Today in Great Lakes History

[yachtsmanwilly]

Barge towed by Evans McKeil sinks in Picton Bay

3/30 - Kingston, Ont. – Officials in Prince Edward County are reassuring residents that a partially submerged barge in Picton Bay, about 60 kilometres southwest of Kingston, poses little risk to the environment.

The bow of the Pitts Carillon, a 27-metre barge owned by Galcon Marine, is resting in shallow waters after it began taking on water late Thursday, according to McKeil Marine, the company that was chartering the vessel and is now taking responsibility for the salvage operation. The barge's stern remains afloat, the company said. In a statement Monday, McKeil Marine said the barge poses "little risk to the environment."

"The barge is stable," according to the company's director of project management Chris Kirby, who's overseeing the salvage operation. "We have developed a recovery plan which was reviewed by the Coast Guard and Transport Canada. We have assembled a team of experts and taken all necessary precautions to ensure utmost safety throughout the operation."

It's believed the partially submerged barge contains about 1,200 litres of diesel fuel and 100 litres of hydraulic fluid. The fuel tanks remain intact, but the company deployed a pollution boom around the barge as a precaution. Divers hired to inspect the barge have confirmed no pollutants have contaminated the bay, according to Prince Edward County.

"I am assured there is no immediate danger and no spill occurred," said Coun. Lenny Epstein on Facebook. "I don't say that to minimize it nor to diminish but to reassure." The county said it has taken all necessary precautions to protect the local drinking water system, and said a sufficient supply of drinking water exists in municipal reservoirs in the event that pollution is detected.

McKeil Marine said the barge was towed from the Port of Toronto on Wednesday and arrived at Picton Terminal Thursday evening. Early Friday morning the crew of the tug noticed the barge listing to one side and set up a pump in an attempt to right it. There were no injuries.

CBC


Newly discovered shipwreck in Lake Superior offers stunning window into the past

3/30 - It was near midnight in early May 1884 when the J.S. Seaverns went down off the north shore of Lake Superior. The ship had run against some rocks on its way out of nearby Michipicoten Harbor. And while all aboard made it to shore alive, the ship was swallowed up by the lake, abandoned and forgotten. Until now.

Dan Fountain calls the Seaverns “one of the best preserved shipwrecks" he's ever seen. Fountain is the sleuth responsible for uncovering the site of the 132 year-old shipwreck. He was inspecting nautical charts more than a decade ago when he noticed a symbol representing a wreck in Michipicoten Bay.

Several years later, and with the help of sonar, a team of wreck divers descended through the frigid waters of Lake Superior to the site of the almost-forgotten vessel.

“We were all amazed at the condition of the wreck,” Fountain said. The deck of the vessel, which was carrying supplies for contractors working on the Canadian Pacific Railroad, had collapsed. But the lower cabins remained intact. "We were able to look into some of the crew accommodations," he said, "We were able to look into the galley and see dishes still on the shelves.”

Fountain said the cold water in Lake Superior helped preserve the shipwreck. So too did the lake’s lack of invasive mussels; in the other Great Lakes, this vessel likely would have been covered with quagga and zebra mussels.

Listen to the report at this link: michiganradio.org/post/newly-discovered-shipwreck-lake-superior-offers-stunning-window-past


The tanker CHEMICAL MAR arrived at Brownsville, Texas on March 30, 1983, in tow of the tug FORT LIBERTE to be scrapped. Built in 1966, as a.) BIRK. In 1979, she was renamed b.) COASTAL TRANSPORT by Hall Corp. of Canada, but never came to the lakes. She was sold by Hall and was renamed c.) CHEMICAL MAR in 1981.

March 30, 1985 - CITY OF MIDLAND's departure was delayed when her anchor snagged one that she had lost in Pere Marquette Lake the previous summer.

March 30, 1900, the carferry ANN ARBOR NO 2, grounded on the rocks east of the approach to the channel at Manistique, Michigan. She was pulled off quickly by the ANN ARBOR NO 3 and the tug GIFFORD. She was found to have bent a propeller shaft and broken rudder, resulting in a trip to the drydock at Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

1917: GERMANIC was the last wooden passenger ship built in Collingwood. It was completed there in 1899 and burned there, at the dock, on this date in 1917. The ship was part of Canada Steamship Lines at the time of loss. The hull settled on the bottom but was raised, towed towards Wasaga Beach, and run aground. The remains were torn apart for firewood during the Depression.

1940: The first THORDOC, a) J.A. McKEE, stranded at Winging Point, 10 miles southwest of Louisbourg, N.S., due to heavy fog. The ship was abandoned on April 1 and declared a total loss. This member of the Paterson fleet had been travelling in ballast and had been involved in Great Lakes trading since 1908.

[yachtsmanwilly]

On 31 March 1971, the American Steamship Company's RICHARD J. REISS grounded at Stoneport, Michigan, while moving away from the dock. She damaged her number nine tank.

Christening ceremonies took place at St. Catharines, Ontario, on March 31, 1979, for d.) CANADIAN PROSPECTOR, lengthened by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd.

ROGER M. KYES (Hull#200) was launched March 31, 1973, at Toledo, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. Renamed b.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS in 1989.

WILLIAM R. ROESCH was renamed b) DAVID Z. NORTON in christening ceremonies at Cleveland, Ohio, on March 31, 1995. The PAUL THAYER was also renamed, EARL W. OGLEBAY, during the same ceremonies.

JOSEPH S. WOOD was sold to the Ford Motor Co. and towed from her winter lay-up berth at Ashtabula, Ohio, on March 31, 1966, to the American Ship Building's Toledo, Ohio, yard for her five-year inspection. A 900 h.p. bowthruster was installed at this time. She would be rechristened as c.) JOHN DYKSTRA two months later.

The steamer b.) J. CLARE MILLER was launched March 31, 1906, as a.) HARVEY D. GOULDER (Hull#342) at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co., for W.A. & A.H. Hawgood of Cleveland, Ohio.

On March 31, 1927, the WILLIAM MC LAUGHLAN entered service for the Interlake Steamship Co. when she departed Sandusky, Ohio for Superior, Wisconsin, on her maiden trip. Later renamed b.) SAMUEL MATHER in 1966, sold Canadian in 1975, renamed c.) JOAN M. MC CULLOUGH, and finally d.) BIRCHGLEN in 1982. Scrapped at Point Edward, Nova Scotia, by Universal Metal Co. Ltd.

On 31 March 1874, E. H. MILLER (wooden propeller tug, 62 foot, 30 gross tons) was launched at Chesley A. Wheeler's yard in E. Saginaw, Michigan. The power plant from the 1865, tug JENNIE BELL was installed in her. She was renamed RALPH in 1883, and spent most of her career as a harbor tug in the Alpena area. She was abandoned in 1920.

1974: The nine-year old Liberian freighter CAPE PALMAS first came through the Seaway in 1969 after it had been purchased from Swedish interests. The vessel was at Bilbao, Spain, undergoing repairs, on March 31, 1974, when a blaze broke out aft and caused extensive damage. This was repaired and the ship resumed trading. It was converted to the cement carrier c) ASANO in 1978 and served until arriving at Shanghai, China, for scrapping on September 10, 1993.

1999: VARADERO was the first new ship of the 1991 season to use the Seaway. It was bound for Toronto with a cargo of sugar. This bulk carrier was sailing as e) MANPOK, and under North Korean registry, when it sank on this date in 1999 following a collision with HYUNDAI DUKE some 500 miles off Colombo, Sri Lanka, while inbound from Jakarta, Indonesia, with a cargo of cement. Two crew members were rescued while another 37 were posted as missing.

2011: BBC STEINHOEFT got stuck in the Seaway on this date in 2011. The Liberian registered freighter had just been renamed at Toronto, having entered the lakes as BELUGA FUSION. It lost power near the St. Lambert Lock and ended up sideways and blocking the channel until she was refloated and realigned.

[yachtsmanwilly]

On 01 April 1887, W. T. Botsford & Company of Port Huron, Michigan bought the COLORADO (wooden propeller package freighter, 254 foot, 1,470 gross tons, built in 1867, at Buffalo, New York). She was added to their two other vessels: DEAN RICHMOND and ROANOKE.

STEWART J. CORT was commissioned on April 1, 1972.

In April 1965, Interlake's steamer J. A. CAMPBELL was renamed c.) BUCKEYE MONITOR after being purchased by the Buckeye Steamship Co.

Realizing that the bulk trades were too competitive, Captain John Roen's Roen Transportation Co. sold the CAPTAIN JOHN ROEN to the American Steamship Co. (Boland & Cornelius, mgr.) on April 1, 1947, for $915,000.

ROY A. JODREY started her first full season opening navigation at the Soo Locks April 1, 1966, with a load of stone for Algoma Steel.

Dismantling of the G. A. TOMLINSON, a.) D. O. MILLS, began in Ashtabula, Ohio, on April 1, 1980, and was completed eight months later.

April 1, 1903 - Gus Kitzinger of the Pere Marquette Line steamers, acquired the PERE MARQUETTE 3 & 4 from the Pere Marquette Railway Co.

Sailors at Chicago went on strike on 1 April 1871, for an increase in pay. They were getting $1.50 a day. Some ship owners offered $1.75 but when word came that the Straits of Mackinac were clear of ice, the sailors demanded the unheard of daily wage of $3.25. Although some ships stayed in port, the $1.75 wage was accepted and the barks MARY PEREW, J G MASTEN and C J WELLS, along with the schooners DONALDSON, PATHFINDER and CHAMPION set sail on 1 April 1871

On 1 April 1904, CONDOR (2-mast wooden schooner, 58 foot, 22 gross tons, built in 1871, at Sheboygan, Wisconsin), while lying at anchor in the Kalamazoo River at Singapore, Michigan, was crushed by ice moving out in the spring breakup.

1941: ROBERT W. POMEROY had served the Eastern Steamship Co. as well as Upper Lakes & St. Lawrence Transportation Co. while on the Great Lakes from 1923 to 1940. It went overseas and worked for the British Ministry of War Transport hauling coal on coastal routes. While north bound on April 1, 1942, the ship hit a mine and, four minutes later, a second mine and went down in the North Sea off Norfolk, U.K. Twenty-two survived although two were injured when the boiler exploded.

1942: The Norwegian salty GUDVANG came to the Great Lakes in 1939. It was intercepted by a German patrol boat between Denmark and Norway, while trying to escape to England, on this date in 1942. The ship was sunk by gunfire and the crew became prisoners of war.

