Seaway tug Robinson Bay to join Maritime Academy fleet
TRAVERSE CITY — After lobbying for about a decade, the Northwestern Michigan College Great Lakes Maritime Academy will officially welcome a new vessel into its fleet early next year. The towing vessel the Robinson Bay will be donated to the GLMA by the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) to be used as a training vessel for deck cadets and, possibly, engine cadets.
The boat has a historic legacy. It was built in 1958, an important time in modern Great Lakes shipping history, according to Jerry Achenbach, GLMA superintendent.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was built the same year, and the Mackinac Bridge opened in late 1957. Around this time, the planning began for the Poe Lock at the Soo and the St. Lawrence Seaway opened just after the boat was built, in 1959.
Achenbach informed the board of trustees of movement on the deal in October. Four weeks prior, interested parties received an email instructing them to put a proposal together and explain how the vessel would be used. They wanted to make sure the heritage of the boat would be respected and that it would be used for education.
GLMA has leased a towing vessel since 2020.
Record-Eagle
Lost Mariners Remembrance ceremony being held in Detroit this weekend on Edmund Fitzgerald anniversray
The Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Nov. 10, 1975 in Lake Superior, in a violent storm on the lake. November can be a turbulent month for weather across Michigan, and gales – very strong winds – are common on the Great Lakes. Intense areas of low pressure can sweep across the Great Lakes region bringing arctic air masses. The relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes can help storms intensify and produce life-threatening conditions.
Posted 8:06 AM, Nov 04, 2024 and last updated 8:24 AM, Nov 04, 2024
The Detroit Historical Society is honoring lost mariners during its annual Lost Mariners Remembrance this weekend in Detroit.
It’s the 25th year the society has held the event, which also marks the anniversary of the sinking of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald.
This year’s event will take place Sunday, Nov. 10 at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle.
It will start with a lantern ceremony at the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald anchor, and then Lee Murdock, a celebrated balladeer of the Great Lakes, will perform at 6:15 p.m.
There will also be a wreath ceremony, a lost vessel tribute, a final blessing and then the playing of the “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot.
Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for the general public.
Shipwreck Society makes 49th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony closed to the public
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society’s Annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony is always a solemn event, but again this year, it will be closed to the public. Due to the museum’s small size and inability to accommodate the many people who typically want to attend, the decision has been made to keep the event private. This memorial service has always been primarily intended for the families of those lost on the Fitzgerald when it sank 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Point on November 10th, 1975.
However, recognizing the wider community’s interest, the Shipwreck Society has upgraded its technology to ensure the memorial can still be experienced by many. The event will be live-streamed, with a link to follow, allowing the public to participate virtually while maintaining an intimate atmosphere for the families attending in person. This combination of preserving the event’s personal nature while expanding access is a thoughtful way to honor the memory of those lost and to include those who wish to pay their respects from afar.
This event will be live-streaming from Whitefish Point starting before 7pm on Sunday, 11-10-2024 and ending after 8pm. Please stay tuned for more information.
There will also be an opportunity to see this event at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, MI where they will host a simulcast of the broadcast of our stream in real time. If you’re in that area call the MMM at (269) 637-8078 for more information. There has been a flood of questions about the 50th anniversary Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony. We do have plans for a public event that we will release in 2025. Any questions about the 49th event please reach out to:
