Boatnerd News
Boatnerd News – July 4, 2025
Capt. Paul LaMarre III of the Port of Monroe
Don’t Give Up the Ship
As a third-generation mariner and proud tugboat captain, Paul LaMarre III is leading the Port of Monroe to become Michigan’s gateway to the world.
Since becoming the director of the Port of Monroe in 2012, Capt. Paul LaMarre III has built Michigan’s only port on Lake Erie from an overgrown “pile of dirt” to the “biggest little port” in Michigan. Along the way, he’s earned the support of the state across several administrations, from the 2015 investment by the Michigan Strategic Fund in a major dredging and construction project, to a bipartisan port infrastructure grant program in 2022 and a 2023 partnership with Newlab that led to a pilot survey project with an autonomous vessel operated by Mythos AI.
Today, thanks in significant part to Paul’s leadership, the Port of Monroe serves as the gateway to the State of Michigan’s multimodal transportation network. Located on the deep-draft frontage of the River Raisin, with direct Class 1 rail access and immediate proximity to major freeways, the Port of Monroe represents an unmatched convergence of major freight assets. Its director has built a life he loves: a life on and around the Great Lakes.
As we started to handle cargo and put the port back on the map, I coined the phrase ‘the biggest little port.’ It was like when people talk about the biggest little town in the West – I would say that we’re the biggest little port on the Great Lakes, and one day, when we grow up, we’ll be a real port that evolved into Michigan’s gateway port. We’re the first stop in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system in the state of Michigan, and we are doing the most proactive things to develop international trade in the maritime industry in the state.
Return on Investment
The Port of Monroe would not be where it is today without the MEDC, and there are two people in particular whose roles really can’t be overstated: former MEDC director Steve Arwood, and one of its current leaders, Stacy Bowerman. Steve Arwood initiated the first maritime investment into public port infrastructure in our state’s history, which led to the creation of the Governor’s Port Advisory Committee, which I chaired for Governor Snyder and still chair for Governor Whitmer. It became the pilot project for a larger port infrastructure grant program and enhanced the familiarity of our state legislators and agencies with the value of the Great Lakes maritime industry.
The MEDC funded the construction of our riverfront dock through the Michigan Strategic Fund in concert with brownfield redevelopment funds. It was roughly a $4 million project in 2018. To give you an example of how it paid dividends, the regional economic impact per foreign flag vessel with high value cargo is roughly $1 million. In 2020 at the height of the pandemic, the Port of Monroe had its busiest season in the port’s history, going all the way back to 1932. We had 14 consecutive European vessels carrying wind components that were complementing wind towers being manufactured right here at the port by Ventower Industries, which also received support from the MEDC. Those ships alone represented $14 million in regional economic impact, in one season alone and kept hundreds of people working at the height of the pandemic.
Gaining the state’s support and having the support of Governor Snyder and Governor Whitmer has been priceless. Just a couple of years ago, Governor Whitmer made the first visit of its kind to the Port of Monroe, in which she spent nearly half a day at the port, immersing herself in our port operation and learning about what we do. I always tell her, when I see her, that she’s a badass. The first time I said that my lobbyist and her staffers looked at me like, ‘Oh my God.’ But you know what? She really is. She’s been awesome, and she stands firm for what she believes in and what is best for Michigan. She has made, I think, every state agency, including the MEDC, stronger.
Quentin Messer, CEO of the MEDC, has been to the port as well to experience the development and the groundswell of support that we’ve created. I believe that we will be the first mile by which Michigan manufactured goods begin their voyage to global destinations, as well as the front door for imported goods to reach Michigan shores.
A Level of Credibility
I have been very fortunate to have a lot of different opportunities at a relatively young age. I’m 44 years old, and at this point, every aspect of my life touches the Great Lakes maritime industry in some way.
I’m the port director for the Port of Monroe, but I am also the president of the American Great Lakes Ports Association, representing all of the US ports within the system, as well as the vice chairman of the National Museum of the Great Lakes, and still very involved in the museum’s continued development. I am a very active tugboat captain for the Great Lakes Towing Company, towing vessels in Detroit, Toledo, Saginaw, and Sault Ste Marie.
All of these complement the port development. It gives us a level of credibility. Many ports have become pseudo-private economic and real estate development entities, whereas we focus strictly on maritime and cargo, with a very profound economic impact. We’ve been able to achieve our success because we are on the deck plates, and it’s a lifelong calling. Everything I’ve tried to achieve, whether at the port, the museum, aboard the tugs or otherwise, is to preserve the Great Lakes’ past, present and future.
