Explosion damages Superior grain elevator

The Superior Fire Department responded to the report of an explosion at the Vitera Grain Elevator Monday evening. This happened at 400 Main St. on Connor’s Point at 6:20 p.m.

All the workers were evacuated and accounted for. The Fire Department says there was no active fire found except several smoldering hot spots, which crews extinguished.

In a press release, Superior Fire says the explosion happened in the basement of the plant and traveled up and through the loading tower. There is damage to the structure along with the bells and hatches over the belt. The grain elevator was said to be in normal operation during the time of the explosion.

Crews left the scene of the grain elevator at 8:44 p.m.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation. All three Superior Fire engines and the Battalion Chief responded. Viterra employees, Superior Police, and Mayo Ambulance also responded.

WDIO

New marine sanctuary spotlights a ‘submerged museum’ on Lake Ontario

By Anna Barnes | November 16, 2024

After seven years of planning, a new marine sanctuary now protects a portion of Lake Ontario rich with history and shipwrecks. The community-driven designation aims to benefit the area through preservation, economic development and conservation.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designates marine sanctuaries to preserve sites with national significance, such as important archeology, culture or marine life.

The new sanctuary, established in June, covers a large swath of eastern Lake Ontario bordering New York’s Oswego, Jefferson, Cayuga and Wayne counties, according to NOAA.

NOAA selected the area for its historic, cultural and archaeological significance, referring to it as the gateway between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.

The sanctuary is the first in New York and the third on the Great Lakes. The others are on Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay in Michigan and Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan coast.

The four counties bordering the preserve, along with the State of New York, nominated the area for sanctuary status in January 2017. NOAA then opened the nomination for public comment and incorporated that feedback into a management plan and environmental impact statement.

“It’s a deliberative process that does take time but we’re very proud of the number of times or the engagement we have with the public to get feedback on our proposal,” said Ellen Brody, Great Lakes regional coordinator for NOAA.

The agency considered three options for the sanctuary boundary, with the largest encompassing 1,786 square miles, 63 known shipwrecks and a portion of the St. Lawrence River. NOAA ultimately chose a smaller sanctuary that excludes the river and covers 1,722 square miles with 41 known shipwrecks.

NOAA selected the smaller boundary because commenters were worried about diver safety and navigational challenges for vessels in the St. Lawrence River, which is known for unpredictable weather, according to the management plan.

Boundaries: NOAA excluded the St. Lawrence River from the sanctuary after hearing public comments concerned with the safety of divers and shipping channel navigation. CRED: NOAA

While preserving the area’s many shipwrecks was a primary purpose for setting aside this portion of Lake Ontario, that’s just one reason for creating a marine sanctuary, Brody said.

“People do think mostly about shipwrecks but it could be Indigenous history,” Brody said. “It could be the remnants of old docks and piers, you know, prehistoric, so it is a broad definition of historic resources.”

Recognizing Indigenous history was among the goals for establishing the Lake Ontario sanctuary, and NOAA included tribal groups in its designation process, Brody said.

“These were historically Onondaga Nation lands,” she said. “We worked with the Onondaga Nation throughout the designation process as their reservation lands are south of the sanctuary around Syracuse.”

She said it’s NOAA’s intent to tell the area’s history beginning before the European settlement of the Great Lakes. Lake Ontario’s cultural history goes back farther than the other two sanctuaries on the Great Lakes and its shipwrecks are older than theirs are, Brody said.

NOAA calls the sanctuary a “submerged museum” because the cold, fresh water of Lake Ontario has done a great job of preserving the wrecks.

Brody said the history is important to tell in a designated marine sanctuary because it’s much harder for people to go diving than it is to hike a trail at a national park, for example.

“We are hoping to have some kind of NOAA presence, whether it’s some type of visitor center or programming along the coast of the sanctuary to tell these stories,” Brody said. She said it takes time for NOAA to get infrastructure settled after the designation.

Michael Pittavino, the curator of the H. Lee White Maritime Museum in Oswego, said the museum had personnel involved in the nomination process to help justify the designation.

“Our objective is to preserve, promote and share the regional history of Lake Ontario with particular emphasis on its maritime significance,” Pittavino said. “A designation of a heritage-based sanctuary really just enables our organization or organizations like ours to be at the forefront of that interpretation.”

He said the sanctuary has potential to grow the local economy and create new opportunities for the museum.

“Increases in tourism, visitation and cultural institutions just leads to a healthier atmosphere, a healthier financial standing,” Pittavino said.

Alpena, Michigan, has attracted more tourists since NOAA established the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 2000. The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center consistently receives around 100,000 visitors per year, said Sarah Morrison, the center’s media and outreach director.

Pittavino said he has already noticed an increase in awareness and interest in the cultural resources the Lake Ontario designation is meant to protect. While the shipwrecks have taken the spotlight, interest has also grown in land-based activities like the museum’s tours of the nearby Oswego lighthouse.

“Long-term we hope to see an increase in awareness in all sorts of issues related to that body of water,” Pittavino said.

Great Lakes’ water temperatures are very warm for November, still 60 degrees on one lake

All of the Great Lakes are running warmer than normal. It’s no surprise the Great Lakes are warmer than normal since our air temperatures have been warmer than normal for quite some time.

 The biggest Great Lake’s average surface water temperature is 46.9 degrees. This may sound cold for swimming, and it is cold – but not for Nov. 17 on Lake Superior. The long-term average for Nov. 17 is more than 3 degrees lower: 43.4 degrees.

 Read more at these MLive links:

https://www.mlive.com/weather/2024/11/great-lakes-water-temperatures-are-very-warm-for-november-still-60-degrees-on-one-lake.html

https://www.mlive.com/weather/2024/11/lake-superior-near-record-warmth-could-act-as-buffer-to-cold-air-from-canada.html

Toledo museum celebrates the Christmas Tree Ship’s legacy

On November 23, 1912, the schooner Rouse Simmons sank while carrying Christmas trees. Known as the Christmas Tree Ship, its captain, Herman E. Schuenemann (a.k.a. “Captain Santa”), was known for giving trees to families in need.

The story of the ship’s history and captain is the inspiration behind the National Museum of the Great Lakes annual Community Giveback Event—The Christmas Tree Ship, presented by The University of Toledo Medical Center. Enjoy free museum admission all day long and make memories that last a lifetime! Watch Santa arrive at the museum’s dock aboard a Geo. Gradel Co. tugboat delivering a Christmas Tree into your hands or the hands of someone in need.

Community Giveback Day Itinerary

    10 AM – 5 PM: Museum Admission Free All Day

    11 AM: Enjoy the East Toledo Holiday Parade

    1:15 PM: Watch the Ship’s Journey to the Museum via Livestream

    1:30 PM: Santa Arrives to the Museum’s Docks

    1:45 – 3:45 PM: Meet and Greet with Santa

Not able to join in person? Tune into our Facebook page around 1:15 p.m. for a livestream of the ship’s journey down the Maumee River. Get a tour of the Christmas Tree Ship, learn more about the story that inspired our event, and meet the individuals onboard, including Santa!

