The Brig Niagara is headed to Maine for
what’s expected to be a year’s worth of repairs
ERIE, PA – The U.S. Brig Niagara has left Erie and is on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. Repairs to Pennsylvania’s Flagship, which have been in the planning stages for years, will begin this summer at a shipyard in Maine.
The ship, led by Capt. Gregory Bailey and a crew of about 18, left Erie at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
By car, Maine can be reached in 12 hours or so. Aboard a wooden replica of an 1812 warship — even one powered by a pair of diesel engines — the trip through the St. Lawrence Seaway is longer and slower.
Traveling at no more than 7 knots — about 8 mph — the trip will take the better part of a month, said Jim Hall, site administrator for the Erie Maritime Museum, which oversees the ship as part of the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission.
And that’s traveling 24 hours a day and barring unexpected weather delays or other problems, Hall said.
A number of repairs already have been made, including the replacement of two propellers, at a shipyard in Cleveland.
This round of repairs, which will take place at a ship repair facility in Maine, will be more expensive and are expected to take most of a year. Repairs and upgrades will include new engines and generators, improvements to navigational systems and extensive carpentry work, Hall said.
“It’s a ton of work,” he said. “It’s years’ worth of work. It’s a wooden ship and it’s 35 years old. It needs to get refitted.”
The price will ultimately depend on the work that needs to be done, Hall said.
“I don’t know what the end number is going to be,” he said. “State government has provided us with the funding that we are confident will take care of it.”
Hall said he believes strongly that the Niagara, an historic recreation of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s relief flagship in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812, is worth the effort.
“It’s absolutely fantastic,” he said. “The ship is a gem. It’s the public’s gem and I personally take professional pride in doing right by the ship and making sure that the investment is well taken care of.”
The Niagara, which typically leads the parade of sail at Tall Ships Erie festivals, every three years, won’t return in time for this year’s festival, which begins Aug. 21. Hall is hoping the Niagara will be back by next summer in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Erie Times-News, Jim Martin
Sault Ste. Marie local recognized as enlisted Coast Guardsman of the year
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Benette Swanson, a machinery technician, was recognized as the Coast Guard’s Enlisted Person of the Year in Washington, D.C., on April 30th.
Swanson, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, enlisted in the Coast Guard in 2021 and was assigned to Aids to Navigation Team (ANT) Sault Ste. Marie in 2024. He was recognized for his commendable technical proficiency, his ability to lead others, and his embodiment of the Coast Guard’s core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty. Notably, he achieved his required qualifications in record time, led the ANT to remove 109 pieces of aid to navigation in advance of the ice season, and spent 100 hours volunteering in his community, including coaching youth sports and promoting boating safety and conservation as president of the Saint Marys River Walleye Club.
Swanson was presented with the award at Coast Guard Headquarters by Vice Adm. Peter W. Gautier, Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard, and Master Chief Petty Officer Heath B. Jones, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard. His father, mother, sisters, grandparents and girlfriend were also in attendance.
U.S. Coast Guard
National Museum Offers Free for Maritime Industry Employees
Toledo, OH – In honor of National Maritime Day on Thursday, May 22, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering free admission to maritime industry employees. Enjoy free, one-day admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes’ galleries, the 617-foot Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, and the Museum Tug Ohio. Valid maritime credentials or proof of employment are required.
National Museum of the Great Lakes
Registration Now Open for Annual Soo Boatnerd Cruise
Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Freighter Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River!
- When: Friday, June 27, 6-9 pm, rain or shine
- Where: Soo Locks Boat Tours, Dock #2 (next to the Valley Camp)
- Limit: 100 passengers
- Food: Pizza and salad included with paid passage
- General Adult Admission:
-Early Bird Adult $35.00 each (through May 31)
-Regular Adult $40.00 each (June 1-June 20)
-Procrastinator Adult $45 each (after June 20)
- Youth Admission, age 5-17: $15 flat rate
- Youth Admission, age 4 and under: FREE
- Students (age 18+) with a current, valid i.d. get a $5 discount off an adult ticket. The student must present their student i.d. when boarding.
This year’s St. Mary’s River cruise will be aboard a Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours boat on Friday, June 27. Boarding begins at 5:30 pm, and we cast off at 6pm. The cruise is three hours long. We plan to travel through the U.S. Locks, but that may change in order to chase freighters.
Pizza and salad are included in paid passage. There will be a cash bar on board. You can bring your own food and beverages (you cannot bring alcohol).
Reservations are a must, as the group is limited to 100 passengers. Mailed checks must be received no later than Friday, June 20.
If the cruise is not sold out by June 20, we will take online or cash (US funds only) reservations at the Procrastinator Price of $45.00 per General Admission ticket. Youth ticket rates stay the same as listed above.
Contact Angie at griffinclawangie@gmail.com or 734-386-0899 if you have questions or to request any refunds. No refunds will be issued after June 19.
