Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive

Reported by Barry Pigeon

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
John G. Munson finished loading coal at the CSX Docks and departed early Monday afternoon. Tug Michigan with the barge Great Lakes were at the B-P Dock.
It appears that the fall grain trade is finally starting up at this port. On Monday morning the Ojibway arrived at the ADM Elevator and the Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin arrived at Anderson's "K" Elevator to load grain.
The revised schedule for coal boats due into the CSX Docks has the tug Salvor and barge and the H. Lee White due in Tuesday.
The revised schedule for ore boats due into the Torco Ore Dock has the Algowood due in Friday evening followed by the CSL Assiniboine due in Saturday afternoon.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The tug Kurt Luedtke should be arriving tonight with the derrick boat #16 and scows, they are expected to start dredging on the Buffalo River soon.
English River headed out Monday around 11 a.m.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The barge St. Mary's Conquest and tug Susan W. Hannah came in about 7:30 p.m. Sunday and was still unloading Monday afternoon.

Calumet River - Tom Milton
On Sunday evening the Manitowoc was towed stern first up the Calumet to Beemsterboer. The Yankcanuck appeared to be waiting and the John D. Leitch was taking on coal at KCBX.

Updates - September 30

News Photo Gallery updated

On September 30, 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 the departed for Parry Sound, Ontario.

On September 30, 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 October. 5 Her crew was rescued by the U.S. Lifesaving Service.

On September 30, 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 eight 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.

Kingston Area - Ron Walsh
The Kathryn Spirit departed Picton at 5:25 p.m., heading to Newport News, Va., with a stop in Montreal. Tug Ecosse, barge and tug Lac Manitoba have departed Dawson Point, Wolfe Island, for Ogdensburg, N.Y.

Buffalo -Brian Wroblewski
Canada Steamship’s Halifax was loading coal at the Gateway Metroport Terminal in Lackawanna on Sunday morning.
LaFarge’s English River arrived off Buffalo around 9 a.m. on Sunday and went to anchor near the traffic buoy. The captain made an arrangement with the captain on the Herbert C. Jackson to wait until the Jackson departed so it would be easier getting through the turn at Ohio Street. The G tug Washington took the Jackson downriver to the north entrance at 1 p.m. She then helped the Jackson turn around as the English River made her way into the north entrance. Once inside the breakwall, the English River turned to starboard and stuck her nose just inside the Outer Harbor where the Washington was waiting. The tug took up the tow line from the cement carrier’s stern and brought her up the river to the LaFarge dock. While all this action was happening at the north end of the harbor, there was plenty going on at the south entrance. The Halifax departed around the time that the English River was inbound for Buffalo at 2 p.m.. As soon as she was clear, the CSL Laurentien came in with more coal for Gateway.

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
The American Mariner finished loading coal and departed from the CSX Coal Dock Sunday afternoon. Algomarine finished unloading grain at the A.R.M.S. Dock and departed Sunday afternoon. Tug Sea Service with the barge Energy 6506 was at the B-P Dock loading cargo. The tug Michigan with the barge Great Lakes was at the Midwest Terminal Dock. CSL Niagara was at the Torco Dock unloading ore. When finished unloading ore she will proceed over to the CSX Docks to load coal late Sunday evening.
The revised schedule for coal boats due into the CSX Docks has the John G. Munson due in Monday followed by the tug Salvor and barge and the H. Lee White on Tuesday. Due into the Torco Ore Docks is the Algowood due Friday, CSL Assiniboine due Saturday followed by the H. Lee White on Sunday.
Canadian Navigator is scheduled for the Midwest Terminal Stone Dock on Monday.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The tug Barbara Andrie and her tank barge called on the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City Sunday morning to unload. The pair were expected to be outbound Monday morning.

Hamilton/Welland - Eric Holmes
Sunday, the Canadian Miner depart Dofasco at 5 a.m. heading out into Lake Ontario to clean her holds. The Miner returned at 11 a.m. and went to Pier 25 (JRI Elevators) to load grain for Port Cartier. The Emerald Star arrived at 3 p.m. There was a delay in the Welland Canal on Sunday afternoon for 3 hours. The Federal Rhine hit the arrestor cable in Lock 7 and a crane had to be brought in to rectify the situation.

Amherstburg - Dave Cozens
The Canadian Coast Guard Base was active with three vessels departing for patrols: the Cape Dundas, Isle Rouge, & Cape Hurd.  J. W. Shelley was upbound with a load of fluorspar to be offloaded at Hearn's dock in Windsor. It will then be trucked by Hearn back to the Honeywell Chemical Plant in Amherstburg where it is used in the production of hydrofluoric acid. The fluorspar is mined in Mexico and was shipped to Montreal on the "tramp steamer" Balsa 73 where it was offloaded, then reloaded onto the Shelley for delivery to Windsor.

Updates - September 29

News Photo Gallery updated

and more News Photo Gallery updates

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.

9/28 - Port Weller - The tow of the former heavy-lift salt water vessel Marinelink Explorer arrived at Port Weller Drydock Friday midday. The vessel was put into the deep dry dock.

Reported by Paul Beesley

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
Olive L. Moore-Lewis J. Kuber were outbound from the Bay Aggregates dock early Friday after unloading there overnight.
The tug Undaunted and barge Pere Marquette 41 were inbound Friday calling on the Consumers Energy dock. The pair finished unloading, went upriver to the turning basin in Essexville to turn, and then head for the lake late Friday night.
Algorail was inbound Friday night, going up to the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee to unload. She was back outbound Saturday morning.
Mississagi was inbound Saturday morning calling on the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee. She was expected to be outbound Saturday evening.

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
Fog that rolled into the area the past few days delayed vessels coming into port. The tug G.L Ostrander and barge Integrity was at Lafarge on Thursday. Late Friday night the tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation was at anchor in the fog along with the Alpena waiting behind it. Both cement carriers were able to come in and load Saturday morning.
The tall ship Highlander Sea is tied up in the Thunder Bay River.

9/28 - Bay City - A long-awaited project to dredge the Upper Saginaw River for shipping will have to wait a little longer.

From the Bay City Times

9/28 - Nadro Marine Services Ltd of Port Dover, Ontario, won the contract to transport 86 windmills from Ogdensburg, NY to Wolfe Island, Ont. These windmills will be installed at various places on the Island where there is a prevailing, and fairly consistent, southwest wind.

To meet the contract requirements new docks have been built in both Kingston and Wolfe Island. Nadro Marine Services has four tugs and three barges involved in this operation. McKeil Marine has provided one additional tug. The windmills have all arrived in Ogdensburg from Europe and are now being transported approximately one per day. They are stored at the dock facility until shipped.

Nadro's tug Vigilant 1 runs a ferry service from Kingston to Wolfe Island a number of times each day. This service brings workers, materiel and vehicles to and from Wolfe Island. The transport section of the project should be completed before the end of the 08 shipping season. Installation of the windmills and connection to the grid is forecast to be a 3 year project.

Reported by Paul Beesley

Updates - September 28

News Photo Gallery

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.

Reported by Barry Pigeon

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
John G. Munson finished loading coal at the CSX Docks and departed early Monday afternoon. Tug Michigan with the barge Great Lakes were at the B-P Dock.
It appears that the fall grain trade is finally starting up at this port. On Monday morning the Ojibway arrived at the ADM Elevator and the Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin arrived at Anderson's "K" Elevator to load grain.
The revised schedule for coal boats due into the CSX Docks has the tug Salvor and barge and the H. Lee White due in Tuesday.
The revised schedule for ore boats due into the Torco Ore Dock has the Algowood due in Friday evening followed by the CSL Assiniboine due in Saturday afternoon.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The tug Kurt Luedtke should be arriving tonight with the derrick boat #16 and scows, they are expected to start dredging on the Buffalo River soon.
English River headed out Monday around 11 a.m.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The barge St. Mary's Conquest and tug Susan W. Hannah came in about 7:30 p.m. Sunday and was still unloading Monday afternoon.

Calumet River - Tom Milton
On Sunday evening the Manitowoc was towed stern first up the Calumet to Beemsterboer. The Yankcanuck appeared to be waiting and the John D. Leitch was taking on coal at KCBX.

Updates - September 30

News Photo Gallery updated

On September 30, 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 the departed for Parry Sound, Ontario.

On September 30, 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 October. 5 Her crew was rescued by the U.S. Lifesaving Service.

On September 30, 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 eight 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.

Kingston Area - Ron Walsh
The Kathryn Spirit departed Picton at 5:25 p.m., heading to Newport News, Va., with a stop in Montreal. Tug Ecosse, barge and tug Lac Manitoba have departed Dawson Point, Wolfe Island, for Ogdensburg, N.Y.

Buffalo -Brian Wroblewski
Canada Steamship’s Halifax was loading coal at the Gateway Metroport Terminal in Lackawanna on Sunday morning.
LaFarge’s English River arrived off Buffalo around 9 a.m. on Sunday and went to anchor near the traffic buoy. The captain made an arrangement with the captain on the Herbert C. Jackson to wait until the Jackson departed so it would be easier getting through the turn at Ohio Street. The G tug Washington took the Jackson downriver to the north entrance at 1 p.m. She then helped the Jackson turn around as the English River made her way into the north entrance. Once inside the breakwall, the English River turned to starboard and stuck her nose just inside the Outer Harbor where the Washington was waiting. The tug took up the tow line from the cement carrier’s stern and brought her up the river to the LaFarge dock. While all this action was happening at the north end of the harbor, there was plenty going on at the south entrance. The Halifax departed around the time that the English River was inbound for Buffalo at 2 p.m.. As soon as she was clear, the CSL Laurentien came in with more coal for Gateway.

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
The American Mariner finished loading coal and departed from the CSX Coal Dock Sunday afternoon. Algomarine finished unloading grain at the A.R.M.S. Dock and departed Sunday afternoon. Tug Sea Service with the barge Energy 6506 was at the B-P Dock loading cargo. The tug Michigan with the barge Great Lakes was at the Midwest Terminal Dock. CSL Niagara was at the Torco Dock unloading ore. When finished unloading ore she will proceed over to the CSX Docks to load coal late Sunday evening.
The revised schedule for coal boats due into the CSX Docks has the John G. Munson due in Monday followed by the tug Salvor and barge and the H. Lee White on Tuesday. Due into the Torco Ore Docks is the Algowood due Friday, CSL Assiniboine due Saturday followed by the H. Lee White on Sunday.
Canadian Navigator is scheduled for the Midwest Terminal Stone Dock on Monday.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The tug Barbara Andrie and her tank barge called on the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City Sunday morning to unload. The pair were expected to be outbound Monday morning.

Hamilton/Welland - Eric Holmes
Sunday, the Canadian Miner depart Dofasco at 5 a.m. heading out into Lake Ontario to clean her holds. The Miner returned at 11 a.m. and went to Pier 25 (JRI Elevators) to load grain for Port Cartier. The Emerald Star arrived at 3 p.m. There was a delay in the Welland Canal on Sunday afternoon for 3 hours. The Federal Rhine hit the arrestor cable in Lock 7 and a crane had to be brought in to rectify the situation.

Amherstburg - Dave Cozens
The Canadian Coast Guard Base was active with three vessels departing for patrols: the Cape Dundas, Isle Rouge, & Cape Hurd.  J. W. Shelley was upbound with a load of fluorspar to be offloaded at Hearn's dock in Windsor. It will then be trucked by Hearn back to the Honeywell Chemical Plant in Amherstburg where it is used in the production of hydrofluoric acid. The fluorspar is mined in Mexico and was shipped to Montreal on the "tramp steamer" Balsa 73 where it was offloaded, then reloaded onto the Shelley for delivery to Windsor.

Co-sponsored by BoatNerd.com and Diamond Jack's River Tours, a special five-hour voyage aboard the Diamond Belle will leave from Bishop Park in Wyandot at 10 a.m., Saturday, October 11.

Cost is only $75.00 per person and includes buffet luncheon on board. Reservations are required. Click here to download printable reservation form.

Updates - September 29

News Photo Gallery updated

and more News Photo Gallery updates

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.

9/28 - Port Weller - The tow of the former heavy-lift salt water vessel Marinelink Explorer arrived at Port Weller Drydock Friday midday. The vessel was put into the deep dry dock.

Reported by Paul Beesley

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
Olive L. Moore-Lewis J. Kuber were outbound from the Bay Aggregates dock early Friday after unloading there overnight.
The tug Undaunted and barge Pere Marquette 41 were inbound Friday calling on the Consumers Energy dock. The pair finished unloading, went upriver to the turning basin in Essexville to turn, and then head for the lake late Friday night.
Algorail was inbound Friday night, going up to the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee to unload. She was back outbound Saturday morning.
Mississagi was inbound Saturday morning calling on the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee. She was expected to be outbound Saturday evening.

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
Fog that rolled into the area the past few days delayed vessels coming into port. The tug G.L Ostrander and barge Integrity was at Lafarge on Thursday. Late Friday night the tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation was at anchor in the fog along with the Alpena waiting behind it. Both cement carriers were able to come in and load Saturday morning.
The tall ship Highlander Sea is tied up in the Thunder Bay River.

9/28 - Bay City - A long-awaited project to dredge the Upper Saginaw River for shipping will have to wait a little longer.

From the Bay City Times

9/28 - Nadro Marine Services Ltd of Port Dover, Ontario, won the contract to transport 86 windmills from Ogdensburg, NY to Wolfe Island, Ont. These windmills will be installed at various places on the Island where there is a prevailing, and fairly consistent, southwest wind.

To meet the contract requirements new docks have been built in both Kingston and Wolfe Island. Nadro Marine Services has four tugs and three barges involved in this operation. McKeil Marine has provided one additional tug. The windmills have all arrived in Ogdensburg from Europe and are now being transported approximately one per day. They are stored at the dock facility until shipped.

Nadro's tug Vigilant 1 runs a ferry service from Kingston to Wolfe Island a number of times each day. This service brings workers, materiel and vehicles to and from Wolfe Island. The transport section of the project should be completed before the end of the 08 shipping season. Installation of the windmills and connection to the grid is forecast to be a 3 year project.

Reported by Paul Beesley

Updates - September 28

News Photo Gallery

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.

9/27 - Sarnia - Early indications are that the so-called "bathtub" effect under the Blue Water Bridge is not responsible for low water levels in the upper Great Lakes. Though more analysis is needed, the underwater videography is now complete and its suggests the riverbed near the bridge hasn't changed, says John Nevin, communications advisor for the International Upper Great Lakes Study.

From the Sarnia Observer

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
The salty Cinnamon departed Redpath Sugar this morning, assisted by Groupe Ocean's tug LaPrairie, which departed for Hamilton afterwards.
Algosteel arrived later in the afternoon with a cargo of raw sugar for Redpath.

The complete article, with pictures, is available at this link

Updates - September 27

News Photo Gallery updated

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.

Holland - Bob VandeVusse
The Wilfred Sykes delivered a load of coal to the James DeYoung power plant in Holland on Thursday, departing at about 8:00 a.m.

Updates - September 26

News Photo Gallery updated

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.

From the Associated Press

The vessel's future is unknown at this time.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The James Norris was outbound the Saginaw River Wednesday morning after unloading overnight at the BV Dock, once out on the Bay near Light 1 the Captain called for US Coast Guard assistance for two ill crewmembers. Station Saginaw River's 25' response boat, 25510, was sent and retrieved the two crewmembers, taking them back to the station and waiting EMS Ambulances. Apparently, the crewmen were painting in a tunnel and were overcome by fumes. No further info is available at this time on their condition.
Calumet was inbound Wednesday afternoon followed closely by the H. Lee White. Calumet called on the Sargent dock in Essexville and the H. Lee White across the river at the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City. Both vessels were expected to be outbound late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

From the Duluth News Tribune

From Marinelink.com

Updates - September 25

News Photo Gallery updated

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 24

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
Manitowoc departed from Ironhead Marine Shipyard and was outbound the Toledo Ship Channel early Tuesday evening.
Shortly afterwards the tug Petite Forte and the barge St. Marys Cement finished unloading cement at the St Marys Cement Dock and departed.
Saginaw was unloading a cargo of oats, that was loaded at Thunder Bay, Ontario, at the Kuhlman Dock.
The revised schedule for coal boats due into the CSX Docks has the Lee A. Tregurtha due in Wednesday, Algolake on Thursday followed by American Mariner, CSL Niagara, and John G. Munson on Sunday.
The revised schedule for ore boats due into the Torco Ore Dock has the CSL Niagara due in on Sunday, Algowood on Thursday, followed by CSL Assiniboine on Sunday.

Twin Ports - Al Miller
The Edwin H. Gott arrived in Duluth late Monday afternoon and was using a tug at the stern as it proceeded to the CN/DMIR ore dock to load for Gary. On Tuesday morning the only port action was Herbert C. Jackson sitting at CHS grain terminal with its hatches closed, apparently waiting for morning rain showers to pass before loading. Paul R. Tregurtha and American Century were expected later in the day at Midwest Energy Terminal.

From the Buffalo News

9/24 - Milwaukee - The wreck of the steamer Robert C. Pringle (ex Pere Marquette 7, ex Chequamegon) has been located in 300 feet of water off Sheboygan, Wisconsin. A group of divers and historians filmed the wreck, which is in pristine condition, showing few signs of falling 300 ft through the water column and striking bottom.

Reported by Brendon Baillod

9/24 - Duluth - Curt Bush describes himself as an “armchair sailor.” But on Sunday afternoon, as he scanned a rough Lake Superior from a friend’s deck high above the Duluth harbor, Bush became a sailor’s savior.

From the Duluth News Tribune

The USCG District Nine Local Notice to Mariners is now available for download at this link.

Updates - September 24

News Photo Gallery updated

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.

9/23 - Duluth - Ballast water steadies Lake Superior’s freighters and lakers. The water also carries invasive species — about 90 of which have invaded the Great Lakes.
More ballast water is discharged in the Twin Ports than all other Great Lakes harbors combined — so advocates say some sort of treatment is long overdue.

But industry insiders say proposed Minnesota rules to regulate ballast water could shut down shipping in Duluth, Silver Bay and Two Harbors. They fear regulatory uncertainty. And retrofitting ships could run $1 million apiece. When Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Brad Moore said last winter that his agency was moving to regulate ballast water in Lake Superior ships, few people paid close attention.

Congress at that time appeared ready to act on the issue, taking it out of the state’s hands. And the Environmental Protection Agency was warning the PCA that the federal government, not individual states, would handle such regulations under the Clean Water Act as ordered by federal courts. But Congress has stalled yet again. The proposed EPA rule still doesn’t require ballast treatment. And the PCA citizens’ board on Tuesday was expected to pass the toughest ballast water regulations on the Great Lakes.

Suddenly, lots of people are paying attention to Minnesota.

“If the federal government isn’t going to act on this, then it’s absolutely fantastic Minnesota is getting out ahead. … The key now is to get other states to follow,’’ said Henry VanOffelen, natural resource scientist for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. “We’ve had years of denials and delays and inaction on this issue. I think we’re finally getting beyond that.’’

The new regulation will require nearly all ballasted ships entering Minnesota waters of Lake Superior to register with the state and apply for a permit by Oct. 1. They also must keep track of ballast releases and submit a plan to avoid spreading invasive species as best as possible.

By 2012, any new ships must treat ballast. By 2016, the state demands nearly all ballasted ships treat ballast water to kill invasive species. Minnesota’s rule has the same timeline as a new California ballast regulation and the ballast bill that passed the U.S. House in April, although those call for tougher standards for killing organisms.

But unlike the bill in Congress that only applies to saltwater ships, the Minnesota regulation applies to all Great Lakes freighters, including lakers that never see the ocean. State officials note that any invasive species that are brought to the eastern Great Lakes are easily moved about by lakers, each of which can transfer millions of gallons of ballast water on each visit. It’s estimated that the Twin Ports receives nearly as much ballast water discharges as all other Great Lakes ports combined — more than 5 billion gallons each year — because many ships arrive here empty or with less than a full load. About 95 percent of the discharge is from lakers.

PCA officials say they are acting under authority of existing state pollution discharge laws and don’t need any legislative action. And they say the EPA’s proposed ballast rule — proposed in June with no treatment required — simply isn’t enough to protect Minnesota waters.

“We just don’t see any addition protection for Minnesota waters afforded under the EPA proposal, and we have sent them our comments to that end,’’ said Mary Jean Fenske, the PCA’s vessel discharge program coordinator.

Canadian government officials have questioned the state’s jurisdiction to regulate foreign vessels on the Great Lakes, where commerce is governed by international treaty. The new regulations give the PCA authority to board ships and take samples of ballast water. And if ship owners and operators don’t comply, they are subject to the same penalty schedule as any other Minnesota business with a pollution permit — including negotiated settlements, fines and even court-imposed sanctions.

Other critics say the state is venturing into regulatory waters it has no business in. “Since there will be a federal permit for vessel discharges that includes ballast water, there is no reason for the state of Minnesota to act in issuing their own permit,’’ Adolph Ojard, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, said in comments to the PCA. “In fact, such action will be considered detrimental to shipping and to the competitiveness of the state of Minnesota, and is certain to result in cargo shifts and decreased tonnage.’’

It’s estimated that it will cost $1 million or more to add ballast treatment technology to each ship, although no one knows for sure. No system has even been tested on lakers.

Among the most vehemently opposed to the state plan is the Lakes Carriers Association, the group that represents U.S.-flagged lakers that carry taconite, coal and other bulk cargo on the Great Lakes. James Weakley, president of the group, said the state regulation could effectively end shipping in Duluth, Two Harbors and Silver Bay, and send ships to other states. Moreover, Weakley said it could drastically harm the state’s $1.6 billion-a-year taconite industry, which depends on cheap, bulk shipments by water to remain cost effective.

“If adopted in its current form, the [PCA’s ballast regulation] has started the countdown to the cessation of U.S.-flagged shipping from Minnesota’s Great Lakes ports,’’ Weakley said in his formal comments to the PCA. He also noted that any ballast treatment designed for saltwater ships may be too small for lakers. Salties generally use about 3 million gallons of ballast, while 1,000-foot lakers can hold 15 million gallons.

Excerpted from the Duluth News Tribune

Trois-Rivières - René Beauchamp
The heavy-lift ship Marine Link Explorer aka John Henry departed Trois-Rivières for the Great Lakes today under tow of Commodore Straits and Radium Yellowknife. John Henry was built in a US shipyard 30 years ago for deep sea service under the US flag.
The tow is expected to enter the Seaway about 11 a.m. Tuesday morning with a destination of Port Weller Drydock.

Updates - September 23

News Photo Gallery updated

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.

J. W. Shelley to be christened

9/22 - Sarnia - There was a lot of excitement on the waterfront this past week as the newly-renamed J. W. Shelley made her inaugural sail past Sarnia Tuesday on her way to Duluth. After picking up a load of grain, she passed by Sarnia again a few days later and headed for Montreal.

This 730-foot laker once belonged to Algoma Central and was called the Algocen. For many years - from 1968 to 2004 - she was a familiar sight in the Great Lakes system. But the shipping company sold her in 2004 and she was sent to New Jersey and used as a containment and reclamation barge for dredge materials.

This past May, Kim and John Shelley Jr. of Sarnia purchased the Algocen with three partners and renamed her the J. W. Shelley in honour of John's ailing father, John Shelley Sr. John Sr. was the founder of the former Shelley Machine and Marine and loved the sea. "He worked on the ships for years," Kim Shelley said. "This is a real tribute to him."

During the first week of October, the J. W. Shelley is expected back in Sarnia where she will be officially christened at the government docks, says Shelley. She, her husband and business partners bought the vessel from a Danish company and dead towed her to the Brooklyn naval shipyard for steel work and repairs over the summer. "Then we sailed her back to the Great Lakes," she said. "We were really excited when she went through Sarnia for the first time."

The partners have established Vanguard Shipping, a new company that the Shelleys expect will grow. Vanguard Shipping already has its first contract, a five-year agreement with J. R. I to haul grain in the Great Lakes. The captain of the J. W. Shelley is Jim Perkins and a company shareholder. Michael and Laurie Huneault of Ridgeville, Ontario also have a financial interest.

Details of the christening will be released as they are confirmed.

From the Sarnia Observer

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
Saturday the tall ship Denis Sullivan arrived and tied up in the Thunder Bay River.
Late Saturday night the Manistee made its way into the river also to deliver a load of road salt. Before 6 a.m. on Sunday it departed to head for Stoneport.
The research vessel Sturgeon was tied up in the river Sunday afternoon.
The tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation is expected in port Monday morning with the Alpena scheduled for Monday night.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The American Century called on the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville on Sunday to unload coal. She finished her unload, backed from the dock, and turned at Light 12 to head for the lake Sunday night. This is scheduled to be the last load of coal by boat this season as Consumers is to begin rebuilding and modernizing its docking facilities.

Marquette - Lee Rowe
Sunday was a busy day in Marquette. The Robert S Pierson loaded and left, then the Lee A Tregurtha came in for a load of taconite. Fleetmate Herbert C Jackson came in with coal later.

Updates - September 22

News Photo Gallery updated

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.

Owen Sound - Ed. Saliwonchyk
American Fortitude was making her turn in Owen Sound Bay and departing Owen Sound 3:30 Saturday afternoon.

Updates - September 21

News Photo Gallery updated

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.

Marquette - Rod Burdick
Friday morning at the Upper Harbor ore dock, H. Lee White loaded taconite, and Saginaw arrived to load.

From the Toledo Free Press

Reported by Ron Beaupre

Updates - September 20

News Photo Gallery updated

And More News Photo Gallery updates

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.

South Chicago - Steve B.
The Spruceglen was at the KCBX south dock shortly after arriving just before noon on Thursday.
Edward L. Ryerson was heard making its security call around 12:20 p.m., and was seen off Calumet Harbor about 12:45 headed for Mittal dock 7 at Indiana Harbor.
Behind the Ryerson about 45 minutes was the Algoway, which came into Calumet Harbor around 1:30 p.m., where she spun and was assisted by the G Tug South Carolina to the North American Salt dock at 92nd St.

9/19 - The Thousand Island region has lost one of its most loved and honoured icons in recent memory. Gananoque Boat Line's own Hal McCarney has died at the age of 81 on Tuesday, Sept 16.

Reported by Brian Johnson

Updates - September 19

News Photo Gallery updated

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.

9/18 - Ottawa - The company that runs the St Lawrence Seaway, the giant waterway that links the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean, said on Tuesday its 445 unionized workers had voted in favor of giving their union a strike mandate but added it hoped to avoid a stoppage.

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp said it "continues to be confident" it can reach a new collective agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers union when talks start up again on October 6. The union has a mandate to strike with 72 hours' notice at any time after Oct 10. The corporation has a total of 525 employees.

Around 10 to 12 cargo vessels a day use the waterway, which stretches more 374 miles from Montreal to Lake Erie and forms part of the 2,340-mile Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System.
The management corporation, looking to remove clauses from the collective agreement "that impede reasonable flexibility in work rules," wants to introduce new technology and says no job losses will result.

"If the strike proceeds the Seaway will be closed during the period of the strike," said spokesman Andrew Bogora. There have been no strikes in recent decades.

From Reuters

9/18 – Cleveland - With higher water levels allowing Great Lakes freighters to carry bigger cargos, the iron ore trade on the Great Lakes totaled 6.8 million net tons in August, an increase of 8.6 percent compared to a year ago. The increase in water levels did allow one U.S.-flag laker to twice carry more than 68,000 tons in a single trip.

However, if dredging of the Great Lakes navigation system was sufficient to allow for a full load, the 1,000-foot-long vessel would have carried more than 71,000 tons each trip.

For the year, the Great Lakes iron ore trade stands at 39 million tons, an increase of 10 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments also are ahead of the 5-year average for the January-August timeframe by a like margin.

More information is available at www.lcaships.com

Source: Lake Carriers’ Association

Ogdensburg
The Port of Ogdensburg, N.Y., was bustling Wednesday with five tugs, two barges and the arrival of the last of the "windmill ships.” The tug, Ecosse, assisted by Lac Manitoba, has been working around the clock to move the newly-arrived windmills from the pier in Ogdensburg to the marshalling area on Wolfe Island. With the season winding down and still many windmills to move, McKeil Marine enlisted the assistance of a second barge, towed by the Florence M and assisted by the tug Seahound. All were at the pier this morning when the Beluga Endurance arrived with the last shipment of windmills. The docking tug Abaco was also at the pier. After some shuffling of positions, Beluga Endurance was assisted in backing into the slip by the Abaco. This should be the last of the ship arrivals, and Abaco has returned to her home port in Clayton, N.Y. McKeil will apparently use much of the remaining season to move the windmills to their lot on Wolfe Island.

Marquette - Lee Rowe
The Lee A Tregurtha arrived in Marquette for a load of ore followed later in the day by fleetmate Kaye E Barker.
After the Tregurtha departed, the James Barker arrived later with coal for the WE Power Plant.

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
Adam E Cornelius arrived for the General Mills Frontier Elevator around 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. The American Fortitude was towed out of the river at 3:50 a.m. Wednesday morning.

9/18 - Port Huron - The U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies will conduct a maritime security exercise on the St. Clair River Thursday morning. The event is part of a two-day Boundary Blitz exercise throughout the Detroit area designed to help the Coast Guard evaluate its response time to an emergency.

"It captures the complexities of dealing with ... a pollution spill or security threat with an international border," said Cmdr. Jim Jenkins, with Coast Guard Sector Detroit. The exercise on the St. Clair River will start about 9 a.m. and will involve a security threat at a power plant. Coast Guard officials would not release further details.

Others participating in the drill will include emergency responders from local and state agencies and Canada. Some representatives from the private sector also will be involved. Jeffrey Friedland, director of St. Clair County Homeland Security/Emergency Management, said it's important the community as a whole is prepared for a security threat. "The government can't do everything," he said. "We have to (work) as a community ... to develop a strong private partnership."

Jenkins said the Coast Guard does a full-scale exercise, such as the one planned Thursday, once a year. Smaller exercises are done several times a year. Other than seeing aircraft overhead and some extra boat traffic on the river, Jenkins said people won't even know the exercise is being conducted. "It's at a facility people normally wouldn't be walking around on," Jenkins said. "We're not going to impact the whole river."

From the Port Huron Times Herald

Updates - September 18

News Photo Gallery updated

On September 18, 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 50 feet in diameter.

On September 18,1679, 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 Isles, 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 September 18, 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 September 18, 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.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The tug Mark Hannah, pushing a tank barge, was inbound the Saginaw River Tuesday morning, calling on the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City., Mich. Once the tug and barge passed the Essroc dock the CSL Tadoussac departed, backing out of the river and out to Light 12 in the Saginaw Bay to turn and head for the lake. The Mark Hannah was expected to be outbound early Wednesday.

Goderich - Jacob Smith
On Monday evening Algoma's Tim S. Dool came into Goderich and loaded grain.
Tuesday morning Algoma's Algoway came in and loaded at the Sifto salt dock.

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
On Tuesday, Robert S. Pierson was loading coal at the CSX Docks and was expected to depart late Tuesday evening.
The tug Wilfred M. Cohen and barge, the tug Sea Service with the barge Energy 6506, and the salt water vessel Pochard were at the Midwest Terminals Overseas Dock.
Manitowoc remains in layup and is undergoing repairs at the Ironhead Marine Shipyard. She has a tentative eta for the CSX Docks Thursday afternoon.
The tug Michigan with the barge Great Lakes departed from the B-P Dock Tuesday morning bound for the Midwest Terminals Dock where she stayed for several hours. Tuesday afternoon the tug/barge combo departed this dock and were bound for an upper Great Lakes port.
The revised schedule for coal boats due into the CSX Docks has the Atlantic Huron due in Wednesday evening, Manitowoc due in Thursday afternoon, Herbert C. Jackson due in Friday evening followed by the Lee A. Tregurtha on Saturday morning.
The revised schedule for ore boats due into the Torco Ore Dock has the Canadian Progress due in Wednesday afternoon, CSL Assiniboine and Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin due in Friday followed by the Peter R. Creswell on Saturday.
Work is progressing on the new Nabisco Elevator dock site with new sheet piling being installed for the dock face as well as a considerable amount of dredging being done in front of the elevator facility. Dredging is being done by the George Gradel Company, using various tugs and barges. This new dock is being built so it can handle self unloaders bringing grain into this facility for the manufacturing of their products. The Nabisco Elevator complex is located just south and is right next door to the Ironhead Marine Shipyard.

Updates - September 17

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 17

On September 17, 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 September 17, 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 September 17, 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 September 17, 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 August 3,1900. 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.

Duluth/Superior - Chris Mazzella
Friday was a busy day in the twin ports. The Kaministiqua was at CHS 1 loading grain while the Quebecois loaded at CHS 2.
Other vessels in the harbor were the American Integrity at SMET, Paul R. Tregurtha at anchor waiting for the American Integrity to finish and the Algonorth was also at anchor waiting for the Quebecois to load. The St. Clair was at BN Superior.
The Drummond Islander II remained at the Meehan dock with dredging equipment.
J. W. Shelley was at Peavey Superior waiting for repairs to be made to the grain elevator.
Presque Isle was at the CN ore dock, then moved over to Hallett 5 for repairs, and the Alpena unloaded cement at LaFarge Superior.
Saturday wasn't as busy. Kaministiqua was still loading at CHS, along with the Algonorth in the morning.
Adam E. Cornelius was loading at General Mills Superior, Indiana Harbor was at SMET, Joseph H. Thompson was unloading salt at Cutler, the CSL Niagara and salty Carola were at anchor.
The J. W. Shelley remained at Peavey, the Algocape arrived at BN Superior in the early afternoon. Presque Isle and Kaministiqua departed in the early evening hours. The Carola arrived at CHS 1 in the early evening with the help of the Edward H. (formerly the Forney).

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
On Monday, CSL Laurentian was at the Torco Dock unloading ore.
The salt water vessel Pochard and the tug/barge combo Sea Service/Energy 6506 were at the Midwest Terminal Dock.
The tug Michigan with the barge Great Lakes was at the B-P Dock.
Manitowoc remains at the Ironhead Marine Shipyard undergoing repairs.
The revised schedule for coal boats due into the CSX Docks has the Manitowoc and Robert S. Pierson due in Tuesday morning, Atlantic Huron due in Wednesday evening followed by the Herbert C. Jackson and Lee A. Tregurtha on Saturday.
The revised schedule for ore boats due into the Torco Dock has the CSL Assiniboine and Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin due in Saturday.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The Mississagi came in at 7 p.m. Sunday night with a load of stone for Meekhof's D & M dock next to the Power Plant on Harbor Island in Grand Haven, Mich. The Calumet was still at the Power plant completing its delivery of coal. Both boats left early in the morning, the Calumet leaving first followed shorly by the Mississagi. They were seen at 8:30 a.m. out in the lake heading north as the ATB Invincible/McKee Sons approached with a load of stone which it delivered to Verplank's dock in Ferrysburg. The McKee Sons/Invincible was gone by late afternoon.

Green Bay - Wendell Wilke
The tug/barge Jane Ann IV/Sarah Spencer were off-loading salt at Fox River Dock on Sunday. This was possibly their first time into Green Bay.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
After a number of days with no activity on the Saginaw River, Monday saw the CSL Tadoussac inbound for the Essroc Dock in Essexville. She was inbound during the early evening hours and was expected to be outbound Tuesday morning.

Updates - September 16

News Photo Gallery updated

On September 16, 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 September 16, 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 September 16,1877, 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 September 16, 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.

Port Colborne - Michel Gosselin
Lithuanian trawlers Sekme and Treimani arrived at International Marine Salvage in Port Colborne, Ont., around 7:30 a.m. with the tugboats Commodore Straits and Radium Yellowknife.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The Calumet came in about 7 a.m. Sunday with a load of coal for the Board of Light and Power Sims Plant on Harbor Island in Grand Haven, Mich.

Owen Sound - Ed Saliwonchyk
American Fortitude departed Owen Sound, Ont., on an overcast Sunday afternoon. It was a year ago almost to the day that she last departed Owen Sound with what was at that time reported as a load of oats for Buffalo.

Alpena - Ben & Chanda McClain
The tug G. L. Ostrander/barge Integrity was in port on Saturday. Sunday morning the Samuel de Champlain/barge Innovation was first to dock under the silos at Lafarge while the Alpena waited at anchor out in the bay. The Alpena came in during the afternoon to load again for a return trip to Superior, WI.

Updates - September 14

News Photo Gallery updated

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 $7,500.

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 ran 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. Second and third 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 3Ú4 mile short, about six 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.

Hamilton - John McCreery and Eric Holmes
Friday was a quiet day at Hamilton with the exception of the Federal Ems arriving in port from Montreal.
Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. the Federal Ems departed Pier 14 with steel products for Milwaukee.
Canadian Ranger arrived at 2:30 p.m., and went to Pier 10 for engine repairs.
Robert S. Pierson arrived at 4:30 p.m., going to U.S. Steel with iron ore pellets.
The salty Yucatan arrived at 7 p.m.

Amherstburg - Dave Cozens
CCG Griffon delivered freshly painted spar buoys ,or "cans," to the Amherstburg CCG Base on Thursday. The cans will be used to replace the illuminated buoys prior to the winter freeze up.

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
The saltwater vessel Pochard, and the tug Sea Service with the barge Energy 6506, were at the Midwest Terminal Dock.
Herbert C. Jackson was loading coal at the CSX Dock.
American Mariner was inbound the Toledo Ship Channel Saturday evening and was bound for the CSX Docks. She will follow the Jackson loading coal.
Manitowoc was at the Ironhead Shipyard undergoing repairs. As of Saturday repairs are expected to be completed soon and she is scheduled into the CSX Docks to load coal Tuesday morning.
The revised schedule for coal boats due into the CSX Docks has the Saginaw due in Sunday, with Manitowoc and Robert S. Pierson due in Tuesday. Atlantic Huron due in Wednesday followed by the Lee A. Tregurtha on Friday.
The revised schedule for ore boats due into the Torco Ore Dock has the CSL Laurentien due in Monday, Canadian Progress on Wednesday followed by the CSL Assiniboine on Friday.

9/14 - Houston - A tugboat on Saturday reached a disabled freighter carrying 22 people, hours after the ship road out Hurricane Ike without power, Coast Guard spokesman Mike O'Berry said.

O'Berry said the tugboat Rotterdam arrived shortly before 2 p.m. (3 p.m. ET). Repairs will be made aboard the Antalina, which has a broken fuel pump, while at sea, he added. The tugboat will then tow the ship to Port Arthur, Texas, where it will undergo additional repairs and eventually offload its cargo­ petroleum coke, a petroleum byproduct.

The crew members aboard the Antalina, a Cypriot-flagged freighter, are all in good health, said Coast Guard Cmdr. Ron Labrec. The freighter suffered no major damage from the storm, said Darrell Wilson, a spokesman for the company that manages the ship.

Aircraft from the Coast Guard and Air Force were sent Friday afternoon to try to rescue the crew of the freighter. But high winds forced the military to abort the rescue, O'Berry said. The Coast Guard then instructed the freighter to contact it each hour. It also told told the crew to turn on the ship's emergency radio beacon so its
position could be monitored.

From CNN

Editor’s Note: Doug Fairchild, an avid ship fan and friend of BoatNerd, died in 2007. A bench in his honor was dedicated this past summer at Rotary Park in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., with a view of the St. Marys River.

Dear Boat Watching Friends:

Nancy, Betty and Don Fairchild

Updates - September 14

News Photo Gallery updated

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 re-entered 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 September 14,1885, at the age of 59, at his residence in Chicago. 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 September 14, 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 two people, a man and a woman, 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

9/13 - Cleveland—Superior Midwest Energy Terminal (SMET) in Superior, Wisconsin, set a new record for the most coal ever shipped from a single dock in a month on the Great Lakes in August. The facility loaded 2,665,538 net tons of coal. The previous record, also held by SMET, was 2,548,173 tons loaded in July of 2002. SMET operated virtually around the clock in August, loading 54 vessels.

Source: Lake Carriers’ Association

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
The Maumee entered the inner harbor around 2:15 Friday afternoon and headed up the Buffalo River.

Twin Ports - Al Miller
Duluth-Superior harbor Friday looked like a reunion for old friends with new names. J. W. Shelley, formerly the Algocen, was loading at the Peavey grain elevator in Superior.
Not far away, Kaministiqua, formerly the Saskatchewan Pioneer, was loading at the CHS elevator’s berth 2.
Elsewhere, Quebecois was loading at CHS 1, with the saltie Carola set to follow.
Alpena was unloading at the Superior cement terminal and American Integrity was loading at Midwest Energy Terminal. Paul R. Tregurtha was out on Lake Superior waiting for its turn at the Midwest Energy Terminal dock.

9/13 - Houston - As Hurricane Ike approached the Texas coast, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Air Force were forced to abort a rescue mission Friday to save the 22 crew members on a Cyprus-flag bulker. The Coast Guard received a call around 4 a.m. Sept. 12 from the Antalina, a 584-foot freighter with 22 people aboard and carrying petroleum coke, reporting that it had lost main propulsion 90-miles southeast of Galveston and was drifting southwest away from the coast. The Antalina has visited the Great Lakes.

The Antalina departed Port Arthur, Texas to seek a safe haven away from Hurricane Ike when the vessel lost propulsion. The Houston Chronicle web site reports New Orleans based Petty Officer Jaclyn Young as saying Friday afternoon that the five helicopters and planes sent to assist the ship could not safely rescue the crew. "We will talk to them hourly and they have electricity and no injuries. They have an emergency beacon to put on if they get in distress,'' she said. But the Coast Guard will not be able to approach until the storm passes, she said.

"Unfortunately there were 80-knot winds on scene, well beyond the operating conditions for the air crews to safely rescue the crew of the Antalina. The safety of the rescue crews and the crew of the Antalina are of the utmost importance to us. The Coast Guard will continue to maintain contact with the crew of the Antalina and monitor their situation very closely," said Rear Adm. Joel R. Whitehead, commander, Eighth Coast Guard District.

Saturday morning the crew reported they had made it through the storm safely.

From The Houston Chronicle

9/13 - Duluth - If you’re in the market for a retired Coast Guard buoy tender, this could be your lucky hour. The Coast Guard Cutter Sundew soon could go up for auction. The vessel’s current owner, the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, has quietly been shopping the Sundew around in recent weeks.

From the Duluth News Tribune

9/13 - Duluth - David Gerth of Duluth stood looking up at the 67-foot-tall lighthouse next to the Aerial Lift Bridge on Thursday, transfixed. “It’s an historic lighthouse,” he said. “It just needs to be taken care of. It’s not in too bad a shape right now.”

From the Duluth News Tribune

9/13 - Port Dalhousie - A piece of Port Dalhousie's past will soon be on permanent display in the village. The fundraising drive to buy a historic ship's bell from the Northumberland has paid off, exceeding the $5,000 target by more than $1,800. "Mission accomplished," said St. Catharines Regional Coun. Bruce Timms, who helped spearhead the effort for the Port Dalhousie Business Association.

From the St. Catharines Standard

9/13 - Port Huron – The authors of “Collision Under The Bridge” will hold a book signing in Port Huron and St. Clair Saturday. The book documents, in photos and narrative, the histories of both ships and details the days and moments leading up to the collision that changed the flow of vessel traffic in the St. Clair River forever. Follow the compelling story of the monumental salvage effort to clear the sunken Str. Sidney E. Smith Jr. from the shipping channel, brought to life by photos taken by the authors and original diagrams from the salvagers.

The book signing will be held at Vantage Point from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., and then at Sue's Coffee House in St. Clair from 3-6 p.m.

The book can be purchased at the book signings or Online here.

Updates - September 13

News Photo Gallery updated

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.

Oscoda - Gloria Beckstrom
The small dredge Arthur J. worked through the night Wednesday at the mouth of the AuSable River in Oscoda.

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The barge St. Mary's Conquest with tug Susan W. Hannah in the notch came thru the pierheads about 8 p.m. Wednesday night with a load for the St. Mary's Cement Terminal in Ferrysburg. It unloaded all night and most of Thursday leaving about mid afternoon. It used the seldom used turning basin by the railroad swing bridge so it could go out bow first.

9/12 - Cleveland - August marked the second month in a row that the U.S.-Flag Great Lakes fleet moved more than 12 million net tons of cargo on the Great Lakes. Rising water levels even allowed for two iron ore cargos to top 68,000 tons. Those are the heaviest loads carried in some time and represent 95 percent of the vessel’s rated carrying capacity.

While higher water levels allowed some vessels to at least be within striking distance of full loads, the industry continues to sacrifice significant capacity to the dredging crisis. Even those 68,000-ton cargos meant roughly 3,000 tons of iron ore were left at the loading dock. Furthermore, Great Lakes water levels normally begin to drop in the fall, so even more capacity will be negated in the coming months due to lack of adequate dredging.

For the year, U.S.-Flag carriage stands at 63.1 million tons, a slight increase (380,000 tons) compared to a year ago, but also a slight decrease from the 5-year average for the January-August timeframe.

Source: Lake Carriers’ Association

9/12 - Ocean freighters spew twice as much soot into the air as previously believed and tugboats are among the worst maritime offenders when it comes to air pollution, according to a new government study.

Soot is comprised of tiny particles of black carbon, which become airborne during the burning of diesel and other fossil fuels, wildfires and the burning of vegetation for agricultural purposes. Soot can settle in human lungs, causing asthma and premature deaths; researchers also believe soot emissions may contribute to global warming.

The study by scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Colorado estimated that commercial ships release 130,000 metric tons of soot per year, 1.7 percent of the global total, into the air. They said that figure could rise as global shipping traffic increases.

"Commercial shipping emissions have been one of the least studied areas of all combustion emissions," said Daniel Lack, a NOAA scientist who led the study. Researchers studied plumes of black smoke from 96 different ships, including cargo freighters, tankers, ferries, large fishing boats and tugs. Most of the boats were sampled in the Houston Ship Channel.

The results were significant for the Great Lakes for two reasons: Hundreds of diesel-powered freighters, tugboats and ferries ply the lakes; and some coastal communities in the region violate the federal air quality standard for soot.

James Weakley, executive director of the Lake Carriers Association, said lake freighters that operate exclusively within the Great Lakes emit less soot than ocean ships. The reason: Lake freighters burn a lighter grade of diesel fuel, which produces less soot than the thicker fuel ocean freighters use.

"A straight comparison between an oceangoing ship and a laker is not a fair comparison," said Weakley, whose group represents 63 U.S.-flagged ships on the Great Lakes.

Tugboats emit nearly a gram of soot per kilogram of fuel burned -- twice as much as any other vessel type, according to the researchers. They attributed the disproportionate amount of soot emissions from tugs to the thick, tar-like fuel the small but mighty vessels burn in their engines.

"Tugboats are a huge source of black carbon that may be underreported or not reported at all in emissions inventories compiled by ports," Lack said in a press release.

Ocean freighters emit a half-gram of soot per kilogram of fuel burned while docked and slightly less when traveling. Lack said that figure was twice the amount of soot emissions researchers previously assigned to ships.

Results of the study were published in the July 11 edition of the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

Weakley said lake freighters, which are equipped with bow thrusters to improve maneuverability, use tugboats less often than ocean freighters. He said freighters are the cleanest way to move large volumes of cargo; freighters haul about 200 million tons of cargo on the Great Lakes annually.

"If you take into account the economies of scale and the tons of cargo moved per mile of fuel consumption, our ships move a ton of cargo from Duluth to Detroit on one gallon of fuel," Weakley said. "That's a distance of about 800 miles on one gallon of fuel -- you couldn't get that kind of mileage in a Toyota Prius."


Source: The Muskegon Chronicle

Updates - September 12

News Photo Gallery updated

On September 12, 1902, EXPERIMENT (2-mast wooden schooner, 65 foot, 50 gross tons, built in 1854, at St. Joseph, Michigan) was carrying firewood 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 U.S. 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. Collingwood was famous for its 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 September 12,1900, 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 September 12, 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 September 12, 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.

Marquette - Rod Burdick and Lee Rowe
The tug Dorothy Ann and barge Pathfinder loaded taconite, and the tug Victory and barge James L. Kuber unloaded limestone into the hopper. The Victory and Kuber's visit was a first to the Upper Harbor, although the pair did unload stone at the Lower Harbor in early May. Michipicoten waited outside the harbor for Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder to finish loading.

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Tug Petite Forte and barge St. Mary's Cement arrived at 11 a.m. Sunday. Edward L. Ryerson departed Dofasco's Pier 21 at 6 p.m. and headed down the lake. Her next port of call is reported to be Valleyfield, Que.

9/8 - The Canadian frigate HMCS Charlottetown, commissioned on Sept. 9 1995, is scheduled to depart Montreal Monday for the Seaway. The 4,750 ton vessel, which measures 442 feet long, 54 feet wide and 16 feet deep, has a speed of 29-plus knots with a peacetime crew of 185.

Visits are scheduled for Sept. 10, Cleveland; Sept. 12, Windsor; Sept. 16, Port Colborne; Sept. 18, Toronto; Sept. 22, Hamilton; Sept, 25, Oshawa; and Sept. 30, Cornwall.

Reported by Kent Malo

Updates - September 8

News Photo Gallery updated

Calendar of Events updated

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 September 8,1868, HIPPOCAMPUS (wooden propeller, 152 tons, built in 1867, at St. Joseph, Michigan) stranded in a storm off St. Joseph and was pounded to pieces. 36 of the 41 passengers were lost. Litigation continued until November 10,1884, 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 up bound the next month on September 8 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 up bound CANADIAN PROSPECTOR near Kanawake, Quebec. PROSPECTOR had little damage but NORCHEM was ripped open near her port anchor.

On September 8,1885, 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 seven drowned when her yawl capsized in the surf.

On September 8,1871, 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.

Hamilton - Eric Holmes
Saturday morning the Maritime Trader departed JRI Elevators ( Pier 25 ) with a cargo of wheat for Port Cartier, Que. Algolake departed Dofasco at 10:30 a.m. for the Welland Canal. Halifax departed U.S. Steel also at 10:30 a.m. for Sandusky, Ohio. Algoport arrived at 4 p.m. for unknown repairs at Pier 26. The Ocean Group tug LaPrairie arrived at 4:30 p.m. Petrolia Desgagnes departed the Petro Canada Pier in Bronte at 5 p.m. for Sarnia, Ont. The Apollon departed Hamilton at 7 p.m. from Pier 14.

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
The salty Eider finished unloading at Redpath Sugar and departed just after noon Saturday with the assistance of the tug LaPrairie.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The Manitowoc was inbound the Saginaw River early Saturday morning calling on the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City. She allowed the outbound tug Karen Andrie and barge A-397 to pass before turning into the Bay Aggregates slip to unload. The tug Gregory J. Busch was also outbound on Saturday afternoon, pushing her deck barge.

Updates - September 7

News Photo Gallery updated

Calendar of Events updated

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.

J. W. Shelley update

10:30 a.m. Update - The Shelley left the Pointe aux Trembles anchorage at 9 a.m., an hour late. The anchorage is located at the east end of Montreal close to the oil docks. She will not show on the Seaway map until she reaches CIP 2, which is the entrance to the Seaway.

9/6 - Montreal - The J. W. Shelley arrived in Montreal at 7:30 p.m. Friday and went to anchor at Pointe aux Trembles Quebec. Custom clearance is the norm after a vessel arrives from a foreign country, and a Seaway inspection must be done, before the vessel can depart up bound for the Seaway. Her destination is still unknown, although the Port of Montreal reports Duluth, MN, as her next port of call.

Reported by Kent Malo and Ron Beaupre

9/6 - Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. - Essar Steel Algoma is a beehive of activity these days as it prepares to nearly double steel-making capacity by the end of next year, including building a new dock-face to accommodate hundreds more vessels. "It's very tight. There's not a lot of capacity left," said chief operating officer Armando Plastino.

With the No. 6 blast furnace now up and running alongside No. 7, Essar aims to be able to ship out four million tons of finished coil and slab by the end of 2009. That means bringing in that much more raw material. Essar currently imports approximately 4.5 to 4.6 million tons of iron ore pellets a year and 1.6 to 1.7 million tons of coal. At next year's capacity, that will go to about 5.7 million tons of iron ore and 2.3 million tons of coal, Plastino said.

Algoma has just under 500 boat deliveries coming in and out over a typical shipping season. Plastino expects that to increase to about 700, with little room for snags, he said. "You've got to get all your raw materials here by Dec. 15, and the locks don't reopen until the end of March. You've got to have enough raw materials to last you through the winter."

The Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority issued Essar a permit earlier this summer to dredge 89,000 cubic metres of sediment at Sawmill Bay Point on the Sault Ste. Marie steelmaker's western grounds. One of eight docking and off-loading locations on the sprawling steelworks, Sawmill Bay Point is about 24 feet deep compared to 28 feet in the surrounding channel.

Dredging another four feet and shoring it up with sheet piling will allow it to handle large lake freighters, which have self-unloaders and dramatically reduce loading times. "It takes the burden away from some of those other docks," Plastino said.

From The Sault Star

Reported by Kent Malo and Mac McKay

9/6 - Syracuse - The long-awaited dredging of Oswego Harbor will begin Monday. Equipment for the month-long project, including cranes and tugboats, began arriving Thursday. "This is something we've been waiting for a long time," said Jonathan Daniels, director of the Port of Oswego Authority.

The dredging will allow more cargo into the harbor on fewer ships. In recent years, Lake Ontario's lower water levels, combined with a buildup of silt and sediments in the harbor, have made the port too shallow to accommodate some fully loaded ships. Sometimes it has taken four ships to transport the cargo it should take three to carry into the harbor. During the dredging, sediment will be loaded onto barges and taken to federally approved dumping areas in the lake's deeper areas, Daniels said.

Boaters should stay clear of the dredging operation, Daniels said. "Mariners need to be aware of the situation," Daniels said. "Though, with the cranes, barges and tugboats, it's not something you're going to sneak up on." The dredging will cost about $650,000. The harbor was last dredged in 2004.

The dredging almost did not happen this year because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not have the money for the work. In February, Congress allotted the engineers $6.5 million to clear its backlog of Great Lakes dredging.

From the Syracuse Post-Standard

South Chicago - Brian Z.
The Arthur M. Anderson arrived at KCBX Terminals in South Chicago on Friday after taking a lengthy delay coming in and out of U.S. Steel in Gary, Indiana. Rough conditions at this end of Lake Michigan sent the Anderson to anchor upon arrival at Gary. A brief letup of wind allowed the Anderson to enter the piers and unload. After discharging, the Anderson attempted to depart, however, lake conditions prevented her from leaving. Finally, things calmed down enough for the Anderson to make South Chicago and load coal for Wyandotte, MI.

9/6 – Amherstburg, Ont. - The 25-year-old dream of a replica 19th century warship based in historic Amherstburg, Ont., luring tourists, offering sunset cruises and sailing lessons to youngsters, is finally dead.
The replica hull of the HMS Detroit was towed Wednesday from its longtime LaSalle berth at Dean Construction and is now headed to Rhode Island.

Amherstburg businessman Ryan Deslippe said the $339,000 (US) sale to Tall Ships Rhode Island formally closed Aug. 25 – almost exactly six years after the christening of the HMS Detroit on Aug. 24, 2002.
Tall Ships Rhode Island assumed all costs of arranging for the Toronto-based tug M.R. Kane to tow it through the Great Lakes to its new home, said Deslippe.

More than $1.5 million of federal, municipal, corporate and community donations went into the HMS Detroit project over its quarter-century history.

Deslippe and business partner Bob Sicolo came to the rescue of HMS Detroit with loans three years ago when more than $300,000 was still owed to Hike Metal Products of Wheatley, which built the steel hull for about $1.2 million.

Every conceivable idea for raising money to complete the project was canvassed in the past three years but nothing worked, said Deslippe. An estimated $4 million to $5 million was needed to complete the ship and build a permanent berth.

In a strange twist of history, the hull will be finished, renamed and used to commemorate U.S. maritime history -in particular the exploits of Oliver Perry, who led the small U.S. fleet on Lake Erie in the War of 1812 and captured the original HMS Detroit. Perry was educated in Newport and is buried there.

The Windsor Star

9/6 – Conneaut - The U.S. Coast Guard says the bodies of three boaters have been recovered after the watercraft they were in capsized off Turkey Creek near Conneaut, Ohio.

The Canadian Coast Guard picked up the initial mayday call from the boat, but could not pinpoint the exact location from which the distress signal originated. U.S. Coast Guard Command out of Buffalo took over the search with the help of crews from Coast Guard Erie and Ashtabula as well as from Air Station Detroit.

Two men wearing life jackets were eventually located about eight miles north of Conneaut. They were unconscious and not breathing when they were found. At around 11 p.m. Wednesday night a third boater was found in the water faced down. The identities of all three boaters have not been released.

The incident remains under investigation.

From WKYC-TV Cleveland

Updates - September 6

News Photo Gallery updated

On August 29, 1872, a storm struck Lake Erie. On September 6,1872, 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. A christening ceremony 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. McCARTHY, 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 September 6, 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 September 6,1871, 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 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.

At the speed she is traveling, and barring any problems, that should put her at Quebec City, at 0500 hours Friday, with another pilot change at Trois Rivieres, Quebec, she should arrive at Montreal around 1700 hrs Friday.

9/5 - Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. - Essar Steel Algoma Inc. has been dredging this month at Saw Mill Point on the upper St. Marys River. The company is building a new deep water dock at that location because there's currently insufficient draft at the Essar slip for most lake freighters to carry to capacity.

Chief Operating Officer Armando Plastino says dredging began late last month.

"The dredging contractor, Purvis Marine, has acquired new, state-of-the-art dredging equipment that provides for less sediment disturbance and features global positioning system (GPS) devices on the hoist. allowing for very accurate, targeted dredging," says Brenda Stenta, Essar's manager of corporate communications.

Essar is using silt curtains to ensure any sediment that may be disturbed will not be carried downstream. They are disposing of the dredged material in an approved landfill located on Essar property.

The permit, issued through a new one-stop-shopping process, included comments and input from all three levels of government and all appropriate agencies within those governments.

Essar Steel Algoma asked to dredge 89,000 cubic metres of sediment from its slip on the upper St. Marys River because of dropping water levels, rising shipping and receiving demands and expected production increases.

From Sault Today

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
Manistee expected Wednesday for the construction Aggregates dock was canceled.
The Wilfred Sykes backed in thru the pier heads at 4:15 p.m. Thursday afternoon with a load for Verplank's Dock in Ferrysburg.

Updates - September 5

News Photo Gallery updated

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 McDOUGALL (steel propeller semi-whaleback freighter, 413 foot, 3,686 gross tons, built in 1898, at West Superior, Wisconsin). The MONTGOMERY was raised and repaired. She lasted another two years before 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 McLouth 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 Antilles in 1985.

The WYANDOTTE of 1916, a.) CONNEAUT, was towed down the Welland Canal on September 5- 6, 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 September 5, 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.

9/4 - A tug in the Gulf of St Lawrence reported hearing a conversation between a Coast Guard aircraft and the J. W. Shelley. The Shelley reported leaving Brooklyn, New York, with a crew of 16, and the next port of call was Sept. Iles, Quebec. The tug crew member reported the J. W. Shelley 50 nautical miles behind the tug at noon Wednesday. The tug and her barge had departed Iles de la Madeleine, Quebec, proceeding to Forestville, Quebec.