1968: GHISLAIN was more at home on the St. Lawrence, but had delivered pulpwood to the Great Lakes in the late 1960s. It had several escapades during these years including a grounding while entering Yarmouth, NS with 1400 tons of herring on this date in 1968. The vessel was repaired at Liverpool, NS. It was listed as g) ANIK in 1974 and in need of repairs. While it was not deleted from LR until 1986, the ship was likely broken up in the mid-1970s.

1983: REGENT MARIGOLD visited the Great Lakes in 1975 under Panamanian registry. It was sailing as d) LEXINGTON when the hull fractured in a storm while en route from Bukpyong, South Korea, to Bangladesh. It went down on this date about 200 miles northwest of Penang, Malaysia.

A total of 60 ore boats departed Cleveland between March 31 and April 2 to start the 1948 shipping season.

On 02 April 1900, the JOHN MINER (wooden 3-mast schooner, 134 foot, 273 gross tons, built in 1866, at Detroit, Michigan as a bark) was purchased by S. R. Chamberlain from Frank Higgie for $800. She only lasted until 19 October 1902, when she was lost in a storm on Lake Huron.

On April 2, 1951, CLIFFS VICTORY was towed, bound for New Orleans, Louisiana, with her deck houses, stack, propeller, rudder and above deck fittings stored on or below her spar deck for bridge clearance. She was outfitted with two 120-foot pontoons, which were built at the Baltimore yard, that were attached to her hull at the stern to reduce her draft to eight feet for passage in the shallow sections of the river/canal system.

LEON FALK JR. was launched April 2, 1945, as a.) WINTER HILL, a T2-SE-Al, World War II, a single-screw fuel tanker for U.S. Maritime Commission.

CLIFFORD F. HOOD was launched April 2, 1902, as the straight deck bulk freighter a.) BRANSFORD for the Bransford Transit Co., (W. A. Hawgood, mgr.).

SENATOR OF CANADA sailed under her own power on April 2, 1985, to Toronto, Ontario, where she was put into ordinary next to her fleet mate the QUEDOC. She was scrapped in Venezuela in 1986.

WHEAT KING was lengthened by an addition of a 172 foot 6 inch mid-section (Hull #61) and received a 1,000 h.p. bowthruster. This work reportedly cost $3.8 million Canadian and was completed on April 2, 1976.

On April 2, 1953, the straight deck bulk freighter J. L. MAUTHE (Hull#298) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works entered service for Interlake Steamship Co. She operates currently for Interlake as the self-unloading barge PATHFINDER.

April 2, 1975 - The State of Michigan filed a Federal Court suit to stop the Grand Trunk Railway from selling the GRAND RAPIDS. It was felt that selling the ferry would build a stronger case for abandonment of the entire ferry service.

On 2 April 1874, A. H. HUNTER (wooden propeller tug, 58 foot, 28 gross tons) was launched at Saginaw, Michigan. She was built for Donnelly & Clark of Saginaw by Wheeler. The engine was built by Bartlett & Co. of Saginaw. Her boiler and some other equipment were from the almost new tug KATY REID that burned at Salzburg, Michigan in October 1873.

1976: WHEAT KING was refloated at Port Weller Dry Docks. It had arrived on December 12, 1975, and was lengthened to 730 feet over the winter. The ship would only sail six years with the new dimensions and was retired at the end of the 1981 season.


On 03 April 1969, RALPH MISENER (steel propeller bulk freighter, 730 foot, 19,160 gross tons, built in 1967, at Montreal, Quebec) suffered serious fire damage to her engine room during fit-out at Port Colborne, Ontario. She went overseas for scrap in 2012 as b.) GORDON C. LEITCH (ii).

On April 3, 1991, the pilothouse of the WILLIAM CLAY FORD of 1953 was moved by a barge towed by Gaelic tug's CAROLYN HOEY and placed on a specially built foundation at the Dossin Museum for display facing the Detroit River as a fully equipped pilothouse.

The tanker a.) TEMBLADOR (Hull#15) of the Barnes Ð Duluth Shipbuilding Co., was launched April 3, 1943, for the Creole Petroleum Corp, for off lakes use. She later sailed on the lakes as b.) LIQUILASSIE.

On 3 April 1872, the passenger/package freight steam barge ROBERT HOLLAND was launched at Marine City, Michigan. She was towed to Detroit by the propeller TRADER to have her machinery installed.

On 3 April 1876, the Port Huron Times reported "The wreck of the schooner HARMONICA, which has been missing for a month or more, has been discovered on the beach near Whitehall, Michigan completely buried in the ice. Four are supposed to have perished."

On 3 April 1894, WILLIAM H. BARNUM (wooden propeller freighter, 219 foot, 937 gross tons, built in 1873, at Detroit, Michigan) was carrying corn on her first trip of the season. She was reportedly in poor condition and was insured only for this voyage. Her hull was cut by floating ice and she sank in the Straits of Mackinac about two miles east of present Mackinac Bridge. The tug CRUSADER got her crew off before she sank.

1942: The second TABORFJELL to visit the Great Lakes for the Fjell Line was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic east of New Jersey on this date by U-576. The vessel was en route from Matanzas, Cuba, to New York and Montreal with sugar. The three survivors waited for 20 hours before being rescued. Another 17 crewmates perished. The 1339 gross ton vessel first came inland shortly after being delivered in August 1938.

1975: The self-unloader J.W. McGIFFIN of Canada Steamship Lines was blown aground in the Welland Canal near Thorold. Two holes were punched in the hull and they were repaired at Port Weller Dry Docks. The ship was rebuilt as CSL NIAGARA in 1999.


4/2 - Lorain, Ohio – The shipping season has begun for the port of Lorain. The tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort and barge Erie Trader passed by Lorain’s Charles Berry Bascule Bridge on March 24. The arrival marked the opening the 2017 shipping season.

A total of 978,733 tons of material passed through the port in 2015, the most recent year figures available. The numbers were published by the Navigation Data Center of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Lorain ranks 144th among 150 American ports listed in those figures. It also was the lowest among Ohio cities shipping materials in and out via water. It appears Lorain’s tonnage could be declining due to the steel mills not taking in any iron ore, said Glen Nekvasil, vice president of the Rocky River-based Lake Carriers’ Association.

“The limestone and gypsum the last couple years have not been exactly gangbusters,” Nekvasil added, referring to two materials shipped in for construction.

Lorain Port Authority Executive Director Tom Brown agreed the total amount of materials would increase if the steel mills began producing and needed more iron ore. Now, the goal is to spread the word about available land, docks and shipping capacity in Lorain, Brown said.

Lorain still has at least three companies using lake and river shipping of materials for construction, he said. They are Jonick Dock & Terminal; AMCOR; and Terminal Ready-Mix Inc., according to the Lorain Port Authority and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Lorain is not the only port struggling on the Great Lakes, Brown said. However, if Lorain’s shipping amounts drop too much, there is a chance the city will become a lower priority for dredging, he said. Lorain is considered a deep draft commercial harbor with depths ranging from 29 feet in the entrance channel to 17 feet in the Black River turning basins, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees dredging.

About 200,000 cubic yards of material is scooped up from the Black River bottom every three years, according to the Corps. Lorain last was dredged in 2016 and is on a cycle for future dredging every two to three years, depending on availability of funding, according to the Corps. Without the dredging, the Port of Lorain will not be deep enough for freighters, Brown said.

Lorain’s maritime history has been documented, but may be overlooked in modern times. Shipbuilding began in Lorain in 1820, according to the Lorain historical timeline published by the Lorain Public Library System.

In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire created demand for Amherst Quarries Stone shipped on Lake Erie from the Oak Point Pier. In 1874, the first shipment of coal arrived in the city, “off-loaded onto wheelbarrows,” according to the Library System’s historical timeline.

As for the start of this year’s shipping season in Lorain, the tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort and barge Erie Trader carried 32,000 tons of stone loaded at Marblehead, Bansek said.

Lorain Morning Journal


4/2 - Mackinaw City, Mich. – The armed sloop Welcome, a replica 18th century fur trading ship in storage since it was purchased by Emmet County for $1 in 2015, has a new owner in Mackinaw City.

An agreement between Rum Runners Inc., a venture owned by businessman Joe Lieghio of Mackinaw City, and Emmet County was approved by county officials earlier in March.

The bid was for the purchase of the ship, in its current condition, for a lump sum payment of $10,111. The ship will be removed from its storage location near the Headlands park within 90 days of the agreement's approval. Emmet County has already received payment for the ship.

The county took ownership of the sloop in 2015, through an agreement with the Maritime Heritage Alliance of Traverse City. The ship was constructed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission at Mackinaw City's Fort Michilimackinac in the 1970s as a commemoration to the country's bicentennial.

The ship was acquired by the Maritime Heritage Alliance in 1992. The county and the alliance reached an agreement, where the county would purchase the ship for $1.

The previously built storage facility for the ship, which cost $240,000, will continue to be used for equipment and storage for Emmet County's park services, according to Emmet County administrator Marty Krupa.

Petoskey News Review


4/1 - Lansing, Mich. – Michigan officials are taking a two-pronged approach to influence a federal study underway to determine the economic feasibility of building a second 1,000-foot commercial shipping lock in Sault Ste. Marie.

John Walsh, strategy director for Gov. Rick Snyder's office, said Michigan will formally request changes to a dated U.S. Army Corps of Engineers policy that's limiting the scope of a cost-benefit analysis on rebuilding the Soo Locks.

Simultaneously, Walsh said Michigan plans to prove that an unexpected breakdown of the Poe Lock -- the only shipping chamber in Sault Ste. Marie large enough to handle most of the ships moving iron ore -- would idle more than just the regional and Michigan economy.

"We're trying to argue that our regional impact is a national impact," said Walsh, who was among a handful of representatives from the governor's office that met with the Army Corps team developing the study this week in West Virginia.

"Our homework is to prove that."

The March 27 meeting yielded new insights into how the Army Corps is approaching its study of a long sought-after Soo Locks upgrade that Great Lakes shipping interests have been pressing for years but which has never moved much beyond its initial Reagan era Congressional authorization 31 years ago.

Read more at this link


4/1 - At the request of local officials, the United States Coast Guard will conduct icebreaking operations in the Keweenaw Waterway beginning the week of April 3.

A cutter, yet to be named, will make its approach to the waterway from the east and enter at Keweenaw Bay. The cutter will transit west through Portage Lake ending at the upper entry and exiting into the open waters of Lake Superior. All recreational users of the Keweenaw Waterway should plan their activities carefully, and use caution near the ice.

USCG


4/1 - Erie, Pa. – The massive dry dock at Erie's Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair isn't always as dry as the name would suggest. Puddles of water could be seen throughout the southern end of the space Tuesday as employees worked to make repairs on the Atlantic Enterprise, a 230-foot Canadian fishing trawler.

But the puddles, a product of poor drainage and stormwater infiltration, aren't the only thing that ails the dry dock, a key feature of the shipbuilding facility owned by the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority and leased to Donjon.

“I don't think any significant improvements have been made to the dry dock since its original construction," in the 1960s, said Brenda Sandberg, the authority's executive director. That's about to change.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has awarded the port authority $3 million to make repairs to the dry dock, a massive space that can be flooded to allow boats in and then drained to allow workers to repair them. The goal is to ensure the safety of employees and the business growth potential of the 18-acre shipyard at the foot of Holland Street, which has been leased to New Jersey-based Donjon since December 2009.

"The dry dock is in pretty rough shape," said John Nekoloff, Donjon's safety / environmental and subcontracts manager.

Bids are due in mid-April for the first phase of the project, which will fix drainage issues, address concerns about storm water infiltration, remove the top two inches of crumbling concrete, install steel reinforcing rods and a top coat of six inches of new concrete, Sandberg said. Because of the uneven surface, Donjon employees sometimes struggle to provide level blocking beneath ships as repairs are made.

This isn't the first time state money has been used to upgrade the port-owned shipyard to the benefit of Donjon and its predecessors.

Even before this latest round of funding, the port and its tenants had secured more than $10 million to upgrade the shipyard in recent years.

GoErie.com

[yachtsmanwilly]

4/4 - Cleveland, Ohio – Coast Guard aids to navigation teams throughout the Ninth Coast Guard District began restoring the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway aids to navigation March 28. Slightly more than 11 percent of the operation has been completed.

Operation Spring Restore involves placing approximately 1,216 navigational aids, including lighted and unlighted buoys and beacons. Roughly half of the aids in the region are taken out of service during the winter due to decreased vessel traffic and to minimize damage from ice and inclement weather. This is known as Operation Fall Retrieve.

The aids put into service during Operation Spring Restore are all floating aids. All have a purpose and help in determining location, as well as facilitating the safe transit of more than 100 million tons of cargo between U.S. ports in the Great Lakes and to international ports via the St. Lawrence Seaway and Atlantic Ocean.

The Ninth District’s aids to navigation system ensures safe and efficient maritime activity on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway regions by marking safe passage for domestic, international, commercial and recreational vessel traffic. On the Great Lakes, the Coast Guard manages 2,557 federal aids.

To accomplish Operation Spring Restore, the Ninth District uses six U.S. Coast Guard cutters, five aids-to-navigation teams and two small boat stations with aids to navigation duties. The Coast Guard is assisted in this endeavor by the Lamplighters (a group of civilian employees who manage the inland waters of northern Minnesota), the Canadian Coast Guard and the St. Lawrence Seaway Corporation.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary also helps the district with verification of approximately 1,700 privately-owned aids to navigation in the region.

USCG


Historic Delta Queen riverboat gets Senate approval to resume cruises

4/4 - Washington, D.C. – The historic Delta Queen riverboat has cleared a major hurdle to again cruise U.S. waterways.

After years of failed attempts, the U.S. Senate voted 85-12 Monday to waive the safety standards against wooden ships carrying more than 50 passengers overnight — as long as the vessels met new requirements and passed an annual inspection by the Coast Guard. The measure now goes to the House.

If those changes are enacted, the 1920s-era Delta Queen will resume its trips along with Mississippi and Ohio rivers, docking in 80 ports including Kimmswick in Jefferson County.

Sen. Claire McCaskill, who co-sponsored the measure with Sen. Roy Blunt, pointed to a report that says putting the Delta Queen back in service will create 170 new jobs and deliver a $36 million annual economic boost for the St. Louis region.

“The Delta Queen is an important piece of history. The vessel connects us to a time before railroads and highways, when rivers were key arteries of travel and commerce in this country,” McCaskill said on the Senate floor.

The 88-room steamship carried three presidents and served as a World War II Navy ship, and it’s been designated a National Historic Landmark.

To assuage critics of the measure who have worried the ship poses a fire risk, the measure passed Monday requires the ship’s owners to install new boilers and generators, along with replacing at least 10 percent of the vessel’s flammable material each year.

In a statement, Blunt called the Delta Queen a “remarkable part of our nation’s history,” adding that restoring it to full operation will “create jobs, support economic growth, and enhance our state’s tourism industry.”

St. Louis Post Dispatch



04 April 1903: The first steamer to pass upbound through the Straits of Mackinac was the LUZON (steel propeller bulk freighter, 353 foot 3,582 gross tons, built in 1902 at Chicago, Illinois). She was heavily coated with ice, even to the top of the pilothouse due to fighting a gale on Lake Huron.

On 04 April 1908, ALEXIS W. THOMPSON (steel propeller bulk freighter, 504 foot, 6,437 gross tons) was launched by West Bay City Shipbuilding Co. (Hull #625) at W. Bay City, Michigan for Valley Steamship Co. (W.H. Becker, Mgr.). She lasted until 1962, when she was towed to Hamilton, Ontario, for scrapping by Steel Co. of Canada, Ltd.

The keel was laid at Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on April 4, 1978, for the Columbia Transportation Div., Oglebay Norton Co.'s FRED R. WHITE JR (Hull#722).

Sea trials of the tanker ROBERT W. STEWART (Hull#802) of American Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, Ohio were run on April 4, 1928. Renamed b.) AMOCO MICHIGAN in 1962, she was sold off the lakes in 1969 and renamed c.) SHUKHEIR. Scrapped in Egypt in 1989.

WILLIAM C. ATWATER (Hull#249) was launched on April 4, 1925, by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, for the Wilson Transit Co. Renamed b.) E. J. KULAS in 1936, c.) BEN MOREELL in 1953, d.) THOMAS E. MILLSOP in 1955. Sold Canadian in 1976, renamed e.) E. J. NEWBERRY and f.) CEDARGLEN 1981. Scrapped at Port Maitland, Ontario in 1994.

FRED G. HARTWELL (Hull#112) was launched April 4, 1908, by the Toledo Shipbuilding Co., for the Mutual Steamship Co., G. A. Tomlinson, mgr. Renamed b.) HARRY W. CROFT in 1917. Scrapped at Santander, Spain in 1969.

Interlake Steamship's E.G. GRACE became the first Maritimer to be sold for scrap when she was acquired by Marine Salvage on April 4, 1984.

JEAN-TALON was launched April 4, 1936, as a.) FRANQUELIN (Hull#1517) by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. for the Quebec and Ontario Transportation Co. Ltd.

The harbor tug and fire boat EDNA G was launched April 4, 1896, by the Cleveland Ship Building Co., as (Hull#25), for the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railroad Co.

On April 4, 1983, and on April 4, 1984, the WILLIAM CLAY FORD, opened the shipping season at Duluth, Minnesota. While the WILLIAM CLAY FORD was traditionally among the first vessels to visit Duluth-Superior, it was coincidence that she opened the port on the same day during her last two seasons in service.

On 4 April 1872, the schooner JOHN WESLEY was launched from Bailey's yard at Toledo, Ohio. She was built for Skidmore & Abairs. She was classed as a full-sized canaller and cost $22,000.

On 4 April 1881, the last two vessels of the Northern Transit Company, CHAMPLAIN and LAWRENCE, were sold to D. H. Day & Company of Grand Haven, Michigan.

1969: The Liberty ship CORINTHIAKOS made three trips to the Great Lakes beginning in 1960. It had been built as a tanker but rebuilt as a bulk carrier in 1955. The ship was sailing under Liberian registry as h) PACSTAR when it ran aground in a storm on the north shore of Toshima, Tokyo Bay en route from Kure, Japan, to Portland, Oregon, in ballast. The bottom was opened to the sea and the engine room was flooded. Salvage efforts were unsuccessful and the ship was abandoned as a total loss and sold for scrap.

1969: The self-unloader HOCHELAGA of Canada Steamship Lines hit the breakwall stern first while turning with the help of tugs at Conneaut, Ohio. The cargo of coal was lightered to MANITOULIN and HOCHELAGA had to go to Port Colborne for repairs.

1997: ELIJIANNI, a Greek bulk carrier, had visited the Great Lakes in 1979. It was sailing as d) KEKOVA when it was in a collision with the VASILIOS III, a Greek tanker, in the Sea of Marmora on this date in 1997. There were temporary repairs to the port bow but the 27-year-old vessel was sold for scrap and arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, for dismantling on June 2, 1997.

[yachtsmanwilly]

4/5 - Trenton, Mich. – Citing millions owed in back taxes, the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office seized the former McLouth Steel facility in Trenton last Friday. Detroit Steel Co. owned the property along West Jefferson Avenueand failed to pay $3.7 million in taxes, treasury spokesman Bruce Babiarz said.

“The Wayne County Treasurer has foreclosed on that property and now owns that property,” Babiarz said. “The treasurer’s team will evaluate the property and determine whether to put it up for auction or to list it for sale.”

It's been 20 years since the property was in operation as McLouth Steel, but it's colloquially still known by that name. The steelmaker filed for bankruptcy in 1996. Under Detroit Steel Co.'s ownership, the site was used for manufacturing and importing and exporting of various goods like metals, salts and plastics.

The site has been a point of contention for many, however, including, the Trenton City Council, which sued Detroit Steel Co. in 2014 for allowing prohibited activities at the site without the council’s consent. The council and Detroit Steel Co. eventually settled in early 2015.

Wayne County Commissioner Joseph Palamara, whose district includes Trenton, praised the treasurer's action. "It has sat in that condition for way too long," he said. "Anybody else who takes ownership and makes an endeavor to clean it up for reuse is a positive."

Trenton Mayor Kyle Stack said McLouth once was one of the city's biggest taxpayers, but she's been unable to count on that money for years. Getting the property into new hands – and back on the city's tax roll – is a priority for her, she said.


4/5 - The Great Lakes Towing Company has announced the winners and honorable mentions for the Second Annual G-Tug Photo Contest. The company invited fans to participate in the contest from April 3, 2016 to the end of the 2016/2017 Great Lakes navigation season when the Soo Locks closed on January 15. Over 128 entries were submitted. The company thanks all contest participants. View photos of the first, second and third place winners as well as honorable mentions at www.thegreatlakesgroup.com/winners

Great Lakes Towing Co.



