Future USS Beloit christened in Marinette

Marinette, WI – A celebration was held on Saturday at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard to honor a huge milestone.

The newest littoral combat ship was christened, and it means a lot for some people in one Wisconsin city.

“They had bus loads of individuals from Beloit coming up here,” said Steve Allen, vice president of Lockheed Martin. “It’s absolutely amazing for a smaller city to have the type of representation for the terms of the name sake for the ship.”

Veterans and people from Beloit made the 3-and-a-half hour trip to Marinette to see something never done before, a combat ship named for their city.

The Future USS Beloit is the 29th Littoral Combat Ship.

“I had the honor of making a few calls before the announcement was public just to give people a heads up and it was unbelievable,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin. “This is a long time coming with people and veterans from Beloit.”

The christening ceremony marks the transition of the ship from new construction, to the test and trials phase.

It’s celebrated by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow of the boat, which was done by Beloit native and retired army major general, Marcia Anderson.

Building of the warship began in July 2020.

But the city’s relationship with the Navy began in 1938, when Fairbanks Morse in Beloit sold its first engine to the Navy.

Engines for the freedom-variant LCSs, like the USS Beloit, are built in the city still to this day.

CEO George Whitter of Fairbanks Morse, says it’s an honor.

“To finally have a shipped named after the town, it’s very emotional for not just the folks at Fairbanks Morse Defense, but the entire city of Beloit,” said Whitter. “We’ve been in the community for 150 years, and you really can’t take Beloit and Fairbanks Morse, they go together like peanut butter and jelly.”

The christening of the future USS Beloit comes after the Navy announced in April they may retire nine ships in the freedom-class of littoral combat ships.

All of the Freedom class ships were built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine.

The last ship named after a Wisconsin city was the USS Marinette, which was christened back in November of 2021.

The USS Beloit is one of the last ships to be side launched.

The USS Cleveland will be the final side launch, which is predicted to be later this fall.

After that final launch, all ships will then be lifted by a Syncrolift, a piece of equipment that uses synchronized hoists to lift it out of the water.

Fox 11 News – Green Bay

Viking Octantis cruise ship to stop in Houghton

Houghton, MI – The arrival of a unique cruise ship in Houghton will bring fresh faces to the Keweenaw.

“It’s certainly one of the longest cruise ships to come through the Keweenaw waterways in quite some time,” Keweenaw Visitors Bureau Executive Director Brad Barnett said.

The ship will soon be en route from Thunder Bay, Canada to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On its journey, the Viking Octantis is scheduled to make a stop in Houghton on June 1.

“It’s about 665 feet long, it’s going to be carrying up to 370 passengers, plus crew, so that’s probably going to around be around almost 500 individuals on the ship,” noted Houghton City Manager Eric Waara. Some are on board for leisure, others are scientists conducting research on the Great Lakes.

The Keweenaw Visitors Bureau said this isn’t your average cruise. “It’s a great opportunity for cruise passengers to learn about the Great Lakes ecosystem, and in some cases even participate in some of the research,” Barnett added.

Its current plan is to enter from the north side of the canal unless inclement weather changes its route to a longer journey from the south. Waara said the ship won’t fit under the portage lift bridge. “It’s going to essentially anchor in the Portage. A tender boat is going to bring the cruise passengers to shore.”

From there, those passengers will get the opportunity to see all the copper country has to offer.

“These folks are here for genuine experiences, so they’ll be going on excursions to lighthouses, waterfalls, Estivant Pines, things like that,” Waara said.

The Visitors Bureau added it hopes Houghton’s charm brings people back for more. “We want them to see just a little bit of the beauty, a little bit of the history, and then to whet their appetite to maybe come back and stay for a longer experience,” said Barnett.

According to the Keweenaw Visitors Bureau, several other ships are expected to pass through the canal this summer, including another cruise ship, which would bring with it even more tourists to the Copper Country.

WLUC – Upper Peninsula News

Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act passes House

Petroleum, steel and grain are just a few of the main exports that ravel by water in Northeast Wisconsin. Its’ why local commerce leaders are fighting for the US Senate to pass the Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act. It’s a rare show of bipartisan support that starts with a conversation about cereal.

“In the winter of 19 we almost had a Cheerio shortage.” James Weakley says on transporting goods like grain through the Great Lakes.

President of the Lake Carriers’ Association, he’s been advocating for the Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act for years.

The piece of economic legislation made one step closer to becoming law: passing the US House, and heading to the Senate.

“Lets build ice breakers, let’s break ice more efficiently and let’s have northeast Wisconsin thrive economically as a result.” said U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher (WI) at a Friday roundtable.

Adding on to the ten icebreakers listed by the US Coast Guard, the bill would add one additional icebreaker on the Great Lakes, and the $350 million to build it.

But money isn’t the only hold up.

Both Weakley and Gallagher say the US Coast Guard set a ten year timeline for the project.

They argue the work can be done in just three.

Miscommunication with the Coast Guard isn’t a partisan issue either.

Senator Tammy Baldiwn and Gallagher have noted the economic impact that could come to their constituents across the state.

As for Northeast Wisconsin, here’s Dean Haen, director for the Port of Green Bay: “Our economic impact is about $20 million a month that we’re open. So if we can work in that thin ice two weeks longer in the fall or the winter, or get open two weeks earlier, that’s about a $20 million economic impact to Northeast Wisconsin,” he explained.

The bill isn’t just about money: supporters say this enhances safety on the ice as well.

The legislation would also clarify icebreaking expectations, and update an executive order dating back to the 1930s.

It just has to make it to the Presidents desk first.

Fox 11 News – Green Bay

Boatnerd seeking help from volunteers familiar with WordPress

We are in need of someone who has experience with website design and maintenance of our WordPress-based website. Our present volunteer staff does not have the expertise to keep up with it. If you are interested, please email Boatnerd board president Nathan Leindecker to talk about the opportunities.

 Nathan Leindecker

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Anglian Lady, PML 9000 freed from Vidal Shoals

Sault Ste. Marie, ON – Purvis Marine’s barge PML 9000 and her tug Anglian Lady, had been grounded since May 4th on Vidal Shoals just west of the Soo Locks approach. The pair were freed on Friday after a portion of the barge’s cargo was offloaded onto another, smaller barge. It is not known for the reason for the grounding or whether the vessels sustained any damage.

What to expect from Lake Michigan’s water levels this season

The Great Lakes are just starting their seasonal rise but monitoring agencies aren’t expecting more than a few inches as water levels continue to drop from their 2020 record highs. 

According to the Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District’s most recent water level report released April 29, water levels are only predicted to rise 1 to 4 inches. The report states all of the Great Lakes are still above the 100-year average, but significantly lower than they were in 2021 or 2020 despite receiving above average precipitation.

Lake Michigan is currently at 579 feet, 18 inches above the long-term average for April, but 8 inches lower than the average for April in 2021.

Water levels are 22 inches lower than the record high in April of 2020, according to the report.

The report also predicts Lake Michigan would rise about 3 inches in April.

“Generally, all the lakes are down from the highs of 2020 and 2021,” said Mark Breederland, Michigan Sea Grant educator. “The lakes are starting their seasonal rise from winter into spring and they’ll peak in summer.”

Breederland said Lake Superior’s levels are down from the past several years and almost at the long-term average.

“Several years ago, when it was well above the long-term average, we could look at Lake Superior to see what was coming our way,” Breederland said. “We can expect the same when the levels are lower.”

Breederland said being down 22 inches from April 2021 was “amazing.”

“It’s pretty much two feet,” he said.

Breederland said any water entering the lakes in April will be in the form of rain, as most of the ice has already melted except for a few areas near Whitefish Bay.

With lower water levels, Breederland said people can worry less about erosion and other damage cause by high water during storms.

“I think people are going to have a good beach buffer for most of the shoreline, unless there is a super large extended storm,” he said. “That could do a lot of damage, but people should have some breathing room now.”

The lower water levels are good news to people who enjoy beaches, Breederland said.

“There should be more beach to enjoy this year,” he said. “The last two years there wasn’t a lot of beach, just a bluff and then water.”

Breederland said a lot of water level monitors consider 1 foot above or below the average the “sweet spot,” for Great Lakes water levels.

People can still get into harbors and channels, but there isn’t a lot of flooding like the area has seen in the past few years.

As for whether or not the Great Lakes water levels go from the highs of 2020 to the lows of 2012 in a cycle, Breederland said it is believed so, but the exact details are not clear.

“If you look at the historical records we have, there are multi-decade cycles,” he said. “However, nobody has the exact number. Nobody can say it is every 20 years or every 15 years. It’s hard to predict. If we have 500 years of data on this, it would be a little more statistically accurate.”

Breederland said the Sea Grant Foundation and the Army Corps of Engineers currently has about 104 years of accurate data at which to look.

Manistee News

Soo Locks Visitor Center opens for the season

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Following its annual tradition, the Soo Locks Visitor Center is opening to the public for the season on Mothers Day.

The Soo Locks were built in 1855, and ever since then people have been coming from across the state and the country to watch ships pass through the locks. It wasn’t until 1966 that the visitor center was constructed to give onlookers a better view of the locks. Since then the visitor center has become a center for not only watching the ships but for educating yourself about the history of the locks and how they work.

The many exhibits the visitor center has to offer teach people about the construction of the locks, their importance to the local economy as well as the history of many of the ships that regularly pass through the locks.

Soo News

Boatnerd seeking help from volunteers familiar with WordPress

We are in need of someone who has experience with website design and maintenance of our WordPress-based website. Our present volunteer staff does not have the expertise to keep up with it. If you are interested, please email Boatnerd board president Nathan Leindecker to talk about the opportunities.

Nathan Leindecker

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Nominated Coast Guard commandant voices support for new ice breaker on Great Lakes

Even though the Great Lakes ice-breaking season has ended, some members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation are continuing to push for funding for a new heavy icebreaker on the Great Lakes to reduce shipping delays during the winter months.

During the first weeks of the shipping season last winter, more than a dozen ships were delayed by ice and gale-force winds. Some were delayed up to 60 hours in Whitefish Bay.

Overall shipping traffic through the Soo Locks during the peak winter season this year was down nearly 50% when compared to last year.

Shipping industry leaders said millions of dollars in losses are at stake for the manufacturing industry, and the Coast Guard must improve its icebreaking capacity. According to the Lake Carriers’ Association, some shipping companies may have held off on sending out ships because of ice in the Great Lakes.

“This was an average or slightly below average ice year, and the Coast Guard didn’t have to do much icebreaking in the southern part of the Great Lakes,” wrote James Weakley, President of the Lake Carriers’ Associations, in an email to WCMU. “They were still unable to keep traffic moving in Lake Superior, the St. Mary’s River and the Straits of Mackinac.”

Coast Guard officials stationed in Sault St. Marie have told WCMU on multiple occasions this season that heavy winds were one of the main reasons for shipping delays this season, and the Coast Guard deployed icebreakers on the Great Lakes since December 2021 to make sure waterways were clear for safe passage.

“There’s obviously a difference of opinion between Congress, the Coast Guard and industry about how to best tackle the challenge of maximizing transit on the Great Lakes during the winter months,” said Senator Todd Young, representing Indiana, during a nomination hearing for Coast Guard Admiral Lisa Fagan, who has been nominated for Commandant of the Coast Guard.

During the hearing, Fagan was asked if she would support the funding and design of a new ice breaker on the Great Lakes.

“I am committed to fielding the icebreaking capacity that we need as a nation, particularly as it pertains to the Great Lakes,” she said. “Our priority is an icebreaker that is at least as capable as the current Mackinaw.”

Fagan added the Coast Guard currently has a fifteen person team working on the design of a new ice breaker. If the ice breaker is approved, it would be included in the 2023 Coast Guard budget.

“This is significant progress and an acknowledgment of need by the USCG,” Lake Carries’ Association Vice President Eric Peace said in an email.

Michigan Radio

Great Lakes cruising season kicks off in Milwaukee with Viking Octantis

Milwaukee, WI – The Viking Octantis docked at the Port of Milwaukee Friday, marking not only the first cruise ship to visit the city since 2019, but also the first Viking ship to dock here.

  The 665-foot, 378-passenger Octantis is the largest cruise ship to sail the Great Lakes and dock in Milwaukee, which is becoming a more popular cruise destination. Fourteen ships were scheduled to dock in the city before the pandemic struck in 2020, up from 10 the previous year. This year, 33 ships are scheduled to bring 10,000 passengers to the city.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson and other politicians and tourism representatives welcomed the ship, praising the efforts of the Port and others to make Milwaukee a cruise destination. 

“Today is a wonderful example of just how the city of Milwaukee is creating new partnerships that are exciting and will create much more activity, economic and otherwise, throughout the city,” Johnson said at a press conference after the ship’s arrival. “I’m eager to show off our city to the thousands and thousands of tourists, cruise ship passengers, who will pass through.”

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 

Chuoy the Buoy reports for duty on Lake Michigan, Filling a Chicago-sized gap in monitoring capabilities

Swimmers, boaters, anglers, meteorologists and aquatic researchers now have a new set of eyes continuously monitoring conditions in Lake Michigan.

On Monday, a team from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant deployed their latest data-gathering buoy — Chicago Pier, nicknamed “Chuoy” — a mile and a quarter off Navy Pier, joining Sea Grant’s other buoys in Wilmette and Michigan City, Ind.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, a program co-managed by the University of Illinois and Purdue University, also oversees a pair of buoys for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; those are positioned in the lake near Waukegan and Winthrop Harbor, respectively.

But weather patterns further north often don’t match what’s occurring on the lake at its southernmost reaches, said Ben Szczygiel, aquatic ecologist and buoy specialist with Sea Grant. Adding Chuoy to the mix will fill a Chicago-sized hole in monitoring capabilities. 

Like its fellow buoys, Chuoy will provide a constant stream of real-time information on solar radiation; wind speed and direction; water temperature through the entire water column, from surface to bottom; as well as wave height, direction and period. “Period” refers to the amount of time between waves, Szczygiel explained.

A camera will also capture photos and video from the solar-powered buoy at roughly the top of every hour, he said.

“These are great tools,” Szczygiel said of the buoys. “It would be nice to have one in every harbor,” though at $12,000-$15,000 a piece, the buoys don’t come cheap.

Nonprofit Sea Grant crowdsources funding for the buoys on its own initiative, he said, in order for the data to be freely available to anyone and everyone. The expense is one reason the organization asks boaters to take special care when motoring near the buoys. The Michigan City buoy once took a direct hit, requiring a costly replacement.

The buoys’ publicly accessible data can be found on Sea Grant’s website or a Great Lakes-wide monitoring site maintained by the Great Lakes Observing System. 

Getting this information into people’s hands, particularly swimmers and boaters, is a key component of Sea Grant’s mission, which promotes Great Lakes science literacy by combining research, education and outreach. To that end, Chuoy will help people make better informed decisions about whether it’s a safe day to hit the water off Chicago, Szczygiel said.

Up until a decade ago, there was only a single buoy collecting data on Lake Michigan, anchored in the middle of the lake in the 1980s by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said Mike Bardou, warning coordination meteorologist in the Chicago office of the National Weather Service. 

Crews on board lake-going freighters were another source of weather information, he said, but that was ad hoc, not systematic, and reporting of near-shore conditions was nonexistent, leading to dangerous situations.

Now, when the weather service issues a beach warning or small craft advisory for Chicago, images from Chuoy can help drive the point home. 

“We can talk about big waves but that ‘water truth’ will help paint a picture,” said Bardou.

But what makes Lake Michigan waves so deadly isn’t so much the height as it is the period, or timing, with swells coming one after the other in rapid, pummeling succession. That’s a unique aspect of the lake people aren’t as aware of, and it’s what winds up overwhelming swimmers, Castro said.

As it monitors current conditions, Chuoy is also establishing a historic record of Chicago’s near-shore waters.

Bardou said this could be helpful in predicting things like the point at which lake waves will crash over barriers onto DuSable Lake Shore Drive or shoreline homes. “If nothing else, it gives us a threshold going forward of what conditions, like the wind speeds or wind direction, led to this outcome,” he said.

The buoy’s data will have applications outside of meteorology.

Austin Happel, a biologist at the Shedd Aquarium, popped over to Burnham Harbor for Chuoy’s launch and is already dreaming up ways in which the buoy can contribute to his research on urban waterways.

“The buoys collect temperature data, which is a driving factor of how fish behave — when fish spawn, how much they eat,” Happel said. “In the future, I’m hoping to link into this data more to track fish, where they go and how that changes over seasons. At what temperatures do they show up? How do they act when storms come through?”

Chuoy will be in place, weather depending, through late October or early November.

WWTW Chicago

Boatnerd seeking help from volunteers familiar with WordPress

We are in need of someone who has experience with website design and maintenance of our WordPress-based website. Our present volunteer staff does not have the expertise to keep up with it. If you are interested, please email Boatnerd board president Nathan Leindecker to talk about the opportunities.

Nathan Leindecker

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Viking Octantis cruises into Alpena for the first time

Alpena, MI – Anyone walking the Maritime Heritage Trail or trying to cross the 2nd Avenue bridge on Wednesday may have noticed Alpena had hundreds of visitors.

The Norwegian-owned Viking Expedition cruise ship, Octantis, anchored way out in Thunder Bay on Wednesday morning, and bright orange passenger ships called tenders brought passengers under the double-leaf lifting bridge in to dock behind the NOAA building. Groups of about 120 passengers disembarked from the vessel on each trip in, while other passengers waited to board the next tender.

The Viking Octantis has been to a lot of places, including Antarctica, but this is her first time on the Great Lakes. Alpena was the sixth stop in her Great Lakes tour. The 665-foot cruise ship carries 378 passengers, many of whom had never been to Alpena.

Read the full article and view a video of the Viking Octantis and The Lady Michigan at this The Alpena News link: https://www.thealpenanews.com/news/local-news/2022/05/viking-octantis-great-lakes-cruise-ship-visits-alpena/

The Alpena News

Sinking of historic tugboat upsetting for transportation historian, relative of former ship captain

Thunder Bay, ON – The head of an organization dedicated to preserving transportation history in Thunder Bay says he’s disappointed a century-old tugboat sank into the Kaministiquia River after taking on water over the weekend.

The James Whalen, which was built in 1905 and has been moored at Kam River Heritage Park since the city acquired it in the early 1990s, was found submerged in the river on Sunday.

Charlie Brown, the president of the Lakehead Transportation Museum Society, said the ship’s sinking is unfortunate.

Brown said the group had approached the city’s waterfront development committee to bring the retired tugboat over to its site near the Alexander Henry, a decommissioned icebreaker that has been turned into a museum ship.

“Our organization has been looking at trying to save the James Whalen for a number of years,” Brown said.

“We were just waiting for a response from that committee because it was sent off to city administration. We were hoping by the end of May we would get some kind of response to that, and perhaps we could move forward.”

The ship had taken on water and partially sunk last year, but water was pumped out and the tugboat was assessed and determined to be stable. 

Margot McCabe, the granddaughter of N.V McCabe, who captained the ship for many years, said the sinking is upsetting for her family.

“One of the key principles that we were raised under is the idea of doing things right and taking care of things,” McCabe said. “Unfortunately, I think the sinking of the James Whalen exactly proves those points wrong. 

“It wasn’t done right, and it wasn’t taken care of.”

Cory Halvorsen, the city’s manager of parks and open spaces, said the city is in communication with multiple contractors to raise the ship and bring it onto dry land for storage.

Halvorsen said a pump system that had been installed last year was removed for the winter.

“We planned to install the pump as soon as possible in the spring, but when we had checked earlier this spring the water in the sump was still frozen and the temperatures were still freezing, so the pump couldn’t be installed,” he said in a written statement.

Brown said, once the tugboat is raised and assessed, the transportation museum group would be open to discussing the vessel’s future.

“Certainly, if they’d like to contact us we can sit down with the city, and we can see if it’s feasible to then carry on with the original plan we proposed to the city,” he said. “We’d love to have the tug in with the Alexander Henry.”

CBC News

Journal of the World Ship Society demolitions

Vessels with Great Lakes / Seaway connections reported as sold for demolition, taken from May 2022 issue of Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society

 Demolitions: St. Clair (7403990; United States of America) 27,482 – 1976 – Bulk Carrier self-discharging Laker – by Bell Steamship Company (American Steamship Company), United States of America, to Marine Recycling Corp. Canada and arrived Port Colborne, ON. 9.12.2021 – commenced demolition 9.12.2021

 Swiftchem (9121754; Liberia) Union Fortune-20, Chem Pegasus-13 – 1st seaway transit 2012, Kerim-10, Spring Leo-03 – 9,554 / 1995 – chemical products tanker – By Swiftchem Tankers Company Ltd, Liberia, to P. Patel Ship Breaking Co. India and arrived Alang 5.12.2021 – commenced 11.12.2021

 Report prepared by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp

Great Lakes buoy data helps NWS, Coast Guard, anglers, more

Grand Rapids, MI – Buoys are a common sight on Lake Michigan in the warm months. Some of them are merely meant to mark a designated swimming area but others are a bit more high-tech. These buoys collect detailed observations that are important and beloved by fishing and boating communities. 

Ed Verhamme is a principal engineer at Limnotech, where the Great Lakes Program began in 2011. The first buoy was put in Lake Michigan near St. Joseph in 2011 and the program has expanded up the lakeshore since then. According to Verhamme, there are around 40 buoys across the Great Lakes that report real-time conditions, including buoys serviced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

The buoys that Limnotech services weigh about 500 pounds. They are taken out into Lake Michigan each spring, towed out by a 23-foot boat and fastened with a cable to a massive weight at the bottom of the lake. 

Once they are in the lake, the instruments begin to collect information. Verhamme said that wave height is the most important and commonly used data category. Other tracked parameters include wave period, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity and barometric pressure. Water temperature measurements are taken from the surface all the way to the bottom.

The buoys can also measure water quality markers that are used by water treatment plants. It’s useful to have the ability to measure turbidity levels and watch for harmful algal blooms. According to Verhamme, knowing what the lake is doing is essential for having clean and safe drinking water. Changing water temperatures and large rain events that lead to runoff can have a big affect on how the water is treated.

When the buoys were first installed, their main purpose was to provide information that would keep working crews safe. Now, the observations provided by the buoys are essential for the National Weather Service, Coast Guard, search and rescue crews and recreational anglers and boaters. Verhamme notes the community in West Michigan is especially supportive of the buoy program. 

WOOD-TV Grand Rapids

Port Huron’s Great Lakes Maritime Center reopens for season

Port Huron, MI – The Great Lakes Maritime Center has reopened for the 2022 season. The center is open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 4 pm. The Vantage Point Farmers Market will be back every Saturday from 8 am to 2 pm

 On Saturday, May 7, the center will have its Grand Opening. A day of activities including Farmers Market entertainment by maritime singer Patrick Lynch from 1 to 3 p.m.

 On May 28, the center will host a book signing for the 2022 Know Your Ships with editor Roger LeLievre from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Great Lakes cartoonist / illustrator artist Don Lee, whose freighter cartoons have often appeared on Facebook, will have his easel on hand and will sketch your likeness, with or without freighter (tips appreciated).

 Great Lakes Maritime Center

Boatnerd seeking help from volunteers familiar with WordPress

We are in need of someone who has experience with website design and maintenance of our WordPress-based website. Our present volunteer staff does not have the expertise to keep up with it. If you are interested, please email Boatnerd board president Nathan Leindecker to talk about the opportunities.

Nathan Leindecker

nleindecker@gmail.com

Anglian Lady, barge grounds just west of Soo Locks

Sault Ste. Marie, ON – Around 1am local time, the downbound Purvis Marine barge PML 9000, loaded with steel coals from Algoma Steel and pushed by the tug Anglian Lady, grounded on Vidal Shoals just west of the Soo Locks approach. Various Purvis Marine tugs were in attendance throughout the day Wednesday, however the barge remained aground Wednesday night. 

It’s not every day a 665-foot cruise ship docks in Detroit: MLive went aboard

Detroit, MI – A lot of people pulled their cars over in Detroit to get a glimpse of something they don’t normally see. A 665-foot-long cruise ship docked on the Detroit River on Tuesday, May 3 as it made its first voyage around the Great Lakes.

The Viking Octantis, newly built for 2022, docked at the Nicholson Terminal where cruisers from all over the country and staff from around the world got out and explored the city’s museums and attractions.

The Octantis holds up to 378 guests. 310 visitors are currently on the ship, which also holds 256 crew members. The eight-day journey started in Toronto before making its way to Niagara Falls, Ontario and Point Pelee, Ontario, which is the southernmost point on the Canadian mainland

Read the full article and view a video tour of the ship at this MLive link: https://www.mlive.com/life/2022/05/its-not-every-day-a-665-foot-cruise-ship-docks-in-detroit-we-went-aboard.html?fbclid=IwAR2kycSg1AMLtlGLnHgs7VIDDJvx1nzshSVOTriUHBOUl9o83lKNBEtSORI

MLive

Lake Superior has risen and reached the long-term average

In response to wet weather in April, the water level of Lake Superior has risen and reached the long-term average value for the beginning of May. The lake-wide water level of Lake Michigan-Huron also rose in April and remains above the seasonal long-term average. Outflows from Lake Superior and into Lake Michigan-Huron continue to be set in consideration of water levels upstream and downstream.

 The Board expects the total outflow to be 1,910 m3/s (67 tcfs) in May, which is as prescribed by Lake Superior Regulation Plan 2012. The gate setting at the Compensating Works will be maintained at the setting equivalent to one-half gate open (Gates #7 through #10 partially open 20 cm (7.9 in)). There will be no change to the setting of Gate #1, which supplies a flow of about 15 m3/s to the channel north of the Fishery Remedial Dike.

 Lake Superior increased 14 cm (5.5 in), while on average the lake rises 8 cm (3.2 in) in April. Lake Michigan-Huron rose 13 cm (5.1 in) last month, while on average the lake rises 11 cm (4.3 in) in April.

 At the beginning of May, the water level of Lake Superior is equivalent to the long-term average water level (1918 – 2021) and 18 cm (7.1 in) below the level of a year ago. Lake Michigan-Huron is 27 cm (10.6 in) above average, 22 cm (8.7 in) below the level from last year, and 62 cm (24.4 in) below the record-high level set at this time in 2020.

 Depending on the weather and water supply conditions during the next month, Lake Superior may rise by as much as 19 cm (7.53 in) and Lake Michigan-Huron water levels may rise by as much as 16 cm (6.3 in) in May.

 Lake Superior News. See chart image in today’s photo gallery.

Boatnerd seeking help from volunteers familiar with WordPress

We are in need of someone who has experience with website design and maintenance of our WordPress-based website. Our present volunteer staff does not have the expertise to keep up with it. If you are interested, please email Boatnerd board president Nathan Leindecker to talk about the opportunities.

 Nathan Leindecker

nleindecker@gmail.com

Viking Octantis stops in Port Colborne during inaugural voyage on Great Lakes

Port Colborne, ON – With a science lab, a fleet of military-pro Zodiacs and two six-guest submarines and hangar on board, the Viking Octantis stopped in Port Colborne Sunday during its inaugural voyage in the Great Lakes.

It is the first of two new purpose-built expedition ships from the cruise ship company Viking.

It is the first of among 66 cruise ship stops in the city this season as the vessels make their return to the lakes after being away for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joining the 378-passenger Viking ship will be vessels familiar to residents along the Welland Canal — Pearl Mist, Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator (formerly Victory I and II, respectively), and Hamburg (formerly C. Columbus).

Two ships from Ponant, Le Bellot and Le Dumont d’Urville, which carry 180 passengers each, will make their way to the lakes. In 2019, their sister ship Le Champlain docked in Port Colborne.

The 160-passenger Ocean Explorer, through Vantage Cruises, will make its way up the East Coast of North America from Boston, Mass., to travel the lakes.

Port Colborne is looking to entice passengers from the ships to stay in the city when they dock along West Street, for which there is a plan to build a waterfront centre.

City council recently approved the hiring of J.P. Thomson Architects to design it. It will go on lands once home to the public works yard along the Welland Canal.

Niagara Falls Review

City seeks proposals to raise James Whalen out of Kam River

Thunder Bay, ON – The City of Thunder Bay is seeking proposals from local companies to raise the historic James Whalen tugboat out of the Kam River, where it sank from its moorings at the Kam River Heritage Park early Sunday morning.

The sinking – the second incident in which the boat has taken on water while berthed at the park in little over a year – prompted Mayor Bill Mauro to request a report on the situation at Monday’s city council meeting.

“It is unfortunately necessary, we have to say that this is the second time we’ve had this issue with this particular tug in this particular park,” he said Monday. “Obviously we can’t let this happen again.”

The report shows the city had not yet reinstalled a submersible pump added after the 2021 incident for the spring season, attributing that to consistent cold temperatures.

The pump was removed before winter freeze-up to avoid damage, and was to be installed “as soon as possible” in the spring.

The parks department had tried to install the pump once earlier this year, but found the sump in the tug was still frozen, said parks and open spaces manager Cory Halvorsen in the report.

Warming temperatures and rain appear to have resulted in a quick thaw and the James Whalen taking on a significant amount of water sometime Saturday night or early Sunday morning, the report concluded. The tug was observed upright as late as Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m.

Its sinking isn’t expected to pose any environmental risk, as the boat was previously emptied of engine components, the report stated, though floating booms were installed as a precaution. The city has contacted Transport Canada and the Coast Guard to inform them of the incident.

The city is now soliciting proposals to lift the tug out of the Kaministiquia River from local companies, Halvorsen reported. The plan is for the boat to be moved to storage on dry land where it can be assessed for damage.

If it’s still in adequate condition, several city councillors expressed support Monday for a plan to move the tug to the Lakehead Transportation Museum Society site at Pool 6, south of Prince Arthur’s Landing.

It’s an outcome the society has welcomed, holding meetings this year with the city’s waterfront development committee to discuss arrangements.

Mauro suggested that would be a win-win for the society and the city.

“When I see people in the community that are willing to do work that benefits the city and are basically asking for next to nothing, I think it’s incumbent on me and on any of us to try to facilitate that,” he said.

Society president Charlie Brown has expressed optimism the sinking won’t necessarily have caused further damage to the ship, which he said would have required an overhaul for display in any case.

Coun. Aldo Ruberto said he plans to bring a resolution forward over the summer to propose an agreement with the LTMS.

TB Newswatch

An update on The Sullivans

Buffalo, NY – The dewatering plan developed by T&T Marine Salvage was approved by the Unified Command on site after review and feedback by the USCG Salvage Engineering Response Team (SERT), headquartered in Washington, D.C. 

BIDCO Marine Group is supporting T&T crews during dewatering operations, and Miller Environmental Group will continue to replace absorbent boom and sweep around the ship to control oil sheen as well as assist with any pollution control efforts during dewatering.

Dewatering operations utilize 22 industrial pumps including electric pumps, gasoline powered pumps and hydraulic pumps. Back-up pumps are on standby should a primary pump fail.

Crews are being deliberate in their efforts and monitoring the ship stability as water is pumped from the three designated areas of the ship Sections A (bow), Section B (engine, mid-ship), and Section C (stern). 

Dewatering is going as planned and the ship list to starboard has been reduced significantly and approaching zero degrees.

Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park

Boatnerd seeking help from volunteers familiar with WordPress

We are in need of someone who has experience with website design and maintenance of our WordPress-based website. Our present volunteer staff does not have the expertise to keep up with it. If you are interested, please email Boatnerd board president Nathan Leindecker to talk about the opportunities.

Nathan Leindecker

nleindecker@gmail.com

Watch for new Algoma vessel The Algoma Bear in 2024

 St. Catharines, ON – Algoma Central Corporation has announced the name of its next Equinox-class 740-foot-long self-unloader will be The Algoma Bear, a name representing strength, stability and size. It is expected to join the Algoma fleet in 2024.

 In June 2021 – Algoma Central Corporation signed a contract with China’s Yangzijiang (YZJ) Shipyard for the construction of a new Seaway-Max self-unloading vessel for its domestic dry-bulk fleet. The vessel will be the first of the new Equinox 2.0 Class. The new class vessel’s design will build on the original Equinox Class standards to offer increased deadweight capacity, better fuel efficiency and improved speed at lesser engine power.

 The Equinox 2.0 will also incorporate weight-saving features and a modified stern. With a dual-rudder design, the reconfigured stern will increase the cargo holding capacity by nearly 1,440 mt. The design enhancements will also include changes to the cargo hold shape, which will improve the handling of ‘sticky’ cargoes, along with an upgraded propeller.

 The newbuild will replace the Algoma Transport, one of the oldest ships in the Algoma dry-bulk fleet.

 Algoma Central Corporation

Official statement regarding Kaye E. Barker’s recent grounding

 As previously reported, our M/V Kaye E. Barker stranded on a sandbar as it was attempting to enter Muskegon Harbor on Thursday evening (April 28, 2022). Most importantly, the incident remains injury-free and there was no pollution or harm to the environment.

 The vessel was freed from the sandbar the following Friday afternoon after approximately 2,000 net tons of cargo was transferred to a small barge that was brought alongside the ship.  We were hopeful that would be enough to permit the ship to pass over the sandbar and into Muskegon but following another attempt to enter the harbor and subsequent bottom surveying, it became evident that additional cargo would have to be removed from the vessel. 

Consequently, the vessel anchored for the evening and after the small barge was discharged at our customer’s dock, it returned to our M/V Kaye E. Barker on Saturday morning and an additional 2,000 net tons of cargo was transferred from the vessel to the barge and subsequently unloaded at the customer’s dock.

 By then, weather conditions prohibited our M/V Kaye E. Barker from safely entering the harbor so out of an abundance of caution, the vessel went to anchor until conditions improved.  When they did, the vessel entered the harbor and discharged the remainder of the cargo without issue.  Fortunately, it does not appear that the soft sandbar caused any damage to the vessel.  

When the vessel was loaded for Muskegon, it was loaded based upon the most recent bottom survey which indicated that there was sufficient water depth at the entrance. The sand bar developed after the last bottom survey was conducted and we are currently working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to get the area dredged soon. The Corps conducted a survey of the waterway on Saturday. 

 The Interlake Steamship Co.

Great Lakes research vessels begin annual fish surveys

Petoskey, MI – As the ice on the Great Lakes begins to clear, research vessels from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources fisheries division have begun their annual fish surveys.

The overall goal of the surveys is to find out how many fish are in the lakes, how they are growing and identifying what is impacting the population. Each lake has individual goals and focuses for the survey. 

On Lake Michigan, the SV Steelhead, stationed at the Charlevoix Research Station, will focus on adult yellow perch, lake whitefish, lake trout, Chinook salmon and forage fish populations. The vessel began operation this week in Saugatuck and will likely work until the first week of December.

Read the full article at petoskeynews.com: https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/environment/2022/04/28/great-lakes-research-vessels-begin-annual-fish-surveys/9545043002/

Petoskey News-Review

Thunder Bay’s historic tug James Whalen has sunk

 Thunder Bay, ON – The historic James Whalen tug boat at Kaministiquia River Heritage Park sunk into the river on Sunday morning.

 “The tug boat has taken on water again over the period of time during the rain and the thawing in spring here and we were unable to observe any change until this time,” said Cory Halvorsen, manager of parks and open spaces.

 “It looks like it took on enough water to become fully submerged and disconnect from the mounts on the dock as well.”

 This is not the first time the 117-year-old tug took on too much water; the James Whalen also partially sank last year but crews were able to pump enough water out to keep it from fully submerging, this year will be a different story.

 “I think we’re dealing with a completely different situation this time. Last year we were able to respond before it got to this point and we were able to pump the water out and get it back out of the water,” said Halvorsen.

 “But now we’re looking at a different situation where it’s fully submerged and I’m not sure if there will be an option to get it afloat or how we’re going to move it this time.”

 Crews are limited in what can be done immediately other than informing the Coast Guard and monitoring to make sure there are no environmental impacts which Halvorsen says will be unlikely as there is no fuel or similar contaminants on the vessel.

 James Whalen, an ice-breaking tug, was built in 1905. Designed to tow heavy steamers, and to cut through 20-inch thick ice, the tugboat served Thunder Bay for 50 years. In 1965, the tug left for Hamilton, but eventually returned to Thunder Bay to undergo years of renovations with the intention of making it a museum ship located at Kam River Heritage Park.

 TB Newswatch

Kaye E. Barker aground off Muskegon

Tug sunk in Duluth Harbor has leaked less than four gallons of oil

 Duluth, MN – The partially-sunken tugboat in the Duluth Harbor is still there more than a month later, with no immediate plans for it to be moved.

 The U.S. Coast Guard tells FOX21 that the tug Lake Superior is still leaking oil, but in total it’s been less than four gallons so far. A contractor is there every day laying down material around the tugboat that continues to absorb any of the oil that leaks into the water.

 The tug still had more than 7,500 gallons of fuel and oil inside of it when it began going under.

 The Coast Guard says they continue to monitor the situation, but officials have no timeline planned out of when it can be moved, which the tugboat’s private owner will need to get involved with as well.

FOX21

New Great Lakes pilot boat christened April 28

Michigan – Watch the Western Great Lakes Pilots Association ceremony at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD_jpfluqCc

Col. James M. Schoonmaker museum ship, museum tug Ohio re-open for 2022 season 

Toledo, OH – The National Museum of the Great Lakes will be reopening the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and Museum Tug Ohio for the season to the public beginning Sunday, May 1. The museum will welcome members on board one day early for their annual Pancake Breakfast event on Saturday, April 30.

The museum ships close annually over the winter months and re-open for public tours between May 1 and October 31. Visitors can climb onboard the 617-foot cargo ship and historic tug to experience what life was like on the lakes in the early 1900s while also visiting the museum galleries. The inside of the museum features awe-inspiring stories of our Great Lakes through breathtaking photography, over 300 incredible artifacts, a number of powerful audiovisual displays and 40 hands-on interactive exhibits.

ADMISSION: $17.00 (Museum & Ship) / $11.00 (Museum Only) – Adults (18-64)

$16.00 (Museum & Ship) / $10.00 (Museum Only) – Seniors (65+)

$14.00 (Museum & Ship) / $8.00 (Museum Only) – Youth (6-17)

FREE – Children 5 and under

FREE – GLHS/NMGL Members

Tall ships, world’s largest rubber duck coming to Michigan as part of 2022 Festival of Sail

Alpena, MI – Quack, quack.

The world’s largest rubber duck is coming to Michigan.

The massive yellow duck is among several attractions coming to Alpena and Marquette as part of the 2022 Festival of Sail.

The popular festival will take place at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center waterfront on Lake Huron in Alpena July 15-17. The ships, and the rubber duck, will make their way to Marquette’s Mattison Lower Harbor Park on Lake Superior Aug. 12-14.

Read the full article at MLive.com: https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/04/tall-ships-worlds-largest-rubber-duck-coming-to-alpena-marquette-as-part-of-2022-festival-of-sail.html

MLive 

Crews work to get fire-damaged Chi-Cheemaun ship-shape for May

Owen Sound, ON – The Owen Sound Transportation Commission (OSTC) said it’s “working diligently” to have the Chi-Cheemaun ferry ready to sail on May 6, the provincial Crown agency said in a social media post. 

The 111-metre (365 feet) vessel remains in Thunder Bay after fire broke out in the boiler room while the ship was in dry dock at the Heddle shipyard, March 12.

Thunder Bay Fire Rescue extinguished the fire with the help of on-board crew. The OSTC said fire damage was contained to the boiler room.

The agency said it does not expect any delays to get the ferry ready for the summer sailing season. “The OSTC recognizes the importance of the Chi-Cheemaun to the local economy, specifically the tourism industry.”

The ferry was in Thunder Bay to undergo scheduled maintenance and its five-year hull marine survey in the dry dock at the time of the fire below deck.

The Chi-Cheemaun is a huge part of the tourism industry on Manitoulin Island and for northeastern Ontario.

The ship sails Lake Huron between South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island and Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula. The service usually starts in early May and runs until mid-October. 

Built in Collingwood, the Chi-Cheemaun entered service in 1974 and can carry 140 standard North American-sized cars and 638 passengers.

The OSTC said if there is disruption to the season start date, the agency will be in contact with customers to help with rescheduling or provide a refund. Any schedule changes will be updated through social media channels and the website.

TBNewsWatch

Corps signs five-year lease for Great Lakes tug

Buffalo, NY – Last week, the Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, awarded a $8.4 million contract to Cleveland-based Great Lakes Towing for five-year lease of the tugboat Don Raul to serve on the Great Lakes.

The boat will primarily be used on Lake Erie between Buffalo, N.Y., and Toledo, Ohio, but may serve all the way to Massena, N.Y., towing the Buffalo District’s repair fleet. The fleet is one of three strategically located across the Great Lakes, providing a flexible, rapid response for maintenance at U.S. harbors and along the nation’s shorelines.

“Maintaining safe navigation is a critical mission for the Corps of Engineers. We’re proud to play our part in supporting commerce and strengthening the nation,” said Lt. Col. Eli Adams, commander of the Buffalo District. “The tugboat Don Raul will greatly enhance our ability to safely and effectively support the residents of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and ensure the economic viability of their waterways.”

The Don Raul is a 74-foot, 2,800 hp, twin-screw seagoing tug, built by Great Lakes Shipyard in 2008.

The tug will be leased for one year, with an initial contract award of $3 million, and options to renew for up to four more years, bringing the total contract value to $8.4 million.

The Don Raul will be a short-term replacement for the tugboat Cheraw, while the District develops and implements a longer term replacement plan. The Cheraw is a former Navy seagoing tug which was transferred to the Buffalo District in 1998. Tugboats are used to transport a derrick boat and materials barges from harbor to harbor.

The Don Raul is expected to depart its current port in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and arrive in Cleveland for maintenance before final delivery to the Buffalo District’s repair fleet crew on Aug. 1.

The Buffalo District is responsible for the maintenance of 35 federal harbors and navigation projects on Lakes Erie and Ontario, including approximately 37 miles of protective structures such as piers, jetties, and breakwaters.

The district’s repair fleet program utilizes the government-owned repair fleet and hired labor to perform repairs to District navigation structures, execute snagging and clearing to remove trees and other obstructions to navigation, and conduct installation and maintenance of safety ladders and signage.

The repair fleet is engaged in harbor maintenance activities for the full duration of construction season on the Great Lakes, typically from mid-April to early November.

WorkBoat

Great Lakes shoreline shipwreck viewing predicted to be excellent this summer

Lansing, MI – Some trails break out of the woods at a lake. Some climb a dune to a sweeping view.

 And many — more than you probably thought — lead to a shipwreck with a story on a beach. This summer could be excellent for shoreline shipwreck viewing as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers predicts that the water level of lakes Michigan and Huron could be almost 2 feet below the record highs set in 2020.

 Michigan’s fascinating maritime history is not limited to old lighthouses or restored life-saving stations.  The state is blessed with accessible shipwrecks that don’t require an air tank or a wetsuit to view — only a pair of hiking boots, a paddle or a snorkel and mask.

 The heart of shipwreck territory is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, but there are others, including a wreck in Thompson Harbor State Park in Presque Isle County and more off the shore of the Upper Peninsula’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

 Michigan’s shoreline wrecks are constantly evolving, depending on wave action, shifting sand and Great Lakes water levels.  High and dry for easy viewing this summer will be one of Michigan’s newest exposed wrecks, the Jennie and Annie.

 The 137-foot schooner, built in 1863, was rounding Sleeping Bear Point in November 1872 when gale-force winds pushed it into the shallows and reefs of Lake Michigan’s notorious Manitou Passage. The ship, its 10-member crew and a cargo of corn were driven aground 9 miles south near Empire. Only three crew members survived.

 Gone forever? Hardly.

 For the past two summers, a substantial piece of the hull has been visible on a Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore beach.

 See a full list of shipwrecks at the Detroit News link: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/04/10/great-lakes-shoreline-shipwreck-viewing-predicted-excellent-summer/9512143002/?fbclid=IwAR28KrI8AonYLAlsrK0-dkfbytYDdTdQwesPNcLDW74KPJVlpZqDCHe_e-s

The Detroit News

Marine sanctuary visitor center welcomes visitors after two-year shutdown

Alpena, MI – In a soft opening on Thursday, Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center welcomed a handful of guests for the first time in more than two years. Those guests are the first in 100,000 that normally come through on a yearly basis.

The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center is the museum owned and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees operations at the museum and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

At any rate, the museum is open now, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday until May 5, when it will return to its regular hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

“I have missed being able to come here so much,” said Alpena resident Terri Riopelle, who came to the museum as soon as it opened at 10 a.m. Thursday. “I did a lot of volunteering in the past, and these two years have been, like, empty.”

“It’s such a valuable, amazing place,” Riopelle said, adding that Alpena residents are lucky to have such an educational and exciting resource here in Alpena. “It’s huge for Alpena, as a destination. Not only tourism, but scientifically, what they’re drawing to this town, from around the world, is incredible … It raises us, as a whole, as a community, to another level.”

“We’ve been getting calls like crazy here,” Andrew Augustyn, visitor experience manager at GLMHC, said on Thursday. “We finally have the staff here to answer phones on a regular basis, so that’s great. On top of bringing summer staff back, the glass-bottom boat will be starting in a few weeks, too. So, the closer we get to May, things will kick off, and it will be absolutely crazy around here.” And that’s just the way visitors like it, Augustyn said.

“I think people have just been itching to get back in here,” Augustyn said. “I’m excited. We’re all excited … Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, we can do upwards of a couple thousand (visitors) a day.”

He said current programs and exhibits will be similar to what patrons have come to enjoy in the past, but that some amenities have been upgraded, such as the replacement of counters out front, in the bathrooms and in the conference rooms.

Upcoming events in May include the season’s launch of the glass-bottom boat, The Lady Michigan, and the arrival of the Viking Octantis, a Great Lakes cruise ship that will be visiting Alpena eight times this season, the first of which will be May 4.

Augustyn expects many more programs and events to be popping up this summer, and looks forward to inviting the public to come celebrate the reopening.

“We do have plans for updating some exhibits in the future here,” Augustyn added. “To have the visitor center reopen, it’s just been, I think, something that’s been a gap for everybody here, for the last couple of years. We’ve always wanted more for people to do around town. Alpena’s a great community, but just looking for something else to do on a rainy day … just to see that activity, to bring people into the visitor center, is just great.”

Stephanie Gandulla, a maritime archaeologist with TBNMS, is elated to have the center back open.

“It is such a good feeling to see people walk through those front doors,” Gandulla said.

For more information about the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, visit thunderbayfriends.org or thunderbay.noaa.gov.

The Alpena News