At the Port of Monroe, we fly Oliver Perry’s famous flag, which says, ‘Don’t give up the ship,’ in front of our building. Every day we fly it on the vessels at the port, and it’s symbolic of our motto to be unrelenting and passionate about our work. If we’re truly achieving our success, we are contributing to the Michigan economy in a way that provides meaningful work to Michiganders and hopefully improves quality of life. We’re working for our community’s and our own family’s survival, to take care of the people that we love.
The Tugboat America
The America is a living history. We’ve given her a second lease on life. She’s 128 years old and still doing the same job that she was built for in 1897.
Since I was a kid, my dad always revered the America and her history. When we would go out in the boat in the Detroit River – I would have been roughly nine or 10 years old – we would go see her and my dad would revel in it: ‘That’s the tugboat America right there,’ and share her history.
As the port grew and we needed tug service, I approached the Great Lakes Towing Company about bringing her to Monroe. She had been sitting in Milwaukee, not operating for about a three-year period. In 2023 we had a large event at the Port, Heritage Days. The one that poured the bottle of champagne over the bow of the tug was my father.
The tug has become my living restoration project. She embodies everything that I love about our industry, about its history, about its potential, about its resilience, and the greatest privilege of my career has been being her captain.
The Best-Kept Secret in Michigan
As someone whose life revolves around the Great Lakes, I would say that Monroe County is representative of our state’s broader identity, what it says on the license plate – the Water Wonderland.
I live in Newport, Michigan, just north of the Port of Monroe, on Stony Point Peninsula out at the very end of the point, which is the furthest point of Michigan out into Lake Erie. When I return home every day to my wife Julie and our two golden retrievers, I am going home to a view of Lake Erie, where I’m fortunate to experience all the things that I love about Michigan in one spot: a Lake Erie sunrise, a bald eagle in a tree in our backyard, a Great Lakes freighter on the horizon, the smell of the lake air, and a community where you’re surrounded by good people.
I think that Monroe County is unique in that we have so many of the treasured parts of Michigan’s recreational or tourism assets. It’s almost like the best-kept secret in Michigan.”
More Photos and complete Story can be found at : https://www.michiganbusiness.org/voices/capt-paul-lamarre-of-the-port-of-monroe/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLUGD1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF1OWVzRmxXQTNQTjh5SGFEAR4oCUU8CJoT6QS2f4Wi9FLU8ohwbVnIuz2NlzgIBUifFIAiEOBS7q_qvJok8A_aem_mFUw9i7z1EKojsBktb-Ekg
Boatnerd News – July 2, 2025
2 Soo-based tugs and a barge are among
those offered for sale by Corps of Engineers
Detroit, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, is providing a public notice of its intent to dispose of three vessels, the tugs Whitefish Bay and Owen M. Frederick, the barge Harvey, and its previous disposed of gatelifter Paul Bunyan at the St. Marys Falls Canal (Soo Locks), in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
All four vessels have reached the end of their use lives, and the vessels are no longer capable of completing the work needed to keep the Soo Locks operational. Refitting or rehabilitation
of the vessels was determined to not be fiscally feasibly compared the acquisition of new purpose-built vessels. Additionally, the continuously changing needs of the Soo Locks has made the four historic vessels too small to successfully fulfill the ongoing mission at the Soo Locks.
The vessels will be offered for sale, then as scrap, and finally, if no buyers are found, the USACE will determine the best avenue for scrapping and disposal. The date for removing the four vessels from service is anticipated to be fall of 2025 and likely disposal date of spring of 2026.
Two new tugs are expected to take up station at the Soo this season.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District
Michigan lawmakers might intervene in cost of Mackinac Island ferry rides
Michigan lawmakers are weighing whether to dive into a legal fight over the cost of riding ferry boats to and from Mackinac Island, with both sides of the debate accusing the other of price fixing and a new parking rate increase possibly going into effect Tuesday at the height of the summer tourism season.
Legislators said the company that now controls all of the ferries that offer the public regularly scheduled trips to the island has set up a monopoly and used the lack of competition to hike fares, parking charges and luggage fees. During a June 12 committee hearing, state Sen. Joe Bellino, R-Monroe, said the cost he paid for parking and a ferry ride from St. Ignace to the island made him feel “like I bent over and grabbed my ankles.”
In 2022, the Hoffmann Family of Companies purchased Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry. Two years later, in June 2024, Hoffmann Marine announced it had acquired the Mackinac Island Ferry Company, formerly known as the Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Company. One court filing from lawyers for Mackinac Island described the Hoffmann Family of Companies as “a sophisticated private equity firm with business in 30 countries.”
Dennis Cawthorne, a lobbyist, former state lawmaker and longtime chairman of the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, argued the actions by the Hoffmann company, chaired by the billionaire David Hoffmann, would “economically strangle the island,” which draws more than 1 million tourists each year.
“It’s imperative that they act as quickly as possible,” Cawthorne said of the state Legislature on Monday, a day before a new round of fee increases for parking was expected to take effect at Shepler’s.
