Today in Great Lakes History

[yachtsmanwilly]

1/31 - Tuesday night, the Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay responded to a medevac request for a resident on Mackinac Island who needed immediate medical attention. Unable to utilize an aircraft due to harsh weather conditions, Sector Sault Sainte Marie Command Center contacted the Katmai Bay, who immediately diverted to assist the island resident. The Katmai Bay broke ice into the harbor, where she met local emergency service crews, who escorted the resident onboard the Cutter. The crew of the Katmai Bay then ensured her safety while they transited to St. Ignace for further transfer to medical services.

“This was a great team effort by all, including Mackinac Island EMS and Fire Department, Straits Area EMS, Mackinac Marine Rescue, Mackinac Island Medical Center, and Sector Sault Ste. Marie,” said LT Steele Johnson, Commanding Officer of CGC Katmai Bay. “The crew responded admirably in adverse conditions to answer the call. We’re happy to have done our part in getting her the advanced medical treatment she needed.” The Coast Guard breaks ice for search and rescue, to facilitate navigation, and in this case-to respond to exigent circumstances for communities including remote island residents. U.S. Coast Guard


MANZZUTTI was launched January 31, 1903, as a.) J S KEEFE (Hull#203) at Buffalo, New York by the Buffalo Dry Dock Co.
January 31, 1930 - While the Grand Trunk carferry MADISON was leading the way across Lake Michigan to Grand Haven, she was struck from behind by her sister ship GRAND RAPIDS.

1917: DUNDEE, which left the Great Lakes in 1915 after service in several fleets including Canada Steamship Lines, was torpedoed and sunk by U-55. The vessel was 10 miles north and west of Ives Head, Cornwall, England, while enroute, in ballast, from London to Swansea. One life was lost.


Due to unusual weather patterns, the rest of the Northern Western hemisphere is freezing their collective asses off. Film at 11:00

[yachtsmanwilly]

2/1 - Montreal, Que. – Shipping traffic remained stalled Thursday morning on the St. Lawrence River between Sorel-Tracy and Trois-Rivières, even as a pair of Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers continued their efforts to force open a channel. Navigation on the waterway has been stalled since Wednesday.

The icebreakers Des Groseilliers and Pierre-Radisson will remain at work until further notice after a storm in the region on Tuesday led to a rapid freeze on the river, creating a series of ice jams.

Merchant ships on either side of the blockages remain stalled, with ships anchored in Montreal headed downriver forced to wait for an opening while other vessels are trapped in Trois-Rivières. Some ships arriving at the mouth of the St. Lawrence have been obliged to anchor at Escoumins, about 30 kilometres northeast of the Saguenay River.

Last week, traffic was interrupted for several days on the St. Lawrence because of an ice jam that formed on Lac Saint-Pierre. That incident drew the ire of the maritime industry and its clients, who complained about the lack of icebreakers.

Montreal Gazette

2/1 - Grand Haven, Mich. – Grand Haven has received its final delivery of the 2018-19 shipping season. Amid snow flurries and plenty of ice, the steamship Wilfred Sykes arrived Saturday morning Jan. 26 with a load of slag for Meekhof’s D&M on Harbor Island.

Ashton Marine’s tug Candace Elise came down from Muskegon and broke the ice in the Grand River before the Sykes arrived, remaining in port while the freighter unloaded. Shortly after dark, the Sykes was ready to leave, and both vessels departed.

There were a couple of more loads of slag scheduled for the Sykes, but with sub-zero temperatures and gales expected in the coming days, the next port of call for the vessel was Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for a well-deserved winter layup.

The departure of the Sykes marked the end of a shipping season that had begun March 23, 2018. Over the course of the season, the port of Grand Haven saw the arrival of 15 different vessels that delivered a total of 92 cargoes to four different docks.

This season’s total is a 9 percent decrease from last season, when the port finished with 101 cargoes. However, it is above the five-year average of 85. The decrease in shipments can be attributed to the harsh winter weather that affected both the start and end of the season.

The 15 different vessels that made trips to Grand Haven this season consisted of the American-flagged vessels Ashtabula/Defiance, Calumet, Herbert C. Jackson, Joseph H. Thompson/Joseph H. Thompson Jr., Joseph L. Block, Kaye E. Barker, Menominee/Olive L. Moore, Pere Marquette 41/Undaunted, St. Marys Challenger/Prentiss Brown, St. Marys Conquest/Bradshaw McKee and Wilfred Sykes. Additionally, the Canadian-flagged vessels Algoma Buffalo, Cuyahoga, Mississagi and Saginaw visited.

Noticeably absent this season were the vessels Manitowoc, Manitoulin, Michipicoten and Pathfinder/Dorothy Ann.

Looking forward, there will be a few changes next season in the port of Grand Haven.

The port should see the arrival of a new face, as Port City Marine’s new barge Commander entered the cement trade recently and will likely make trips to the St. Marys Cement terminal in 2019.

On a sadder note, Algoma Central Corp. is retiring a number of vessels that have made trips to Grand Haven during their careers. The Algoway (last visit was 2016) Algorail (last visit was 2015) and Algosteel (last visit was 2017) were all sent for scrap this season. Additionally, the Algowood and Capt. Henry Jackman (both last visited in 2016) are expected to head for scrapping this year.

If the barge Menominee calls on Grand Haven next season, it will be with a different tug, as its old tug Olive L. Moore is being retired. The tug Invincible, which has previously been in port with the barge McKee Sons, will be paired with the Menominee next season.

The end of the 2018-19 shipping season concludes my third season at the helm of the Tribune’s Ships Log. This season was incredibly busy for me and I would like to thank a number of people who helped me.

Sam Hankinson, Grand Haven Tribune McKeil Marine adds tug to fleet McKeil Marine has added another tug to its fleet. Lois M arrived in Mulgrave, Nova Scotia Septmber 17 and was registered in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, September 23. It was built in 1991 by Matsuura Tekko Zosen of Japan for an Australian operation of Cleveland-Cliffs. Named Lambert it served Port Lambert, in Western Australia, a large iron shipment area.

Lois M is built to a similar design to Beverly M1 and Sharon M 1 acquired last year by McKeil. Powered by Niigata main engines of 4800 bhp, it rates 60 tonnes bollard pull, delivered through two Rexpeller azimuthing stern drives.

McKeil has a great deal of work in Newfoundland, and after fitting out at Mulagrave, the tug is expected to go to work in the island province.

A sister tug named Pannawonica I has also been acquired by McKeil, and it is currently working in Walvis Bay, Namibia.

[yachtsmanwilly]

The two sections of the a.) WILLIAM J. DE LANCEY, b.) PAUL R. TREGURTHA) were joined at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. and float-launched on February 4, 1981, (Hull #909).
In 1977, ROGER BLOUGH arrived at the American Shipbuilding Company in Lorain, Ohio for winter lay up and a 5-year hull inspection. She had departed South Chicago after unloading on Jan 25th and the trip took 10 days due to weather and heavy ice.