On 05 April 1890, INDIANA (wooden propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 220 foot, 1,178 gross tons) was launched by Burger and Burger at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, for the Goodrich Transportation Company. The total cost of the vessel was $135,000.

On April 5, 1984, the joined sections of the HILDA MARJANNE and CHIMO emerged from Port Weller Dry Dock Ltd., as the b.) CANADIAN RANGER.

Sea trials for Canada Steamship Lines new bulk freighter, PRAIRIE HARVEST (Hull#227) of Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., were complete on April 5, 1984. She operates on the Lakes today as the self-unloader d.) ATLANTIC HURON.

The a.) LUZON (Hull#54) of the Chicago Ship Building Co. was launched for the Erie Steamship Co., E.D. Carter, mgr., on April 5, 1902. Renamed b.) JOHN ANDERSON in 1924 and c.) G. G. POST in 1933. She was scrapped at Izmir, Turkey, in 1972.

April 5, 1977 - The Chessie System announced that the CITY OF MIDLAND 41 would be withdrawn from service and only the SPARTAN and BADGER would run for the season.

On 5 April 1854, AMERICA (wooden side-wheeler, 240 foot, 1,083 tons, built in 1847, at Port Huron, Michigan) was bound for Cleveland from Detroit. After the captain had set her course and gone to bed, the 2nd mate changed the course to the north. The 1st and 2nd mates disagreed about the course and as they awoke the captain, the ship ran aground near Point Pelee, Ontario. Wave action reduced the vessel to rubble but no lives were lost.

On 5 April 1879, the 3-mast wooden schooner RESUMPTION was launched at the Wolf & Davidson yard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her dimensions were 143 foot x 29 foot x 10 feet, 294 gross tons, 279 net tons.

April 5, 1962, the tanker ROBERT W. STEWART was renamed b.) AMOCO MICHIGAN, The WILLIAM P. COWAN was renamed b.) AMOCO ILLINOIS, the EDWARD G. SEUBERT was renamed b.) AMOCO WISCONSIN and the RED CROWN was renamed b.) AMOCO INDIANA, after being transferred from Standard Oil Company in a sale to the American Oil Company for $10 for each ship. Each ship traded in their names and their well-known red superstructure for a typical white paint job which stuck with them until their end. The only change came to the AMOCO INDIANA when she traded in her black hull for the blue paint of c.) MEDUSA CONQUEST, d.) SOUTHDOWN CONQUEST, e.) CEMEX CONQUEST and f.) ST MARYS CONQUEST. She operates today as a self - unloading cement barge.

1921: The Imperial Oil tanker IMPOCO (ii) had combined Great Lakes and coastal trading and had gone as far afield as the Mediterranean Sea and the Falkland Islands during World War One. The 8-year old vessel stranded at Blonde Rock, Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, on this date in 1921 while en route from Halifax to Saint John with a cargo of gasoline. The ship was lightered, salvaged on May 4, and beached at Charles Harbour and then at Halifax as not worth repair. The hull was apparently not scrapped until 1953.

1983: The small Finnish freighter KENITRA visited the Great Lakes in 1957. It was abandoned by her crew in the Red Sea while sailing as d) ALASKA on this date in 1983. It had developed a severe list while traveling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Mersin, Turkey, and sank the same day.

1996: The Liberian freighter STEEL FLOWER ran aground in the St. Lawrence near Wellesley Island while upbound on this date in 1996 and was stuck for two days. The ship had also been a Seaway trader as a) FEDERAL RHINE (i) from 1978 to 1992, as STEEL FLOWER from 1994 to 1996 and as c) NARRAGANSETT from 1997 to 1999 before going to Alang, India, for scrap later in 1999.

1999: The PATERSON (ii) ran aground in Lake St. Francis and was stuck for two days. The ship went to Les Mechins, QC for repairs and returned to work on May 13. The vessel now sails for Canada Steamship Lines as b) PINEGLEN (ii).

1999: ALGONTARIO ran aground at Johnsons Point in the St. Mary's River while upbound with a load of cement from Clarkson to Duluth. The ship was released April 7 and, after unloading, was laid up at Thunder Bay until eventual repairs and a return to service on October 10, 2004. The vessel was towed to Aliaga, Turkey, for scrapping in 2011.

[yachtsmanwilly]

High winds, waves forecast; USCG urges people to avoid Lake Michigan shoreline

4/6 - Chicago, Ill. – The U.S. Coast Guard, in advance of predicted high winds and heavy surf during the next two days, is advising the public to exercise caution, heed heavy surf warnings, and avoid the shorelines of Lake Michigan.

People are urged to remain vigilant and stay away from beaches and off of rocks, jetties and piers as high winds out of the north-northeast are expected to create high waves and heavy, dangerous surf conditions. Large waves crashing onto and near these areas can quickly and unexpectedly sweep a person into the cold water, away from shore and out into the Lake. Wind surfers and other surfers are also advised against heading out onto the lake.

“Outdoor enthusiasts and curiosity seekers should stay clear and keep away from the shorelines. Safety is a number one priority,” said Chief Warrant Officer Matthew James, commanding officer of Coast Guard Station Calumet Harbor. "In addition, mariners are also advised to heed weather warnings. Safe operations in heavy weather requires special equipment, experience and a vessel designed to operate in high seas."

Hypothermia is the biggest danger after falling into the water, even if one manages to get out immediately. Hypothermia sets in quickly as the human body’s core temperature drops below 95 degrees.

Residents are reminded that even after a weather system moves out of the area and the winds subside, heavy surf and high waves on Lake Michigan will typically take an additional day, at least, to calm.

The forecast for Lake Michigan:
• WINDS...NORTHEAST TO 40 KT WEDNESDAY, INCREASING TO 50 KT FROM THE NORTH AFTER MIDNIGHT
• SIGNIFICANT WAVES TO 23 FT THURSDAY
• OCCASIONAL WAVES...25 TO 28 THURSDAY

USCG, NWS


4/6 - Milwaukee, Wis. – The Great Lakes shipping season is underway in Milwaukee and Green Bay, with the first foreign-flag ship of the year expected at the Port of Milwaukee soon. One of the largest lake freighters, the Stewart J. Cort, has left Milwaukee from its winter layover, signaling the start of the shipping season here.

The first ocean-going vessel will arrive in the next couple of weeks with a load of steel from Europe, returning home with Wisconsin grain. Most of that grain comes from farms located within 90 miles of Milwaukee, said Port Director Paul Vornholt.

The port has some of the largest cranes on the Great Lakes, allowing it to move large, heavy items, including mining equipment, wind turbines, coils of steel and tons of grain.

Earlier this year, the port installed a new Manitowoc crawler crane that can lift up to 300 tons. The $2.7 million model 2250 crane was delivered in late 2016, joining the port’s complement of other crawler, gantry and derrick cranes.

The largest vessels on the lakes can unload 70,000 tons of cargo in 12 hours or less. Prior to self-unloading, it would have taken days to empty a ship of a cargo of that size.

Milwaukee is the only Great Lakes port in Wisconsin that unloads foreign steel. It’s a custom product not available domestically, according to Vornholt. The steel business has been strong the past couple of years, he said, indicating that local manufacturers using the raw material have been doing well.

“Our outlook for steel seems to be holding its own, or slightly better,” Vornholt said.

The first ocean-going vessel has left the Port of Green Bay, bound for Quebec, Canada, with a load of ethanol. There are 14 port businesses located along three miles of the Fox River and the Port of Green Bay. Those businesses move about 2 million tons of cargo on more than 200 ships each year.

Some years, three of every four ships leave docks on the Great Lakes "light loaded" because harbors and connecting channels aren’t dredged to proper depths and widths.

Ships have been unable to make deliveries to the port in Waukegan, Ill., because of insufficient harbor depth. There have been times when coal could not be delivered to a power plant in Holland, Mich., because of a buildup of harbor silt.

But that’s not the case this year in Milwaukee and Green Bay, according to the port directors. The Port of Green Bay had a huge increase in handling petroleum products in 2016, up more than 1,400%, because of the closing of a petroleum pipeline serving northeast Wisconsin.

Prior to the closure, the port exported diesel, gasoline and ethanol to other markets. Now, “the exports have flipped to imports to meet the demand for petroleum products,” said Green Bay Port Director Dean Haen.

The 2016 Great Lakes shipping season tied a record for the longest navigation period on the lakes, with 286 days of ship traffic.

Journal Sentinel


4/6 - Duluth, Minn. – Little falling snow and little snow on the ground to melt left Lake Superior with a below-normal water supply in March and caused the lake to drop more than usual. The International Lake Superior Board of Control reported Tuesday that the big lake dropped two inches in March, a month it usually drops less than a half-inch.

Lake Superior is four inches below the level of April 1, 2016, but is still 6 inches above the average for April 1. The big lake almost always rises from April to September before it begins a fall and winter decline each year.

The level of Lakes Michigan-Huron rose two inches in March, the usual increase for the lakes that sit six inches lower than April 1, 2016, but still 10 inches above the long-term average for this time of year.

Duluth News Tribune



The a.) LOUIS R. DAVIDSON (Hull#95) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works was launched April 6, 1912, for the American Steamship Co. Later renamed b.) DIAMOND ALKALI in 1932, c.) DOW CHEMICAL in 1939 and d.) FERNDALE in 1963. She was scrapped at Castellon, Spain in 1979.

April 6, 1931 - The CITY OF FLINT 32 set a world record sailing 101,000 miles in her first year of service.

On 6 April 1872, the schooner I.N. FOSTER was launched from the Fitzgerald & Leighton yard at Port Huron, Michigan. She was classified as a "full-sized canaller" since she was as large as a vessel could be to pass through the Welland Canal. Her dimensions were 143 foot overall, 26 foot inch beam, 11 foot 6 inch depth, 437 tons.

1942: The CANADIAN FARMER was Hull 65 of the Collingwood shipyard and it was launched there on December 27, 1919. The vessel was sailing as c) SHIN KUANG when it was sunk by Japanese surface naval forces on the Bay of Bengal.

1949: FORT WILLDOC of the Paterson fleet and the JAMES E. McALPINE of the Brown Steamship Co. collided in Lake Superior, above Whitefish Point, on this date. Both ships were damaged and needed repairs.

1972: The freighter STAR OF REWIAH had been built at Collingwood as Hull 105 and launched as the corvette H.M.S. COMFREY on July 28, 1942. The ship was later converted to a cargo carrier and was sailing under this sixth name when it ran aground off the Ashrafi Lighthouse in the Gulf of Suez and declared a total loss on this date in 1972. It was traveling in ballast from Suez, Egypt, to Safaga, Egypt, at the time.

1978: The self-unloader TARANTAU was blown aground due to the wind and shifting ice pack in Lake Huron above Port Huron and had to be freed by the tug BARBARA ANN.

1979: A violent spring storm found LABRADOC (ii) on Lake Erie where the cargo shifted and the vessel took on a precarious list. All on board were removed fearing the ship would roll over and sink. But it survived and was towed to safety eventually undergoing repairs at Port Weller Dry Docks. The vessel left Great Lakes service in 1988 and operated on deep sea runs as b) FALCON CREST until scrapping at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, in 1994.

1992: An explosion and fire in the tunnel of HALIFAX occurred while the CSL ship was upbound in the St. Marys River. One sailor was killed and two more injured while the ship sustained internal damage. It went to Thunder Bay for repairs.

[yachtsmanwilly]

4/7 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are optimistic that federal funding will eventually make it to Sault Ste. Marie for the construction of a new lock.

Kevin Sprague, the Sault Area Engineer for the Corps, told attendees at a Tuesday morning construction summit that efforts to secure the funding “have a tremendous amount of support right now.” The summit, held in Lake Superior State University’s Cisler Center, was sponsored by the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation.

Sprague said an economic reevaluation report on building the new lock is underway and should be completed by December. He added that the move was necessary since several factors have changed since an earlier evaluation was done several years ago showing a relatively low benefit-to-cost ratio.

“Theoretically, we could start getting money really quickly,” Sprague said. He later estimated that the new lock would cost around $600 million.

Meanwhile Joanne Gray, chief of construction and technical support for the Corps’ Sault office, discussed what building a new lock could mean for contractors. She said although an out-of-town company could ultimately be hired to lead the project, local firms would be in line for multiple sub-contractor roles.

Plus, Gray said, out-of-town workers could mean a boon for transient housing and local merchants. Gray noted that, even if the federal funding is secured, it would take at least 10 years before the new lock could start operating. That means the current locks, the MacArthur and Poe, must be maintained to keep critical Great Lakes shipping lanes open.

She ran down a list of projects which might be necessary in the coming years, including an anchor gate replacement and new fill/empty valve on the MacArthur Lock, and a gate replacement on the Poe Lock.

In addition, pier rehabilitation, steam plant modernization, and backup generator replacement could be in the works.

Gray also outlined some of the repairs which have already been completed in recent years, like an anchor gate replacement on the Poe Lock and a new electrical system on the MacArthur Lock.

Proponents of a new Soo Lock insist it is necessary because the current ones are growing old and outdated. The MacArthur was built in 1943, and the Poe followed it 1968.

Soo Evening News


4/7 - Muskegon, Mich. – Two tugboats recently took up residence at Mart Dock in Muskegon. Their arrival marked the end of a blustery cold 21-day, 3,000-mile journey from Staten Island, N.Y.

Up to 20-foot-tall Atlantic Ocean waves, an ongoing battle with seasickness and a snapped towing cable while traversing Lake Michigan helped create a memorable, yet sometimes scary, trip. The long-awaited arrival was finally celebrated by the crew with whiskey at Mart Dock.

The additions of the twin Katie G. McAllister (1966) and Colleen McAllister (1968) tugs brings Port City Marine Services' fleet total to four, said Capt. Ed Hogan, vice president of the company, who led the journey from New York.

Read more and see photos at this link: www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2017/04/two_tug_boats_arrived_in_muske.html


4/7 - Windsor, Ont. – Boaters planning to float down the Detroit River are being warned to notify officials if they cross the invisible border before coming back to Canada. The caution comes courtesy of a new interpretation of the "in transit exemption," according to former commodore of the Windsor Power and Sail Squadron, Alan Johnson.

"Call in more frequently than you probably think you probably should, and make sure you have all your identification with you and a phone or radio with you so you can call in," said Johnson, adding his advice applies to everyone on the water, from boats to paddle boards.

"When you cross the ... dotted line, you are supposed to call back in upon entering Canada," he explained.

Word of the change comes after a recent meeting between Windsor boaters, RCMP and officials from both sides of the border where Windsor residents expressed confusion over the rules. In a statement sent to CBC, the CBSA said failure to report returning to Canada could lead to detention, seizure of a boat or a hefty fine.

"The minimum fine for failing to report to the CBSA upon entry to Canada is $1,000," the statement said.

Johnson said Canada's regulations are actually more strict than those of the Americans, who only expect boaters to check in if they drop anchor in the U.S. or come ashore.

"I believe the law was always there," he said, adding he believes more people have been caught by the coast guard for not checking in. "It's just it's kind of being more enforced and interpreted to the letter of the law right now."

CBC



National Museum of the Great Lakes makes donation to BGSU University Libraries

4/7 - Toledo, Ohio – The University Libraries at Bowling Green State University has greatly expanded its collection of Great Lakes research materials thanks to a significant donation from the National Museum of the Great Lakes, which is owned and operated by the Great Lakes Historical Society.

More than 160 cubic feet of photos, pamphlets, slides, bound materials, postcards and archival materials have found a new home in the Libraries' Historical Collections of the Great Lakes (HCGL), housed within the Center for Archival Collection.

"We are grateful to the National Museum of the Great Lakes for entrusting us with their extensive collection, and we are excited that the consolidation of their materials with our existing Great Lakes archives has now created the largest collection of its kind on the U.S. side of the Great Lakes," said Mary Ellen Mazey, Ph.D., president of Bowling Green State University.

These additional materials bolster the already robust offering of Great Lakes-related research and artifacts curated by the University Libraries at BGSU.

"The Great Lakes materials recently donated to HCGL is a wonderful addition to our holdings and provides many opportunities for collaboration between BGSU, the National Museum of the Great Lakes and the Great Lakes Historical Society," said University Libraries Dean Sara A. Bushong.

The addition of these materials to BGSU also will make University Libraries a major research destination in the U.S. for Great Lakes history.

"The added scope and depth of the HCGL collection expands research opportunities for BGSU students and faculty, National Museum of the Great Lakes staff and patrons, as well as researchers from beyond campus," said retired HCGL archivist Bob Graham, who played an instrumental role in bringing the collection to BGSU. "Both organizations view this donation as the first step in an evolving partnership involving students, faculty and museum staff."

Potential areas of collaboration include internships, lectures series, exhibits, new courses and digital galleries.

"The merging of these incredible archival collections is just the beginning of a long, synergistic journey between our two organizations that will both preserve Great Lakes history, but more importantly, elevate the perception of Great Lakes history in our national culture," said Christopher Gillcrist, National Museum of the Great Lakes Executive Director. "This collaboration will help ensure the understanding of the role Great Lake history has played in our national story."

"The archival collection that we donated to BGSU represents over 70 years of library-based materials donated to and acquired by our organization," said Anna Kolin, development director for the National Museum of the Great Lakes. "By merging it with a large university, it increases its access to those looking to do research on Great Lakes topics, which is why, in part, BGSU was chosen."

Bowling Green State University



On April 7, 1997, LEE A. TREGURTHA suffered an 18-foot hull fracture in her port bow near the bowthruster tunnel while downbound in the upper St. Marys River due to heavy ice. She proceeded to the De Tour Coal Dock, where repairs were made overnight and she continued on her trip on April 8, 1997.

On 07 April 1906, the Goodrich Transportation Company, which was incorporated under the laws of the State of Wisconsin in 1868, was dissolved and a new company, the Goodrich Transit Company, was incorporated under the laws of the state of Maine. This was just for financial reasons, and other than the name and the port of registry of the vessels, everything else remained the same. The vessels in the company at the time were CHICAGO, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, CITY OF RACINE, GEORGIA, INDIANA, IOWA, SHEBOYGAN, VIRGINIA, and tug ARCTIC.

Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd.'s new CANADIAN TRANSPORT was christened April 7, 1979.

The tanker ROBERT W. STEWART, b.) AMOCO MICHIGAN was delivered to Standard Oil Co. on April 7, 1928, as the second largest tanker in service at the time of her launch.

JAMES LAUGHLIN (Hull#16) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works was launched April 7, 1906, for the Interstate Steamship Co., Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. Later renamed b.) HELEN EVANS, she was scrapped at Cartagena, Columbia, in 1983.

The EMORY L. FORD was sold on April 7, 1965, to the Reiss Steamship Co., and renamed b) RAYMOND H. REISS, the last vessel purchased by Reiss.

TEXACO BRAVE of 1929 arrived at Ramey's Bend from Toronto on April 7, 1975, in tow of tugs G. W. ROGERS and BAGOTVILLE for scrapping.

In 1974, the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s steamer THOMAS W. LAMONT loaded the initial shipment of ore for the season at the D.M. & I.R. ore docks in Duluth.

On 7 April 1871, the tug S.V.R. WATSON was towing the schooner S.G. SIMMONS out of Chicago harbor at noon when the WATSON stalled. The schooner plowed into her broadside, causing the tug to tip on her beam ends, take on water and sink. Four men were trapped below decks and drowned; two survived. The WATSON was later raised and returned to service.

On 7 April 1873, the contract for the building of a new carferry, MICHIGAN, for the Great Western Railway was awarded to the Jenkins Brothers of Windsor, Ontario. The new vessel was planned for service on the Detroit River. Her engines were built at Montreal by Canada Engine Works for a cost of $100,000. The hull alone cost $600,000.

Although the locks are not scheduled to open until Thursday, 12 April 1962, the Canadian Sault harbor was officially opened Saturday, 7 April 1962, when the tanker IMPERIAL LONDON pulled into the Imperial dock between the two hospitals. Captain Russell Knight accepted the traditional silk top hat. The IMPERIAL LONDON, carrying almost 1,000,000 gallons of gasoline, led the IMPERIAL SIMCOE, loaded with 19,000 barrels of fuel oil for household heating, up the St. Marys River to the Sault.

1941: The PORTADOC had been requisitioned by the British Ministry of War Transport and was en route from Saint John, NB, to Sierra Leone with a cargo of coal when it was torpedoed by U-124 off the coast of Africa. The crew spent six days on the open sea before landing at French Guinea. They were taken prisoner by the Vichy French forces and the Chief Engineer died before there was a prisoner of war exchange. The vessel, part of the Paterson fleet, had also sailed on the Great Lakes as a) EUGENE C. ROBERTS and b) JAMES B. FOOTE.