Read more here: https://nmgl.org/event/christmas-tree-ship24/

Could museum’s cruise-ship tours lead to future Toledo port calls?

TOLEDO, OH – When passengers from Victory Cruise Lines voyages on the Great Lakes visit the National Museum of the Great Lakes next year, they’ll reach Toledo by bus, not boat.

But leaders at the museum, Destination Toledo, and the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority all believe the Detroit-based shore excursions can be a stepping-off point toward bringing passenger cruises to the city.

Victory Cruise Lines vessels are scheduled to stop in Detroit 34 times during that company’s Great Lakes cruising season in 2025, said Kate Fineske, the local museum’s executive director.

Providing Victory passengers with an option to visit the museum as a shore excursion from Detroit “takes a step forward to getting more folks to discover beautiful Toledo by giving cruise passengers whose itinerary includes a Detroit stop an exclusive opportunity to visit the National Museum of the Great Lakes,” Ms. Fineske said.

“We are excited to showcase our community in hopes it is a first step toward cruise ships coming to Toledo,” she said. The excursions will effectively be “one big site visit of our downtown, highlighting our unique relationship with the Great Lakes, and we are putting our best foot forward.”

Victory’s onboard LakeLorian programming for its customers is expected to stoke interest in Great Lakes history. As part of its agreement with the cruise line, the Toledo museum will provide onboard history lecture support for a historian on the ships, onboard temporary exhibits, “and other ways to authentically share Great Lakes history with cruise passengers,” Ms. Fineske said.

Destination Toledo, a nonprofit arm of the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce promoting local tourism and conventions, is paying for the buses to get Victory’s passengers from Detroit to Toledo.

Lance Woodworth, that agency’s president and chief executive officer, said the shore excursion can be the start of creating “a groundswell of interest and positive feedback” about Toledo.

While he said he couldn’t predict how far out Toledo’s earliest opportunity for a cruise call might be, Mr. Woodworth said the effort to attract one has to get going for that to ever happen.

“The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, but the next best time is today,” he said. “This will start getting some of these passengers that are on these boats into our town.”

The next port call by a cruise ship would be Toledo’s first since the late 1990s, when the M/V Nantucket Clipper paid several visits and the M/V C. Columbus made a single appearance to pick up a boatload of German tourists at the start of a Great Lakes itinerary.

But after the Nantucket Clipper was delayed 45 minutes at the CSX Transportation railroad bridge in the Maumee River during a visit, its tours the following year skipped Toledo, and Clipper Cruise Line did not repeat its ship’s visit, either.

Port officials said at the time that the operational uncertainty created by Toledo’s railroad bridges were among several factors that worked against it in attracting relatively limited cruise opportunities. Another was the relative difficulty in adding a Toledo side trip to voyages crossing Lake Erie, as the Toledo Harbor Channel is a multihour journey in each direction to get to the main ship route in the northwestern part of the lake.

But Great Lakes cruising is expanding again, particularly since the decline of the coronavirus pandemic, and that may work in Toledo’s favor, said Joe Cappel, vice president of business development at the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.

“I do see it changing. Great Lakes cruising is starting to catch fire again,” Mr. Cappel said.

The cruise lines have a lot of repeat clientele, he said, and “they will be looking for diverse itineraries.” The museum’s initiative will let Toledo “get a foot in the door.”

“They’re starting to do smaller ports, like Muskegon, Michigan. To become part of the itinerary for any cruise line, it takes years of building relationships. We’re starting one,” Mr. Cappel said.

“We’re well positioned for [the role of] that boutique city,” Mr. Woodworth said. “Toledo is clean, safe, and walkable. We just need to be ready when that opportunity presents itself.”

Providing transportation from Detroit to Toledo for the museum tours, he said, was vital to Victory adding those tours to its offerings. “Without us stepping in to do that lift for them, they [the Toledo excursions] just weren’t going to work for them,” Mr. Woodworth said.

Among major considerations for future cruise-ship calls will be where such a vessel would dock. Mr. Cappel noted that both International Park and the dockface near Holcim Cement on Water Street both hosted such vessels in the past.

The museum building itself, meanwhile, was built mainly using federal funds directed toward ferry services and was designed to potentially handle cruises as well.

But after port officials’ efforts to incubate any ferry service there foundered, the museum concept was developed, and in 2014 the museum freighter S.S. Col. James M. Schoonmaker was moved from International Park to the wharf by the museum that might otherwise have been used by cruise ships.

Mr. Cappel said the port authority has a study pending of possible dock-wall improvements in front of International Park, and “there probably would be some dredging as well” if that location were to become the docking spot for cruise ships.

“We would have to work together on how to pay for it,” he said before noting that a cruise terminal also would need to have tour-bus access to support shore-tour transportation.

The LakeLorian presenters aboard the Victory vessels next cruising season will be Victory employees trained by the National Museum of the Great Lakes to give presentations about the lakes’ history, science, and overall significance.

“Victory’s fleet will serve as floating extensions of our museum, delivering dynamic programming to travelers and creating a unique learning experience both on the waters of the Great Lakes and at the museum in Toledo,” Ms. Fineske said. “We look forward to sharing the science and stories of these extraordinary lakes.”

Two of the LakeLorian trainees came to Toledo last month, she said, while others will be trained online. “This is a great step in the right direction,” Ms. Fineske said. “People will get down here and really see what this community is about.”

DAVID PATCH – The Blade

Toledo museum celebrates the Christmas Tree Ship’s legacy

On November 23, 1912, the schooner Rouse Simmons sank while carrying Christmas trees. Known as the Christmas Tree Ship, its captain, Herman E. Schuenemann (a.k.a. “Captain Santa”), was known for giving trees to families in need.

The story of the ship’s history and captain is the inspiration behind the National Museum of the Great Lakes annual Community Giveback Event—The Christmas Tree Ship, presented by The University of Toledo Medical Center. Enjoy free museum admission all day long and make memories that last a lifetime! Watch Santa arrive at the museum’s dock aboard a Geo. Gradel Co. tugboat delivering a Christmas Tree into your hands or the hands of someone in need.

Community Giveback Day Itinerary

    10 AM – 5 PM: Museum Admission Free All Day

    11 AM: Enjoy the East Toledo Holiday Parade

    1:15 PM: Watch the Ship’s Journey to the Museum via Livestream

    1:30 PM: Santa Arrives to the Museum’s Docks

    1:45 – 3:45 PM: Meet and Greet with Santa

Not able to join in person? Tune into our Facebook page around 1:15 p.m. for a livestream of the ship’s journey down the Maumee River. Get a tour of the Christmas Tree Ship, learn more about the story that inspired our event, and meet the individuals onboard, including Santa!

Read more here: https://nmgl.org/event/christmas-tree-ship24/

Canada’s Labor Board Orders Port of Montreal Dockworkers Back to Work

November 15, 2024

(Reuters) – Canada’s Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ordered a resumption of operations at the Port of Montreal from Saturday morning, the port’s employers association said, after the federal government stepped in and directed the labor board to end port disputes.

Canada on Tuesday intervened to end the labor disputes at the country’s biggest ports, including Vancouver in British Columbia and Montreal in Quebec, citing economic damage and the potential for driving away trading partners.

It was the second time in three months that the Liberal government has stepped in to halt a labor dispute. In August, it ordered an end to work stoppages at the country’s two largest railway companies.

The Maritime Employers Association (MEA) said it would comply with the labor board’s directive, allowing Montreal port operators to resume activity over the weekend.

The Montreal Longshoremen’s Union on Sunday rejected a final offer made for a new labor contract, leading to a lockout being declared.

The union did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours on resumption of activities.

The dispute, which Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said was affecting more than C$1.3 billion ($924.35 million) in goods every day, has impacted shipments of canola oil, forest products and other goods.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514, which represents supervisory longshore workers in the British Columbia dispute, said on Tuesday it would file a legal challenge to the minister’s orders.

The BC Maritime Employers Association, which represents West Coast port employers including in Vancouver, said it received the order from the labor board on Wednesday to resume operations on Thursday.

($1 = 1.4064 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Surbhi Misra in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

Toledo museum celebrates the Christmas Tree Ship’s legacy

On November 23, 1912, the schooner Rouse Simmons sank while carrying Christmas trees. Known as the Christmas Tree Ship, its captain, Herman E. Schuenemann (a.k.a. “Captain Santa”), was known for giving trees to families in need.

The story of the ship’s history and captain is the inspiration behind the National Museum of the Great Lakes annual Community Giveback Event—The Christmas Tree Ship, presented by The University of Toledo Medical Center. Enjoy free museum admission all day long and make memories that last a lifetime! Watch Santa arrive at the museum’s dock aboard a Geo. Gradel Co. tugboat delivering a Christmas Tree into your hands or the hands of someone in need.

Community Giveback Day Itinerary

    10 AM – 5 PM: Museum Admission Free All Day

    11 AM: Enjoy the East Toledo Holiday Parade

    1:15 PM: Watch the Ship’s Journey to the Museum via Livestream

    1:30 PM: Santa Arrives to the Museum’s Docks

    1:45 – 3:45 PM: Meet and Greet with Santa

Not able to join in person? Tune into our Facebook page around 1:15 p.m. for a livestream of the ship’s journey down the Maumee River. Get a tour of the Christmas Tree Ship, learn more about the story that inspired our event, and meet the individuals onboard, including Santa!

Read more here: https://nmgl.org/event/christmas-tree-ship24/

Cleveland-Cliffs idles blast furnace but expects strong 2025

Cleveland-Cliffs expects 2025 to be a strong year for the company, citing decreasing interest rates, certainty after the US elections and an increase in manufacturing onshoring, top executives said in the company’s third-quarter earnings call on Tuesday November 5.

“There are a lot of potential catalysts that are brewing in the market that could be a benefit here in the short term,” Celso Goncalves, executive vice president and chief financial officer, said on the call.

The CFO explained: “Manufacturing onshoring will lead to demand. Imports are currently unattractive. There’s potential for increased trade protection. You’re going to see a lot of demand from the CHIPS [and Science] Act and the IRA [Inflation Reduction Act], and the auto industry eventually will rebound.”

Clarity after the conclusion of the presidential election was another factor contributing to the bullishness for 2025, according to executives on the call.

“Customers will start placing orders [after the elections], and things will start to heat up fast. I am anticipating a very strong Q1, and I believe that we are going to have volumes back to normal by the first half of next year,” Lourenco Goncalves, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Cleveland-Cliffs, said on Tuesday.

The bullishness for 2025 comes despite a dismal third quarter, with the steelmaker reporting a net loss of $230 million, compared with a net income of $275 million in the same quarter in 2023.

The company reported steel shipments of 3.8 million net tons for the third quarter, down from 4.1 million tons shipped in the third quarter of 2023.

The weakness in automotive demand was driven by high interest rates, the CEO said on the call.

No6 BF expected to resume early 2025

Cleveland-Cliffs’ idled No6 blast furnace (BF) at its flat-rolled steel mill in Cleveland, Ohio, is expected to resume operations in early 2025, Lourenco said on the call.

The BF was temporarily idled due to ongoing demand weakness, and took an estimated 1.5 million tons of annual capacity off the market, Celso told investors.

Both Goncalves said on the earnings call that the BF will resume operations when demand improves.

“We will bring [BF6] back as soon…as demand comes back, which will come back when pricing recovers. I believe that the price recovery [will come back] early 2025, so I expect that we’re going to bring [BF6] back sometime early next year,” Lourenco said.

Fastmarkets, By Alesha Alkaff

MARAD Awards $77.3 million to Great Lakes Ports

Today the Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded nearly $580 million to 31 recipient ports in 15 states and territories. These grants are from the agency’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). Five Great Lakes ports received grants today totaling $77.3 million, or 13% of the total.

 PIDP is the United States’ primary federal assistance program for port infrastructure. Funds are distributed annually via a competitive grant process. Recipients are port authorities, or other local public agencies, or private entities in partnership with a public agency. The PIDP program was first funded by Congress in 2019. Baseline program funds are provided by annual appropriations from Congress. Additionally, the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided $2.25 billion in advanced appropriations for the program between 2022-2026.

 Unfortunately, during the program’s five-year history, there has been a bias toward East Coast and West Coast ports and an inequitable distribution of federal assistance. For example, in 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation distributed slightly more than $653 million in PIDP grants. Great Lakes ports only received 2% of the total. West Coast ports received 42% and East Coast ports received 35% of the total.

 Last March, AGLPA members met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and called for improved regional equity in the distribution of PIDP grants. Subsequent discussions with MARAD program staff helped improve understanding of Great Lakes port needs.

 Today’s announcement reflects improved balance in the regional distribution of PIDP funds. Many thanks go to Secretary Buttigieg and the team at MARAD for hearing our concerns.

 To view a list all of PIDP grants awarded today, Click Here
https://www.greatlakesports.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PIDP-2024-Project-Descriptions.pdf

Tawas Bay eyes cruise ship tourism for economic boost

TAWAS, MI — The possibility of Tawas Bay becoming a new cruise ship destination on Lake Huron is gaining momentum. With renewed efforts, the Tawas community is hopeful that the initiative will boost local tourism and invigorate the economy.

Rich Castle, a board member of Develop Iosco, outlined the history and progress of the project. “In 2010, we completed two feasibility studies to determine if East Tawas was capable of accommodating a cruise ship. The studies revealed that the East Tawas State Harbor dock was not suitable for cruise ships to tie off. This halted any momentum we had,” Castle explained.

Fast forward to 2024, advancements in cruise ship operations now allow vessels to anchor in Tawas Bay and shuttle passengers to shore. This development has reignited interest in Tawas as a potential cruise destination. “We have developed a proposal and a summary sheet highlighting East Tawas as a potential cruise destination on the Great Lakes. These proposals have been sent to eight different cruise lines operating in Michigan and the Great Lakes region,” Castle added.

Local stakeholders, including the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the East Tawas Business Association, the City of East Tawas, Develop Iosco, and the Tawas Chamber of Commerce, have collaborated to support the proposal. “Everyone is on board and supporting the community’s decision to pursue a cruise destination for East Tawas,” Castle said.

Samantha Duval from the Tawas Area Chamber of Commerce shared her excitement about the potential impact on the local economy. “The possibility of having hundreds of people dropped off downtown East Tawas would be huge for our small businesses and community as a whole,” Duval stated.

The community’s goal is to establish two cruise line destinations in Northeast Michigan, benefiting the entire region. “Our goal is to have Tawas Bay and Alpena as cruise line destinations, creating opportunities for our entire region,” Castle emphasized.

As the proposal progresses, the Tawas community remains optimistic about the potential economic and social benefits that cruise tourism could bring.  

WBKB 11

49 years after sinking, Abilene resident keeps memory of Edmund Fitzgerald alive

Abilene, Kansas – On the night of November 10, 1975, the 729-foot SS Edmund Fitzgerald, loaded with over 26,000 tons of iron ore, sank in Lake Superior, taking with it the lives of all 29 crew members.

One of those crew members was Robert Rafferty, the ship’s cook. His daughter, Abilene resident Pamela Johnson, now 73, remains a yearly advocate for her father along with those who perished at memorials and for various interviews.

“I’ve been doing this since the 25th anniversary,” said Johnson, who recently traveled to Michigan for the 49th memorial anniversary service.

“I met Gordon Lightfoot, and he said, ‘Are you going to the thing up in Michigan?’ I said, ‘No’. He said, ‘Why not? You’re the daughter of the cook.’ And so he encouraged me, and I started going. I’ve been going ever since.”

Singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot wrote the 1976 song, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

 In it he only references two people, the captain and the ship’s cook. “I’m very proud…I really feel honored for that.” As of right now, Johnson is the only one speaking about the tragedy who is directly related to a casualty of the shipwreck. 

“When I went on the 25th anniversary, Gordon Lightfoot said, ‘You need to be a part of this; you need to stand up and start talking.’ He told me those two ladies that I knew didn’t really care for him. Because I came in afterward and became a speaker, they didn’t like that. Both have since died, and then I kind of took over.”

The Edmund Fitzgerald’s last trek began in Superior, Wisconsin, headed toward a Detroit-area steel mill carrying 26,116 long tons of taconite pellets. The pellets are processed iron ore, heated and rolled into marble-sized balls. It departed on November 9, joined by another freighter, the Arthur M. Anderson, which lagged about 10 miles behind.

Capt. Ernest M. McSorley of the Edmund Fitzgerald led the faster ship, keeping radio contact with the Anderson under Capt. Bernie Cooper as they tracked a course along the Canadian coast to avoid high winds. A storm with winds over 70 miles per hour and waves crashing in at over 25 feet began to toss the ships around.

The two ships continued through the waves as the sun set. At 7:15 p.m., the Fitzgerald’s radar pip vanished from the Anderson’s screens, and radio calls to the ship went unanswered. By 8 p.m., Capt. Cooper had radioed the Coast Guard, who launched a search.

Only two damaged lifeboats were found initially and four days later, the wreckage was found 535 feet down. There was never a confirmed determination on how and why the ship sank, but after a few expeditions it was likely structural damage compounded by the strength of the waves.

“My mom called me and said that my dad had passed. And you know, the funny thing is, they still haven’t called my mom—who’s dead now—to tell us what happened to my dad,” Johnson shared. “They never did call, and I keep thinking, aren’t I supposed to be mad at you.” A story in the newspaper was how the family initially learned what happened.

Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the tragedy and there are already big plans in place.

Johnson said there’s a new song written about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald and it was created based on her own story. It’s called “Daddies aren’t supposed to die” but she does not remember the name of the artist.

“I don’t want to start singing it because I’ll cry,” she said on the interview. “It’s such a beautiful song, and I can’t wait. He’s going to sing it to me next year at the 50th anniversary.”

 Johnson also said there are rumors of the Detroit Lions getting involved with next year’s celebration. “There’s talk—I can’t guarantee this is truthful—but one of the people up in Michigan I talk to and tell them when I’m coming, said, ‘Well, what are you doing next year? There’s going to be thousands of people there.’ They’re actually talking about having the memorial in the Detroit Lions football stadium!”

Last year, new developments concerning the wreckage were brought to light. Johnson received a video recording of the wreckage of the Fitzgerald.

“I have a recording from when they went down and dove to the bottom and tried to bring stuff up,” she revealed. “We don’t want anybody to go down there anymore. If you do, it’s a million-dollar fine and practically a hundred years in jail. We don’t allow it.”

Ontario only allows expeditions to occur legally and with a license.

“I’m proud of who I am and who he was. I wear my Edmund Fitzgerald shirt and put my little chest out there, showing it off with pride,” Johnson said. “I wear who I am proudly. I’m the cook’s daughter. My dad was a good man, and I’ve been blessed to meet other families at the memorial who understand that. We love each other deeply, and it’s a lot of crying and hugging each year. “It’s all part of keeping the memory of our fathers alive, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop going back,”

She continued, “There’s a great sense of closeness…I’m always thinking of others who couldn’t be there, those sitting outside in the cold, wishing they could be part of it all. I try to mother everyone there because I understand how it feels to want to be part of something, to want a connection.

Johnson is glad she still gets to talk about her father and that people still care. “It makes my day to remember him and share his story. There’s no replacing these memories, and they stay with you forever,” she concluded.

“I like to help people tell the truth about these things. There’s been enough loss and heartache without adding lies to it.”

By Justin Sarachik – Abilene Reflector-Chronicle Nov 10, 2024

Toledo museum celebrates the Christmas Tree Ship’s legacy

On November 23, 1912, the schooner Rouse Simmons sank while carrying Christmas trees. Known as the Christmas Tree Ship, its captain, Herman E. Schuenemann (a.k.a. “Captain Santa”), was known for giving trees to families in need.

The story of the ship’s history and captain is the inspiration behind the National Museum of the Great Lakes annual Community Giveback Event—The Christmas Tree Ship, presented by The University of Toledo Medical Center. Enjoy free museum admission all day long and make memories that last a lifetime! Watch Santa arrive at the museum’s dock aboard a Geo. Gradel Co. tugboat delivering a Christmas Tree into your hands or the hands of someone in need.

Community Giveback Day Itinerary

    10 AM – 5 PM: Museum Admission Free All Day

    11 AM: Enjoy the East Toledo Holiday Parade

    1:15 PM: Watch the Ship’s Journey to the Museum via Livestream

    1:30 PM: Santa Arrives to the Museum’s Docks

    1:45 – 3:45 PM: Meet and Greet with Santa

Not able to join in person? Tune into our Facebook page around 1:15 p.m. for a livestream of the ship’s journey down the Maumee River. Get a tour of the Christmas Tree Ship, learn more about the story that inspired our event, and meet the individuals onboard, including Santa!

Read more here: https://nmgl.org/event/christmas-tree-ship24/

Grain the Dominant Commodity as End of Shipping Season Draws Near

November 14, 2024 — As the 2024 marine shipping season continues into its final months, grain remains the dominant commodity trafficking the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway for two years in a row.

As noted in a release recently issued by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, in October there was 28 million metric tons of cargo movements since the start of the navigation season.  This included:

    Approximately 8 million metric tons (mt) of Canadian and U.S. grain traffic, which is up 807,000 mt or 11.24% year over year

    Approximately 1.36 million mt of Potash traffic, representing an increase of 142,000 mt or 11.7% year over year; and

    1.63 million mt of iron and steel traffic, which is up by 227,000 mt or 16.2% over last year.

A Chamber of Marine Commerce (CMC) member playing a vital role in all the grain traffic happening this year is Richardson International, a global leader in agriculture and food processing.  The company is Canada’s largest agribusiness, and a worldwide handler and merchandiser of all major Canadian-grown grains and oilseeds. Every year, they handle 14 to 16 million tonnes of locally-sourced grains, oilseeds, and other crops to meet growing global demand for quality Canadian commodities.

“Canada has seen a very strong pace for exports in both 2023 and 2024, and we expect demand to continue to be strong for the balance of this crop year,” said Carsten Bredin, Vice-President of Grain Merchandising for Richardson International. “The large crop in Manitoba and excellent harvest conditions have ensured we are ready to keep pace with demand, and maintain Canada’s place as global leader in supplying quality product.”

“Companies like Richardson International helped build Canada’s global reputation as a reliable provider of high-quality product that people all over the world can depend on,” noted Bruce Burrows, President and CEO of the Chamber of Marine Commerce.  “In an ever-changing world, that reputation for reliability is more important than ever. Through the CMC’s continuous advocacy for the protection and strengthening of supply chains, we are doing our part to maintain Canada’s place in world markets for years to come.”

 Chamber of Marine Commerce

Toledo museum celebrates the Christmas Tree Ship’s legacy

On November 23, 1912, the schooner Rouse Simmons sank while carrying Christmas trees. Known as the Christmas Tree Ship, its captain, Herman E. Schuenemann (a.k.a. “Captain Santa”), was known for giving trees to families in need.

The story of the ship’s history and captain is the inspiration behind the National Museum of the Great Lakes annual Community Giveback Event—The Christmas Tree Ship, presented by The University of Toledo Medical Center. Enjoy free museum admission all day long and make memories that last a lifetime! Watch Santa arrive at the museum’s dock aboard a Geo. Gradel Co. tugboat delivering a Christmas Tree into your hands or the hands of someone in need.

Community Giveback Day Itinerary

    10 AM – 5 PM: Museum Admission Free All Day

    11 AM: Enjoy the East Toledo Holiday Parade

    1:15 PM: Watch the Ship’s Journey to the Museum via Livestream

    1:30 PM: Santa Arrives to the Museum’s Docks

    1:45 – 3:45 PM: Meet and Greet with Santa

Not able to join in person? Tune into our Facebook page around 1:15 p.m. for a livestream of the ship’s journey down the Maumee River. Get a tour of the Christmas Tree Ship, learn more about the story that inspired our event, and meet the individuals onboard, including Santa!

Read more here: https://nmgl.org/event/christmas-tree-ship24/

St. Lawrence Seaway Cargo Movements Show Positive October Uptick

CORNWALL, ON / WASHINGTON D.C. (November 13, 2024) – The St. Lawrence Seaway reported its October performance figures, with cargo shipments reaching 28 million metric tons since the start of the navigation season. Although this represents a slight decrease compared to the same period last year, October saw a positive uptick over September’s results, underscoring the Seaway’s vital role in supporting the North American supply chain.

“In October, the Seaway System saw a noticeable increase in cargo movements,” said Adam Tindall-Schlicht, Administrator, Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. “These next few months are typically the busiest of the Seaway’s navigation season. The harvest is in, and U.S. export grain is moving through Great Lakes ports and the Seaway,” said Tindall-Schlicht. “As global demand increases, we anticipate this upward trend in outbound grain shipments to continue through the end of the year.”

“Trends across major cargo segments indicate continued demand in key sectors. Grain rose by 11% year-over-year, driven by robust agricultural exports, while potash increased by 12%. We anticipate a strong finish to the season,” said Jim Athanasiou, President and CEO of The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

“As we approach the close of the navigation season on January 5 in the Montreal-Lake Ontario section and January 10 in the Welland Canal, the St. Lawrence Seaway remains committed to meeting market needs and supporting growth in North American industries,” added Mr. Athanasiou.

St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation

Toledo museum celebrates the Christmas Tree Ship’s legacy

On November 23, 1912, the schooner Rouse Simmons sank while carrying Christmas trees. Known as the Christmas Tree Ship, its captain, Herman E. Schuenemann (a.k.a. “Captain Santa”), was known for giving trees to families in need.

The story of the ship’s history and captain is the inspiration behind the National Museum of the Great Lakes annual Community Giveback Event—The Christmas Tree Ship, presented by The University of Toledo Medical Center. Enjoy free museum admission all day long and make memories that last a lifetime! Watch Santa arrive at the museum’s dock aboard a Geo. Gradel Co. tugboat delivering a Christmas Tree into your hands or the hands of someone in need.

Community Giveback Day Itinerary

    10 AM – 5 PM: Museum Admission Free All Day

    11 AM: Enjoy the East Toledo Holiday Parade

    1:15 PM: Watch the Ship’s Journey to the Museum via Livestream

    1:30 PM: Santa Arrives to the Museum’s Docks

    1:45 – 3:45 PM: Meet and Greet with Santa

Not able to join in person? Tune into our Facebook page around 1:15 p.m. for a livestream of the ship’s journey down the Maumee River. Get a tour of the Christmas Tree Ship, learn more about the story that inspired our event, and meet the individuals onboard, including Santa!

Read more here: https://nmgl.org/event/christmas-tree-ship24/

Federal funding for Windsor’s Sterling Fuels to bring biofuels to the Great Lakes shipping industry

Chris Campbell
CTV Windsor News 

Updated Nov. 12, 2024 5:52 p.m. CST

The federal government announced on Tuesday it’s investing over $25 million towards four Ontario projects, funded under the Green Shipping Corridor Program, including a multi-million-dollar project at Sterling Fuels in Windsor.

Minister of Transport Anita Anand said the funding was meant to establish green shipping corridors and reduce emissions across the Great Lakes region, while supporting shore-power and alternative fuel solutions in the marine sector.

“We need to do what we can to lower emissions, and we need to ensure that the marine transportation sector is sustainable at the same time,” Anand said.

“This is good news for the economy. This is good news for the environment. And this is recognition that in order to grow your economy, you need to have a plan for environmental protection and sustainability.”

Officials said decarbonizing the marine sector is a crucial part of the Canadian government’s climate action plan. By upgrading port infrastructure and promoting the use of cleaner technologies in vessels, they said Canada is leading the way in reducing the environmental impacts of shipping.

“Our ports are essential gateways to Canada’s economy,” Anand said in a news release.

