Coast Guard Christmas ship arrives in Chicago with 1,200 trees from Michigan
The U.S. Coast Guard announced this weekend that its 2022 Christmas Tree Ship run has been a success. The crew of the cutter Mackinaw pulled up alongside Navy Pier a few days ago and has now finished offloading 1,200 Christmas trees, which will go to Chicago area families.
The Mackinaw’s annual holiday cheer trip traces the path of the ill-fated Rouse Simmons, the Great Lakes’ famous Christmas Tree Ship which sank in Lake Michigan in 1912 while carrying a huge load of holiday trees from Northern Michigan to Chicago.
The Mackinaw and its crew left Michigan in late November, motoring down Lake Michigan and working along the way. The crew was collecting the big warm-weather aids to navigation from the lake and offloading them on land for the winter. On Thursday, the Mackinaw pulled into Chicago and the tree festivities began.
“The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw WLBB 30 has had a busy two days!,” the Coast Guard Great Lakes unit posted on Facebook this weekend. “#ChristmasTreeShip arrived yesterday and the crew was busy decorating the cutter with volunteers from Chicago’s Christmas Ship (CCS) Committee … .”
Tours of the Mackinaw were offered, and there were speeches and even a drum line performance.
MLive
World Ship Society report of casualties, demolitions
Vessels with a Great Lakes / Seaway connection reported as a casualty or sold for demolition. Taken from December 2022 issue of Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society.
Casualties: ALE (9521825; Raba-21) 13,579/2022 – Singapore flag – general cargo ship operated by Bulkship Management, Norway touched bottom on 14/9/2022 in Conception Bay off Kelly’s Island, Newfoundland, Canada. The propeller and rudder were damaged and she was towed by Canadian tugs Atlantic Fir (9324916) 402/05 and Atlantic Larch (9193745) 392/99 to Les Mechins, Quebec, Canada arriving 10/10/2022
Sold for Demolition: S.T. CRAPO (5304011; United States of America) 9,144/1927 – non-propelled bulk cement barge. By Lafarge North America, Inc. United States of America, to Marine Recycling Corp., Canada and arrived Port Colborne, Ontario on 29/09/2022. Commenced 29/09/2022.
Report compiled by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp
