Impending Manitou Islands closure
may put ferry out of business

National Park Service building new Manitou Island docks

By Garret Ellison | gellison@mlive.com

LELAND, MI — The impending closure of North and South Manitou islands during a multi-year infrastructure project at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore may spell the end for a 107-year-old Michigan ferry service.

The owners of Manitou Island Transit, which ferries visitors to the two islands in Lake Michigan, warn the business may close permanently if the National Park Service follows though on plans to close the islands to visitors for two or more years.

North Manitou is scheduled to close for 2025 and possibly longer while a new dock is built, and island village water and electric systems are upgraded. South Manitou is scheduled to close for 2026 and possibly longer for the same reason.

The National Park Service has not yet announced the closures.

The ferry service, which has struggled financially in recent years due to access problems caused by unsafe dockages, will likely be forced to shut down, its owners say.

They are considering filing another lawsuit against the Park Service, which they successfully sued for breach of contract in 2021 over dredging delays.

If the ferry doors close, it’ll be for good.

“If they shut us down — which they’re doing right now — there will never be a ferry boat back there again out of Leland,” said Jimmy Munoz, captain of the Mishe-Mowka ferry.

“They can say all they want to after putting us through this, but it isn’t happening,” he said. “If they go through with this, that part of history is over.”

Related: Manitou docks to be rebuilt after chronic shoaling

Island closure plans for 2025 and beyond

According to the Park Service, island closures are an unfortunate necessity in order to build new docks as part of a $32 million project funded in its fiscal 2024 budget using money appropriated by Congress under the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act.

Those with private boats could still visit the islands, but they couldn’t use the docks or visit the villages while workers dig them up to replace water pipes, septic fields and electrical systems — which are all happening under the same contract.

The Park Service awarded a nearly $28 million contract to Coastal Construction Group of Cheboygan for the project on Sept. 26. Parts of the contract remain in negotiation and the government’s goal is to have a finalized contract in place by January.

Scott Tucker, Sleeping Bear Dunes superintendent, said the plan is to close North Manitou next spring and finish the work before the end of 2025. The work would switch to South Manitou in 2026, which would be closed under a similar timeline.

North Manitou work could extend into 2026 due to delays and weather conditions. South Manitou work could extend into 2027 for the same reasons.

“There’s a lot of unknowns based around the contractor schedule,” said Tucker. “Worst case scenario; each island (is) closed for two years.”

The closure is for safety reasons, said Tucker.

While the work is underway on South Manitou, “there’s going to be six-foot trenches through the entire village,” Tucker said. “There’s going to be no way for visitors to safely get through that large construction zone. Same thing on North.”

But it hasn’t been determined whether the existing docks will stay in place or be removed while the new docks are being built, said Tucker. “We still don’t know yet.”

Dredging dispute has cascading impacts

The focus on visitor safety feels ironic to Manitou Transit owners, who’ve disputed the safety of a temporary dock built on North Manitou to accommodate the ferry, which has struggled to reach the island due to sand shoaling around the existing dock.

The ferry did not service North Manitou for most 2023 and 2024, saying the temporary dock extension is too exposed to the unruly Manitou Passage.

Munoz says the 61-foot ferry rocks hard while berthed at the new temporary dock and tying-up proved unsafe and unworkable — as would be getting passengers on-and-off using a gangplank, which the Park Service suggested as a work-around.

The wave energy reflecting off the dock “creates this crazy motion that a boat can’t sit in,” he said. “Even in a one-foot swell, the boat doesn’t know which way to rock.”

“There’s no way to tie-up correctly in that situation,” Munoz said. “It makes a boat like a pendulum, with the difference being you have lines tied to that dock. But it keeps trying to pull harder and harder, and every time it comes back, it goes that much further, and eventually lines snap.”

“It makes a very dangerous situation.”

Manitou Island docks relocation

Munoz said he took the ferry to North Manitou four times this summer “because I was trying to show them why it wouldn’t work,” he said. “We asked them not to build it.”

In February, Munoz met with the Park Service to discuss options for a new temporary dock. He suggested a floating dock with various placements — but definitely not directly east into unprotected waters off the T-section of the existing dock.

“And that’s exactly where they put it,” he said.
“This is the first time since the park was established that an island has been inaccessible,” Munoz said. “Are they becoming harder to deal with? The answer would be ‘yes.’”

Another lawsuit is brewing, say ferry owners

Operating a ferry has been an increasingly frustrating endeavor for the Munoz family ever since the waters of Lake Michigan began to rise to record levels a few years ago.

The Mishe-Mowka sat idle in 2020 because rising lake levels increased shoaling around the North Manitou dock and lifted the South Manitou dock off its pilings, making both landings unsafe.

North wasn’t dredged until August 2020 and South’s dock wasn’t fixed until 2021, rendering 2020 a total wash during a year of record park attendance.

The company sued for breach of contract, arguing that the park knew about the problem and dropped the ball on dredging. The business was pushed into near-insolvency and force to seek a loan to stay afloat. A federal Court of Claims judge sided with them last fall, but granted a concession to the park’s argument that pandemic upheaval was a factor in 2020 delays.

The business wants compensation for not being able to service North Manitou this year, but isn’t getting anywhere. Tucker said the government feels the dock was safe and Manitou Transit could have run passengers “but chose not to.”

“Unfortunately, there is no legal way for the National Park Service to buy out a contract, to pay them not to run,” he said.

The ferry owners feel like they’re being forced to sue again.

Jimmy and Megan Munoz, who co-own the business with other family members, say it is financially infeasible to operate the ferry under the construction schedule.

Their existing contract expires in 2029. The contract is exclusive and amounts to a monopoly, but the business is wholly dependent on the federal government — which took property on the islands from the business when the park was established in the 1970s — to provide and maintain a dock.

In an October letter from federal Interior Department attorneys, the business was told “there is no path to continue operations while this work is being performed.”

Unlike most Park Service concessioner contracts, Manitou Transit operates from its own dockside property and must maintain its boat, parking lots, insurance policies and incur other operating and equipment costs associated with ferrying passengers safely.

It isn’t massively profitable. In their 2021 lawsuit, the company claimed only $500,000 in damages from the 2020 season loss. The park takes a 4 percent cut of gross receipts.

The islands don’t draw huge visitor numbers. They account for about 28 percent of the park’s total 71,000 acres but a tiny fraction of its annual attendance. In 2022, the most recent year with normal service to North Manitou, 10,658 people visited both islands — 6,427 to South and 4,231 to North. That’s less than 1 percent of the 1.5 million park visitors that year.

This year, 249 people visited North and 8,251 visited South.

Because they are federal wilderness, the islands tend to draw daytrippers and advanced backpackers. A round-trip ferry ticket is $45 for adults, $23 for kids. The season is generally Memorial Day to Labor Day with some fall service on weekends.

The owners each work other jobs in the off-season to make ends meet, they said. Taking out another loan isn’t an option because they’re still paying back the first one.
Ferry service disruptions hasn’t played well with customers, either. Canceled reservations and schedule changes cause angry phone calls and bad reviews, they said.

“We have to jump through hoops to make sure everything is perfect, but they can just say, ‘Oh, sorry. You’re out of luck for two years,’” said Megan Munoz. “They make it nearly impossible to run a successful business.”

If the ferry service closes, the islands might simply be inaccessible for a while to anyone without their own boat.

Tucker said the Park Service would simply put out a new prospectus in 2028 for the next 10-year ferry contract.

As for where another boat might port, there aren’t many options besides Leland, from which it takes 1.5 hours to go 15 miles.

“It could come out of Frankfort,” Tucker said, which is roughly 30 to 40 miles away from the two islands.

Link to article and many pictures:     https://www.mlive.com/environment/2024/11/impending-manitou-islands-closure-may-put-ferry-out-of-business.html?e=62ea06b573d7c671e4e794b4329ab333

Lakes Limestone Trade Down in October

CLEVELAND — Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.3 million tons in October, a decrease of 13.1 percent compared to a year ago.  Limestone cargos were also below the month’s 5-year average by 9.6 percent.

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.7 million tons, a decrease of 8.4 percent.  Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 587,069 tons, a decrease of 29.7 percent.

Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at 24.2 million tons, a slight decrease compared to 2023.  Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 19.5 million tons, a near match to last year.  Shipments from Ontario quarries total 4.7 million tons, a decrease of 4.4 percent. 

Refer To Charts in Gallery below

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).

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:

Gales of November  8-9

See flier below. Help support the Lake Superior Maritime Museum Association.

See flyer below.

National Museum offers “Fitzgerald Experience 2024”

Toledo, OH – In honor of the 49th Anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering a weekend of special tours. The Fitzgerald Experience is a guided tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, using the lake freighter and its similarities to the Edmund Fitzgerald to discuss the events of November 10, 1975, theories about the sinking and stories about the 29 crew members who were lost. This tour is approximately 75 minutes long.

Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Each tour will be limited to 8 people. Guests also receive a museum store discount of 10% (non-members) / 20% (members) off in-store purchases. Tours are offered every half hour from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9 and from noon – 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10.

Your tour purchase includes admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

Due to its historical accuracy, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship is not ADA accessible. Narrow, steep staircases are common throughout the Schoonmaker and may provide difficulties in accessibility for some.

The Schoonmaker is also not heated and much of the tour is on uncovered decks. We encourage you to dress appropriately for the weather. If we determine that the weather has made these tours impossible, we will provide a refund of the ticket price (minus fees). If the program is cancelled, we are not planning a make-up date.

You can process a refund (minus fees) and cancel your ticket up to 7 days before the event. Go here to buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fitzgerald-experience-2024-tickets-1043046027747?aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&ref=eemail&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite

Robert S. Pierson and rudder reunited

Algoma Central 3rd Quarter Report: Increased demand,
expanded capacity signals a promising close to the year

“Following a challenging second quarter, it’s encouraging to see stability in demand this quarter, along with promising signs of continued improvement as we approach year-end,” said Gregg Ruhl, President and CEO of Algoma Central Corp.

“Our Product Tanker segment is performing well, with the fleet at full utilization, including one vessel added to the domestic fleet this year. Our Ocean Self-Unloader segment has also seen stronger earnings, driven by increased on-hire days in the Pool and stable rates. In the Domestic Dry-Bulk segment, securing additional iron ore cargoes with a new customer helped offset the continuation of lower construction and salt volumes. Looking ahead to the end of 2024, customer demand remains stable although some weak spots persist. With a larger grain crop this year, grain volumes in the fourth quarter are expected to be very strong. As we move into the winter months, we remain optimistic that salt cargo demand will improve from our key customer in this sector,” continued Mr. Ruhl.

Here is some summary information from the report.

“In the Domestic Dry-Bulk segment, a large grain crop is expected to lead to improved utilization for the balance of the year, with spot business expected to fill any available domestic dry-bulk capacity for the balance of the current navigation season. Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2025, typical winter cargo volumes are expected for both salt and iron ore, assuming a return to normal winter conditions around the Great Lakes region.

“We expect customer demand In the Product Tanker segment to remain steady in the fourth quarter and for fuel distribution patterns within Canada to support strong vessel utilization for the vessels trading under Canadian flag. The fleet is expected to be in full deployment through the remainder of the year, with all eight vessels in operations.  We continue to expect delivery of the first newbuild for the new Irving Oil contract  in February, 2024 with the second ship to follow a month later. Eight new tankers remain on order for our FureBear joint venture, with deliveries expected between late 2024 and 2026. In late October, we took delivery of the Fure Viskär and expect delivery of one more newbuild FureBear tanker in November, 2024.

“In the Ocean Self-Unloaders segment, we are expecting vessel utilization to continue to improve with no dry-dock days scheduled until the end of the year.

“Volumes in the gypsum and coal industry are expected to be steady for the balance of the year, while volumes in the aggregate sector are expected to slow down. Progress continues on the Ocean new build project, with the first new vessel expected to join the Pool in the third quarter of 2025.

“We anticipate steady earnings from the cement fleet, with the majority of assets committed to long-term time charter contracts. The handy-size segment is expected to remain stable, based on the current outlook for market conditions.”

Algoma Central Corporation is a global provider of marine transportation that owns and operates dry and liquid bulk carriers, serving markets throughout the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway and internationally.

Algoma Central Corp.

Read the full report here: https://www.algonet.com/news-item/algoma-central-corporation-reports-financial-results-for-the-2024-third-quarter/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGV0jlleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHeFjv_T2nqrgHQGBW7_8HJwRO43H4F5iewxB4zbA3pkdeHFIuC9dGXKkMw_aem_0PSvz5hQVe-SN30yMatzXQ

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:

Media Contact, Corey Adkins: Content/Communications Director GLSHS
corey@shipwreckmuseum.com

Gales of November  8-9

A great slate of presentations this year. Also a form to order a raffle ticket for a ride on the Edwin H. Gott. Help support Duluth’s Maritime Museum 

See flyer below.

National Museum offers “Fitzgerald Experience 2024”

Toledo, OH – In honor of the 49th Anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering a weekend of special tours. The Fitzgerald Experience is a guided tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, using the lake freighter and its similarities to the Edmund Fitzgerald to discuss the events of November 10, 1975, theories about the sinking and stories about the 29 crew members who were lost. This tour is approximately 75 minutes long.

Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Each tour will be limited to 8 people. Guests also receive a museum store discount of 10% (non-members) / 20% (members) off in-store purchases. Tours are offered every half hour from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9 and from noon – 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10.

Your tour purchase includes admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

Due to its historical accuracy, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship is not ADA accessible. Narrow, steep staircases are common throughout the Schoonmaker and may provide difficulties in accessibility for some.

The Schoonmaker is also not heated and much of the tour is on uncovered decks. We encourage you to dress appropriately for the weather. If we determine that the weather has made these tours impossible, we will provide a refund of the ticket price (minus fees). If the program is cancelled, we are not planning a make-up date.

You can process a refund (minus fees) and cancel your ticket up to 7 days before the event. Go here to buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fitzgerald-experience-2024-tickets-1043046027747?aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&ref=eemail&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite

New McAsphalt Tanker Arrives in Canada

The new asphalt tanker McAsphalt Advantage, (IMO 9940057), sailed from China, where she was built, September 15, bound for her new home on the Great Lakes. She arrived at Montreal on her maiden voyage November 1. The self-propelled, 459-foot-long vessel is owned by McAsphalt Marine Transportation Ltd., Hamilton, Ontario.

Options Explored for Removal of Tugboat Mired in Baileys Harbor

By Eleanor Corbin , Peninsula Pulse – October 31st, 2024

The “Donny S.” tugboat, shown in May of this year, is mired in shallow water – and the owner’s unresponsiveness. File photo by Chuck Germain.

The Donny S., an abandoned tugboat, will remain mired in the waters of Baileys Harbor as the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) explores options for its removal.

The boat has been at its current location for over three years, during which its owner has been hit with over $20,000 in fines, according to DNR conservation warden Mike Neal. Despite these fines, the owner has taken no action to remove the vessel.

As a result of this inaction, the DNR has explored options to facilitate the boat’s removal, but those options are costly or unfeasible according to Neal.

“Unfortunately, right now, we’re just stuck because we don’t have the means to do it, both physical and financial,” he said.

The boat can no longer be towed, as was previously planned in 2022, as it no longer sits in the required 6-7 feet of water, according to Neal. When he stopped by the boat this week, it sat in a mere 2-4 feet of water.

The DNR has also considered dredging the boat, but would need to barge the materials back to Sturgeon Bay, which would be costly. They have considered building a road out to the site to cut up and remove the ship, but would need access from a property owner on the shoreline and are concerned about Ridges Road’s ability to handle heavy equipment, Neal said.

The biggest barrier to exploring any of these solutions is the cost, he explained. One towing quote that Neal received was a couple million dollars.

The DNR and other relevant groups – like law enforcement and the District Attorney’s office – are in the process of planning a meeting to discuss next steps and possible funding sources, according to Neal.

During this meeting, they also plan to work out the legality of their intervention with this vessel. They need to ensure the DNR has the legal right to remove the boat, he explained, since the owner is known.

One option to cover the cost comes in the form of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration marine debris removal grants, which support the removal of large marine debris throughout the United States. Neal said he has sent information about these grants to both the owner of the Donny S. and the Town of Baileys Harbor, which would need to apply for the funding on behalf of the tugboat.

The boat poses no current environmental danger, according to a survey of the site provided to the DNR by Fincantieri Marine Group. All hazardous material had previously been scrapped.

Additionally, the vessel is not in a navigable channel, according to Commander Brett Belanger of the United State Coast Guard. Because of this, the Coast Guard has no hand in working to move the boat.

They sent a boat to check on the site early in the summer to ensure the site is being illuminated at night, a requirement for the boat. At that point, the boat was properly lit up, Belanger reported, though they have not been back since.

The removal process so far has been a matter of assessing possible solutions and weighing their costs and outcomes, Neal said. Any course of action decided in the upcoming meeting will likely need court approval if they do not have the approval of the owner.

“There’s going to be a lot going on in that meeting, just trying to figure out, ‘How do we get this thing out of here?’” Neal said. “There’s a lot of variables to this one. It’s pretty frustrating.”

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:

Media Contact, Corey Adkins: Content/Communications Director GLSHS
corey@shipwreckmuseum.com

Gales of November  8-9

A great slate of presentations this year. Also a form to order a raffle ticket for a ride on the Edwin H. Gott. Help support Duluth’s Maritime Museum 

See flyer below.

National Museum offers “Fitzgerald Experience 2024”

Toledo, OH – In honor of the 49th Anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering a weekend of special tours. The Fitzgerald Experience is a guided tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, using the lake freighter and its similarities to the Edmund Fitzgerald to discuss the events of November 10, 1975, theories about the sinking and stories about the 29 crew members who were lost. This tour is approximately 75 minutes long.

Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Each tour will be limited to 8 people. Guests also receive a museum store discount of 10% (non-members) / 20% (members) off in-store purchases. Tours are offered every half hour from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9 and from noon – 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10.

Your tour purchase includes admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

Due to its historical accuracy, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship is not ADA accessible. Narrow, steep staircases are common throughout the Schoonmaker and may provide difficulties in accessibility for some.

The Schoonmaker is also not heated and much of the tour is on uncovered decks. We encourage you to dress appropriately for the weather. If we determine that the weather has made these tours impossible, we will provide a refund of the ticket price (minus fees). If the program is cancelled, we are not planning a make-up date.

You can process a refund (minus fees) and cancel your ticket up to 7 days before the event. Go here to buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fitzgerald-experience-2024-tickets-1043046027747?aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&ref=eemail&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite

Coast Guard relieves commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Spar

CLEVELAND — The U.S. Coast Guard temporarily relieved Lt. Cmdr. Joel Wright, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Spar (WLB 206), Thursday.

Rear Adm. Jon Hickey, commander of the Coast Guard’s Ninth District, relieved Wright due to a loss of confidence in his ability to execute the responsibilities of a commanding officer.

“The responsibility of a commanding officer is absolute, and they are accountable for the operations, safety, administration, stewardship, efficiency and well-being of the cutter and crew,” said Hickey. “There was a loss in confidence of the command’s ability to ensure accountability and a failure to act consistently with our core values.”

Lt. Cmdr. Kent Hunt has temporarily assumed command of Spar. Spar remains fully operational and there is no degradation to mission success or cutter capabilities. An investigation is ongoing.

USCG

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:

Media Contact, Corey Adkins: Content/Communications Director GLSHS
corey@shipwreckmuseum.com

Gales of November  8-9

A great slate of presentations this year. Also a form to order a raffle ticket for a ride on the Edwin H. Gott. Help support Duluth’s Maritime Museum 

See flyer below.

National Museum offers “Fitzgerald Experience 2024”

Toledo, OH – In honor of the 49th Anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering a weekend of special tours. The Fitzgerald Experience is a guided tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, using the lake freighter and its similarities to the Edmund Fitzgerald to discuss the events of November 10, 1975, theories about the sinking and stories about the 29 crew members who were lost. This tour is approximately 75 minutes long.

Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Each tour will be limited to 8 people. Guests also receive a museum store discount of 10% (non-members) / 20% (members) off in-store purchases. Tours are offered every half hour from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9 and from noon – 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10.

Your tour purchase includes admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

Due to its historical accuracy, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship is not ADA accessible. Narrow, steep staircases are common throughout the Schoonmaker and may provide difficulties in accessibility for some.

The Schoonmaker is also not heated and much of the tour is on uncovered decks. We encourage you to dress appropriately for the weather. If we determine that the weather has made these tours impossible, we will provide a refund of the ticket price (minus fees). If the program is cancelled, we are not planning a make-up date.

You can process a refund (minus fees) and cancel your ticket up to 7 days before the event. Go here to buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fitzgerald-experience-2024-tickets-1043046027747?aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&ref=eemail&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite

HMCS Harry DeWolf, one of Canada’s newest warships, docks in Windsor

Author of the article:Julie Kotsis, Madeline Mazak
Published Oct 29, 2024  •  Last updated 2 days ago 

The Canadian naval ship HMCS Harry DeWolf is shown docked at the Dieppe Gardens in downtown Windsor on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. The public gets to view one of Canada’s newest warships on the weekend. Photo by Dan Janisse /Windsor Star

More than a hundred naval personnel joined city officials at the Windsor riverfront Tuesday morning to greet and honour HMCS Harry DeWolf, one of Canada’s newest naval vessels.

Part of a month-long deployment in Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, the ship docked at  Dieppe Gardens on Monday and will be opening its decks to the public on the weekend.

“It’s always an exciting time when a ship, like a new warship, gets a chance to go to a city we haven’t been to before,” HMCS DeWolf commander Jon Nicholson told reporters following Tuesday’s ceremony.

“This is the first time that any ship in this class has had an opportunity to go into Lake Erie, let alone Windsor.”

The arctic and offshore patrol vessel (AOPV), measuring 103 metres long with a 19-metre beam, loomed over Dieppe Gardens. It carries up to 87 crew members and is capable of reaching speeds of 17 knots — equivalent to about 31 kilometres per hour.

Mainly used to conduct sovereignty and surveillance operations in Canadian waters on all three ocean coasts, the vessel embarks on a counter-narcotics mission in the Caribbean early next year.

Ahead of its journey through the Great Lakes — with stops in Kingston, Toronto, and Hamilton before reaching Windsor — the naval vessel carried out a successful Arctic search and rescue mission.

“It was very special to us to be able to render assistance like that,” said Lt.-Cmdr. Lisa Jensen — the ship’s second-in-line — who began her naval career at HMCS Hunter in Windsor about 25 years ago.

During that mission, Jensen said the HMCS Harry DeWolf crew rescued four Canadian and four Japanese citizens who were stranded in the Northwest Passage.

As one of the vessel’s three crew members hailing from the Windsor area, Jensen described the visit by her current ship as a “full circle” moment.

“It’s really special for me to be able to give some of my close friends and people at HMCS Hunter and Windsor a chance to see the ship, tour the ship, and ask us questions about what we do,” she said.

The vessel is the first in its class of ship to be named after a prominent Canadian naval figure.

Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf, a native of Bedford, N.S., was decorated for outstanding service throughout his naval career, which included wartime command of HMCS St. Laurent from 1939-40 and later his 1943-44 command of HMCS Haida, known as the “Fightingest Ship in the RCN.”

“HMCS Harry DeWolf is named after a naval hero,” said Nicholson.

“That man eventually went on to become commander in the Royal Canadian Navy. I think there was no better man they could have named the first of this great class of heroes.”

HMCS Hunter is the Windsor division of the Canadian naval reserve, which celebrated its centennial in 2023. One of 24 naval reserve divisions in Canada, HMCS Hunter currently has about 130 members. The majority train or work as reservists for the navy in the evenings, weekends and summer in preparation to deploy or respond to emergencies at home or abroad.

On Wednesday, a citizenship ceremony will be held aboard the HMCS Harry DeWolf from 10 a.m. to noon.

The HMCS Harry DeWolf’s Windsor stop also aims to connect visitors with recruitment opportunities with the Royal Canadian Navy.

“We get to see the world,” said Jensen.

“I’ve been all over the Mediterranean. I’ve been to Europe, I’ve been to Central and South America, and of course, through the Great Lakes and into the Arctic. I think its an incredible experience.

“We get to not only train sailors and work towards our naval commitments, but on occasion, we get to actually make what I feel is a really big difference.”

Members of the HMCS Hunter Naval Reserve unit stand in formation on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, during a Freedom of the City ceremony at city hall. The event, stemming from ancient traditions, is a way for municipalities to honour a unit of the Armed Forces by symbolically allowing members to march in the city.

HMCS Hunter recognized during Freedom of the City ceremony outside Windsor city hall

S2 Eunice De Leon, left, and A/SLt Soham Patel, from HMCS Hunter, perform the Sunset Ceremony at Charles Clark Square, on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023.

HMCS Hunter celebrates Naval Reserve’s 100 years in Canada

The HMCS Hunter building on Ouellette Avenue in Windsor, shown on Thursday, April 18, 2024, has been identified by Ottawa as a potential site for affordable housing.

‘Great opportunity’ — Feds eye Windsor’s HMCS Hunter building for affordable housing

Public tours of the HMCS Harry DeWolf are scheduled this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The ship’s visit coincides with the 2024 Marine Careers Expo, Friday and Saturday at the HMCS Hunter naval reserve building at 90 Mill St.

The ship is scheduled to sail for Leamington on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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:

Media Contact, Corey Adkins: Content/Communications Director GLSHS
corey@shipwreckmuseum.com

Gales of November  8-9

A great slate of presentations this year. Also a form to order a raffle ticket for a ride on the Edwin H. Gott. Help support Duluth’s Maritime Museum 

See flyer below.

National Museum offers “Fitzgerald Experience 2024”

Toledo, OH – In honor of the 49th Anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering a weekend of special tours. The Fitzgerald Experience is a guided tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, using the lake freighter and its similarities to the Edmund Fitzgerald to discuss the events of November 10, 1975, theories about the sinking and stories about the 29 crew members who were lost. This tour is approximately 75 minutes long.

Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Each tour will be limited to 8 people. Guests also receive a museum store discount of 10% (non-members) / 20% (members) off in-store purchases. Tours are offered every half hour from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9 and from noon – 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10.

Your tour purchase includes admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

Due to its historical accuracy, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship is not ADA accessible. Narrow, steep staircases are common throughout the Schoonmaker and may provide difficulties in accessibility for some.

The Schoonmaker is also not heated and much of the tour is on uncovered decks. We encourage you to dress appropriately for the weather. If we determine that the weather has made these tours impossible, we will provide a refund of the ticket price (minus fees). If the program is cancelled, we are not planning a make-up date.

You can process a refund (minus fees) and cancel your ticket up to 7 days before the event. Go here to buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fitzgerald-experience-2024-tickets-1043046027747?aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&ref=eemail&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite

This 1868 shipwreck is one of the best preserved in the Great Lakes

Published: Oct. 25, 2024, 2:00 p.m.

F.T. Barney shipwreck

By Justine Lofton | jlofton@mlive.com

ROGERS CITY, MI – This two-masted schooner collided with another ship on Oct. 23, 1868, and quickly sank to the bottom of Lake Huron, according to records.

156 years later, the F.T. Barney is one of the best-preserved shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, according to records kept by the NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. It was the first in Lake Huron to be added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The collision happened in deep water off the shore of Presque Isle, records say. F.T. Barney was sailing between Cleveland and Milwaukee, Wis. with a cargo of coal. It sank in minutes.

Everyone aboard the ship survived, records say.

Today, it rests upright and almost completely intact under 160 feet of water near Rogers City at GPS coordinates N45°29.150’ W83°50.550’, records show.

“Divers visiting the site can see its intact stern cabin, erect main mast, and cargo hold full of coal,” according to the marine sanctuary.

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:

Media Contact, Corey Adkins: Content/Communications Director GLSHS
corey@shipwreckmuseum.com

Gales of November  8-9

A great slate of presentations this year. Also a form to order a raffle ticket for a ride on the Edwin H. Gott. Help support Duluth’s Maritime Museum 

See flyer below.

National Museum offers “Fitzgerald Experience 2024”

Toledo, OH – In honor of the 49th Anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering a weekend of special tours. The Fitzgerald Experience is a guided tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, using the lake freighter and its similarities to the Edmund Fitzgerald to discuss the events of November 10, 1975, theories about the sinking and stories about the 29 crew members who were lost. This tour is approximately 75 minutes long.

Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Each tour will be limited to 8 people. Guests also receive a museum store discount of 10% (non-members) / 20% (members) off in-store purchases. Tours are offered every half hour from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9 and from noon – 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10.

Your tour purchase includes admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

Due to its historical accuracy, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship is not ADA accessible. Narrow, steep staircases are common throughout the Schoonmaker and may provide difficulties in accessibility for some.

The Schoonmaker is also not heated and much of the tour is on uncovered decks. We encourage you to dress appropriately for the weather. If we determine that the weather has made these tours impossible, we will provide a refund of the ticket price (minus fees). If the program is cancelled, we are not planning a make-up date.

You can process a refund (minus fees) and cancel your ticket up to 7 days before the event. Go here to buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fitzgerald-experience-2024-tickets-1043046027747?aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&ref=eemail&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell Receives Legislator of the Year Award

Ann Arbor, MI (October 28, 2024) – On Monday, October 28, 2024, the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force (GLMTF) recognized Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell for her efforts advocating for the Great Lakes navigation system and the American workers that insure a resilient maritime supply chain which drives the nation’s economic base.

“The Great Lakes are not only an important natural resource but a way of life that supports communities across our region and country, creating more than 1.5 million jobs, supplying 90 percent of our nation’s fresh surface water, and generating $62 billion in wages every year. They are critical to numerous industries, supply chains, and our economy, and support countless families’ livelihoods.

“As a co-chair of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, I’m honored to be recognized by the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force and will continue to fight in Congress to protect these waters and all who depend on them,” said Dingell.

“It is an honor and privilege to present this award to Representative Dingell,” said Jim Weakley President of the Lake Carriers’ Association and Vice President of GLMTF. “She strengthened navigational infrastructure by supporting funding to finish the critical new large navigational lock in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan and pressing for the acquisition of a desperately needed U.S. Coast Guard heavy icebreaker for the Great Lakes.”

In addition, Dingell understands the need to attract and retain a skilled workforce like those needed at the Soo Locks.  As the only waterway connection between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence Seaway, the Soo Locks are the linchpin of the Great Lakes Navigation System. In 2022, the Department of Defense reduced the wage rate for 77 skilled laborer positions at the Soo Locks Complex by 19 percent. Two-thirds of the workers occupying those positions are veterans. She has been a catalyst for a solution proposing that the Department of Defense approve the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers May 2022 request for a special salary rate (SSR) to restore the wage scale lost in 2022 for these 77 positions.

The ceremony was hosted on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor and highlighted the “Aaron Friedman Marine Hydrodynamics Lab,” which has one of the only four towing tanks nationwide.

Great Lakes Maritime Task Force

Soo Locks Visitor Center closes for 2024 season

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District will close the Soo Locks Visitor Center in Canal Park at 7 p.m. Oct. 31 for the 2024 season.

“In addition to our regular exhibit updates this season, we added new photos and information to our Virtual Tour exhibit featuring the ongoing work on the New Lock at the Soo,” Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs said. “For 2025, we will have a new large format aerial view of the facility showing visitors a birds-eye view of the Soo Locks taken in September 2024 with demolition of the Sabin Lock underway

Behind the Scenes at the New Soo Locks

View a video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQZoipueb5U

Gales of November  8-9

A great slate of presentations this year. Also a form to order a raffle ticket for a ride on the Edwin H. Gott. Help support Duluth’s Maritime Museum 

See flyer below.

National Museum offers “Fitzgerald Experience 2024”

Toledo, OH – In honor of the 49th Anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering a weekend of special tours. The Fitzgerald Experience is a guided tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, using the lake freighter and its similarities to the Edmund Fitzgerald to discuss the events of November 10, 1975, theories about the sinking and stories about the 29 crew members who were lost. This tour is approximately 75 minutes long.

Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Each tour will be limited to 8 people. Guests also receive a museum store discount of 10% (non-members) / 20% (members) off in-store purchases. Tours are offered every half hour from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9 and from noon – 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10.

Your tour purchase includes admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

Due to its historical accuracy, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship is not ADA accessible. Narrow, steep staircases are common throughout the Schoonmaker and may provide difficulties in accessibility for some.

The Schoonmaker is also not heated and much of the tour is on uncovered decks. We encourage you to dress appropriately for the weather. If we determine that the weather has made these tours impossible, we will provide a refund of the ticket price (minus fees). If the program is cancelled, we are not planning a make-up date.

You can process a refund (minus fees) and cancel your ticket up to 7 days before the event. Go here to buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fitzgerald-experience-2024-tickets-1043046027747?aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&ref=eemail&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite

James R Barker leaves Bay ship

James R Barker departed Bay Ship in Sturgeon Bay to pick up where she left off. She Departed at 10:05 AM Sunday 10/27/2024   and is on her way to Duluth / Superior

Behind the Scenes at the New Soo Locks

View a video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQZoipueb5U

Gales of November  8-9

A great slate of presentations this year. Also a form to order a raffle ticket for a ride on the Edwin H. Gott. Help support Duluth’s Maritime Museum 

See flyer below.

National Museum offers “Fitzgerald Experience 2024”

Toledo, OH – In honor of the 49th Anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering a weekend of special tours. The Fitzgerald Experience is a guided tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, using the lake freighter and its similarities to the Edmund Fitzgerald to discuss the events of November 10, 1975, theories about the sinking and stories about the 29 crew members who were lost. This tour is approximately 75 minutes long.

Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Each tour will be limited to 8 people. Guests also receive a museum store discount of 10% (non-members) / 20% (members) off in-store purchases. Tours are offered every half hour from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9 and from noon – 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10.

Your tour purchase includes admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

Due to its historical accuracy, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship is not ADA accessible. Narrow, steep staircases are common throughout the Schoonmaker and may provide difficulties in accessibility for some.

The Schoonmaker is also not heated and much of the tour is on uncovered decks. We encourage you to dress appropriately for the weather. If we determine that the weather has made these tours impossible, we will provide a refund of the ticket price (minus fees). If the program is cancelled, we are not planning a make-up date.

You can process a refund (minus fees) and cancel your ticket up to 7 days before the event. Go here to buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fitzgerald-experience-2024-tickets-1043046027747?aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&ref=eemail&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite