Titanic-era steamer Keewatin towed down St. Clair and Detroit rivers Wednesday
Port Huron, MI – A ‘last-of-its-kind’ iconic steamship made its way down the St. Clair River glimpse of history. The century-old S.S. Keewatin passed under the Blue Water Bridge just before noon, on its way to be permanently relocated from Port McNicoll to the Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes in Kingston, Ont.
Pulled by the Molly M1 – one of three tugs to assist along the route – the 300-foot Keewatin is the world’s last Edwardian (Titanic-era) passenger steamship.
A pilot exchange was expected to take place in Port Huron, while the tug Manitou will assist from Port Huron to the lower Detroit River, while the Vigilant 1 was expected to be the tail tug for the Welland Canal.
The tow is bound for the Heddle Marine shipyard at Hamilton, ON. After drydocking, the Keewatin will be towed to her hew home in the transportation collection of the Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes.
Formerly owned by CP Rail and built in 1907 by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd. of Glasgow, Scotland, CP Rail steamships such as ‘The Kee’ ferried tourists, settlers, and cargo throughout the Great Lakes until their retirement in the 1960s. This ship is the last of its kind, with its sister ship having been scrapped in 1970 following a fire.
The Keewatin made its way past Belle Isle around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. T.J. Gaffney, a Port Huron native and self-proclaimed history buff who volunteers with several organizations for historical work, has been keeping tabs on her voyage.
Gaffney told WWJ’s Beth Fisher that he learned that the ship would travel through the Blue Water Bridge area and to the St. Clair River by tug on Sunday. He immediately jumped to let other enthusiasts know on social media.
“For local folks in Port Huron: this is a site you will NEVER see again,” he wrote early Wednesday morning. “The chance to get a picture of a passenger boat five years older than Titanic coming by Fort Gratiot Lighthouse and under the Bluewater Bridges.”
Gaffney told Fisher that he and a few other spectators were at the lighthouse earlier in the morning, watching the SS Keewatin under tow by a couple of tugs. “She’s pretty dramatic against the skyline,” he described. “She has a bright white hull and a yellow and black smokestack, so like I say, she stands out in comparison with everything else.”
The Keewatin was built in Glasgow, Scotland and set out on her maiden voyage in September 1907, docking in Quebec. She spent nearly 60 years carrying passengers on the Great Lakes, often docking at Port McNicoll, Ontario. Port McNicoll was known as the “Chicago of the North” for some time until trains and ships stopped coming through in 1965 due to the completion of the Trans Canada Highway.
After coming out of service that same year, the Keewatin permanently docked in the Kalamazoo Harbor in Douglas in 1968, across from the summer resort town of Saugatuck.
The ship became a museum and sat in the harbor for more than 40 years, when it was towed out of the river back to Port McNicoll in June 2012. Her departure that summer was a big event, with large crowds gathering to see the historic ship make its way out of Saugatuck one last time.
The Keewatin is expected to arrive in Kingston sometime this fall. The exact time she is expected to pass by Detroit is not clear, though the ship had nearly made its way to the lake late Wednesday afternoon.
WWJ, Audacity
U.S. Brig Niagara gears up for 2023 sailing season
It’s springtime at the Erie Maritime Museum which means it’s rigging time on the U.S. Brig Niagara.
After being put away for the winter and maintenance, it’s time for the U.S. Brig Niagara to be put back together for the sailing season. This past week, the Niagara had its winter cover removed along with other projects like putting the bowsprit and mast into place.
James Hall, the site director of the Erie Maritime Museum, said the ship should be ready to sail by the end of May and open to the public by June.
“We’ve got some sail training programs going on this year where the public is actually going to come out and take week-long sails on the ship. The ship will also be available for day sails around here on Presque Isle Bay and out into the lake ” said Hall.
Starting April 26, the museum will be open five days a week Wednesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
yourerie.com
‘The timing of it is not ideal’ Pelee Island ferry dry docked longer than expected
The Pelee Islander II is staying out of service longer than expected this spring due to ‘an unforeseen technical issue’ found during a scheduled out-of-water inspection.
Local officials are concerned the delay will hinder the region’s ability to prepare for the upcoming busy season on the Lake Erie Island.
“The timing of it is not ideal,” said, Cathy Miller, Mayor of Pelee Island.
“It just for us only highlights the need for there to be a real two vessel solution.”
Read the full story here: https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/the-timing-of-it-is-not-ideal-pelee-island-ferry-dry-docked-longer-than-expected-1.6369253?cid=sm%3Atrueanthem%3Actvwindsor%3Apost&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A%20Trending%20Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2MRM-ZAtW2y7-g0pvdYWLCzLLCGWnauSiQeX3FKA0T1ssGTxAdS5fMkls
Windsor CTV
