Commercial ship momentarily lost steering near Blue Water Bridge, did not run aground

Port Huron – The Wilfred Sykes, a commercial bulk carrier, momentarily lost steering near the Blue Water Bridge late Thursday night. U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Jeremiah Schiessel said the issue was fixed very soon after it was reported. There was little impediment to boat traffic. The ship did not run aground, Schiessel said. No further information was immediately available.

Port Huron Times Herald

 

Wilfred Sykes loses steering at Port Huron

Just after 11:30 p.m. Thursday the downbound steamer Wilfred Sykes lost steering and fetched up on the shore opposite the Dunn Paper plant. The current spun her around so she was facing upbound. The Port Huron-based tug Manitou arrived at 2:30 a.m. and was able to pull the Sykes free. She is now anchored and likely awaiting inspection before continuing her trip to Dearborn, MI.

Watch the Sykes being towed to anchorage here: https://watch.screencastify.com/v/4UYDWKCwDVbO6dlV0Rso?fbclid=IwAR0Sbua8m7ifOCdFwDqFp_nwTHDPtVEkYmbnJAZflZwKy2-b13NmZfiAg0o

 

Historic Ashtabula coal dock dismantled

Ashtabula, OH – The preparation of a coal conveyor for transport to Mobile, Ala. is nearing completion at the Ashtabula Rail Yard Coal Dock is nearing completion after months of preparation and work by Capp Steel Erectors and a group of other companies focusing on various parts of the job, said Andy Kaschalk, project manager for CSE.

The process escalated earlier this year when a large cement tower was blown up and coal was scraped from the area. Large cranes have been in operation recently as the equipment is moved to Alabama and the coal is prepared for shipment.

During the process, the city ended up the owners of the former coal bridge that has welcomed visitors to the harbor for decades. The rail yard was closed years ago when the demand for coal in Canada and other places dropped due to environmental concerns.

Star Beacon. View images at this link: https://www.starbeacon.com/news/local_news/historic-coal-dock-dismantled/article_ea7c21f8-ebd7-5fc2-99bf-091fe5d71423.html?fbclid=IwAR0IZlX2XL4_mpcXZBFj_NLjRYArVlMgPjEcbcbUaoaAtNwXsjYOjeCSGZI

Interlake’s new tug on its way to lakes from East Coast

U.S. Army tug MG Winfield Scott (LT 805) was upbound on the St. Lawrence River off Verchères, Quebec, on Nov. 22. The tug, which is on its way to Ludington, Mich., was recently purchased by Interlake Logistics Solutions, which is affiliated with the Interlake Steamship Co.

Interlake President Mark W. Barker said in early December it will be rafted alongside the Spartan, the long-idle sister ferry to the Badger, which Interlake also owns.

The 128-foot-long tug was built by Moss Point Marine and delivered to the U.S. Army in 1993. She is named for Major General Winfield Scot

Floating warship museum still eyed for Erie; Navy review, costs pose challenges

Erie, PA – A U.S. Navy warship won’t be dropping anchor in Erie anytime soon. While efforts are ongoing to bring a decommissioned Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate to Presque Isle Bay and turn it into a floating naval museum, a steep fundraising goal and an arduous Navy approval process could slow the project for years. So says Joe Pfadt, CEO of the Oliver Hazard Perry Shipyard, a nonprofit spearheading the project.

“We’re still going through Phase II of the three-phase Navy application process, which requires us to do a number of studies, to include all of the engineering that goes with this,” Pfadt said. He said documentation from Phase II, which also includes an economic impact study and a market analysis, must be submitted to the Navy by September.

At that point, the Navy will undertake a thorough review of the documentation before advancing to Phase III, which involves a new round of planning for the towing and mooring of the vessel. That, in turn, would require another review by the Navy.

“We don’t know how long the Navy’s review process will take,” said Pfadt, adding that documentation from Phase II alone could be nearly 1,000 pages and take the Navy a year or more to review.

“We have to remember that a Perry-class frigate costs about $122 million, so it’s a rather expensive asset that (the Navy) is donating,” Pfadt said. “The Navy is trying to tell a prospective museum location, ‘This is what you’re getting into and this is what the process is to have a ship donated.'”

The Perry Shipyard applied to the Navy in early 2020 for the frigate. The nonprofit, during the first phase of the application process, pitched Erie’s connections with Perry — who won the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812 — and the educational and tourism potential of a Perry-class frigate in the Flagship City.

The Navy has since selected the U.S.S. Halyburton, one of a handful of mothballed Perry-class frigates at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, for the prospective Erie move.

Go Erie

Superstructure of tug Annis Lee arrives at museum

Thunder Bay, ON – On Monday the Lakehead Transportation Museum Society took possession of the superstructure of the tugboat Annis Lee.  Originally built in 1945 at the Port Arthur Shipyard. the tug had been pulled ashore and was more or less abandoned for years, until this year, when it was scrapped.

Great Lakes Towing extends services to Sturgeon Bay

Sturgeon Bay, WI – Following a fleet renewal program that has increased the size of its fleet, the Great Lakes Towing Co. is expanding its harbor towing and ice breaking services to Sturgeon Bay, WI.

Tug services in Sturgeon Bay have historically been provided by Sarter Marine Towing (formerly Selvick Marine Towing.

Great Lakes Towing’s fleet renewal program began with the laying of 10 keels in August 2016. Since then, the company has added five new Damen Stan 1907 ICE design tugs to its fleet, with the sixth set for delivery next month and the seventh in Spring 2022.

