Boatnerd News

Boatnerd News – August 24, 2025

Aug 24, 2025

Manitowoc Applies for Port Improvement Grant for Briess Malt and Ingredients

Aug 22, 2025 | 9:30 AM
Local News, Steven Devine
The City of Manitowoc is applying for another grant to help a local malting company.
   Briess Malt and Ingredients is eligible for a grant through the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program.
   The grant would fund improvements to port facilities in the Port of Manitowoc.
   According to a city resolution, the improvements will not only benefit Briess in the long run but will also develop transportation options for third-party customers to ship, receive, store, and transport domestic and international products.
   According to the U.S. Maritime Administration, President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided over $2.2 billion for the program, including $500 million available this year. No city in Wisconsin got grant money last year.

Scrapping of Cuyahoga Begins at Port Colborne

An image on social media Saturday showed scrapping is now underway on the Cuyahoga at Marine Recycling Corp., Port Colborne, ON. The 1942-built vessel arrived at the scrapyard under tow July 29. Fire damaged the Cuayhoga on March 15, 2024, while in win­ter layup at Ashtabula. See image in the gallery below.

Door County shipwreck lost for 138 years found in Lake Michigan near Rowleys Bay

Christopher Clough, Green Bay Press-Gazette
Maia Pandey contributed to this report.
Fri, August 22, 2025

Another long-lost shipwreck in the waters off Door County has been found, this one the wreck of a ship that sank 138 years ago off the town of Liberty Grove.
   The newly found wreck is of the Frank D. Barker, a two-masted wooden cargo schooner, which sank in 1887 after running onto a limestone outcropping in Lake Michigan near the entrance to Rowleys Bay in foggy conditions.
   The wreck was found by a Door County rafter and shipwreck hunter.
   In mid-July, Matt Olson, owner of Door County Adventure Rafting, said he was clicking through satellite images online when he noticed a dark shape in the water near Rowleys Bay.
   A week later, he was in the area scouting for new rafting spots and confirmed the shape was, in fact, a long-lost wreck.
   In follow-up diving missions, the Wisconsin Historical Society’s maritime archaeologists identified the ship as the Frank D. Barker.
   “I was surprised by how big it was,” Olson said. “A lot of it still there today, which is pretty cool because a lot of these wrecks get destroyed by the wind and ice as time goes on.”
   Olson said the Barker is the fourth wreck he’s found or helped identify, with the Grey Eagle and Sunshine among his other discoveries.
   After finding and reporting the Frank D. Barker, he also went back diving for a closer look at the wreck.
   “I took out my 6-year-old son to snorkel on it, too,” Olson added, “so he was one of the first people see this ship in over 100 years.”

Why was the Frank D. Barker missing for 138 years?
   Olson told the Advocate the wreck probably lay undiscovered for 138 years because it’s not that close to where the ship sank. News accounts of the time said the ship wrecked on a reef off Spider Island, but the Barker now lies flattened under about 24 feet of water between two arms of Barker Shoal, thought to be named after vessel, where it apparently washed to after sinking, and Olson added that few if any people go near that shoal.
   Plus, Olson said once it was clear the ship couldn’t be salvaged after the wreck and the pieces and parts that could be salvaged or removed were, it didn’t matter to the maritime industry of the day what happened to the carcass.
   “Salvage crews tended to remove what they could. After that, it sank or was broken apart (by weather and waves),” Olson said. “After that, it was just junk in the water to them, so they didn’t mark it, and it was just forgotten.”

Hauling grain out east, coal back west
   The Frank D. Barker was built in 1867 by Simon G. Johnson in Clayton, New York. According to a news release from the Wisconsin Historical Society, it was specially designed to transport grain from ports in Milwaukee and Chicago to Lake Ontario, then bring coal from ports on Lake Erie that would be used to fuel factories and heat homes of the Midwest on its return trip.
   It was a unique vessel type to the Great Lakes, the news release said. Its canaller type of hull was designed in shape and size to maximize cargo while still fitting the locks of the Welland Canal, a route bypassing Niagara Falls. The hull was boxy with a broad and upright bow, and any overhanging features such as its jibboom, davits and anchor-supporting catheads were designed to pivot upward to allow the vessel to fit through narrow and shallow locks.

The wreck of the Frank D. Barker
   The Barker was bound for Escanaba, Michigan, on Oct. 1, 1887, to collect a load of iron ore, according to the news release and the Wisconsin Shipwrecks website. Bad weather caused the 137-foot-long schooner to run off course. The ship’s captain and crew tried to correct course but instead struck the limestone reef off Spider Island and became stranded.
   The tugboat Spalding was dispatched the following day to recover the ship but was unsuccessful because “the wind and waves had got in their work in the meantime and nothing could be done to save the stranded craft,” the Door County Advocate of Oct. 8, 1887, reported, according to Wisconsin Shipwrecks.
   Salvage missions again were attempted later in October of 1887 and again in June, August, September and October of 1888 but all failed and the vessel was abandoned as a total loss with a value at the time of about $8,000, or more than $250,000 in today’s dollars, the historical society news release said. The Wisconsin Shipwrecks site says what was left of the Barker eventually was blown from the reef and sunk.
   Upon finding the wreck, Olson reported it to the State Historic Preservation Office. Maritime archaeologists with the Wisconsin Historical Society conducted follow-up diving missions that confirmed the wreck as the Barker.

   “The Barker, they knew instantly what it was based on the size and location,” Olson said. “When I gave (historical society maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen) the coordinates, she said, ‘Oh yeah, that’s the Barker.'”
   The maritime archaeology team from the historical society now is working to allocate funds for an archaeological survey in 2026 to further document and record the Barker’s wreck site, which would allow it to be eligible for future listing with the National Register of Historic Places. Information about it also will be added to Wisconsin Shipwrecks, an interactive website documenting Wisconsin’s shipwrecks and co-managed by the Wisconsin Historical Society Maritime Preservation Program and the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute.
   State and federal laws protect the wreck of the Frank D. Barker. Divers may not remove artifacts or structure when visiting the site. Removing, defacing, displacing or destroying artifacts or sites is a crime.

Other shipwrecks located in recent years
   The Barker is the latest in a series of shipwrecks from more than 100 years ago in Door County and Kewaunee County waters that were considered lost but recently found, or whose identity was unknown or incorrect until recently. These include the cargo schooners Trinidad (sank in 1881) and the Margaret A. Muir (1893), each found at the bottom of Lake Michigan off the shore in Algoma in 2023 and 2024, respectively, by Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association maritime historians Brendon Baillod, Kevin Cullen and Robert Jaeck.
   Also, the remains of the cargo schooner Grey Eagle were discovered earlier in 2025 in Lake Michigan a little north of Cave Point County Park.
   And, long-known but unidentified debris from a wreck in North Bay was positively identified in 2023 as the wreck of the lumber schooner Sunshine, which sank in 1869, and wreckage in the waters off Baileys Harbor that previously were identified as the Christina Nilsson were re-identified earlier in 2025 as the Joseph Cochrane, which sank in 1870, with the Nilsson’s remains close by.
   For more information on the Wisconsin Historical Society, Visit:  https://wisconsinhistory.org/   For more on the Barker and other Wisconsin shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, visit:  https://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/Home#anchor3

Marine Historical Society of Detroit
Now Accepting New Members, Renewals

DETROIT, MI – You don’t have to live in the Motor City to join the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Its focus includes all the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway as well as the ships and sailors keeping the economies of two countries moving.
    The 81-year-old non-profit group is now accepting new memberships and membership renewals. 
    “The MHSD has plenty to offer anyone interested in and concerned with the history of the Great Lakes and its vibrant maritime heritage,” says long-time group President Roger LeLievre. “We have members across the U.S. and Canada and even overseas.”
    Membership includes the monthly publication The Detroit Marine Historian, which offers a variety of articles exploring Great Lakes shipping past and present. It also includes an annual, full-color calendar featuring superb, often rare, photos of Great Lakes ships of the past.
    Last year the group published the 300-page, hardcover book Ahoy & Farewell III, documenting the vessels built and those that left the lakes during the past 30 years. The book recently won an award for excellence from the Historical Society of Michigan.
    In keeping with society’s goal of preserving historical images, the MHSD’s image portal, featuring photos and details of many historic vessels, is now online at www.marinehistorydetroit.historyit.com

    The Society has named an annual Historian of the Year since 1969. The award is voted on by past winners and honors those who have contributed significantly to the research, presentation or publication of Great Lakes ships and the shipping history.
    Membership is $40 (U.S. and Canada). Join online at www.mhsd.org. To join or renew by mail, please print out the form in the gallery below.
MHSD

Cleveland Boatnerd Gathering Planned Sept. 6

Cleveland’s first annual Boatnerd get together will be at the Whiskey Island Still & Eatery in Cleveland on September 6 at noon. Join us for an informal gathering of food, fellowship and hopefully some boat watching as well. Meet your fellow area boat fans! Food will be ordered off the menu and table service provided by the staff of the restaurant, which is located adjacent to the historic C&P Dock, where the 1,000 footers unload.

Directions and info for the restaurant: https://www.whiskeyislandstillandeatery.net/

Bill Kloss

See “Captain Bob” September 11th

See “Captain Bob” former Captain of the Paul R Tregurtha, in Cheboygan next month for his speaking engagement, GREAT NEWS!! Due to his first show SELLING OUT in record time, they are adding a SECOND SHOW!! Same day but at 5:30pm so if you’re interested, head to the website shown at the bottom of the image (Open it up to see it full size) and grab tickets!! They are only $10 each!! Hurry before this show sells out as well!!
See Photo Gallery below

2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips

Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg

Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released

When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.

The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.

EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.

  • EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
  • Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
  • Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
  • Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.

ALSO

  • Check out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
  • Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
  • Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
  • Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
  • Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.

This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.

Order at www.knowyourships.com 

 

 

Boatnerd News – August 23, 2025

Aug 23, 2025

New Cement Carrier Tamarack Arrives at Montreal

M/V Tamarack arrived at the Port of Montreal on August 22, 2025, completing her maiden transatlantic voyage and marking a major milestone in North American shipping. Owned by Eureka Shipping, a joint venture between CSL and SMT Shipping, the state-of-the-art vessel is the first newly built cement carrier to enter service in the Great Lakes in two decades.
    Delivered on July 23, 2025, at Holland Shipyard in The Netherlands, Tamarack is making a brief stop in Montreal, before proceeding to load her first cement cargo. Managed by CSL’s Canadian division, Canada Steamship Lines, the 12,500 DWT mechanical/ pneumatic vessel replaces two older ships with a streamlined, high-performance design that maintains the same cargo capacity while reducing environmental impact.
    Purpose-built for the Great Lakes, Tamarack features a 10,700m³ cement cargo hold, diesel-electric propulsion, and advanced manoeuvrability systems. The vessel is equipped to run on HVO biofuel and includes shore-power compatibility, noise insulation, and energy-saving cargo systems, all designed to reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency.
    “Bringing Tamarack to the Great Lakes has been a true team effort,” said Kai Grotterud, Managing Director of Eureka Shipping. “This highly efficient vessel is the result of a close collaboration with our customer, smart design, and a shared vision for more responsible shipping. We’re proud to set a new standard for sustainability and performance in the region.”

CSL Group

RV Lake Guardian Opened for Tours At Sault Ste. Marie

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened up its deck and doors of its Lake Guardian Research Vessel to the public in Sault Ste. Marie Thursday.
   The vessel was docked at the Museum Ship Valley Camp while offering five guided tours.
   At 180 feet, the Lake Guardian is the EPA’s largest research vessel. It is owned by the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO). The Lake Guardian assists GLNPO in monitoring and reporting on the status and trends of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Annual surveys that sample water and biological life at designated locations in all five Great Lakes) are conducted by the crew on the vessel. The Lake Guardian also provides educational opportunities around the Great Lakes basin.
   Opening up the vessel with free tours gives the public a chance to see what the researchers to out on the massive Great Lakes.
   “The public sees us passing through different port towns and may not know exactly what a research vessel does.  We want to get families and others to understand what we do on the water from April to October. The Great Lakes are critically important economically, culturally, and anybody who have been to the Great Lakes knows how special they are, so studying them and restoring them and protecting them is really important,” said Matthew Pawlowski, Physical Scientist on the Lake Guardian.
   While Pawloski says his crew has not found anything too outrageous on the Great Lakes, such as a message in a bottle, they continue to find something that is quite invasive.
   “One thing that this boat and other boats on the Great Lakes have been tracking over time has been the spread of invasive mussels.  We have had scientists who have filmed the bottoms of the lakes and have seen just how much mussels are down there and how much they have spread over the past several decades,” Pawlowski said.
   U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs and Park Ranger Mel Martin took the opportunity to take a tour for research purposes to help them educate the public at the Soo Locks Visitor Center.
   “Mel and I went because we were interested and we wanted to learn more about the ship and what they do, so we have better information to share with visitors. We were also inspired to do a Ranger Reel about it. One of the Army Corps of Engineers’ missions is environmental stewardship, and we often partner with the EPA and other federal and state agencies on projects aimed to keep the Great Lakes Great,” Briggs stated.

Soo Leader

Marine Historical Society of Detroit
Now Accepting New Members, Renewals

DETROIT, MI – You don’t have to live in the Motor City to join the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Its focus includes all the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway as well as the ships and sailors keeping the economies of two countries moving.
    The 81-year-old non-profit group is now accepting new memberships and membership renewals. 
    “The MHSD has plenty to offer anyone interested in and concerned with the history of the Great Lakes and its vibrant maritime heritage,” says long-time group President Roger LeLievre. “We have members across the U.S. and Canada and even overseas.”
    Membership includes the monthly publication The Detroit Marine Historian, which offers a variety of articles exploring Great Lakes shipping past and present. It also includes an annual, full-color calendar featuring superb, often rare, photos of Great Lakes ships of the past.
    Last year the group published the 300-page, hardcover book Ahoy & Farewell III, documenting the vessels built and those that left the lakes during the past 30 years. The book recently won an award for excellence from the Historical Society of Michigan.
    In keeping with society’s goal of preserving historical images, the MHSD’s image portal, featuring photos and details of many historic vessels, is now online at www.marinehistorydetroit.historyit.com

    The Society has named an annual Historian of the Year since 1969. The award is voted on by past winners and honors those who have contributed significantly to the research, presentation or publication of Great Lakes ships and the shipping history.
    Membership is $40 (U.S. and Canada). Join online at www.mhsd.org. To join or renew by mail, please print out the form in the gallery below.
MHSD

Cleveland Boatnerd Gathering Planned Sept. 6

Cleveland’s first annual Boatnerd get together will be at the Whiskey Island Still & Eatery in Cleveland on September 6 at noon. Join us for an informal gathering of food, fellowship and hopefully some boat watching as well. Meet your fellow area boat fans! Food will be ordered off the menu and table service provided by the staff of the restaurant, which is located adjacent to the historic C&P Dock, where the 1,000 footers unload.

Directions and info for the restaurant: https://www.whiskeyislandstillandeatery.net/

Bill Kloss

See “Captain Bob” September 11th

See “Captain Bob” former Captain of the Paul R Tregurtha, in Cheboygan next month for his speaking engagement, GREAT NEWS!! Due to his first show SELLING OUT in record time, they are adding a SECOND SHOW!! Same day but at 5:30pm so if you’re interested, head to the website shown at the bottom of the image (Open it up to see it full size) and grab tickets!! They are only $10 each!! Hurry before this show sells out as well!!
See Photo Gallery below

2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips

Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg

Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released

When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.

The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.

EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.

  • EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
  • Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
  • Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
  • Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.

ALSO

  • Check out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
  • Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
  • Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
  • Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
  • Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.

This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.

Order at www.knowyourships.com 

 

 

Boatnerd News – August 22, 2025

Aug 22, 2025

Algoma Discovery Resumes Trip

Algoma Discovery, which experienced a power outage Wednesday evening that sent her to anchor off Bay Mills above the Soo Locks, resumed her trip to Hamilton, ON, Thursday afternoon. She was downbound at the locks about 6 p.m.

Marine Historical Society of Detroit
Now Accepting New Members, Renewals

DETROIT, MI – You don’t have to live in the Motor City to join the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Its focus includes all the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway as well as the ships and sailors keeping the economies of two countries moving.
    The 81-year-old non-profit group is now accepting new memberships and membership renewals. 
    “The MHSD has plenty to offer anyone interested in and concerned with the history of the Great Lakes and its vibrant maritime heritage,” says long-time group President Roger LeLievre. “We have members across the U.S. and Canada and even overseas.”
    Membership includes the monthly publication The Detroit Marine Historian, which offers a variety of articles exploring Great Lakes shipping past and present. It also includes an annual, full-color calendar featuring superb, often rare, photos of Great Lakes ships of the past.
    Last year the group published the 300-page, hardcover book Ahoy & Farewell III, documenting the vessels built and those that left the lakes during the past 30 years. The book recently won an award for excellence from the Historical Society of Michigan.
    In keeping with society’s goal of preserving historical images, the MHSD’s image portal, featuring photos and details of many historic vessels, is now online at www.marinehistorydetroit.historyit.com

    The Society has named an annual Historian of the Year since 1969. The award is voted on by past winners and honors those who have contributed significantly to the research, presentation or publication of Great Lakes ships and the shipping history.
    Membership is $40 (U.S. and Canada). Join online at www.mhsd.org. To join or renew by mail, please print out the form in the gallery below.
MHSD

Cleveland Boatnerd Gathering Planned Sept. 6

Cleveland’s first annual Boatnerd get together will be at the Whiskey Island Still & Eatery in Cleveland on September 6 at noon. Join us for an informal gathering of food, fellowship and hopefully some boat watching as well. Meet your fellow area boat fans! Food will be ordered off the menu and table service provided by the staff of the restaurant, which is located adjacent to the historic C&P Dock, where the 1,000 footers unload.

Directions and info for the restaurant: https://www.whiskeyislandstillandeatery.net/

Bill Kloss

See “Captain Bob” September 11th

See “Captain Bob” former Captain of the Paul R Tregurtha, in Cheboygan next month for his speaking engagement, GREAT NEWS!! Due to his first show SELLING OUT in record time, they are adding a SECOND SHOW!! Same day but at 5:30pm so if you’re interested, head to the website shown at the bottom of the image (Open it up to see it full size) and grab tickets!! They are only $10 each!! Hurry before this show sells out as well!!
See Photo Gallery below

2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips

Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg

Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released

When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.

The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.

EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.

  • EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
  • Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
  • Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
  • Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.

ALSO

  • Check out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
  • Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
  • Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
  • Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
  • Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.

This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.

Order at www.knowyourships.com 

 

 

Boatnerd News – August 21, 2025

Aug 21, 2025

THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE
Algoma Discovery Anchors After Power Failure

Algoma Central’s bulk carrier Algoma Discovery reported a power outage to Soo Traffic at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. Power was quickly restored, however the vessel, downbound for Hamilton, reversed course and went to anchor off Brimley/Bay Mills. She was still there at 11:30 Thursday morning.

Keeping Burger Boats Launching: Manitowoc Applying for More Harbor Assistance

Aug 20, 2025

Steven Devine

Keeping Burger Boats Launching: Manitowoc Applying for More Harbor Assistance

   The City of Manitowoc is applying for a grant to help a local boat manufacturer.
   The Harbor Assistance Program Grant would go toward dredging 11,500 cubic yards of sediment from Burger Boat’s launch well and dock wall area to be able to launch a 180-foot yacht under construction.
   The total cost for the dredging will be approximately $1.6 million, with the grant covering around $1.3 million and Burger Boat contributing approximately $326,000.
   Over the years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has maintained the 12-foot-deep federal navigation channel to allow for lake trials and the delivery of yachts to Burger Boat customers.   
   But it’s the Manitowoc boat company’s responsibility to maintain adequate depths from their dock wall in the channel.
   In a cover letter, Mayor Justin Nickels states that Burger Boat has been constructing high-end luxury yachts for over 60 years, and the dredging would enable the efficient construction and launch of current and future boats.

Marine Historical Society of Detroit
Now Accepting New Members, Renewals

DETROIT, MI – You don’t have to live in the Motor City to join the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Its focus includes all the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway as well as the ships and sailors keeping the economies of two countries moving.
    The 81-year-old non-profit group is now accepting new memberships and membership renewals. 
    “The MHSD has plenty to offer anyone interested in and concerned with the history of the Great Lakes and its vibrant maritime heritage,” says long-time group President Roger LeLievre. “We have members across the U.S. and Canada and even overseas.”
    Membership includes the monthly publication The Detroit Marine Historian, which offers a variety of articles exploring Great Lakes shipping past and present. It also includes an annual, full-color calendar featuring superb, often rare, photos of Great Lakes ships of the past.
    Last year the group published the 300-page, hardcover book Ahoy & Farewell III, documenting the vessels built and those that left the lakes during the past 30 years. The book recently won an award for excellence from the Historical Society of Michigan.
    In keeping with society’s goal of preserving historical images, the MHSD’s image portal, featuring photos and details of many historic vessels, is now online at www.marinehistorydetroit.historyit.com

    The Society has named an annual Historian of the Year since 1969. The award is voted on by past winners and honors those who have contributed significantly to the research, presentation or publication of Great Lakes ships and the shipping history.
    Membership is $40 (U.S. and Canada). Join online at www.mhsd.org. To join or renew by mail, please print out the form in the gallery below.
MHSD

Donations sought to restore historic Muskegon lighthouse

BY Brian Farber Michigan
PUBLISHED 10:52 AM ET Aug. 18, 2025

MUSKEGON, Mich. — The Muskegon South Breakwater Lighthouse, a maritime landmark that has guided ships into Muskegon’s harbor for nearly a century, is in desperate need of community support to fund critical restoration work.
    “Muskegon South Breakwater Light has been subjected to the storms and brutality of the winters of the Midwest. It was built in 1930 and has had these damages ever since. Not fully restored ever before,” said Kim Lange, volunteer manager for Muskegon Lights.
    The damage is extensive and affects both the exterior and internal structure of the lighthouse.
    “The entire light has been subject to rust and erosion of the structural pieces. The exterior sheets are very bad condition, you can see. But internally, the inner structure, kind of like an erector set, needs to be gone over with a fine-tooth comb, pieces replaced, pieces fixed,” Lange explained.
    The state has provided $800,000 in initial funding for the restoration project, but Muskegon Lights has to raise the rest of the money.
    “We need to raise an additional $800,000 through the community donations,” Lange said.
    According to Michigan Lights, The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy has owned both Muskegon lighthouses since 2010, when they were donated by the United States government for historic preservation, education and public use through the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, administered by the National Park Service.
    Lange says for many residents, the lighthouse represents more than just a navigational aid.
    “The light is an iconic treasure of the city of Muskegon. For most people, it has been in their sight here at the beach all of their lives. It has great importance for maritime safety, and it has historic presence,” Lange noted. “The community loves our lights. They’re very important to us both emotionally and physically. To save these lights is vital for the continuation of their historical presence for generations to come,” she added.
     Beyond financial support, the conservancy is also looking for volunteers to help with preservation efforts, give tours and perform routine maintenance on the lighthouses.
    According to Michigan Lights, both lighthouses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and while the structures are owned by the conservancy, the US Coast Guard continues to maintain the blinking lights and fog signals that serve as aids to navigation for Lake Michigan boaters.

Click on link for complete story and photos:  https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2025/08/18/donations-sought-to-restore-historic-muskegon-lighthouse-?fbclid=IwY2xjawMRaTZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHnmH4EgNqCKySLtbCMFoKT3OoHuN2sKE4TV-ySFhuGREKeZQplKy5FIrAfTw_aem_bWGSBbETnjs8fYeZlWWu6A

For more information on how to donate to the restoration project, visit the Muskegon Lights website.  https://muskegonlights.org/

Cleveland Boatnerd Gathering Planned Sept. 6

Cleveland’s first annual Boatnerd get together will be at the Whiskey Island Still & Eatery in Cleveland on September 6 at noon. Join us for an informal gathering of food, fellowship and hopefully some boat watching as well. Meet your fellow area boat fans! Food will be ordered off the menu and table service provided by the staff of the restaurant, which is located adjacent to the historic C&P Dock, where the 1,000 footers unload.

Directions and info for the restaurant: https://www.whiskeyislandstillandeatery.net/

Bill Kloss

See “Captain Bob” September 11th

See “Captain Bob” former Captain of the Paul R Tregurtha, in Cheboygan next month for his speaking engagement, GREAT NEWS!! Due to his first show SELLING OUT in record time, they are adding a SECOND SHOW!! Same day but at 5:30pm so if you’re interested, head to the website shown at the bottom of the image (Open it up to see it full size) and grab tickets!! They are only $10 each!! Hurry before this show sells out as well!!
See Photo Gallery below

2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips

Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg

Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released

When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.

The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.

EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.

  • EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
  • Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
  • Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
  • Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.

ALSO

  • Check out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
  • Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
  • Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
  • Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
  • Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.

This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.

Order at www.knowyourships.com 

 

 

Boatnerd News – August 20, 2025

Aug 20, 2025

New Ship for CSL

We’re excited to welcome MV CSL FLEXVIK to our fleet – a hybrid self-loading/unloading vessel purpose-built to support coastal and offshore construction as well as aggregate logistics across Europe.
    Converted from a bulk carrier, CSL FLEXVIK is engineered for maximum versatility, capable of handling a wide range of materials – from fine sand to 3-tonne armour rock.
    With two gantry-mounted electric excavators and a 45-metre discharge boom, the vessel offers flexible unloading options, including single-point discharge, transhipment to other vessels, and direct handling of larger rock gradings.

Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/mvbnpz3n

U.S. Representative Lisa McClain Recognized as a Great Lakes Champion

 Port Huron, MI (August 18, 2025) – On Monday, August 18, 2025, the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force (GLMTF) recognized Michigan Congresswoman Lisa McClain for her efforts advocating for the Great Lakes Navigation System and those who live and work on or near the Fourth Sea Coast.
    “It is an incredible honor to be recognized as Legislator of the Year by the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force. The Great Lakes are not only a vital economic engine for our region, but a national treasure that demands strong, informed policy,” Chairwoman McClain said. “I am proud to advance legislation in Congress that strengthens maritime commerce, modernizes our water infrastructure, and protects the long-term sustainability of the Great Lakes. I will always fight to ensure our Michigan ports, waterways, and maritime workers have the support they need to thrive.”
    “Representative McClain has been a relentless advocate for the Great Lakes Navigation System.  Whether she is supporting the new heavy U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes icebreaker, funding for arguably the most important infrastructure project ever at the Soo Locks, or ensuring our lakes are mapped to the highest modern standards, Representative McClain leads the way for Michigan and the entire Great Lakes,” stated John Clemons American Maritime Officers National Vice President of the Great Lakes and President of GLMTF.
    Representative McClain’s district falls squarely in the crosshairs of annual ice jam flooding that occurs on the St Clair River and causes hundreds of thousands of dollars to impacted residents.  The new heavy Great Lakes icebreaker is a critical tool needed to alleviate those jams to prevent flooding and Congresswoman McClain has aggressively sought construction funding for the vital asset.
    The construction of the new large navigational lock in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan remains on track for completion in 2030, thanks in large part to Representative McClain’s tenacious pursuit of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funding which has kept costs under control and workers on the job.  The progress at the Soo Locks has been phenomenal and serves as an ideal example for how a major infrastructure project can be completed when Congress provides bipartisan support.
    In addition, Congresswoman McClain has taken a leadership role with the reintroduction of the Great Lakes Mapping Act which would ensure future economic development, resource management, and environmental sustainability in the Great Lakes Region.  With only 13 percent of the Great Lakes mapped to modern hydrographic standards, the legislation directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct high resolution mapping of the Great Lakes to further understand the underwater environment.
    “It is a privilege to be here today to award Representative McClain a well-deserved “thank you” on behalf of the entire U.S. Great Lakes maritime industry.  Legislators like Congresswoman McClain get things done and the Great Lakes are fortunate to have such a powerful voice on Capitol Hill moving our region forward,” stated Jim Weakley President of the Lake Carriers’ Association and Vice President of GLMTF.
    The ceremony was hosted at the Lakes Pilots Association facility on the banks of the St. Clair River in Port Huron, Michigan.  Established in 1960 following the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, Lakes Pilots has provided pilotage services for Lake Erie and the St. Clair and Detroit river systems. Their jurisdiction covers almost 270 nautical miles of waterways, spanning four U.S. states and one Canadian province, containing a combined 12 ports.
About Great Lakes Maritime Task Force
    The Great Lakes Maritime Task Force, with nearly 80 members, is the largest coalition to speak for the Great Lakes Navigation System.  Advocating for domestic and international shipping, its members represent labor and management from U.S.-flag vessel operators, shipboard and longshore unions, port authorities, cargo shippers, terminal operators, shipyards, and other Great Lakes interests. The Great Lakes commercial maritime industry supports more than 147,000 American jobs in eight Great Lakes states and generates more than $36 billion in economic activity.

Marine Historical Society of Detroit
Now Accepting New Members, Renewals

DETROIT, MI – You don’t have to live in the Motor City to join the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Its focus includes all the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway as well as the ships and sailors keeping the economies of two countries moving.
    The 81-year-old non-profit group is now accepting new memberships and membership renewals. 
    “The MHSD has plenty to offer anyone interested in and concerned with the history of the Great Lakes and its vibrant maritime heritage,” says long-time group President Roger LeLievre. “We have members across the U.S. and Canada and even overseas.”
    Membership includes the monthly publication The Detroit Marine Historian, which offers a variety of articles exploring Great Lakes shipping past and present. It also includes an annual, full-color calendar featuring superb, often rare, photos of Great Lakes ships of the past.
    Last year the group published the 300-page, hardcover book Ahoy & Farewell III, documenting the vessels built and those that left the lakes during the past 30 years. The book recently won an award for excellence from the Historical Society of Michigan.
    In keeping with society’s goal of preserving historical images, the MHSD’s image portal, featuring photos and details of many historic vessels, is now online at www.marinehistorydetroit.historyit.com

    The Society has named an annual Historian of the Year since 1969. The award is voted on by past winners and honors those who have contributed significantly to the research, presentation or publication of Great Lakes ships and the shipping history.
    Membership is $40 (U.S. and Canada). Join online at www.mhsd.org. To join or renew by mail, please print out the form in the gallery below.
MHSD

Donations sought to restore historic Muskegon lighthouse

BY Brian Farber Michigan
PUBLISHED 10:52 AM ET Aug. 18, 2025

MUSKEGON, Mich. — The Muskegon South Breakwater Lighthouse, a maritime landmark that has guided ships into Muskegon’s harbor for nearly a century, is in desperate need of community support to fund critical restoration work.
    “Muskegon South Breakwater Light has been subjected to the storms and brutality of the winters of the Midwest. It was built in 1930 and has had these damages ever since. Not fully restored ever before,” said Kim Lange, volunteer manager for Muskegon Lights.
    The damage is extensive and affects both the exterior and internal structure of the lighthouse.
    “The entire light has been subject to rust and erosion of the structural pieces. The exterior sheets are very bad condition, you can see. But internally, the inner structure, kind of like an erector set, needs to be gone over with a fine-tooth comb, pieces replaced, pieces fixed,” Lange explained.
    The state has provided $800,000 in initial funding for the restoration project, but Muskegon Lights has to raise the rest of the money.
    “We need to raise an additional $800,000 through the community donations,” Lange said.
    According to Michigan Lights, The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy has owned both Muskegon lighthouses since 2010, when they were donated by the United States government for historic preservation, education and public use through the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, administered by the National Park Service.
    Lange says for many residents, the lighthouse represents more than just a navigational aid.
    “The light is an iconic treasure of the city of Muskegon. For most people, it has been in their sight here at the beach all of their lives. It has great importance for maritime safety, and it has historic presence,” Lange noted. “The community loves our lights. They’re very important to us both emotionally and physically. To save these lights is vital for the continuation of their historical presence for generations to come,” she added.
     Beyond financial support, the conservancy is also looking for volunteers to help with preservation efforts, give tours and perform routine maintenance on the lighthouses.
    According to Michigan Lights, both lighthouses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and while the structures are owned by the conservancy, the US Coast Guard continues to maintain the blinking lights and fog signals that serve as aids to navigation for Lake Michigan boaters.

Click on link for complete story and photos:  https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2025/08/18/donations-sought-to-restore-historic-muskegon-lighthouse-?fbclid=IwY2xjawMRaTZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHnmH4EgNqCKySLtbCMFoKT3OoHuN2sKE4TV-ySFhuGREKeZQplKy5FIrAfTw_aem_bWGSBbETnjs8fYeZlWWu6A

For more information on how to donate to the restoration project, visit the Muskegon Lights website.  https://muskegonlights.org/

Historic Sheboygan lighthouse faces uncertain future as ownership changes

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — Along with Blue Harbor and the twin smoke stacks, the big red lighthouse stands as a pillar of the Sheboygan skyline. The 110-year-old structure has been a popular spot for walkers and fishermen for generations, but now faces an uncertain future as it changes ownership.
    Brett Koller, a regular fisherman at the lighthouse, has deep personal connections to the landmark. “Since I was little, a kid, I’ve spent a lot of time down here. Perch fished when I was 8, 9 years old, with cane poles and crab tails,” Koller said. “Coming to the pier is just almost like a daily thing for me,” Koller said.
    The federal government is now looking to transfer ownership of the lighthouse, according to Sheboygan officials. “[It’s] opening it up, trying to get rid of the building maintenance and owning and operating the lighthouse,” Sheboygan Mayor Ryan Sorenson said.
    Before any transfer happens, the structure needs significant repairs. The lighthouse is rusting from the inside out, with visible deterioration allowing specks of sunlight to penetrate through the metal. “I think the thing that’s really holding this lighthouse together is the layers of red paint,” Sorenson said.
    “Fraying from the inside, really coming apart here,” Sorenson added while pieces of the wall flaked to the ground.
    The city is currently assessing repair costs. If Sheboygan can’t afford the repairs, ownership opportunities will open to nonprofits. If no nonprofits express interest, private buyers will have a chance to purchase the landmark.
    If no buyers come forward, “Is it going to be an iconic-looking lighthouse like we have today?” Sorenson asked. Or will it be replaced with a more utilitarian structure similar to one on Sheboygan’s southern sister pier — solar-powered lights and a foghorn attached to metal poles.
    “Me personally, being born and raised in Sheboygan, I want the lighthouse. We need a lighthouse,” Sorenson added.
    For locals like Koller, the prospect of losing the historic lighthouse is difficult to imagine: “I would hate to see it go.”
WTMJ

Cleveland Boatnerd Gathering Planned Sept. 6

Cleveland’s first annual Boatnerd get together will be at the Whiskey Island Still & Eatery in Cleveland on September 6 at noon. Join us for an informal gathering of food, fellowship and hopefully some boat watching as well. Meet your fellow area boat fans! Food will be ordered off the menu and table service provided by the staff of the restaurant, which is located adjacent to the historic C&P Dock, where the 1,000 footers unload.

Directions and info for the restaurant: https://www.whiskeyislandstillandeatery.net/

Bill Kloss

See “Captain Bob” September 11th

See “Captain Bob” former Captain of the Paul R Tregurtha, in Cheboygan next month for his speaking engagement, GREAT NEWS!! Due to his first show SELLING OUT in record time, they are adding a SECOND SHOW!! Same day but at 5:30pm so if you’re interested, head to the website shown at the bottom of the image (Open it up to see it full size) and grab tickets!! They are only $10 each!! Hurry before this show sells out as well!!
See Photo Gallery below

2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips

Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg

Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released

When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.

The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.

EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.

  • EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
  • Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
  • Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
  • Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.

ALSO

  • Check out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
  • Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
  • Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
  • Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
  • Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.

This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.

Order at www.knowyourships.com 

 

 

Boatnerd News – August 17, 2025

Aug 17, 2025

5 tugs assisting cargo boat that ran aground

Federal Yamasaka, which ran aground August 12 in the St. Lawrence River off Verchères, QC, is being assisted back to Montréal for repairs by Groupe Ocean tugs Clovis, Pierre Julien, Aqua, Serge Genois and Bravo.
   The ship reportedly came to a standstill around 5:45 a.m. due to engine failure, according to Coast Guard information obtained by TVA Nouvelles. No injuries or pollution spills have been reported.
Ship Junkies – Lakes, Locks & Rivers

Ontario Shipyards partners with province and
Italy’s largest builder to ready bid for navy corvettes

   The Ontario government is boosting efforts to turn the province into an unlikely shipbuilding centre in the hope that its underutilized shipyards can land a multibillion-dollar contract for new Canadian navy corvettes.
   On Monday, Premier Doug Ford and Vic Fedeli, the Minister of Economic Development, met with senior executives of Algoma Steel of Sault Ste. Marie., Ont., Canada’s second-biggest steelmaker. “We let them know that if they try to pivot into supplying the defence industry and other areas, we would be there to help them,” Mr. Fedeli told The Globe and Mail.
   Algoma, the country’s only publicly listed steel producer, could make steel plate for ships and other heavy military equipment if Ontario Shipyards of Hamilton, the largest ship repair and construction company on the Great Lakes, were to win the corvette contract.
   Algoma is already listed as a potential supplier to Team Vigilance, the Canadian and international consortium assembled two years ago to bid for the next generation of Canadian naval ships, specifically corvettes. It includes Italy’s Fincantieri, the largest shipbuilder in Europe and the fourth-largest in the world.
   Corvettes are relatively small offshore patrol vessels, or OPVs, that would replace the dozen Kingston Class ships that were built for the Royal Canadian Navy in the mid-1990s and are reaching the end of their careers. The navy announced in July that it will begin to pull eight of the ships out of service in the fall.
   Those ships are 55 metres long, carry a crew of about 50 and are used for coastal and fisheries patrol, training, minesweeping, search and rescue, law enforcement and drug interdiction. The new Vigilance ships, if built, would be somewhat larger, perhaps 100 metres long, to give them more range and capabilities, said Ted Kirkpatrick, Ontario Shipyards’ director of business development and government relations.
   The federal government has yet to issue a tender for the new corvettes – the navy is reportedly still setting the parameters of the project – and neither Mr. Fedeli nor Mr. Kirkpatrick know the timeline or the expected budget, though the contract could be worth several billion dollars. “We feel hopeful that this project will move forward fairly quickly,” Mr. Kirkpatrick said, noting that Prime Minister Mark Carney has made rearmament an industrial priority to meet Canada’s domestic defence needs and NATO commitments.
   In an effort to kick-start an ambitious shipbuilding program in Ontario, which has not built a warship since the Second World War, the provincial government last month launched a financial program worth $215-million.
   The amount is designed to support shipbuilding capacity under the National Shipbuilding Strategy program. Mr. Fedeli said the incentives would be composed of loans and grants and tailored to each project. “We want Ontario to get back into the shipbuilding business,” he said.
   Several other funds, including the new Ontario Together Trade Fund, could offer incentives to steel companies and other manufacturers to help them serve Canadian customers.
   Mr. Kirkpatrick said Ontario Shipyards “hopes and expects to be a large beneficiary of the incentives programs.”

Globe & Mail

Cleveland Boatnerd Gathering Planned Sept. 6

Cleveland’s first annual Boatnerd get together will be at the Whiskey Island Still & Eatery in Cleveland on September 6 at noon. Join us for an informal gathering of food, fellowship and hopefully some boat watching as well. Meet your fellow area boat fans! Food will be ordered off the menu and table service provided by the staff of the restaurant, which is located adjacent to the historic C&P Dock, where the 1,000 footers unload.

Directions and info for the restaurant: https://www.whiskeyislandstillandeatery.net/

Bill Kloss

See “Captain Bob” September 11th

See “Captain Bob” former Captain of the Paul R Tregurtha, in Cheboygan next month for his speaking engagement, GREAT NEWS!! Due to his first show SELLING OUT in record time, they are adding a SECOND SHOW!! Same day but at 5:30pm so if you’re interested, head to the website shown at the bottom of the image (Open it up to see it full size) and grab tickets!! They are only $10 each!! Hurry before this show sells out as well!!
See Photo Gallery below

2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips

Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg

Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released

When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.

The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.

EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.

  • EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
  • Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
  • Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
  • Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.

ALSO

  • Check out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
  • Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
  • Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
  • Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
  • Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.

This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.

Order at www.knowyourships.com 

 

 

Boatnerd News – August 16, 2025

Aug 16, 2025

Michigan Maritime Training School Owner Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Captain’s Course Records

Mike Schuler
August 14, 2025

Fire-damaged vessel to head for Thunder Bay

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – The Algoma Central self-unloader Radcliffe R. Latimer, which has been anchored in the upper St. Marys River since experiencing an engine room fire on Monday evening, will be towed to Thunder Bay. Her AIS has been updated to show that destination.
   No information has been released about what tugs will handle the tow, however Purvis Marine’s Wilfred M. Cohen has been standing by the vessel since the fire. It is also unknown if the Latiner will undergo repairs at Thunder Bay.
   The Latimer has a cargo of petroleum coke loaded at Superior Midwest Energy Terminal Aug. 10 and was bound for Port Daniel, QC, when the fire broke out.

 

Cleveland Boatnerd Gathering Planned Sept. 6

Cleveland’s first annual Boatnerd get together will be at the Whiskey Island Still & Eatery in Cleveland on September 6 at noon. Join us for an informal gathering of food, fellowship and hopefully some boat watching as well. Meet your fellow area boat fans! Food will be ordered off the menu and table service provided by the staff of the restaurant, which is located adjacent to the historic C&P Dock, where the 1,000 footers unload.

Directions and info for the restaurant: https://www.whiskeyislandstillandeatery.net/

Bill Kloss

See “Captain Bob” September 11th

See “Captain Bob” former Captain of the Paul R Tregurtha, in Cheboygan next month for his speaking engagement, GREAT NEWS!! Due to his first show SELLING OUT in record time, they are adding a SECOND SHOW!! Same day but at 5:30pm so if you’re interested, head to the website shown at the bottom of the image (Open it up to see it full size) and grab tickets!! They are only $10 each!! Hurry before this show sells out as well!!
See Photo Gallery below

2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips

Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg

Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released

When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.

The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.

EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.

  • EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
  • Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
  • Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
  • Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.

ALSO

  • Check out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
  • Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
  • Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
  • Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
  • Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.

This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.

Order at www.knowyourships.com 

 

 

Boatnerd News – August 15, 2025

Aug 15, 2025

Fire-damaged vessel to head for Thunder Bay

4 PM FRIDAY UPDATE: Radcliffe R. Latimer departed her anchorage Friday morning for Thunder Bay under her own power, not under tow as had previously been reported. The Purvis Marine tug Wilfred M. Cohenis escorting her.

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – The Algoma Central self-unloader Radcliffe R. Latimer, which has been anchored in the upper St. Marys River since experiencing an engine room fire on Monday evening, will be towed to Thunder Bay. Her AIS has been updated to show that destination.
   No information has been released about what tugs will handle the tow, however Purvis Marine’s Wilfred M. Cohen has been standing by the vessel since the fire. It is also unknown if the Latiner will undergo repairs at Thunder Bay.
   The Latimer has a cargo of petroleum coke loaded at Superior Midwest Energy Terminal Aug. 10 and was bound for Port Daniel, QC, when the fire broke out.

A whaleback rests on the bottom in Thunder Bay
National Marine Sanctuary

The Alpena News
Jeffrey D. Brasie
Special to the News

ALPENA — Research from Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary revealed the steel-hulled, whaleback freighter SS Choctaw is cataloged as one of region’s numerous sunken vessels.
   Named after the Southern United States Native American tribe, the 267-foot boat was launched in 1892. The freighter displayed a distinctive bow and slanted or rounded whaleback decks to the waterline. All of Choctaw’s cabins were located on the stern.
   With a 900-horsepower steam engine, the freighter could accommodate a total capacity nearing 3,100 tons. Typically, the freighter’s upbound cargo was coal to fuel mining operations with downbound cargo being iron ore.
   During Choctaw’s operational years, the freighter experienced a series of mishaps. In 1893 a cylinder head exploded, scalding two crew members to death. Three years later, in 1896, the freighter collided with the larger steel freighter L.C. Waldo. The Choctaw sank and underwent emergency repairs returning to Cleveland for full re-fitting and repair.
   In 1900 the freighter ran aground near Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario. Then, in 1902, near Marquette, the Choctaw was lifted up by massive waves and hit a rock formation which caused the freighter to partially sink.
   Choctaw’s final voyage occurred in July 1915 when the freighter was upbound on Lake Huron with a load of coal destined for Marquette. Downbound from Fort William, Ontario (now Thunder Bay) with a cargo of wheat headed for Montreal, was the Canadian Steamship Lines freighter, Wahcondah.   
   On July 11th, at approximately 4:30 a.m., in a dense fog near the shorelines of Presque Isle and Middle Island, the Wahcondah captain and those in the pilot house saw the Choctaw. The order was given to reverse engines. Regretfully, the two ships were meters apart and the Canadian freighter sliced into Choctaw’s port side.
   Choctaw’s captain ordered the crew to lower lifeboats. However, the crew was unable to approach the lifeboats. In less than 17 minutes the freighter sank into 300 feet of Lake Huron waters.
    The Wahcondah was able to rescue the captain and all 22 crew members and arrive in Sarnia, Ontario.
   A subsequent judge’s review of testimonies and records found both freighter captains and crews were at fault.
   Choctaw’s insurance claim, in dollars at that time, was $80,200 for the freighter and $80,000 for the cargo.
   Over the past 15-plus years numerous expeditions were conducted to find Choctaw.
   In July 2017, using recently developed technology, joint efforts by Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, and other parties located the Choctaw and 448-foot freighter Ohio off the Presque Isle shores.
   The Choctaw rests on the starboard side, nearly upside down.
   A summary document of the findings revealed, “The upper level of her stern cabins broke away when she sank, leaving only the weather deck level cabins intact. The wreckage of her pilothouse lies beside her hull. The entire bow, including the section between the first and the second hatch where the collision occurred, is completely buried and only the last three of her seven cargo hatches remain exposed. There is a sizeable debris field surrounding her wreck, with most of the visible artifacts located near her stern.”
   For more information on the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, its museum (Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center), the 200-plus regional shipwrecks, seasonal glass bottom boat tours, educational programs, and research, visit www.thunderbay.noaa.gov or call 989-884-6200.
   For more about whalebacks in the Great Lakes, see the upcoming Northern Lifestyles story in Saturday’s edition of The Alpena News.

Cleveland Boatnerd Gathering Planned Sept. 6

Cleveland’s first annual Boatnerd get together will be at the Whiskey Island Still & Eatery in Cleveland on September 6 at noon. Join us for an informal gathering of food, fellowship and hopefully some boat watching as well. Meet your fellow area boat fans! Food will be ordered off the menu and table service provided by the staff of the restaurant, which is located adjacent to the historic C&P Dock, where the 1,000 footers unload.

Directions and info for the restaurant: https://www.whiskeyislandstillandeatery.net/

Bill Kloss

2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips

Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg

Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released

When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.

The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.

EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.

  • EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
  • Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
  • Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
  • Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.

ALSO

  • Check out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
  • Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
  • Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
  • Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
  • Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.

This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.

Order at www.knowyourships.com 

 

 

Boatnerd News – August 14, 2025

Aug 14, 2025

Cleveland Boatnerd Gathering Planned Sept. 6

Cleveland’s first annual Boatnerd get together will be at the Whiskey Island Still & Eatery in Cleveland on September 6 at noon. Join us for an informal gathering of food, fellowship and hopefully some boat watching as well. Meet your fellow area boat fans! Food will be ordered off the menu and table service provided by the staff of the restaurant, which is located adjacent to the historic C&P Dock, where the 1,000 footers unload.

Directions and info for the restaurant: https://www.whiskeyislandstillandeatery.net/

Bill Kloss

2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips

Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg

Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released

When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.

The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.

EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.

  • EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
  • Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
  • Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
  • Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.

ALSO

  • Check out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
  • Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
  • Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
  • Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
  • Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.

This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.

Order at www.knowyourships.com 

 

 

Boatnerd News – August 13, 2025

Aug 13, 2025

 

Crew Safe After Radcliffe R. Latimer Engine Room Fire

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Algoma Central Corp.’s Radcliffe R. Latimer, which experienced an engine room fire around 11 p.m. Monday as the vessel was downbound in Whitefish Bay, remained at anchor Tuesday night.
   The engine room crew was evacuated and the vessel’s C02 system was activated to put out the fire.
   The Soo, ON-based tug Wilfred M. Cohen was dispatched to the scene and assisted the Latimer, which was without power, to safe anchorage five nautical miles southeast of Ile Parisienne. The Cohen remains on scene. There are 21 crew on the vessel and all are safe, according to U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Joseph Snyder. No pollution was observed.
   Since the incident occurred in Canadian waters aboard a Canadian-flagged vessel, Snyder said Canadian authorities are taking the lead on the investigation and are putting together a transit plan. The U.S. Coast Guard Group Soo dispatched as 45-foot response boat as a precaution, he added.
   The Latimer has a cargo of petroleum coke loaded at Superior Midwest Energy Terminal Aug. 10 and is bound for Port Daniel, Quebec.

Fednav vessel grounds in St. Lawrence River

The  cargo ship Federal Yamaska ran aground in the St. Lawrence River near Verchères, QC, Tuesday morning Authorities are not currently attributing the incident to low water levels.
   Federal Yamaska reportedly came to a standstill around 5:45 a.m. due to engine failure, according to Coast Guard information obtained by TVA Nouvelles.
   No injuries or pollution spills have been reported so far. However, in the midst of the heat wave that has been hitting Quebec since Saturday, the crew—still on board the boat and without electricity—is having to deal with particularly trying conditions.
   On Monday, Le Journal reported that the water level of the St. Lawrence River is at its lowest in 15 years. According to Environment Canada, this phenomenon is due in part to the lack of precipitation in southern Quebec for nearly a month.
   A team specializing in environmental intervention and maritime hazard management is expected to visit the site during the day to assess the situation and detect any risk of pollution. As for the refloating operation, it could take several days before the ship is freed.

TVA Nouvelles

Thunder Bay’s Dark Night:
NMGL-Great Lakes Stories  Pewabic Sinks, Aug. 9 1865

Launched only two years earlier, Pewabic was famed for its speed on the busy copper run between Cleveland and Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. The ship and its south-bound sister ship, Meteor, had a standing ritual of passing close enough to exchange mail and news.
   On a calm summer evening their approach went terribly wrong: Pewabic’s wheelsman veered across Meteor’s bow. The Meteor which sliced a gash deep into Pewabic’s hull. The stricken vessel slipped beneath the waves within 30–45 minutes, six miles east of Alpena.
   Contemporary accounts put the death toll anywhere between 33 and 125, making it one of the deadliest single-ship losses in Great Lakes history and the worst ever recorded on Lake Huron.
   After the collision, the Meteor reached the Soo on August 10, 1865, and was discovered to be on fire from a leak and lime in the cargo. The fire was put out and repairs were eventually made in Detroit.
   Resting in 160-plus feet of water, the Pewabic wreck became both a gravesite and a proving ground for early deep-diving technology—salvors raised tons of copper ingots (one of which you can see in our new exhibit, Every Boat Tells Our Story) during World War I and again in the 1970s.
   Today, Pewabic is protected within NOAA’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, where divers can still see its stern nearly intact and historians continue to study artifacts that illuminate Civil War-era commerce on the Inland Seas.

Cleveland Boatnerd Gathering Planned Sept. 6

Cleveland’s first annual Boatnerd get together will be at the Whiskey Island Still & Eatery in Cleveland on September 6 at noon. Join us for an informal gathering of food, fellowship and hopefully some boat watching as well. Meet your fellow area boat fans! Food will be ordered off the menu and table service provided by the staff of the restaurant, which is located adjacent to the historic C&P Dock, where the 1,000 footers unload.

Directions and info for the restaurant: https://www.whiskeyislandstillandeatery.net/

Bill Kloss

2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips

Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg

Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released

When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.

The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.

EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.

  • EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
  • Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
  • Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
  • Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.

ALSO

  • Check out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
  • Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
  • Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
  • Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
  • Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.

This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.

Order at www.knowyourships.com 

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Municipal Port Director – City of Milwaukee

Recruitment #2508-5750-001
VIEW COMPLETE JOB LISTING

The City of Milwaukee is seeking a Municipal Port Director to lead Port Milwaukee operations, strategy, and long-term growth. This cabinet-level position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of a dynamic port, advance economic development, and strengthen international partnerships.

ABOUT THE POSITION
As a member of the Mayor’s Cabinet, the Municipal Port Director (“Director”) works closely with the seven-member BHC, providing leadership, strategic planning, and executive direction over all port activities and operations. The Director plays a key role in maximizing job creation and revenues by administering the Port’s existing leases, maintaining tenant and customer relations, and marketing Port Milwaukee assets domestically and internationally.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will be an experienced leader with strong management skills and in-depth knowledge about port administration and operations, including lease negotiation, carrier negotiations, business development, financial planning, and economic and market research. The City is seeking a visionary leader, a consensus builder, and an excellent communicator with the ability to build partnerships with all levels of municipal, state/provincial, and federal government in the United States and Canada.
  Screening for this position will be based on an evaluation of each applicant’s education, experience, and professional accomplishments, which should be detailed in a cover letter and resume. Cover letter and resume must be received via email before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 22, 2025 for consideration.

View the complete job listing here

 

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