Today in Great Lakes History

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Today in Great Lakes History - May 31

The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 cleared Manitowoc in 1973, in tow of the tug HELEN M. MC ALLISTER; this was the first leg of her tow to the cutter’s torch that ended at Castellon, Spain.

The wooden barge FANNY NEIL was launched at the Muir, Livingstone & Co. yard in Port Huron, Michigan on 31 May 1870. As was usual in those days, her name was not made public until the streamer bearing her name was unfurled at the launch.

May 31, 1924 -- The PERE MARQUETTE 21 arrived Ludington, Michigan, on her maiden voyage. Captain Charles E. Robertson was in command.

The wooden tug MOCKING BIRD was launched at 7:00 p.m. on 31 May 1873, (12 days late) at the Port Huron Dry Dock Company yard. Her master builder was Alex "Sandy" Stewart. Her dimensions were 123 foot x 23 feet x 8.4 feet, 142 gross tons. The engine (26.5 inches x 30 inches) was at the Cuyahoga Works in Cleveland, Ohio at the time of launch, ready to be installed. Although this launch was 12 days late, it still did not go smoothly since MOCKING BIRD got stuck in the river. However, with some assistance from another tug, she was pulled free and was afloat at the dock by midnight. She lasted until abandoned at Marquette, Michigan in 1918.

On 31 May 1900, the KEWAUNEE (wooden propeller steamer, 106 foot, 143 gross tons) was launched at Kewaunee, Wisconsin for James Smith, Ben Kuhlman & William Keeper. In 1902, she was rebuilt as a lightship and, in 1913, she was converted to a sand dredge. She lasted until 1935, when she was abandoned.

1918: The GEORGE G. BARNUM (later the self-unloader HENNEPIN) and the CHESTER A. CONGDON were in a minor collision due to fog off Whitefish Point, Lake Superior. The latter was lost later that year after stranding and then breaking up on Canoe Rock, Isle Royale, Lake Superior.

1926: NISBET GRAMMER sank after a collision with DALWARNIC in fog off Thirty Mile Point, Lake Ontario, while downbound with a cargo of grain. All on board were rescued from the 3-year old member of the Eastern Steamship Co. fleet. It went down in about 500 feet of water.

1974: The first GORDON C. LEITCH was aground for 3 hours, 55 minutes at Buoy 2 on the St. Clair River and freed herself with only minor damage.


Lake Erie Coast Guard has busy Thursday morning with rescues, assists

5/31 - Cleveland, Ohio – Coast Guard crews from Lake Erie units rescued and assisted several boaters during three search-and-rescue cases Thursday morning.

At 12:20 a.m. Thursday, a search-and-rescue controller at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, N.Y., received a mayday call over VH-FM marine radio but did not receive any responses to calls for more information. The controller also received notification of two flares seen near Cleveland Harbor. The SAR controller began issuing urgent marine information broadcasts over marine radio, asking all boaters in the area to keep a lookout for anyone in distress.

A rescue boat crew launched from Coast Guard Cleveland Harbor, in Cleveland, aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium. The SAR controller was contacted by a member of Cleveland Marine Towing, Inc., who stated they were en route to assist a disabled vessel with six people aboard in Cleveland Harbor. It was determined they were the same boaters who made the mayday call and launched the flares. The vessel was disabled but not in distress and was towed to safety by the Cleveland Marine Towing crew.

The Coast Guard determined the boaters did not respond to their callbacks on marine radio channel 16, the international hailing and distress frequency, because the boaters were switching channels and making further distress calls, said Capt. Andrew Sugimoto, 9th Coast Guard District chief of response. It is important that mariners take advantage of boating safety training and learn how to use their equipment.

Then, at 12:30 a.m. Thursday, a search-and-rescue controller at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo received a report of an overdue vessel from the parents of a 15-year-old girl who was boating with a 56-year-old man in Lake Erie near Sheffield, Ohio. The girl’s parents reported that she called them and said the man was disoriented, did not know their location, and was under the influence of alcohol.

A rescue boat crew launched from Coast Guard Station Lorain, Ohio, aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small. The RB-S crew located the vessel outside of Lorain Harbor and towed it to the Hot Waters Marina in Lorain, where the girl was turned over to her parents. The Coast Guard boarding officer issued the boater a citation for gross negligence and boating under the influence after he was administered a breath analysis test and had a blood alcohol content of .153. The legal limit for boating in Ohio waters is .08.

During National Safe Boating Week, the Coast Guard warned the public of the dangers of drinking and boating and also asked boaters to be vigilant and report any behavior that could impact public safety or security on our nation's waterways.

The Coast Guard depends on boaters to report any potential threats to public safety or property, said Sugimoto. Anyone who witnesses any safety or security concerns should reach out to the Coast Guard or call 911.

Finally, at 8 a.m., Thursday, a search-and-rescue controller at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo received a report of a man in the water in Cleveland Harbor. A rescue boat crew launched from Station Cleveland Harbor aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small and rescued the man. He reported he fell off of a ladder attached to a pier in the East 55th Street Marina in Cleveland Harbor. The man was taken by emergency medical services to Metro Hospital in Cleveland.

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Dangerous debris still lurks in Grand Haven, Holland channels, Coast Guard says

6/1 - Ottawa County, Mich. — The late April deluge that sent the Grand River and other waterways surging, sweeping up trees, picnic tables and Dumpsters, appears to still be plaguing boaters. The U.S. Coast Guard office in Grand Haven this week confirmed large trees, logs and other debris still are floating through Ottawa County river channels that feed Lake Michigan.

That presents a potentially dangerous situation for unsuspecting boaters who cast off in Holland or Grand Haven, where debris buildup has been, at times, staggering. The potentially hull-piercing flotsam and jetsam have officials cautioning boaters to remain vigilant after casting off.

"We have seen and we still continue to see trees and logs of a significant size floating down, and we do get a lot of reeds and grass and things of that nature that come down," First Class Petty Officer Kent Sypniewski said Wednesday. Still, "we haven't seen a whole lot of it here over the last few days," he added.

That does not downplay the hazards that await boaters, particularly with predictions of heavy rain this weekend and, by extension, rising river levels.

It was not entirely clear whether April's flooding was responsible for the debris, Sypniewski said, but reports certainly harken back to a month ago. "It's highly recommended that (boaters) stay highly alert," Sypniewski said.

Now, as then, what's more alarming than seeing whole trees floating toward Lake Michigan is what boaters don't see, Sypniewski added.

"Every time there's someone on the water, they should be keeping an eye out because they never know what's floating just beneath the surface," he said. "If it is something that you're not sure about, just avoid it completely."

Apart from large debris, Sypniewski said there are some areas along riverbanks and shorelines where smaller debris has built up because of April's flooding.

The litter has prompted a "Grand River GreenUp" Saturday, June 1, hosted by the Grand Haven Jaycees and West Michigan Environmental Action Council. Some 20 miles of the Grand River, adjacent tributaries and the Lake Michigan shoreline will be combed for trash under the event, which is in its third year.

The GreenUp initially had been scheduled for before April's flooding, but was postponed because of safety and other concerns.

“It’s a very timely event this year,” event chair Brock Rodgers said in a release. “Had we cleaned up before the flood, a lot of work might have been literally washed away. New trash would have been deposited there from upstream.

"We didn’t have this in mind necessarily when we made the decision to postpone, but it’s definitely working out to fill the greatest community need.”



Today in Great Lakes History - June 1

On 01 June 1903, ISAAC ELLWOOD (steel propeller freighter, 478 foot, 5,085 gross tons, built in 1900, at W. Bay City, Michigan) broke the record for ore when she carried a cargo of 8,579 tons out of Duluth harbor. This broke the record held by JOHN SMEATON (steel barge, 458 foot, 5,049 gross tons, built in 1899, at Superior, Wisconsin), which was 8,571 tons of ore.

The ASA CHILDS (wooden scow schooner, 125 foot, 204 gross tons, built in 1866, at Mentor, Ohio) was carrying lumber in a storm on Lake Michigan when she was driven ashore at Highland Park just north of Chicago, Illinois on 01 June 1879, and was a total loss. The crew escaped in the lifeboat.

On 01 June 1914, the St. Joseph-Chicago Steamship Company bought the EASTLAND (steel propeller passenger steamer, 265 foot, 1,961 gross tons, built in 1903, at Port Huron, Michigan) from the Eastland Navigation Company for $150,000.

In 1943, the IRVING S OLDS collided with the 524 foot steamer CHARLES O. JENKINS in heavy fog 28 miles northeast of Cleveland on Lake Erie and was holed eight feet above the water line. The OLDS was able to help the badly damaged JENKINS back to Cleveland by lashing the two vessels together. After a grueling seven hours the JENKINS was beached in the outer harbor to prevent her from sinking. The OLDS was repaired in time to carry a new record of 17,817 gross tons of iron ore on June 13, 1943. In 1952, the steamer J.L. MAUTHE (Hull#298) was launched at Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Michigan, for the Interlake Steamship Co.

The WHITEFISH BAY, loaded with 950,000 bushels of spring wheat, was honored as she carried the billionth metric ton of cargo through the Eisenhower Lock in 1983.

On June 1, 1907, the Great Lakes Engineering Works launched the bulk steamer WILPEN (Hull#28) at Ecorse, Michigan, for the Shenango Steamship Co., a subsidiary of Shenango Furnace Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) DAVID P. THOMPSON in 1926, and converted to a self-unloader in 1957, at Superior, Wisconsin. She was renamed c.) JOSEPH S. YOUNG in 1969, and scrapped at La Spezia, Italy in 1979.

The H. LEE WHITE departed Sturgeon Bay in ballast on her maiden voyage for the American Steamship Co., on June 1, 1974, to load iron ore at Escanaba, Michigan for Indiana Harbor.

June 1, 1902 - While northbound for Manistique, Michigan, the ANN ARBOR NO 1 went aground in a heavy fog about noon on South Manitou Island, but was able to free herself and to proceed undamaged.

June 1, 1938 - The PERE MARQUETTE 21, under the command of Captain Arthur Altschwager, was released from a sand bar in the outer harbor at Manitowoc at 1:06 p.m. today after being aground for six hours. Her sister ship, the PERE MARQUETTE 22, commanded by J.F. Johnson, freed the ferry after taking a line and pulling the big ship back off the bar.

June, 1958, The ANN ARBOR NO 6 was taken out of service for extensive refitting. She was renamed b.) ARTHUR K. ATKINSON.

On 1 June 1887, LUCINDA VAN VALKENBURG (wooden schooner, 129 foot, 302 gross tons, built in 1862, at Tonawanda, New York) collided with the iron steamer LEHIGH in fog and sank near Thunder Bay Island on Lake Huron. The crew was safely taken aboard the LEHIGH and brought to Port Huron.

On 1 June 1892, the steel bulk freighter CHOCTAW was launched at the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company (Hull #17) in Cleveland, Ohio for the Lake Superior Iron Company. Her dimensions were 207 feet x 38 feet x 18 feet and she had a triple expansion steam engine 17 feet, 29 inches, 47 inches x 36 inch stroke. She was built as "monitor" type vessel based on whaleback design with all her cabins aft. She lasted until sunk in a collision in 1915.

1923: The barge BROOKDALE of Canada Steamship Lines was sunk near Montreal after a collision with MAPLEDAWN. The wooden hulled vessel, originally the schooner MORAVIA, was refloated and scrapped.

1943: A collision on foggy Lake Superior between BATTLEFORD and PRINDOC sank the latter off Passage Island. All on board were saved from the downbound, wheat-laden bulk carrier of the Paterson fleet.

1944: The first NEWBRUNDOC had been built at Toronto in 1921 and had previously sailed as CANADIAN ENGINEER and b) DONALD E.McKAY. The ship became f) SAVLATORE in 1934 and, with the outbreak of war, was now the enemy. It was bombed and sunk by British aircraft as part of a German convoy in the Aegean Sea and all hands were lost.

1966: RIO ALTO, a Liberty ship, came to the Great Lakes under Liberian registry in 1963. It developed leaks on the Pacific while enroute from Manati, Puerto Rico, to China as d) AKTOR and sank on this date 860 miles SSW of San Diego, CA in 1966.

1967: RENVOYLE struck the docked SYLVANIA while turning at Port Huron and the latter sank against the dock. The former, a C.S.L. package freighter, received bow damage and was laid up and then sold for scrap. SYLVANIA was refloated, repaired and returned to service.

1979: GEORGES HERBERT, a wooden goelette that occasionally came to the Great Lakes, sank in the Gulf of Mexico while carrying a cargo of corn.

2011: CANADIAN RANGER, under tow on the St. Lawrence, got spun around 180 degrees by a wind gust above the Iroquois Lock and had to be towed through the lock stern first before being realigned below the lock. It reached the scrap yard at Aliaga, Turkey, on July 13, 2011.

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Lake Superior water level rises 9 inches in May

6/2 - Duluth, Minn. – The level of Lake Superior jumped 9 inches in May, more than twice the normal monthly increase and the second most for any month since 1918.

The lake usually rises only about 4 inches each May. But thanks to late snow and a cold spring that held back runoff until ice and snow melted, May more than made up for the difference.

The big lake now sits just 7 inches below its long-term average for June 1 but is now a full 3 inches above its level at this time last year, the International Lake Superior Board of Control reported Friday.

Meanwhile, Lakes Huron and Michigan continued their meteoric rise from near record lows in late winter. The lakes rose another 5 inches in May, compared to the usual 3 inches for the month. The lakes remain 20 inches below the long-term average and two inches below the May 1 level of 2012. But Huron and Michigan are recovering from seasonal, winter lows at among their fastest pace ever.

The improving lake level conditions are good news not just for recreational boaters but also for Great Lakes shipping industry. Many of the lakes' largest freighters have had to transit the lakes with less than full loads, increasing prices and energy use and raising costs for raw material shippers such as taconite plants.

Duluth News Tribune




Today in Great Lakes History - June 2

On 02 June 1958, the Liberian-flagged freighter MOUNT DELPHI sank enroute to Karachi, Pakistan. She was built by the British American Shipbuilding Company at Welland, Ontario, during the final years of World War I. She had 12 different owners during her career and had been seized by Vichy interests at Casablanca, Morocco, in 1940, and then by the Italian government in 1942.

On 02 June 1893, CORSICAN (wooden schooner, 112 foot, 210 gross tons, built in 1862, at Olcott, New York) was carrying coal from Cleveland, Ohio to St. Ignace, Michigan, on a foggy night on Lake Huron. She collided with the iron steamer CORSICA and sank quickly off Thunder Bay Island. All six onboard went down with her. The wounded CORSICA was beached near Ossineke, Michigan, was later patched and proceeded to Ashtabula, Ohio.

In 1973, the SYLVANIA, downbound light in fog, collided with the FRANK PURNELL just north of the Detroit River Light at 05:23 hours. The SYLVANIA suffered minor bow damage and went to Toledo for repairs.

On 2 June 1855, J.W. BLAKE (wooden scow-schooner, 68 foot, 33 tons, built in 1853, at Dover, Ohio) was carrying lumber in a storm four miles off Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, when she capsized. Her crew escaped in her yawl, but it was a very close call for one who was asleep below decks when she capsized. The vessel was later recovered and put back in service.

June 2, 1988 - The CITY OF MIDLAND 41 took on 17 truckloads of lake trout, which were planted off Beaver Island.

On 2 June 1882, INDUSTRY (wooden schooner, 63 foot, 30 tons, built in 1847, at Michigan City, Indiana) capsized and sank just a half-mile from South Haven, Michigan. The three crewmen clung to the wreck for a while as rescue attempts were made from shore, but they all perished. The wreck later drifted to the beach about five miles south of town and went to pieces.

1943: The W.W. HOLLOWAY and HARRY WM. HOSFORD collided in foggy lower Whitefish Bay and the latter steamer had to be beached at Point Iroquois to avoid sinking.

1958: WAR RACCOON was built at Welland in 1919. It was sailing under Liberian registry as l) MOUNT DELPHI when it hit a rock and was beached at Grand Island, near Mormugao, India, on a voyage from Mouimein, Burma, to Karachi, Pakistan. The ship was a total loss.

1968: CASTALIA, a Greek flag freighter, struck the north pier of the Mackinac Bridge, in dense fog and made a small gouge in the structure. The ship was holed and leaking but cleared to proceed to Chicago. It was on its first trip through the Seaway and was later scrapped as c) NEW ENGLANDER after arriving at Bilbao, Spain, on July 4, 1973.

1978: The bulk carrier ARCTIC was christened in a ceremony at Port Weller Dry Docks in St. Catharines.

1981: The sidewheel Toronto Island ferry TRILLIUM was unable to stop in time at the mainland dock. It struck the restaurant ship NORMAC and the latter sank two weeks later.

2000: ALGOWOOD buckled amidships while loading stone at Bruce Mines. The hull was patched, strengthened, refloated and towed to Port Weller Dry Docks to be lengthened and repaired.



Tougher Michigan ballast rules sought

6/2 - Lansing, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder planned to push this weekend for strengthening ballast water disposal requirements for ocean-going freighters that travel the Great Lakes during a summit of regional leaders on Mackinac Island.

In 2007, Michigan lawmakers created the region's toughest requirements for shipping vessels to unload excess water that can carry invasive species, such as zebra and quagga mussels that often litter Great Lakes beaches.

But surrounding states and Canadian provinces have not followed suit, so Michigan officials hope to kick-start a dialogue about the issue during the Council of Great Lakes Governors summit Snyder is hosting at the Grand Hotel. "I would like to see at some point that we get a common standard," Snyder said Friday after kicking off the summit.

Ships are circumventing Michigan's law by "moving out of Michigan waters and dumping ballast water," said Dan Wyant, director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

Creating consistent guidelines throughout the region for ocean-going ships and their handling of ballast water needs attention, said James Clift, policy director for the Michigan Environmental Council.

Joel Brammeier, president of the Chicago-based Alliance for the Great Lakes, said his group is interested in the region's governments collaborating on an early detection and rapid response for invasive species.

The invasive aquatic species threat is a prime opportunity for teamwork, Brammeier said, since "when a new invader shows up eventually it's a problem for everybody."

Some Michigan lawmakers want to roll back the ballast water requirements because of opposition from shipping companies.

In addition to water quality, top elected officials from the Great Lakes states and provinces are expected to discuss economic, ecological and transportation issues facing the region during the weekend gathering.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne are scheduled to attend the summit, said Jon Allan, director of the DEQ's Office of the Great Lakes. Quebec, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Minnesota are sending representatives, he said.

"These things are very good incubators for thinking about what collaboration in the region needs to look like," Allan said.

The governors and their representatives are expected to announce resolutions and agreements on new policy directives for Great Lakes issues on the environment, trade, transportation and water quality and levels.

"I think it's a great opportunity to say the Great Lakes are really important," Snyder said in an interview with The Detroit News. "I don't think we're going to solve all of the issues because there are differences of view between the states."

Snyder said he's pushing the region's governors and Canadian officials to forge stronger economic ties.

"We can do a better job marketing kind of the whole basin in terms of saying we're a big economy," Snyder said. "If you draw that circle (from) Montreal to Chicago, it's a third of the North American economy."

The Great Lakes face myriad threats such as falling lake levels and potential water diversions that could create precedents for future withdrawals.

The Michigan Environmental Council is monitoring the status of a requested water diversion from Lake Michigan by the Wisconsin town of Waukesha. The state of Wisconsin is reviewing the request after Waukesha's aquifer became contaminated with radium, and the way officials handle the application could set a precedent for the region.

Detroit News



Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen ready for service in the Arctic

6/2 - St. Catharines, Ont. – Rick Dykstra, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, on behalf of the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today announced the completion of major work on the CCGS Amundsen. The Amundsen is back in the water and heading up to the Arctic.

Repairs to the CCGS Amundsen are being carried out over several years, starting with significant engine repairs and the installation of new generators. Work began last October in St. Catharines at Seaway Marine and Industrial Inc. These repairs are now complete, in time to have the vessel back in full service for the 2013 summer Arctic season. This work represents a $6 million contract for Seaway Marine and Industrial Inc.

The CCGS Amundsen is a medium Icebreaker. Through an agreement with Université Laval, the CCGS Amundsen has been converted into an Arctic science vessel and made available to the ArcticNet program for groundbreaking scientific research.

The repairs to the CCGS Amundsen are part of the unprecedented investment to the Canadian Coast Guard’s fleet renewal program from Economic Action Plan 2012. Through this investment, the government will extend the lives of 16 Coast Guard vessels and complete mid-life modernizations on an additional two existing hovercraft over the next 10 years.



Port Reports - June 2

Milwaukee Wis. - Chris Gaziano
The Alpena arrived in the early morning with a partial load for Milwaukee. They were outbound and heading east across the lake by late afternoon. The Algoway made its way into the inner harbor during the evening hours.

Calcite, Mich. - Denny Dushane
The 1,000-footer American Spirit was expected to make a rare appearance in Calcite, arriving on Saturday early to load limestone at the North & South docks. Incoming vessels scheduled for the remainder of the week include Cason J. Callaway on Sunday, arriving very late in the evening for the North Dock. James L. Kuber is expected on Monday in the morning for the North Dock. For Tuesday, two vessels are expected, with the Hon. James L. Oberstar making a rare visit during the morning for the South Dock. The Great Republic is also due on Tuesday at about noon for the South Dock. Rounding out the schedule is the Arthur M. Anderson on Wednesday during the evening for the South Dock.

Stoneport, Mich. - Denny Dushane
Both Great Republic and the tug Defiance with barge Ashtabula were expected to arrive at Stoneport on Saturday. The Great Republic was due in during the dinner hour, while the Defiance / Ashtabula were expected to arrive during the evening. For Sunday, the Arthur M. Anderson is expected around suppertime to load limestone.

Port Inland & Cedarville, Mich. - Denny Dushane
At Port Inland, Wilfred Sykes loaded limestone and was expected to depart by about 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, weather permitting, due to very heavy fog. Kaye E. Barker was waiting for the Sykes to depart, and she was expected also to load at Port Inland on Saturday, weather permitting. H. Lee White was also expected to arrive late in the evening Saturday to load. Pere Marquette 41 and tug Undaunted are due to arrive on Sunday during the evening and the Sykes is due back on Tuesday in the late afternoon.

At Cedarville, Kaye E. Barker was delayed at Port Inland due to weather and fog and was expected to arrive around 11 p.m. on Saturday. Calumet was also delayed coming from Green Bay due to weather and is expected now to arrive in Cedarville on Sunday between 1-2 a.m. Also due on Sunday is the Philip R. Clarke, arriving sometime around noon to load. The Cuyahoga is due Tuesday morning.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
Both the Manitowoc and the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber remained on the Saginaw River as of Saturday night, with Manitowoc at the Bay City Wirt dock and the Moore-Kuber at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee. The Moore-Kuber arrived on the 28th of May with a split cargo for Bay City and Saginaw Wirt and Manitowoc arrived on the 29th and unloaded at Bay City Wirt. Very strong currents in the Saginaw River are preventing the vessels from safely turning around and heading out for the lake.

Commercial Vessel Passages for the month of May totaled 18. This is three less than the same period in 2012, but is actually one more than the five year average. For total vessel passages for the year, there have been 21, which is 14 passages less than the same period in 2012.

Toledo, Ohio - Denny Dushane
Lakes Contender and Ken Boothe Sr. were expected to arrive during the early afternoon on Saturday to unload iron ore pellets at the Torco Dock. Incoming vessels due at Torco for the remainder of the week include Algoma Progress on Monday during the morning, followed by Lee A. Tregurtha on Wednesday at noon. Also due on Wednesday is CSL Laurentien in the late afternoon. Vessels loading coal at the CSX Dock include Manitowoc on Sunday in the late evening, and James L. Kuber / Victory, due to load coal on Thursday in the early morning. Both Algolake and Catherine Desgagnes are expected to arrive on Sunday, June 9 to load coal at CSX. At the Midwest Terminal Stone Dock, CSL Laurentien is expected to make a rare appearance, arriving with limestone on June 8 in the evening.

Lorain, Ohio - Phil Leon
Tug Defiance and barge departed Lorain Saturday morning at 12:40 and headed back west.

[yachtsmanwilly]

Senate bill would get shovels digging in Great Lakes

6/3 - A $200 million backlog in Great Lakes dredging made worse by record low lake levels will get some help. A bill that passed the U.S. Senate last week would end that backlog.

There is a lot at stake economically when ships have to load light, carry less cargo, or risk running aground in the Great Lakes. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin says this bill will allow the Great Lakes to catch up on digging projects over the next six to seven years in harbors and channels. She says that puts the Great Lakes in better position to compete with ocean ports.

“It’s an uneven playing field and we have made some headway in refocusing some of the funding to the Great Lakes region,” Baldwin said.

Unlike small, secondary ports, the Great Lakes larger ports have been able to get the dredging they need. But Duluth Port Director Adolph Ojard says the St. Marys River, which connects Lake Superior to the lower Great Lakes, needs work.

He says this is a double-whammy with record low lake levels. He says this bill fixes that.

“Boy, I think it’s significant. What it further recognizes is in these low water conditions those authorized depths would be reflective of lake levels,” Ojard said. “So we would hopefully return to historical drafts for our vessels even in some low water level conditions.”

Baldwin and Ojard are keeping their fingers crossed it makes it through the U.S. House. The Water Resources Development Act also has money to prevent exotic species from entering the Great Lakes.

Superior Telegram



Today in Great Lakes History - June 3

On 03 June 1882, the schooner C. BELL was launched at the yard of Mason, Corning & Company in East Saginaw, Michigan. Her dimensions were 185 feet x 30 feet x 11 feet, and she cost $20,000.

JOHN B. AIRD was christened in 1983, at Thunder Bay for Algoma Central Marine, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

After successfully completing her sea trials on June 3, 1951, CLIFFS VICTORY entered service for Cleveland Cliffs Steamship Co., a little under six months from the time she was purchased from the U.S.M.C.

PATERSON (Hull#113) of the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., entered service for N.M. Paterson & Sons Ltd., on June 3, 1954, by carrying 440,000 bushels of wheat from Port Arthur, Ontario. She was scrapped at Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1985.

On 3 June 1870, T.F. PARK (wooden side-wheeler, 170 foot, 450 tons, built in 1851, at Chatham, Ontario) caught fire and burned to the waterline at the dock near the Detroit & Milwaukee Grain Elevator at Detroit, Michigan. The hull was later removed after being struck by several vessels.

On 3 June 1875, the iron carferry HURON (238 foot, 1,052 gross tons) was launched at Point Edward, Ontario for the Grand Trunk Railway. Miss Jessie S. Hughes of Toronto christened the vessel with a bottle of wine. The hull's iron plates were manufactured in Scotland and shipped to Point Edward where they were assembled. Work began on 12 August 1874. Her engine and boiler were built at Dundas, Ont. This vessel ran between Windsor and Detroit for over a century. Her hull is still in existence, submerged in the old Great Lakes Engineering Works slip in River Rouge, Michigan.

1911 The passenger steamer NORTH WEST was gutted by a fire while fitting out at Buffalo. The hull remained idle until it was cut in two in 1918 for a tow to saltwater, but the bow section sank in Lake Ontario. The stern was rebuilt on the St. Lawrence as MAPLECOURT and returned to the lakes, again in two sections, in 1922.

1923 WILLIAM B. SCHILLER and HORACE S. WILKINSON collided in Whitefish Bay. The former was anchored when hit on the port side at #5 hatch. The SCHILLER’s captain pulled up the hook and raced for shore so as to sink in shallow water. It went down in about 40 feet and was salvaged on July 2.

1940 JOHN J. RAMMACHER and WILLIAM A. REISS (ii) collided just after midnight beneath the Blue Water Bridge at Sarnia-Port Huron and both ships were damaged.

1999 HOPE I lost power in the Seaway while downbound with wheat and stranded above Morrisburg. The hull was holed and the ship was released with the aid of tugs on June 5. The ship first came inland as a) NOSIRA MADELEINE in 1983 and returned as c) HOPE I for the first time in 1993. and then as d) HOPE in 2004. It was last reported as f) H. PIONEER in 2011.


Port Reports - June 3

South Chicago and Burns Harbor - Matt M.
Over the weekend, the St. Marys Challenger unloaded at the St. Mary's terminal in Lake Calumet, and Algomarine came in with a load of salt for 100th St. At the Port of Indiana, Burns Harbor, Stewart J. Cort, and Wilfred Sykes all unloaded at Arcelor Mittal on Saturday and Sunday.

Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey
The big tug, Olive L. Moore, uncoupled from the Lewis J. Kuber Sunday morning, and headed downriver from the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee, bound for the Wirt dock in Bay City. There, she met up the the tug Manitou, who had recently arrived on the Saginaw River, and together they assisted in turning the Manitowoc in the Wirt basin. The Moore and Manitou made quick work of the turn and Manitowoc was outbound from the river late Sunday morning. After escorting Manitowoc out of the river, the Manitou traveled upriver to where the Moore-Kuber have been tied up at Burroughs since early on the 29th of May. With still too much current to turn around, Manitou tied off to the Moore with plans of trying again tomorrow if conditions cooperate. The tug Champion arrived on the Saginaw River late Sunday afternoon with two barges of equipment for the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville. She remained there Sunday night.

Sandusky, Ohio - Jim Spencer
The Sam Laud was loading Sunday night at the NS coal dock.

Toronto, Ont. - Jens Juhl
The Panamanian bulker Emilie is currently unloading steel pipe at the terminal 52 north wall. The tug W.N. Twolan and the spud barge Rock Prince are moored at the terminal 35 north wall. The tug Radium Yellowknife is in Toronto Drydock for maintenance and repairs.

[yachtsmanwilly]

Dog nearly swims to Michigan

6/4 - Point Edward, Ont. – Lifelong Point Edward resident Carolyn Luciani knows how strong the currents and eddies are in the St. Clair River and how lucky her dog Hunter was to escape them.

The six-year-old chocolate lab was out for a 6 a.m. walk with Luciani on Friday when some geese caught Hunter's attention. She ran after them and entered the water just north of Lambton's waterworks where Lake Huron meets the river.

Luciani who was walking another dog as well, ran along the shoreline, desperately calling to Hunter and watching her dog swim out into the lake toward the geese. “She was out about 50 feet and she's chasing the geese and swimming away from me,” said Luciani. “I'm bawling my eyes out, screaming from the shore.”

Hunter soon entered the St. Clair River, followed the geese into the shipping lane and under the Blue Water Bridge, which spans the river between Point Edward and Port Huron. The dog kept chasing the birds until she was almost at the American seawall.

“All I could see was a little dot in the water,” said Luciani. “I didn't want to take my eyes off of her because I wanted to be see where she went under. I was sure she was going to drop and sink.”

To make matters worse, Hunter is a diabetic and Luciani feared her dog's blood sugar would plummet and she'd lose all her strength.

Finally, the geese flew away and Hunter turned back toward Point Edward where Luciani was frantically calling her. By that time, she'd been in the water fighting a strong current nearly 20 minutes. nA fisherman on the shoreline offered Luciani a cell phone and she called her father and sister who live nearby. Meanwhile a woman drove by on a bicycle, realized what was happening and immediately headed to Purdy's Fisheries, several hundred metres south of the bridge.

At Purdy's, Captain Tim Purdy was just getting ready for the day when the cyclist drove up and told him about the dog in the water.

“Hunter was so far out, I couldn't see her at first,” said Purdy. nBut soon the dog came into view, heading toward the red buoy anchored near the Point Edward casino.

Just then, Luciani's father and sister Sasha Gladwish pulled into the fishery and Gladwish jumped into a fishing boat with Purdy and a few crew members. The boat headed toward Hunter in the water, but the frightened dog turned away initially.

“About 40 yards the other side of the buoy, we caught up to her and she recognized Sasha's voice,” said Purdy. “She was scared, wet and tired.”

It took several people to hoist 80-pound Hunter into the fishing boat. When they got her in, she surprised everyone by having enough energy left to run around.

“She was in the water for half an hour. I couldn't believe it. If a ship had come along, she wouldn't have made it,” said Luciani who watched the rescue from shore. “I just want to say a great big thank you to the fisherman who loaned me his phone, to Purdy's and to the woman on the bicycle.

“It was her idea to go get help from Purdy's. I haven't been able to find her and I really owe her a thank you.”

Sarnia Observer



Today in Great Lakes History - June 4

1955, the J. L. MAUTHE established a new Great Lakes cargo record for a coal cargo delivered to an upper lakes port. She loaded 18392 tons of coal at the Toledo C&O dock.

1943, the BENJAMIN F. FAIRLESS, Captain Harry Ashby, delivered a record cargo of 19343.5 net tons of iron ore at Cleveland. The ore was loaded at Two Harbors, Minnesota.

In 1947, the Canada Steamship line steamer EMPEROR, loaded with ore and bound for Ashtabula, hit the rocks off Isle Royale at 4:10 a.m. The vessel sank within minutes but the crew was able to launch 2 lifeboats. Captain Eldon Walkinshaw, First Mate D. Moray, and 10 other crew members drowned when one of the lifeboats overturned. Twenty-one other survivors were rescued by the U.S.C.G. cutter KIMBALL.

On 04 June 1872, while carrying wooden barrel staves from Bay City, Michigan to Buffalo, New York, the bark AMERICAN GIANT encountered rough weather off Port Stanley, Ontario, on Lake Erie. Heavy seas carried off her deck cargo of 25,000 staves and the vessel became waterlogged. As the crew considered abandoning, the steamer MENDOTA saw their plight and took the GIANT in tow for Buffalo where they arrived the following day. For days afterward, other vessels reported the litter of barrel staves floating in the middle of Lake Erie.

At 2:00 a.m., 04 June 1891, in heavy fog, the NORTHERN QUEEN (steel propeller freighter, 299 foot, 2,476 gross tons, built in 1889, at Cleveland, Ohio) struck the schooner FAYETTE BROWN (wooden schooner, 178 foot, 553 gross tons, built in 1868, at Cleveland, Ohio) about ten miles off Dummy Light on Lake Erie. The BROWN, which was loaded with stone blocks, quickly sank in over 60 feet of water. One of the schooner's crewmen climbed aboard the QUEEN while the others barely had time to scramble up the schooner's masts. Accounts of the accident differ. The schooner's skipper claimed that the NORTHERN QUEEN continued on her journey while the schooner's crew clung to the masts while the skipper of the NORTHERN QUEEN claimed that he tried to find survivors, but lost the wreck in the fog and reluctantly continued on his journey, figuring that there were no survivors. Nevertheless, about an hour after the disaster, the steamer ROBERT MILLS (wooden propeller freighter, 256 foot, 1,790 gross tons, built in 1888, at Buffalo, New York) came along, heard the cries of the unfortunate seamen clinging to the masts and rescued them. No lives were lost.

On 04 June 1881, the OGEMAW (wooden propeller freighter, 167 foot, 624 gross tons) was launched at Simon Langell's yard in St. Clair, Michigan for Mr. Wood & Company of Cleveland, Ohio.

CLIFFS VICTORY sailed on her maiden voyage in ballast from South Chicago, Illinois, in 1951.

On June 4, 1968, the keel for the OTTERCLIFFE HALL (Hull#667) was laid at Lauzon, Quebec, by Davie Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., for the Hall Corporation of Canada. Renamed b.) ROYALTON in 1983, c.) OTTERCLIFFE HALL in 1985, d.) PETER MISENER in 1988 and e.) CANADIAN TRADER in 1994. She arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping on January 7, 2005.

The EDGAR B. SPEER (Hull#908) was christened on June 4th 1980, at Lorain, Ohio, for the Connecticut Bank & Trust Co., Hartford, Connecticut, managed by the Great Lakes Fleet of the United States Steel Corp., Duluth, Minnesota.

In 1988, the IRVING S. OLDS departed Duluth under tow of tug SALVAGE MONARCH, headed for overseas scrapping. She was scrapped by Sing Cheng Yung Iron & Steel Co., in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, scrapping began on November 24, 1988.

June 4, 1940 - Oiler George Riemersma, 50, died of a heart attack while at work on the PERE MARQUETTE 21.

June 4, 1942 - John A. Clancey, 58, general manager of the Grand Trunk Western Railway and president of the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Carferry Co. died suddenly of a heart attack while at his desk in Detroit.

The Port Huron Times reported "The new trim and tidy tug, the P L JOHNSON, built for Capt. Sol Rummage, passed up last night with her first tow. She is of medium size and wears the national colors on her smokestack for which some of the boys call her a floating barber shop."

On 4 June 1859, GENERAL HOUSTON (2-mast wooden schooner, 83 foot, 123 tons, built in 1844, at French Creek, New York) was bound from Port Huron for Buffalo with a load of lumber. During a terrific gale, she missed the mouth of the Grand River near Fairport, Ohio and went on the pier where she broke up. Fortunately no lives were lost. The lighthouse keeper on the pier where she broke up later refused to light the lantern while the wreck was in place for fear of drawing other vessels into it. The U. S. Government quickly contracted to remove the hulk from the channel, but a month later, a storm did the job for free, obliterating the wreck so completely that it was reported to have just "disappeared." June 4th is the anniversary of the famous race between the TASHMOO and the CITY OF ERIE, an exciting race that included many thousands of dollars in wagers, great advance publicity, and the use of many other boats to watch the action along the way. The drama was such that carrier pigeons were released at various times to take the latest updates to waiting newspaper reporters. The CITY OF ERIE won the race in a very close match, and the story has been retold in several books about the Great Lakes.

1961: C.A. BENNETT went aground in the Wiley-Dondero Channel of the Seaway while trying to avoid the REDFERN and was released with her own power.

[yachtsmanwilly]

Permits approved for Le Griffon shipwreck expedition

6/5 - Lansing, Mich. – Permits have been approved for the Great Lakes Exploration Group to perform underwater test excavations to identify the shipwreck that is believed to be the Le Griffon.

Le Griffon, which was built by Robert de Le Salle, is considered to be the first decked sailing ship on the upper Great Lakes. It vanished in 1679.

In 2001, the Great Lakes Exploration Group found what it believes to be the Griffon's wreckage underwater in northern Lake Michigan. The exact location of the wreck has not been disclosed.

The exploration will end a nearly decade long fight between the state of Michigan and the government of France over the ownership of the ship. The state claims federal law gives Michigan ownership of vessels embedded in the Great Lakes bottomlands if they are abandoned. French officials disagreed and filed a claim in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids.

"Le Griffon has tremendous historical and cultural significance for the entire region, and I'm delighted we may finally get an answer as to whether we have, in fact, found the 'Holy Grail' of Great Lakes shipwrecks," said Rep. Greg MacMaster, who has been instrumental in helping the group get approval for the expedition. "It has been a lengthy process to be sure, but it was important to get everyone on board with this expedition, including the governments of Michigan and France."

The permit, issued by the Department of Natural Resources, will allow the team to conduct three small text excavations into the bottomlands.

Several Michigan lawmakers, including Rep. MacMaster and Gov. Rick Snyder, signed a special tribute that publicly supported GLX's intention to identify the shipwreck.

"I was excited to see the governor take an active role on asserting Michigan's right to its bottomlands and seeing this project through," MacMaster said. "If this vessel does turn out to be the fabled Le Griffon, it could be an incredible tool for education, help increase tourism and add to the 'Pure Michigan' experience."

The expedition is expected to take place in mid-June and will involve help from French experts including world-renowned underwater archaeologist Michel L'Hour. This marks the first official visit to the shipwreck site by the French team.

"It's exciting to collaborate with colleagues across the ocean," said Ken Vrana, project manager. "It sets a foundation for further exploration of our underwater French heritage here in Michigan."

Vrana said whether the site proves to be the fabled ship or not, it is important to advance the practice of underwater archeology in Michigan.

UP North Live



Port Reports - June 5

Marquette, Mich. - Rod Burdick
Monday morning at the harbors in Marquette, Algosteel loaded ore at the Upper Harbor and Kaye E. Barker unloaded stone at the Lower Harbor. Algosteel's visit was her first since the early 2000s.

Marblehead, Ohio Jim Spencer
The new McKeil tug Leonard M. (ex Point Halifax) and an unknown barge loaded Tuesday at the Lafarge Marblehead stone dock.

Hamilton, Ont. – Eric Holmes
Tuesday the tug Rebecca Lynn and barge A397 arrived at 11 a.m. Tug Gerry G departed at 4 p.m. for Toronto. Federal Leda departed at 4:15 p.m. for Sandusky. Algoma Montrealais arrived at 7 p.m. with iron ore pellets from Superior for Dofasco. Vega Desgagnes departed at 7:30 p.m. The tug Salvor and barge Lambert's Spirit departed at 8 p.m. from Pier 14.




TAX DOLLARS AT WORK !! ws

Lighthouse lens dispute ends with artifact getting new home

6/5 - Harbor Beach, Mich. – The third order Fresnel lens built in 1872 for the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse that’s been the center of a lawsuit filed by the federal government against Huron City Museums is now in the possession of the U.S. Coast Guard.

The lens was removed Saturday from the Huron City Museums grounds, following a ruling from a federal judge on Friday that approved a settlement between the museum foundation and U.S. Coast Guard.

The federal government filed a lawsuit last October, claiming the museum was not in lawful possession of the 900-pound lens, nor was it properly conserving, protecting or securing the artifact that the government claims is irreplaceable.

Museum officials previously argued the museum was properly caring for the lens, and that the U.S. Coast Guard failed to accurately prove its ownership of the lens, which was transferred to the museum from the Grice Museum in Harbor Beach in 1987. Charles Parcells, of Huron City Museums, previously said the museum also was concerned that the lens would be removed and displayed in an area outside of the Thumb.

Under the settlement approved Friday by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington, the lens is expected to remain in the area. The settlement states the U.S. Coast Guard intends to eventually display the lens at the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Museum.

The settlement states the foundation agrees that the lens is the property of the U.S., and the federal government is entitled to immediate possession of the lens. Ludington approved the removal of the lens from Huron City Museums on Saturday, and the U.S. Coast Guard agreed to pay for any costs associated with the repair, restoration or maintenance of the lens. The settlement states the foundation will not be liable for the dismantling, removing or transporting of the lens from the museum.

Bill Bonner, of the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Society, said the lens was successfully removed from Huron City Museums with the assistance of volunteers from the Harbor Beach Coast Guard Station.

“The lens is being stored in the Harbor Beach Coast Guard Station until restoration, cleaning and repair can be completed in August,” he stated. “The Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Society is optimistic the restored lens will be on display in the Lighthouse Museum by Labor Day weekend.”

As for the lawsuit between the federal government and Huron City Museums, Ludington ordered Friday that the case be dismissed, and each party is responsible for its own costs and attorney fees.

Huron Daily Tribune

Coast Guard rescues 3 on boat taking on water near Toledo Harbor Lighthouse

6/5 - Cleveland, Ohio – The Coast Guard rescued three people who were on a boat taking on water in the vicinity of Toledo Harbor Lighthouse in Lake Erie Tuesday morning.

At about 8:50 a.m., a watchstander at Coast Guard Station Toledo, Ohio, overheard a call for assistance from someone on a boat taking on water to a local towing company on VHF-FM radio channel 69. As the watchstander overheard the call while scanning radio calls, he switched to channel 69 and listened for details to determine if there was a need for Coast Guard assistance. Upon hearing the boat was taking on water and the towing company was assisting a different boat near Marblehead, Ohio, the watch team directed the launch of a rescue boatcrew aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium.

The rescue boatcrew arrived on scene at 9:15 a.m. and immediately brought the three people aboard the RB-M and used the boats P-6 dewatering pump to dewater the 26-foot boat.

“The exemplary reaction by our watchstander to hear, switch channels and listen to the complete call for help, and the initiative of the boaters to put on life jackets and head to shore lead to this successful rescue,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class DeAndre Burks, the coxswain of the RB-M. “At the time of the original call for assistance, the boat was around four miles offshore, but the boaters absolutely did the right thing by heading to shore. By the time we arrived on scene, they were only one mile offshore and very close to capsizing.”

The rescue boatcrew identified a leak coming from the raw water suction tube below the main engine.

The boatcrew transported the three people to Station Toledo, and South Shore Towing towed their vessel to Meinke Marina in Curtice, Ohio.

USCG



Tall ships coming to Green Bay

6/5 - Green Bay, Wis. – Nine tall ships will be making their way to Green Bay this summer. Green Bay is the only Wisconsin port at which the ships are stopping on their Great Lakes tour.

The ships include the S/V Denis Sullivan, a 137-foot three-masted schooner based in Milwaukee, and the STV Unicorn, which is the only all-female crewed tall ship in the world. The largest ship at the festival is the 210-foot Sorlandet, which is a square-rigged ship built in Norway in 1927.

The Baylake Bank Tall Ship Festival will be Aug. 16-18 at Leicht Memorial Park in downtown Green Bay. Organizers expect the festival to draw an estimated 60,000 people.

Marquette Mining Journal

We'll be there by ROAMER via Fayette and Washington Island... ws

[yachtsmanwilly]

Today in Great Lakes History - June 6

On 06 June 1891, BAY CITY (wooden propeller freighter, 152 foot, 372 gross tons, built in 1867, at Marine City, Michigan) burned to a total loss while being repaired at the foot of Rivard Street in Detroit, Michigan. She was loaded with 300,000 feet of white pine lumber at the time. Her watchman reported the fire during the night and firemen thought they had it out, but it re-ignited and the vessel burned to a total loss. This ship had previously burned 20 years before on 10 April 1871, when she was on her first trip of the season after being rebuilt over the winter. Then she caught fire and burned nearly to the waterline but was rebuilt again and lasted until this last fire in 1891.

On 06 June 1917, ISABELLA J. BOYCE (wooden propeller sandsucker, 138 foot, 368 gross tons, built in 1889, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin as a freighter) grounded on Middle Bass Island in Lake Erie and then was destroyed by fire. No lives were lost.

In 1944, the C-4 bulk carrier MARINE ROBIN participated in the D-Day invasion at Normandy. In 1952, after conversion into a bulk freighter she began service in the lakes for M.A. Hanna Co., as b.) JOSEPH H. THOMPSON. She serves today as a tug barge combination created from the sections of the original vessel.

The E.B. BARBER (Hull#111) of the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., entered service on June 6, 1953, for Algoma Central Railway Ltd.

In 1953, the ARMCO (Hull#870) began her maiden voyage from Lorain, Ohio, for the Columbia Transportation Div., bound for Superior, Wisconsin, to load iron ore.

On June 6, 1959, the ADAM E. CORNELIUS (Hull#) 424) began her maiden voyage for the American Steamship Co., from Manitowoc, Wisconsin. This was the last Great Lakes vessel constructed with telescoping hatch covers. Sold Canadian and converted to a barge she was renamed b.) CAPT. EDWARD V. SMITH in 1988, and c.) SEA BARGE ONE in 1991 and d.) SARAH SPENCER in 1996.

Upper Lakes Shipping's POINTE NOIRE was in collision with Cleveland Tanker's SATURN on June 6, 1977, near Fighting Island in the Detroit River.

On 6 June 1869, ASA COVELL (wooden propeller tug, 20 gross tons, built in 1852, at Buffalo, New York) was towing the brig IROQUOIS up the Cuyahoga River at Cleveland when her boiler exploded and she sank. Her captain was killed when the pilothouse was blown into the river.

On 6 June 1883, HERCULES (wooden schooner-barge, 139 foot, 195 tons, built in 1867, at Algonac, Michigan) was upbound in the south bend of the St. Clair River near Algonac, Michigan when the CLARION (iron propeller package freighter, 240 foot, 1,711 gross tons, built in 1881, at Wyandotte, Michigan) overtook her and collided with her in broad daylight. HERCULES drifted to the bank, capsized and sank. No lives were lost.

1956: NEWBRUNDOC ran aground at Densmore Bay on the southeast side of Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence after straying out of the channel in fog. The ore-laden vessel, enroute from Contrecoeur to Buffalo, was released the next day.

1964: The Norwegian freighter FRO made 10 trips through the Seaway from 1961 to 1965. It ran aground at Milwaukee after loading 7500 tons of scrap for France on June 6, 1964, and was lightered to the YANKCANUCK before being refloated June 9.

1967: FRANKCLIFFE HALL ran aground off Hare Island, Lake Superior in dense fog and received heavy damage to bottom plates. The ship was lightered and released June 9 and went to the Davie shipyard for repairs. This vessel was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, as HALIFAX in 2011.

1967: AUGUSTUS B. WOLVIN struck the bank of the Welland Canal and grounded. A subsequent survey of the damage at Port Weller Dry Docks revealed it was not worth the cost of repairs and the ship was laid up and sold for scrap.

1982: ALGOSEA (i) rammed the west pier at Port Weller entering the Welland Canal in fog turning the bulbous bow by 90 degrees. The damaged ship was allowed to go to Thunder Bay for repairs. It became c) SAUNIERE later in 1982 and was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey, in 2011.



Wisconsin Maritime Museum looking for cardboard boat building teams

6/6 - Manitowoc, Wis. – As part of the city’s Fourth on the Shore July 4th celebration, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, is looking for teams to participate in its cardboard boat building event. Teams can pre-build a cardboard boat or build it on July 4th between noon and 3 p.m. at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. The entry fee is $15. All teams will be supplied with a large starter piece of cardboard. Building on the day of the event will be limited to six teams but anyone can pre-build and bring a boat. Complete registration information is at www.wisconsinmaritime.org/special-events/

To help anyone who’s interested in participating, the museum is also hosting a Cardboard Boat Building School on June 12 at 6 p.m. at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum.

The Cardboard Boat-A-Float challenge is an opportunity for anyone who would like to test their creative skill. Participants use large pieces of cardboard, waterproof glue and paint to create their own float. It’s a great opportunity for families to work together and there’s no need to use a hammer or saw to build a boat.

Once all the cardboard floats have been created on July 4th, they’ll be launched at 3:30 p.m. for a paddling competition. All teams are required to bring their own life jackets and paddles. This year, the build a boat competition changed from actual wooden boat construction to cardboard to allow more non builders to participate.


18 tall ships from around the world converge at Put-in-Bay

6/6 - Put-in-Bay, Ohio – On August 29, a total of 18 tall ships from around the world will navigate their way into the Western Basin of Lake Erie for The Battle of Lake Erie Bicentennial.

From Norway to Duluth, the tall ships of the past now call ports from all over the world home. With large crews, constant upkeep and a host of other responsibilities, unveiling these pristine wooden vessels is a massive undertaking.

Floating on the horizon with what looks like a scene out of the film “Master and Commander,” these historical work horses only make special, precisely timed appearances. Lucky for the residents and visitors of Put-in-Bay, Ohio, Miller Boat Line is sponsoring a visit by one of the most famous of them all, the U.S. Brig Niagara.

With The Battle of Lake Erie taking place just a few miles from Put-in-Bay and Oliver Hazard Perry’s headquarters on the island, the area was pivotal for its role in the battle. The Niagara also receives its numerous accolades from being Oliver Hazard Perry’s last-ditch effort in a decisive battle that eventually propelled him to an American victory over the British ensuring naval supremacy over the Great Lakes.

Thanks to Miller’s sponsorship of this amazing recreation of early 1800s engineering, visitors will get the chance to either witness the U.S. Niagara in battle from afar or take part in the skirmish up close.

For more information on The Battle of Lake Erie Bicentennial or the island of Put-in-Bay, please visit www.millerferry.com




Exploration of historic Sturgeon Bay shipwreck planned

6/6 - Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – The wreck of the schooner Adriatic is sitting in only 14 inches of water, but it contains more than 120 years of history. This week, the uncovering begins.

Meet the exploration team at an open house hosted by the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay on June 13 from 7-9 p.m. The divers from the Wisconsin Historical Society and Eastern Carolina University will be on hand to share their experiences exploring and documenting this unusual and historic shipwreck. The divers will share their work on the site plan, show pictures and video of the wreck and answer questions about the vessel and her history.

Backed by funding from the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, a pair of maritime archaeologists with the Wisconsin Historical Society leads a team of divers surveying the wreck of the Adriatic, a 202-foot wooden schooner retired and abandoned off the piers of the Bay Shipbuilding Company in Sturgeon Bay. The Adriatic is one of several ships built by the legendary timber magnate James Davidson, who continued to build and sail massive wooden vessels during the late 1800s, when others had moved on to iron and steel.

For the next two weeks, the team, led by Tamara Thomsen and Chad Gulseth, will spend their days measuring, sketching, photographing and mapping the Adriatic, a three-masted schooner barge built in 1889 and eventually converted to a self-unloading barge in 1914. The team includes 30 Maritime Studies graduate students from East Carolina University, including Caitlyn Zant, whose participation in the survey project is being funded by UW Sea Grant.

The Adriatic is one of eight Davidson vessels whose wrecks lay in Wisconsin waters. Four of them are currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Australasia, the wooden bulk carrier the dive team surveyed in the waters near Whitefish Dunes State Park last year. Of the Davidson wrecks, the Adriatic is the most accessible.

Ending up abandoned at a pier may not be as sexy as the storm-swept waters and sailors lost featured in the stories of other shipwrecks, but the Adriatic still has a strong historical significance.

“What’s interesting is that it’s the first self-unloading schooner barge to sail the Great Lakes,” says Gulseth, referring to the gigantic boom on the ship that made removing massive stone cargo simpler for sailors. “Some of that equipment is still on the site.”

The ship’s boom ended up killing the Adriatic’s captain when it fell on him in 1920. Ten years later, the ship was officially retired and abandoned. It remained where it rotted and sank, between the pilings where a floating dry dock is stored during the winter.

“A lot of wrecks we see in Sturgeon Bay are hulks, put in place as a breakwater,” explained Thomsen. “The Adriatic offered protection for the shipyard, preventing shoreline erosion and wave damage during storms.”

The fact that the Adriatic lies in shallow waters--some parts are in as little as one foot-- offers several advantages to the dive team. They’ll have warmer water in which to dive and greater light penetration to aid visibility. The team will also be able to communicate more easily with team members on the dive boats.

“This may be one of the few advantages of lower water levels in the Great Lakes,” quipped Thomsen.

Because the survey site is on private property and not easily accessible, the dive team has asked that interested members of the public join them at a meet-and-greet session scheduled for 7-9 p.m. on June 13 at the Door County Maritime Museum. “We are thrilled to join the team in sharing their fascinating work on this historic local shipwreck”, said museum director Bob Desh.

The event is free to the public. For more information visit www.dcmm.org or by call 920-743-5958.

[yachtsmanwilly]

Part of historic Detroit Dry Dock complex being demolished

6/7 - Detroit, Mich. – The main part of the historic 1892 Detroit Shipbuilding Company building, also known as the Dry Dock Complex, on Atwater Street is being demolished. The biggest part of this iconic Detroit structure is coming down, reports TV station Local 4.

The building has been home to the Detroit Dry Dock Company, Dry Dock Engine Works and the Detroit Shipbuilding Company. At one point it was owned by Detroit Edison Company and the Globe Trading Company, but has sat abandoned for more than a decade.

It's not clear how much of the building will be taken down. An outdoor adventure and discovery center will be built in its place.

Local 4 Detroit



Lakes seek parity for dredging and infrastructure needs

6/7 - Toledo, Ohio – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be required to treat the Great Lakes equally when it comes to prioritizing the nations dredging needs under legislation introduced in the House of Representatives on June 6. H.R. 2273, the Great Lakes Navigation System Sustainability Act, sponsored by Congresswoman Candice Miller (R-MI), would direct the Corps to aggregate the cargo tonnage of all 60 Federally-maintained ports for purposes of prioritizing annual operations and maintenance funding nationwide.

The Corps has taken a system approach to the Mississippi, Ohio, and Illinois rivers, but to date treated the Lakes as a collection of individual ports and pitted them against one another rather than acknowledge the economic benefits resulting from their interdependence.

“The Great Lakes have suffered greatly from the inequities inherent with treating some waterways as systems and others as individual ports,” said Donald N. Cree, President of Great Lakes Maritime Task Force, the leading coalition promoting shipping on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. “In some years the Ohio River System would get more than $1 of maintenance funding per ton of cargo handled while the Lakes, whose commerce is every bit as important to the nation, would get about $0.50 per ton of cargo moved. H.R. 2273 finally puts the Lakes on an even footing with the rest of the nation’s waterways.”

Original co-sponsors of the bill are Representatives Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Dan Benishek (R-MI), Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Brian Higgins (D-NY).




Today in Great Lakes History - June 7

1958, the largest freighter ever built on the Great Lakes slid down the ways at River Rouge, Michigan. The new freighter was christened by Mrs. Edmund Fitzgerald and named EDMUND FITZGERALD. The 729-foot FITZGERALD was owned by Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company and operated by Columbia Transportation under a 25-year bare boat charter.

In 1977, tugs refused to tow the new MESABI MINER out of the harbor due to high winds. Captain William McSweeney brought the MESABI MINER out under her own power to begin her maiden trip. On 07 June 1890, EMILY P. WEED (steel propeller freighter, 300 foot, 2,362 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler (Hull #69) at W. Bay City, Michigan for the Hollister Transportation Co. She lasted until 02 September 1905, when she stranded on Sand Island Reef, Apostle Islands on Lake Superior and broke in two.

On 07 June 1862, MORNING STAR (wooden side-wheel steamer, 248 foot, 1,265 gross tons) was launched by A. A. Turner at Trenton, Michigan. She only lasted until 1868, when she sank in Lake Erie in a collision with the bark COURTLAND.

In 1977, the WILLIAM A. IRVIN ran into the side of the Rock Cut after a power failure on board. The vessel received only slight damage. (For a more detailed account, read Jody Aho's book "The Steamer William A Irvin: Queen of the Silver Stackers").

On June 7, 1991, the ALPENA, the former LEON FRASER) began her maiden voyage as a cement carrier, departing Superior, Wisconsin, for her namesake port. Fraser Shipyards, which performed the conversion, took out a full-page ad in the Superior Evening Telegram proclaiming "INLAND LAKES MANAGEMENT, YOUR SHIP IS READY" and a picture of the vessel.

On 7 June 1859, COLUMBIA (2-mast wooden brig, 92 foot, 177 gross tons, built in 1842, at Sandusky, Ohio) broke up in a storm near Sherwood Point, Green Bay (Death's Door). She was famous for bringing the first load of copper ore from the Keweenaw Peninsula to through the Soo. She also brought the first locomotive to Marquette.

The METEOR (wooden steam barge, 201 foot, 729 gross tons, built in 1863, at Cleveland, Ohio) burned at Buckley's dock at the foot of 2nd Street in Detroit, Michigan on 7 June 1873. The fire supposedly started in her hold at 1:30 a.m. and was not discovered until it was too late. The ship burned to the waterline and sank. Some docks and warehouses also burned in this catastrophe. The wreck was raised in early September 1875, and towed to the foot of Belle Isle where the machinery and hull were sold at the U.S. Marshall's sale on 24 April 1876. Although originally thought to be the end of this vessel, the hull was purchased by Stephen B. Grummond of Detroit for $480. It was rebuilt as the schooner-barge NELSON BLOOM in 1882 and lasted until abandoned in 1925.

1894: The wooden steamer OCEAN received a massive hole in the bow after a collision with the barge KENT at Alexandria Bay on the St. Lawrence.

1902: The whaleback steamer THOMAS WILSON sank after a collision with the GEORGE G. HADLEY a mile off the Duluth piers while outbound with iron ore and nine lives were lost.

1915: JAMES B. EADS and the CHICAGO collided in the St. Clair River.

1941: The fish tug FINGLO caught fire and burned at Toronto. It was rebuilt for harbor duty as the steam tug H.J.D. NO. 1. In 1956-1957, the ship was unofficially renamed Salamander to star in the Canadian television series Tugboat Annie.

1971: SILVER CREST visited the Seaway in 1971 after previous calls as a) VIGRID in 1959 and 1963. It also returned as b) ROSTO in 1963 before becoming d) SILVER CREST in 1968. The ship stranded on Sisal Reef, in the Gulf of Mexico while enroute from Veracruz to Progresso, Mexico, but was refloated on June 12. The vessel arrived at Whampoa, China, for scrapping in July 1973.

1991: HERMES SCAN, a first time Seaway trader in 1977, sank in the Bay of Bengal as d) BRAUT TEAM after developing leaks the previous day. The heavy-lift vessel was reportedly carrying a Chinese steam locomotive for delivery to New York for the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad. All on board were saved.

[yachtsmanwilly]

Lake Michigan, Lake Huron levels will gain almost two feet this season

www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/now/wlevels/dbd/?utm_source=Email+Created+2013%2F04%2F09%2C+11%3A01+AM&utm_campaign=April+9+Email&utm_medium=email


6/8 - Lake Michigan and Lake Huron should climb almost two feet from the low water level this past February. The Army Corps of Engineers in Detroit is forecasting a total rise of 20 inches from this past February to this coming July.

The normal water level cycle has water levels bottoming around March 1, and then rising to the high water mark in July. So, the water level is still going up, and should top out sometime in July.

