presque Isle arrived Tuesday evening with stone for DMIR. After unloading it was expected to load pellets at the dock for delivery to Gary on Saturday.
Indiana Harbor was due Wednesday at Midwest Energy Terminal.
The saltie S. Pacific was loading at CHS.
Workers are progressing rapidly in dismantling the old Peavey elevator in Superior. Much of the structure�s upper level has been removed in the past two weeks.

Updates - September 13

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 13

On 13 September 1872, the wooden schooner RAPID left Pigeon Bay, Ontario bound for Buffalo, New York with 5000 railroad ties. While on Lake Erie, a storm blew in and Capt. Henderson decided to turn for Rondeau. While turning, the vessel capsized. Annie Brown, the cook, was trapped below decks and drowned. The seven other crew members strapped themselves to the rail and waited to be rescued. One by one they died. Finally, 60-hours later, the schooner PARAGON found the floating wreck with just one man, James Low, the first mate, barely alive.

The EDMUND FITZGERALD's sea trials occurred on September 13, 1958.

The HOFFMAN (United States Army Corps of Engineers Twin Screw Hopper Dredge) collided with the Japanese salty KUNISHIMA MARU at Toledo, Ohio, September 13, 1962. Reportedly the blame was placed on the pilot of the Japanese salty. Apparently the damage was minor.

On September 13, 1968, the AUGUST ZIESING grounded in fog two-hundred yards above the Rock Cut in the St. Marys River. The grounded vessel swung into the shipping channel blocking it until September 15th when lightering was completed.

September 13, 1953 - The PERE MARQUETTE 22 made her second maiden voyage since she was new in 1924. She was cut in half, lengthened, had new boilers and engines installed.

On 13 September 1875, CITY OF BUFFALO (wooden schooner, 91 foot, 128 tons, built in 1859, at Buffalo, New York as a propeller canal boat) beached and sank after striking a rock in the St. Mary's River. The tug MAGNET worked for days to release her before she went to pieces on 19 September. No lives were lost.

On 13 September 1871, the bark S D POMEROY was anchored off Menominee, Michigan during a storm. Archie Dickie, James Steele, John Davidson and James Mechie were seen to lower the yawl to go to shore. Later the empty yawl drifted ashore and then the bodies of all four men floated in.

Data from: Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Port Reports - September 12

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Saturday the tug Michigan and barge arrived at 1 p.m. going to Pier 11. They departed on Sunday at 6 a.m. for the Welland Canal.
The Algonorth departed Sunday morning at 5:30 a.m. for Thunder Bay. The tug William J. Moore and barge McLeary's Spirit departed at 5:30 p.m. for Quebec City.
Algontario arrived on Sunday at 10 p.m. with iron ore pellets for Dofasco from Port Cartier. They departed Monday at 6 p.m. for Thunder Bay.
James Norris arrived at 7 p.m. and the Canadian Progress arrived at 8:30 p.m.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
American Fortitude was inbound for General Mills on Monday evening.

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel & Bill Bedell
Monday evening the John Sherwin remained at the Nidera elevator.
The Sherwin was loaded with twenty four thousand tons of grain for its Chicago destination. The G tug Ohio is doing the towing and was docked next to the tug Wisconsin now assigned here along with the Arkansas and Virginia. The St Mary's Challenger was in and unloaded cement at their plant. One interesting fact in all this is three vessels were in Milwaukee Sunday all being at least one hundred years old. The Challenger and Ohio are one hundred and the Wisconsin is one hundred and three years old.
The tug Samuel de Champlain and its barge Innovation continued to discharge cement at the LaFarge elevator.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
American Courage loaded at the NS coal dock Monday. Her destination was not reported.

Owen Sound - Ed. Saliwonchyk & Cec Rawn
Although several Algoma Marine boats have been to Owen Sound for winter lay-up, this is a first visit for Algoisle loading at the Great Lakes Elevators on Monday.

Updates - September 12

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 12

On 12 September 1902, EXPERIMENT (2-mast wooden schooner, 65 foot, 50 gross tons, built in 1854, at St. Joseph, Michigan) was carrying fire wood in a storm on Lake Michigan when she went out of control in the harbor at St. Joseph, Michigan after swerving to miss an unmarked construction crib. She wrecked and was declared a total loss. Her crew was rescued by the Lifesaving Service. Three days later she was stripped and abandoned in place.

The ROGER BLOUGH was laid up at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin from September 12, 1981, through 1986, because of economic conditions.

CANADIAN PIONEER was christened at Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. on September 12, 1981, by Mrs. Louise Powis, wife of the Chairman and President of Noranda Mines for Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd. Renamed b.) PIONEER in 1987, she operates in ocean service flagged from Vanuatu.

CARTIERCLIFFE HALL, a.) RUHR ORE, was towed by the tug WILFRED M COHEN to Collingwood, Ontario for repairs from a June 5th fire and arrived at Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. on September 12, 1979. Renamed c.) WINNIPEG in 1988, and d.) ALGONTARIO in 1994.

Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Limited at Collingwood, Ontario closed the yard on September 12, 1986, after 103 years of shipbuilding. She was famous for her spectacular side launches. 214 ships were built at Collingwood.

While unloading steel in South Chicago from the a.) CANADA MARQUIS on September 12, 1988, a shore side crane lifting a pay loader into the hold, collapsed onto the ship. CANADA MARQUIS had a hole in her tank top and damage to her hatch coaming. She sails today on the ocean and lakes today as e.) BIRCHGLEN, for CSL.

On 12 September 1900, ALBACORE (2 mast wooden schooner, 137 foot, 327 tons, built in 1872, at Port Dalhousie, Ontario) had a storm blow out her sails, driving her into the seawall at Fort Bank just east of Oswego, New York where she broke up. The tug J NAVAGH tried unsuccessfully to save her. Her crew of 7 was rescued by the U.S. Lifesaving Service.

After an extremely dry summer, forests were burning all over the Great lakes region in the Autumn of 1871. The smoke from these fires affected navigation. Newspaper reports stated that on 12 September 1871, 38 ships and four strings of barges anchored near Point Pelee on Lake Erie due to the restricted visibility caused by the smoke from the forest fires.

On 12 September 1900, the schooner H W SAGE was raised by the McMorran Wrecking Company and was then towed to Port Huron for repairs. She had sunk near Algonac, Michigan in a collision with the steamer CHICAGO on 30 July 1900.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Port Reports - September 11

Owen Sound - Dave Upton
Monday morning the Algoisle arrived in Owen Sound harbor to load grain Elevator.

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
Saturday evening the Steamer Alpena returned to its namesake port after doing its Lake Superior run. It took on cargo throughout the night and departed on Sunday morning headed for South Chicago.
Also arriving at Lafarge Saturday night was the Buffalo. It made its securtiy call around 10:00pm, and backed into the coal dock slip to unload. The Buffalo was outbound early Sunday morning.
The Manistee was seen out in the bay around 7:30pm Sunday evening. It appeared to be heading into Lafarge but not moving much. Whatever the problem was, the Manistee did arrive in port at 10:00pm and tied up at the coal dock and proceeded to unload its cargo.

At Stoneport Sunday evening there was much vessel activity in the area. The Cason J. Calloway finished loading and departed, while the Kaye E. Barker patiently waited and then made its approach to tie up at the dock.
Passing by in the shipping channel was the Cedarglen, Pere Marquette 41, Wolverine, and an ASC vessel.

Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer
Samuel de Champlain and its barge Innovation delivered powdered cement to the LaFarge silo in Milwaukee's inner harbor Sunday evening. Just across the turning basin, straight-decker John Sherwin remained berthed at the Nidera grain elevator.

Saginaw River - Gordy Garris
The Calumet finished unloading at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee within a few hours after arrival, early Friday morning, turned around at the Sixth Street turning basin in Saginaw and was outbound for the lake, headed for Stoneport to load another cargo for Saginaw.
The tug Rebecca Lynn and the tank barge A-410 were outbound the Saginaw River late Friday night after unloading overnight at the Triple Clean Liquifuels dock in Essexville.
The Calumet was back again Saturday afternoon, passing Front Range Light just before 1:00pm bound for the GM dock in Saginaw to unload. The captain of the Calumet and the employees at the GM dock expressed their concerns about the silt build-up in the Saginaw River along side the GM dock. Upon arrival at the GM dock the Calumet's boom was able to reach the GM dock in order to unload without going over her 90 degree limit, but instead of unloading normally in one or two large piles at the dock, the Calumet began unloading in several smaller piles at the GM dock in Saginaw. As the Calumet continued to unload into Saturday night her draft became lighter and she was able to move closer to the GM dock. The Calumet was expected to be outbound for the lake early Sunday morning. Many "River Class" vessels such as the Calumet have helped to keep business booming in Saginaw during the 2006 season when the year got off to a bad start with the grounding of two ships in Saginaw on April 4.

Updates - September 11

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 12

On 12 September 1902, EXPERIMENT (2-mast wooden schooner, 65 foot, 50 gross tons, built in 1854, at St. Joseph, Michigan) was carrying fire wood in a storm on Lake Michigan when she went out of control in the harbor at St. Joseph, Michigan after swerving to miss an unmarked construction crib. She wrecked and was declared a total loss. Her crew was rescued by the Lifesaving Service. Three days later she was stripped and abandoned in place.

The ROGER BLOUGH was laid up at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin from September 12, 1981, through 1986, because of economic conditions.

CANADIAN PIONEER was christened at Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. on September 12, 1981, by Mrs. Louise Powis, wife of the Chairman and President of Noranda Mines for Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd. Renamed b.) PIONEER in 1987, she operates in ocean service flagged from Vanuatu.

CARTIERCLIFFE HALL, a.) RUHR ORE, was towed by the tug WILFRED M COHEN to Collingwood, Ontario for repairs from a June 5th fire and arrived at Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. on September 12, 1979. Renamed c.) WINNIPEG in 1988, and d.) ALGONTARIO in 1994.

Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Limited at Collingwood, Ontario closed the yard on September 12, 1986, after 103 years of shipbuilding. She was famous for her spectacular side launches. 214 ships were built at Collingwood.

While unloading steel in South Chicago from the a.) CANADA MARQUIS on September 12, 1988, a shoreside crane lifting a payloader into the hold, collapsed onto the ship. CANADA MARQUIS had a hole in her tank top and damage to her hatch coaming. She sails today on the ocean and lakes today as e.) BIRCHGLEN, for CSL.

On 12 September 1900, ALBACORE (2 mast wooden schooner, 137 foot, 327 tons, built in 1872, at Port Dalhousie, Ontario) had a storm blow out her sails, driving her into the seawall at Fort Bank just east of Oswego, New York where she broke up. The tug J NAVAGH tried unsuccessfully to save her. Her crew of 7 was rescued by the U.S. Lifesaving Service.

After an extremely dry summer, forests were burning all over the Great lakes region in the Autumn of 1871. The smoke from these fires affected navigation. Newspaper reports stated that on 12 September 1871, 38 ships and four strings of barges anchored near Point Pelee on Lake Erie due to the restricted visibility caused by the smoke from the forest fires.

On 12 September 1900, the schooner H W SAGE was raised by the Mc Morran Wrecking Company and was then towed to Port Huron for repairs. She had sunk near Algonac, Michigan in a collision with the steamer CHICAGO on 30 July 1900.

Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Joseph L. Block Rescues Kayaker in Mid-Lake Michigan

9/10 - Lake Michigan - Friday morning the 3rd Assistant Engineer Lloyd Cisewski on the Joseph L. Block spotted a kayaker off her port quarter almost mid-lake, 32.5 miles due East of Milwaukee.

The kayaker waved as in distress and immediately rolled over and was dumped in the lake. The Block called USCG Milwaukee and informed them of their intentions to rescue the kayaker. The fish tug Jolene called the Block and offered assistance.

Capt. Rick Olson maneuvered the Block to within 150 feet windward of the victim, where crew members deployed a ring buoy and lifeline that he could grasp. He was then pulled under the port supply hoist and hauled aboard in the grocery basket.

The rescued kayaker was taken to the rec room where he was given dry clothes and wrapped in blankets while the Block turned toward Milwaukee at full speed. She was met by USCGC 41433 which took the kayaker in.

The Block likely saved this kayakers life. Winds were picking up and were greater than 20 knots by the afternoon.

Reported by Dan Cornillie

Port Reports - September 10

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
Toronto's new City Centre Airport ferry has finally been registered. The Pork Authority has named it TCCA 1 - an acronym for Toronto City Centre Airport.
Built by Hike Metal Products, Wheatley, Ontario, the new ferry should be delivered soon by way of the Welland Canal.
Boatnerds be on the alert with cameras at the ready for the maiden voyage. Please post to the news photo page.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
Making her second visit in four days, Canadian Progress entered Sandusky Bay at mid-afternoon Saturday. The 730-footer glided along the Lower Dock Channel and moored astern of the John J. Boland at the Norfolk Southern coal dock.
The Boland was taking on a cargo believed destined for an upper lakes American port, while the Canadian Progress was likely to be again bound for Hamilton, Ont., when she completed the loading process.
At the same time, a Luedtke Engineering bucket dredge continued to work on deepening the Upper Bay Channel which freighters utilize when departing the coal dock. The dredging project has been on-going since late August.

Holland - Bob VandeVusse
The Manistee made an early morning delivery of stone to the Brewer dock in Holland Friday. It arrived well before dawn and was leaving through the Holland channel at about 9:00 a.m.

Updates - September 10

News Photo Gallery updated

Public Photo Gallery - Back On-line.

Today in Great Lakes History - September 10

September 10, 1952, the forebody and after body of the future JOSEPH H THOMPSON arrived at the American Shipbuilding yard in South Chicago. The two sections were delivered to the lakes via the Mississippi River and Chicago Ship Canal. The after body departed Baltimore, Maryland on August 2 and the forebody departed Pascagula, Mississippi on August 21.

On 10 September 1884, the 137 foot steam barge HENRY HOWARD was sailing up bound with the schooner-barge GEORGE WORTHINGTON in tow when she caught fire near Harsen's Island at the mouth of the St. Clair River. The fire broke out near the HOWARD�s engine room and spread rapidly. The vessel was beached on the island but the WORTHINGTON ran against her and was thus scorched. No lives were lost. The HOWARD was valued at $5,000, but only insured for $3,000 by her owners, B. Hoose and Julia Miner.

The whaleback tanker METEOR was towed from Manitowoc, Wisconsin by the tug JOHN ROEN IV to Superior, Wisconsin on September 10, 1972.

The KINSMAN ENTERPRISE turned 75 years old on September 10, 2002. When she entered service as a.) HARRY COULBY, on this date in 1927, the 631-foot bulk freighter was the third largest on the Great Lakes.

While up bound in the Welland Canal on September 9, 1986, it was noted that the port anchor of the J W MC GIFFIN was missing, her chain was almost touching the water. Rebuilt with a new cargo hold section by Port Weller Drydocks, Ltd., in 1999, renamed b.) CSL NIAGARA.

On 10 September 1909, COLUMBUS (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 136 foot, 439 gross tons, built in 1874, as the tug JOHN OWEN) burned to a total loss at her dock at Gargantua, Ontario in Lake Superior. She was cut loose and allowed to drift out into the bay where she sank. The top of her engine reportedly still shows above the water.

September 10, 1979 - The SPARTAN was laid up. She remains in Ludington, Michigan.

The barge N MILLS was launched at P. Lester's yard in Marysville, Michigan on 10 September 1870. Her dimensions were 164 feet x 30 feet x 12 feet.

Data from: Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Jody L. Aho, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Greek Freighter Toro Still Aground at Snell Lock

9/9 Update - Cornwall Ontario - The Greek vessel Toro is still aground out of the channel parallel to Cornwall Island Native Territory. It is reported that the pilot said port and and wheelsman went to starboard at buoy # 1. With a good current running at that juncture, there was no way to correct the ships heading as Toro was out of the channel when the mistake was noticed.

The vessel grounded on rock which did considerable damage to bulbous bow and bottom up to number 2 hold. Offloading has not begun but when they do start some 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes will have to be removed.

No final arrangements have been made as to who will tow the vessel and to where, and offloading will have to be done into shallow barges due to the vessel's location.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

9/8 - Update - Toro remains aground downriver from the Snell Lock. She went ashore at buoy 1. This buoy has been shifted upriver away from Toro to enable lightering to take place.

It is not known what outfit is being used to get her off the bank. Her location is almost due south of the east end of Cornwall Island and she is out 4 to 6 feet at the bow.

Toro appears to be almost clear of the shipping channel but mariners are warned of her position as they enter this area.

Reported by Ron Beaupre

The Algoisle, bound for Hamilton with iron ore, was told to be prepared to stop which she did below the Toro near Cornwall Ontario.

The Toro was downbound at the time of the mishap and was bound for Progresso, Mexico with a load of wheat from Thunder Bay, Ontario with a scheduled stop for fuel in Montreal.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

Algonorth Rescues Sailors

9/9 - Hamilton - Friday evening turned into an eventful time for the Algonorth. As it was 5 miles off the Burlington Piers Prescott Coast Guard Radio issued a mayday at approximately 6:30 pm for an overturned sailboat with people in the water.

The Algonorth turned around and lowered its lifeboat to rescue the 2 people.

The Alliance 3 ,the Halton police boat arrived on the scene shortly after and took the rescued parties to the Canada Centre for Inland Waters to meet an ambulance.

In the meantime the Peel Marine Unit and Toronto Marine units managed to right the sailboat and tow it into the inner harbor.

Reported by Eric Holmes

Dossin Museum Gala September 18

9/9 - Detroit - The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority (DWCPA) and the Detroit Historical Society are again joining forces to stage an event to raise funds for the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle on Monday, September 18.

The third annual event takes place 5:30-8 p.m. at the Dossin Museum, 100 Strand Drive on Belle Isle.

This year's gala will feature a silent auction along with a strolling dinner, a chance to explore the museum's exhibits, complimentary valet parking, and live jazz from the Marvin Thompson Jr. Ensemble.

"Once again, the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority is proud to partner with the Detroit Historical Society to host this annual event intended to preserve the Great Lakes' maritime history," said Curtis Hertel, the DWCPA's executive director. "This year's gala should be an exciting event, as we invite the metropolitan Detroit community to join us in a celebration of our maritime history."

Honorary Chairpersons for the gala are Douglas and Diane Dossin and Matthew Moroun of the Ambassador Port Company.

The purpose of the gala is to raise funds to support the Dossin Great Lakes Museum's exhibits and educational programs and increase public awareness of the museum. Tickets are $150 per person, and dressy attire is recommended.

For more information about the Dossin Museum, call 313-833-1805 or visit www.detroithistorical.org The museum is open to the public Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and children 5-18, and free for children 4 and under.

Port Reports - September 9

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
After lightering at the Sargent dock in Essexville late Wednesday night, the Maumee proceeded upriver to finish unloading at the Wirt Stone dock in Saginaw. She completed her unload Thursday afternoon and was outbound for the lake.
The Wolverine also completed her unload at the Burroughs dock and was outbound for the lake on Thursday.
The Tug Invincible and barge McKee Sons called on the Sargent dock in Essexville Thursday afternoon to unload. With a small pile on the dock, there appeared to be a possible mechanical problem as there was no unloading taking place for a number of hours, and she was still at the dock late in the evening.

Twin Ports - Al Miller
Twin Ports boat watchers got a soggy treat Friday morning with the American Fortitude (ex. Courtney Burton) waiting to load grain at the General Mills elevator in Superior while Herbert C. Jackson at nearby CHS berth 1. In between the two elevators, workers are making rapid progress in dismantling the old Peavey grain elevator, which has been unused for many years.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
CSL Atlantic Erie loaded late Wednesday at the Norfolk Southern coal dock. Her reported destination is the Canadian Soo.

Marquette - Rod Burdick
On Friday, Charles M. Beeghly loaded ore and departed the Upper Harbor in heavy seas late in the afternoon.

Marquette - Lee Rowe
Strong winds on Friday brought high waves crashing against the upper harbor breakwall. The H. Lee White arrived in the evening for a load of ore. ASC ships have been busier bringing stone or coal to Marquette this season, rather than taking on ore.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The tug Invincible & barge McKee Sons finally departed the Sargent dock in Essexville late Friday evening, backing into the Bay Aggregates slip and turning outbound for the lake. The pair had arrived early on Thursday.
Inbound Friday evening was the Calumet who traveled to the upper river to unload at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee. She is expected to be outbound Saturday morning. Also inbound was the tug Rebecca Lynn and her tank barge. They stopped at an unknown lower river dock to unload.

Saginaw River - Gordy Garris
The Maumee and the Wolverine were both outbound from Saginaw on Thursday after using the Sixth Street turning basin for their outbound transit.
The tug Gregory J. Busch and her deck barge Primary 1 departed from their berth at the BMT Terminal at Carrollton and headed upstream to the Saginaw Rock Products dock in Saginaw to unload stone on Wednesday. The Busch and the Primary 1 had the unloading boom stowed and the deck barge Primary 1 was empty and it appeared that they were finished with their unloading at the Saginaw Rock Products dock on Friday. The captain of the Busch told the captain of the tug Robin Lynn that Busch Marine will be making more additions to the tug Gregory J. Busch over the winter of 2006 after having an addition put onto the tug's original pilothouse during the winter of 2005.
The tug Rebecca Lynn and the tank barge A-410 were inbound the Saginaw River early Friday evening bound for the Triple Clean Liquifuels dock in Essexville to unload. The Lynn is expected to be outbound for the lake Saturday evening.

