Boatnerd News – November 10, 2022

Soon-to-be-scrapped Ojibway hauled ashore

Social media posts show the former Lower Lakes Towing Co. bulk carrier is showing being in inched ashore at Marine Recycling Corp Scrapyard at Port Colborne, ON.

The vessel, built in 1952 as Charles L. Hutchinson (ii) and which sailed for many years as Ernest R. Breech for the Ford Motor Co. fleet, was retired at the end of last season due to needed repairs that could not be economically justified.

Her former fleet mate Manistee is still waiting to feel the scrapper’s torch, as is the retired cement carrier S.T. Crapo.

See photos in the image gallery.

 

Welland Canal closing Jan. 7, says seaway

For the fourth year, Niagara residents can expect bridges over the canal to stay up into the new year as the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. extends the 2022 shipping season.

It’s part of a five-year pilot program that will see the 43-kilometre-long link between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario stay open until noon Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023.

The Montreal-Lake Ontario section of the seaway will remain open until noon, Saturday, Dec. 31.

The seaway said while preserving the sustainability of the navigation season is very important, it is also mindful that unanticipated environmental conditions may occur during the closing period.

It added that should that happen, the closing dates for the Montreal-Lake Ontario section or Welland Canal may change.

Welland Tribune

 

Milwaukee secures funding for new cruise ship dock

MILWAUKEE, WI – The Milwaukee Common Council has signed off on a $2 million investment in the South Shore Cruise Dock, in a bid to make the city a must-stop on the Great Lakes cruise circuit.

The city’s 2023 budget, which the council approved on Friday, includes $2 million in funding to redevelop the South Shore Cruise Dock. The dock is located next to the Lake Express ferry landing at 2330 S. Lincoln Memorial Dr.

The city is planning on using $4 million in grants from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and $1.285 million from the Port of Milwaukee, which sold a tract of riverside land to Komatsu for its new headquarters.

The South Shore Cruise Dock would also be the future port-of-call for Seawaymax vessels such as the Viking Octantis, the city said in a statement on Monday. The Viking Octantis is currently the largest cruise ship on the Great Lakes, a fact the vessel did not shy away from when it docked in downtown Milwaukee last May.

City officials said final construction design for the new dock is underway. A request for proposal is expected to be issued to the Board of Harbor Commissioners sometime early in 2023. Construction could begin in the spring.

“We worked together to complete the financing package for the redevelopment of South Shore Cruise Dock. This investment is valuable to boosting our city’s recreation and tourism market that will grow our economy in the years ahead,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson in a statement.

The director of the Port of Milwaukee, Adam Tindall-Schlicht, told Urban Milwaukee earlier this year that he expects the redevelopment should last the city more than 50 years. “This really is the one-time investment that we need,” said Tindall-Schlicht.

Tindall-Schlicht also told the news outlet that the city previously considered redeveloping the South Harbor Campus area for cruise docking. But a closer look found that the South Shore Cruise Dock was cheaper to develop.

The project falls within Milwaukee’s 14th District and Ald. Marina Dimitrijevic, who represents the area in the Common Council, described the port area as a “gem for our city.”

“As the Great Lakes cruising industry continues to grow, I couldn’t be more excited that thousands of passengers each year will step off the Viking Octantis and be welcomed to our great city by way of the 14th District,” according to Dimitrijevic, in the statement.

TMJ4

 

Neebish Islander III christened into service with special ceremony

BARBEAU, MI – Along with a rural public bussing system, the Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority (EUPTA) also operates three vehicle and passenger ferries to the nearby islands of Sugar, Drummond and Neebish.

On November 8, 2022, EUPTA welcomed their newest ferry into service — the Neebish Islander III.

The Neebish Islander III was built in Manitowoc, WI by the Burger Boat Company and they christened her at their facility back on August 13.

The Islander III is designed to be an ice breaking passenger and vehicle ferry that can carry 15 passenger vehicles. The ferry will be used year-round, carrying people on the St Mary’s River, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, between Barbeau and Neebish Island. “We build all different kinds of projects that can be found around the world from research vessels to passenger vessels, now a car ferry, motor yachts of all different sizes,” said Ron Cleveringa, Burger Boat Company Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

At 1:30pm today, the Neebish Islander II made its final trip as it ferried a truck with a trailer of sugar beets to the island. As it docked on the island, the Neebish Islander III greeted its older sister with a salute to which the crowd responded with cheers as the III came into view. The blue-hulled craft with an orange deck and white side-mounted pilot house docked on the mainland, lowered its ramp and the crowd moved to “ooos” and “wows.” It really is beautiful.

“Public transport is so important across the region and most people only think it happens on the mainland.” said Jean Ruestman, Director of the Office of Passenger Transportation for MDOT. “We recognized the need for islanders to be able to get to the mainland to get the services they needed and take them back to the island. That was most important.”

Father Romeo from the Sault was present to conduct a Maritime Blessing on the Neebish Islander III. Once the blessing was completed, the new vessel went into service while the Neebish Islander II sailed downriver to be docked until it can be sold, no longer to carry vehicles or passengers from the mainland to Neebish Island as it has been since 1944.

EUP News

 

Obituary: Art LaBrecque, sailed for Huron Cement

Arthur James LaBrecque passed away Nov. 3, one day shy of his 87th birthday. Art was born Nov. 4, 1935, in Alpena to Alphonse and Grace (McIntyre) LaBrecque. After graduating fr

om Catholic Central High School, Art began his Great Lakes sailing career on the Huron Portland Cement boats. He then served in the U.S. Army where he learned to perfect his culinary skills before returning to the cement carriers.

His career on the freighters almost didn’t happen though, as he got seasick on the ferry ride across the Straits of Mackinac (the Bridge wasn’t built yet) on his way to the Soo to get his sailing card! He sailed on the lakes for 40+ years on most of the freighters of the HPC fleet, retiring in 1996 from Inland Lakes Management as Steward of the flagship S.S. Alpena.

Art married Sharon Horal on July 28, 1962, in Alpena. Art and Sharon lived in Alpena during their marriage and celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in July. They had three boys: Michael, Brad, and Patrick. Art enjoyed many good years of retirement at their cottage on Grand Lake and wintering in Arizona. He was an ardent Detroit sports fan, particularly the Tigers. He continued to support the Lions, hoping the next season would be better than the last.

His family, friends and fellow sailors thought he made the best soups and gravy. His liver paste wasn’t bad either. Surviving is his wife, Sharon; two sons Michael (Kristi), Patrick (Jackie Schaedig); special granddaughter Hannah Gillian LaBrecque; and lots of dear sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews. Art was preceded in death by his son, Brad (or Bradley Arthur if he was in trouble) and all his siblings: Neal, Edward, Robert, and Margaret ‘Monnie’ Hackenberg. 

A celebration of life will take place Sunday, Nov. 13, at JJ’s from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Inurnment: Presque Isle Cemetery. Memorial donations can be made to St. Vincent de Paul or your favorite local charity.