Boatnerd News – November 3, 2022

Lakes Limestone Up 10.7 Percent in October

CLEVELAND — Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.9 million tons in October, an increase of 10.7 percent compared to a year ago.  Limestone cargos were also above the month’s 5-year average by 10.9 percent.

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 3.2 million tons, an increase of 9.7 percent.  Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 736,157 tons, an increase of 15.3 percent.

Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at 25 million tons, an increase of 1.5 percent compared to 2021.  Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 19.9 million tons, an increase of 2.2 percent.  Shipments from Ontario quarries total 5.1 million tons, a decrease of 1.1 percent.

Lake Carriers’ Association 

 

Great Lakes cruise ship visits on Island new record in 2022, more next year

MANITOULIN ISLAND—The cruise ship industry in the Great Lakes has rebounded significantly after COVID-19, industry leaders tell The Expositor.

“This is a very exciting time for the cruise ship industry,” stated Stephen Burnett, of the Great Lakes Cruise Association (GLCA). “It has been a challenging, but wonderful year on the Great Lakes, and there has been a significant increase in the number of visitors and ships on the Great Lakes, with even more next year.”

“From COVID-19 two years ago and zero business to a very successful year. It was a great year,” echoed Bruce O’Hare of Little Current, president of Lakeshore Excursions. “It probably increased by about 40 percent and we had many new ships coming into Little Current and the Great Lakes, and more expected in the future.”

“It’s been a good year, but a difficult year as well,” said Mr. Burnett. “In the past couple of years during COVID, many cruise ship lines had to reduce staff. Now they have had to ramp up. This is a complex industry, the cruise ships are like moving Marriott Hotels, where people have to plan to be on them 16-22 months ahead of their actual sailing time.”

“Worldwide some cruise lines have done very well and some have struggled,” said Mr. Burnett. “In many ways the cruise ship industry is one of the most resilient businesses there are. The industry had to be shut down during COVID, and companies lost revenues. But looking at it globally, it is astonishing how well the industry has done this year.”

“It is a very dynamic time in the history of the cruise ship industry,” said Mr. Burnett. “We had eight or nine ships cruise the Great Lakes this year, next year there will probably be between 10-12, including a second Viking ship.”

The region ports of call include Little Current, Parry Sound, Sault Ste. Marie and they all reported increases in numbers of visitors. Killarney had its first passenger ship stop there in about 80 years with the Viking Octantis visiting this year.

Mr. O’Hare pointed out passengers are looking for destinations to visit and the local partnership with Wiikwemkoong Tourism and the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation really pulls this all together on the Island as visitors receive an Indigenous experience, one they crave.

Visitors also visit Kagawong for kayaking, Bridal Veil Falls, the Manitoulin Chocolate Factory and have the opportunity to hike the Cup and Saucer Trail and support conservancy. “It’s a Manitoulin Island initiative, not just a benefit for Little Current,” said Mr. O’Hare.

“I’ve been talking with five new cruise lines, with three more ships expected next summer,” said Mr. Burnett. He feels the number of boats sailing through the region could grow from nine to 18 in the coming years.

“The future of the cruise ship industry is very good and is only going to grow,” added Mr. O’Hare.

The Manitoulin Expositor

 

120-year-old shipwreck discovered in Lake Superior

A Lake Superior shipwreck that has eluded searchers for decades has been found.

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) announced on Oct 12 the discovery of Barge 129, which sank in a storm on Lake Superior on Oct 13, 1902.

For GLSHS Director of Marine Operations Darryl Ertel Jr., it was the end

of a long search. “I’ve looked for this ship for so long because it was a Whaleback. I was pretty excited. I couldn’t wait to get the cameras on it”.

Barge 129 was one of only 44 “whaleback” ships ever constructed. The peculiar design had curved sides, similar to a large pontoon, with tapered bows with flat ends like a pig’s snout. The ships were constructed from 1887 to 1898 to ferry grain and ore around the Great Lakes. The design was to increase the ships’ stability on high seas. “Whaleback” refers to the ship’s appearance in the water when fully loaded.

On Oct 13, 1902, Barge 129 was being towed by the steamer Maunaloa. The 292-foot barge was loaded with 2,300 tons of iron ore when the gales of October struck (sound a little familiar?). The force of the waves snapped the tow line between the two vessels. Barge 129 was tossed about with the waves. The Maunaloa turned around and attempted to reconnect the two ships. The two boats slammed together. 

The Maunaloa’s anchor ripped into Barge 129’s starboard side. As the whaleback began to sink, the Maunaloa’s captain and crew raced to launch their lifeboat for the barge’s crew. As Barge 129’s crew was helped aboard the Maunaloa, the whaleback dipped below the surface and dove 650 feet to the bottom, 35 miles from Vermilion Point.

Barge 129 was the last undiscovered whaleback wreck in the Great Lakes. The wreckage was initially found along with eight other wrecks in 2021 by the GLSHS in partnership with Marine Sonic Technology using Side Scan Sonar. Side Scan Sonar – Marine Sonic Technology. Barge 129 was positively identified in August 2022.

When the Shipwreck Society put their ROV down on the wreck site this past summer, they were surprised by the devastation of the ship. “It’s totally destroyed on the bottom. It’s nowhere near intact. It’s at least 4 to 5 big pieces and thousands of little pieces. It’s just disintegrated,” Ertel said.

“The whalebacks were pretty unusual ships,” stated Shipwreck Society Executive Director Bruce Lynn. “When we had the ROV on it, you could clearly see the distinctive bow with a part of the towline still in place…that was an incredible moment!”

The Sun Times