Superior Midwest Energy Terminal to Close in 2026

   SUPERIOR, Wis. –Superior Midwest Energy Terminal will close in summer 2026. Midwest Energy Resources Company (MERC), located in the Duluth-Superior Port, has provided rail, vessel, and truck delivery of coal since the 1970s.
   However, its ownership company, DTE Electric, confirmed to Northern News Now’s Dan Wolfe Friday that MERC’s lease is up June 30, 2026, and the company does not plan to renew it.
   That means the business will close.
   DTE provided Northern News Now with this statement on Friday: “MERC has been a valuable part of DTE’s operations for many years. However, as we adapt to changing energy needs, continuing its operations just doesn’t align with our business direction.”
   DTE says that employees at the facility will have the opportunity to apply for other positions within the company. It’s not immediately clear how many employees will be impacted.
   Mayor Jim Paine says that the city will work closely with affected employees and hopes to fill the space quickly with a similar operation.
   According to MERC’s website, DTE Electric Company receives approximately 10 million tons of coal per year through the Superior Midwest Energy Terminal.
   However, a shift away from coal as an energy resource has lessened demand.

Northern News Now

Great Lakes cruising expected to see huge growth, $300M economic impact in 2026

   Great Lakes cruising is expected to generate $300 million in economic impact from the region in 2026, according to a forecast by Cruise the Great Lakes, the region’s cruise marketing program.
   The number represents growth of 25% over 2025 and continued long-term growth of the industry, officials said.
   “As we look to 2026, we’re excited to see continued growth in the Great Lakes cruise sector,” said Sally Davis Berry, tourism director of Cruise the Great Lakes. “We forecast this upcoming season to be even stronger than 2025, both in terms of passenger numbers, destinations visited and economic impact, which underscores the appeal of cruising in the Great Lakes.”
   More passengers, port visits and shoreside spending, plus rising prices for these cruises are driving growth, officials said.
   Seven cruise lines operating 10 ships will cruise the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River next year. That includes the addition of American Cruise Lines with its new ship American Patriot. The companies have scheduled a total of 148 cruises.
   Great Lakes cruises are projected to welcome over 23,000 passengers, a 5% increase over 2025. More than 800 port visits are planned, an increase of 15%.

Water levels drop across Great Lakes and St. Lawrence system

   As of late October, most of the Great Lakes are experiencing lower-than-average water levels, with Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron showing some of the most notable declines.
   Water levels across the Great Lakes are generally below seasonal averages as of late October, according to the latest update from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the International Joint Commission.
   Data collected Oct. 22 shows Lake Superior sitting at 183.45 metres, about six centimetres below its long-term average and 15 centimetres lower than the same time last year.
   Lake Michigan-Huron measured 176.25 metres, down 19 centimetres from average, while Lake St. Clair was nine centimetres lower. Lake Erie stood at 174.00 metres, eight centimetres below its seasonal norm.
   Lake Ontario registered 74.53 metres — six centimetres below average and one centimetre under last year’s level.
   Downstream, water levels on the St. Lawrence system also trailed historical averages. Lake St. Lawrence was 22 centimetres lower than normal, Lake St. Louis was 34 centimetres lower, and Montreal Harbour sat 53 centimetres below its long-term mean.
   The Army Corps noted while most lakes are below average, all remain well above record low levels recorded between 1960 and 1967.

[See Water Levels Chart below in gallery]

[SooToday Staff]

Gales of November Conference Honors Fitzgerald 50th

   DULUTH, MN – Lake Superior Marine Museum Association presents Gales of November2025, a two-day conference Nov 7-8 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. This special event brings together maritime historians, lighthouse preservationists, and Great Lakes experts for a weekend of reflection, education, and storytelling
   Attendees can look forward to in-depth presentations on shipwreck research, lighthouse restoration, and the evolution of theories surrounding the Fitzgerald disaster. The conference also includes updates from the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, buffet luncheons and a silent auction.
   Gales of November offers an opportunity to honor the men lost aboard the Fitzgerald and celebrate those who continue to preserve the legacy of Great Lakes shipping and maritime history.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER AT: destinationduluth.co/GalesOfNovConf