Reported by Kent Malo

9/4 - Lorain — Two recreational boats and a pier at Spitzer Marina were damaged when a freighter went off course in the Black River early Wednesday morning, according to the Ninth Coast Guard District.

The Canadian Progress made a late turn while going up river about 2:30 a.m. in the area of Freshwater Drive and Arizona Avenue.

The late turn produced a wake which caused significant damage to the pier, according to the Coast Guard. The impact damaged docks nine through 15 and their walkways. The boat tied to dock nine was also damaged, the report said. No one was aboard the boat that was damage and no one else was injured.

Yesterday, Matt Edwards, general manager of Spitzer Marina, said there was definite dock damage, but could not offer an estimate at the monetary damage. “We came into this this morning,” he said. “(The freighter) hit where there was not any boats.”

The U.S. Coast Guard is continuing its investigation.

From the Lorain Morning Journal

Twin Ports - Al Miller
Early Wednesday morning found Canadian Ranger loading at CHS elevator in Superior. Nearby, the Buffalo was slowing proceeding into Fraser Shipyards for repair. The saltie Keizersborg was at the Duluth port terminal to unload wind turbines.

Sturgeon Bay - Wendell Wilke
James R. Barker arrived Bay Shipbuilding mid-afternoon Wednesday. She was assisted stern first, from just north of the yard, by Selvick's tug Jimmy L.

South Chicago - Brian Z.
Algoma's Tim S. Dool loaded a cargo of petroleum coke at the Beemsterboer Dock Wednesday, bound for Quebec. Lower Lakes' McKee Sons also loaded a cargo at Chicago Fuels Terminal and was spotted outbound at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning.

9/4 - Wallaceburg - The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans has completed extensive tests in Wallaceburg's Sydenham River for possible endangered species such as the rare hickory or round pigtoe mussels. None were detected in the stretch near the Don Truan (Base Line) Bridge and the Bruinsma Dock.

When dredging is completed this fall, it will enable resumption of barge service to Wallaceburg, once a busy port.

During late 2006, the tug Radium Yellowknife barged corn to Toledo ,while 2000 saw the tug Keewatin bring in stone on the barge Stone Merchant. Local officials hope the dredging of the Sydenham River will regain Wallaceburg's status as an inland port.

Reported by Al Mann

9/4 - Cleveland - David E. Lewis, 60, retired former shipping agent for many years at Cleveland, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly on August 30. Lewis represented Upper Lakes Shipping Group, Inc. and Seaway Marine Transport. He was the husband of Dorothy (nee-Hunt), and father of Trish.

Memorial service Saturday, Sept. 6, at Messiah Lutheran Church, W. 215 and Lorain Rd., Fairview Park at 11 a.m. The family will receive friends in the Dicicco-Berry Funeral Home, 23040 Center Ridge Rd., Westlake 3-9 P.M. Memorial contributions may be made to Messiah Lutheran Church or Great Lakes Historical Society, 480 Main St., Vermillion, OH 44089

Reported by William Carle III

Updates - September 4

News Photo Gallery updated

On September 4,1889, 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 September 4, 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.

J. W. Shelley reaches Canso Causeway

9/3 - The J. W. Shelley passed through the Canso Causeway, which spans Cape Breton Island and mainland Nova Scotia, at 9 p.m. Tuesday.

The 1968-built vessel, which formerly sailed the Great Lakes as Algocen, is reportedly returning to the lakes for further service after several years of use as a spoils barge on the U.S. East coast. In June she was reflagged Canadian and ownership was changed to Vanguard Shipping Ltd of Ridgeville, ON.

Port Reports - September 3

Grand Haven - Dick Fox
The tug Invincible and barge McKee Sons came in at 2 a.m. with a load of stone for Meekhof's D & M dock next to the power plant on Harbor Island in Grand Haven.
The Manistee is expected at 8 a.m. on Wednesday to take out a load of sand from the Construction Aggregates dock.

South Chicago - Steve Bauer
The Tim S. Dool was inbound, stern first, at the 92nd Street bridge Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m., with the assistance of the "G" tug South Carolina on the stern and the Colorado on the bow. Her destination was KCBX to load coal.

Update on Lake Superior outflow

9/3 - Detroit - The International Lake Superior Board of Control, under authority granted to it by the International Joint Commission, has set the Lake Superior outflow to 2,250 cubic metres per second (m3/s) (79.5 thousand cubic feet per second (tcfs)) for the month of September. This is the outflow recommended by the regulation plan for the month of September and is a decrease from the August outflow, which was 2,460 m3/s (86.9 tcfs).

The September outflow will be released by discharging about 2,122 m3/s (74.9 tcfs) through the three hydropower plants and passing most of the remaining flow through the control structure at the head of the St. Marys Rapids. The gate setting of the control structure was decreased to the equivalent of one gate half open on September 2. As a result, the flow and water levels have decreased in the St. Marys Rapids.

This past month the water supplies to the lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron basins were well below their long-term averages for August. Lake Superior is currently 19 cm (7 inches) above its chart datum level.

The level of Lake Superior is expected to remain stable in September. Currently, the Lake Superior level is about 16 cm (6 inches) below its long-term average beginning of September level, but is 39 cm (15 inches) above the level recorded a year ago. This past month the level of Lake Superior fell 5 cm (2 inches), while on average the level rises by 1 cm (1/2 inch) in August.

The level of Lakes Michigan-Huron fell by 8 cm (3 inches) this August, while on average the level falls by 4 cm (2 inches) in August. The level of Lakes Michigan-Huron is now about 36 cm (14 inches) below its long-term average beginning-of-September level, and is 19 cm (7 inches) higher than it was a year ago, and 18 cm (7 inches) above chart datum. The level of Lakes Michigan-Huron is expected to decline in September.

Additional information can be found at this link  or here

Updates - September 3

News Photo Gallery updated

Today in Great Lakes History - September 3

September 3, 1919, the WILLIAM A. McGONAGLE 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 STEEL VENDOR, 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. McCARTHY, 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, where the superstructure was removed and the hull was sunk for use 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 September 3,1887, 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 September 3, 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 Algonac, 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.

9/2 - Cape Cod - The J. W. Shelley (Ex-Algocen) was observed transiting the Cape Cod Canal Sunday around 2 p.m.

Reported by Bob Richards

Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski
tug Karen Andrie and barge A-397 were unloading at the Noco Oil Product Terminal in Tonawanda on the Sunday evening. The pair departed around 10 a.m. for Toledo.
The installation of the exterior part of the new self-unloader hopper at the Lake & Rail Elevator seems to be pretty much complete as of Monday. The work equipment was still on the dock but it looked to be ready for a boat soon.

St. Joseph - Greg Barber
On Labor Day morning the Sam Laud entered the St. Joe breakwall at 7:30 in the morning with a load of stone for dock 63.

9/2 - Ishpeming -Cleveland Cliffs Inc. announced at 8:15 p.m. Sunday that work will continue unhindered at the Empire and Tilden mines.

From the Marquette Mining Journal

Updates - September 2

News Photo Gallery updated

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.

9/1 - NYC - The J. W. Shelley, the former Algocen, is reported to be returning to the lakes. She laid up for what was thought to be the final time in Montreal on January 4, 2005. Before the end of the month, her registry was changed with a new owner, Recycling Technologies, Inc. (subsidiary of Bayshore Recycling) in New Jersey. She was used as a spoils storage barge.

Though no official announcements have been made, her color scheme matches that of the Maritime Trader which is owned by Voyageur Marine Transport Ltd., also of Ridgeville, ON.

Toledo - Jim Hoffman
BBC Plata was at the Midwest Terminals Dock on Sunday.
The tug Sea Service with the barge Energy 6506 was at the B-P Dock.
Calumet and Herbert C. Jackson, that were due into the CSX Docks to load coal on Sunday were cancelled out. The Calumet ended up at Marblehead, Ohio to load stone while the Herbert C. Jackson ended up at Sandusky, Ohio to load coal.
The revised schedule for coal boats due into the CSX Docks has the Catherine Desgagnes and American Republic due in Tuesday followed by the Halifax on Wednesday. The schedule for ore boats due into the Torco Ore Docks has the Kaye E. Barker due in Monday followed by the CSL Assiniboine on Thursday.

Toronto - Charlie Gibbons
The barge Exiderdome with tugs Evans McKeil and Ivory Coast did not get underway Saturday as expected and were still sitting at Pier 51 Sunday afternoon.

Updates - September 1

News Photo Gallery updated

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.