February 4, 1904 - Captain Russell of the PERE MARQUETTE 17 reported that Lake Michigan was frozen all the way to Manitowoc.

In 1870, The Port Huron Weekly Times reported that “a Montreal company has purchased all the standing timber on Walpole Island Indian Reservation [on the St. Clair River…] A large force of men are employed in hewing, cutting and delivering the same on the banks of the river in readiness for shipment… The proceeds of the sale of timber on Walpole Island will probably amount to $18,000 to $20,000, to be distributed among the Indians of the island to improve their farms.

1964: OCEAN REGINA, which would become a Seaway visitor in 1971, ran aground in the Makassar Strait, Indonesia, while enroute from Geraldton, Australia, to China. The ship was refloated February 11.

1965: The Liberty ship IRINI STEFANOU visited the Great Lakes in 1959 and 1960. It struck a reef, 1 mile west of the San Benita Islands, Baja Peninsula and had to be beached. The vessel was enroute from Vancouver, British Columbia, to London, England, with timber. While abandoned, the hull was refloated on February 25 and taken to Los Angeles for examination. They discovered a serious distortion of the hull and it was broken up at Terminal Island.

1970: ARROW, a Liberian tanker quite familiar with Great Lakes trading, stranded in Chedebucto Bay, while inbound from Venezuela to Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia. The ship broke in two as a total loss on February 8 spilling millions of gallons of oil. This resulted in a major environmental problem and clean up took two years and $3.8 million.

1976: A fire aboard the freighter KERKIS broke out in #3 hold off the northern coast of Sicily. The vessel was brought into Milazzo, Italy, the next day and when the hold was opened on February 12, the blaze flared up again. The hull was beached as a total loss. It had begun Seaway trading as a) BYSANZ in 1959 and was back as b) ALSATIA beginning in 1967.

1984: The former MANCHESTER RENOWN was idle at Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, as c) EDESSA. The ship was being reactivated when a fire broke out and destroyed the upper works. The vessel was sold to Taiwan shipbreakers and arrived at Kaohsiung on April 6, 1984. It had begun Seaway trading as a new ship, in 1964.

1992: PATRICIA was wrecked at Crotone, Italy, and abandoned. The hull was visible years later, partially submerged. The ship began Seaway service as a) RUMBA in 1971 and was back as b) JANJA in 1975, c) JANJE in 1979 and e) FIGARO in 1988.

1999: The former BAUNTON caught fire in #1 hold 350 miles west of Dakar, Senegal, as c) MERSINIA and was abandoned by the crew. The ship, enroute from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to Amsterdam, Netherlands, with cocoa beans in bulk, was a total loss and was delivered to Spanish shipbreakers at Santander for dismantling on January 21, 2000. It first came through the Seaway in 1981 when it was a year old.

n 1960, The Ludington Daily News reported that the S.S. AVALON, formerly the S.S. VIRGINIA, had been sold to Everett J. Stotts of Artesia, California.
On 03 February 1899, the steamer GEORGE FARWELL (wooden propeller freighter, 182 foot, 977 gross tons, built in 1895, at Marine City, Michigan) burned while laid up near Montreal, Quebec. She had just been taken from the Great Lakes by her new owners, the Manhattan Transportation Company, for the Atlantic coastal coal trade, The loss was valued at $50,000 and was fully covered by insurance. The vessel was repaired and lasted until 1906 when she was lost near Cape Henry, Virginia.

1939: LUTZEN came ashore in dense fog at Nauset Beach, Chatham, Mass., off Cape Cod. The vessel rolled over on its side with its cargo of frozen fish and fruit. The small ship had been built at Fort William, (now Thunder Bay) in 1918.

1970: The tanker GEZINA BROVIG sank 300 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. An explosion in the main engine on January 31 blew a piston through the side of the ship and it gradually sank. The vessel had been a Great Lakes trader beginning in 1965.

1993: The former Spanish freighter MARTA, a Seaway trader in 1981, was sailing as b) PROSPERITY when it began leaking in a storm. The ship subsequently broke in two and sank with the loss of 5 lives. The vessel went down 120 miles west of Sri Lanka while enroute from Jordan to Madras, India.

1996: An engine room fire aboard the C.S.L. self-unloader JEAN PARISIEN at Port Colborne resulted in about $250,000 in damage.

SAMUEL MATHER, a.) PILOT KNOB (Hull #522) had her keel laid February 2, 1942, at Ashtabula, Ohio, by Great Lakes Engineering Works.
February 2, 1939 - CHIEF WAWATAM went to the shipyard to have a new forward shaft and propeller placed.

1913: The wooden passenger and freight carrier MANITOU sustained fire damage at Owen Sound and sank at the dock. The vessel was refloated, repaired and operated to the end of the 1939 season.

1972: IRISH SPRUCE first appeared in the Seaway in 1960. The ship was enroute from Callao, Peru, to New Orleans with zinc and copper concentrates as well as coffee, when it ran aground on Quinta Suero Bank (14,25 N / 81.00 W) off the coast of Nicaragua. The ship had its back broken and became a total loss.

1981: EDOUARD SIMARD and JAMES TRANSPORT collided in the St. Lawrence River east of Port Neuf, Quebec. Both received bow damage.

1981: ARTHUR SIMARD received extensive bottom damage after going aground in the St. Lawrence. It was enroute from Montreal to Sept-Iles, but returned to Trois Rivieres to unload and then to Montreal for repairs.


2/2 - Montreal, Que. – The Montreal Port Authority will need about $500 million for a proposed expansion of container facilities by the middle of the next decade, said vice-president Ryan Dermody. A potential debt issue would help pay for a first phase of infrastructure work.

“We absolutely have the capability to borrow, so debt could be an option,” Dermody, who has been overseeing the project since his appointment last year, said in a telephone interview. “We will look at everything that’s required to make this project work. Nothing is off the table.”

Montreal, Canada’s biggest port by volume after Vancouver, is coming off five consecutive years of rising volumes. After tonnage climbed 9 per cent last year to 1.6 million containers, the federally owned facility expects to reach full capacity within five years if the proposed expansion doesn’t proceed.

Montreal serves as a gateway between North America and Europe for imports of wine and electronic devices and exports of commodities such as lumber. Its main competitor for shipments to the U.S. Midwest is the port of New York and New Jersey.

Key carriers with service to and from Montreal include MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co., Hamburg-based Hapag Lloyd AG and Denmark’s A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S.

Having picked up a sixth shipper last year, Montreal is planning to add a seventh in April. The new terminal would initially add about 500,000 20-foot equivalent units annually to Montreal’s current capacity of 2.1 million containers.

“We don’t have a choice but to grow with the customers,” Dermody said. “We have had record years, and we need to unlock additional capacity. Based on the growth figures in our financial model, we have to have that built around 2023 or 2024. It’s an absolutely strategic objective for us.”

To help with the project, the port authority has hired London-based Arup Group as its engineering firm. Bank of Montreal will help the port assess financial options.

Montreal’s new container terminal would be built in the town of Contrecoeur, about 40 kilometres northeast of the city on a 468-hectare site.

Port officials are working on securing federal environmental approval for the project, possibly by the end of 2020, Dermody said, and construction would begin once that was obtained.

Montreal Gazette

2/2 - The Canadian laker Algoma Sault has been trying to enter Goderich since Tuesday alternating between waiting off port and anchored in Lower Lake Huron while the port is broken out.

The extreme cold temperatures over the last few days, combined with strong and gale force westerly winds, have created very heavy ice conditions outside of Goderich piers. The ice that has developed extends approximately 1 nautical mile wide west of the piers and is called pack ice. It is dense, refrozen brash and pancake ice that has frozen under pressure. Rough estimates have the ice field from 3-7 feet deep.

Algoma Sault arrived off port Tuesday afternoon, but after failed attempts to make it through the ice they headed downbound to anchor above Port Huron and wait for assistance, arriving in the anchorage Wednesday morning.

Thursday morning they departed the anchorage and headed back to Goderich. The Goderich-based tug Ocean Golf was attempting to break out the port. The tug was not able to open a track for the Algoma Sault, so the Sault returned to the anchorage above Port Huron that night.

Thursday night the CCGS Samuel Risley headed upbound to attempt ice breaking into the port. About 11 p.m. they were making 1.5 knots while 20 miles west of the port.

Algoma Sault departed the Port Huron Anchorage about 4 a.m. Friday upbound to wait off Goderich, the third time for the vessel making the trip to the port.

Samuel Risley spent the night fighting through the ice making it about a mile off the port before stopping in the ice. They tried multiple routes adjusting course north and south of the port but found the same heavy ice field on each course. About 8 a.m. the icebreaker set a course downbound for Sarnia to assist the tanker Algonova and the Algoma Sault followed.

Friday afternoon Algoma Sault took up her position in the anchorage while Samuel Risley proceeded downbound to break ice off the Imperial Oil Dock in Sarina for the arrival of the Algonova. The tug Pride assisted in breaking out the Imperial Oil dock. The Risley headed upbound to the Sarnia Government Dock for a well-deserved over night rest.

The Canadian Coast Guard reported Friday that there was no emergency and they are working closely with the shipping company requesting icebreaker assistance and the U.S. Coast Guard to plan icebreaking activity near the community of Goderich and it's vicinity.

Temperatures are forecast to increase over the next several days as well as light winds which will help with icebreaking.

2/3 - Following the polar vortex in the Midwest this week, Lake Erie has frozen over and nearly half of Michigan's Great Lakes are covered in ice. More than 90 percent of Lake Erie is covered in ice, prime conditions for fishing on the shoreline. Meanwhile, about 48 percent of the Great Lakes are ice covered, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Even though it's the southernmost of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie tends to freeze over the earliest because it is shallow and has less heat capacity than the other lakes, NOAA Researcher Brent Lofgren said.

"It's not all that rare. Lake Erie freezes often," Lofgren said. "There aren't really any negative effects of it. Actually, it will prevent further lake effect snow for that season."

Most of the lakes have between 2-6 inches of ice covering with parts of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron with anywhere between 12-28 inches of ice. Weather temperatures are expected to rise through the weekend starting Saturday with a high of 37. Sunday and Monday will be in the high 40s.

"The warm weather isn't going to have all that big of an effect on Lake Erie. But for other lakes like Lake Michigan, you'll see a lot of open water again soon because of transport and it's likely to melt quickly," Lofgren said.

"Do not go ice fishing far from shore on Lake Erie, because that ice can shift," he said. "Check with local authorities on the safety of fishing on nearshore ice."

Visit www.glerl.noaa.gov for more information

The Detroit News

2/4 - Saturday the CCGS Samuel Risley completed the downbound escort of the tanker Iver Bright to Detroit and turned upbound for Goderich. Once into Lake Huron the Algoma Sault followed the Risley North.

Risley arrived shortly after midnight and spent about two hours breaking a relief track about two miles off shore, The relief track eases the pressure on the ice closer to shore and gives the ice somewhere to go as they move in to break ice closer to shore.

Sunday morning the Goderich-based tug Escort began breaking out the harbor and entrance channel. The Risley then focused on breaking into the port. By 10 a.m., she had come within a quarter mile of the breakwalls. This is the area of the heaviest ice, as the wind has piled the chunks on top of each other. It is not uncommon to have ice piled up to the bottom of the channel after days of heavy wind. South West winds in the area have not helped to lessen the pressure on the ice field.

Risley moved father off shore and began breaking more relief tracks to ease pressure on the ice field piled against the piers. By 6 p.m., the Risley had successfully broken through the field and reached the piers. Sunday night both vessels were stop off port.

[yachtsmanwilly]

2/5 - Thunder Bay, Ont. – Admitting he’s disappointed, the city’s tourism manager has confirmed there will be no cruise ship visit to the city this year. Paul Pepe says it’s because of the sale of Victory Cruise Lines to another company that has decided to strike us off their list for this year.

He tell us he is going to try to convince the new company to have a ship stop in Thunder Bay next year and beyond. At the same time, the city tourism manager says he is talking with other cruise lines that are looking at Lake Superior for future stops as well.

99TheBay


ASHLAND, in a critically leaking condition, barely made Mamonel, Colombia, on February 5, 1988, where she was scrapped.
February 5, 1870 - Captain William H. Le Fleur of the Pere Marquette carferry fleet, known as "the Bear" was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

On February 5, 1976, the carferry WOLFE ISLANDER III was inaugurated into service between Kingston and Wolfe Island Ontario. Later that night, two blocks over, a Kingston resident noticed the captain turning off the running lights of the 'ol WOLFE ISLANDER as she joined her already winterized sister, the UPPER CANADA.

1972: CHRISTIANE SCHULTE, a West German Seaway trader, went aground at Khidhes Island, Cyprus, while on fire and was abandoned by the crew. The ship was traveling from Lattakia, Syria, to Mersin, Turkey, as b) CITTA DI ALESSANDRIA and was a total loss.

1977: The Israeli freighter TAMAR, a Seaway caller in 1959 and 1961, was gutted by a fire in the Aegean Sea south of Thira Island as c) ATHENA. The vessel, enroute from Mersin, Turkey, to Albania, was towed into Piraeus, Greece, on February 12, 1977. It was a total loss and scrapping began at Eleusis in January 1978.

1982: The Canadian tanker JAMES TRANSPORT spent 10 hours aground in the St. Lawrence near Batiscan, Quebec.

1996: A shipboard fire caused extensive damage to the Jean Parisien docked at the stone docks in Port Colborne. No one was injured in the blaze, which took two hours to extinguish and was the second one on board a ship in two days.

[yachtsmanwilly]

2/6 - Green Bay, WI – The Port and Resource Recovery Department has announced a new record for the Port of Green Bay. More than 2,000,000 tons were moved this year. The port closed on January 28 after a shipment of petroleum products was imported.

"We're very pleased to see the high totals for the 2018 season," said Dean Haen, Port Director. "Two million tons is typically our goal for a shipping season, and this year's strong economy in Northeast Wisconsin made that achievable."

The season began March 26, 2018, five days later than 2017 and 2016. Foreign imports allowed the increase of petroleum products by 528 percent.

Haen also said, "Growth in petroleum product movements continues to be exceptional year after year." He went on to say, "Much of the growth can be attributed to the closure of petroleum pipeline serving Northeast Wisconsin."

WLUK


2/6 - Onaway, Mi – Moran Iron Works, Inc. (MIW) has signed a contract with Pictured Rocks Kayaking to build a specialized passenger tour vessel. Together, and in conjunction with DLBA (a division of Gibbs & Cox, Inc.), they are creating a special purpose tour boat that is first of its kind in the Great Lakes region.

The 64’ by 19’ vessel will be constructed out of aluminum at Moran Iron Works’ headquarters in Onaway. The purpose of this particular unnamed vessel is to escort 72 passengers and 36 kayaks around Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for guided kayak tours. This vessel will feature a custom-designed kayak launch system that is tailored to meet the specific needs of offshore kayak launching.

“Fabrication officially began with the laying of the deck plate on December 6, 2018,” said Lee Fayssoux, project manager at MIW. “This is a very exciting project for us. It is a real privilege to have an ‘Inspired by Michigan’ vessel in our shop. This vessel will not only be capable of carrying passengers, but will also be capable of deploying and retrieving guests in kayaks. It’s a revolutionary way of experiencing the beauty that Northern Michigan, particularly Pictured Rocks, has to offer. This vision was recognized by our customer, and acted on with development from MIW and our partner architect DLBA. We are ecstatic that they chose MIW for this build, and ecstatic that this vessel will serve tourists who visit the waters of Pictured Rocks.”

The main engines will be twin Cummins QSK19, rated at 800HP each, driving propellers through Twin Disc reduction gears. Twin Seakeeper HD gyro stabilizers will be fitted for passenger comfort and safety. The hull form will be a double chine, variable deadrise monohull for improved seakeeping and efficiency. The vessel’s hull form, structure, machinery, and electrical systems will be designed by DLBA (a division of Gibbs & Cox, Inc.) to meet USCG Subchapter T requirements.

With nearly two months into the project, MIW and PRK are on their way to achieving the goal of launch and delivery in late 2019.




2/6 - Hidden under several metres of soil along the Twelve Mile Creek lies a significant part of the history of St. Catharines. A Brock University history professor hopes to bring it back from the depths.

Kimberly Monk will lead a team whose mandate is to re-engage local historical environments – specifically the Shickluna Shipyard. Monk said the project will look at different ways not only managing local historical sites but also interpreting them.

"It's been a long time coming for me," said Monk, whose connection to the [project goes back to 1997 when she was working on her master's thesis on shipbuilding along the Welland Canal.

The project is focused on the maritime landscape of the Shickluna Shipyard, which was operated from 1828 by a previous shipbuilder and then Shickluna who took possession in 1838. It remained a shipbuilding yard until 1891, when it was leased to a box and basket making manufacturer. After 1901 the site was abandoned.

Monk called it as a nationally significant archeological site. "It was the most important Canadian shipbuilding centre during the 19th century."

While some groundwork was done in 2017, Monk said archeological investigations will begin in earnest this spring, with geophysical investigations in May followed by archeological coring.

The Standard


2/6 - Thunder Bay, Ont. – No cruise ships will be sailing into Thunder Bay’s harbour this year and while the city will lose a significant economic benefit, the future may still be bright for this niche tourism market.

“Long term the prognosis is really good for growth in the industry,” said Thunder Bay manager of tourism, Paul Pepe. “Right now we just have to take this as a bit of a speed bump.”

Victory Cruise Lines was scheduled to have a turnaround stop in Thunder Bay during the 2019 season, making it the first cruise ship to come to the city since 2012. However, a recent change in ownership has left those plans in dry dock.

According to Pepe, American Queen Steamboat Company acquired the company just two weeks ago following a deal that has been negotiated for more than a year. “The new owners have made a decision just to dial things back a little bit on their Lake Superior itineraries, go back to the drawing board, and reconfigure them,” Pepe said.

The 202-passenger vessel, Victory II, was originally scheduled to stop in Thunder Bay in the summer of 2018 but delays in retrofitting the ship pushed that date back to 2019.

With this latest delay, Pepe said the city is still in talks with the new owners and he anticipates they will once again have Thunder Bay on their itineraries in 2020 because they appear to be committed to Lake Superior.

Pepe added that the city is also speaking with other cruise line companies about bringing ships to Thunder Bay to explore what he calls an exotic gem right in our own back yard. “There are a number of new builds that started entering service in 2018, 2019, we have new ships that are being built right into 2021,” Pepe said. “There is interest in the Great Lakes and there is interest in Superior, it just takes time to build it out and we just have to be patient.”

Because Victory’s stop in Thunder Bay was scheduled to be a turnaround, meaning it would have been where one voyage ended and another began, Pepe estimates that it would have brought between $120,000 and $150,000 into the city.

“It had a different kind of economic impact, a much bigger economic impact on the city,” Pepe said. “So we are disappointed to lose that.”

“That is a bit of a chunk of money for us. But at the end of the day cruising is still a very small part of our overall tourism economy. We believe in the Great Lakes product, but it’s also a niche. It’s going to take time to build.”

The city did not make any capital investments this year specifically for the cruise ship coming to Pool 6. “It just gives us some breathing room to develop future opportunities,” Pepe said.

TBNewswatch


2/6 - The following appeared on the Facebook page for the former Bob-Lo boat Ste. Claire, which burned last summer while undergoing restoration at a Detroit dock.

“Right now is all about protecting the ship through the winter season. After 2 years of waiting, we were finally able to dredge the river where we are. This allowed us to move the boat much closer to the shore (approximately 28 feet from shore). We also moved her forward about 80 feet, allowing boaters easier access to the marina entrance. With the ship secured to shore, we placed 3 large piling clusters at the bow of the ship to block ice and protect her hull. The ship being closer to the shore will be a huge help to the crews this spring when we plan to aggressively start the restoration process again.

As many may have seen, the ship has a fresh coat of paint! We want you to know that this is a white primer designed to preserve any remaining good steel. It also makes the ship’s presentation much better for the public in the meantime. She will, however, receive a final paint job later in the process.”


On 06 February 1952, the LIMESTONE (steel propeller tug, 87 foot 10 inches) was launched at Bay City, Michigan, by the Defoe Shipyard (Hull #423) for the Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company. Later she was sold to U.S. Steel and in 1983, to Gaelic Tug Company who renamed her b.) WICKLOW. She is currently owned by the Great Lakes Towing Company and is named c.) NORTH CAROLINA.
LORNA P, a.) CACOUNA was damaged by fire at Sorel, Quebec, which was ignited by a welder's torch on February 6, 1974.

ALVA C. DINKEY (Hull #365) was launched February 6, 1909, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co.

HALLFAX (Hull#526) was launched February 6, 1962, at Port Glasgow, Scotland by William Hamilton & Co. Ltd.

On February 6, 1904, the PERE MARQUETTE 19 went aground on Fox Point, Wisconsin approaching Milwaukee in fog. Engulfed in ice and fog, she quickly filled with water.

On 06 February 1885, Capt. William Bridges of Bay City and A. C. Mc Lean of East Saginaw purchased the steamer D.W. POWERS (wooden propeller freighter, 140 foot, 303 gross tons, built in 1871, at Marine City, Michigan) for the lumber trade. This vessel had an interesting rebuild history. In 1895, she was rebuilt as a schooner-barge in Detroit, then in 1898, she was again rebuilt as a propeller driven steamer. She lasted until 1910, when she was abandoned.

[ppat324]

HURON (Hull#132) was launched February 7, 1914, at Ecorse, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works for Wyandotte Transportation Co. She was scrapped at Santander, Spain in 1973.

In 1973, ENDERS M. VOORHEES closed the Soo Locks downbound.
In 1974, ROGER BLOUGH closed the Poe Lock after locking down bound for Gary, Indiana.
1965: The Liberty ship GRAMMATIKI visited the Seaway for one trip in 1960. The vessel began leaking in heavy weather on the Pacific enroute from Tacoma, Washington, to Keelung, Taiwan, with a cargo of scrap. The vessel, also slated to be scrapped, was abandoned by the crew the next day and slowly sank.

[yachtsmanwilly]

Superior, Wis. – If you heard a loud noise coming from Superior's East End on Tuesday night, you weren’t alone. “The air horn on the American Spirit, docked behind McDonalds on E. 2nd St. at 21st Ave. E., is malfunctioning,” the Superior Police Department reported on Facebook. “We are working on finding a speedy resolution to the issue.” Police announced around 9 p.m. that the horn had been shut off. Witnesses said the sound could be heard for miles.

Duluth News Tribune


While in lay-up on February 8, 1984, a fire broke out in WILLIAM G. MATHER's after accommodations killing a vagrant from Salt Lake City, Utah, who started the fire that caused considerable damage to the galley.
On 8 February 1902, ETRURIA (steel propeller freighter, 414 foot, 4,653 gross tons) was launched at W. Bay City, Michigan by West Bay City Ship Building Co. (Hull#604). She was built for the Hawgood Transit Company of Cleveland but only lasted three years. She sank in 1905, after colliding with the steamer AMASA STONE in the fog off Presque Isle Light in Lake Huron.

1983: EAGLESCLIFFE sank in shallow water at Galveston, Texas, while carrying a cargo of cattle freed for Tampico, Mexico. The ship developed hull cracks and subsequently broke in two during an August 1983 hurricane. The canal sized bulk carrier operated on the Great Lakes as a) EAGLESCLIFFE HALL (ii) from 1956 through 1971 and went south in 1974.

1990: LE SAULE NO. 1 received a hole in the bow after striking the Yamachiche Beacon in the Lake St. Peter area of the St. Lawrence and went to Sorel for lay-up. The damage was later repaired at Les Mechins.


2/8 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released the forecasted water levels for all the Great Lakes. According to the Army Corps, all the lakes are above their long-term average for December and January.

The forecast shows lakes Superior and Erie have a small chance of reaching or breaking their record highs in the spring or early summer.

View charts at this link: upnorthlive.com/news/local/army-engineers-release-projected-water-levels-in-great-lakes

WPBN

[yachtsmanwilly]

On 11 February 1994, the tug MARY E. HANNAH and an empty fuel barge became trapped in the ice in the Pelee Passage on Lake Erie. The vessels were freed by the U.S. Coast Guard cutter NEAH BAY and the Canadian Coast Guard ship SAMUEL RISLEY.
E. B. BARBER (Hull#111) was launched in 1953, at Port Arthur, Ontario by Port Arthur Ship Building Co. Ltd.

NIXON BERRY was sold to Marine Salvage for scrap on in 1970, she was the former a.) MERTON E. FARR.

BEN W. CALVIN (Hull#388) was launched in 1911, at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co.

The keel was laid for ROY A. JODREY (Hull#186) on February 11, 1965, at Collingwood, Ontario by Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. The tanker IMPERIAL CORNWALL was retired on February 11, 1971.

Albert Edgar Goodrich, the founder of the Goodrich Steamboat Line, was born in Hamburg, New York, near Buffalo on 11 February 1826.

February 11, 1918 - Amid blasts of whistles from nearby ships and factories and the cheers of several hundreds of people, the cargo steamer Asp was launched at the Polson Iron Works. Fears that the launching could not be carried out because of the thickness of the ice proved unfounded. Gangs of men cut away the ice barrier and at 3:20 the vessel slipped easily into the water without any mishap. Curiosity was aroused when one of the ice cutters found a three-foot alligator frozen just under the surface of the ice. Whether or not it escaped from some sailor or from the local zoo is not known.

1987: UNILUCK first came through the Seaway in 1977. The vessel was sailing as b) TINA when it reported water entering the engine room and cargo holds in the Sula Sea off the Philippines. The crew said they were abandoning the ship but no trace of them or their vessel was ever found.

UHLMANN BROTHERS was launched February 10, 1906, as a.) LOFTUS CUDDY (Hull#341) at Lorain, Ohio by American Ship Building Co. The MARKHAM (Twin Screw Hopper Suction Dredge) was delivered February 10, 1960, to the Army Corps of Engineers at Cleveland, Ohio.
In 1998, The Ludington Daily News reported that a private investment group (later identified as Hydrolink) was planning to start cross-lake ferry service from Muskegon, Michigan to Milwaukee running two high-speed ferries.

On 10 February 1890, NYANZA (wooden propeller freighter, 280 foot, 1,888 gross tons) was launched at F. W. Wheeler's yard (Hull #63) in W. Bay City, Michigan by West Bay City Ship Building Co. In 1916, she was renamed LANDBO and she lasted until abandoned in 1920.

In 1975, a fire onboard CRISPIN OGLEBAY a.) J.H. HILLMAN JR of 1943, caused $100,000 damage to the conveyor and tunnel while she was laid up at Toledo. The forward end of CRISPIN OGLEBAY is now ALGOMA TRANSFER (C.323003).

1973: The CUNARD CAVALIER was launched at Seville, Spain. It first appeared on the lakes in 1978.

1981: A pair of former Seaway traders collided in the Mediterranean off Algiers and one sank. The FEDDY had been inland as b) SUNSEA in 1969, c) SAGA SAILOR in 1971 and as d) ELLY in 1976. It went to the bottom with the loss of 32 lives. This ship had been enroute from Boston to Volos, Italy, with a cargo of scrap steel. The second vessel, SOUNION, survived. It had been to the Great Lakes as a) SUGAR CRYSTAL in 1968 and was back as b) SOUNION in 1979. It sailed until scrapping at Gadani Beach, Pakistan, following arrival as c) MED VITORIA on April 17, 1993.

1982: TEXACO BRAVE (ii) was pushed off course by the ice and current and struck the bridge crossing the St. Lawrence at Quebec City damaging a mast and the radar. The vessel still sails as d) ALGOEAST.

1984: Scrapping of the Italian freighter b) VIOCA got underway at La Spezia, Italy. The ship made 8 trips through the Seaway as a) BAMBI from 1959 to 1964.

1984: The AEGIS FURY arrived at Shanghai, China, for scrapping as e) WELL RUNNER. The ship first came to the Great Lakes in 1972.

EAGLESCLIFFE, loaded with 3,500 tons of grain, sank two miles east of Galveston, Texas on February 9, 1983, after the hull had fractured from a grounding the previous day. She began taking on water in her forward end en route to Galveston. To save her the captain ran her into shallow water where she settled on the bottom in 20 feet of water with her bridge and boat deck above water. All 16 crewmembers and one dog were rescued. She was built for the Hall Corp. of Canada in 1957 at Grangemouth, Scotland as a.) EAGLESCLIFFE HALL, renamed b.) EAGLESCLIFFE in 1973.
The ALEXANDER LESLIE was launched February 9, 1901, as a.) J T HUTCHINSON (Hull # 405) at Cleveland, Ohio by American Ship Building Co.

The HOMER D. WILLIAMS suffered extensive fire damage to her side plating and forward lower cabins during her lay-up at Toledo, Ohio on February 9, 1971. The fire was started by a spark from welding that caused the tarpaulins stored in the hold to catch fire.

February 9, 1995 - The founder of Lake Michigan Carferry, Charles Conrad, died at the age of 77.

In 1899, JOHN V. MORAN (wooden propeller package freighter, 214 foot, 1,350 gross tons, built in 1888, at W. Bay City, Michigan by F. W. Wheeler & Co. (Hull#44) was cut by the ice and developed a severe leak during a mid-winter run on Lake Michigan. The iron passenger/package freight steamer NAOMI rescued the crew from the sinking vessel. The MORAN was last seen on the afternoon of 12 February 1899, drifting with the ice about 20 miles off Muskegon, Michigan. She was a combination bulk and package freighter with hatches in her flanks as well as on her deck.

1964: The Collingwood built tug PUGWASH (Hull 85 - 1930) was torn from its moorings at Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. The vessel drifted out to sea and sank.

2009: The SONATA suffered engine failure in the Gulf of Finland and had to be towed to Talinn, Estonia, for repairs. It was arrested there, sold at auction and broken up for scrap locally. The ship had been a Great Lakes visitor first as c) RENTALA in 1988 and was back as d) MARY W. in 1990 and f) LANGESUND in 2000.

2/9 - Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. – The deadline has gone by and the city staff has not received any word from the St. Mary’s River Marine Centre board on what it plans to do with the M.S. Norgoma.

City council gave the volunteer board until Feb. 1 to come up with a plan to move the Norgoma from the Bondar Marina this spring. Tom Vair, the city’s deputy CAO of community development and enterprise services, said the Feb. 1 council-imposed deadline has past and the city has not received any word from the Norgoma’s board. “We will have to set up a meeting with them to discuss next steps,” Vair said.

St. Mary’s River Marine Centre president Louis Muio said the board is making “progress” and city officials will be provided details shortly. “I can’t tell you what we’re going to do until I tell the city first,” he said.

The board has been busy looking for a new location to dock the ship and continue using it as a marina and as a host for events and activities. The board sought – but was refused – approval to dock the ship on Conservation Authority property adjacent to the former hospitals. A license of occupation permit the authority has with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry does not permit the Norgoma to be stored on it.

The Norgoma’s board also explored options at Parks Canada and the Valley Camp in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and the Canadian Bushplane Museum Heritage Centre. Earlier reports also indicated Parks Canada couldn’t entertain the request.

“We have one other iron in the fire as well,” Muio said.

He admits that finding a location for the ship was much more difficult than originally anticipated. “We expected more positive responses, but we quickly learned that it was difficult for something that large,” he said. “But we haven’t given up.”

Limited funds mean the ship can’t be moved very far because of high costs, he said. The board is banking on the city’s information that the ship will float with higher water levels and dredging won’t be necessary. “If it hits bottom, it’s extremely expensive to dredge and that could be the end of it,” he said.

Muio says any dredging costs should be incurred by the city because they want the ship out of Roberta Bondar Marina. The Norgoma was raised at city council’s budget deliberations as councillors were pondering an $800,000 cost to replace the docking system at the marina. Council was told the new docks would not be rebuilt until the Norgoma was moved from its current location.

Mayor Christian Provenzano told city council the decision has already been made by the former council – that the ship would be moved this spring.

Muio said the Norgoma has attracted a strong following in recent years, partly because of its improved aesthetics and because of events and activities that have taken place on board and around the ship.

Norgoma was acquired by the city in 1975 and has been located at the Roberta Bondar Marina since 1994. The 185-foot-long vessel served as a means of transportation between Owen Sound, Ont., and Sault Ste. Marie, and a car ferry between Tobermory and South Maymouth. It’s considered one of the last surviving ships from that era.

In more recent years, the museum ship has struggled to survive on the city’s downtown waterfront. But, a new board of directors that has taken over operations has injected new life into the operation. Visitor numbers, activities and revenues have all increased but the efforts do not have the support of the majority of city council.

The Sault Star

2/10 - There's a majestic estate standing on the tip of Carleton Island near Cape Vincent in the Thousand Islands. Its beauty and grandeur still shine although you can see the years of neglect eating away at the structure.

Before the famous Boldt Castle and Singer Castle were built on the islands, there was Carleton Island Villa built in 1894. Also known as Wyckoff castle, the home has not been lived-in for more than 70 years. Although set behind a barbed wire fence, its once Gilded Age glory continues to fascinate those cruising nearby on the waters.

The Villa is currently on the market for $495,000, according to listing agent Barry Kukowski of Howard Hanna. He says it will probably cost $10 to $12 million to rebuild.

The story behind this mansion starts out like an American dream, but ends tragically.

William O. Wyckoff was born on his father's farm in the town of Lansing of Tompkins County. He attended public schools and the Ithaca Academy. He studied law but quit during the Civil War. He joined 32nd N.Y. Inf., going in as a private and rising to the rank of captain. After the war, he graduated from Ames Business College in Syracuse and was later appointed as an official stenographer for the New York State Supreme Court Sixth Judicial District. He was one of the founders of the York State Stenographers Association.

Wyckoff made his fortune helping the Remington Arms Company develop a market for the typewriter.

Read more and view photos at this link: www.newyorkupstate.com/expo/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/02/b509f845152680/photos-buy-a-castle-for-495000-on-island-in-st-lawrence-river.html

2/10 - Cleveland-Cliffs is looking at supplementing their pellet supply, as they eventually feed their new HBI plant in Toledo. And one of those ways, would be to restart the idled Empire Mine in Michigan. It was idled in 2016.

CEO Lourenco Goncalves said, "We still have a few i's to dot and a few t's to cross. But I'm very pleased to inform for the first time, that we are close to announcing the resurgence of Empire. It's great news for Michigan and for the great people of Michigan."

He said it could be an investment of $600 million dollars over the course of three years. The potential pellet capacity would be around 3.2-3.5 million tons. He also said it would take three years to get down to the ore that they need.

The other opportunity for more pellets would be the Nashwauk property, which Cliffs owns part of. Goncalves praised Governor Tim Walz for taking action to bar Essar from doing business with the state of Minnesota. "As soon as this virus is eradicated from Minnesota, we are ready to step in and take care of Nashwauk."

Cliffs plans on increasing the capacity of their new HBI facility in Toledo. Construction is underway, with the expectation to see the briquettes in mid 2020. "We have 350 people on-site now, with 900 expected this summer," Goncalves updated on the call.

DR grade pellets from Northshore Mining in Silver Bay will feed the plant. The company plans on investing $40 million dollars into that project in 2019, according to their earnings statement.

Goncalves added that the unions and USW have been great partners, through the company transformation. Also, the former U.S. Iron Ore segment is now "Mining and Pelletizing."

WDIO

2/10 - Duluth. MN – Duluth will need to wait at least another year to welcome its next load of cruise ship passengers. The city had been scheduled to receive two visits in 2019 from the Victory II, a member of the Victory Cruise Lines fleet. But a change of ownership resulted in a change of plans.

The American Queen Steamboat Co. recently acquired the Victory cruise line and soon after announced that it would cancel all Lake Superior cruises this year. When contacted Thursday, an American Queen public relations representative said the company would release a statement regarding the cancellation, but the company has yet to respond.

Although she was admittedly disappointed to hear the news, Kate Ferguson, director of trade and business development for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, said American Queen's decision to suspend Lake Superior cruising in 2019 is understandable.

"I think with any ownership change, they had to review what was on the books and see what they were comfortable with. And they want a chance to create their own Lake Superior itinerary," she said. "So, they are continuing to look towards the future of coming to Lake Superior... But with the change of ownership happening in January of this year, they aren't prepared to do that in 2019, Ferguson said.

The now-canceled MC Victory II visit would have marked the return of cruise ship traffic to Duluth after a six-year hiatus. The most recent cruise vessels to call on the city were the Yorktown in 2013, the Columbus in 2011 and the Clelia II in 2010.

To accommodate the MC Victory II and future cruise ships, Duluth was preparing to set up a cruise ship terminal, equipped with the necessary systems for international visitors to clear U.S. Customs. Funding for the proposed facility was to have come in the form of $50,000 from the Duluth Economic Development Authority, $25,000 from the city of Duluth and $10,000 from the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, according to Heather Rand, DEDA's former executive director.

Ferguson said local support for the project has not wavered, despite recent developments. "We continue to march ahead," she said.

"We can continue our preparations for the interest that we're seeing in 2020. We don't have anything confirmed yet, but there has been much stronger interest in 2020. We already knew that. The momentum was building. But this just gives us more time," she said.

The recent setback has not dimmed Ferguson's confidence that Duluth will emerge as a popular cruise ship destination. "The partners here are on Lake Superior are working closely with American Queen Steamboat Co. to help them develop an itinerary for the future that they're comfortable with. Whether that be 2020 or beyond, we are working with them," she said.

But American Queen isn't the only prospect Duluth officials are pursuing. "There are several other cruise lines that are plying the Great Lakes right now with their vessels. So, we continue to converse with those cruise lines and work with them on their potential future operations on Lake Superior, as well," Ferguson said.

"Of course it's a disappointment, but we're really still very optimistic about cruising on Lake Superior. The demand for Great Lakes cruising is nothing but strong. So, we're looking forward to the future and what it holds for Duluth," she said.

Duluth News Tribune

[yachtsmanwilly]

2/12 - Detroit, MI – Great Lakes water levels will be higher than normal, and some may approach record levels, for the summer boating season, according to the latest forecast of Great Lakes water levels issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Lake Superior is already near record high levels and by May could reach a record that was set in the mid-1980s, according to a six-month forecast. Lake Erie could reach record highs in late spring as well. Lakes Michigan-Huron, and St. Clair won't break records but are expected to be above normal, the Army Corps predicts.

Higher levels can mean more erosion, less beach and less room to pass under bridges. They also could mean more clearance from underwater obstacles and help prevent the need for costly dredging of harbors.

Lake levels, dependent on precipitation and evaporation, have recovered substantially from January 2013, when Lakes Huron-Michigan set record lows.

Lake Superior is just 2 inches below its record high February level and Lake Erie is 7 inches below its record this month, according to the Corps.

The above-normal lake levels are happening despite the Great Lakes area getting below average rain in January and December.

The Detroit News


2/12 - Grosse Ile, Mich. – Shifting ice on the Detroit River has caused damage to the foundation and a railing at the Grosse Ile Lighthouse. According to the Grosse Ile Historical Society’s Facebook page, the damaged was noticed last week when a resident saw piles of ice had come ashore.

The lighthouse was built in 1906 and has been deactivated since 1963. Tours of the lighthouse are still given, but you must be accompanied by someone from the historical society.

As a result of the damage, a committee has launched a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of the historical society which is seeking $75,000. However, it does not appear all the money sought would be used strictly for the repairs. The campaign also lists preventative measure to stop ice from coming ashore again, a new paint job, window and door repair and more as possible uses for the funds.

See photos at this link


2/12 - Canada's $227-million fleet of mid-shore coast guard vessels are rolling "like crazy" at sea, making crews seasick and keeping some ships in port during weather conditions where they should be able to operate, CBC News has learned.

Some of these vessels are stationed at Great Lakes and Seaway ports. Canadian Coast Guard records and correspondence obtained under federal access to information legislation raise questions about the patrol vessels' seagoing capability and reveal a two-year debate — still unresolved — on how to address the problem.

At issue is the lack of stabilizer fins — blades that stick out from the hull to counteract the rolling motion of waves — on nine Hero class ships that were built by the Irving Shipyard in Halifax between 2010 and 2014.

The problem is reportedly so bad that a trip along the West Coast required one Fisheries and Oceans Canada supervisor in B.C. to place rolled up jackets under the outer edge of his bunk to keep him pinned against the wall instead of being tossed out by the amount of roll in the ship.

"It goes without saying that the crew [is] in favour of [stabilizers]," wrote supervisor Mike Crottey. "Seasickness is felt both by conservation and protection and coast guard personnel and has an impact on vessel operation."

The coast guard decided it did not need stabilizers when the ships were being built, but has been considering retrofitting them since 2017 amid criticism from commanding officers and others who serve on board.

Crottey said that in exposed water, the skipper of the CCGS M. Charles sets a weather course to "keep the ship from really rocking around," which can result in more fuel consumption and increased operating costs. "This course is based on the swell and the wind direction and is used [to] alleviate excessive ship motion and not based on the shortest distance to destination," Crottey wrote.

The vessels, which are 42 metres long and seven metres wide, are known as the Hero class since each is named after an exemplary military, RCMP, Canadian Coast Guard or DFO officer. Their primary mission is fisheries enforcement and maritime security in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, the Great Lakes and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The ships also provide search and rescue and pollution control.

The coast guard denies there is any problem with the safety and stability of the fleet. However, in a March 2017 "configuration change request" to have stabilizers installed, coast guard project manager David Wyse described "an increased hazard of crew injuries and program failures.

"All vessel operators agree the Hero class vessels require stabilizers in all area of operation," Wyse wrote. "Program operations can suffer [due] to the fact that the vessels have extreme roll in high sea state conditions."

More than a year later, in May 2018, Wyse relayed an unidentified at-sea testimonial: "I'm rolling 15 degrees port and starboard (30 degrees total) out here today and the winds are less than 10 knots and seas are less than one metre. We need to make this platform more workable."

Read more at this link


2/12 - Port Huron, Mich. – When the Maritime Center at Vantage Point reopens for the season this spring, visitors will be able to get a different taste of downtown Port Huron while they watch freighters. Kate’s Downtown owner Kate Voss is opening another daytime café spot in the center in March and plans to give local foodies a new menu of options.

And the name of the second venue? The Boathouse by Kate's.

“We’re going to have pastries and some coffee and some fun nautical-themed drinks,” she said. “Some cool stuff for the kids. I’m really into plating and presentation. So, I want to make the kids’ sandwiches look like they’re sailboats with the triangle, a little mast, a strawberry sail. Maybe some goldfish crackers at the bottom of the plate. You know, something the kid’s going to get excited about.”

Vantage Point, including the Great Lakes Maritime Center, is one of the properties along the river listed for sale by Acheson Ventures. In addition, Acheson is looking to sell several acres of land along the river south of Vantage Point, the Seaway Terminal and Bean Dock and several other buildings along Military Street.

The Boathouse’s first day of business is expected to be March 11. Acheson Ventures owns the Maritime Center, which also opens that month.

Mike Delong, vice president of operations at Acheson, said the owners of the Waterfront Deli, the last establishment in the center, moved south. “There wasn’t anything wrong; we loved their service,” he said. “But for family reasons and retirement, they moved south.”

He said it was important they worked with another local business to fill the spot.

Voss is entering into a one-year lease there. And while they want the venture to succeed, Delong said businesses there are also briefed on one point, like all Acheson’s other riverfront properties in that area, the Maritime Center is technically listed for sale. “We’re not there yet. That’s why we go year by year,” Delong said. “We’re trying different things and trying to get other developers into the property. We don’t do anything long term because things could change.”

But of the Boathouse, he said, “They’ll be there all season, and hopefully after that, many more.”

Voss said she understands those circumstances, but opening another spot has been something she’s thought about for a while.

“I was looking in St. Clair when the St. Clair Inn was going to be opening. I thought that might be a good avenue, but it was all just pipe dreams, really,” she said. “It was really just me putting it out to the universe if I could do it. But this makes so much more sense because it’s so close. I can be at both locations, hopping back and forth each day, which would’ve been very hard if I were in St. Clair.”

Times Herald


RED WING was launched February 12, 1944, as a.) BOUNDBROOK (Hull#335) at Chester, Pennsylvania by Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., a T2-SE-A1 Ocean Tanker. She was renamed b.) IMPERIAL EDMONTON in 1947. In 1959, she was brought to Port Weller Drydocks for conversion to a bulk freighter for Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd., renamed c.) RED WING. Scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1987.
1965: MARGIT, a Danish vessel, came inland in 1964 for one trip. It suffered an explosion and fire in the engine room about 1,000 miles southwest of Honolulu on a voyage from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Calcutta, India, and had to be abandoned. Three members of the crew were killed and the ship was burning fiercely when last seen. The drifting hull later grounded at Wotje Atoll, Marshall Islands, and was found, still burning, on March 11, 1965. The ship was a total loss.

1975: E.B. BARBER was in winter quarters at Port Colborne when a fire broke out in the engine room. Local fire fighters contained and extinguished the blaze.

[skycheney]

Feb 12, 2019 5:49:56 GMT -5 yachtsmanwilly said:

2/12 - Canada's $227-million fleet of mid-shore coast guard vessels are rolling "like crazy" at sea, making crews seasick and keeping some ships in port during weather conditions where they should be able to operate, CBC News has learned.

Some of these vessels are stationed at Great Lakes and Seaway ports. Canadian Coast Guard records and correspondence obtained under federal access to information legislation raise questions about the patrol vessels' seagoing capability and reveal a two-year debate — still unresolved — on how to address the problem.

At issue is the lack of stabilizer fins — blades that stick out from the hull to counteract the rolling motion of waves — on nine Hero class ships that were built by the Irving Shipyard in Halifax between 2010 and 2014.

The problem is reportedly so bad that a trip along the West Coast required one Fisheries and Oceans Canada supervisor in B.C. to place rolled up jackets under the outer edge of his bunk to keep him pinned against the wall instead of being tossed out by the amount of roll in the ship.

"It goes without saying that the crew [is] in favour of [stabilizers]," wrote supervisor Mike Crottey. "Seasickness is felt both by conservation and protection and coast guard personnel and has an impact on vessel operation."

The coast guard decided it did not need stabilizers when the ships were being built, but has been considering retrofitting them since 2017 amid criticism from commanding officers and others who serve on board.

Crottey said that in exposed water, the skipper of the CCGS M. Charles sets a weather course to "keep the ship from really rocking around," which can result in more fuel consumption and increased operating costs. "This course is based on the swell and the wind direction and is used [to] alleviate excessive ship motion and not based on the shortest distance to destination," Crottey wrote.

The vessels, which are 42 metres long and seven metres wide, are known as the Hero class since each is named after an exemplary military, RCMP, Canadian Coast Guard or DFO officer. Their primary mission is fisheries enforcement and maritime security in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, the Great Lakes and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The ships also provide search and rescue and pollution control.

The coast guard denies there is any problem with the safety and stability of the fleet. However, in a March 2017 "configuration change request" to have stabilizers installed, coast guard project manager David Wyse described "an increased hazard of crew injuries and program failures.

"All vessel operators agree the Hero class vessels require stabilizers in all area of operation," Wyse wrote. "Program operations can suffer [due] to the fact that the vessels have extreme roll in high sea state conditions."

More than a year later, in May 2018, Wyse relayed an unidentified at-sea testimonial: "I'm rolling 15 degrees port and starboard (30 degrees total) out here today and the winds are less than 10 knots and seas are less than one metre. We need to make this platform more workable."

Ahhhh, the case for stabilizers. Even the Canadian CG needs them.