The water level on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron is expected to go up another six inches between now and the high water time.

May rainfall across the Lake Michigan- Lake Huron drainage basin was above normal, but only by a small margin. The Lake Michigan-Lake Huron drainage basin averaged 3.36" of rain, which is .31" above normal. Lake Superior had 4.35" of precipitation in May on its entire drainage basin. That amount of precipitation was 1.59", representing much above normal precipitation.

The heavy rain in April and the above normal rainfall in May continues to make a sharp rise in lake levels. Lake Michigan-Lake Huron rose seven inches in May. Lake Superior also rose seven inches in May.

If the lakes rise another six inches, as expected, the 20 inch seasonal rise would be eight inches more than normal. This is a big rise compared to last year, when Lake Michigan-Lake Huron only rose four inches.

Because of the rise in the water level on Lake Superior, the outflow of water into Lake Huron through the St. Marys River has been increased by 500 cubic feet per second.

This means more water is also being put into Lake Michigan-Lake Huron from Lake Superior. One inch of water on Lake Michigan-Lake Huron or Lake Superior is 800 billion gallons of water.

So the gain of water in Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Lake Huron during May represents over 11 trillion gallons of water. That's a lot of water.

However Lake Michigan-Lake Huron is still 19 inches below the long term water level average.

What would it take to bring it back to normal levels? The Army Corps of Engineers says that it would take several seasons with a wet, cool weather pattern like the one we've been in since January. So we would need a cool, wet summer. We would also need to have a cool, wet fall and a snowy winter next winter.

If that happens, a lot of boating concerns would be eased.

Mlive



Busy night for Canadian Coast Guard in Niagara

6/8 - St. Catharines, Ont. - It was a stormy night for Harry Duerksen. The St. Catharines man is heartbroken, but otherwise OK after a harrowing couple of hours Wednesday night that saw his sailboat destroyed in rough water near Jordan.

The 30-foot boat he just bought in Georgia over the winter is now on its side up against the rocks below the bridge leading into Jordan Harbour.

The mast, which was resting against the bridge when Duerksen and a friend abandoned ship Wednesday night, has now snapped off the deck and is laying across the rocks.

From the bridge, you can look down into the boat's galley at pieces of wood and other debris floating in the water that came pouring in when jagged rocks pierced the hull.

“My pride is a little bit injured thinking what I could have done differently, but there's not too much you can do,” said Duerksen, 54. “The wave action was pretty powerful. The main thing is we were both safe.”

Duerksen and his friend left the Beacon Harbourside Yacht Club marina around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in what was only his fifth trip on the sailboat named Clairvoyant.

The two sailed out toward Hamilton and were returning to the marina around 7:30 p.m. Boats have to enter the marina under engine power, so Duerksen lowered the sail and fired up the small engine used to navigate. But as the 34-year-old sailboat neared the marina entrance, the engine stopped and the boat started moving toward the shoreline under the power of the waves.

As the boat's keel hit the ground, Duerksen was able to get the engine running again, but it wasn't powerful enough to overpower the waves.

“Once it was hitting on the ground, it couldn't plow through. It just got too rough,” he said. “I knew we were in trouble and I called in a mayday.”

The waves continued to batter the sailboat and pushed it into the rocks below the QEW and north service road bridge.

Duerksen said it was like riding a “bucking bronco” until the two could safely climb off the deck and onto the rocks.

The man said the $8,000 boat was a complete write-off and that his insurance company was arranging its removal from the rocks.

He said Wednesday night's adventure won't stop him from sailing in the future.

“I enjoy sailing so much I can't see myself giving it up just because of this,” said Duerksen, who still has an older 27-foot sailboat he now plans to restore and use. “Maybe if it had have been different and it was in the middle of the ocean where we were stuck in the water for 24 hours. But here, we could just walk off the boat.”

The mayday call was the third of four Wednesday night for the Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue station at Port Weller.

Captain Larry Trudell said the four calls came in between 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.

“It's early in the season. There's not a lot happening and people are testing their skills a little bit. It's not uncommon for minor accidents like this,” he said.

The first call was for a report of a crew member on a sailboat about three kilometres off of Port Dalhousie who was injured. Trudell said the mast aboard the 25-foot sailboat Undercover broke while the sailboat was making a turn during a race on Lake Ontario. The 250-pound section of mast hit a man in the back when it fell. The boat returned to Port Dalhousie and the man was taken to St. Catharines hospital with minor injuries.

At 7:21 p.m., the Coast Guard was called back out to Lake Ontario to evacuate a man on a ship who had unintentionally ingested bleach. He was brought back to the Port Weller station, where Niagara EMS workers took him to St. Catharines hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

As the Coast Guard rescue vessel Cape Storm was en route to Duerksen's mayday, another call came in for a possible missing kayaker near Burlington. The Coast Guard boat headed there while a police boat responded to Jordan.

The missing person report in Burlington turned out to be an act of vandalism, with someone untying the kayak and setting it free in Lake Ontario.

Busy Wednesday night for Canadian Coast Guard
6:45 p.m. – Sailboat loses its mast near Port Dalhousie. Man on board with minor injuries.
7:21 p.m. - Crewman on-board salt water vessel Shimanto 7 km from Port Weller accidentally ingests bleach, has to be evacuated to hospital.
7:56 p.m. - Sailboat near Jordan calls in a mayday after losing power and hitting rocks.
8:00 p.m. - Empty kayak washes ashore in Burlington. Initially thought to be a missing person, but turned out to be vandalism.

St. Catharines Standard




Today in Great Lakes History - June 8

June 8 1951, CLIFFS VICTORY entered Cleveland with a load of iron ore from Marquette. The VICTORY completed the one-way trip in 37 hours - 20 hours faster than the best previous time.

On 08 June 1854, J. YOUNG SCAMMON (2-mast wooden brig, built in 1845, at Chicago, Illinois) was sheltering from a storm at S. Manitou Island on Lake Michigan when she dragged her anchors, stranded and broke in three pieces. She was driven in so close to the shore that the crew was able to use a broken spar to climb to the beach. No lives lost.

On 08 June 1897, RITA MC DONALD (wooden propeller tug, 72 foot, 69 gross tons) was launched by J. Davidson (Hull #84) at West Bay City, Michigan. She lasted until 1920, when she was abandoned in Chicago, Illinois.

In 1978, the LEWIS WILSON FOY was christened for the Bethlehem Steel Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) OGLEBAY NORTON in 1991. She now sails as AMERICAN INTEGRITY.

In 1938, the GOVERNOR MILLER (Hull#810) a sister ship to the WILLIAM A. IRVIN, began her maiden voyage, leaving Lorain, Ohio. The GOVERNOR MILLER was only the second Great Lakes vessel to be powered by a steam turbine with a direct drive to the propeller shaft via reduction gear.

In 1976 - the Midwest Energy Terminal at Superior, Wisconsin, loaded its first cargo of low-sulfur coal. The steamer JOHN J. BOLAND of 1953, took the honors as the first vessel to load at this dock. She was sold Canadian and renamed b.) SAGINAW in 1999.

On this date in 1977, the HARRY .L ALLEN was the first freighter to load at Burlington Northern's Dock #5 in Superior, Wisconsin.

On 8 June 1847, CHESAPEAKE (wooden side-wheeler, 172 foot, 412 tons, built in 1838, at Maumee, Ohio) was fully laden and had 97 aboard when she rammed the schooner JOHN F PORTER on a dark night off Conneaut, Ohio. As she started to sink, she was run to shore in an effort to save her, but she sank a mile short of the beach. Lake Erie was fairly calm and the crew and passengers tried to get to shore in boats and makeshift rafts. Most made it and many were also picked up by the steamer HARRISON. Estimates of the number of dead vary from 7 to 13. The wooden side-wheel tug and upriver packet TRAFFIC (75 foot, 50 tons, built in 1853, at St. Clair, Michigan) sank near Sebewaing, Michigan on 8 June 1868. She was recovered and repaired, but only lasted a little longer than a year since she burned in Saginaw in October 1869.

1933: WILHELMINE, dated from 1888 and was one of the world's earliest tankers, ran aground off Morgan Point, west of Port Colborne, while enroute from Chicago to Liverpool with 2,700,000 lbs of lard. The crew were removed and the ship abandoned. The hull was refloated June 3 but was not repaired and may have been dismantled at Ashtabula.

1954: The tug EDWARD C. WHALEN sank in Lake Superior near Corbeil Point. It was salvaged in 1955 and rebuilt a decade later as b) JOHN McLEAN. It survives in the Purvis Marine fleet as c) ADANAC.

1977: CYDONIA first came through the Seaway in 1962 and returned as b) VERMONT I in 1969. It was under tow due to rudder damage as e) JOY when a fire broke out in the engineroom near the mouth of the Mississippi River. The vessel was rocked by three explosions and sank in the Gulf of Mexico.