Tall ships returning to Detroit this summer for Sail Detroit Festival
Tall ships are returning to Detroit this summer for the Sail Detroit Festival, taking place Aug. 8-10 along the Detroit River.
The Sail Detroit Festival will showcase tall ships of various sizes and styles. They will arrive to Detroit on Aug. 7 and tie up on the Detroit River for three days of public access.
They will sail through the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and then up the Detroit River. Detroit is part of the 2025 Tall Ships Challenge, and they will also stop in Erie, Pennsylvania and Duluth, Minnesota.
Most of the activities will be centered around the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority along the river.
“The return of the ships to Detroit is the vision of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority. “Sail Detroit 2001 was a monumental moment for our city, and we’re so excited to bring tall ships back to Detroit,” Port Authority Director of Operations John Jamian said in a statement. “As we saw, there is something about the majesty of tall ships that unites us all. And there’s nothing quite like seeing these vessels from on board. We can’t wait to welcome these ships and crew to our city.”
Tall Ships visited Detroit in 2001 to celebrate the city’s tricentennial and more than a million visitors gathered to board and experience the ships.
“There are so many lessons that can be taught with these ships,” Port Authority Executive Director Mark Schrupp added in a statement. “Our guests will learn about maritime careers, history, sustainability and Detroit as an important pSail Detroit websiteort when they come down to see the Ships. The Port Authority footprint on Atwater will be transformed into an amazing hub of fun during this special celebration of Detroit’s greatest asset, its water.”
Tickets can board the ships, meet the crews and learn about sailing history. They are $20 for adults, $12 for children, seniors and military. There are family passes available for two adults and two children/seniors/military for $50.
There is also a special $75 ticket available for people to board and sail on the Alliance, a 105-foot three-masted schooner.
More information is available at the Sail Detroit website. https://saildetroit.com/
Want to be a sailor on the Great Lakes? Here’s what it takes to have career on the water
Jalen WilliamsJalen Williams
Detroit Free Press
Always wanted to be a sailor on the Great Lakes? According to the Great Lakes Maritime careers webpage, your opportunity is now.
That’s because the entire U.S. shipboard maritime workforce is projected to turn over in the coming decades.
Overall, the U.S. maritime workforce is projected to have more than 35,000 job openings for sailors and marine oilers; 29,000 captains, mates, and pilots; and 9,500 ship engineers.
Sailors, also called mariners, are people who navigate or assist in navigating ships.
And while shipping season started in March, jobs are still available in Michigan, according to the organization’s website.
“Working as a mariner on a vessel is a challenging but rewarding job for adventurous people who like to travel, spend time outdoors on the open waters of the Great Lakes, and have ample free time when home on shore,” the website says.
Here’s what to know about working as a mariner on the Great Lakes:
What is the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Maritime Transportation System?
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Maritime Transportation System is vital to the economies of the United States and Canada, the website says.
The system moves 160 million tons of freight each year, generating 227,000 jobs and $35 billion in business revenue.
The industry supports industries such as manufacturing, steel production, agriculture and power generation.
How much do sailors get paid?
Compensation for mariners varies depending on experience, employer, union affiliation, job location, nature of the job (rank), and the number of months worked in a year, the Great Lakes Maritime careers page says.
However, according to the The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median water transportation workers annual wages were $66,490 last year.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,960, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $139,270.
What is a sailor’s schedule?
In the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, shipping season starts in March and ends in early January. Mariners often work a “60-30” schedule, which is 60 days of work followed by 30-day break. This may vary based on a host of factors.
What are the entry level roles for people with no shipping experience?
Entry level candidates can join the deck, engine or steward’s department in an entry-level position by contacting a company or a union hall or training at a maritime academy, college, school or training establishment.
For complete information on requirements for different positions, contact the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center.
How to find jobs as a sailor
Prospective sailors can look for jobs in Michigan on the Great Lakes Maritime careers page, located on their website. https://greatlakesmaritimejobs.org/job-postings/
What’s that ship out on the lake and why’s it been there for two weeks?
The red-hulled Federal Katsura, a 190.44-meter-long bulk carrier ship flying a Marshall Islands flag, has been sitting out beyond the breakwater in Lake Michigan since shortly after it arrived on July 1. Here’s why.
You can see it best from the Hoan Bridge, but it’s also been extremely visible from Summerfest, from Bradford Beach, from the Harley Homecoming in Veterans Park, from South Shore Park.
It is the red-hulled Federal Katsura, a 190.44-meter-long bulk carrier ship flying a Marshall Islands flag, and it has been sitting out beyond the breakwater in Lake Michigan since shortly after it arrived on July 1.
The 23.6-meter-wide Class A cargo ship – built in 2005 in Japan – is no stranger to Port Milwaukee, but it has been floating out there just outside of the port for such a long time that folks are beginning to ask.
Five days ago already there was a Reddit thread about it, asking why it’s there.
Some have suggested it’s waiting for space at the dock, waiting for a crew change, awaiting instructions for its next move or even vying to become the next vessel that Milwaukee will obsess over.
Port spokesperson Madison Goldbeck says, “it was a last minute booking for DeLong (on Jones Island) and then it needed to clean its cargo before it could load any grain products.”
The Federal Katsura is often in port to collect grain, but it also carries other cargo, including cement and salt.
Once cleaned, the ship has been waiting for its cargo and in fact it is expected to dock around noon today.
“Then it’ll begin loading tomorrow morning,” says Goldbeck. “The destination port for the offload has still not been determined.”
The crew remains on the vessel while at anchor, Goldbeck says.
The reason that the ship bides its time out in the open water instead of at a vacant dock is that it’s free to sit out there and it costs money to occupy dock space.
Enjoy the view of the Federal Katsura today – and especially tonight as it looks best with its lights glittering out in the darkness – before she departs tomorrow.
In case you’re wondering Federal Katsura really gets around. Since May 1, she’s called at Montreal, Quebec, Belfast, Waterford (Ireland), Ijmuiden (Netherlands), back to Montreal, Port Weller (Canada), Cleveland, Burns Harbor (Indiana) and finally Milwaukee.
In some of those ports the vessel spent as many as five days, but also as little as 48 minutes.
Tickets On Sale for MHSD Detroit River Cruise
Join members of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit aboard the passenger vessel Diamond Belle for a three-hour cruise from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, September 14, on the Detroit River.
We will do our best to get up close to freighter traffic. Snacks and refreshments will be available on the boat, which leaves from the Cullen Plaza at the foot of Rivard Street (1340 Atwater St.) Detroit.There is parking at Cullen Plaza (which often fills up early) and there is street and garage parking nearby.
Tickets are $28.50 (at the dock $30 cash or check only if space is still available). To buy tickets by mail, send a check, payable to the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, to MHSD Cruise, 1020 Iroquois St., Detroit, MI 48214. Late orders will not be mailed; they will be held for you at the dock. To pay by credit or debit card, go to www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6672663.
No refunds after September 7. We are limiting the number to 100 passengers so there will be plenty of room to move about the boat. Reserve now!
Marine Historical Society of Detroit