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Friday afternoon the AlgoIsle departed Hamilton's Pier 26 at 4:00 pm for the Welland Canal. The Federal Maas departed at 6:00 pm from Pier 23 heading down bound to Quebec City. The Lake Ontario arrived at 8:00 pm, going to the anchorage. The Algonorth finally arrived at 9:30 pm after its rescue of 2 sailors in Lake Ontario. The Algonorth is heading to Dofasco with iron ore from Port Cartier. Her next port of call will be Thunder Bay.

Lorain - Jim Reagan
Friday evening the Edward L. Ryerson finished unloading iron ore at Jonick's dock and proceeded to leave the dock and back down the Black River. The Ryerson made its way downriver backing through the Norfolk and Southern railroad lift bridge and the Charles Berry Bascule Bridge. As it approached the bascule bridge it blew its whistles to have the bridge lifted. What a beautiful sound. It backed past the historic Lorain Lighthouse just before sunset. As it passed the newer lighthouse the sun set while it turned around to start its run across Lake Erie.

Updates - September 9

News Photo Gallery updated

Public Photo Gallery - Back On-line.

Today in Great Lakes History - September 09

September 9, 1936, For the second consecutive day, boats of the Interlake and Pittsburgh fleets collided. The SATURN collided with the HENRY H ROGERS in heavy fog above Whitefish Bay. The SATURN continued upbound to repair damage at Superior Shipbuilding. The ROGERS continued down bound to South Chicago where the anchor of the SATURN was removed from the Mate's starboard cabin.

September 9, 1940, the steamer MARITANA, Captain Charles E. Butler, went to anchor in Whitefish Bay due to weather. When they retrieved their anchor the next day, they also recovered a second anchor. The second anchor had an oak stock 12 feet across and 17 inches in diameter. The 8 foot forged metal shank was stamped with a date of 1806.

On 09 September 1886, GENERAL WOLSELEY (wooden side-wheel steamer, 103 foot, 123 tons, built in 1884, at Oakville, Ontario) caught fire on her way to Dyer's Bay, Ontario. She was run ashore for the crew to escape near Cape Croker on Georgian Bay and burned to the water's edge.

The WOLVERINE (Hull#903) was launched September 9, 1974, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. for the Union Commerce Bank (Ohio), Trustee (Oglebay Norton Co., mgr.), Cleveland, Ohio.

DETROIT EDISON (Hull#418) was launched September 9, 1954, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Manitowoc Ship Building Co. for the American Steamship Co. (Boland & Cornelius, mgr.) Buffalo, New York.

The Steamer PERE MARQUETTE 18 sank on September 9, 1910, with a loss of 29 lives. No cause for the sinking has ever been determined. The PERE MARQUETTE 17 picked up 33 survivors, losing 2 of her own crew during the rescue.

The first of two fires suffered by the Grand Trunk carferry GRAND RAPIDS occurred on September 9, 1980. The cause of the fire was not determined.

On 9 September 1929, the ANDASTE (steel propeller self-unloading sandsucker, 247 foot, built in 1892, at Cleveland, Ohio) was probably overloaded with gravel when she �went missing� west of Holland, Michigan. The entire crew of 25 was lost. When built, she was the sister of the 'semi-whaleback' CHOCTAW, but was shortened 20 feet in 1920-21, to allow her to use the Welland Canal.

On 9 September 1871, Captain Hicks of the schooner A H MOSS fired the Mate, a popular fellow, in a fit of anger the same time that a tug arrived to tow the schooner out of Cleveland harbor. The crew was upset to say the least, and when the tow line was cast off and Capt. Hicks ordered the sails hoisted, the crew refused to do any work. The skipper finally raised the signal flags and had the tug towed his vessel back into the harbor. When the MOSS dropped anchor, he fired the entire crew then went ashore to hire another crew.

The m/v ROY A JODREY (Hull#186) was launched in 1965, at Collingwood, Ontario by Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. for Algoma Central Railway Ltd.

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

Greek Freighter Toro Aground at Snell Lock

9/8 - Update - Toro remains aground downriver from the Snell Lock. She went ashore at buoy 1. This buoy has been shifted upriver away from Toro to enable lightering to take place.

It is not known what outfit is being used to get her off the bank. Her location is almost due south of the east end of Cornwall Island and she is out 4 to 6 feet at the bow.

Toro appears to be almost clear of the shipping channel but mariners are warned of her position as they enter this area.

Reported by Ron Beaupre

The Algoisle, bound for Hamilton with iron ore, was told to be prepared to stop which she did below the Toro near Cornwall Ontario.

The Toro was downbound at the time of the mishap and was bound for Progresso, Mexico with a load of wheat from Thunder Bay, Ontario with a scheduled stop for fuel in Montreal.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

Salty Krios Update

9/8 - The salt water vessel Krios remains tied to the southwest wall above Lock 7 in the Welland Canal on Thursday evening. She has been there since Monday evening.

Original Article - 9/5 - Shortly before 8 p.m. on Monday the salt water vessel Krios dropped her anchors above Lock 7 in the Welland Canal.

The vessel may have lost steerage and scrapped the wall, but avoided a head on collision by skillful maneuvering.

As darkness fell, some of the crew and Seaway authorities were inspection the vessels hull.

Port Reports - September 8

Milwaukee - Paul Erspamer
On Wednesday evening, G-tugs Ohio and Arkansas did a masterful job of shepherding the powerless John Sherwin into Milwaukee's harbor, up the Milwaukee River, and to a berth at Nidera Grain. On Thursday, Sherwin was wreathed in dust as yellow corn poured into its hatches, Sherwin's first cargo in decades.

Lorain - Jim Reagan
The Pathfinder with tug Dorothy Ann was outbound through the Charles Berry Bascule Bridge Wednesday at 12:07 pm. The Edward L. Ryerson was in bound Lorain Harbor making its second trip with another load of ore. The Ryerson approached the Bascule Bridge around 5:00 pm. Wednesday.

Updates - September 8

News Photo Gallery updated

Public Photo Gallery - Back On-line.

Today in Great Lakes History - September 08

September 8, 1936, the Interlake steamer CRETE and the Pittsburgh steamer CORNELL collided in heavy fog above Whitefish Point. After temporary repairs were made in the Weitzel lock, the CRETE proceeded to Chicago Shipbuilding to repair a damaged bow. The CORNELL proceeded to Manitowoc to repair damage to her starboard side just forward of her boiler house.

On 08 September 1868, HIPPOCAMPUS (wooden propeller, 152 tons, built in 1867, at St. Joseph, Michigan) stranded in a storm off St. Joseph, Michigan and was pounded to pieces. 36 of the 41 passengers were lost. Litigation continued until 10 November 1884, when the owner was held innocent of blame in the U. S. Court at Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The GEMINI (Hull#745) sailed on her maiden voyage in August, 1978, from Levingston Shipbuilding Co., at Orange, Texas, to load fuel oil at Baytown, Texas, for delivery at Detroit, Michigan. Passing upbound the next month on September 8th through the Welland Canal, GEMINI became the largest U.S. flagged tanker on the Great Lakes with a capacity of 76,000 barrels. GEMINI was renamed b.) ALGOSAR in 2005.

The W E FITZGERALD (Hull#167) was launched September 8, 1906, at Wyandotte, Michigan by Detroit Ship Building Co. for the Chicago Navigation Co., Chicago, Illinois (D. Sullivan, mgr.).

The bulk freighter HENRY A. HAWGOOD was launched on September 8, 1906, at Cleveland, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co. for Minerva Steamship Co. (W. A. & H. A. Hawgood, mgr.), Cleveland. Renamed b.) C RUSSELL HUBBARD in 1912, and c.) W W HOLLOWAY in 1935.

The RADIANT departed the shipyard September 8, 1913, light on her maiden voyage bound for Montreal, Quebec.

September 8, 1970 - The MILWAUKEE CLIPPER made her last run from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

On September 8, 1985, the downbound the Panamanian NORCHEM collided with the upbound CANADIAN PROSPECTOR near Kanawake, Quebec. PROSPECTOR had little damage but NORCHEM was ripped open near her port anchor.

On 8 September 1885, ADVANCE (wooden schooner, 119 foot, 180 gross tons, built in 1853, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was carrying wood when she became waterlogged and capsized in a gale and blinding rain near Port Washington, Wisconsin in Lake Michigan. All but one of her crew of 7 drowned when her yawl capsized in the surf.

On 8 September 1871, the schooner MORNING LIGHT was sailing from Kelley's Island on Lake Erie with a cargo of stone for Marquette, Michigan in heavy weather. Trying to enter the Detroit River, the crew miscalculated their position and ran the ship aground on Pointe Mouille, just below Gibraltar. The crew scuttled the vessel in the shallow water to save her from harm. The following day, the tug GEORGE N BRADY was sent out with steam pumps and hawsers and the MORNING LIGHT was raised and towed to Detroit for repairs.

Data from: Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Al Miller, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

John Sherwin Tow Update

9/7 - Interlake's John Sherwin, towed as a dead vessel by the G tugs Ohio at the bow and Arkansas at the stern, arrived off Milwaukee's main light and breakwater entrance just before 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The tow proceed across the inner harbor turning basin to the Nidera elevator after 11 p.m.

The Sherwin is expected to load a half load of yellow corn at Nidera on Thursday and Friday before resuming its journey to Chicago.

Reported by Paul Erspamer

Salty Krios Update

9/7 - The salt water vessel Krios remains tied to the southwest of Lock 7 in the Welland Canal on Wednesday evening. She has been there since Monday evening.

Original Article - 9/5 - Shortly before 8 p.m. on Monday the salt water vessel Krios dropped her anchors above Lock 7 in the Welland Canal.

The vessel may have lost steerage and scrapped the wall, but avoided a head on collision by skillful maneuvering.

As darkness fell, some of the crew and Seaway authorities were inspection the vessels hull.

Veteran Laker Activated To Meet Demand For Iron Ore
U.S.-Flag Lakes Fleet Busy Keeping Steel Mills Fed In July

9/7 - Cleveland�U.S.-Flag Great Lakes fleets moved 12.3 million net tons of dry-bulk cargo on the �Inland Seas� in July, an increase of 3.4 percent compared to a year ago. The July float was 7 percent ahead of the month�s 5-year average.

Shipments of iron ore for Great Lakes basin steel mills recorded the strongest gains in July. Shipments rose 16 percent compared to a year ago to a total of 5.5 million net tons. The gain was only slightly less compared to the month�s 5-year average.

To meet brisk demand for iron ore, the veteran U.S.-Flag Laker Edward L. Ryerson set sail on July 22. The vessel, christened in 1960, had been idle since the end of 1998, primarily because it is not a self-unloader. However, the steel mills in Indiana Harbor still have ore bridges that can unload straight-deck vessels, so the Ryerson will be in service for the remainder of this year.

Shipments of limestone in U.S.-Flag Lakers also outperformed a year ago and the month�s 5-year average. However, high inventories of coal at power plants slashed coal shipments by nearly 700,000 net tons compared to a year ago.