Great Lakes Maritime Institute Marks Fitzgerald Anniversary

Season wraps up Oct. 31 at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Oct. 31 is the last day to visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point before it closes up for the season. It will reopen for the 2026 season on May 1.
   Executive Director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Bruce Lynn, said it has been a banner year for attendance at the museum.
   “Each year we get about, in the range, of about 75,000 visitors (paid tickets) coming through the May 1 and Oct. 31, with most of that being between in June, July and August. This year, we will be right around the 80,000 visitor mark. But that is only part of the story, too, because some have already been through the museum a few times before, so they come up and spend time on the beach or walk the trails or visit Seney National Wildlife Refuge, or they want to see some of the bird life. There are a lot of reasons for people to come up. There are days when we could get 1,000 people coming through the museum, but there also might be 2,000 on site that day, so we can be pretty busy up this way,” Lynn explained.
   While the museum is closed Nov. 1 – April 30, the property is open to the public year-round.
   Lynn noted that there will be a 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Nov. 10. No tickets are needed to attend; however, there are strict rules that must be followed.
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating (seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell) will be set up for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5 p.m.
   A ceremony will be held only for family members and dignitaries at 7:00 PM, which will be live-streamed for the public.
   Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.

[Soo Leader]

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events

   WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975.  The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time

Split Rock lighthouse on Lake Superior to shine 
beacon for Edmund Fitzgerald memorial ceremony

   TWO HARBORS, MN – One of the most famous lighthouses on the Great Lakes will again be hosting an Edmund Fitzgerald memorial service this year, and the gathering marking the 50th anniversary of the freighter’s tragic loss is expected to draw thousands to the clifftop site.
   Split Rock Lighthouse will host its annual event on Nov. 10, a half-century after the Fitzgerald sank in a violent storm off Whitefish Point at the southern end of Lake Superior.
   At the service, all 29 names will be read aloud to the tolling of a bell. Then Split Rock’s beacon will be lit in tribute to those lost.
   The Minnesota Historical Society will be hosting the event. The lighthouse, perched atop a high, rocky cliff, sits more than 130 feet above Lake Superior. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States.
   “We’re just trying to provide a little place for memory and for remembrance and to really put into perspective the power of the lake,” site manager Hayes Scriven told Minnesota Public Radio recently. “So that’s why we think it’s very important for us to keep doing this.”
   The Split Rock Lighthouse event is one of many taking place across the Great Lakes to honor the memory of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s crew. In Michigan, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point will be holding a public remembrance event on Nov. 10, as well as a private ceremony for the relatives of the Fitzgerald’s crew.
   The Mariners’ Church of Detroit also has memorial events planned for November. You can see the lineup here: https://marinerschurchofdetroit.org/edmund-fitzgerald/

[M Live]

Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.

PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
    *(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.) 
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
   A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
   The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.

[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]

National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]

Soo Locks Visitor Center ends season with 210,000 visitors

   SAULT STE. MARIE, MI — The Soo Locks Visitor Center is closing for the season Friday evening after another busy summer welcoming thousands of visitors.
   The center, which officially closes at 7 p.m., drew more than 210,000 visitors this year, according to the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association. Canal Park, located nearby, saw more than 250,000 visitors as of Sept. 30.
   Throughout the six-month tourist season, park rangers hosted interpretive tours, ranger talks and school field trips to educate guests about the history and operation of the Soo Locks.
   “The Soo Locks are extremely important to tourism and Sault Ste. Marie,” said Ray Bell, president of the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association. “By having the Visitor Center, people get a chance to look at the displays and learn all about the history.”
   While the visitor center will remain closed until May 1, Canal Park will continue to be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting Nov. 1.

9-10 News

Gales of November Conference Honors Fitzgerald 50th

   DULUTH, MN – Lake Superior Marine Museum Association presents Gales of November2025, a two-day conference Nov 7-8 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. This special event brings together maritime historians, lighthouse preservationists, and Great Lakes experts for a weekend of reflection, education, and storytelling
   Attendees can look forward to in-depth presentations on shipwreck research, lighthouse restoration, and the evolution of theories surrounding the Fitzgerald disaster. The conference also includes updates from the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, buffet luncheons and a silent auction.
   Gales of November offers an opportunity to honor the men lost aboard the Fitzgerald and celebrate those who continue to preserve the legacy of Great Lakes shipping and maritime history.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER AT: destinationduluth.co/GalesOfNovConf