As well as improving the quality, safety and reliability of the services the company provides to its customers, it has also increased the size of the towing fleet. This has allowed the company to look for other areas to expand its area of operations and improve its lakes-wide coverage.

There will now be two Great Lakes Towing tugs stationed in Sturgeon Bay full time, including the former Navy YTB Ontarioand Hawaii. The company says these tugs will offer timely services for vessels calling at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) and also provide strong ice breaking assets at the mid-southern end of Green Bay.

“We are excited to expand our services to better serve the Great Lakes maritime community. As we continue to grow our fleet, we will continue to seek out new and better ways to service the needs of our customers,” says Gregg Thauvette, executive vice president, operations, at the Great Lakes Towing Company. “A couple years ago we stationed a tug in Monroe (Michigan) and now we look forward to seeing you in Sturgeon Bay!”

Marine Log

Obituary: John S. “Jack” Frost

Detroit, MI – Past International Shipmasters’ Detroit Lodge President Jack Frost passed away on Monday, November 15, 2021 at Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital after a short battle with pneumonia and leukemia.  Born on August 21, 1952, he was 69 years old.

Jack is survived by his wife Anita, mother Christine Frost, sister Marian (Daniel) Orsini, brother Gary (Rosie MacKenzie) Frost, sister Phyllis (Jim) Dujovski, brother Ray Frost, and sister Carolyn (Mike) Bailey. He was preceded in death by his father Leo Frost. He will be dearly missed by family and friends.

Jack grew up in Southwest Detroit and spent summers in Belle River, Ontario on Lake St. Clair. After graduating from St. Gabriel Catholic High School in 1970, he entered the U.S. Air Force serving in North Carolina, Florida, Turkey and North Dakota.

Following his Honorable Discharge, he enrolled at Minot State College in Minot, ND. Jack attended college for a year and then operated a Rotor Rooter franchise in Minot for two years. In 1976 Jack returned to Detroit and started working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  In 1977 Jack met Anita Lester and they were married in 1984 by the Mayor of Lincoln Park. He enjoyed playing Santa Claus at family gatherings.

Jack held a number of positions with the Corps over the years, and began his sailing career as a deckhand on the tug Forney, moving on to the derrick Huron as deckhand and deck machine operator, and then taking a position as oiler on the derrick Haines. During this time as the need arose, he worked on several other tugs and crane barges in the Corps of Engineers fleet.  In 1989 Jack received his initial Coast Guard license and became Captain of the survey vessel North Central. A master diver, Jack was often up at the Soo Locks in the winter where his dive skills were put to work inspecting the lock gates. He worked seven different disasters while with the Corps. In 2003 and 2004 he was sent overseas and performed duties in Baghdad, Iraq. In 1999, he was moved to the Corps front office in cost estimating and specifications because of his knowledge of the Great Lakes marine industry. He retired as Senior Cost Estimator in January 2013 at the age of 60. After retiring from the Corps of Engineers, he was often hired by FEMA to work as a cost estimator during several national disasters. His assignments took him to states impacted by Hurricane Katrina, to California with its devastating wildfire damage and to Wisconsin after a rash of tornadoes in that state.

Jack maintained his 200-ton towing license by working with the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets aboard the training vessel Grayfox. After retiring from the Corps of Engineers, he worked with Diamond Jack River Cruises as skipper aboard their passenger vessel Diamond Belle.

Jack was an avid Detroit Tigers fan. He attended many games during the season including many opening days. In recent years his love of baseball took him down to Lakeland, Florida where he had season tickets to the Tigers spring training games.

Jack loved to travel. His connection to the U.S. Air Force, the Corps of Engineers, FEMA and road trips with his brother took him to 47 states and 23 countries over the years.

Captain Frost joined Detroit Lodge No. 7 on Dec. 12, 1989, and was a member for nearly 32 years. He was issued pennant number 10977. He served four years (1992 through 1995) as lodge warden, was elected lodge President in 2005 and served as the lodge’s convention delegate at the 2006 convention. Jack and his wife Anita attended numerous ISMA Conventions over the years. Jack was appointed and installed as Grand Marshal at the 2008 and 2010 conventions and served in that capacity at the 2009 and 2011 Conventions.  In 2012, his fellow lodge members honored him with the Lewis Ludington Award.

Visitation will be Sunday, November 21, from noon to 3:00 pm at the Allen Park Chapel of Voran Funeral Home, 5900 Allen Road, Allen Park (313-928-2300) The funeral service will be at 3:00 pm at the funeral home. Donations may be made to the Michigan Humane Society, the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army.

Smooth sailing on Great Lakes as Seaway shipping increases steadily

With the nation’s ports struggling under the weight imports, it seems to be smooth sailing on Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership has reported an increase of 1.92 percent for St. Lawrence Seaway traffic, consistent with previous growth trends. An overall total of 28,494,000 metric tons of cargo shipped through the Seaway from the opening of the Seaway on March 22, 2021, through October 31, 2021. Additionally, total transits YTD reached 2,976 vessels, a 1.33 percent increase compared to transits through October last year.

“This consistent growth in traffic for the Great Lakes Seaway System is evidence that the system is not experiencing the same degree of supply chain disruptions or congestion compared to coastal ports or elsewhere globally,” the Great Lakes Seaway Partnership said.

In October, the Seaway System saw a noticeable increase in cargo movements, particularly during the last week of the month, said Craig H. Middlebrook, Deputy Administrator at the U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

“These next few months are typically the busiest of the Seaway’s navigation season,“ said Middlebrook. “The harvest is in, U.S. export grain is moving through our Great Lakes ports and the Seaway. As global demand increases, we anticipate this upward trend in outbound grain shipments to continue through the end of the year.”

Through October 2021, tonnage surpassed 9 million tons for the Port of Toledo, an increase of over 25 percent. Domestic tonnage is up over 48 percent and trade with Canada has increased by 14 percent. Iron ore, coal, general cargo, and dry bulk commodities are all tracking ahead of last year.

“We have nearly surpassed our 2020 tonnage total and we’re only in October,” said Joseph Cappel, VP, Business Development, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.

General cargo shipments for the Seaway continue to increase, showing a 65 percent increase year-over-year due to top performing ports for iron ore and steel slabs, such as Toledo. Other traditional “steel” American Great Lakes ports include Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago and Burns Harbor. In total, these ports saw 10 vessel port calls with diverse steel products from approximately 10 countries.

For the Port of Toledo, most of the increase is attributed to additional domestic iron ore shipments associated with the Cleveland Cliffs direct reduction plant, however Toledo is also experiencing increases in coal, dry bulk, and general cargo. Commodities such as salt, aluminum, and other bulk material have been strong this year.

“We are always working on accelerating the supply chain for these cargos through our terminals. To that end, we have acquired and started using our new Liebherr 550 mobile harbor crane in combination with our two Liebherr 280 cranes for material handling at Midwest Terminals,” said Cappel. The new Liebherr 550 crane has lift capacity of 154 metric tons and can be utilized for project cargo, break bulk, and bulk commodities.

Overall, iron ore continues to be a standout export commodity for Seaway traffic, with a 20 percent increase year-over-year. Minnesota ports saw 11 Lakers export iron ore to the Port of Quebec, for trans-shipment to high-demand countries.

Total tonnage for the Port of Duluth-Superior is tracking 2.5 percent ahead of the five-season average and 33 percent better than the COVID-slowed 2020 pace. Iron ore remained a hot commodity, with more than 2 million short tons leaving the port in October. That pushed Duluth-Superior’s season total to 16.4 million short tons, which exceeded the five-season average by 16 percent.

“The flexibility we offer shippers to switch between modes of transport to and from our multimodal general cargo terminal has been an advantage for them in navigating the global supply chain challenges of 2021,” said Deb DeLuca, Executive Director, Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “So far, it’s truly been a season that emphasizes the importance of supply chain reliability and versatility, and we deliver on those in Duluth-Superior.”

 

Record warm water temperatures now on most Great Lakes

Warm weather in September and October has kept the Great Lakes’ water temperatures much warmer than normal for mid-November. A few of the Great Lakes are warmer than they have ever been since consistent water temperature tracking has been developed.

Lake Superior still has surface water temperatures in the high 40s. Lake Michigan still has water temperatures in the mid-50s. Lake Erie was still almost near 60 degrees last week.

Read more and view charts, graphs at this link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2021/11/record-warm-water-temperatures-now-on-most-great-lakes.html

 

U.S. Senator Gary Peters is 2021 Legislator of the Year

Cleveland, OH – Today the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force (GLMTF) recognized the tremendous work done by Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters for protecting and advancing the Great Lakes Navigation System.

Senator Peters has moved the needle on several extremely important projects in the Great Lakes.  He continues to be instrumental in efficiently funding the construction of a new large navigational lock in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan.  Senator Peters understands the economic benefits of Great Lakes shipping and the need to make our ports competitive and reliable even during the winter season.  To that end, he cosponsored the “Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act” which would make icebreaking a higher priority for the U.S. Coast Guard and ensured $350 million was included in the pending House Reconciliation Bill for another heavy Great Lakes icebreaker.  In addition, he has worked tirelessly with the Port of Monroe to resolve import and export issues associated with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s interpretation of rules that hampered further port development with containerized cargo.

“The Great Lakes have and continue to be at the heart of Senator Peters’ leadership. His deckplate approach and unrelenting support have allowed the Port of Monroe to prosper while setting the course for our future as a sustainable seaport. I am humbly appreciative that the Senator’s efforts are being recognized with this award as his identity as a true champion of the Great Lakes maritime industry is rivaled only by the admiration we have for his efforts,” stated Paul LaMarre, GLMTF member and Port Director for Monroe, Michigan.

Senator Peters was a strong advocate for the passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2020 which ensures consistent funding from the Harbor Maintenance Trust for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  The funds are critical to maintaining the 60 federally-maintained deep-draft ports on the Great Lakes along with navigational structures which have suffered severe damage due to higher water levels.

The Senator has made protecting the Great Lakes one of his top priorities.  In late 2020, he secured a bipartisan provision that was signed into law as part of the year-end funding bill to provide the first increase in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GRLI) funding since the program was established in 2010.  The GLRI is critical to cleaning up the Great Lakes and protecting them for future generations.

In addition, Senator Peters was able to get bipartisan legislation signed into law called the STORM Act to support local communities facing rising water levels, coastal erosion, and flooding that have put homes, property, and communities at risk. The bill authorizes FEMA to help states establish revolving loan funds that local governments could access to help mitigate the impacts of rising water levels, coastal erosion, and other natural disasters in a more cost-effective way. He secured an initial $500 million for the program in the bipartisan infrastructure bill.  He also announced that the Coast Guard’s National Center of Expertise – which he envisioned, got signed into law and secured funding for – will be headquartered in Michigan at both Lake Superior State University and the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab in Ann Arbor. The Center of Expertise will research and examine the impacts of oil spills in freshwater environments – for which there is little publicly available information on – and help develop effective responses.

Finally, Senator Peters introduced the “CADETS Act” in June 2021.  The bill would expand the age eligibility for the Student Incentive Payment (SIP), which provides financial assistance to cadets who attend one of the six State Maritime Academies – including The Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City, Michigan.  In return for their commitment to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve at their time of graduation, cadets can receive up to $32,000 in incentive payments over four years to help offset the cost of tuition, uniforms, books, and living costs.  “As a former Naval Reservist, Senator Peters recognizes the importance of this program to both the cadets and our national security,” noted Jim Weakley, GLMTF’s Vice President and co-chair of Great Lakes Maritime Academy’s Board of Visitors.

“The Great Lakes Maritime Task Force is grateful for Senator Peters’ leadership and ambition to ensure the Great Lakes remain protected and forever the pilot light of the North American economy.  The Fourth Sea Coast needs relentless champions like Senator Peters,” stated John Clemons, President of the GLMTF.

St. Lawrence Seaway closing dates set

For details, click the image at the bottom of this page.

 

Christmas Tree Ship to sail into National Museum of the Great Lakes

Toledo, OH – The National Museum of the Great Lakes, 1701 Front St., will herald in the holidays with the arrival of the Christmas Tree Ship on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 12:45-4 p.m. The event is held in partnership with Geo. Gradel Co.

This year, the museum chose to move the event to the afternoon to encourage visitors to participate in the neighboring East Toledo Holiday Parade, which will begin at 11 a.m. The parade will travel along East Broadway and Starr Avenue.

Inspired by the original “The Christmas Tree Ship” tale, participants can pre-purchase a live Christmas tree for themselves and/or donate a tree or gift card to a family in need. The museum has partnered with United Way of Greater Toledo and 2-1-1 and are working with East Toledo Family Center, Family House, Lucas County Children’s Services, and Sylvania Area Family Services to distribute trees and holiday support to families in need.

Trees are $55 each. Gift card donations start at $25.

“On Nov. 23, 1912, the schooner Rouse Simmons sank while carrying Christmas trees,” said Ellen Kennedy, the museum’s Director of Education and Visitor Experience. “Known as the Christmas Tree Ship, her captain, lovingly referred to as ‘Captain Santa,’ was remembered for giving trees to families in need.”

Spectators can see Santa Claus and a boatload of Christmas trees navigate the Maumee River via Facebook Live and then watch in-person as the decorated tugboat docks behind the National Museum of the Great Lakes. Once at the museum, Santa will take his place for the remainder of the day atop the deck of the Museum Tug Ohio, where children can share their Christmas wishes from afar to Santa via the Great Lakes tradition of “Mail by the Pail” delivery.

The Facebook Live stream will begin at 12:45 p.m. with the ship arrival at approximately 1 p.m. Admission to the museum exhibits will be free for all who purchase a tree, donate a tree or donate toward a gift card. Outdoor event activities are free and don’t require museum admission.

To learn more about the event, purchase a tree or make a donation, visit nmgl.org or call 419-214-5000. Those interested in learning more about receiving a donated tree are encouraged to call 2-1-1, United Way’s community service helpline.

National Museum of the Great Lakes

Memorial bell tolls set at Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum in Rogers City

Rogers City, MI – The Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum in Rogers City will host upcoming Memorial Bell Tolls for the S.S. Carl D. Bradley and S.S. Daniel J. Morrell.

At 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20, a bell tolling service will be held for the S.S. Carl D. Bradley, which sank in Lake Michigan on Nov. 18, 1958.

At 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 27, a bell tolling service will be held for the S.S. Daniel J. Morrell, which sank in Lake Huron 52 years ago on Nov. 29, 1966. The museum is located at 367 N. Third St. in Rogers City. These events are free of charge and the public may visit the different areas of the museum after the program.

The museum is in need of bell ringers for these memorable events. Please call the number below to sign up to ring. For more information, contact 989-734-0706.

The Alpena News

 

Caring for Our Sailors program enters second year

A successful effort called Caring for our Sailors, started last year during the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak, will continue this year.

“It is with great gratitude towards these hard-working men and women that I announce the 2021 SN Caring for our Sailors program,” said teenaged coordinators Brendan Falkowski and Brock Johnson in joint statement online.

“With the project being a huge success last year and an ongoing pandemic, we have decided to run the project once more during our senior year of high school. The goal of this program is to send care packages to the sailors on Great Lakes ships to provide extra support for this challenging season. Even though it might not be much for the sailors, we want to show them that they are appreciated for their sacrifices and work. These men and women spend over a month at a time out at sea, with limited interaction with family and friends at home. The crews on the ships are their families on the water, and they work together as a team to overcome these challenges.”

The two have gained approval from several shipping operators to send out care packages to their vessels and are aiming to provide gifts to almost 800 sailors on over 40 ships. They have also partnered with J.W. Westcott Co. of Detroit and Soo Marine Supply of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., for delivery of the packages to the ships.

The deadline for monetary donations by November 29, 2021.

Read more or donate at this link: https://shipwatcher-news.com/caring-for-our-sailors/?fbclid=IwAR0Xn_yN0KN9qVMEyYFk4xn2v5jtkZwYCHWT0F9YUlNdTOVCZ3P-lacqbd8

Gales of November virtual program continues Saturday evening

Duluth, MN – Gales of November, the LSMMA’s premier fundraising event for the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, continues Friday and Saturday with several virtual presentations.

Saturday, Nov. 13, 5:30 p.m. Bruce Lynn,Preserving & Discovering History Above & Below the Waves Hosts: Sara Blanck & Konnie LeMay
Bruce Lynn, executive director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point and of the Great Lakes Shipwreck History Society, reviews 2021 with its new, exciting developments at the museum and a spectacular season of underwater shipwreck discoveries in Lake Superior. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87540432301?pwd=bkxwb0pBZHd3cjJtbTNvRnVJbUNEZz0 9

Saturday, Nov. 13, 7 p.m. Roger LeLievre,Because of the Boats: How I Became the Luckiest Boatnerd in the World!
Hosts: Konnie LeMay & Sara Blanck
In retrospect, Roger’s path was inevitable. Born just blocks from the Soo Locks, summers spent with his grandparents at their cottage on the St. Mary’s River gave him a firm foundation for the years to follow. A chance meeting with boat photographer and Know Your Ships book publisher Tom Manse – who taught a young Roger to take pictures and work in the darkroom – was a turning point in his life. For the past four decades, Roger has been living his childhood passion watching and recording the freighters that ply the Great Lakes waters and, after taking over from Tom, publishing Know Your Ships, a go-to classic for boatnerds. Please click the link below to join the webinar:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87182232369?pwd=QWJjdGRCalppYmZObktERitMTldydz0 9

 

Ottawa buys another second-hand icebreaker for the coast guard

Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Coast Guard is adding a new ship to its fleet, so to speak, as the federal government announced Wednesday it is paying $45 million to purchase a second-hand icebreaker that has been working in the Caspian Sea.

The decision to purchase the Mangystau-2 light icebreaker is meant to ensure the coast guard has enough working ships to keep Canada’s waterways open, Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray said in a statement announcing the move.

“The purchase of this light icebreaker will allow for the continued delivery of Coast Guard services, while ensuring the existing fleet can be repaired and renewed,” she said.

“This purchase will ensure vital shipping routes remain navigable year-round while generating good jobs in our Canadian shipyards.”

The coast guard’s existing icebreaker fleet is extremely old, which has resulted in several breakdowns in recent years.

The Canadian Press has previously reported on the impacts of that aging fleet, including disruptions to search-and-rescue efforts, ferry services and Arctic resupply runs, as well as millions in lost navigational buoys.

Yet while the federal government has tapped Vancouver-based Seaspan Shipyards and Chantier Davie in Quebec City to build replacements for the fleet, those new ships are still years away from being delivered.

The Mangystau-2 is being purchased from New Brunswick-based Atlantic Towing Ltd. and will travel from its home port in Turkmenistan to a new temporary home in Prescott, Ont., by the end of the year, according to the government.

Canadian Coast Guard

 

Warm fall has Great Lakes slow to cool

Traverse City, MI – For the small swim group TJ Andrews and Ashlea Walter belong to, Sunday’s paddle wasn’t just another dip in Lake Michigan. It was the latest that either one had ever been in the lake, they said — Walter didn’t even use a wet suit.

“They do seem to be stretching further into the fall every year, these warm water temperatures,” Walter said. “It seems like it’s trending that way. I can remember last year we had some later swims too, not quite as late as this year though.”

It’s not just her imagination. Heather Smith, Grand Traverse Baykeeper for the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, said Great Lakes temperatures have gradually been getting warmer for the last few decades.

Lake Michigan temperatures this time of year are typically 50 degrees, Smith said. A buoy off Muskegon read 55 degrees Wednesday, while two in the Straits of Mackinac were close. Warmer temperatures in October kept the lakes warmer, too.

“It just takes a lot of energy to cool down our lake water temperatures,” she said. “We need prolonged cool periods to cool our water down and start to form ice.”

Warmer waters could have implications for ice cover, evaporation and lake-effect snow going into the winter, Smith said. Cold, dry air moving over relatively warmer water could lead to more snow, depending on variables like wind directions and air temps that are too hard to predict at this point.

There are also ecological impacts, as ice cover shelters fish eggs from rough seas in the winter, Smith said. But there’s more to it than just the short-term effects, Smith said.

“I think that one thing that we can potentially take away from this is, since 1995 the surface water temperatures in all of our Great Lakes have increased, and I think that we need to think about this in kind of that longer context,” she said. “It’s not just what’s going to happen this winter or next month or next summer, but think about what a changing climate might do to the lakes.”

Rising water temperatures could cause a shift in species, Smith said — warmer waters are tough on some fish while a boon to others. That could include invasives, and higher water temps could lead to more toxic algae blooms.

Smith said it’s another sign of the need to think about resiliency in the face of a changing climate. Along with ecological impacts, less ice cover, more evaporation and frequent heavyrains can lead to more variable lake levels and more intense coastal flooding.

Andrews, the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay’s attorney, said the swim group took advantage of the conditions Sunday, but the broader implications weren’t lost on her. “I would just as soon be in the pool with normal weather patterns, but I don’t even know what that means anymore,” she said.

Late swims are a “silver lining” but they’re definitely not normal, Walter said. She agreed climate change is cause for concern, and action.

While the water was warm enough to let Andrews, Walter and two more in, it was too cold for a longer swim, Andrews said. Afterward, they warmed up by renting a nearby sauna. “If that’s cheating, I admit it,” Andrews said.

Traverse City Record Eagle

 

Captain of Park Point, neighborhood uniter, has died

Duluth, MN – Near the S curve on Duluth’s Park Point on Monday morning, there was a new handmade sign attached to a fake buoy — a tribute to a boat aficionado, retired Vista Fleet captain and the community’s great uniter who died last week.

“Bon voyage, Capt. Tom Mackay,” the sign read. Across the street was another: “Aye Capt Tom Mackay Always helping and a friend. Park Point will miss you. Farewell.”

Mackay, a 77-year-old lifelong Park Pointer, known by many as “Captain Tom,” died unexpectedly Thursday, Nov. 4. He was remembered this week by friends, family and neighbors as an artist, an iceboat — and regular boat — enthusiast, a helper, a problem solver, a protector, someone who was easy to get along with and a man proud of his Scottish heritage.

“He was just a regular (Park) Pointer,” said Mark Elden, a longtime friend who grew up admiring Mackay and made the buoyed sign at the curve to send him off.

“Some people are just really great neighbors. A big chunk of our heart and soul is torn out. He’s been around forever.”

Mackay was among a small group of Park Pointers who have lived on the sandbar for their entire lives — save for four years with the U.S. Navy. He had lived on both the Lake Superior side and the bayside. He kept a ship wheel in his front yard. In the back, he kept a collection of national flags, a dock with decorative plates bearing his last name, and a glowing buoy ball that changed to muted neon shades.

Elden, about a decade younger than Mackay, remembered seeing him riding in a car with two bench seats and no body, just the chassis, after Mackay came home from Vietnam.

“That was pretty hilarious,” Elden said, and then added. “You don’t realize how much somebody can be a part of your life until they’re gone.”

Mackay started working on the Vista Fleet in 1970 and once told the News Tribune that it was “the only tourism thing in this part of town at the time.”

It was work he continued to reference even after retirement. He told a reporter in 2005 that he had probably caused the Aerial Lift Bridge to raise more than anyone else — a statistic he had recently offered to a neighbor while bridged, according to fellow Park Point friend Diane Gould.

Captain Tom and Liz Mackay met and fell for each other during gatherings at the Lafayette Community Center, according to family. They were married for 38 years. “They’ve been ideal,” said Mary Mackay Gaidis, Tom Mackay’s younger sister. “Such a good team.”

Gaidis described her older brother as her protector and best friend. He opened doors for her. He was close to her children and taught her 9-year-old grandson to use a runabout. “His absolute love for every child was immeasurable,” she said.

For the artist behind Dock 5, meeting Mackay was integral to creating the life she wanted when she moved back to Duluth from San Francisco in 2008.

“One of the things motivating me: I was hoping to find a real sense of community by living on Park Point,” said Natalija Walbridge, who creates hand-illustrated canvas bags and more in her home. “Being just two doors down, he was one of the first people to reach out to me. He was ready to be friends with anyone who passed by here and he helped us to get to know each other.”

He was one of her best friends, she said, and biggest supporters. He had recently sent a news tip to a local television station about all the masks Walbridge made during the pandemic. And after her car was totaled in 2014, Mackay offered up his red truck labeled “Park Point Affluent Poor” to use weekly for her errands.

She described the neighborhood as one with residents who look out for each other — and Mackay as the instigator behind that sense of community. He was someone who regularly shared with those around him.

David Johnston has lived across the street from the Mackays since he moved to Duluth from Ely in 2010. He described standing in the yard with Mackay, who stopped passersby to introduce both of them. Mackay’s familiarity with Park Point gave him access to the house histories of newbies who had moved to the island, even on homes 10-15 blocks away. “A lot of people thought of him as a ship captain,” Johnston said. “I thought of him as a bridge builder.”

Gould, who has lived on Park Point since the mid-1980s, said that after she and her husband have put away the boat for the season, Mackay would let he and their dog use his skiff to get to Hearding Island. “Everybody on Park Point is a neighbor of Tom Mackay,” she said.

Mackay was a regular source for News Tribune reporters on all things Park Point, whether it was a question about water levels, the muddiness of water on the bay, or the frequency of bear sightings on the island (before 2011, he told the News Tribune that he had only once before seen a bear out there).

But Mackay wasn’t just a go-to source — he also wrote letters to the editor and was in communication with reporters and editors at the newspaper. Especially if something was incorrect.

“Capt. Mackay called us frequently over the years to discuss stories we had published, offer story tips and gently correct us from time to time if we had an error about Lake Superior or the bay,” Executive Editor Rick Lubbers said. “He was passionate about that geography and was never shy about making sure we got it right.”

This was important to him, Mackay explained in a 2007 letter to the editor, because he had seen emergency responders misdirected by bad information.

“Superior Bay is between Park Point and the Blatnik Bridge,” he wrote. “St. Louis Bay is between Blatnik Bridge and Bong Bridge. Emergency responders rely on accurate information.”

Mackay had an annual tradition to remember an old friend who died tragically while trying to save three boys who had been caught in the big winds and waves over Duluth ship canal’s north pier on an April night in 1967.

Every year, Mackay brought flowers to the pier’s plaque to honor Culbertson — three flowers on one side, one on the other.

His community-mindedness continued even this fall. Mackay had donated a golden anchor that could serve as a trophy in border battles between the College of St. Scholastica and the University of Wisconsin-Superior’s women’s soccer teams, according to a news story reported by Fox 21.

And on his last day, Mackay and his friends, Dan O’Neill and Elden, removed Walbridge’s dock for the season — the same crew that had put the dock in the water in mid-May.

“It was a beautiful day and everyone was in good spirits,” Walbridge said. “They stood around afterward and had a nice long visit and were talking about different fishing adventures they’d had. I was soaking it in. I look forward to it every year.”

Duluth News Tribune

 

‘Great Lakes Simulator’ game to release in December

Jason Dial and Digital Light have announced the release of “Great Lakes Simulator,” a video game in which players drive one-to-one scale lake freighters around the Great Lakes. The game is set to launch on Dec. 15.

Dial currently lives in Alabama but has family in Michigan and, if the game does well, plans to own a home in Michigan one day. He has been involved in programming on and off for the last couple of decades and has worked at a computer company, where he has built and repaired computers as an ISP technician and web designer.

The simulator genre has always been of interest to Dial and, as a result, he has spent thousands of hours in driving and flight simulators. His passion for simulators has even driven him to make his own games. Dial made his first downhill skiing game, Basic 1.0, when he was 11.

Dial began developing simulators with the hopes of releasing them to the public a few years ago and he released his first simulator earlier this year, “Suez Canal Simulator,” on Steam. He added that he publishes his games through his own publishing company, Digital Light.

“Development on ‘Great Lakes Simulator’ began in July 2020 immediately upon returning home from a trip I took with my dog Lewis to Port Huron, where we swam in the Great Lakes for the first time at Lighthouse Park Beach,” Dial said in an email. “I had the idea for this simulator a few years ago and spent a lot of time thinking about what I would like for it to be, but for a long time, it all seemed like a pipe dream because the massive scale made it seem like a project that would be unfinishable.”

Created on a 1-to-1 scale, players can drive massive lake freighters the full 750-mile distance from Duluth, Minnesota, to Port Huron, Michigan, and sail the full length of both Lake Huron and Lake Superior.

In the game, players can drive massive lake freighters the full 750-mile distance from Duluth, Minnesota, to Port Huron, Michigan, and sail the full length of both Lake Huron and Lake Superior. This includes passing through the Soo Locks. At scale speeds in real-time, a round-trip journey will take days to complete. Players will have the option to compress time when they want.

Players will also have the opportunity to sail past some of the most well known locations on the Great Lakes and use the lighthouses and range lights to guide them on their way.

Dial attributed his inspiration for this simulator to his grandfathers, who were fascinated with lakes and water and both built large lake complexes. Dial also said he personally has a fascination with water, especially with creating water-based worlds with 3D software. This game, he said, was also built as a thank you to every person who has ever sailed the lakes, especially for everyone who ever dedicated their lives to working on the Great Lakes as well as their family members and their communities.

At this time, “Great Lakes Simulator” is slated only to release on the personal computer, or PC.

Dial was also inspired by the challenge of creating an expansive game world. At the time, he had hit a wall in the maximum size he could get the game world to be. As a result, Dial had to develop new techniques to overcome those limitations. Now, the “Great Lakes Simulator” game world, including a 50-mile view distance, is 135,000 square miles.

Hand dredging large parts of the Great Lakes, such as the St. Marys River and Whitefish Bay, posed a significant challenge to Dial since he couldn’t find any publicly available data sets for the bathymetry of the lakes, rivers and channels. Since NASA terrain data shows only the water’s surface, he was required to reference depth charts online and manually dredge great areas of the three-dimensional terrain mesh by hand using a terrain sculpting tool.

“There are hundreds of miles of shoreline visible in the game which means hundreds of thousands of trees had to be positioned, quite a few by hand, but most using procedural generation code to save time, but even that took a great amount of time,” Dial said via email. “There are also the ship tracks, which total over 2,000 miles and had to be positioned by hand, a process that required new techniques and much trial and error to get it all the way I wanted.”

Sault News
Read more about the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1398280/Great_Lakes_Simulator/

 

Enbridge contract boat crashed into Mackinac Bridge, authorities say

St. Ignace, MI – Authorities confirmed that a small craft operated by a Canadian oil pipeline company contractor crashed into the Mackinac Bridge after nightfall this month.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, a 33-foot construction vessel struck a bridge pier on Wednesday, Nov 3, resulting in minor injuries among crew members on board.

The boat, owned by J.F. Brennan Co. of Wisconsin, struck a pier on the north end of the bridge about 7:30 p.m. while transporting crew from St. Helena Island to St. Ignace. The boat returned to harbor under its own power. The crash was reported the next morning. It’s unclear what caused the crash.

“Our staff did go out to inspect the pier and found only a cosmetic scrape on the steel that surrounds the concrete pier,” said James Lake, spokesperson for the Mackinac Bridge Authority.

MLive

Gales of November virtual program continues Saturday evening

Duluth, MN – Gales of November, the LSMMA’s premier fundraising event for the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, continues Friday and Saturday with several virtual presentations.

Friday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m. Dan Rau,
Netting the Heritage & History of Commercial Fishing Hosts: Joe Lapp & Jay Walker.
Lake Superior Marine Museum Association board member Dan Rau has mainly spent his adult life on the waters of Lake Superior, either as a boat captain, a fisherman or research. Working with the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association board member and videographer Fred Dudderar Jr., he is helping to capture the oral stories of commercial fishing, a vital part of the Big Lake’s history and, one hopes, its future. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81327812586?pwd=N1FoZmVVTWtYd2FyQTVhWnhMcm Q0UT09 

Saturday, Nov. 13, 5:30 p.m. Bruce Lynn,Preserving & Discovering History Above & Below the Waves Hosts: Sara Blanck & Konnie LeMay
Bruce Lynn, executive director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point and of the Great Lakes Shipwreck History Society, reviews 2021 with its new, exciting developments at the museum and a spectacular season of underwater shipwreck discoveries in Lake Superior. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87540432301?pwd=bkxwb0pBZHd3cjJtbTNvRnVJbUNEZz0 9

Saturday, Nov. 13, 7 p.m. Roger LeLievre,Because of the Boats: How I Became the Luckiest Boatnerd in the World!
Hosts: Konnie LeMay & Sara Blanck
In retrospect, Roger’s path was inevitable. Born just blocks from the Soo Locks, summers spent with his grandparents at their cottage on the St. Mary’s River gave him a firm foundation for the years to follow. A chance meeting with boat photographer and Know Your Ships book publisher Tom Manse – who taught a young Roger to take pictures and work in the darkroom – was a turning point in his life. For the past four decades, Roger has been living his childhood passion watching and recording the freighters that ply the Great Lakes waters and, after taking over from Tom, publishing Know Your Ships, a go-to classic for boatnerds. Please click the link below to join the webinar:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87182232369?pwd=QWJjdGRCalppYmZObktERitMTldydz0 9

Whitefish Point bell ringing honors Edmund Fitzgerald

Whitefish Point, MI – The ship’s bell rang 30 times, once for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald and once more for all lost mariners, at an annual remembrance ceremony Wednesday evening at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point.

The event, which takes take place every Nov.10 at Whitefish Point, was closed to the public. Due to current COVID conditions in the Eastern Upper Peninsula, only Fitzgerald surviving family members, bellringers, USCG and GLSHS personnel were in attendance. One by one, family members and bellringers stepped up and gave the bell rope a pull as the names of those lost with vessel were read by Chief Boatswain’s Mate Kyle Rice, USCG Sector, Sault Ste. Marie.

Bob Baxter, first engineer on the steamer L.E. Block, which was anchored in Whitefish Bay on the night of Nov 10, 1975, talked about his experience. He said many of the aft-end crew was gathered in the galley after 8 p.m. that night when the captain made an appearance and told the men the Fitzgerald had been lost. One man exchaimed “I know someone on the Fitzgerald!” “You knew someone on the Fitzgerald,” the captain replied, his words bringing the news home.

Mike TenEyck, retired U.S. Navy nuclear submarine engineer, Great Lake maritime historian and shipwreck researcher, also spoke, reminding the nearly 50 attendees that other ships and crews lost on the lakes should also be remembered, even though Gordon Lightfoot didn’t write a song about them.

Mike Fornes, leader of the Michigan-based Gordon Lightfoot Tribute Band, performed Lightfoot’s anthem “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

A moving invocation and benediction were offered by the Rev. Bob Aldrich, from St. James Episcopal Church in Sault Ste. Marie.

As the event was unfolding, the National Weather Service was posting storm warnings forecasting strong winds and waves for Lake Superior (see story below). Waves could be heard crashing ashore as guests were climbing into their cars heading for home, the dark night punctuated by flashes from the Whitefish Point lighthouse beacon.

Roger LeLievre

 

Storm warning, up to 19-foot waves expected on anniversary of Fitzgerald wreck

A Gales of November storm will crank up over the Great Lakes and make very large waves. A storm warning is in effect for much of Lake Superior for Thursday. A gale warning is in effect for a smaller portion of western Lake Superior. A storm warning implies stronger winds and higher waves than a gale warning.

This first part of the storm will have southeast winds. That’s a somewhat odd direction for such a storm wind. Normally we see the strongest winds over the Great Lakes blow from the west or northwest. This strong southeast wind means the low pressure center is rapidly strengthening west of Lake Superior.

While we have a great handle on this now with accurate weather models that forecast this dynamical wind speed increase, this was not the case the day the Edmund Fitzgerald sunk. At that point we did have two weather models. The models were certainly nowhere near as accurate as our current models. At that stage in weather modeling, an historic storm like the Fitzgerald storm was probably not forecasted accurately by the two computer models.

Waves are expected to be as large as 19 feet on Lake Superior. Lake Michigan and part of Lake Huron have a gale warning for waves as high as seven feet.

Read more and view weather charts at this MLive link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2021/11/storm-warning-up-to-19-foot-waves-expected-on-anniversary-of-edmund-fitzgerald-wreck.html

 

Gales of November: Would today’s weather forecasts save the Edmund Fitzgerald?

 Read an analysis from Minnesota Public Radio at this link: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/11/09/gales-of-november-would-todays-weather-forecasts-save-the-edmund-fitzgerald

 

Memorial service held to remember crew of Edmund Fitzgerald

Traverse City, MI – A memorial service was held Wednesday in Traverse City for the crew lost in the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. 30 tolls of the bell: 29 for the crew members who lost their lives on this day 46 years ago on Lake Superior, and one toll for all mariners lost on the lakes.

The Great Lakes Maritime Academy holds a ceremony every year to remember. The service was held in person Wednesday. Last year’s ceremony was virtual.

“The cadets, everybody needs to be aware of the people who came before them,” said Jerry Achenbach, Great Lakes Maritime Academy Superintendent. “Really the academy was built on the shoulders of the individuals of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy industry who came before them and remember those who we lost along the way. It’s a great way of life, but it’s still fraught with danger.”

The ceremony was attended by Maritime Academy cadets, military veterans and members of the public. View the report from 9&10 News here: https://www.9and10news.com/2021/11/10/memorial-service-held-to-remember-crew-of-edmund-fitzgerald/

 

Lakes limestone up 8.3 percent in October

Cleveland, OH – Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.6 million tons in October, an increase of 8.3 percent compared to a year ago.  Limestone cargos were also above the month’s 5-year average by 1.6 percent.

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.9 million tons, an increase of 13.2 percent.  Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 638,517 tons, a decrease of 9.9 percent.

Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at 24.6 million tons, an increase of 9 percent compared to 2020.  Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total nearly 19.4 million tons, an increase of 8.3 percent.  Shipments from Ontario quarries total 5.2 million tons, an increase 11.6 percent.

Lake Carriers’ Association