Limestone Trade Up 6.5 Percent in June
CLEVELAND — Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.5 million tons in June, an increase of 6.5 percent from 2024. This June’s loadings were below the month’s 5-year average by 1.9 percent.
Loadings out of U.S. quarries totaled 2.9 million tons, an increase of 12.2 percent compared to last year. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 639,301 tons, a decrease of 13.4 percent.
Year-to-date, the Lakes limestone trade stands at 9.1 million tons, a decrease of 6.5 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries decreased by 4 percent from 2024 to 7.5 million tons. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 1.6 million tons, a decrease of 16.5 percent.
*Revised 7/11/24
U.S. ports: Calcite, MI; Cedarville, MI; Drummond Island, MI; Marblehead, OH; Port Inland, MI; and Presque Isle, MI. Canadian ports: Bruce Mines, Manitoulin Island, Port Colborne (from August 2017 on) and Smelter Bay (all Ontario).
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
Boatnerd News – July 1, 2025
Great Lakes Icebreaker Funding Cut from Senate Bill
Michigan Representative Bill Huizenga is leading efforts to restore funding for a new Great Lakes icebreaker that was included in the House-passed version of the One Big Beautiful Bill but omitted from the Senate’s version.
“While the House-passed version of the One Big Beautiful Bill supports the Coast Guard’s request for a Great Lakes icebreaker, the current Senate language cut it while funding other icebreakers,” Huizenga stated in a tweet.
The Michigan congressman emphasized the economic importance of adequate icebreaking capability on the Great Lakes, noting that “The U.S. economy lost more than $1 billion and 5,000 jobs in the 2018/19 winter alone due to inadequate icebreaking on the Great Lakes.”
Huizenga and colleagues from the Great Lakes region have sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Thune and Chairman Cruz requesting the Senate maintain support for the icebreaker. The letter highlights that the Senate bill “includes funding for every category of icebreaker requested by the U.S. Coast Guard in the reconciliation bill except the Great Lakes icebreaker.”
Currently, the Coast Guard operates three polar icebreakers, 21 domestic icebreakers, and 16 ice-capable buoy tenders. The first new heavy icebreaker in 50 years is under construction at Bollinger Shipbuilding in Mississippi, with completion expected around 2030.
The Coast Guard’s broader strategic vision includes building a fleet of eight to nine polar icebreakers as part of the President’s initiative to acquire at least 40 new icebreakers.
In their appeal to Senate leadership, the Great Lakes delegation emphasized that “Efficient commerce on the Great Lakes is critical to American steel production and manufacturing with implications that extend far beyond the Midwest.”
gCaptain
Little Sailors Day brings maritime fun and learning to Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The second annual Little Sailors Day at the Original Soo Locks Boat Tours in Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday was filled with fun and educational activities for people of all ages.
The lot was filled with several exhibits ranging from interactive demonstrations to learning the ropes of working on a Great Lakes freighter to mastering essential water safety skills and so much more.
The Ojibway Supply Boat was docked and allowed people to board and check out the vessel.
For a special treat, the Valerie B tug (owned by Kokosing Construction) gave those on shore a special water display by shooting out water using all three of its fire nozzles.
One of the many highlights of the event was the National Guard’s participation. According to the Original Soo Locks Boat Tours, the National Guard 14th 37th 1437MRBC took part in Little Sailors Day. Members of the guard showcased their heavy equipment and offered free boat rides for kids.
The National Guard uses various types of boats, including the Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM-8) and the newer Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) (MSV(L)). These boats are designed for cargo operations and can carry significant loads, making them essential for military logistics. Kids had the unique opportunity to experience these boats firsthand and enjoy free rides with the National Guard.
Lori Mason took her 7-year-old son, Mason, to the event. Mason has been a Boatnerd since he was three after seeing the Paul R. Tregurtha at Rotary Park. However, his favorite freighter is the James R. Barker.
“He has been here all day. It makes him happy. It means everything to him. He got to go on the Ojibway Supply Boat, which is something you normally don’t do. He also got to talk to Chrissy Kadleck from Interlake,” Lori said. Interlake Maritime Services, through its subsidiary Soo Maritime Services, owns Original Soo Locks Boat Tours.
Roger LeLievre, from Know Your Ships, was also hand with books and free stickers for the kids.
Michelle Briggs, Chief Park Ranger at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was on-site demonstrating water safety.
“One of the most important missions for Park Rangers in the Army Corps is water safety. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the largest provider of outdoor water recreation in the country, and we take it very seriously that people be safe in and around the water. We have several water safety activities here, plus we are also giving our ‘Water Safety Pledge’ where the children take a promise to always be safe around the water, never swim alone and always wear a life jacket. Then they get a water-safety goodie bag.” Briggs explained.
To top it off, OSLBT offered free tour boat rides up to two children under 17 per adult.
Sheila Merchand, Business Manager at OSLBT, started the inaugural event back in 2024. This year, she wanted something bigger and better.
“It was good last year, but we just wanted to expand. Norris Seward helped out a lot by getting most of these vendors here. We wanted to make it more than just a thing for little kids, but for everyone to learn about the entire maritime industry and not just the freighters,” Merchand said.
Soo Leader/Jim Lehocky
Boatnerd News – June 30, 2025
Archaeologists unearth remnants of historic tram at Split Rock Lighthouse
Archaeologists working at Split Rock Lighthouse have discovered the remnants of an old rail tramway that was used to transport building materials from barges on Lake Superior up the steep bluff during construction of the historic lighthouse more than a century ago.
The discovery was made during restoration work at the lighthouse over the past several weeks that make improvements to pathways and walkways and create new scenic viewpoints of the lighthouse and the rugged Lake Superior coastline.
The work will also create a place where visitors can view the old hoist and derrick system that brought materials up from the water when the lighthouse was built in 1909. From there the gear was loaded on the tramways, or short rail lines, to finish the journey to the lighthouse.
Crews unearthed footings of a tramway, including railroad ties and spikes, underneath an asphalt path.
“I would say we were definitely surprised,” said Jen Rankin, director of archeology for the Minnesota Historical Society.
“It’s pretty incredible to get a feature like that. I will say this is definitely probably one of my top ten historic archeology and historic sites to have a feature like this still intact.”
Workers also found an old sidewalk that once linked the lighthouse keeper’s house to one of the original barns at the site — “an outstanding find,” Rankin said.
The discoveries will help better tell a complete story of the lighthouse, how it was built, and what life was like there in the early 1900s to the more than 150,000 people who visit the historic site every year, said Hayes Scriven, the site manager for Split Rock Lighthouse.
“To actually see some of the original railway ties and the railroad spikes that these keepers and these builders were using, is really meaningful and powerful for us,” said Scriven.
“It really brings that history that’s 115 years old, to 2025, right now.”
Archaeologists will continue working at the site throughout construction this summer. Rankin is particularly interested in searching for evidence of the families who lived at the lighthouse keeper’s house.
“We are actually encountering a lot of children’s toys in those excavations,” she said.
Those kinds of details, Scriven said, allow staff at the site to “tell a much more complete and much more personal” story.
Boatnerd News – June 29, 2025
Lake Erie’s Goodtime I freed from Buckeye Reef
PUT-IN-BAY — A local ship grounded on a lake reef was freed on Friday. The Goodtime I ran aground on Buckeye Reef near Ballast Island in Lake Erie on Thursday.
The incident was reported at about 5 p.m., according to Lt. Kyle Rivera, a United States Coast Guard public affairs officer. Ballast Island is east of Middle Bass Island and northeast of South Bass Island.
Just before 4 p.m. on Saturday, Rescue Marine, a naval salvage company based in Lakeside Marblehead, announced that the vessel was freed.
“Our captains, Jake Dunfee, Cory Schenk, Dustin Mulligan and Cole Heffernan worked long hours to complete this complex salvage operation,” a social media post from the company states.
Attempts to free the vessel on Thursday were unsuccessful, Rivera said.
Further attempts were scheduled for Friday. The vessel was freed at approximately 10 p.m., according to the post.
The attempts on Friday included lightening the vessel. About 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel were removed from the ship, according to Rescue Marine.
The tugboat Prairieland, from the George Gradel Company, pulled the Goodtime I free of the reef, the post states.
After the vessel ran aground on Thursday, ships from the coast guard, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Sonny S removed 107 passengers and six crewmembers from the stricken Goodtime, Rivera said.
A scheduled Friday evening cruise set to depart from Sandusky, where the vessel is normally docked, was cancelled due to the grounding. Sunday’s scheduled cruise was also canceled, according to the boat’s operator, Joe Lamb.
Sandusky Register
Fun-filled Engineers Day despite chilly, damp weather
SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The weather may have been chilly and damp Friday for the annual Engineers Day event, but visitors still came to Sault Ste. Marie to take part in the celebration of the engineering marvel known as the Soo Locks.
The event, which ran from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., was hosted in partnership with the city of Sault Ste. Marie and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It celebrates the engineers who built the locks, along with the men and women who maintain them today.
Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she was pleased with the turnout despite the rain — and the fact that, unlike previous years, the public was not allowed to walk across the locks.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers made that decision last week, citing an abundance of caution due to uncontrollable circumstances and a need to prioritize public safety.
“We managed well. I thought the weather was going to be a lot worse, but it wasn’t,” Hoath said. “At 9 a.m., the rain pretty much ended and we ended up with just drizzle. It was a beautiful day with all the people here. People came from all over. I was walking around and looking at the license plates on the cars — they were from all over, so it was a good day. At our Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau booth, we heard no complaints about not being able to walk across the locks.”
Jeremy Tabor and his family made the trip from Huron Township, just southwest of Detroit, to take part in the festivities. They visited Engineers Day for the first time in 2024 and were eager to return this year.
“The oldest is seven. The youngest is four-and-a-half. And they absolutely loved it,” Tabor said. “That’s the reason why we came back. They enjoy freighter watching, the boat watching. They’ve turned into a couple boatnerds themselves. I enjoy it. Mom enjoys it.”
Events extended from the Soo Locks east along Portage Avenue to the Carbide Dock, where an official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at 10 a.m.
Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Don Gerrie was among several dignitaries who spoke about the significance of the $40 million in improvements to the historic site on the St. Marys River.
“Sault Ste. Marie is proud to be a major component of the national waterway transportation system and is also the start of the I-75 highway system,” Gerrie said. “Today we are here to celebrate the completion of a critical project to rehabilitate the 135-year-old Carbide Dock and its connector road, Easterday Avenue.
“The dock was built in 1890 as the deep-water port for the Lake Superior Carbide Company, which merged with two other companies to form Union Carbide in 1898. The dock was expanded in 1924 and used in the company’s continued operations until the 1960s.”
Gerrie noted that the dock’s reconstruction was designed to last 100 years, using a 65-foot marine-grade steel sheet pile seawall anchored into bedrock. A secondary wall was added to support the seawall and prevent bowing. The dock face is now 775 feet long, with a 340-foot west end, large enough to accommodate lake freighters and cruise ships.
“The amenities include hookups for full fire protection, potable water, a sanitary sewer dump station, and full shore power facilities to service any ship that docks,” Gerrie said. “It also features modern charging stations for electric recreational vehicles and tugs. This unique project marries an industrial marine port with educational programming at the LSSU CFRE and recreational park space, including a safe public fishing site.”
Soo Leader
Boatnerd News – June 28, 2025
Lake Erie cruise ship stuck on reef Thursday, passengers evacuated
PUT-IN-BAY, Ohio — A Lake Erie cruise ship was grounded on a reef Thursday, while authorities are still trying to remove the vessel from where it became stuck.
According to Goodtime Boat – Lake Erie Island Cruises, its vessel Goodtime I got stuck on a reef around 5 p.m. Thursday. It appears to be stranded in the vicinity of South Bass Island.
Along with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and a Good Samaritan, the Coast Guard evacuated six crew members and 107 passengers from the ship. There were no reported injuries.
Now, the Coast Guard and Goodtime are working to remove the ship from the reef where it became stuck. They said they are attempting to remove fuel from the boat to make it lighter, so that it will float and become unstuck from the reef.
The Coast Guard described this as an ongoing investigation. They are still working to learn how the ship became grounded.
WTOL
Surviving the Michipicoten: A Retired Engineer’s Story from Lake Superior
Now retired, Kent Knechtel, a former second engineer aboard the freighter Michipicoten, recounts the day a 13-foot hull crack changed everything. Thanks to calm waters, clear skies, and the swift response of the United States Coast Guard, disaster was narrowly avoided. One year later, Kent reflects with gratitude and quiet resolve on the incident that marked the end of his decades-long career sailing the Great Lakes. This video is brought to you through a partnership with Detroit Public TV’s Great Lakes Now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Boatnerd News – June 26, 2025
Public Access Restricted for Soo Locks Engineers Day
Detroit, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in conjunction with the event’s federal, state, and local public safety partners are changing public access for this year’s Soo Locks Engineers Day event on June 27.
Out of an abundance of caution, in light of uncontrollable circumstances and in order to prioritize public safety, visitor access will be limited to Canal Park. Access in and around active Soo Locks operations will not be allowed.
“We acknowledge this is disappointing and acknowledge the importance of this event to the community, which is why we coordinated closely with our public safety partners to permit the event to still take place” said Soo Locks Operations Manager LeighAnn Ryckeghem. “All public activities and displays will be concentrated within Canal Park which includes the observation platform to view vessels and the visitor center.”
These changes are being implemented as a precautionary measure to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
The United States Coast Guard will be supporting and participating but will no longer be holding an open house for Engineers Day due to updated security protocols.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District
LOW TICKET ALERT: Registration Now
Open for Annual Soo Boatnerd Cruise
Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Freighter Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River!