“These innovative projects will help us protect our planet, build a greener economy for Canadians, reduce emissions and keep our communities connected.”

According to Anand, the money will go towards projects in Windsor, Hamilton, Port Colborne and Port Algoma Sault Ste. Marie.

Sterling Fuels will receive up to $4.9 million in funding as part of a $10 million project to reconfigure existing infrastructure in Windsor and build additional fuel infrastructure at its facilities in Hamilton.

The project will see $6 million invested in the Sterling Fuels facility in west Windsor on Russell Street along the Detroit River, to bring biofuels to the market for use by vessels in the Great Lakes shipping industry.

Sterling Fuels President Peter Kelly noted work has already begun at the Windsor facility and could take a couple of years to complete.

“Our Windsor facility is strategically positioned at the prime location for fueling Great Lakes vessels traveling north to get their cargoes,” Kelly explained.

“On Windsor Port Authority property, Sterling will add infrastructure to receive biofuels by rail into existing storage tanks. This new infrastructure, along with utilizing existing capabilities, will allow Sterling to customize various fuel blends, specific to the requirements of each vessel.”

Kelly continued, saying marine diesel currently being used is like normal truck diesel. The new fuel they are moving to is soybean-based, reducing emissions by around 80 per cent.

“It’s not only important for our organization, but I think it’s important for the entire marine industry in particular, because it now builds the infrastructure so that we can bring biofuels to the market and make them a sustainable fuel of the future,” said Kelly.

Windsor Port Authority President and CEO Steve Salmons welcomed the announcement, saying there’s been $150 million invested in the future expansion of Port Windsor over the last two years.

“This is huge,” Salmons exclaimed.

“It’s a huge advancement in the decarbonization of our economy, of transportation and getting the right product at the right place to the right people to utilize this incredible technological advancement.”

River challenges could shift shipping demand to Great Lakes

November 12, 2024

By Jake Zajkowski, OCJ field reporter

When thinking of grain shipment, the Mississippi River system, ports on the Gulf Coast and the Pacific Northwest often come to mind — locations closest to U.S. agriculture trade partners around the world.

However, the Great Lakes region and its farmers benefit from a unique, efficient shipping trade route from the heartland of America to the Atlantic Ocean: the St. Lawrence Seaway. Despite often being overlooked, the seaway has consistently played a crucial role in global grain trade, reaching from Duluth, Minnesota to Baie Comeau, Québec in Canada.

In 2023, nearly 10.5 million tons of grain — roughly 424 million bushels — was exported through the St. Lawrence Seaway, according to tonnage reports from The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation. The seaway provides a streamlined, direct supply chain for exporters, ensuring quicker transit times and reducing logistical complexity.

“Grain is inspected, elevated into silos and sometimes loaded directly onto a vessel. It doesn’t get any more direct than that—field to vessel with minimal handling,” said Joe Cappel, vice president of business development at the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.

Ports like in Toledo are well positioned and close the farmgate. This waterway excels in bulk grain shipments, leveraging the region’s extensive port network.

“Usually, there’s less transloading of the material as well, with Great Lakes ports being closer to the fields,” Cappel said.

Toledo is one of four main U.S. grain ports on the Great Lakes, with The Andersons and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) at the heart of its operations. Both companies have facilities at the Port of Toledo, supporting grain producers across northwest Ohio. Headquartered in Maumee, The Andersons has a storage capacity of 32 million bushels in the Toledo area, while ADM’s 28 grain silos along the river provide nearly 9.8 million bushels of storage.

“There is a lot of opportunity to do more on the Great Lakes. We are nowhere near our capacity, while these coastal ports are bumping up right against it,” Cappel said.

For Toledo, export numbers typically remain consistent year to year. However, 2023 saw a decline to only 1 million net tons, a 32% decrease from 2022. Data recorded during August 2024 from the Toledo Port Authority shows nearly 182,000 short tons exported, down 67.4% from the same period last year.

Port leadership anticipates much more grain movement out of current storage, given the strong Midwestern supply expected this harvest season. The busiest time for the port is October through December, while Great Lakes shipping is largely halted from Jan. 1 to March 1.

In 2024 so far, the Port of Toledo has seen seven overseas vessels and 259 lake vessels carrying various products, including coal, grain, iron ore, petroleum and dry bulk items, according to Toledo Port Authority. 

This month, the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) has faced reduced barge drafts and tow sizes due to low water levels, worsening in October from drought conditions despite high supply across the Corn Belt. According to the USDA, 60% of grain — wheat, soybeans, corn — moves through the Mississippi River via barge, posing a potential threat to future marketing strategies.

According to the National Weather Service, the low-water threshold begins at -5 feet below zero gauge. For the Mississippi River at Memphis, Oct. 28 is predicted to reach -9 feet below the river standard. DTN Ag reports that for each foot the river level decreases, a barge’s cargo must be cut by 200 tons, increasing costs while shipping less freight downriver.

Although no reports have yet emerged, if river terminals stop taking grain, costs could be passed down to farmers, weakening local basis prices for producers.

This challenge may create opportunities for Toledo, raising the question of how the Great Lakes could step in for export officials.

“If exporters ever wanted to switch from shipping containers through coastal or river ports, they could certainly consider bulk shipping through the Great Lakes,” Cappel said.

The open storage availability of the St. Lawrence Seaway is not a new development. In 2022, severe drought on the Mississippi River limited barge routes. At the same time, port strikes along the U.S. East Coast in early October disrupted container shipments of agricultural products.

Great Lakes shipping routes remained unaffected.

Ports like Toledo play a key role, often serving as backups during disruptions, helping relieve congestion at major U.S. ports and adapt to global trade shifts by efficiently rerouting goods. The region faces plenty of global demand, holding capacity and farmers who can meet the demand, said Peter Hirthe, international trade specialist for the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

“This year, the demand for U.S. wheat is back up due to its quality,” Hirthe said. “On the U.S. side, we’re up about 55% (exporting) because of significant overseas demand for U.S. wheat.”

And it is not just corn, wheat and soybeans in Toledo anymore. There are shifts to oats, canola, alfalfa and byproducts like distillers’ dried grains and soy meal.

However, high shipping costs, the need for empty container ships to travel into the Great Lakes and domestic demand to crush beans in-state for biofuels present trade-offs. Shipping faces capacity challenges because there aren’t enough empty ships available. Unlike barges on rivers, ships on lakes need to arrive with cargo to transport grain cost-effectively, complicating the search for available vessels, Hirthe explained.

“We really need more ships coming in. It’s really the imports that typically drive the export capacity of the lakes,” Hirthe said. “To take more out, you need more coming in so that the ship is in the lakes and can be filled.”

While shipping rates can be higher, Toledo’s central location offers flexibility. Operators can ship by water, rail to the Gulf or truck domestically, with profitability varying each year.

“We’re trying to grow inbound utilization — more ships — and look for new products and supply chains. With new factories in the Midwest, we could make some of those factories bring in products to support them or more,” Hirthe said.

It’s not just exports to markets in Europe or Northern Africa — agricultural products are also imported into Toledo for local food processing. Great Lakes ports serve as strategic hubs for grain storage between the U.S. and Canada. The Great Lakes provide access to 16 key trade ports in the region, including four that handle grain, with major hubs in Duluth, Minn.; Milwaukee, Wisc.; Oswego, New York; and the Port of Toledo. For example, Mondelez, the largest soft wheat flour mill in North America, located in Toledo, supplies Nabisco bakeries across the continent.

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp is working to bring shipping capacity to the lakes and companies like the Andersons develop end-user demand. Both could be creating increased opportunity for farmers in northwest Ohio and agriculture trade for the region.

“The local basis price is driven by end-user demand our goal is to build strong opportunities for farmers in our core markets, such as in Northwest Ohio,” said Blake Haudan, vice president of trade and processing for The Andersons. “As demand increases, the Port of Toledo has become more attractive for moving grains through the Great Lakes.”

Mariners’ Church of Detroit holds 59th annual Great Lakes memorial service

DETROIT – Mariners’ Church of Detroit held its 59th annual Great Lakes Memorial Service on Sunday.

The occasion honors and remembers 30,000 people who have died in the Great Lakes and on Michigan’s waters over the years. The somber tradition remembered the more than 6,000 Great Lakes shipwrecks and thousands of sailors who have lost their lives.

“I’m very patriotic. I’m very emotional when it comes to things like this,” said Patti Mitrowski, who serves in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. She also retired from the as a U.S. Coast Guard officer after serving 27 years. “I think this is one way of saying, ‘Thank you.’”

Each death a reminder of how risky the open waters can be whether a sailor, maritime professional or someone recreationally enjoying the waterways. The church also shares a connection to the sinking of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald which is memorialized in Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad, “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” The annual service is held on the date it sunk.

“As Gordon Lightfoot’s song said, ‘We’re the Maritime Cathedral.’ So, we feel a pretty big responsibility to honor those sailors because of the loss that means for — not just their families — but for the community,” Rev. Todd Meyer said.

The service not only looks to the past, but the future. Their prayer? That there will be no more wrecks and deaths on the lakes ever again.

“As a church, we are trusting in God that He would protect our sailors and — thanks be to God we’ve had very few wrecks that have taken life since the 60s it’s gone exponentially down so we continue to pray and a lot of that has to do with technology and weather forecasting, but we also just ask God to protect,” the pastor said.

View a video here: https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2024/11/11/mariners-church-of-detroit-holds-59th-annual-great-lakes-memorial-service/

Click On Detroit

Edmund Fitzgerald crew remembered at Whitefish Point Sunday

Whitefish Point, MI – The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society’s annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony was held at 7p.m. Sunday at Whitefish Point.

Forty-nine years ago, the Fitzgerald sank 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Point on Nov. 10, 1975, in a severe storm.  As a part of the ceremony, the names of each crew member was read, with the Fitzgerald’s bell rung for each one.  The bell was rung one final time for all mariners lost at sea.

The entire crew of 29 men lost that night:

Michael Armagost

Frederick Beetcher

Thomas Bentsen

Edward Bindon

Thomas Borgeson

Oliver Champeau

Nolan Church

Ransom Cundy

Thomas Edwards

Russell Haskell

George Holl

Bruce Hudson

Allen Kalmon

Gordon MacLellan

Joseph Mazes

John McCarthy

Ernest McSorley

Eugene O’Brien

Karl Peckol

John Poviach

James Pratt

Robert Rafferty

Paul Riippa

John Simmons

William Spengler

Mark Thomas

Ralph Walton

David Weiss

Blaine Wilhelm

A few family members of the Fitzgerald crew, along with dignitaries, special guests and US Coast Guard members attended.  More than 2,000 people viewed the live feed on YouTube with many more on Facebook.

Mike Fornes, singer of the Gordon Lightfoot Tribute, provided the music including the “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” song.  Fornes also read the invocation and benediction.

Executive Director of the GLSHS Bruce Lynn, provided opening remarks and introductions. Author, historian and researcher John U. Bacon, who is writing a new book about the Fitzgerald,  reflected on the work of those who workon the Great Lakes and those who died that fateful day on eastern Lake Superior.

Senior Chief Boatswains Mate, Kyle Rice, USCG Sector Northern Great Lakes, provided the “Call to Last Watch,” a reading of crewmember names, with the Fitzgerald’s bell rung for each. The bell sounded one final time for all mariners lost at sea.

For next year’s 50th anniversary, Lynn said a bigger event is in the making, with part of it open to the public during the day.

The ceremony can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/live/1Yg0pFLGIcQ

Jim Lehocky

Montreal Port Locks Out Dockworkers, Adding To Canada’s Supply-Chain Woes

November 10, 2024

By Curtis Heinzl

Nov 10, 2024,(Bloomberg) –Longshoring activity at the Port of Montreal is set to grind to a halt as an employers’ group locks out 1,200 union members.

The escalation of an ongoing labor dispute will disrupt Canada’s second-largest port, which typically handles nearly C$400 million ($288 million) of goods a day. It has been operating far below its container-handling capacity since dockworkers at two terminals walked off the job on Oct. 31. The union also held a full one-day strike in late October.

The Maritime Employers Association gave the Longshoremen’s Union a deadline of Sunday at 8 p.m. New York time to respond to an offer that included about a 20% pay raise over six years. The total average compensation of a longshore worker would rise to more than C$200,000 per year by the end of the contract, the employers’ group said.

But union members were nearly unanimous in rejecting that offer, according to a statement Sunday. The union has pointed out that in October, US dockworkers secured a 62% raise over six years.

“The Maritime Employers Association deplores the negative outcome of the vote held by the Montréal Longshoremen’s Union on the final and comprehensive offer tabled on Thursday, and has no choice but to declare a lockout as of 9 p.m. this evening,” the MEA said in a statement Sunday. The two sides have been without a collective agreement since Dec. 31 of last year.

A few services, including a Viterra grain terminal, would continue operating, the port said last week. 

The Montreal Port Authority has asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to put an end to the labor dispute. “I believe that the best agreements are negotiated at the table. But let’s face it, there are no negotiations,” Julie Gascon, the port authority’s chief executive officer, said Thursday.

On Canada’s west coast, a separate labor dispute is already disrupting an estimated C$800 million of activity per day. British Columbia dock employers locked out workers on Nov. 4 after a union posted notice of a strike action that would refuse overtime work.

Canadian Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon said Nov. 7 that the government supports negotiations, but said talks in both British Columbia and Montreal were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved.”

Rye seeds rescued from 146-year-old shipwreck could revive crop in Michigan

EAST LANSING, MI – A Michigan distilling company dedicated to agritourism and storytelling in its whiskey went to the depths of Lake Huron in the hopes of resurrecting an old rye variety.

Mammoth Distilling and Michigan State University are teaming up to bring back what’s now known as Bentley rye, according to an article from MSU Today.

Rescued from the 1878 shipwreck of the wooden schooner James R. Bentley – one of a few privately-owned shipwrecks in Michigan waters after the owner won a court case with the state – the rye rested in near-freezing water for 146 years, the report said. On Sept. 17, two divers went 160 feet to the bottom of Lake Huron and extracted seeds using a special tube. The seeds were put on ice and rushed to MSU where Eric Olson, an expert in wheat breeding and genetics, tried to get them to germinate.

They didn’t germinate. But that’s not the end of the story. “The seeds aren’t dead at all,” Olson told MSU Today.

Olson is now working to extract DNA from the seeds, which will allow him to compare them to modern rye varieties, determine its origin, sequence the chromosomes and transfer them into a modern rye variety, essentially reviving this historic rye, the report said.

The goal is to use the Bentley seeds to create a new variety of rye for distillers, something that could inspire a Michigan rye trail in the vein of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Chad Munger, owner of Mammoth Distilling, told MSU Today.

“The Michigan Rye Trail will be more than just visiting distilleries all over the state that are making Michigan rye whiskey,” Munger told MSU Today. “We want people to know where their grain came from – and that’s proudly grown in Michigan.”

MLive

View a video here: https://www.mlive.com/life/2024/11/rye-seeds-rescued-from-146-year-old-shipwreck-could-revive-crop-in-michigan.html?outputType=amp

From Iconic Ocean Liner to Artificial Reef: SS United States to Set Sail on Final Journey

Mike Schuler

November 8, 2024

The iconic SS United States, once the pride of America’s maritime fleet, is embarking on its final voyage – not across the Atlantic, but towards a new life as the world’s largest artificial reef off the coast of Florida.

The ship’s final journey is set to begin on November 14th, with tugs positioning themselves next to the ship in preparation for high tide. The following day, the SS United States will be towed down the Delaware River, passing under several bridges that will be temporarily closed. The approximately 14-day journey to Mobile, Alabama, will take the ship relatively close to shore to avoid ocean currents that could delay the tow and burn excessive fuel.

Last month, the SS United States Conservancy formally transferred the title of the historic ocean liner to Okaloosa County, Florida, following a prolonged legal dispute with the ship’s pier landlord that ended with a court-ordered settlement requiring the vessel to vacate its Philadelphia berth.

“Converting the world’s fastest ship into the world’s largest artificial reef will write a new chapter for the SS United States as a world-class destination,” said Susan Gibbs, President of the SS United States Conservancy. This decision came after numerous unsuccessful attempts to find a viable option for preserving the ship in its current form.

The $10.1 million project marks a significant turning point in the ship’s storied legacy, offering an innovative solution for preserving the vessel that has been docked in Philadelphia since 1996.

The SS United States, launched in 1951, holds a special place in maritime history. It still holds the transatlantic speed record and has a rich history of transporting presidents, celebrities, and immigrants. During the Cold War, it was designed as a convertible troop carrier capable of transporting 14,000 troops 10,000 miles without refueling.

Once in Mobile Bay, the ship will undergo extensive environmental remediation, expected to take about 12 months. Following this, it will take an additional six months to a year for deployment as an artificial reef off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach.

From The SS United States Conservancy
America’s Flagship

The American public enthusiastically embraced the SS United States, which became known as “America’s Flagship.” Throughout the 1950s, people from around the world booked accommodation on the world’s fastest ship. Familiar names of the day, including Bob Hope, Princess Grace of Monaco, Salvadore Dali, Rita Hayworth, Harry Truman, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and Duke Ellington headlined the ship’s passenger lists. For those far inland or disinclined to travel, the United States came to them through news reports and even the cinema: the ship became a ocean-going movie set for feature films such as Walt Disney’s Bon Voyage!, Gentlemen Marry Brunettes, and Munster, Go Home!

Even after the introduction of the commercial jet liner in 1958, the ship operated at capacity during the summer high season, but as the 1960s dawned, financial trouble loomed on the horizon. The United States Lines frequently endured both labor disputes and annual wrangling with the federal government over operating subsidies. The industry itself was subjected to a rapid shift in the way people chose to travel: what air travel lacked in comfort it made up for in speed and fuel economy in an era when oil costs were beginning to skyrocket.

The 1960s proved to be a decade of loss for the United States, symbolically as well as financially. She lost her original running mate in 1964, when the America was sold to foreign interests. Four years later, her main competitors, the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth were gone as well. Although a new generation of liners, particularly the France and Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 were introduced, they both spent a good part of the year on cruise duty, a role for which the United States was ill-equipped. The biggest blow came in 1967, with the death of William Francis Gibbs. His favorite ship, on which he had labored for nearly half his life, only sailed for another two years. In November of 1969, while undergoing her annual overhaul at Newport News, she was abruptly and permanently withdrawn from service.

Note:  
This ship could run at 33 Knots And cross the ocean in 3 Days and I believe her records still hold today.

Lost Mariners Remembrance ceremony being held in Detroit this weekend on Edmund Fitzgerald anniversray

The Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Nov. 10, 1975 in Lake Superior, in a violent storm on the lake. November can be a turbulent month for weather across Michigan, and gales – very strong winds – are common on the Great Lakes. Intense areas of low pressure can sweep across the Great Lakes region bringing arctic air masses. The relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes can help storms intensify and produce life-threatening conditions.

Posted 8:06 AM, Nov 04, 2024 and last updated 8:24 AM, Nov 04, 2024

The Detroit Historical Society is honoring lost mariners during its annual Lost Mariners Remembrance this weekend in Detroit.

It’s the 25th year the society has held the event, which also marks the anniversary of the sinking of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald.

This year’s event will take place Sunday, Nov. 10 at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle.

It will start with a lantern ceremony at the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald anchor, and then Lee Murdock, a celebrated balladeer of the Great Lakes, will perform at 6:15 p.m.

There will also be a wreath ceremony, a lost vessel tribute, a final blessing and then the playing of the “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot.

Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for the general public.

Shipwreck Society makes 49th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony closed to the public

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society’s Annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony is always a solemn event, but again this year, it will be closed to the public. Due to the museum’s small size and inability to accommodate the many people who typically want to attend, the decision has been made to keep the event private. This memorial service has always been primarily intended for the families of those lost on the Fitzgerald when it sank 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Point on November 10th, 1975.

However, recognizing the wider community’s interest, the Shipwreck Society has upgraded its technology to ensure the memorial can still be experienced by many. The event will be live-streamed, with a link to follow, allowing the public to participate virtually while maintaining an intimate atmosphere for the families attending in person. This combination of preserving the event’s personal nature while expanding access is a thoughtful way to honor the memory of those lost and to include those who wish to pay their respects from afar.

This event will be live-streaming from Whitefish Point starting before 7pm on Sunday, 11-10-2024 and ending after 8pm. Please stay tuned for more information.

There will also be an opportunity to see this event at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, MI where they will host a simulcast of the broadcast of our stream in real time. If you’re in that area call the MMM at (269) 637-8078 for more information. There has been a flood of questions about the 50th anniversary Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony. We do have plans for a public event that we will release in 2025. Any questions about the 49th event please reach out to: