Today in Great Lakes History

[yachtsmanwilly]

1/17 - Detroit, Mich. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, has announced the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., are closed to navigation until March 25. The Corps will use this time to perform critical maintenance on the lock structures.

“The Soo Locks are critical to the Great Lakes Navigation System and we have a tremendous team that operates and maintains them throughout the year,” said Lt. Col. Greg Turner, district engineer. “While we've begun work on building the new lock, it is as important as ever that we keep the existing infrastructure in good working order -- this is our highest priority.”

With the annual closure, vessel traffic ceases through the Soo Locks for the season. While closed to navigation, both the MacArthur and Poe locks are dewatered and crews are busy with a variety of maintenance projects in preparation to reopen in March.

In addition to the MacArthur Lock undergoing a formal periodic inspection and routine minor maintenance, several key actions will be completed by the Soo Locks staff, including repairs to the empty/fill valve bulkhead slots, replacement of miter gate anchorage links for Gate 6, and replacement of the miter gate bevel gears on Gate 5. For the Poe Lock, once dewatered, winter maintenance will include miter gate weld inspections/repairs on Gate 1, replacement of miter gate anchorage links for Gate 4, and minor repairs and re-stressing of miter gate diagonals on Gates 2 and 3.

The last vessel to traverse through the locks for the 2018-2019 shipping season was Manitoulin. The ship was up bound from Sarnia, Ontario, bound for Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. The ship completed locking through January 15 at 9:32 p.m.

More than 4,500 vessels carrying up to 80 million tons of cargo maneuver through the locks annually. Iron ore, coal, wheat and limestone are among the most frequently carried commodities. Opened in 1969, the Poe Lock is 1,200 feet long. The MacArthur Lock was opened in 1943 and is 800 feet long.

View a video of the last upbound vessel at this link: www.9and10news.com/2019/01/15/last-ship-sails-through-soo-locks-before-10-week-maintenance-closure


NORTHERN VENTURE closed the Welland Canal for the season as she passed downbound for Hamilton with coal in 1975.
In 1978, the CLIFFS VICTORY, JOSEPH H. FRANTZ, WILLIAM G. MATHER, ROBERT C. NORTON, CRISPIN OGLEBAY and J. BURTON AYERS formed a convoy in the Detroit River bound for Cleveland.

PHILIP D. BLOCK (Hull#789) was launched at Lorain, Ohio, by the American Ship Building in 1925.

The tanker GREAT LAKES was launched in 1963, as the a.) SINCLAIR GREAT LAKES (Hull#1577) at Decatur, Alabama, by Ingalls Iron Works Co.

JOHN E. F. MISENER was float launched in 1951, as a.) SCOTT MISENER (Hull#11) at St. Catharines, Ontario, by Port Weller Drydocks, Ltd.

January 17, 1902 - PERE MARQUETTE 2 ran aground at Ludington.

PERE MARQUETTE 19 grounded in limited visibility on January 17, 1916, two miles south of Big Point Sable, Michigan, 600 feet off shore. The captain made three unsuccessful attempts to find the Ludington Harbor entrance and on the turn around for the fourth attempt she grounded.

On 17 January 1899, the GERMANIA (wooden propeller freighter, 136 foot, 237 gross tons, built in 1875, at Marine City, Michigan) caught fire and burned to the water's edge at Ecorse, Michigan. The previous day, Norman Reno of Ecorse did some painting inside the cabin and it was presumed that the stove used to heat the cabin may have caused the blaze. The vessel was in winter lay-up at the rear of the home of Mr. W. G. Smith, her owner.

2000: FEDERAL VIBEKE got stuck in the ice on the St. Lawrence and was almost carried into the bridge at Quebec City. The vessel was bound for Sorel with steel. It first came to the Great Lakes in 1993 after previous visits as a) NOSIRA LIN beginning in 1981, b) DAN BAUTA in 1989, and c) KRISTIANIAFJORD in 1991. It was back as e) KALISTI in 2000 and f) NOBILITY in 2004. This bulk carrier arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping as h) OPAL II and was beached on November 14, 2012.

[yachtsmanwilly]

Federal funding delayed for BADGER ferry landing overhauls. Both states in panic mode.


1/18 - Milwaukee, Wis. – The 1,000-foot Stewart J. Cort has arrived at the Port of Milwaukee, and it will spend the winter in the inner harbor, according to company officials. The company said 1,000-foot cargo ships frequently winter in Milwaukee, but it is extremely rare to have a ship that large call on Milwaukee during the shipping season. The Cort usually carries iron ore from Duluth and Superior to steel mills in Indiana and elsewhere, the company said.

View a video at this link: www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/behemoth-cargo-ship-arrives-at-port-of-milwaukee


1/18 - Munising, Mich. – Outdoor enthusiasts who love to seek out the seasonal changes that make Michigan so special have been fascinated in recent years by the appearance of blue ice.

In 2016, it became a social media phenomenon when people shared pictures of it stacking up near the Mackinac Bridge. When it returned in 2018 - and stayed for weeks - it became a tourism draw near the Straits of Mackinac.

This winter, it appears to be piling up again, just not in a place where you’d typically expect to see it.

Patrick Hugener, owner of Head in the Clouds Photography, was getting some shots along Lake Superior’s Munising Bay on Tuesday when the flat, irregular-shaped hues of blue caught his eye. “I was kind of shocked when I saw it,” said Hugener, who has been focused on building his landscape and aerial photography business for the last four years.

Munising Bay is just staring to freeze over, and Hugener said a good size chunk of ice out by Sand Point broke up, and gusty winds pushed it to shore.

The scooped-out bay is located southwest of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Read more and view photos at this link: www.mlive.com/news/2019/01/first-blue-ice-of-2019-is-stacking-up-in-michigan-but-not-where-youd-expect.html


On 18 January 2004, the Great Lakes Fleet’s 1000 footer EDGAR B. SPEER became stuck in the ice in the Rock Cut in the St. Mary’s River. Over the next two days, the U.S.C.G.C. MACKINAW tried to free her, but unsuccessfully. On 21 January, the tugs RELIANCE, MISSOURI, JOSEPH H. THOMPSON JR and JOYCE L. VAN ENKEVORT all coordinated their efforts under the direction of Wellington Maritime’s Captain John Wellington and got the SPEER free.
The CABOT was refloated on January 18, 1967. On December 16, 1966, while loading at Montreal, the CABOT rolled over on her side and sank. The CABOT's stern section, used in the interim as the stern section of the b.) CANADIAN EXPLORER, is now the stern section of c.) ALGOMA TRANSFER.

The MONDOC had her Canadian registry closed on January 18, 1979. The vessel had been renamed b) CORAH ANN and sold to Jamaican company. CORAH ANN was scrapped in 2003.

The National Steamship Co. was incorporated January 18, 1906.

L. P. Mason and Company of E. Saginaw, Michigan sold the steam barge PORTER CHAMBERLAIN (wooden steam barge, 134 foot, 257 gross tons, built in 1874, at Marine City, Michigan) on 18 January 1888, to Comstock Brothers and L. & H. D. Churchill of Alpena, Michigan.

1925: JOHN RUGEE, a wooden steamer in the George Hall Coal Co. fleet, was destroyed by a fire while spending the winter at Ogdensburg.

1938: The passenger ship WAUBIC was damaged by a fire at Kingsville, Ontario, while at winter quarters. It was rebuilt at Port Dover later in the year as b) ERIE ISLE.

1942: LAKE FLAMBEAU was built at Duluth in 1919. It was sailing as c) FRANCES SALMAN when it was sunk by U-552 off the coast of Newfoundland with the loss of 28 lives.

1983: The Greek freighter KIMOLIAKI PISTIS came through the Seaway in 1981. It caught fire on this date in 1983 and was abandoned enroute from Recife, Brazil, to a Black Sea port. The hull was towed into Piraeus, Greece, January 27 and declared a total loss. It first traveled to the Great Lakes as a) MINAS CONJURO in 1969 and then as b) EUGENIO in 1979. The vessel arrived at Split, Yugoslavia, for scrapping on February 21, 1984.

1998: The second MAPLEGLEN caught fire in the engine room while in lay-up at Owen Sound and sustained about $40,000 in damage.