- When: Friday, June 27, 6-9 pm, rain or shine
- Where: Soo Locks Boat Tours, Dock #2 (next to the Valley Camp)
- Limit: 100 passengers
- Food: Pizza and salad included with paid passage
- General Adult Admission:
-Early Bird Adult $35.00 each (through May 31)
-Regular Adult $40.00 each (June 1-June 20)
-Procrastinator Adult $45 each (after June 20)
- Youth Admission, age 5-17: $15 flat rate
- Youth Admission, age 4 and under: FREE
- Students (age 18+) with a current, valid i.d. get a $5 discount off an adult ticket. The student must present their student i.d. when boarding.
This year’s St. Mary’s River cruise will be aboard a Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours boat on Friday, June 27. Boarding begins at 5:30 pm, and we cast off at 6pm. The cruise is three hours long. We plan to travel through the U.S. Locks, but that may change in order to chase freighters.
Pizza and salad are included in paid passage. There will be a cash bar on board. You can bring your own food and beverages (you cannot bring alcohol).
Reservations are a must, as the group is limited to 100 passengers. Mailed checks must be received no later than Friday, June 20.
If the cruise is not sold out by June 20, we will take online or cash (US funds only) reservations at the Procrastinator Price of $45.00 per General Admission ticket. Youth ticket rates stay the same as listed above.
Click link below to buy your ticket(s) online.
Contact Angie at griffinclawangie@gmail.com or 734-386-0899 if you have questions or to request any refunds. No refunds will be issued after June 19.
Boatnerd News – June 25, 2025
Public Access Restricted for Soo Locks Engineers Day
Detroit, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in conjunction with the event’s federal, state, and local public safety partners are changing public access for this year’s Soo Locks Engineers Day event on June 27.
Out of an abundance of caution, in light of uncontrollable circumstances and in order to prioritize public safety, visitor access will be limited to Canal Park. Access in and around active Soo Locks operations will not be allowed.
“We acknowledge this is disappointing and acknowledge the importance of this event to the community, which is why we coordinated closely with our public safety partners to permit the event to still take place” said Soo Locks Operations Manager LeighAnn Ryckeghem. “All public activities and displays will be concentrated within Canal Park which includes the observation platform to view vessels and the visitor center.”
These changes are being implemented as a precautionary measure to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
The United States Coast Guard will be supporting and participating but will no longer be holding an open house for Engineers Day due to updated security protocols.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District
LOW TICKET ALERT: Registration Now
Open for Annual Soo Boatnerd Cruise
Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Freighter Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River!
- When: Friday, June 27, 6-9 pm, rain or shine
- Where: Soo Locks Boat Tours, Dock #2 (next to the Valley Camp)
- Limit: 100 passengers
- Food: Pizza and salad included with paid passage
- General Adult Admission:
-Early Bird Adult $35.00 each (through May 31)
-Regular Adult $40.00 each (June 1-June 20)
-Procrastinator Adult $45 each (after June 20)
- Youth Admission, age 5-17: $15 flat rate
- Youth Admission, age 4 and under: FREE
- Students (age 18+) with a current, valid i.d. get a $5 discount off an adult ticket. The student must present their student i.d. when boarding.
This year’s St. Mary’s River cruise will be aboard a Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours boat on Friday, June 27. Boarding begins at 5:30 pm, and we cast off at 6pm. The cruise is three hours long. We plan to travel through the U.S. Locks, but that may change in order to chase freighters.
Pizza and salad are included in paid passage. There will be a cash bar on board. You can bring your own food and beverages (you cannot bring alcohol).
Reservations are a must, as the group is limited to 100 passengers. Mailed checks must be received no later than Friday, June 20.
If the cruise is not sold out by June 20, we will take online or cash (US funds only) reservations at the Procrastinator Price of $45.00 per General Admission ticket. Youth ticket rates stay the same as listed above.
Click link below to buy your ticket(s) online.
Contact Angie at griffinclawangie@gmail.com or 734-386-0899 if you have questions or to request any refunds. No refunds will be issued after June 19.
Boatnerd News – June 24, 2025
National Great Lakes Museum ready to display new pilothouse
TOLEDO, OHIO – A major expansion to the National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) is expected to boost attendance, expand its educational reach and increase visitor accessibility for the institution.
The museum’s $5.5 million Second Wave project also serves to advance a larger vision for the NMGL, and, by proximity, Toledo. When it opens on June 28, it’s expected to become the gathering place for Great Lakes conversations concerning everything from history to tourism and environmental issues to industry.
“There are a million different conversations happening on the Great Lakes, and Toledo is very centrally located,” said Kate Fineske, NMGL executive director. “We know our space is only one small space, but we are the only National Museum of the Great Lakes, and why not convene the conversations that are happening?”
While she estimated there are about 100 maritime museums on the Great Lakes, Fineske noted the NMGL is unique because it’s the only one covering the entire scope of U.S. and Canadian history revolving around all five Great Lakes.
NMGL traces its origins to 1945, when the newly-formed Great Lakes Historical Society published the first issue of its Inland Seas journal. In 1953, the Society opened a museum in Vermilion, Ohio, which relocated to the east bank of the Maumee River in Toledo 11 years ago.
The museum saw dramatic visitor growth following the move, and has welcomed 225,000 visitors from more than 30 countries and 50 states since 2014. When phase two of neighboring Glass City Metropark opened in June 2023, annual visitation jumped by 46 percent.
“We continue to see that visitation rise,” Fineske added. She said the museum’s strategic plan set a goal to double annual visits from 30,000 to 60,000 people over the next five years.
The Second Wave expansion is expected to play a key role in advancing that goal. The 5,000-square-foot Larry and Karen Bettcher Wing includes the Great Lakes Community Education Center, expanded offices to accommodate a growing staff and permanent, and temporary exhibit galleries. The new wing is anchored by the pilothouse of the St. Marys Challenger, thought to be the longest operating bulk carrier in world history.
The St. Marys Challenger went into shipyard in October 2013 to be converted to a tug barge. In 2015, the NMGL acquired the pilothouse of the 108-year-old freighter.
Even though the museum had just opened in Toledo at the time, the pilothouse acquisition was “the seed” of knowing something would need to be done eventually to put it on display, according to Carrie Sowden, director of archaeology and research.
Offering a sweeping view of the river from its windows, the pilothouse was placed to give visitors the feeling of steering the ship. Unlike the Museum Tug Ohio and the Col. James M. Schoonmaker docked outside, the pilothouse will be open year round and is fully accessible by ramp from inside the new wing. It is being restored to represent a more contemporary time period than the Schoonmaker.
Sowden noted the Second Wave expansion allows the museum to tell stories they haven’t been able to share before.
A new permanent exhibit, “Every Boat Tells Our Story,” features the Bob Sellers Model Collection and celebrates the craftsmanship and legacy of Great Lakes vessels.
“What we’re trying to do is tell personal stories; tell stories that hopefully people can see themselves in, maybe see their ancestors in, see something and find a way to connect,” said Sowden.
A 1,400-square-foot temporary gallery is meant to encourage regular return visits. Some exhibits will be locally curated while others are expected to be traveling exhibits.
“Dark Waters: True Crime and Mystery on the Great Lakes” is the first temporary exhibit, curated by director emeritus Chris Gillcrist.
“We’re telling a bunch of different tales across the Great Lakes of unsolved mystery, murder and mayhem,” said Fineske.
While she acknowledges not everyone is fully entrenched in maritime history, Fineske predicts the true crime twist will resonate with a wide audience. The exhibit explores mysteries, such as strange disappearances at sea, shipwrecks, like the Eastland Disaster on the Chicago River, and infamous crimes including the unsolved Torso Murders in Cleveland and the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago. It will run through Halloween.
Fineske said the artifacts on the main exhibit floor only represent about 10 percent of the museum’s collection. The NMGL just finished moving everything to Toledo from Vermilion at the beginning of this year, aided by an $18,000 grant from the Ohio History Connection.
Fundraising for the Second Wave expansion kicked off at the end of 2020 with a million dollar match pledge from Larry and Karen Bettcher. Fineske said they met that target and also received $1.1 million in capital funds from the State of Ohio over three different budgets for the project. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority provided a grant of $25,000 and a loan of $125,000 to aid in construction of the concrete pad beneath the pilothouse.
The museum does not receive any local, state or federal funds to cover its annual operating budget, which has steadily climbed from $300,000 in Vermilion to nearly $1.7 million this year. Along with endowments, donations and grants, NMGL relies heavily on earned revenue from memberships, admissions, rentals and museum store sales. “Everything gets put completely back into its mission,” said Fineske.
Toledo Free Press
Obituary Peter R. Cresswell
We would like to offer our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Peter Cresswell, who passed away peacefully at the Sault Area Hospital on Friday, June 20, 2025, surrounded by his loved ones. Peter had a long and distinguished 35-year career at Algoma Central Corporation, where he was a prominent figure in the shipping industry, serving as President and CEO for ten years and Deputy Chairman of the Board in his final year, 2001.
The Algowest, a self-unloading bulk carrier constructed at Collingwood Shipyards in Collingwood, was operated by Algoma Central Railway’s Marine Division for Great Lakes and ocean operations from 1982 to 2001. The vessel was later renamed Peter R. Cresswell and served from 2001 until its scrapping in Aliaga, Turkey in 2016.
[Ship Junkies-Janey Anderson]
Public Access Restricted for Soo Locks Engineers Day
Detroit, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in conjunction with the event’s federal, state, and local public safety partners are changing public access for this year’s Soo Locks Engineers Day event on June 27.
Out of an abundance of caution, in light of uncontrollable circumstances and in order to prioritize public safety, visitor access will be limited to Canal Park. Access in and around active Soo Locks operations will not be allowed.
“We acknowledge this is disappointing and acknowledge the importance of this event to the community, which is why we coordinated closely with our public safety partners to permit the event to still take place” said Soo Locks Operations Manager LeighAnn Ryckeghem. “All public activities and displays will be concentrated within Canal Park which includes the observation platform to view vessels and the visitor center.”
These changes are being implemented as a precautionary measure to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
The United States Coast Guard will be supporting and participating but will no longer be holding an open house for Engineers Day due to updated security protocols.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District
LOW TICKET ALERT: Registration Now
Open for Annual Soo Boatnerd Cruise
Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Freighter Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River!
- When: Friday, June 27, 6-9 pm, rain or shine
- Where: Soo Locks Boat Tours, Dock #2 (next to the Valley Camp)
- Limit: 100 passengers
- Food: Pizza and salad included with paid passage
- General Adult Admission:
-Early Bird Adult $35.00 each (through May 31)
-Regular Adult $40.00 each (June 1-June 20)
-Procrastinator Adult $45 each (after June 20)
- Youth Admission, age 5-17: $15 flat rate
- Youth Admission, age 4 and under: FREE
- Students (age 18+) with a current, valid i.d. get a $5 discount off an adult ticket. The student must present their student i.d. when boarding.
This year’s St. Mary’s River cruise will be aboard a Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours boat on Friday, June 27. Boarding begins at 5:30 pm, and we cast off at 6pm. The cruise is three hours long. We plan to travel through the U.S. Locks, but that may change in order to chase freighters.
Pizza and salad are included in paid passage. There will be a cash bar on board. You can bring your own food and beverages (you cannot bring alcohol).
Reservations are a must, as the group is limited to 100 passengers. Mailed checks must be received no later than Friday, June 20.
If the cruise is not sold out by June 20, we will take online or cash (US funds only) reservations at the Procrastinator Price of $45.00 per General Admission ticket. Youth ticket rates stay the same as listed above.
Click link below to buy your ticket(s) online.
Contact Angie at griffinclawangie@gmail.com or 734-386-0899 if you have questions or to request any refunds. No refunds will be issued after June 19.
Boatnerd News – June 23, 2025
Public Access Restricted for Soo Locks Engineers Day
Detroit, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in conjunction with the event’s federal, state, and local public safety partners are changing public access for this year’s Soo Locks Engineers Day event on June 27.
Out of an abundance of caution, in light of uncontrollable circumstances and in order to prioritize public safety, visitor access will be limited to Canal Park. Access in and around active Soo Locks operations will not be allowed.
“We acknowledge this is disappointing and acknowledge the importance of this event to the community, which is why we coordinated closely with our public safety partners to permit the event to still take place” said Soo Locks Operations Manager LeighAnn Ryckeghem. “All public activities and displays will be concentrated within Canal Park which includes the observation platform to view vessels and the visitor center.”
These changes are being implemented as a precautionary measure to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
The United States Coast Guard will be supporting and participating but will no longer be holding an open house for Engineers Day due to updated security protocols.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District
LOW TICKET ALERT: Registration Now
Open for Annual Soo Boatnerd Cruise
Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Freighter Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River!
- When: Friday, June 27, 6-9 pm, rain or shine
- Where: Soo Locks Boat Tours, Dock #2 (next to the Valley Camp)
- Limit: 100 passengers
- Food: Pizza and salad included with paid passage
- General Adult Admission:
-Early Bird Adult $35.00 each (through May 31)
-Regular Adult $40.00 each (June 1-June 20)
-Procrastinator Adult $45 each (after June 20)
- Youth Admission, age 5-17: $15 flat rate
- Youth Admission, age 4 and under: FREE
- Students (age 18+) with a current, valid i.d. get a $5 discount off an adult ticket. The student must present their student i.d. when boarding.
This year’s St. Mary’s River cruise will be aboard a Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours boat on Friday, June 27. Boarding begins at 5:30 pm, and we cast off at 6pm. The cruise is three hours long. We plan to travel through the U.S. Locks, but that may change in order to chase freighters.
Pizza and salad are included in paid passage. There will be a cash bar on board. You can bring your own food and beverages (you cannot bring alcohol).
Reservations are a must, as the group is limited to 100 passengers. Mailed checks must be received no later than Friday, June 20.
If the cruise is not sold out by June 20, we will take online or cash (US funds only) reservations at the Procrastinator Price of $45.00 per General Admission ticket. Youth ticket rates stay the same as listed above.
Click link below to buy your ticket(s) online.
Contact Angie at griffinclawangie@gmail.com or 734-386-0899 if you have questions or to request any refunds. No refunds will be issued after June 19.