Great Lakes Maritime Institute Marks Fitzgerald Anniversary

Season wraps up Oct. 31 at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Oct. 31 is the last day to visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point before it closes up for the season. It will reopen for the 2026 season on May 1.
   Executive Director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Bruce Lynn, said it has been a banner year for attendance at the museum.
   “Each year we get about, in the range, of about 75,000 visitors (paid tickets) coming through the May 1 and Oct. 31, with most of that being between in June, July and August. This year, we will be right around the 80,000 visitor mark. But that is only part of the story, too, because some have already been through the museum a few times before, so they come up and spend time on the beach or walk the trails or visit Seney National Wildlife Refuge, or they want to see some of the bird life. There are a lot of reasons for people to come up. There are days when we could get 1,000 people coming through the museum, but there also might be 2,000 on site that day, so we can be pretty busy up this way,” Lynn explained.
   While the museum is closed Nov. 1 – April 30, the property is open to the public year-round.
   Lynn noted that there will be a 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Nov. 10. No tickets are needed to attend; however, there are strict rules that must be followed.
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating (seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell) will be set up for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5 p.m.
   A ceremony will be held only for family members and dignitaries at 7:00 PM, which will be live-streamed for the public.
   Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.

[Soo Leader]

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events

   WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975.  The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time

Split Rock lighthouse on Lake Superior to shine 
beacon for Edmund Fitzgerald memorial ceremony

   TWO HARBORS, MN – One of the most famous lighthouses on the Great Lakes will again be hosting an Edmund Fitzgerald memorial service this year, and the gathering marking the 50th anniversary of the freighter’s tragic loss is expected to draw thousands to the clifftop site.
   Split Rock Lighthouse will host its annual event on Nov. 10, a half-century after the Fitzgerald sank in a violent storm off Whitefish Point at the southern end of Lake Superior.
   At the service, all 29 names will be read aloud to the tolling of a bell. Then Split Rock’s beacon will be lit in tribute to those lost.
   The Minnesota Historical Society will be hosting the event. The lighthouse, perched atop a high, rocky cliff, sits more than 130 feet above Lake Superior. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States.
   “We’re just trying to provide a little place for memory and for remembrance and to really put into perspective the power of the lake,” site manager Hayes Scriven told Minnesota Public Radio recently. “So that’s why we think it’s very important for us to keep doing this.”
   The Split Rock Lighthouse event is one of many taking place across the Great Lakes to honor the memory of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s crew. In Michigan, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point will be holding a public remembrance event on Nov. 10, as well as a private ceremony for the relatives of the Fitzgerald’s crew.
   The Mariners’ Church of Detroit also has memorial events planned for November. You can see the lineup here: https://marinerschurchofdetroit.org/edmund-fitzgerald/

[M Live]

Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.

PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
    *(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.) 
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
   A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
   The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.

[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]

National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]

VIDEO: Senate hearing focuses on reviving U.S. commercial shipbuilding

Written by Nick Blenkey

   How do we modernize and accelerate U.S. commercial shipbuilding while strengthening America’s broader maritime industrial base? That was the focus of a senate subcommittee hearing titled “Sea Change: Reviving Commercial Shipbuilding.”
   Convened by U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, the hearing heard testimony from four private industry and policy experts:

Matt Paxton, president, Shipbuilders Council of America,
Jeff Vogel, vice president of legal, TOTE Services,
Dr. Salvatore Mercogliano, professor, Campbell University,
Tuuli Snow, talent acquisition & engagement manager, Snow & Company, Inc.

   “Our national defense requires a robust commercial shipbuilding and repair sector to sustain our military fleet construction and maintenance, provide surge capacity in crises, and assure sealift and logistics in time of war,” Matt Paxton said in his prepared statement. ”The Navy itself has warned that the shipyard and supplier base remains fragile and could struggle to recover from another boom-bust cycle. The more we cede commercial ship construction to foreign state-backed producers, the more we hollow out the workforce, reduce competition, and raise long-term costs for defense programs.”
   “The USTR’s Section 301 investigation into China’s targeting of maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding for sectoral dominance found that for nearly three decades China has executed a coordinated, non-market industrial strategy to seize market share, suppress prices, and consolidate upstream supply chains, with explicit market-share targets and sweeping five-year plans, and that these practices burden or restrict U.S. commerce. That targeting is inseparable from national security risk. Chinese state-owned or state-supported entities have amassed extraordinary capacity and influence across shipbuilding, ports, logistics platforms, and equipment. The result is a global maritime ecosystem increasingly dependent on non-market actors whose incentives are not aligned with U.S security interests.
   “These dynamics carry concrete operational risks. The United States must maintain a sufficient U.S.-flag commercial fleet, a reliable tanker fleet, and a resilient domestic repair and conversion capacity. When we cannot meet these needs with U.S.-built ships and American yards, we become dependent on foreign construction, foreign dry docks, and foreign inputs.”
   Paxton noted that the SCA strongly supports the SHIPS for America Act, whose lead sponsors are U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), but added the caveat that SCA would like to see language around domestic ship repair strengthened.
   “This legislation is the right tool to turn consensus into action, providing a clear national vision with whole-of-government strategic objectives and lines of effort and providing the sustained demand signals and policy architecture our industry needs to invest in people, processes, and infrastructure,” said Paxton. It would strengthen the commercial base that undergirds our defense shipbuilding, modernize and expand critical supplier capacity, and reinforce the mariner pipeline essential to sealift.”
   “Building on this committee’s demonstrated commitment to restoring American maritime