The issue of light loading continued to afflict the industry. Even the recently-activated Ryerson cannot carry full loads. The vessel is losing roughly 12 inches of draft, or roughly 1,500 net tons, when delivering iron ore to Indiana Harbor.

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 transport as much as 125 million tons of cargo a year. More information is available at www.lcaship.com

Source: Lake Carriers� Association

Port Reports - September 7

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The Agawa Canyon crossed the pier heads bow first at 9:45 pm on Tuesday. It was bound for Verplank�s on its second visit of the season. It unloaded over night and was gone by Wednesday morning.

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Monday evening the Brovig Fjord departed the Petro Canada Pier in Bronte at 9:00 pm.
Tuesday the Quebecois arrived at 5:30 pm going to Dofasco with iron ore pellets from Port Cartier.
The Lake Superior departed at 7:30 pm. with steel products for Cleveland.
Wednesday the Federal Mass arrived at 4:00 pm. for Pier 14E. The CSL Laurentian departed at 4:00 pm. from Stelco after discharging coal. Her next port is Ashtabula. CCGC Shark arrived also at 4:00 pm. going to The Centre for Inland Waters in Burlington. The tug Salvor and barge Lambert's Spirit departed at 5:00 pm. Thalassa Desgagnes arrived at 8:30 pm going to Pier 11 with asphalt from Montreal. After unloading she will head down the lake to Oswego.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The Wolverine was inbound the Saginaw River late Wednesday afternoon headed upriver to the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee to unload. She was expected to be outbound Thursday morning.
The Maumee was also inbound Wednesday evening calling on the Sargent dock in Essexville to unload. She was also expected to be outbound Thursday morning.

Kingsville - Eric Zuschlag
The Saginaw was in Kingsville Wednesday. She is the 10th freighter in the dock this year.

Toledo -
Isolda was wrapping up loading at ADM Elevators.
Scoter at The Andersons Kuhlman Facility continued loading.
Stefania I was at Midwest Terminals of Toledo.
Adam E. Cornelius lies aback in the CSX RR Dock coal slip with her boom up but not under the coal loader.

Updates - September 7

News Photo Gallery updated

Public Photo Gallery - Back On-line.

Today in Great Lakes History - September 7

On September 7, 1978, the ROGER M KYES lost all power in Lake St. Clair requiring tug assistance from the Great Lakes Towing Co. tugs MARYLAND and MAINE which escorted her to the Great Lakes Steel dock. Renamed b.) ADAM E CORNELIUS in 1989.

The CADILLAC of 1943, was laid up on September 7, 1981, for the last time at Toledo, Ohio. She was later transferred to a West coast marine operation in preparation for conversion for a proposed container ship for service between Chicago, Detroit and Quebec City. However these plans never materialized.

On September 7, 1921, the D G KERR pulled up to the ore dock at Two Harbors, Minnesota to load exactly 12,507 gross tons of iron ore in the record breaking time of sixteen and a half minutes. This was accomplished through the cooperation of the dock superintendent, the dock employees concerned, the ship's captain and crew and the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. as a means of "showing up" the competition. Her time of arrival and departure to and from the dock took only nineteen minutes. For comparison, a good average loading time at that time was about three hours and forty-five minutes.

On September 7, 1975, on the St. Marys River loaded with iron ore pellets, the WILLIAM G MATHER, forced out of the channel by a salt water vessel, struck bottom. Upon proceeding further onto Lake Huron it was soon discovered that her pumps were unable to cope with incoming water caused by the damage. She was beached at Frying Pan Island (De Tour, Michigan) in 19 feet of water when it became evident they couldn't make dock.

On 7 September 1883, LAURA BELL (wooden schooner, 138 foot, 269 gross tons, built in 1870, at Toledo, Ohio) was carrying coal from Cleveland, Ohio to Marquette, Michigan when she stranded off Shot Point, east of Marquette in Lake Superior. Her crew spent 3 days in her rigging and all but one was rescued by a tug from Marquette.

September 7, 1916 - The PERE MARQUETTE 3 ran aground 10 miles north of Milwaukee.

September 7, 1996 - The American Society of Mechanical Engineers designated the propulsion system of the BADGER a mechanical engineering landmark.

The launch of the 188 foot wooden schooner ELIZABETH A NICHOLSON was set for 4:00 p.m., on 7 September 1872, at E. Fitzgerald's shipyard in Port Huron, Michigan. Just before 4:00 p.m., a telegram was received at the shipyard from Capt. Nicholson, the owner of the new vessel, which read, "Wait a while. We are coming." The launch was delayed until another dispatch was received which said to go ahead anyway. The boat Capt. Nicholson was on had broken down. The launch went well. The vessel was painted deep green with her name in gilt. All present cheered the sight, but there was no party afterwards. All of the food and beverages for the celebration were with Capt. Nicholson on the disabled vessel.

On 07 September 1883, the COLORADO (wooden schooner-barge, 118 foot, built in 1866, at Fairport, Ohio) was in tow of the steamer DON M DICKINSON along with the schooner-barge N P GOODELL in a gale on Lake Huron. As the gale worsened, the string of vessels went to shelter in the harbor at Sand Beach (now Harbor Beach), Michigan. The COLORADO broke loose as they entered the harbor. Deckhand Abbot Way jumped on to the breakwater with a line to secure the COLORADO, but the line broke as soon as it went taut. It broke three times and the barge drifted out into the gale, stranding Mr. Way on the breakwater with six foot waves washing over it. He managed to get to the harbor light at the end of the breakwater and climbed up above the waves where he was stranded for two hours until the crew of the Lifesaving Station got to him. COLORADO beached herself with no loss of life. She was later recovered and lasted until 1902 when she was abandoned.

Data from: Max Hanley, Joe Barr, Tin Stackers - The History of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships. We Remember series This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history

USCG Announces Temporary Restrictions on St. Clair River

9/6 - Detroit - The U.S. Coast Guard announces waterway restrictions affecting recreational and commercial vessel traffic on the St. Clair River from September 18-28, 2006.

Work involving high voltage electrical lines will impact river traffic in the vicinity of Marysville, MI during the period. Closures will temporarily be in effect on week days between the hours of 0700-1600.

The river will be closed to all traffic periodically during those hours. Announcements regarding the closure and reopening will be made on marine band channel 16. Commercial mariners may also contact Sarnia Vessel Traffic Control on channel 11 or 12 for information.

A safety zone will be in effect during the periods of closure and will be enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard, Ontario Provincial Police and other law enforcement entities from the United States and Canada. Mariners are directed to stay clear of the safety zone during closures for their safety and the safety of others.

USCG News Release

Greek Freighter Toro Aground at Snell Lock

9/7 - The 16,886 Ton Greek saltie Toro went aground below the Snell Lock Tuesday evening around 9 p.m. The reason for grounding was unknown, the pilot reported they were taking on water in the forepeak but were out of the shipping channel.

The Algoisle, bound for Hamilton with iron ore, was told to be prepared to stop which she did below the Toro near Cornwall Ontario.

The Toro was downbound at the time of the mishap and was bound for Progresso, Mexico with a load of wheat from Thunder Bay, Ontario with a scheduled stop for fuel in Montreal.

Reported by Walter Statham & Kent Malo

Equipment Arrives to Begin Dredging the Ashtabula River

9/6 - Ashtabula - A small crowd of boaters gathered Friday along both sides of the Ashtabula River to watch work crews unload a dredge into the water, a major first step in the three-year, $50 million project.

Crews will begin to remove contaminated sediment from the bottom of a one-mile stretch of the river bottom on Thursday, giving boaters a few more days to get their boats and docks out of the water.

"You can tell the river needs to be dredged," said Rick Brewer of the Ashtabula River Partnership as he stood near the boat ramp at Ashtabula Recreation Unlimited. "The dredge is already on the bottom (of the river)," he said. "The water here is only two to three feet deep."

The dredging became necessary after industries discharged contaminants into the river's 137 square mile drainage basin from the 1940s to the late 1970s. In addition to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the river bottom is polluted with low-level radioactive material, heavy metals and other chemicals.

The clean up plan involves dredging the sediment and pumping it through a three-mile-long pipeline to a dump site near State Road and Fields Brook, a stream that flows into the Ashtabula River. Three 500-hp booster pumps will do the work at 5,000 gallons of sand per minute, Brewer said, noting it will take about a year to dredge the river up to the Fifth Street lift bridge.

"Recreational boating will improve," he said. "Some boaters left because of the shallow river bed, we believe that once the river is dredge, they'll come back."

The work will be done in close cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who will also conduct navigation dredging downstream of the project area. The work is expected to be completed in 2009. Contaminated sediment is one of the reasons many Lake Erie fish are no longer safe to eat in large quantities. It also hurts aquatic habitat and pollutes sources of drinking water. This has been a problem throughout the entire Great Lakes basin.

The Great Lakes Legacy Act provides $270 million throughout five years for cleanups of contaminated sediment hot spots.

From the Ashtabula Star Beacon

Port Reports - September 6

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
Karen Andrie and her barge were unloading at Noco on Monday evening.

Alpena & Stoneport - Ben & Chanda McClain
On Thursday the David Z. Norton brought a load of coal to Lafarge. Early Friday morning the Alpena was in port and then departed for Whitefish, Ontario.
The tug G.L Ostrander and barge Integrity took on cargo at Lafarge in the early morning hours of Monday. Also returning on Labor Day was the Alpena. The tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation made its way into port before noon on Tuesday. It loaded under the silos and was heading out into the lake by 4 p.m.
The Maumee and the McKee Sons were expected at Stoneport on Wednesday.

Kingsville - Erich Zuschlag
The Cuyahoga was in Tuesday morning unloading stone.
The Jiimaan finished loading for Pelee Island when the Pelee Islander came in to unload and load.

Sandusky - Jim Spencer
It has been a busy few days at Sandusky's Norfolk Southern coal dock. Sunday the CSL Laurentien loaded for a Canadian port. On Monday afternoon the American Mariner was moored under the loading chute, departing as the sun settled over Western Lake Erie.
On Tuesday, The Canadian Olympic and Canadian Progress - both Upper Lakes Shipping - loaded for Canadian ports.
CSL's Atlantic Erie is currently posted for an early Wednesday loading, again for delivery to a Canadian port.

Milwaukee - Ed Dabbs
The Manistee unloaded salt at Jones Island in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Toledo -
Isolda was busy being loaded at ADM Elevators. Scoter was at The Andersons Kuhlman Facility busily being loaded as well. Adam E. Cornelius was taking on coal at the CSX RR Docks.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The Canadian Transfer was inbound the Saginaw River early Tuesday morning calling on the North Star dock in Essexville. She completed her unload and then waited about a half hour for the upbound tug Duluth and her barges before turning off the dock and heading for the lake Tuesday afternoon.

Updates - September 6

News Photo Gallery updated

Public Photo Gallery - Back On-line.

Today in Great Lakes History - September 06

On 29 August 1872, a storm struck Lake Erie. On 06 September 1872, nine days after she set sail from Port Colborne for Detroit, the schooner J W SARGENT was listed as missing in the Detroit newspapers � probably a victim of that storm. Later on the same day that the newspaper announcement was published, the SARGENT arrived in Detroit. Captain William Simms stated that the storm drove him south to Erie, Pennsylvania where he sheltered for a few days. He sent a telegraph message to the ship�s owner but the news was not relayed to Detroit. The SARGENT only lasted another three months. In November 1872, a storm got her on Lake Erie.

The BADGER was launched on September 6, 1952, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. In a christening ceremony that included the SPARTAN (launched earlier that year). The BADGER was named in honor of the University of Wisconsin. The BADGER was built by Christy Corporation, and is powered by two Skinner 4 cylinder Steeple Compound Uniflow Marine Steam engines, developing over 7,000 horsepower. She was the last of the large, coal-fired steamers to be built in the United States, and the only ship of her type still operating on the Great Lakes. The BADGER offers seasonal passenger service from Ludington, Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin from mid May to early October.

The BELLE RIVER began her maiden voyage when she loaded 56,073 long tons of western coal at Superior, Wisconsin on August 31, 1977, and arrived at Detroit Edison Co.'s Belle River power plant at Recors Point on September 6, 1977. Renamed in 1990, she sails today as b.) WALTER J
MC CARTHY JR.

On September 6, 1992, the H LEE WHITE was in tow of the "G" tugs COLORADO and LOUISIANA entering the Trenton Channel when she struck a section of the toll bridge at Grosse Ile, Michigan knocking down a 150 foot span immediately east of the main river channel. The WHITE was not damaged but a new section of the bridge had to be installed at a cost of $1.7 million. The bridge was back in service in late January, 1993. The U.S. Coast Guard investigated this casualty and their report states that it was the failure of the bridge tender to operate and open the bridge which caused this casualty. The Coast Guard found that the master of the WHITE was operating his vessel in a prudent and lawful manner including the use of whistle signals.

The CHARLES E WILSON completed her sea trials in 1973. Renamed b.) JOHN J BOLAND in 2000.

The GEORGIAN BAY collided with the steamer CHARLES HUBBARD in the fog-covered lower St. Marys River September 6, 1955.

On September 6, 1989, the twin screw rail car ferry GRAND RAPIDS left Muskegon, Michigan in tow of the tugs ANGLIAN LADY and PRINCESS NO 1, and arrived at Port Maitland, Ontario on September 11th. Scrapping was completed in the fall of 1994.

On 6 September 1887, BLUE BELL (2-mast wooden scow-schooner, 84 foot, 122 gross tons, built in 1867, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was carrying lumber from Wilt's Bay, Michigan to Milwaukee when she missed the harbor entrance at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in a storm. She was driven ashore where she broke up. Her crew made it to the beach with the aid of the local U.S. Life Saving crew. The total loss was valued at $5,000.

On 6 September 1871, the wooden schooner ROSA STEARNS, loaded with coal, was battling a storm for hours off Cleveland, Ohio. The ship was driven on the stone breakwater about 1:00 a.m. and was pounded to pieces. The crew jumped onto the breakwater and crawled to safety as the waves crashed over them.

Data from: Joe Barr, Jody L. Aho, Max S. Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Krios Collides with Wall Above Welland Lock 7

9/5 - Just prior to 8:00pm, Monday, the salt water vessel Krios dropped her anchors above Lock 7 in the Welland Canal.

The vessel may have lost steerage and scrapped the wall, but avoided a head on collision by skillful maneuvering.

As darkness fell, some of the crew and Seaway authorities were inspection the vessels hull.

Reported by Vedran Mlacic

Port Reports - September 5

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The ATB McKee Sons/Invincible came into Verplank's late Monday afternoon and was still unloading at 8:00pm.

Saginaw River - Gordy Garris
The tug Joyce L. VanEnkevort and the barge Great Lakes Trader were outbound the Saginaw Bay Sunday afternoon, passing the Gravely Shoal Light near the Charity Islands at 2:00pm, headed out onto Lake Huron.
The tug Barbara Andrie and the tank barge A-390 were inbound the Saginaw River early Monday morning headed for the Bit-Mat dock in Essexville to unload. The pair are expected to be outbound the Saginaw River Tuesday morning.
The Canadian Transfer is scheduled to arrive at the North Star dock in Essexville Tuesday morning to unload 14,409 short tons of Potash from Thunder Bay. This will be the Transfer's third trip to the Saginaw River in 2006, but at the same time last year she had visited the river nine times.
The tug Gregory J. Busch with the barge Primary 1 were inbound the Saginaw River Monday evening, arriving at the BMT Terminal in Carrollton at 8:00pm. The Busch had left the Saginaw River with the barge Primary 1 on July 6 and would be transporting stone products to many Great Lakes ports for the next few weeks. Before her departure the Busch was hired to assist ships in Saginaw by towing them out to the Airport turning basin or by turning them at the Sixth Street turning basin in Saginaw. On July 17, the Shepard Marine Contracting tug Robin Lynn arrived to continue turning ships at the Sixth Street turning basin to keep business going in Saginaw.
The tug Duluth was inbound from the Pump-Out Island with a scow bound for the Sixth Street turning basin in Saginaw around 1:00pm Monday afternoon. The tug Duluth told the inbound tug Gregory J. Busch that the dredging operations in Saginaw was expected to be finished by the end of the month. The tug Duluth was out bound from Sixth Street turning basin in Saginaw at 8:00pm with a loaded scow bound for Bay City.

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Monday had the refueling ship Hamilton Energy departing at 7:00 am for Clarkson and returning at 12:30 pm. to its home base Provmar at Pier 24.
The Montrealais departed at 11:30am to clean holds in Lake Ontario and returned at 3:00pm.going to JRI Elevators at Pier 25 to load grain.
The tug Michigan and barge arrived at 7:00 pm. going to Pier 11.They arrived from Toledo and will head back to Toledo after unloading.
The Vega Desgagnes arrived at the Petro Canada Pier in Bronte at 6:00 pm.

South Chicago - Steve B.
The Wolverine was heard departing the Calumet River around 7:45am Monday.
The Kaye E. Barker was seen at KCBX south dock at 1:30pm taking on a load of coal.

Toledo -
Isolda remained at ADM Elevators floating high and idle. The loading legs of the elevators stowed.
Scoter came in and was alongside The Andersons Kuhlman Facility idle on this Labor Day as well.
Crow, a crane barge was along the downstream slip of Hocking Valley Docks. Geo. Gradel Co. has been working at its end where the concrete wall has been sliding into the river as a result of erosion.

Marquette - Rod Burdick
Over the long Labor Day weekend, Marquette only received visits from the Herbert C. Jackson on Sunday and Charles M. Beeghly on Monday. Each loaded ore for the Rouge.

Updates - September 5

News Photo Gallery updated

Special John Sherwin News Photo Galley

Public Photo Gallery - Temporarily off-line.

Today in Great Lakes History- September 5

September 5, 1899, the DOUGLASS HOUGHTON grounded at Sailors Encampment and sank when rammed by her barge, JOHN FRITZ. The HOUGHTON completely blocked St. Marys River traffic for five days. More than 300 boats were delayed at an estimated loss of $600,000.

On 05 September 1898, the MONTGOMERY (wooden schooner-barge, 204 foot, 709 tons, built in 1856, at Newport [Marine City], Michigan as a passenger/package freight steamer) sank in 21 feet of water on Lake St. Clair after colliding with the whaleback barge 137 (steel barge, 345 foot, 2,480 gross tons, built in 1896, at W. Superior, Wisconsin) which was being towed by the ALEXANDER MC DOUGALL (steel propeller semi-whaleback freighter, 413 foot, 3,686 gross tons, built in 1898, at W. Superior, Wisconsin). The MONTGOMERY was raised and repaired. She lasted another two years � breaking up in a storm in 1901.

On September 5, 1964, the 730-foot bulk freighter LEECLIFFE HALL sank after colliding with the Greek ocean vessel APPOLONIA in the St. Lawrence River.

The CHI-CHEEMAUN completed her sea trials on September 5, 1974, and then cleared the Collingwood shipyard on September 26th.

The BENJAMIN F FAIRLESS cleared Lorain on her maiden voyage September 5, 1942 for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co..

The J P MORGAN JR returned to service September 5, 1948, after repairs suffered in an accident in June.

The NEW QUEDOC arrived at Mc Louth Steel, Trenton, Michigan on her maiden voyage September 5, 1960, with a load of Labrador iron ore. Renamed b.) QUEDOC in 1963. QUEDOC was scrapped at Curacao Island, Lesser Antillies in 1985.

The WYANDOTTE of 1916, a.) CONNEAUT, was towed down the Welland Canal on September 5th & 6th, 1973, on her way to the cutters torch at Santander, Spain.

On 5 September 1905, ABERCORN (wooden propeller 'rabbit', 126 foot, 261 gross tons, built in 1873, at Marine City, Michigan) burned at the dock at Goderich, Ontario While unloading coal. She reportedly caught fire from the explosion of a signal lamp.

The schooner CALEDONIA, wrecked the previous autumn near the Fishing Islands on Lake Huron, was raised and arrived in Port Huron, Michigan on 5 September 1882, under tow to be rebuilt.

Data from: Joe Barr, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Jody L. Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

John Sherwin Tow
(Updates as they are received)

9/4 - 5:30 p.m. - The tow was down bound at the Mud Lake Junction buoy at 4:45 p.m.
The tug reported they were going to Milwaukee for a cargo of corn, then on to South Chicago. They have a five man riding crew and the tug and Sherwin both took supplies from the supply vessel Ojibway. There is power on board for lights, winches and the hatch crane.

9/4 - 3 p.m. - The tow cleared the Poe Lock a little after Noon, passed Mission Pont at 1 p.m. and Nine Mile Point at 2 p.m. G tug Ohio is leading and the Missouri is on the stern.

9/4 - 2 p.m. - New pictures posted on the tow passing the Valley Camp - Special John Sherwin News Photo Galley

9/4 - 12:45 p.m. - The tow has cleared the Poe Lock down bound.

9/4 - 9:30 a.m. - Tug Ohio with the Sherwin tow was down at Big Point at 9:25 a.m., tug Missouri on the stern. They have been dispatched to the Poe Lock, on a turn back from the Burns Harbor.

Click here for a complete history of the John Sherwin.

Port Reports - September 4

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
The salty Vamand Wave arrived early Sunday with sugar for Redpath. The Groupe Ocean tugs Omni Richelieu and Omni St. Laurent assisted with the berthing before returning to Hamilton. Earlier, the tugs had assisted the salty Scoter from the Redpath slip. Scoter departed for the Welland Canal late Saturday night. The STV Unicorn is still in port. CCG Cape Mercy is in port, assisting with patrol duties in Humber Bay, for The International Air Show, which wraps up this afternoon at The Expo.