1968: CAPTAIN LEONIDIS ran aground in the Messier Channel, Chile, while travelling from Santos, Brazil, to Valparaiso, Chile. The vessel stranded April 7, 1968, and became a total loss. It had first come to the Great Lakes as the Norwegian freighter d) FANA in 1964 and returned as e) CAPTAIN LEONIDIS in 1966. The hull remains aground and appears to have been used by the Chilean Navy for target practice.

1979: GEHEIMRAT SARTORI dated from 1951 and had been a pre-Seaway caller to the Great Lakes. It returned through the new waterway for three trips in 1959 and was sailing as c) SEA ROVER when it was lost on this date in 1979. The cargo shifted in heavy weather on the Mediterranean while the ship was en route from Civitavecchia, Italy, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It sank about eight miles off Punta Cornacchia.

[yachtsmanwilly]

10 April 1868 The ALPENA (wooden side-wheel passenger-package freight steamer, 653 tons, built in 1867, at Marine City, Michigan) was purchased by Capt. A. E. Goodrich from Gardner, Ward & Gardner for $80,000.

On 10 April 1861, UNION (wooden propeller, 170 foot, 465 tons) was launched and christened at the Bates yard in Manitowoc, Wisconsin for the Goodrich Line. She cost $19,000. The engines, machinery and many of the fittings were from the OGONTZ of 1858. This was the first steamer built by the Bates yard.

The tanker TEXACO CHIEF (Hull#193), was christened April 10, 1969. She was renamed b.) A G FARQUHARSON in 1986 and c.) ALGONOVA in 1998. She was sold Panamanian in 2007 and renamed PACIFICO TRADER.

The d.) GODERICH of 1908 was sold April 10, 1963, to the Algoma Central & Hudson Bay Railway Co. and renamed e.) AGAWA. Renamed f.) LIONEL PARSONS in 1968, and served as a storage barge at Goderich, Ontario until 1983, when she was scrapped at Thunder Bay, Ontario.

The keel was laid April 10, 1952, for the steamer WILLIAM CLAY FORD (Hull#300) of the Great Lakes Engineering Works.

The SINCLAIR GREAT LAKES (Hull#1577) of the Ingalls Iron Works, Decatur, Alabama, was christened on April 10, 1963.

On April 10, 1973, the ARTHUR B. HOMER departed the shipyard at Lorain, Ohio, with a new pilothouse. She had suffered extensive damage on October 5, 1972, in a head on collision with the saltie NAVISHIPPER on the Detroit River.

April 10, 1912 - ANN ARBOR NO 5 struck her stern against the channel in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, bending her rudder, and damaging her port shaft.

On 10 April 1875, the propeller EMMA E. THOMPSON was launched at East Saginaw, Michigan. She was built for Capt. D.F. Edwards of Toledo and cost $20,000. Her dimensions were 125 feet x 26 feet x 10 feet. In 1880, she was rebuilt as a schooner and then returned to a propeller in 1881, when she was given the engine from the propeller AKRON.

On 10 April 1882, ESPINDOLA (wooden schooner, 54 tons, built in 1869, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was carrying railroad ties when she was overwhelmed by a storm and went to pieces one mile north of the Chicago waterfront. No lives were lost, but four crewmen were rescued by a tug after having been in the water for some time.

MANZZUTTI (steel crane ship, 246 foot, 1558 gross tons, built in 1903, at Buffalo, New York as a.) J S KEEFE) of the Yankcanuck Steamship Ltd., was the first vessel through the Canadian locks at the Soo for the 1954 navigation season. She entered the Canadian canal on 10 April about 8:15 a.m. The locking of the MANZZUTTI was not considered the official opening of the season at the Soo since she wintered in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and the first vessel must come up the St. Marys River from Lake Huron or Michigan. President Dave Bows of the Kiwanis Club, pointed out the club’s $1,000 marine contest is based on the first such vessel though the Michigan Sault locks only. The U.S. Coast Guard reported six-inch ice in the lower St. Marys River.

1905: The 400-foot steel-hulled bulk carrier GEORGE B. LEONARD arrived in Cleveland with ice damage and leaking bow seams.

1941: The first CEDARBRANCH ran aground at the mouth of the Etobicoke Creek, west of Toronto and had to be lightered to float free.

1949: The former J.H. PLUMMER, once part of Canada Steamship Lines, was reported wrecked, due to stranding in fog, while six miles southwest of Shaweishan on this date in 1949. The vessel was sailing as f) TUNG AN, and was en route from Tsingtao to Shanghai, with scrap steel.

1953: The Finnish freighter ANGELA came to the Great Lakes in 1952 and was wrecked on April 10, 1953, at Frisland, Isle of Coll, due to heavy weather. The vessel was travelling in ballast from Larne, Northern Ireland, to Goole, UK, and was a total loss.

1965: A collision in the Lake St. Peter section of the St. Lawrence involved the TRANSATLANTIC and HERMES. The former, a West German freighter, caught fire and capsized with the loss of three lives. The vessel was salvaged in August and eventually scrapped at Sorel. It had been coming to the Great Lakes for the Poseidon Line since 1961. The latter, a Dutch carrier, never came through the Seaway and was scrapped at Calcutta, India, as NIKI R. in 1985-1986.

1977: HILDA MARJANNE ran aground on a sandbar at Sarnia after leaving the Government Dock with a cargo of corn. It was released the next day with the help of the tug DARYL C. HANNAH.

1989: The canal-sized bulk carrier IROQUOIS, b) TROISDOC (ii), was built in 1955 but left the Seaway as c) KOBA in 1983. That vessel foundered in the Gulf of Mexico, near Isla de Lobos, on this date in 1989 while en route from Tampico to Progresso, Mexico.


09 April 1890 - W.H. SAWYER (wooden propeller freighter, 201 foot, 746 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler (Hull #66) at West Bay City, Michigan. She lasted until 1928, when she sank off Harbor Beach, Michigan.

On 09 April 1868, SEABIRD (wooden side-wheel steamer, 638 tons, built in 1859, at Newport (Marine City), Michigan, was sailing on her first trip of the season from Manitowoc to Chicago. At 6 a.m. off Waukegan, Illinois, the porter cleaned out the ashes in the cabin stove and threw the hot coals overboard into the wind. The coals were blown back aboard and a blaze quickly engulfed the vessel. Only two survived. They were picked up by the schooner CORNELIA. 102 were lost. The vessel was uninsured and this was a severe financial blow to the new Goodrich Transportation Company.

On April 9, 1960, Canada Steamship Lines Ltd.'s a.) MURRAY BAY (Hull#164), of Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., entered service as the first Canadian 730-footer. Renamed b.) COMEAUDOC in 1963, she was scrapped at Port Colborne in 2003.

LAWRENDOC (Hull#174) was christened jointly with her Collingwood-built sister ship MONDOC (Hull#173) on April 9, 1962.

The Wilson Marine Transit Co., Cleveland purchased the b.) FINLAND, a.) HARRY COULBY (Hull#163) of the Detroit Ship Building Co., on April 9, 1957, and resold her the same day to the Republic Steel Corp., Cleveland with Wilson Marine acting as manager. Renamed c.) PETER ROBERTSON in 1969 and d.) MARINSAL in 1975.

On April 9, 1930, the CITY OF FLINT 32 entered service under the command of Estan Bayle.

On 9 April 1871, the wooden "rabbit" BAY CITY (152 foot, 372 gross tons, built in 1867, at Marine City, Michigan) had just loaded 270,000 feet of lumber in Bay City for Tonawanda, New York, when a fire broke out ashore. The ship was set adrift at 11 a.m. to get away from the lumberyard blaze. However, as the crew watched the shore fire, sparks smoldered in the ship's cargo. At 2 p.m., she burst into flame. Four tugs and a steam-powered fire engine brought alongside on a lighter fought the blaze to no avail. The vessel was scuttled to put out the fire. A few days later she was raised and repaired at a cost of $4,000.

On 9 April 1885, the laid-up vessels BURLINGTON and CHURCH were hit by the barge ALLEN and forced into the Military Street bridge at Port Huron, Michigan, crashing into the structure and completely blocking the Black River and disabling the bridge. The blame was placed on the spring thaw.

1913: Ice sliced through the wooden hull of the steamer UGANDA in the Straits of Mackinac and the vessel sank near White Shoal. The crew was rescued by the JOHN A. DONALDSON, and there was no loss of life.

1962: On November 28, 1961, fire had broken out aboard the IQUITOS off the coast of Mexico while the ship was en route from Callao, Peru, to Manzanillo, Mexico, with a cargo of fishmeal. The vessel had been a pre-Seaway trader as RUTENFJELL beginning in 1936 and as POLYRIVER beginning in 1951. The blazing freighter was abandoned by the crew. The ship did not sink and drifted for weeks before being spotted February 2, 1962. The hull was considered a hazard to navigation and was sunk on this date, southeast of the Christmas Islands by a U.S. destroyer, in 1962.

1968: MENIHEK LAKE was in a minor collision with the anchored PETITE HERMINE in the Lake St. Francis section of the St. Lawrence, and the latter's anchor chain damaged the propeller of MENIHEK LAKE.


08 April 1871, NAVARINO (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 184 foot, 761 tons, built in 1871, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) entered service for the Goodrich Transportation Company. She only lasted until 09 October 1871, since she burned in the Great Chicago Fire.

BAY CITY (wooden propeller stem barge, 152 foot, 262 gross tons, built in 1867, at Newport [Marine City], Michigan) had just been rebuilt at Bay City and then refitted at Fitzgerald & Leighton’s yard in Port Huron, Michigan. On 08 April 1871, (some sources give the date as 10 April 1871), on her first trip out from the shipyard, she caught fire and burned to the water line. She was rebuilt again and lasted until 1891, when she burned again.

The sea trials for AMERICAN REPUBLIC were conducted in Green Bay on April 8 thru 10, May 4 thru 11 and 18, 1981.

Interlake Steamship Co.’s steamer J. A. CAMPBELL of 1913, was the first bulk carrier to load taconite pellets that were shipped from Reserve Mining’s Davis Works at Silver Bay, Minn., on April 8, 1956.

In 1957, Great Lakes Steamship stockholders voted to sell the entire 16-ship fleet to four fleets.

In 1977 at Toledo, G.A. TOMLINSON required an estimated $235,000 to outfit her machinery for the upcoming season.

On April 8, 1905, Pittsburgh Steamship Co.’s steamer a.) ELBERT H. GARY (Hull#66) was launched by the Chicago Ship Building Co. Renamed b.) R.E. WEBSTER in 1963, she was scrapped in 1973 at Santander, Spain.

In 1969, LEON FALK JR. entered Duluth harbor to become the first vessel to arrive from the lower lake region opening the 1969, shipping season at the head of the lakes. She loaded almost 20,700 tons of iron ore bound for Great Lakes Steel’s Zug Island in Detroit.

April 8, 1998 - An unidentified worker was injured in a fall aboard the CITY OF MIDLAND 41, while it was being converted to a barge in Muskegon.

April 8, 1871, was a bad day on the St. Clair River. The schooner A MOSHER had favorable winds, so the captain decided to save the cost of a tow and sail up the St. Clair River without assistance from a tug. In the strong current at Port Huron, the vessel hit some old dock timbers, went out of control and collided with the down bound 3-masted schooner H.C. POST. The POST's main and fore masts were carried away in the collision. After some vehement arguing, the MOSHER sailed on while the POST anchored in mid-river while her skipper went ashore. The schooner JESSE ANDERSON then sailed out of the Black River and rammed right into the side of the POST. This finished the wrecking of the POST's aft mast. The ANDERSON went out of control and went aground on the riverbank. The tug GEORGE H. PARKER tried to assist the ANDERSON, but she also got stuck on the mud bank. It was several hours before everything got cleaned up and river traffic was back to normal.

The steam ferry JULIA, owned by C. Mc Elroy of St. Clair, Michigan, started running between St. Clair and Courtright, Ontario on 8 April 1878. She was formerly named U S SURVEYOR. Before JULIA took over this service, the ferries R.F. CHILDS and MARY MILLS served in this capacity.

The steamer f.) MANCOX (steel propeller crane freighter, 255 foot, 1,614 gross tons, built in 1903, at Superior, Wisconsin, as a.) H.G. DALTON) of Yankcanuck Steamship Lines was first through the Soo Locks for the 1958, season at 7:05 a.m. on 8 April 1958. In locking through the Canadian lock, the MANCOX became the first ship to come through the new lock gates, which were installed during the winter months. The American Soo Locks had been ready for traffic since March 26, but the Canadian lock had the first ship.

1941: The newly-built PRINS WILLEM II first came to the Great Lakes in May 1939. There was a mutiny on board at Sandusky, Ohio, in June 1940, as the crew did not want to return to their now-occupied homeland. The ship was torpedoed off Cape Farewell, Greenland, on April 8, 1941, while travelling from Halifax to London. An estimated 10-12 members of the crew perished.

1942: The first NOVADOC was sailing as g) ARA when it hit a mine and sank off Borkum, Germany, while en route from Gothenburg, Sweden, to Rotterdam, Holland in 1942. The ship had been built as CANADIAN PATHFINDER and was listed as Hull 69 of the Collingwood shipyard. It had also sailed the Great Lakes as b) NORMAN M. PATERSON and c) NOVADOC (i) before being sold to British interests in 1927.

1982: The Canadian-owned QUEBEC came through the Seaway in 1969. It had been built in 1959 as ALICE BOWATER but never came inland under that name. It was sailing as d) BLUE SEA when there was an engine room explosion and fire on April 8, 1982, in the Mediterranean near the Kerkennah Islands in the Gulf of Gabes off Tunisia. The gutted hull was towed to Sfax, Tunisia, on April 12. It was sold for scrap and arrived at Bizerta, Tunisia, for dismantling on July 7, 1984.

2001: The CHERYL C., the fifth name for the ship, was carrying a cargo of steel when it sank on April 8, 2001. The vessel ran aground near Peniche, Portugal, north of Lisbon, due to a navigational error. The 1597 gross ton ship had been built in 1983 and came through the Seaway, under Barbados registry, for the first time on April 22, 1998, with clay for Ashtabula. It made its last inland voyage in November 1999.



4/8 - Erie, Pa. – The U.S. Brig Niagara's 18 professional crewmembers reported for duty last week to prepare for the start of the Great Lakes summer sailing season and public and school-day sail schedule.

"We'll spend the next month putting the rig back together — that's the name of the game,” Niagara Capt. Billy Sabatini said. "We have to rig the ship, and we have a lot more rigging to do than we do most years because we have the lower mast and the bow sprit out. That was to effect all the repairs we had to do.'" Three extra shipwrights worked on Niagara projects this past winter.

Shipwrights replaced a 25-foot section of waterway timber on the starboard quarter; replaced an 8-foot section of deck on the bow; replaced the starboard forward channel; replaced two pin rails, and brought down the foremast and did a major repair to its fighting top platform.

Sixteen of the Niagara's 18 professional crewmembers have returned, Sabatini said.

Niagara shakedown and training sails are scheduled for April 29-30 and May 1-2 in Presque Isle Bay and on Lake Erie. Those sails will allow crew, composed of professionals and trainee personnel, to determine if the ship's engines are running properly, its sails are working and all of its lines are led in the proper places.

At the end of the 2016 sailing season in October, the Niagara sailed to Cleveland's Great Lakes Towing Co., where the vessel underwent nearly three weeks of maintenance.

Part of the dry dock maintenance involved a "destructive survey,” in which six good planks — three on each side of the vessel — were removed so Sabatini and Niagara crew could look behind the planks, evaluate the ship's internal structure and look for where rot could potentially develop.

"What we found is that the underwater portion of our ship is in excellent condition,” Sabatini said. "Really, it looks brand-new, and that has a lot to do with the construction of materials. Using laminated pine that's pressure-treated really made a big difference. We're very, very happy about that.”

As a sail-training vessel under U.S. Coast Guard inspection, the Niagara is required to be inspected out of the water twice in a five-year period, with no inspection interval exceeding three years. Before its October dry docking in Cleveland, the Niagara's last such inspection was in the fall of 2013.

Funds generated from the Flagship Niagara League's September 2016 Tall Ships Erie Festival paid for the Cleveland maintenance inspection, which cost less than $100,000, Sabatini said.

Former Gov. Tom Corbett announced in May 2014 the Niagara would receive a $4.8 million, state-funded overhaul that would make the vessel seaworthy for another 25 years.

Sabatini said work on that planned refit of the Niagara, which would include a complete rebuild of the hull, likely won't start until fall 2019 at the earliest. "The plan for the refit was always going to be from the water line up, and that's where we want to replace everything,” said Sabatini, who begins his fourth season as the Niagara's captain. "Between now and then, we just keep dealing with all the rot as it comes.”

The Niagara will offer 24 public-day sails and 11 school-day sails this season. Because of a 2016 sailing season laden with Tall Ships appearances throughout the Great Lakes ports, the Niagara was able to offer only 12 public-day sails and four school-day sails in 2016.

"Traditionally, in Tall Ships festival years, we have less time in town, so we try and make it up to the community in non-Tall Ships years, so that is why our numbers are doubled this season,” Flagship Niagara League Executive Director Shawn Waskiewicz said.

The Flagship Niagara League will offer its community Discovery Day on May 6, when admission to the Erie Maritime Museum and tours aboard the Niagara are free from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children's activities and crafts are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sabatini and a veteran crew took the Niagara on seven sail-training voyages on four of the five Great Lakes this past summer, most of which coincided with the vessel's several Tall Ships festival visits.

The Niagara sailed more than 5,000 miles in 2016. Port visits included Chicago; Duluth, Minnesota; Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Bay City, Mich.

This season's sailing schedule includes visits to Put-in-Bay, Ohio, June 16-18; Bath, Ontario, July 6-9; Sorel Tracy, Quebec, July 14-16; Quebec City, Quebec, July 18-23; Rochester, New York, July 28-31; Port Colborne, Ontario, Aug. 4-6; Put-in-Bay, Ohio, Aug. 16-17, and Cleveland, Aug. 19-20.

"We are doing something big this year. We are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada,” Sabatini said. "That's a pretty big deal. That's why we're visiting mostly Canadian ports. Quebec City is going to be a massive festival. They're talking about bringing 40 tall ships in, which will be the largest festival I've ever been to.”

The Quebec City event is an international Tall Ships festival.

"Our Erie festival has nine or 10 ships, and the Chicago Tall Ships festival has about 15 ships, but Quebec City is expecting 40 tall ships, and the Niagara is probably going to be one of the smaller ships there,” Waskiewicz said.

Erie Times-News


4/8 - Advocates for a new Soo Lock have been trying to get Congress to fund the estimated $600 million project for decades. Congress first authorized the construction of the lock in the 1980s but has not come up with the money to pay for it.

With President Trump in office, there is renewed optimism among some that now could finally be the time to build it. But Jarrett Dieterle, a fellow at the R Street Institute in Washington, D.C., says it should not be taxpayers footing the bill. He says either privatizing the lock or allowing the Army Corps of Engineers to charge user fees would make more sense.

Dieterle co-wrote a piece advocating what he calls alternative financing models in the Mackinac Center for Public Policy’s Michigan Capitol Confidential in 2016.

“What we suggested was either a privatization model or a user-fee model that would be run by the government,” Dieterle says, “that would essentially unlock immediate funding for the lock and would allow the lock to get funds that weren’t federal to do its repairs and maintenance.”

Listen to the interview at this link: interlochenpublicradio.org/post/we-ve-got-issues-should-we-privatize-soo-locks#stream/0

[yachtsmanwilly]

In 2015, 18 vessels that had been stuck in 35 square miles of crushed ice up to eight feet thick on Eastern Lake Superior were moving again with the Wednesday arrival of the heavy Canadian icebreaker Pierre Radisson.

11 April 1890 - CHENANGO (wooden propeller passenger-package freight steamer, 176 foot, 696 gross tons, built in 1887, at Detroit, Michigan) was carrying 40,000 bushels of wheat from Toledo, Ohio, to Buffalo, New York, when she caught fire off Erie, Pennsylvania. She was partially consumed by the fire and sank in four fathoms of water with no loss of life. She was later raised at great expense and rebuilt as the steamer LIZZIE MADDEN.

On 11 April 1882, GALATEA (3-mast wooden schooner, 180 foot, 606 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler (Hull#13) at W. Bay City, Michigan. She lasted until she stranded and broke up at Grand Marais, Michigan, in the "Big Storm" of 1905.

