Mail boat crew saves man swimming across Detroit River
DETROIT – A man was rescued by a mail boat crew late Monday night after attempting to swim across the Detroit River.
At around 11 p.m. on Sept. 23, deckhand James Sharp saw the man swimming inside a life ring thrown to him by someone on shore in Windsor, Ontario. The U.S. Mail Boat J.W. Westcott II maneuvered alongside where Sharp and Captain Neil Schultheiss lifted the man onto the deck of the mail boat.
The swimmer said he was an American citizen from Florida and was trying to return to the United States. Officials said he seemed disoriented or under the influence. He was sent to the Detroit fireboat and transported to shore to an awaiting EMS unit. Officials said that although he was cold, he had no physical injuries.
After the rescue, the Westcott’s crew turned and made a mail delivery to the Algoma Innovator. This year marks the Westcott company’s 150th anniversary on the Detroit River.
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Seaway reports 19.5 million tonnes of cargo moved to date in 2024
Grain, potash, iron, and steel are fueling shipments along the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system, with a total of 19.5 million tonnes of cargo moved so far this season.
The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. and the U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. said grain traffic was up 5.6 per cent over last year.
A release from the two agencies that operate the system said potash traffic continues to be a big mover, up 21 percent. Canada is the world’s largest producer and exporter of potash, exporting 95 percent of production to more than 75 countries.
Alternative sources of potash, an agricultural fertilizer, include Russia and Belarus, which have had sanctions levelled at the industry due to the war in Ukraine. Iron and steel shipments are up 35 percent over last year, and petroleum products up 27 percent.
Seaway Management Corp. president and chief executive officer Jim Athanasiou said the waterway is a vital link in the supply chain that keeps economies moving with its consistency and reliability.
If the system were a standalone country, it would rank as the third-largest economy in the world, the release said.
It also said it supports more 350,000 jobs across the U.S. and Canada. Despite the growth in specific cargo categories, overall figures reveal a 3.48 percent decline in total cargo compared to the same period last year, along with a 3.53 percent drop in vessel transits.
Welland Tribune
Marine Mart planned for Oct. 12
The Great Lakes Maritime Institute will host its 43rd annual Marine Mart Oct, 12 in St. Clair Shores, MI. See the flier in the photo gallery for details.