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Sunday was another dreary day due to tropical depression Ernesto. The Captain Henry Jackman departed at 6:00 am.
The Algomarine arrived at 7:30 am going to Pier 12 to discharge part of her potash cargo picked up in Thunder Bay. She was on her way to Contrecoeur Quebec with the remainder at 1:00 pm.
The Maria Desgagnes arrived at the Petro Canada Pier in Oakville ( Bronte ) at 8:00 am. The saltie Brovig Fjord arrived at the Petro Canada Pier at 2:00pm.
The Montrealais arrived in Hamilton at 3:00 pm going to Dofasco with iron ore pellets from Port Cartier. The Groupe Ocean tug Omni Richelieu arrived at 4:00 pm.
The CSL Assiniboine departed Pier 26 for Sept.Ille Quebec at 5:30 pm.
The tug William J. Moore and barge McLeary's Spirit departed at 7:00 pm and was followed out through the Burlington Piers by the Petrolia Desgagnes.

Saginaw River Todd Shorkey
The Maumee was outbound the Saginaw River early Sunday morning after finishing her unload at the Buena Vista dock in Saginaw.
Inbound early Sunday was the tug Joyce L. Van Enkevort and barge Great Lakes Trader. The pair called on the Wirt Stone dock in Bay City to unload, finishing by 8am. They then backed from the dock and out of the Saginaw River, turning around at Light 12 in the Saginaw Bay.

Updates - September 4

News Photo Gallery updated and more News Photo Gallery

Today in Great Lakes History- September

On 04 September 1889, the new steamer CHEROKEE (wooden propeller freighter, 209 foot, 1,002 gross tons) arrived in Port Huron, Michigan from M. P. Lester's yard in Marine City, Michigan for the Phoenix Iron Works in Port Huron to installed the engine and boiler. Her outfitting was then completed by Carleton and Cole of Port Huron.

On 4 September 1876, CITY OF PORT HURON, a wooden steam barge, sank a few miles off shore near Lexington, Michigan at about noon. She was heavily loaded with iron ore and sprang a leak at about 11 o'clock. Most of the crew managed to get on top of the cabin while two were in the forward rigging as she went down in 6 fathoms of water. The heavy seas washed over those on the cabin. Captain George Davis and two others floated ashore on wreckage while a fish boat picked up the five others. No lives were lost.

Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Jody L. Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Sonar image refuels missing fighter aircraft talk

R9/3 - Rockford, Mich. - A fuzzy image of a downed fighter aircraft at the bottom of Lake Superior from a diving company's side-scan sonar may furnish a partial answer to a missing plane story nearly 53-years-old.

In published reports, Great Lakes Diving Company of Rockford released an image of a fighter aircraft some historic speculators say could be the remains of an F-89 scrambled from Kinross Air Base in 1953 that disappeared under mysterious circumstances. (Kinross Air Base was later renamed Kincheloe Air Force Base.)

The very fuzzy image shows an aircraft with one wing missing in a field of indeterminate material. The image is too blurry to reveal anything more than the aircraft's general shape and configuration. In a sketchy statement, the Rockford-based dive company said it is currently engaged in a �forensic investigation� of the aircraft, generally located on the Canadian side of the international boundary north of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Lake Superior.

The company statement said its side-scan equipment also detected another object near the fighter wreck site, but did not further characterize that second find. No independent confirmation of the aircraft discovery or its location were available.

The apparent find reportedly reignited discussion in Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) circles that the aircraft may be the same plane from Kinross that disappeared in 1953. Historic accounts indicate the F-89 was investigating an unidentified radar blip over eastern Lake Superior when the aircraft appeared to merge with the object before both disappeared from radar images. Neither the aircraft nor the missing pilot was ever found.

The all-but-forgotten aircraft disappearance was the subject of many years of speculation among fliers and UFO enthusiasts before the talk quieted with the passage of time. The underwater discovery appears to conflict with a 1968 report by Canadian prospectors who reportedly found parts from a high-performance military aircraft on Lake Superior's Ontario side.

The aircraft in the image appears to be mostly intact, except for the missing wing. The general shape of the aircraft closely resembles those from the last generation of propeller-driven fighters used late in World War II and the Korean War. It also resembles early U.S. jet fighter aircraft built prior to the advent of the F-86 Fury, also used extensively in the Korean War.
The reproduced sonar image is not distinct enough to show a propeller on the mostly undamaged nose of the aircraft. Nothing in the fuzzy image visually confirms that the aircraft with a missing wing is under water or at the bottom of Lake Superior.

The U.S. Air Force closed its investigation of the F-89 disappearance decades ago. Documentation on that investigation has apparently since been declassified.

From the Soo Evening News

Port Reports - September 3

South Chicago - Steve B.
The Reserve was seen departing the Marblehead dock at 106th St. early Saturday afternoon. Shortly after, the Joseph L. Block was heard making a security call out of Mittal at Indiana Harbor, with a destination of KCBX to pick up a load of coal. The Block entered the harbor after the Reserve cleared, spun, and was assisted by the tug John Perry down the Calumet River to KCBX.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The Nantucket Clipper was in port Saturday morning and still here at 3:00pm.

Toledo -
Isolda of Polsteam was on-loading at ADM Elevators. Tug John Spence and tanker barge McAsphalt 401 lie at the upstream end of Midwest Terminals of Toledo. They await BP Terminal to be clear.
Deck barge Milwaukee lies alongside the terminals where a large metal vessel rests at the dock side.
Philip R. Clarke was off-loading coke breeze at the Midwest Terminals as well.

Saginaw River - Gordy Garris
The Maumee finished unloading part of her cargo at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee Saturday afternoon and continued a short distance upriver to unload at the Buena Vista Stone dock. The Maumee swung her boom out, but due to mechanical problems with her unloading gear she was unsuccessful in unloading. Repairs got underway by the early evening hours and the repairs are expected to be completed around midnight. After unloading a 2-hour cargo at the Buena Vista Stone dock, the Maumee will turn at the Sixth Street turning basin with assistance from the tug Robin Lynn and will be outbound for the lake early Sunday morning.

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Saturday had the Canadian Leader departing at 6:00 am.
The Captain Henry Jackman arrived at 6:30 am.
The saltie Marinus Green departed in ballast at 6:30 am down bound.
The CSL Assiniboine arrived at 2 pm in 35 km winds that were gusting to 60 km as the remnants of Tropical Storm Ernesto passed over Southern Ontario. The Assiniboine went to Pier 26 and after loading will head to Sept. Ille Quebec.
The Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin departed Pier 26 at 2:00 pm. with slag for Sept.Ille.

Updates - September 3

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 3

September 3, 1919, the WILLIAM A MC GONAGLE loaded a record 15,160 tons of soft coal at Toledo, Ohio for delivery to Gary, Indiana. The record lasted less than 24 hours as the D G KERR, Captain Harry Harbottle, loaded 15,532 tons of coal at the same Toledo dock for delivery to Gary, Indiana.

September 3, 1942, The 250 foot STEELVENDOR, Captain G. L. Kane, sank at 3:45 a.m. on Lake Superior with a cargo of 3,000 tons of iron ore. The lone casualty was Oiler John N. Sicken. Twenty-two survivors were rescued by the CHARLES M SCHWAB, Captain Alfred Drouillard, and 2 survivors were rescued by the WILLIAM G CLYDE, Captain David M. LeRoy. Other boats standing by were the B F AFFLECK, ELBERT H GARY, JOLIET, and EUGENE P THOMAS.

September 3, 1957, the HARRIS N SNYDER of the Boland & Cornelius fleet, Captain Elmer Murray and Chief Engineer Frank Mc Cabe, rescued 2 from the waters of Lake Michigan. Not only did the crew rescue Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Colby, but the crew used the unloading boom to recover their sailboat and place it on the deck of the SNYDER. The entire maneuver only required 55 minutes.

On September 3, 1899, the Great Lakes Towing company's RED CLOUD (wooden propeller tug, 62 foot, 40 gross tons, built in 1883, at Buffalo, New York) was sailing on Lake Erie for Lorain, Ohio when a storm forced her to head for port at Cedar Point, Ohio. However she was thrown on a reef and broke in two � a total loss. The crew made it to Sandusky, Ohio.

On September 3, the BELLE RIVER (now WALTER J MC CARTHY JR) set a then Great Lakes record for coal when it loaded 62,802 tons of coal at Superior Midwest Energy Terminal on its maiden voyage. This record has since been surpassed many times.

At Lorain, Ohio keel laying ceremonies for the 437 foot bow section of the ROGER BLOUGH (Hull#900) took place on September 3, 1968, and was float launched December 21, 1968, less ballast tanks because the existing dry dock wasn't wide enough to accommodate her 105 foot width.

SOODOC (Hull#210) of 1976, on her maiden voyage from Collingwood, Ontario, loaded salt at Goderich, Ontario on September 3, 1976. Renamed b.) AMELIA DESGAGNES in 1990.

U.S. Steel's SEWELL AVERY was laid up for the last time September 3, 1981, at Superior, Wisconsin. She was towed to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario in 1987, and is used as a dock.

The THOMAS W LAMONT was laid up for the last time at Duluth�s Hallett dock #6A on September 3, 1981. She was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey in 1987.

The H H PORTER sailed on her maiden voyage for the Brier Hill Steamship Co. (Pickands, Mather, mgr.) on September 3, 1920, light from Lorain, Ohio to load iron ore at Two Harbors, Minnesota. Renamed b.) WALTER E WATSON in 1957 and c.) NATIONAL TRADER in 1973. She was scrapped at Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1978.

On September 3, 1985, PHILIP R CLARKE plowed into the Drawbridge Cove Marina in Lorain's Black River damaging 5-10 small craft and sinking one at the steel dock. CLARKE managed to stop before hitting the Route 6 drawbridge.

On 3 September 1887, BULGARIA (wooden propeller, 280 foot, 1,888 gross tons) was launched at West Bay City, Michigan by J. Davidson, as their hull number 16.

September 3, 1910 - The MARQUETTE & BESSEMER NO 2 (Hull#450) was launched in Cleveland, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co. for the Marquette & Bessemer Dock & Navigation Co. She was the replacement for the MARQUETTE & BESSEMER NO 2 of 1905, (Hull#428), which foundered on Lake Erie, December 7, 1909.

On 3 September 1869, the 167 foot wooden propeller BOSCOBEL burned about two miles below St. Clair, Michigan. Three lives were lost. The ship was only about two years old and was in service of the New York Central Railroad, though owned by the Peshtigo Lumbering Co. of Chicago. The burned hulk was raised in 1876 and rebuilt as a schooner-barge at Algona, Michigan. She lasted until 1909, when she sank on Lake Huron.

Data from: Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Jody L. Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

John Sherwin Tow Progress

9/2 - 2:00 pm - The tow of the John Sherwin, by the "G" tug Ohio, left Duluth around 3:00 pm on Friday.

The tow is reported as making approximately 6 mph. This would put her in the Soo around 8:00 am on Monday, Labor Day.

Further updates will be posted as they are received.

Pictures in a Special Sherwin News Photo Gallery

USCG Re-opens Time for Public Comment for Great Lakes Fire Safety Zones

9/2 - Cleveland - The Ninth Coast Guard District has re-opened the time for public comments concerning the proposed Great Lakes safety zones, as published in the federal register on August 1, 2006.

In an effort to have full consideration of all issues prior to finalizing these zones, the public comments time period will be extended an additional 60 days once published in the federal register.

Ninth Coast Guard District units placed small caliber weapons on cutters and small boats beginning in January 2006. Since then, there have been twenty-three (23) temporary safety zones announced and established for gunfire exercises, and all were safely executed.

The Ninth Coast Guard District is proposing to make these safety zones permanent to support military and homeland security training and readiness. This training will include live gunfire exercises. Our top priority when conducting these exercises is public safety.

A chart of the safety zones and the published federal register entry can be found at http://www.d9publicaffairs.com

Public comments or concerns can be submitted by:
E-mail through the web site for the Docket Management System at http://dms.dot.gov
Fax to the Docket Management Facility at (202) 493-2251.
Mail to the Docket Management Facility (USCG-2006-2567), U.S. Department of Transportation, Room PL-401, 400 SW, Washington, D.C. 20590-0001.
For questions concerning the federal register entry, contact Cmdr. Gustav Wulfkuhle, Ninth Coast Guard District Enforcement Branch, Response Division, at (216) 902-6091.

USCG Ninth District News Release

Coast Guard Backs Off on Live Fire Zones

9/2 - MUSKEGON -- Public outrage over the U.S. Coast Guard's plan to conduct weapons training with live ammunition on all five Great Lakes has temporarily put the exercises on hold. Coast Guard officials agreed Thursday to extend the public comment period by 60 days, said U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Holland. Hoekstra said he also believes the Coast Guard will hold informational meetings in Michigan on the proposed firing ranges before moving ahead with the plan. "I was surprised to learn of the Coast Guard's plans to create firearms training zones on Lake Michigan and am disappointed that it did not do more to inform the public," Hoekstra said.

The Coast Guard wants to establish 26 permanent "safety zones" on the Great Lakes where it would conduct target practice. The agency wants to conduct training exercises on the lakes -- shooting live ammunition from pistols and machine guns at floating targets while its personnel are on boats -- as part of homeland security training.

The Coast Guard appeared poised to move forward with the plan until media coverage of the proposal this week sparked concern among boaters, coastal residents and politicians. Federal law permits the Coast Guard to forge ahead with the plan without accepting public comment.

"There are a lot of people who have serious questions about this," said Bernie Halverson, a retired charter boat captain who lives in North Muskegon. He was one of several area residents who criticized the proposed firing ranges.

Hoekstra, a member of the Congressional subcommittee that oversees Coast Guard operations, said he was never told about the plan even though some of the proposed firing ranges are in his Congressional district, areas frequented by Lake Michigan anglers and cross lake ferries in Muskegon and Ludington.

Hoekstra said he sent a letter to the Coast Guard Thursday expressing his opposition to establishing firing ranges on Lake Michigan. He said he may support the plan if Coast Guard officials can prove the firing ranges are necessary and that training can be done safely.

Rear Adm. John Crowley, who heads the Coast Guard's 9th District Office in Cleveland, apologized for failing to adequately inform the public or elected officials about the proposed firing ranges, Hoekstra said. Coast Guard officials did not return calls seeking comment.

Boaters and environmentalists who voiced concerns about the plan praised the Coast Guard's decision to extend the public comment period. "I applaud their to move to extend the public comment period and give the public an adequate chance to ask questions and seek information about something that is of concern to a lot of folks," said Hugh McDiarmid Jr., a spokesman for the Lansing-based Michigan Environmental Council.

Jim Fenner, president of the Ludington Charter Boat Association, said his group has serious reservations about the proposed firing ranges. "We want to know when they would do this, how charter captains would be contacted and if we would have to vacate areas," he said.

Reported by Bob VandeVusse from the Grand Rapids Press

Charts of the proposed Fire Zones on the News Photo Gallery

Despite Deterioration, Museum Still Wants Ashland Oredock
CN says it's canceling lease for Kiyi

9/2 - Ashland, WI - A Duluth-based organization remains interested in turning the former Soo Line Oredock into a maritime museum, despite an engineering report's finding that parts of the dock could fall off at any moment. "There is really nothing in the report that surprised us," said Franz VonRiedel, president of the Northeastern Maritime Foundation. "All of these issues were accounted for in our study that we did."

He said the foundation hopes to acquire the dock from Canadian National within the next several months. Last year, the foundation unveiled a proposal to make the dock safe for public access within a year of acquiring it. The oredock's structural integrity is sound, even though the report released Wednesday by Westbrook & Associates found numerous surface maintenance problems. Along with chunks of concrete, the steel ore shoots are liable to fall off the dock at any time.

The next step is for Westbrook & Associates to estimate the cost of repairing the dock, VonRiedel said. The foundation estimated $830,000 in its proposal, but that figure is now outdated and likely to rise, he said.

In the meantime, both the city of Ashland and CN are taking steps to eliminate all access to the dock. The problems mentioned in the report came as no surprise, City Zoning Administrator Brea Lemke acknowledged, but the report instilled a sense of urgency in addressing them. "You can see where the concrete above the lakefront trail has deteriorated, but what's different is the engineer did close-up investigations and said, 'This is a serious concern,' and they put their engineering stamp of approval on it,'" she said Thursday. On Wednesday, the city fenced off the portion of lakefront trail that crosses underneath the dock.

Lemke said CN plans to remove some steel bridges along the dock's approach. The bridges themselves are fine, but the lumber holding them is potentially unstable, Lemke said. CN plans to remove bridges over Water, St. Claire and Main streets, along with U.S. Highway 2, she said. A CN spokesman would not confirm the bridges' removal, though a news release sent Thursday from CN says the company intends to remove "steel spans over public roads" as necessary.

Also on Thursday, CN announced it is canceling its lease with the U.S. Geological Survey, whose research vessel, the Kiyi, is tied to the dock. CN is asking the city to enforce a "no vessel zone" within 100 feet of the dock. U.S. Geological Survey staff is accustomed to parts of the dock falling off, and hardhats are a requirement when walking underneath the dock's structure, according to Owen Gorman, a research biologist for the agency. "We are fully aware with what's going on with the dock," Gorman said. "I have about a 20 pound doorstop (in my office) made out of a piece of concrete that fell off the dock."

He said the Kiyi sits several feet away from the dock's overhang and has never been hit directly by falling debris. "Our biggest concern isn't the falling concrete, but the front of the vessel sits underneath two of the (steel ore) shoots, and we worry about when they will let loose," Gorman said. Gorman said he hasn't received any notification from CN about canceling the agency's lease. The Kiyi has been stationed at the dock since 2000 and is expected to move to a new dock at the edge of Kreher Park next year.

Gorman said CN attempted to evict the Kiyi from its current location three years ago when CN acquired Wisconsin Central Railroad. CN cited many of the same safety concerns then that it is citing now, he said. The U.S.G.S. and CN reached an agreement that absolved CN of any liability for damage due to the dock's deterioration, Gorman said. He said the engineering report's conclusion "doesn't change the fact that the lease doesn't hold (CN) liable for anything that might happen."

A CN spokesman, Kevin Soucie, said the company is canceling the lease agreement for safety reasons. He wouldn't comment on the terms of the lease itself. "Since safety is a core value at CN, we just made a decision to act in that regard based on the report," Soucie said.

From the Ashland Daily Press

Statement from Northeastern Maritime Historical Foundation (NMHF)

9/2 - Duluth - Wednesday in Madison, the findings from an engineering study completed by Westbrook & Associates were released, regarding the retired Soo Line No. 2 Ore Dock in Ashland, WI. The findings of Phase I of the study found the underwater portion of the dock to be in immaculate condition, with most of the structure's 14,000 pilings in near-perfect condition. The findings of Phase II however shows immediate safety concerns that needed to be addressed.

The dock's owner, Canadian National Railway (CN), has taken immediate action at the ore dock site, bringing in cranes to remove all the girder bridges spanning all the city streets, which are part of the dock approach. The waterfront trail has been closed while sections of loose concrete and topside debris are removed.

They have asked the DNR and Coast Guard to set up a "no vessel zone" within 100-feet of the dock until proper repairs can be made. In addition, the lease with the USGS research vessel KIYI has been terminated and the vessel will have to move until the dock can be made safe for access once again.

Fencing will be placed and ordinances against trespassing, including fishermen, will be strongly enforced.

A purchase agreement between CN and the Northeastern Maritime Historical Foundation (NMHF) for the ore dock and surrounding real estate has been in place since the spring of 2005. The engineering study was a needed step in the abandonment process. A proposal released by NMHF in October 2005 calls for the rehabilitation of the ore dock itself for a Maritime Heritage Center and docking facility for the group's large collection of museum vessels.

The results of the study have not changed any plans for the sale and stabilization of the ore dock. If anything, it has sped up the actions, for reasons of public safety. NMHF had already arranged funding in excess of $1 million and other long-term financial commitments towards the rehabilitation of the dock. Plans indicate one side of the dock would be stripped of all its chutes and rigging, to minimize safety concerns, cut stabilization costs and generate income from the scrap to put into the securing of chutes on the opposite side.

With the findings of the recent study, the cost estimates will have to be reevaluated and the condition of the chutes verified. A full restoration has been estimated to cost between $3 and $5 million. If the restoration does not occur, there is a good chance the dock will have to be removed in its entirety, a task that is said to cost between $10 and $20 million.

The dock has not been used since 1965 when the last ship loaded iron ore from its bins

From the Northeastern Maritime Historical Foundation

Port Reports - September 2

Duluth - Glenn Blaszkiewicz
The John Sherwin left Duluth Friday under tow of the "G" tug Ohio. The Sherwin is destined to Chicago to be used for grain storage. Pictures in a Special Sherwin News Photo Gallery.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
Algoma Central Marine Seaway Marine Transport�s self-unloading motor vessel Algorail brought in a load of salt for Verplank�s overnight on Thursday. This was its second visit of the season.
Also in port this week, docked off and on, at the Government Basin was the Research Motor Vessel Sturgeon from the Great Lakes Science Center of the United States Department of the Interior.

Milwaukee - John N. Vogel
The Krios, a relatively small bulker registered in Valletta (Malta?), was loading at the Nidera elevator on Friday.

Marinette - Lee Rowe
The launch of the tug Brandywine was watched by a group of workers from Marinette Marine, as well as a smaller crowd across the river. The launch was assisted by tugs Escort and Krystal. Pictures in the News Photo Gallery.