The tanker IMPERIAL ST. CLAIR (Hull#57) of the Port Weller Drydocks Ltd., entered service on April 11, 1974, running light for Montreal, Quebec.

Canada Steamship Lines’ J.W. MC GIFFIN (Hull#197) was christened at Collingwood on April 11, 1972. Port Weller Drydocks attached a new forebody in 1999, and she was renamed b.) CSL NIAGARA.

Pioneer Steamship's steamer PHILIP D. BLOCK sailed on her maiden voyage April 11, 1925, with coal from Huron, Ohio, bound for delivery at Indiana Harbor, Indiana.

Wilkinson Transportation Co.'s steamer A.E. NETTLETON (Hull#176) of the Detroit Ship Building Co., was launched April 11, 1908. She was scrapped at Santander, Spain in 1973.

On April 11, 1970, in Lake Superior's Whitefish Bay, CSL's steamer STADACONA of 1952 encountered thick ice and suffered bow damage. She developed a hairline crack in her bow and to alleviate the leakage her cargo was shifted from her forward hold to her after compartments using her self-unloading equipment. This maneuver raised her bow enough to keep her from sinking before she reached safety.

Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s steamer ENDERS M. VOORHEES (Hull#288), of the Great Lakes Engineering Works, was launched on April 11, 1942. She was scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey in 1989.

On April 11, 1964, while upbound on Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior, a boiler burst on board the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s WILLIAM A. IRVIN, killing one of the crew and injuring two others.

April 11, 1948 - ANN ARBOR NO 7 ran aground just south of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

On 11 April 1874, the new tug E.H. MILLER burned at her dock at Willow Island in the Saginaw River. Her loss was valued at $9,000 and there was no insurance. Although considered to be a total loss, she was rebuilt and lasted another 46 years.

On 11 April 1878, ALASKA, a wooden bulk freighter, was launched at J. P. Clark's yard in Detroit, Michigan. Her dimensions were 180 feet overall, 28 foot beam, and 10 foot depth.

The navigation season at the Canadian Sault Canal was unofficially opened on 11 April 1955, at 7:15 a.m., when the MANZZUTTI (steel crane ship, 246 foot, 1,558 gross tons, built in 1903, at Buffalo, New York as J.S. KEEFE) locked up bound for the Algoma Steel dock. Because the MANZZUTTI wintered over at the Soo, its captain, John B. Perry, was not eligible for the traditional top hat and silk gloves presented to the first captain through the locks. So this was not the official opening of navigation at the Soo. The first boat through the American locks was expected the following day.

1964: NORCO had been used to carry pulpwood from Michipicoten to Green Bay from about 1938 to 1957. The vessel had been built at Ecorse, Michigan, for deep-sea service as INCA in 1915, and returned inland in the 1920s. It went back to the sea in 1959 and stranded at Little Corn Island, Nicaragua, on this date in 1964 while en route from Tampa to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, with a cargo of phosphate.

1994: AMERICAN MARINER was downbound in the St. Marys River when it struck a rock above the Soo Locks and had to go to the shipyard in Erie to repair the damage.

[yachtsmanwilly]

4/12 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – On Tuesday the U.S. Coast Guard concluded its domestic icebreaking operations in support of commercial navigation, known as Operation Taconite, throughout the Western Great Lakes.

As a result of warmer temperatures this winter, ice coverage was less than the multi-year average and had no significant impact on commercial navigation on the Great Lakes. Nearly all of the ice that formed has melted.

Six Coast Guard cutters assigned to Operation Taconite conducted nearly 2,200 hours of domestic ice breaking in support of U.S. and Canadian shipping interests. Nearly 14 million tons of dry and liquid cargo, valued at more than $488 million, was shipped during the winter navigation season, which spanned 113 days. These commodities were used in sustaining industrial production and generating power throughout the Great Lakes region during the winter months.

USCG


4/12 - Port McNicoll, Ont. – The SS Keewatin is on the move. And she needs the public’s help. No, the iconic steamship is not leaving its Port McNicoll home. However, she does need to move 350 feet away to accommodate the $1 million restoration work on the old docks at the foot of Talbot Street.

So the Friends of Keewatin, led by president and CEO Eric Conroy, decided to turn the simple act of moving the ship into an event bringing the community together.

The Friends of Keewatin are hosting the SS Keewatin World Record Pull on April 22, and north Simcoe citizens are invited to come, grab a rope and pull the ship to its new home.

“All the money is going to something that will benefit the community. So it’s a win-win because we’ll not only be moving the ship but also helping a great cause. It’s one of those things that just come up,” said Conroy. “We have to move the ship and a tugboat would cost too much. So somebody asked if we can do it with people.”

So the idea to do it through elbow grease was born. The hope after all is said and done is to get a place in the Guinness World Records for pulling a ship using human hands.

The Keewatin pull also has a second purpose, to raise funds for the Radio for Cardiology drive for the cardiac unit at Barrie’s Royal Victoria Hospital.

“All the money is going to something that will benefit the community,” said Conroy. “So it’s a win-win because we’ll not only be moving the ship but also helping a great cause.”

The participants in the pull will grab a rope and pull the Keewatin, with a small tugboat on-site to ensure the ship doesn't blow offshore. A steel cable will be attached to a bulldozer to stop the Keewatin once it reaches its goal.

“Once we get it started we should be able to move it in 20 or 25 minutes,” he said. “It should be a good day.”

The SS Keewatin World Record Pull starts at noon on April 22, at the Keewatin’s berth at 311 Talbot St. in Port McNicoll. More information can be found at sskeewatin.com.

Simcoe.com


4/12 - Milwaukee, Wis. – The Lake Express high-speed ferry will launch its 14th season April 28. Each year, the ferry makes about 800 trips across Lake Michigan between Milwaukee and Muskegon, Mich. With a capacity for 248 people and 46 vehicles, the Lake Express has about 50 seasonal employees.

Over the past year, Lake Express received many navigation and technological upgrades, including new equipment in the pilothouse and new WiFi service for passengers.

“Summer is the busiest time, and we’re up from a year ago,” said Aaron Schultz, vice president of sales and marketing, adding that many people prefer the cruise across the lake to driving on land around Chicago to the other side. "I think it’s because people don’t like to be tied to a seat."

The Lake Express crosses Lake Michigan four times daily during its spring schedule. During the peak of the summer travel season, the Lake Express makes six Lake Michigan crossings daily, with additional evening sailings from Milwaukee at 7 p.m. and then Muskegon at 11 p.m.

Before the Interstate highway system was built, many people crossed Lake Michigan by steamship. From 1941 to 1970, people primarily used the S.S. Milwaukee Clipper, which was a six-hour trip. The S.S. Badger has crossed the lake from Manitowoc to Ludington, Mich., since 1953. The Lake Express cut the trip down to two and a half hours.

“We were able to do it with the modern advancements with our vessel,” Schultz said. “The Lake Express offers the experience but saves the time."

A standard cabin ticket for an adult is $153 for a round trip, and an additional $190 for a car as well. Senior citizens, college students and those who provided military service get a discounted price of $140. Children under 4 ride free.

Journal-Sentinel



On 12 April 1896, PETER DALTON (propeller tug, 63 foot 49 gross tons, built in 1880, at Grand Haven, Michigan) caught fire off Grosse Pointe, Illinois, while returning to Chicago with the salvaged schooner A.J. DEWEY in tow and the boiler of the JOHNSON. The fire burned her in two before she finally sank. The DALTON's crew and the DEWEY were rescued by the tug WELCOME.

On 12 April 1874, the tug D.N. RUNNELS was launched Runnel's yard at the north end of the 7th Street Bridge in Port Huron, Michigan. As the tug splashed into the Black River, the flag at her bow was unfurled with her name on it. Commodore Runnels distributed oranges to the crowd of onlookers.

The tanker a.) LANA (Hull#151) was launched April 12, 1967, by Aktiebolaget Lodose Varv A/B at Lodose, Sweden. Renamed b.) NEW ORLEANS in 1988 and c.) NANCY ORR GAUCHER in 1989, she departed the Lakes in 1994. Renamed d.) PETRAWAK in 1996 and e.) TONGA in 2000.

Tanker LAKESHELL (Hull#389) of Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel, Quebec, was launched April 12, 1969, for Shell Canada Ltd.

Pioneer Steamship's steamer a.) A.A. AUGUSTUS (Hull#374) of American Ship Building Co., Lorain, Ohio, departed Cleveland on her maiden voyage April 12, 1910, bound for Green Bay, Wisconsin, with a load of coal. She was sold to Canadian registry in 1961, and renamed b.) HOWARD HINDMAN. She was scrapped at Bilbao, Spain, in 1969.

Hall Corp. of Canada's tanker HUDSON TRANSPORT (Hull#629) of the Davie Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec, was launched April 12, 1962.

On April 12, 1955, while upbound from Monroe, Michigan to load iron ore at Duluth, the ENDERS M. VOORHEES had the honor of opening the second century of navigation through the St. Marys Falls Ship Canal, celebrated with great pomp and ceremony.

On 12 April 1880, the wooden 2-mast schooner-barge JUPITER was launched at Marysville, Michigan, after being rebuilt under the supervision of James Bowers. She was originally built in 1857, at Irving, New York, and after this rebuild, she lasted another 21 years.

On 12 April 1892, UGANDA (wooden propeller, 291 foot, 2,053 gross tons) was launched at W. Bay City, Michigan, at F.W. Wheeler's yard (Hull #88).

1949: The corvette H.M.C.S. BATTLEFORD was Hull 95 from the Collingwood Shipyard and it was commissioned at Montreal on July 31, 1941. The ship was sold to the Venezuelan Navy becoming b) LIBERTAD in 1946 and was wrecked on this date in 1949. 1991: CHANDA hailed from India and first came to the Great Lakes in 1978. The ship was laid up Bombay, India, on May 5, 1988, after 20 years of service. It was moved to the scrapyard on April 11, 1991, but a major fire erupted in the engine room April 12 during dismantling operations.

1993: MELISSA DESGAGNES ran aground in the St. Lawrence, two miles east of the Eisenhower Lock, at 2352 hours. The ship was en route from Windsor to Newfoundland with wheat and floated free, after being lightered, on April 15.

2009: SCARAB was 16 years old when it first came through the Seaway in 1999. The ship was sold and renamed JASPER in 2002 and never returned to our shores. It was anchored off Fatsa, Turkey, when it got blown aground on this date in 2009. Some 2000 tons of fertilizer had to be removed for the ship to float free and it went to Tuzla, Turkey, for repairs.