[yachtsmanwilly]

On 21 January 1895, CHICORA (wooden propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 199 foot, 1,123 gross tons, built in 1892, at Detroit, Michigan) was bound from Milwaukee for St. Joseph on a mid-winter run when he foundered with little trace. All 25 on board were lost. The ship's dog was found wandering on the beach by St. Joseph, Michigan, a few days later. A well-organized search for the wreck continued until mid-June. Many small pieces of wreckage were washed ashore in the spring.
On January 21, 1978, the Multifood Elevator #4 at Duluth, Minnesota, caught fire and collapsed onto the deck of the steamer HARRY L. ALLEN, which was laid up beneath the elevator. Her pilothouse was destroyed by fire. Severe warping and cracking of her plating occurred when cold water was poured onto her red-hot deck. Declared a constructive total loss, she was scrapped at Duluth in 1978.

1904: HENDRICK S. HOLDEN was torn loose by flooding on the Black River at Lorain, Ohio, and the vessel smashed a coal dump. It also crushed and sank the tug GULL on its way into Lake Erie. The bulk carrier last sailed as VANDOC (i) in 1965.

1921: G.J. BOYCE had been sold off-lakes in 1916. It was inbound for a Cuban port when it lost its rudder. The wooden schooner stranded near Porto Padre and broke up as a total loss.

1928: The Lake Michigan rail car ferry MADISON struck a sand bar off Grand Haven and went aground with close to $50,000 in damage. High winds and ice were a factor.

1959: High winds at Buffalo tore the MacGILVRAY SHIRAS loose when a heavy current swept the Buffalo River. The wayward vessel struck MICHAEL K. TEWSBURY and MERTON E. FARR and eventually demolished the Michigan Ave. Bridge. The damaged SHIRAS was not repaired and arrived in Hamilton in June 1959 for scrapping.

1978: VESLEFJELL was sailing as e) MARLEN when abandoned by the crew after developing leaks in heavy seas near the Canary Islands. The vessel was enroute to Nigeria with cement when it went down. It had been a Great Lakes trader beginning in 1951 and last called inland in 1962.

20 January 1980 - The E. M. FORD (406 foot, 4,498 gross tons, built in 1898, at Lorain, Ohio as a bulk freighter, converted to self-unloading bulk cement carrier in 1956, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin) was raised at her dock in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She sank on Christmas Eve of 1979, when gale force winds forced her from her moorings and repeatedly slammed her bow into the dock facing. Crews had to remove a solid three feet of hardened cement and patch her holed bow before she could be re-floated.
NORDIC BLOSSOM was launched January 20, 1981 as the a.) NORDIC SUN.

On January 20, 1917, American Ship Building's Lorain yard launched the steel bulk freighter EUGENE W. PARGNY for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

January 20, 1911 - The ANN ARBOR NO 5 made her first trip into Kewaunee. On 20 January 1923, CHOCTAW (steel propeller packet, 75 foot, 53 gross tons, built in 1911, at Collingwood) burned at her dock at Port Stanley, Ontario.

On 20 January 1978, HARRY L. ALLEN (formerly JOHN B. COWLE, built in 1910) burned at her winter lay-up berth at Capital 4 grain elevator dock in Duluth. She was declared a total loss.

1907: WILLIAM NOTTINGHAM broke loose in wild winds and flooding at Buffalo. When the storm subsided, the ship had come to rest high and dry about 440 yards from the channel. A total of 12 vessels stranded in the storm but this one was the biggest challenge. A new channel had to be dug to refloat the vessel.

1960: LAKE KYTTLE, under tow as b) JAMES SHERIDAN, foundered in a storm on Long Island Sound. The ship had been built at Manitowoc in 1918 and converted to a barge at River Rouge in 1927 before returning to the sea about 1945.

1962: The Liberty ship FIDES was a Seaway visitor in 1961. It went aground at Grosser Vogelsand, in the Elbe Estuary and broke in two as a total loss.

1975: The tug CATHY McALLISTER sank alongside the dock at Montreal after suffering some grounding damage on the St. Lawrence. The vessel was salvaged on February 13, 1975. It was scrapped at Port Weller as d) DOC MORIN in the fall of 2011.

1979: ZAMOSC first came to the Great Lakes in 1971. It was enroute from Montreal to Antwerp when in a collision with the JINEI MARU off Terneuzen, Holland. The damaged ship was beached but it heeled over in the sand and had to be broken up.

1981: The former SILVER FIR, a Seaway caller in 1977, ran aground and became a total off Libya as d) GALAXY II.

1983: The YDRA sustained an engine room fire and went aground about a mile east of Bizerta, Tunisia, as a total loss. All on board were saved and the hull is still there. The ship first came to the Great Lakes as a) MANCHESTER PORT in 1966 and was back as b) BIOKOVO in 1972.

1990: IMPERIAL ACADIA received major damage at the island of Miquelon due to a storm and had to be transported to Halifax aboard the semi-submersible MIGHT SERVANT for repairs. The vessel arrived at Chittagong, Bangladesh, for scrapping as e) RALPH TUCKER on October 26, 2004.

On 19 January 1824, the Welland Canal Company was incorporated to build the first Welland Canal.
DAVID M. WHITNEY (steel propeller freighter, 412 foot, 4,626 gross tons) was launched on 19 January 1901, by the Detroit Ship Building Company (Hull #138) in Wyandotte, Michigan, for the Gilchrist Transportation Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) EDWIN L. BOOTH in 1914, c.) G.N. WILSON in 1921, d.) THOMAS BRITT in 1928, and e.) BUCKEYE in 1943. She lasted until 1969, when she was scrapped in Spain.

January 19, 1927 - The Grand Trunk carferry MADISON was christened with a bottle of Wisconsin milk. She entered service in March of 1927.

CLARENCE B. RANDALL, the a.) J.J. SULLIVAN of 1907, was towed to Windsor, Ontario, on January 19, 1987, for scrapping.

1967: The former ELMBAY ran aground near Barra Grande along the coast of northern Brazil as e) SIMANSUR and was abandoned as a total loss. The ship saw Great Lakes service from 1923 until 1942 for several firms including Canada Steamship Lines.

1998: The Cypriot freighter FLARE was south of Newfoundland when it broke in two while inbound in ballast for Montreal. The stern section sank quickly. The bow drifted for several days before it too went down. Four members of the crew clung to an overturned lifeboat and were saved. The ship had been a Seaway trader as a) DORIC FLAME in 1977 and returned as b) FLAME in 1987 and as c) FLARE in 1993.

1/19 - U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay (WTGB-101) will conduct ice breaking operations in northern Green Bay near Escanaba, Mich., on Sunday January 20.

Katmai Bay will establish a track south of Escanaba Light towards Minneapolis Shoal and then east to Rock Island Passage. This work conducted ahead of the Joseph H. Thompson Jr. arriving Monday to lay-up at the Basic Marine Shipbuilding facility.

The Coast Guard reminds all recreational ice users to plan their activities carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from the ice breaking area.

1/20 - Manitowoc, Wis. – Mayor Justin Nickels says the federal government shutdown could delay the start of the sailing season for the S.S. Badger car ferry, hurting the local tourist economy.

On Thursday, Nickels called for U.S. lawmakers to reopen the government, noting the city of Ludington, Mich., has filed a notice of force majeure for work on the city’s car ferry dock. Ludington cannot continue work on its dock without grant dollars from the federal Department of Transportation, Nickels said, meaning the popular ferry’s season could be on hold until work is completed.

The cities of Manitowoc and Ludington received $5 million federal grants last year for repairs on the docks, where the S.S. Badger loads and unloads people taking the ferry across Lake Michigan.

Manitowoc’s portion of the project is $1.3 million, with a local match of $279,000. Manitowoc also received $2.9 million from the State of Wisconsin through the Harbor Assistance Program for support of the upgrades, Nickels said.

Total cost for repairs on the Manitowoc dock are just more than $5 million, with Lake Michigan car ferry company picking up remaining costs.

Work on Manitowoc’s dock began in fall after the ferry’s season ended, and will continue through spring with plans for completion before the start of the 2019 sailing season. However, Manitowoc and Ludington officials were informed that invoices for the federal grant would not be processed because of the shutdown, even though work continues on the docks and invoices are generated.

Nickels said Manitowoc will continue with the local government funding costs in anticipation of reimbursement from the transportation department once the federal government reopens.

Ludington leaders, however, indicated the city cannot carry costs of the project during the shutdown, so work could be halted on the Michigan side of the ferry route. The Ludington dock has already been removed, Nickels said, so if the work is stopped for a long period of time, the S.S. Badger may not set sail on time — even if the Manitowoc dock is completed.

The mayor said the S.S. Badger has a major economic impact for Manitowoc and any delay in sailing would directly affect the local economy.

Herald Times-Reporter

1/21 - Labor officials will investigate after a worker was injured at the Welland Canal early Saturday.

The accident happened during maintenance work at Lock 4 in Thorold when piece of platform fell about 80 feet and struck a man on the head.

No further information was available.

[yachtsmanwilly]

1/22 - St. Clair, Mich. – Residents near the St. Clair River in southern St. Clair County woke Monday to rising water levels. "That wind just blew the ice and raised the water levels so quickly," said Jeff Friedland, director of St. Clair County Homeland Security/Emergency Management.

An ice jam formed in the St. Clair River near Algonac, resulting in climbing water levels and flooding along the river and in canals.

Water levels near East China increased by about 2 feet, Friedland said Monday afternoon. He said a Canadian vessel started working to clear the jam Monday, with an additional Canadian vessel and a U.S. Coast Guard ice breaker headed to the area.

"One more will be here tonight and another tomorrow morning in an effort to break the ice dam in the Algonac area," Friedland said.

Austin Moran, lieutenant junior grade with the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit, said work was expected to continue throughout Monday evening. He said the Canadian cutter Griffon was the first vessel on the scene, and the U.S. Bristol Bay will assist Tuesday.

Ice jamming in the area and causing flooding at that location isn't unexpected, he said. "We had some issues last year, this is a hot problem area, its just due to the bend in the river," Moran said.

The laker Wilfred Sykes, heading up river, is being held at a Detroit dock until the jam is cleared. The ice build up also resulted in the Harsens Island ferry being shutdown. It had plans to try to reopen at noon Tuesday.

Port Huron Times Herald


1/22 - Bay City, Mich. – On a rainy Tuesday in January along the banks of the Saginaw River, a handful of volunteers are busy refurbishing a majestic 65-foot schooner housed under a temporary tent.

When they finish their work, the sailboat named Appledore V will take to the waters of Saginaw Bay and the Great Lakes and will join a tall ships fleet coming this summer to Bay City. The boat is owned by the Bay City-based nonprofit BaySail.

“Well, we’ve owned the Appledore V for a lot of years now,” said Shirley Roberts, executive director of BaySail. “For a period of time, it was actually deployed to Florida where she was generating income that would help support operations back home.”

BaySail uses the Appledore V and its sister ship, the 85-foot Appledore IV based in Bay City, for excursion cruises, environmental education and sail-training programs for youths. The group has owned both sailboats since 1998.

In the winter of 2010, the Appledore V relocated to Ft. Myers, Florida, then Key West, Florida, in 2012. There, paid cruises generated money for BaySail operations back home. In 2016, the ship sailed back to Bay City and made an appearance in the 2016 Tall Ship Celebration.

The Appledore V can have roughly 24 people on a day sail with nine overnight, while it’s larger sibling can hold 48 during the day and 10 overnight. Both were also built in Florida in 1992 and 1989.

Read more and view a photo gallery at this link: www.mlive.com/news/saginaw-bay-city/2019/01/this-65-foot-schooner-sailed-from-florida-to-michigan-to-begin-its-new-work-on-the-great-lakes.html


The c.) WOODLAND, a.) FRENCH RIVER) was sold to International Capital Equipment of Canada and cleared the lakes from Montreal January 22, 1991, under the Bahamian flag with the modified name to d.) WOODLANDS.
GOLDEN HIND was sold on January 22, 1973, to Trico Enterprises Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda (Quebec & Ontario Transportation Co. Ltd., Thorold, Ontario, mgr.).

January 22, 1913 - SAINTE MARIE (Hull#127) was launched at Toledo, Ohio, by Craig Shipbuilding Co.

1976: INGRID WEIDE first came to the Great Lakes in 1953, and the West German freighter returned on many occasions including 23 trips through the Seaway to the end of 1965. The vessel stranded as c) DENEB B. off Borkum Island, West Germany, while inbound for Emden with a cargo of stone. The hull broke in two and sank but all on board were rescued.

[yachtsmanwilly]

1/23 - Coast Guard crews were busy overnight and Tuesday morning cleaning the ice blockage in the lower St. Clair River. The Canadian Coast Guard ships Samuel Risley and Griffon worked all night on clearing the ice blockage by running track maintenance up and down the river, flushing ice into Lake St. Clair.

About 8 a.m. the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bristol Bay got underway from her base in Detroit escorting the Wilfred Sykes upbound. The Sykes had been waiting to transit upbound and was delayed by the ice. The Sykes is loaded with millscale for Indiana Harbor.

While the Bristol Bay and Sykes were upbound, the Samuel Risley was working with the tug Sharon M 1 and her barge to transit downbound. Barges can have great difficulty moving through ice choked channels as their flat bows push the ice eventually causing them to stop. This requires close escort by the icebreakers and frequent stopping to clear the ice around the barge.

About 9:30 a.m. and after a full night of ice breaking the Canadian ice breakers had the Sharon M 1 clear of the river and downbound unescorted on Lake St. Clair. The Samuel Risley turned unbound to escort the downbound tanker Algosea, which was ahead of the Herbert C. Jackson.

About 11:30 a.m. the USCG Bristol Bay had reached the lower St. Clair River with the Wilfred Sykes traveling about an hour behind. By noon all traffic was moving smoothly, with the upbound and downbound vessel passing in the St. Clair Cutoff Channel.


1/23 - Canadian shipping company Algoma Central Corporation has received full refund of installment payments for the now-cancelled shipbuilding contracts with Croatia’s Uljanik and 3. Maj Shipyard.

The company entered into five shipbuilding contracts with 3. Maj Shipyard, an operating unit of Uljanik.

After considerable delay, the first of the five vessels was delivered in 2018, however, Algoma decided to cancel the remaining four contracts. The decision was made amid the shipyard’s financial difficulties, which led to a much-publicized attempt to refinance the company and shipyard management was unable to put forward a credible plan that would lead to completion of the remaining hulls.

Demands for repayment of the related installments were made in December 2018 and the banks guaranteeing the repayment of the amounts have now remitted a total of CAD 115 million (USD 86.6 million) in full settlement of the claims.

“While we are extremely disappointed in the failure by the shipyard to complete the vessels on time, the shipyard and its banks have been very cooperative in finalizing the cancellations and refunding the installments promptly,” said Peter Winkley, Chief Financial Officer of Algoma.

As a result of contract cancellations, the company has taken steps to extend the expiry dates on three existing option contracts held with Yangzijiang Shipyard in China (YZJ) until later in 2019. The options, which provide Algoma Central Corporation with a choice to build Equinox Class self-unloaders or gearless bulkers, were to expire at the end of December.

“The extensions provide Algoma time to assess which type of ship to build, taking into account our current fleet plan and the needs of our customers,” said Gregg Ruhl, Chief Operating Officer of Algoma.

World Maritime News


1/23 - Toledo, Ohio – The sudden drop in temperatures has been a shock to Lake Erie with ice now quickly forming. The ice is more quickly forming in the shallowest western portion of the Lake and along the northern lakeshore. There is no official ice data current due to the government shutdown but around 20-25 percent of the lake appears to be covered by at least some ice.

View the ice maps at this link: www.wtol.com/2019/01/21/lake-erie-ice-quickly-expanding


1/23 - Cornwall, Ont. – Cornwall firefighters were called to action on the St. Lawrence River at 7:40 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19 when a male was reportedly stuck in his boat.

Platoon Chief Jody Dewar explained that the male was crossing the St. Lawrence River from his home on Pilon Island when the wind pushed him off course. The male was unable to walk on the ice safely and became stranded approximately 150 ft. from shore. “Our guys went out and brought him back in,” said Chief Dewar.

A full platoon of firefighters assisted with the water rescue. Police and paramedic personnel were also on the scene. The male was reportedly feeling cold but suffered no health effects. Chief Dewar explained that a rescue event like this has not occurred locally in quite some time. In the past, firefighters have rescued individuals who have fallen in the water in freezing temperatures.

At the time of rescue, Environment Canada reported that the temperature in Cornwall was -23 Celsius with a wind chill of -33 Celsius. An extreme cold warning and winter storm warning have been in effect since Friday, Jan. 18.

Cornwall News


1/23 - Traverse City, Mich. – The Great Lakes Maritime Academy’s annual Captain’s Dinner, Ship/Building Tours, and Auction will be held Friday, March 1 at 6 p.m. at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy and Lobdell's, the Great Lakes Culinary Institute’s practice restaurant at Northwest Michigan College’s Great Lakes campus.

The event offers a dinner prepared by Great Lake Culinary Institute chefs, a chance to tour the T/S State of Michigan, take a turn in the Academy’s ship simulators, meet the students, faculty and staff and participate in an auction. Discounted hotel rooms will be available.

Proceeds from the dinner benefit the following cadet organizations: Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), Women on the Water (WOW) and the Propeller Club, Student Port 150.

Tickets and more information are available here: www.nmc.edu/maritime/cadet-life/glma-captains-dinner/index.html


1/23 - Patricia (Patte) Trainor, the recently retired owner of West Pier Drive-in in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., died Monday in St. Petersburg, Fla. She was 65. Trainor retired from her business last September.

The restaurant, a favorite of many boatwatchers at the Soo Locks, is located at the West Pier above the Soo Locks. Vessel captains often blow a salute when they are opposite the restaurant and Trainor and her staff return the favor by running out to wave and shout hello. If a vessel is tied up to the pier for any length of time, the restaurant has been known to deliver burgers and fries to the crews.

Trainor was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., on May 26, 1953. She led an active life as a registered nurse and caregiver, with a career at Michigan Corrections that spanned more than 30 years. However the West Pier was her pride and joy. She worked tirelessly at the restaurant from sun up to sun down and folks would come from all over to enjoy the best burger in Northern Michigan. She had just hung up her apron in September for the last time to start enjoying retirement and was looking forward to lazy summer days at camp on Lake Superior and the warm winter sunshine in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Trainor is survived by her husband, Fred, and two stepchildren. A celebration of her life is planned for the summer.


January 23 - The CELTIC (wooden schooner-barge, 190 foot, 716 gross tons, built 1890, at W. Bay City, Michigan) broke away from the steamer H.E. RUNNELS during a fierce gale on Lake Huron on 29 November 1902, and was lost with all hands. No wreckage was found until 23 January 1903, when a yawl and the captain’s desk with the ship’s papers were found on Boom Point, southeast of Cockburn Island.
GEORGE A. STINSON struck a wall of the Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan on January 23, 1979. The damage was estimated at $200,000.

The rail car ferry GRAND HAVEN sailed on her first trip as a roll on/roll off carrier from Port Burwell on January 23, 1965, loaded with 125 tons of coiled steel bound for Cleveland and Walton Hills, Ohio.

1983: The Greek freighter CAPTAIN M. LYRAS visited the Seaway in 1960 and 1961 and returned as b) ANGELIKI L. in 1965. It arrived at Gadani Beach on this date as c) ANAMARIA for scrapping.

[yachtsmanwilly]

1/24 - Cleveland, Ohio – U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters carried 8.5 million tons of cargo in December, an increase of 17.5 percent compared to a year ago. Driving the surge was a 16-percent increase in iron ore cargos. Limestone and coal cargos also registered increases, 31 and 19.5 percent, respectively.

For the year, U.S.-flag lakers carried 83.7 million tons of cargo, a decrease of 2.3 percent compared to 2017. Iron ore cargos totaled 45.8 million tons, a decrease of 0.4 percent. That the iron ore total essentially pulled even with 2017 is noteworthy; the delays that resulted from heavy ice in March and April had the trade 16 percent off 2017’s pace at the end of April. In fact, the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards continued to break ice in Whitefish Bay at the eastern end of Lake Superior and the St. Marys River that connects Lake Superior to the lower four Great Lakes into May.

Coal cargos totaled 11.8 million tons, a decrease of 11.4 percent. Limestone loadings approached 22 million tons, an increase of 1.9 percent.

Most U.S.-flag lakers have arrived at their winter berth. Two vessels in the ore/stone/coal trade are proceeding to their lay-up docks. Two cement carriers are still in service.

Lake Carriers’ Association


1/24 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – The Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay was in the St. Marys River Wednesday and has flushed ice away from the Sugar Island ferry crossing, taking advantage of the warmer temperatures which are favorable for flushing operations; ice breakers will periodically visit the various crossings to minimize the impact of ferry services. Vessel Traffic Service St. Marys River also curtailed commercial activity through the river to assist in the effort to establish open water at the ferry crossing.

The current rise in temperature will transition to a blast of sub-zero arctic air later this week. Last weekend a similar blast of frigid air fueled the development of ice in the Sault's lower harbor and the lower St. Marys River. The forecasted temperature variance, occasional movements of commercial vessels carrying safety of life related cargoes, and logistical stops for fuel and supplies by ice breakers, elevates the risk of ice moving from the harbor to the Sugar Island Ferry crossing.

The Coast Guard is working to avert impact to scheduled ferry service, as we are cognizant of the hardship affecting island residents' daily schedules caused by ferry service disruptions. Unfortunately, in extreme weather it is possible for conditions or unforeseen circumstances to impact the ability for vessels to transit the waterway.

As a precaution, during this period of ice instability and wildly fluctuating temperatures, it is recommended that all island residents in the Northern Great Lakes region prepare for the possibility that ferry schedules may be reduced or possibly interrupted in the coming days and weeks. Recommended preparations include packing for overnight contingencies, stocking pantries, topping off propane and fuel oil for heating, preparing for medical needs and the inability to transport children to and from islands to attend school. Please prepare contingency plans on the mainland in the event school children cannot get back to the island after the beginning of the school day. For up-to-date information on ferry operations call the Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority (EUPTA) delays, cancellations, and updates hotline at [phone], check the local ferry Facebook pages, or the EUPTA website at EUPTA.net.

USCG


1/24 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – After nine months of heavy use raising and lowering ships big and small as they traveled between Lake Huron and the higher Lake Superior, the Soo Locks are now closed for their annual maintenance season.

But before the work could begin, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had to drain the locks so workers can inspect the interior and make needed repairs.

"The winter work season has officially begun for crews at the Soo Locks," the Army Corps said on social media this week. "The last boats passed through the Poe Lock January 15 and the next day workers began dewatering the lock."

Each year, the locks handle more than 4,500 vessels carrying up to 80 million tons of cargo. Iron ore, limestone and coal make up the bulk of what is coming through on the big freighters.

Of the Soo's four locks, only the Poe and the MacArthur locks are in regular use in the St. Marys River during the shipping season. Draining them means pumping out about 73.3 million gallons of water, the Army Corps said. It takes about 22 million gallons of water to raise the level of the Poe Lock by 21 feet when a big ship comes through, the Army Corps said.

While a new lock is being built, the Army Corps has said it's imperative to keep the two frequently used locks in good repair. The Poe Lock, which is 1,200 feet long, handles all the big lake freighters. The smaller MacArthur Lock is 800 feet long.

The Army Corps has shared a dozen photos of how they prepped the Poe Lock for a list of winter maintenance projects. It took workers about 17 hours to pump the water out of the biggest lock. In addition to the photos, they've provided descriptions to go along with the work being shown in each image.

Take a little trip through the Soo Locks, from a perspective few people get to see at this link: www.mlive.com/expo/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/01/4ca2a212001490/see-the-soo-locks-drained-of-millions-of-gallons-of-water.html


JOHNSTOWN (Hull#4504) was launched January 24, 1952, at Sparrows Point, Maryland, by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard.
SPRUCEGLEN was launched January 24, 1924, as a.) WILLIAM K. FIELD (Hull#176) at Toledo, Ohio, by the Toledo Ship Building Co.

The steel barge MADEIRA (Hull#38) was launched on January 24, 1900, at Chicago, Illinois, by the Chicago Ship Building Co.

1964: RUTH ANN, a Liberian freighter that came through the Seaway in 1960, ran aground on the Chinchorro Bank off the Yucatan Peninsula enroute from Tampico to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, as d) GLENVIEW. It later broke up as a total loss.

1967: DAMMTOR, a West German flag pre-Seaway trader, foundered in heavy weather as b) HASHLOSHA while about 80 miles west of Naples, Italy, enroute from Greece to Marseilles, France. A distress call was sent but the vessel went down with the loss of 21 lives before help could arrive. The ship had also made four Seaway voyages in 1959,

1988: ENDERS M. VOORHEES, under tow on the Mediterranean, broke loose in gale force winds and went aground about 56 miles south of Athens off Kythnos Island and broke up. The hull was salvaged in sections and the bow and stern reached the scrapyard at Aliaga, Turkey, in August 1989.

2009: DIAMOND QUEEN sank at the Gaelic Tugboat Co. dock at River Rouge. It was refloated on January 27, 2009.

[yachtsmanwilly]

1/25 - Cleveland, Ohio – After moving nearly 84 million tons of cargo in 2018, U.S.-flag lakers are now undergoing more than $70 million in maintenance and modernization at Great Lakes shipyards. The work ranges from engine overhauls to installation of state-of-the-art radars and other navigation equipment.

While winter’s freezing, often subzero, temperatures pose real challenges for shipyards and their workers, it is the one time each year the fleet can undergo maintenance and modernization. In order to meet the needs of commerce during the late-March/mid-January sailing season, vessels must operate 24/7 and stop only long enough to load and discharge cargo.

Engine work is a large portion of the winter work program. Some vessels have power plants capable of generating nearly 20,000 horsepower and over the course of the season, a vessel can travel more than 70,000 miles. Engine parts need to be remachined and reinstalled so that the vessel can again operate nearly continuously in 2019.

Since the Great Lakes are freshwater, corrosion is not a major issue; hulls can last almost indefinitely. Still, with some vessels now having been in service since the 1950s, some steel, generally in cargo holds, will be replaced.

Four vessels will be drydocked this winter so they can undergo an out-of-water hull inspection as required by U.S. law. The vessels enter the drydock and are positioned such that when the drydock is drained, they rest on blocks. U.S. Coast Guard and American Bureau of Shipping inspectors then team with company representatives to sound the hull.

Lakers are more than freight-hauling vessels, they are the crew’s home for 10 months each year, so safety systems are also checked and serviced as necessary. In addition, upgrades to living quarters and galley equipment are scheduled on some vessels.

There are four major shipyards on the Great Lakes. They are located in Sturgeon Bay and Superior, Wisconsin; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Toledo, Ohio. During the winter employment at these yards swells to nearly 1,100.

Vessels also winter in other Great Lakes port cities such as Cleveland and Detroit and are serviced by local providers.

The pace can be challenging at Great Lakes shipyards during the winter. Two months from today many of the vessels will have “gotten up steam” and be heading to their first port-of-call. The March 25 opening of the locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., will officially signal that another shipping season is underway.

Lake Carriers’ Association


1/25 - Marinette, Wis. – Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers plans to commit $31 million in his budget plan to help Marinette Marine.

Evers went to Marinette on Thursday to announce his proposal to help the shipbuilder expand its shipyard and infrastructure. He says the expansion will help Marinette Marine compete for a $10 billion federal shipbuilding contract.

Evers says the shipyard expansion will help Marinette Marine keep its workforce of 1,500 employees and also add an additional 400 full time positions.

Marinette Marine has been one of two companies building Littoral Combat Ships since 2005. But the U.S. Navy is discontinuing the LCS in favor of a larger frigate class ship. Reports say Marinette Marine is in the running for design and construction of the new ship.


1/25 - Green Bay, Wis. – Brown County Port officials are warning anyone who participates in water recreational activities that ice breaking will start this weekend. Starting Saturday the Coast Guard will be breaking the ice to keep the channels open for navigation. Crews will also establish and maintain tracks through the ice from Rock Island Passage to the Fox River.

“The Port’s ability to handle products throughout the winter months is a key piece in the current supply chain as well as an important factor in keeping the Northeast Wisconsin’s economy strong,” explained director of Brown County Port and Rescue Recovery, Dean Haen, in a press release. “Each year, there is a possibility that ice breaking will need to occur so that we can keep moving these important products where they need to go.”

The ice breaking will wrap up this upcoming Tuesday, January 29.


1/25 - Manitowaning, Ont. – The January 15 Assiginack council agenda package included an extensive report titled ‘S.S. Norisle refit project reinstatement’ and was listed as an information item, but was not dealt with by members of council during the meeting. Both Mayor Dave Ham and Councillor Rob Maguire were members of the S.S. Norisle Steamship Society, which hasn’t met in a number of years.

The report, penned by John Coulter, a member of the Steamship Society when it used to meet, begins, “As a result of the S.S. Norisle Steamship Society being able to regain access to Norisle, John Coulter and Wayne Fischer travelled from Toronto and Puslinch during December 27, 28, 29 to attend meetings with Mayor Dave Ham and Councillor Rob Maguire and perform an overview inspection of Norisle.”

“The primary purpose of the inspection was to determine the overall physical condition of Norisle that has evolved during the unfortunate and totally unnecessary lock out of the society since late 2015 and to allow re-engagement of formal relations between the Township of Assiginack and the S.S. Norisle Steamship Society,” the report continued.

“The past three lost years has resulted in a considerable loss of project traction that the society had gained,” the report noted. “It is therefore now incumbent upon the society to regain its strength and commitment in support of its faith in Norisle’s future for the benefit of Manitowaning, Ontario, Canada and future generations.”

As has been previously reported, the Society had sued Assiginack over rights to the aging passenger vessel after plans were made known to scuttle the Norisle as a dive site in Tobermory, which is set to take place as early as fall 2019. Assiginack settled with the Society last year, dropping its counter-claims and offering a cash reimbursement, which the Society agreed to. The amount spent on township lawyers was a hot topic of debate last year, especially during election time.

“There’s not a whole lot to talk about,” said Mayor Ham when contacted for comment. “They spent a couple of days going through the vessel from stem to stern and found the boat in reasonably good condition. We did have a meeting and they were impressed with the shape it was in.”

“What happens next is yet to be determined,” the mayor added. “(The society) would like to explore other avenues such as a total rebuild and may have a conversation with Purvis Shipyard (in Sault Ste. Marie). I feel it’s their ambition to revitalize the Friends (Steamship Society) again.”

When asked if he thought the Norisle would appear on Assiginack council’s agenda in the coming months, Mayor Ham said he thought it would.

The Expositor also reached out to Councillor Rob Maguire who said, “The Norisle, like all other municipal assets, is something we have to look at. Council needs to know what shape she’s in. This report lets us do that.”

The Expositor also contacted Mr. Coulter for comment. “A decision will be made by council as to next steps,” he said, “as to where we go from here.”

Manitoulin Expositor


1/25 - A Quebec shipyard hopeful of getting more federal work has condemned a storied Coast Guard ship as beyond repair, declining to bid on a lucrative contract to overhaul the 56-year-old CCGS Hudson on the grounds that it “presents a serious and real threat to the safety of life at sea.”

In a letter delivered Tuesday to officials with Public Services and Procurement Canada, Davie CEO Jared Newcombe said his company, based in Lévis, Que., would not bid on the contract to upgrade the Hudson as Davie believes the vessel to be beyond repair.

The federal government was trying to squeeze another few years of service out of the Hudson which, having been commissioned in 1963, is the oldest ship in the Coast Guard’s fleet. Bidding on the life-extension contract, expected to be worth about $20 million, ended this week.

It is the latest headache to bedevil a federal shipbuilding process that has been rife with delays. Davie’s remarkable letter — procurement experts cannot recall a bidder ever recommending scrapping a major vessel when offered a chance to upgrade it — underscores the difficulties successive federal governments have had in updating an aging Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy fleet.

“The Coast Guard ships are in serious need of replacement now,” said David Perry, a defence procurement expert and senior analyst at the Ottawa-based think tank, the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. The average service of a Coast Guard ship is about 36 years. Canada’s Maritime peers typically replace their Coast Guard vessels within 30 years of service.

The Harper government announced in 2007 that the Hudson was to be replaced by 2012 and the contract to replace her was awarded to Vancouver’s Seaspan shipyard. But that project is mired in delays and it is not clear when there will be a replacement. There is not yet a confirmed date for construction to start while the projected budget of $331 million to build the Hudson’s replacement is under review.