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Friday saw the Canadian Leader arrive at 2:30 pm going to Dofasco with iron ore pellets from Port Cartier.
The Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin arrived at 5:30 pm from Nanticoke in ballast to load slag at Pier 26.
The Cuyahoga departed at 7:00 pm heading to the Welland Canal.
The Lake Superior arrived at 8:00 pm for Pier 14 with a cargo of 2 sailboats and steel products from Bremen Germany. After unloading the 2 sailboats and part of the steel she will head to Cleveland.
The Canadian Enterprise departed at 8:00 pm for Ashtabula.

Saginaw River - Gordy Garris
The Wolverine finished unloading at the GM dock in Saginaw, turned around in the Sixth Street turning basin with assistance from the tug Robin Lynn and was outbound the Saginaw River early Friday morning, passing through the Independence bridge in Bay City at 5:30am, headed outbound for the lake.
The Maumee was inbound the Saginaw River late Friday night passing the Front Range Light at 11:00pm bound for the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee to unload. The Maumee is expected to be outbound for the lake Saturday morning.

Updates - September 2

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 02

On 02 September 1902, the White Star Line�s TASHMOO (steel side-wheel excursion steamer, 308 foot, 1,344 gross tons, built in 1900, at Wyandotte, Michigan) hosted President Theodore Roosevelt when he came to Detroit, Michigan to speak to Spanish American War veterans. The vessel took the president and his party on a sight seeing tour up and down the river while flying the president�s blue and gold flag from the main mast.

The BROOKNES (Hull #1177) was launched on September 2, 1970, at Glasgow, Scotland by Lithgows Ltd. for "Langra" Schiffahrsges G.m.b.H. & Co., Hamburg, Germany. Brought to the Lakes in 1976, converted to a self-unloader and renamed b.) ALGOSEA and sails today as c.) SAUNIERE.

ROBERT KOCH's first trip was on September 2, 1977, up the Welland Canal bound for Buffalo with cement.

The W F WHITE was one of the earliest ships built as a self-unloader on the Great Lakes. On her maiden voyage September 2, 1915, the WHITE loaded coal at Erie, Pennsylvania and sailed for Menominee, Michigan. She was the largest self-unloading bulk carrier on the Lakes at that time with a cargo capacity of 10,500 tons.

The RALPH H WATSON departed light September 2, 1938, from Detroit, Michigan upbound to load iron ore at Duluth, Minnesota. She was built as part of a fleet modernization plan for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio, of four new "GOVERNOR MILLER' class bulk carriers, the other two were the JOHN HULST and the WILLIAM A IRVIN. The WATSON was only the fourth steam turbine powered vessel on the Lakes

HUBERT GAUCHER ran aground in the lower St. Lawrence on September 2, 1988. It took three tugs to free her, repairs took place at Quebec City.

ZIEMIA TARNOWSKA lost her engine while docking at Pier 24, in Cleveland, ramming the dock and caused about $100,000 in damage on September 2, 1988. The Polish vessel had minimal damage to her bulbous bow.

On 2 September 1851, BUNKER HILL (wooden sidewheeler, 154 foot, 457 tons, built in 1835, at Black River, Ohio) burned to a total loss at Tonawanda, New York.

The COLONEL ELLSWORTH (wooden schooner, 138 foot, 319 gross tons, built in 1861, at Euclid, Ohio as a bark) was beached on Whitefish Point in Lake Superior the entire winter of 1895-96. She was repaired and put back into service late in the summer of 1896. Then, on 2 September 1896, the newly rebuilt vessel collided with the schooner EMILY B MAXWELL about 6 miles from White Shoals on Lake Michigan and sank at about 4:00 a.m. Her crew escaped in the yawl and was picked up by the MAXWELL.

Data from: Max Hanley, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Jody L. Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history.

Joseph Buonocore Dies; Was Captain of the James R. Barker

9/1 - Captain Joseph Buonocore, captain of the M/V JAMES R. BARKER, passed away early Tuesday morning while at home on vacation. He was 48 years old.

Captain Joseph Paul Buonocore graduated from the State University of New York Maritime College-Fort Schuyler in 1979. Upon graduation, he was hired by Interlake Steamship Company as Third Mate. In the following 13 years, Captain Buonocore assumed various roles of increasing responsibility throughout Interlake's Fleet.

His first assignment as captain was in 1993 aboard the MV PAUL R. TREGURTHA, and he worked as a relief master on all of Interlake's boats.

Joe will never be replaced; having possessed a passion and pride for sailing and the Great Lakes like no other. He was a friend and advocate to countless men and women who have sailed with and for him. He will be sorely missed as a sailor and friend to everyone at the Interlake Steamship Company.

Joe is survived by his wife Laura, parents and one sister and two nieces who reside in the Long Island, New York area.

Reported by The Interlake Steamship Co.

Live Ammo on Great Lakes: USCG Plan Blindsides Boaters

9/1 - Detroit - Battle lines are being drawn over the Great Lakes and this time, it's not a metaphor. The U.S. Coast Guard is creating 34 permanent zones over open water a few miles from the Great Lakes shoreline where crews can have occasional target practice with machine guns, rifles and small 9mm guns. The Coast Guard says it needs to train crews for anything from smugglers to terrorist attacks on commercial ships.

Some of the live-fire zones are in the paths of ferries, recreational boaters and anglers. Environmental groups, which want to know whether lead casings will end up in the lake, say the Coast Guard should hold hearings. The plan was announced in the Federal Register on Aug. 1 and the period for public comment ends today. As part of the Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard is not required to seek comment, hold public hearings or produce an environmental impact study.

"The Coast Guard has provided remarkably little information about their proposal," said Anne Woiwode, director of the Michigan chapter of the Sierra Club. Margo Marks, general manager of the Beaver Island Boat Co., was surprised to hear Wednesday that the ferries her company runs from April until late December go through one of the live-fire zones. The zone is between Charlevoix and Harbor Springs about midway to Beaver Island. Marks was even more surprised to hear that the public comment period ends today. "I'll have to try to get something in quick," she said late Wednesday.

Car ferries that operate in summer from Ludington and Muskegon to Wisconsin also would be in live-fire zones. The Coast Guard doesn't plan to use the zones often, said Petty Officer Robert Lanier, a spokesman for the Guard's 9th District, in Cleveland, which made the proposal. He expects each zone to be in action two or three times a year for one or two days each, about 6 hours per day. However, the rule proposed in the Federal Register has no limits on when the zones can be used.

Lanier said the Guard would publish notices in the Federal Register when a zone is to be used, but it was not clear when exercises would begin. The agency also will try to notify marinas, the media and boaters via marine radio. If boats wander into a live-fire zone, the Coast Guard will stop firing and give them time to leave the zone, Lanier said.

Bob Bokram, harbormaster at the Harbor Springs marina, said most boats that use his marina are small and don't have or use marine radios. "Most people communicate by cell phone," he said. The zones are not far from some of Michiganders' favorite recreational spots and are in areas crisscrossed often by pleasure, charter and fishing boats: off Cedar Point, New Buffalo, Grand Haven, Frankfort, Grand Marais, Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie and the Keweenaw Peninsula, among others. The zones are mostly near Coast Guard stations.

The machine guns on the cutters can fire 600 rounds per minute. The Coast Guard hired consultants and concluded that no damage would occur to the environment. The Michigan Environmental Council isn't so sure. If the data aren't available to the public, there is no way to determine whether that claim is accurate, the council said in comments to the Guard. Federal law prohibits hunters from using lead shot because it's toxic to waterfowl, the council said.

Cmdr. Gustav Wulfkuhle of the 9th District's enforcement division said the ammunition that will be used in the live-fire exercises is lead inside a copper jacket, about the size of a 1/3 -ounce lead fishing weight. "Where we will be shooting, 5 miles offshore, the water is deep," he said. "We won't be shooting in marshes, so waterfowl can't pick it up." Wulfkuhle said few fish feed on the bottom.

He said the Coast Guard has no plans to extend the public comment period or to hold hearings. He said if errors had occurred in drawing the zones so that they cross ferry routes, adjustments could be made. "There's no reason to put the public at risk," he said.

A treaty between Canada and the United States dating to 1817 allowed only cannons to safeguard the Great Lakes. Both countries recently reinterpreted the treaty to allow more modern weapons by considering them weapons of law enforcement, not war, according to Canadian news reports this year. Lanier said the machine guns were added to Coast Guard cutters in 2004. The Coast Guard has used the lakes for practice before, including near Charlevoix and Sault Ste. Marie. "Those were temporary zones," he said. "These would be permanent."

George Freeman, who runs fishing charters out of Ludington, said he and other Lake Michigan charter captains are concerned. One of the zones is in waters where he regularly fishes between Pentwater and Ludington. "I know they need to have a place to shoot," he said. "We could go elsewhere, but we need to be able to go where the fish are."

Reported by Bonnie Barnes from the Detroit Free Press

Mather Maritime Museum Announces 2006 Series

9/1 - Cleveland - The Steamship William G. Mather Maritime Museum has announced their 2006 "Land Lubber Series" of lectures.

All the programs are free and open to the public. The programs will be held at the CanalWay Center in the Cleveland Metroparks, and will run from 7:00-8:00 pm..

On September 20, Greg Rudnik, bo'sun on the William G. Mather in 1976 and watchman in 1978, presents a slide program about the Mather in winter. Accomplished photographer and former owner and operator of a freighter supply boat, Mr. Rudnick has in-depth knowledge of Great Lakes shipping and a long association with the Mather Museum ship.

Carrie Sowden, archaeologist for the Great Lakes Historical Society and Director of the Peachman Lake Erie Shipwreck Research Center, will present a program on the schooner-barge Dundee on October 18. The Dundee was lost on September 11, 1900, and one of her seven crew members were lost overboard. The Dundee is one of the most complete wrecks in central Lake Erie.

On November 8, Albert Kunz, or Cargill, Inc., will present an overview of the Cargill salt mining operation. The salt mines, which provide road salt for the region, are in Cleveland, deep beneath Lake Erie. He will provide a look at the mine, the process and method of extracting the sale, and the distribution process.

For additional information on the Land Lubber Series, visit the Mather website at http://wgmather.nhlink.net/wgmhome.html or by calling (216) 574-6262.

Port Reports - September 1

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
The Groupe Ocean tugs Omni Richelieu and Omni St. Laurent arrived in port Thursday afternoon to turn the salty Scoter at Redpath Sugar. The tugs returned to Hamilton afterwards.
USCG Katmai Bay departed early, and the STV Unicorn came in late Wednesday.
CCG Simmonds arrived late Wednesday.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The Wolverine was inbound the Saginaw River Thursday afternoon headed upriver to unload at the GM Dock in Saginaw. She was expected to be outbound Friday morning.

Updates - September 1

News Photo Gallery updated