The Hudson did have a $4-million refit in Hamilton, Ont., in 2016, and has had more work done on it since it returned to its East Coast port in Dartmouth, N.S., in 2017.

But Davie told the government that, in its view, the Hudson has now reached the end of the line.

“The level of degradation to the hull, fuel tanks, onboard systems and other structural elements presents a serious and real threat to the safety of life at sea as well as the environment,” Newcombe wrote. Newcombe said his company had to consider its own liability should it have won the current life extension contract, “as well as ethical, repetitional and environmental considerations.”

Global News


In 1994 THALASSA DESGAGNES (steel propeller tanker, 131.43 meters, 5,746 gross tons, built in 1976, in Norway, as the a.) JOASLA, renamed b.) ORINOCO in 1979, c.) RIO ORINOCO in 1982) entered service for Groupe Desgagnes.
The keel for CLIFFS VICTORY, a). NOTRE DAME VICTORY (Hull#1229) was laid on January 26, 1945, at Portland, Oregon, by Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.

THOMAS F. COLE (Hull #27) was launched January 26, 1907, by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse, Michigan, for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

J. F. SCHOELLKOPF JR. was launched January 26, 1907, as a.) HUGH KENNEDY (Hull#349) at Lorain, Ohio, by the American Ship Building Co.

ST. LAWRENCE NAVIGATOR was launched in 1967, as a.) DEMETERTON (Hull#619) at South Shields, United Kingdom, by John Readhead & Sons, Ltd.

On 26 January 1898, the CITY OF DULUTH (wooden passenger/package freight vessel, 202 foot, 1,310 gross tons, built in 1874, at Marine City, Michigan, as a passenger vessel) was carrying passengers, corn, flour and general merchandise from Chicago to St. Joseph, Michigan, during a late season run when she struck an uncharted bar in a storm inbound to St. Joseph. She was heavily damaged and driven ashore 350 feet west of the north pier where she broke up. The Lifesaving Service rescued all 24 passengers and 17 crew members using breeches' buoy.

1986: The saltwater ship f) MARIKA L. was sold at auction to Scrap Hellas Ltd. on this date The vessel had arrived at Eleusis, Greece, under tow, on April 25, 1981, after an engine room fire on the Mediterranean. The ship had been arrested and partially sunk prior to being sold. It made one trip through the Seaway as a) DONATELLA PARODI in 1965 and was ultimately resold for scrapping at Aliaga, Turkey.

[yachtsmanwilly]

SELKIRK SETTLER (Hull #256) was launched January 28, 1983, at Govan, Scotland, by Govan Shipbuilding Ltd. She sails today as SPRUCEGLEN for Canada Steamship Lines.
At 4 a.m. on 28 January 1879, the ferry SARNIA was discovered on fire while lying at Fitzgerald's yard in Port Huron. All of the cabins were destroyed although the fire department had the fire out within an hour. About $3,000 damage was done. She was in the shipyard to be remodeled and to have a stern wheel installed. Arson was suspected.

On 28 January 1889, The Port Huron Times announced that the Toledo & Saginaw Transportation Company went out of business and sold all of its vessel and its shipyard. The shipyard went to Curtis & Brainard along with the PAWNEE and MIAMI. The BUFFALO, TEMPEST, BRAINARD and ORTON went to Thomas Lester. The C.F. CURTIS, FASSET, REED and HOLLAND went to R. C. Holland. The DAYTON went to J. A. Ward and M. P. Lester. The TROY and EDWARDS were sold, but the new owners were not listed.

1965: TRANSWARREN, a T-2 tanker, made three trips through the Seaway in 1960. The vessel began flooding on the Atlantic and sent out a distress call enroute from Bahamas to Ijmuiden, Holland. The ship made it to Ponta Delgada, Azores, for repairs but these were only temporary. On arrival at drydock in Marseilles, France, the vessel was declared a total loss and sold to Spanish shipbreakers at Castellon.

1966: The passenger ship STELLA MARIS came to the Great Lakes in 1959. It caught fire while bunkering at Sarroch Roads, Italy, as e) WESTAR after being refitted for the Alaska trade. Two died, another three were injured and the ship was declared a total loss. It arrived at La Spezia, Italy, for scrapping on April 30, 1966.

1975: CHRISTIAN SARTORI was the closest ship to the CARL D. BRADLEY when it sank in Lake Michigan on November 18, 1958, and helped in the search for survivors. The West German freighter continued to travel to the Great Lakes through 1967 and returned as b) CHRISTIAN in 1968. It ran aground at Puerto Isabel, Nicaragua, on this date after breaking its moorings as e) ROMEO BERNARD. The vessel had to be abandoned as a total loss.

1983: JALAJAYA went aground at the Los Angeles breakwater after the anchors dragged in bad weather. The ship was released and operated until tying up at Bombay, India, on October 3, 1987. It was subsequently scrapped there in 1988. The vessel had not been in service long when it first came through the Seaway in 1967.

1986: ADEL WEERT WIARDS, caught fire as c) EBN MAGID enroute from northern Europe to Libya. The vessel docked at Portland, U.K., on the English Channel, the next day but, following two explosions and additional fire on January 30, it was towed away and beached. The vessel was a total loss and scrapped at Bruges, Belgium, later in the year.

In 1912, the Great Lakes Engineering Works' Ecorse yard launched the steel bulk freighter WILLIAM P. SNYDER JR (Hull #83), for the Shenango Furnace Co.
LEON FALK JR. closed the 1974 season at Superior by loading 17,542 tons of ore bound for Detroit.

January 27, 1985 - CITY OF MIDLAND 41 had to return to port (Ludington) after heavy seas caused a 30-ton crane to fall off a truck on her car deck.

On 27 January 1978, ALLEGHENY, the training vessel of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy (built in 1944, at Orange, Texas as a sea-going naval tug) capsized at her winter dock at Traverse City, Michigan, from the weight of accumulated ice. She was recovered but required an expensive rebuild, was sold and renamed MALCOLM in 1979.

On 27 January 1893, Charles Lonsby and Louis Wolf purchased the 161- foot wooden steam barge THOMAS D. STIMSON for $28,000. The vessel was built in 1881, by W. J. Daley & Sons at Mt. Clemens, Michigan, as a schooner and was originally named VIRGINIUS. She was converted to a steamship in 1887.

1972: The Canadian coastal freighter VOYAGEUR D. hit a shoal off Pointe au Pic, Quebec, and was holed. It was able to make the wharf at St. Irenee but sank at the dock. The cargo of aluminum ingots was removed before the wreck was blow up with explosives on November 8, 1972.

1978: A major winter storm caught the American tanker SATURN on Lake Michigan and the ship was reported to be unable to make any headway in 20-foot waves. It left the Seaway for Caribbean service in 2003 and was renamed b) CENTENARIO TRADER at Sorel on the way south.

2002: SJARD first came through the Seaway in 2000. It was lost in a raging snowstorm 350 miles east of St. John's Newfoundland with a cargo of oil pipes while inbound from Kalinigrad, Russia. The crew of 14 took to the lifeboat and were picked up by the BEIRAMAR TRES.

2006: PINTAIL received extensive damage in a collision off Callao, Peru, with the TWIN STAR. The latter broke in two and sank. PINTAIL began Seaway service in 1996 and had been a regular Great Lakes trader as a) PUNICA beginning in 1983. The ship arrived at Chittagong, Bangladesh, for scrapping as c) ANATHASIOS G. CALLITSIS and was beached on September 19. 2012. It had also traded inland under the final name in 2008 and 2009.

In 1994 THALASSA DESGAGNES (steel propeller tanker, 131.43 meters, 5,746 gross tons, built in 1976, in Norway, as the a.) JOASLA, renamed b.) ORINOCO in 1979, c.) RIO ORINOCO in 1982) entered service for Groupe Desgagnes.
The keel for CLIFFS VICTORY, a). NOTRE DAME VICTORY (Hull#1229) was laid on January 26, 1945, at Portland, Oregon, by Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.

THOMAS F. COLE (Hull #27) was launched January 26, 1907, by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse, Michigan, for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

J. F. SCHOELLKOPF JR. was launched January 26, 1907, as a.) HUGH KENNEDY (Hull#349) at Lorain, Ohio, by the American Ship Building Co.

ST. LAWRENCE NAVIGATOR was launched in 1967, as a.) DEMETERTON (Hull#619) at South Shields, United Kingdom, by John Readhead & Sons, Ltd.

On 26 January 1898, the CITY OF DULUTH (wooden passenger/package freight vessel, 202 foot, 1,310 gross tons, built in 1874, at Marine City, Michigan, as a passenger vessel) was carrying passengers, corn, flour and general merchandise from Chicago to St. Joseph, Michigan, during a late season run when she struck an uncharted bar in a storm inbound to St. Joseph. She was heavily damaged and driven ashore 350 feet west of the north pier where she broke up. The Lifesaving Service rescued all 24 passengers and 17 crew members using breeches' buoy.

1986: The saltwater ship f) MARIKA L. was sold at auction to Scrap Hellas Ltd. on this date The vessel had arrived at Eleusis, Greece, under tow, on April 25, 1981, after an engine room fire on the Mediterranean. The ship had been arrested and partially sunk prior to being sold. It made one trip through the Seaway as a) DONATELLA PARODI in 1965 and was ultimately resold for scrapping at Aliaga, Turkey.

1/26 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – The Coast Guard will close the waters between Mackinaw Island and St Ignace on Monday at Noon. This action will steer commercial shipping and Coast Guard ice breaking activity away from the waterway to allow the development of ice. The Coast Guard reminds all recreational ice users to plan their activities carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from ice breaking areas.

USCG

1/26 - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – The deep freeze forecast for the Great Lakes late this week and into next week could cause problems for people who live on some of Michigan’s islands.

The Coast Guard this week put out a cautionary notice to islanders living along the St. Marys River - including residents of Sugar and Neebish islands - that ice issues on the waterway could mean reduced, even interrupted ferry service. For these islands, the ferries are the primary way to reach the eastern Upper Peninsula mainland.

The National Weather Service has said the temperatures enveloping Michigan in the next week will be the coldest air to hit the state in many years. Data is showing next Wednesday may not even warm to zero degrees at some locations across Michigan. The Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay has been working the St. Marys River this week, flushing ice away from the Sugar Island ferry crossing. But more ice is expected to build up during the coming stretch of below-zero temps. And cargo ships and other vessels traveling through that area could break up and send ice drifting toward the ferry crossing. With that in mind, residents would be wise to plan ahead, the military said.

“The Coast Guard is working to avert impact to scheduled ferry service, as we are cognizant of the hardship affecting island residents' daily schedules caused by ferry service disruptions," said LTJG Sean V. Murphy of USCG Sector Sault Ste Marie. “Unfortunately, in extreme weather it is possible for conditions or unforeseen circumstances to impact the ability for vessels to transit the waterway.

"As a precaution, during this period of ice instability and wildly fluctuating temperatures, it is recommended that all island residents in the Northern Great Lakes region prepare for the possibility that ferry schedules may be reduced or possibly interrupted in the coming days and weeks.

“Recommended preparations include packing for overnight contingencies, stocking pantries, topping off propane and fuel oil for heating, preparing for medical needs and the inability to transport children to and from islands to attend school. Please prepare contingency plans on the mainland in the event school children cannot get back to the island after the beginning of the school day.”

The Coast Guard has drawn up contingency plans to get people off Neebish Island in case of an emergency. Late last spring, residents on Neebish Island were stranded for a couple weeks when ice buildup prevented the ferry from taking people to school and jobs on the mainland.

Islanders said they typically stockpile groceries, fuel and other items in case hard winters make it impossible to reach the mainland for short windows. But when they are cut off from the mainland for a week or more, the situation can get dicey.

For up-to-date information on ferry operations, call the Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority (EUPTA) delays, cancellations, and updates hotline at [phone], check the local ferry Facebook pages, or the EUPTA website at EUPTA.net.

1/26 - Topping up your fuel tanks and getting better traction on roads is being made possible by icebreaking operations that start on Saturday. That's when the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw will be accompanying the carrier Algoma Sault and its cargo of rock salt to the Fox River Terminal in Green Bay. That will be followed up on Sunday and Monday with the carriers Algocanada and Algonova bringing gasoline and diesel fuel to the U.S. Oil terminal. Mark Gill, Director of Vessel Services for the U.S. Coast Guard, says these transports are the only way currently to get these products to consumers. Gill also recommends those who want to ice fish, snowmobile or venture out on the ice during these operations should be prepared. Once these operations are finished shipping on the Port of Green Bay will be closed for at least the next six weeks.

Door County Daily News

1/26 - The Canadian Coast Guard said it succeeded Thursday morning in clearing an ice jam in the St. Lawrence River that had stalled maritime traffic for several days.

The jam was located near Trois-Rivières, about 140 kilometres northeast of Montreal. As many as 16 ships had been stuck in ports around the province since Tuesday, including nine in Montreal.

Coast Guard icebreakers escorted two large ships from Montreal to the ice formation on Thursday. The goal was to use their size to dislodge the ice blocking the river.

The same maneuver was tried on Wednesday but failed. A spokesperson for the Coast Guard said maritime will resume, but under close supervision. They remain concerned another ice jam could form.

The stalled maritime traffic frustrated the St. Lawrence economic development corporation. Nicole Trépanier, who heads the corporation, blamed the federal government for not deploying enough Coast Guard ships to keep the river open to traffic throughout the winter.

"What worries us is the river's international reputation," Trépanier told Radio-Canada. "Maritime companies want to know if the river will be open year-round and whether Coast Guard services are adequate to supply services."

CBC

1/27 - At a recent event in New York, American Queen Steamboat Company Chairman and CEO John Waggoner shared the company’s latest plans for the Victory I and Victory II, two passenger ships the company acquired along with Victory Cruise Lines. The acquisition officially closed earlier this month.

Waggoner said that the company plans to keep the Victory brand name, although it will add “operated by American Queen Steamboat Company” language. “They already have a good, recognizable brand,” he said.

As for destinations: “We don’t plan on going to Cuba,” Waggoner said, in reference to the Cuba cruises Victory launched early last year. The Victory ships will maintain their focus on the Great Lakes, as well as coastal cruises along the Eastern Seaboard.

The two ships are set to re-enter service in May. Through October, Victory I will sail between Montreal and Detroit visiting Quebec City, Kingston, Toronto/Welland Canal, Port Colborne/Niagara Falls and Cleveland. Victory II will sail between Toronto and Chicago calling on Port Colborne/Niagara Falls/Welland Canal, Cleveland, Detroit, in addition to sailing scenic Lake Huron, Little Current and visiting Soo Locks/Sault Ste. Marie, Mackinac Island and ending on Lake Michigan. A previously announced cruise to Thunder Bay and Duluth no longer appear on the company’s website and may have been dropped.

Waggoner also said the line would like to continue Victory’s recently launched itinerary along Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, although plans in that regard are still not final. “We think the Yucatan is great, from the cuisine¬¬ to the Mexican history and culture,” he said. The line still needs to send a “fact-finding” team to the area to work out the details for potential itineraries.

In terms of onboard product, the two Victory ships are currently undergoing a top-to-bottom renovation at Gulf Island shipyard in Houma, La., before they re-enter service this May.

The company plans to change the overall look of the ship’s interiors to be more reminiscent of American Queen Steamboat Company’s other ships, too, particularly the American Duchess and American Empress. The ships’ lounge and tavern spaces will receive a redesign in the vein of the Engine Room bar, while the accommodations will get upgraded carpets and drapes, as well as the same amenities -- such as sheets, robes and slippers -- as the river ships.

Other changes will include enclosing the stern on the Victory II, to make it usable in a wider variety of weather, as well as adding shades to the sun deck on the Victory I. Each ship will have two dining venues, a main restaurant and an alternative space. The Victory I will have the open-air Cliff Rock Grill, while the Victory II will have the enclosed Lighthouse Grill. The ships will also serve high teas with an international flair.

Travel Agent Central

1/28 - Bayfield, Wis. – The Madeline Island Ferry line shut down service between Bayfield and La Pointe at the end of the day Friday, a few weeks later than normal.

"There's about six inches of solid ice and it's getting more difficult to get through,'' said Gary Russell, vice president of the ferry line. "And it's just brutal for our people to have to be out there, on the docks or the boats, in this cold." At 9 a.m. Friday it was 13 below zero in Bayfield with a 31 below zero wind chill. The forecast calls for continued brutally cold temperatures through next week.

Russell said the shutdown may leave island residents briefly without a water option to get to the mainland as service by air-powered "windsleds'' might not start until Monday. Neither a recorded message at Windsleds Inc. on Friday nor the company's website were clear on when the sleds may be up and running.

Until ferry service resumes, usually about April 1 after a normal winter, island residents and visitors will count on the windsleds and then, once ice thickens enough, a plowed ice road that enables driving back and forth to the mainland. Island regulars like the ice road best because it's free, and they can come and go on their own schedule.

The long-term average for a last day of ferry service is near Jan. 1 but has been moving later in recent decades as average air and water temperatures have risen. "We haven't had a December closing since I don't know when,'' Russell said. "For the last 25 years it's been later and later."

In the winters of 2012 and again in 2016 and 2017 the ferry ran all year, without stopping. That's hard on the boats and the crews, Russell noted. More than 150 years of ferry records the ferry ran all winter only in 1998, 2012, 2016 and 2017. A review of records over the year showed the ferry operating season has been growing steadily, with shorter ice-bound closures.

From March 28, 2015 to Jan. 5, 2018 the ferries logged 1,019 days of service, by far a record for the ferry line. About 300 people live on the island year-round.

Duluth News Tribune

[yachtsmanwilly]

1/29 - Buffalo, NY. – A fleet of 12 historic and majestic tall ships from harbors across the United States, Canada, Spain and the South Pacific will grace Canalside, Riverwalk and Erie Basin Marina for Buffalo’s inauguration as a host port of the Tall Ships ChallengeGreat Lakes 2019 race from Toronto to Buffalo on July 4-7.

In conjunction with the arrival of the tall ships, Basil Port of Call: Buffalo, a four-day, family-friendly celebration of the city’s maritime heritage, will take place along the downtown waterfront. Offering an opportunity for adults and children to view, board and explore the vessels, the festivities will feature family activities, live entertainment, historic exhibits, artisan food and beverages, and a Parade of Sail of the tall ship fleet.

Included in the flotilla are four three-masted tall ships: Barque Picton Castle, originating from the Cook Islands in the South Pacific and circumnavigating the world; Denis Sullivan, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the world’s only replica of a Great Lakes schooner; Toronto-based Empire Sandy, serving as Canada’s largest schooner; and Nao Santa Maria, a replica of the flagship of Christopher Columbus’ exploration fleet, built and based in Punta Umbria, Spain.

Eight two-masted tall ships also will be in attendance: Bluenose II, a Canadian national symbol and goodwill ambassador for the province of Nova Scotia; US Brig Niagara, replicating Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812 and home-ported in Erie, Pennsylvania; HMCS Oriole, the oldest commissioned vessel in the Royal Canadian Navy and based in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Pride of Baltimore, a reconstruction of a Baltimore Clipper from the War of 1812 era representing the people of Maryland; and STV St. Lawrence II, a Kingston, Ontario sail training brigantine operated by a crew of teenagers.

In addition to berthing on the waterfront, three of the two-masted tall ships will be available to leave port for either day or evening excursions: Appledore IV, a gaff schooner from Bay City, Michigan emphasizing environmental stewardship of the Great Lakes ecosystem; Appledore V, a companion schooner from Bay City also offering environmental science programs; and Spirit of Buffalo, the home port vessel host of this spectacular Buffalo waterfront event.

Basil Port of Call: Buffalo is free and open to the public. To tour any or all of the tall ships, Passport Vouchers can be purchased at all participating Wegmans locations throughout WNY and online at www.PortOfCallBuffalo.org. Additional information is also available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PortOfCallBuffalo.


BUCKEYE was launched January 29, 1910, as the straight decker a.) LEONARD B MILLER (Hull # 447) at Cleveland, Ohio by the American Ship Building Co.
JOHN P. REISS (Hull # 377) was also launched this date in 1910, at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co.

January 29, 1987 - BADGER almost capsized at her dock due to a broken water intake pipe.

In 1953, RICHARD M. MARSHALL (steel propeller freighter, 643 foot, 10,606 gross tons) was launched in Bay City, Michigan, at Defoe's shipyard (Hull # 424). Later she was named JOSEPH S. WOOD in 1957, JOHN DYKSTRA in 1966, and BENSON FORD in 1983. She was scrapped in 1987 at Recife, Brazil.

1975: RATTRAY HEAD, a Seaway trader first in 1971, ran aground on Black Rock Shoal, Galway Bay, while inbound with a cargo of coal. The ship was a total loss.

[yachtsmanwilly]

1/30 - Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding has recently completed and delivered an articulated tug barge unit to Port City Marine Services, Muskegon, Mich.

The Commander is a 495-foot by 72-foot freight barge that underwent extensive conversion, including the installation of new cargo holds, trunk deck and bow, and a new cargo unloading system. Combined with its tug, the vessel operates as an articulated tug barge unit, according to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.

The conversion of the Commander was a complex 21-month project, said Todd Thayse, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding vice president and general manager.

“This conversion was quite unique and challenging as it utilized the full breath of our skilled shipbuilders and the trades they represent along with our engineering and program management team,” Thayse said. “It’s always gratifying to do business with a repeat customer, and the Commander is reflective of the quality those customers have come to expect."

Port City Marine Services is experienced in the management, conversion and operation of a variety of vessels including bulk freight ships and articulated tug barge units across the Great Lakes in the United States and Canada.

“Our history with Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, and knowledge of their well-proven skill set, gave our customer, lender and board of directors the comfort to approach such a major conversion project," said Chuck Canestraight, president of Muskegon-based Sand Products Corporation, the owner of Port City Marine Services. "Our thanks to the dedicated workforce at the Sturgeon Bay yard and all of those associated with this project.”

View a photo at this link


1/30 - Marquette, Mich. – Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corporation says the Presque Isle Power Plant is on track for retirement sometime in April or May, but no specific date has been set.

Two natural gas-fueled generating stations will replace the coal-fueled power plant, which receives coal deliveries by lake freighter. Construction activities are essentially complete at the A.J. Mihm Generating Station in Baraga Township and F.D. Kuester Generating Station in Negaunee Township, and now the stations are being tested.

At the end of 2018, UMERC had 93 employees at the Presque Isle Power Plant. The company says human resource and benefits representatives are working closely with employees to prepare them for when the plant is no longer operational.

UMERC says it has no current plans for the Presque Isle site beyond decommissioning and other actions typical with retirement of a power plant.

WLUC


ELMDALE was launched in 1909 as a.) CLIFFORD F. MOLL (Hull#56) at Ecorse, Michigan, by the Great Lakes Engineering Works.
CHIEF WAWATAM was held up in the ice for a period of three weeks. On January 30, 1927, she went aground at North Graham Shoal in the Straits. She was later dry-docked at Great Lakes Engineering Works in Detroit where her forward propeller and after port wheel were replaced.

January 30, 1911 - The second PERE MARQUETTE 18 arrived Ludington, Michigan, on her maiden voyage.

On 30 January 1881, ST. ALBANS (wooden propeller passenger/package freight vessel, 135 foot, 435 tons, built in 1869, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying general merchandise, flour, cattle and 22 passengers in Lake Michigan. She rammed a cake of ice that filled the hole it made in her hull. She rushed for shore, but as the ice melted, the vessel filled with water. She sank 8 miles from Milwaukee. The crew and passengers made it to safety in the lifeboats. Her loss was valued at $35,000.

On 30 January 2000, crews began the removal of the four Hulett ore unloaders on Whiskey Island in Cleveland.

1990: IMPERIAL ACADIA received major damage at the island of Miquelon due to a storm and had to be transported to Halifax aboard the semi-submersible MIGHT SERVANT for repairs. The vessel arrived at Chittagong, Bangladesh, for scrapping as e) RALPH TUCKER on October 26, 2004.

1999: The SD 14 freighter LITSA first came through the Seaway in 1977 as a) SANTA THERESA and was the last saltwater ship of the year downbound through that waterway in 1981. It was sailing as e) LITSA when fire broke out in the engine room off Senegal on this date. The blaze spread through the accommodation area and the crew got off safely. The hull was first towed to Dakar, Senegal, and then, after a sale to Turkish shipbreakers, it arrived at Aliaga on August 6, 2001.