leadership, several complementary initiatives now stand poised to accelerate the revitalization of
U.S. shipbuilding,” said Vogel. :The SHIPS for America Act, S.1541, together with the forthcoming release of the Maritime Action Plan (“MAP”) in accordance with Executive Order 14629: Restoring
America’s Maritime Dominance, reflect the forward-thinking leadership that will revive U.S.
shipbuilding and usher in a new era of industrial innovation, strengthening our national defense,
driving economic growth, and reinforcing homeland security through a modern maritime industrial
base”
   “As an active participant and observer of the U.S. maritime industry, I have witnessed its long decline,” said Dr. Mercogliano, “The SHIPs Act, introduced by Senators Kelly and Young, is the most significant maritime reform effort since the Merchant Marine Act of 1970. Along with measures such as the U.S. Trade Representative’s Section 301 port fees and President Trump’s Executive Order on Shipbuilding, this legislation represents a critical step toward transforming the United States from a purely naval power into a true maritime power with a revitalized commercial sector.”
   “Shipping and shipbuilding are absolutely essential to the livelihood and strength of our country and economy,” said Tuuli Snow. “My request today, from all of you, is for an investment in the maritime industry. “ You download the witnesses prepared statements at the links below, but it’s well worth the time to watch the entire video of the hearing including the discussions that followed.
   U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), lead sponsors of the SHIPS for America Act, released the following statement after the hearing.
   “Today’s hearing made clear that there is growing, bipartisan momentum to rebuild American shipbuilding, which will be good for our economy and national security. This hearing is an important step in getting the SHIPS for America Act passed to revitalize our maritime and shipbuilding industries.
   “We’ll keep working in Congress and with maritime leaders to pass our bill that will create good-paying jobs and counter China’s dominance over the oceans.”

Click on the link below for video:
https://www.marinelog.com/shipbuilding/video-senate-hearing-focuses-on-reviving-u-s-commercial-shipbuilding/?utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=54576

Gales of November Conference Honors Fitzgerald 50th

   DULUTH, MN – Lake Superior Marine Museum Association presents Gales of November2025, a two-day conference Nov 7-8 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. This special event brings together maritime historians, lighthouse preservationists, and Great Lakes experts for a weekend of reflection, education, and storytelling
   Attendees can look forward to in-depth presentations on shipwreck research, lighthouse restoration, and the evolution of theories surrounding the Fitzgerald disaster. The conference also includes updates from the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, buffet luncheons and a silent auction.
   Gales of November offers an opportunity to honor the men lost aboard the Fitzgerald and celebrate those who continue to preserve the legacy of Great Lakes shipping and maritime history.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER AT: destinationduluth.co/GalesOfNovConf

Great Lakes Maritime Institute Marks Fitzgerald Anniversary

Season wraps up Oct. 31 at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Oct. 31 is the last day to visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point before it closes up for the season. It will reopen for the 2026 season on May 1.
   Executive Director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Bruce Lynn, said it has been a banner year for attendance at the museum.
   “Each year we get about, in the range, of about 75,000 visitors (paid tickets) coming through the May 1 and Oct. 31, with most of that being between in June, July and August. This year, we will be right around the 80,000 visitor mark. But that is only part of the story, too, because some have already been through the museum a few times before, so they come up and spend time on the beach or walk the trails or visit Seney National Wildlife Refuge, or they want to see some of the bird life. There are a lot of reasons for people to come up. There are days when we could get 1,000 people coming through the museum, but there also might be 2,000 on site that day, so we can be pretty busy up this way,” Lynn explained.
   While the museum is closed Nov. 1 – April 30, the property is open to the public year-round.
   Lynn noted that there will be a 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Nov. 10. No tickets are needed to attend; however, there are strict rules that must be followed.
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating (seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell) will be set up for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5 p.m.
   A ceremony will be held only for family members and dignitaries at 7:00 PM, which will be live-streamed for the public.
   Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.

[Soo Leader]

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events

   WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975.  The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time

Split Rock lighthouse on Lake Superior to shine 
beacon for Edmund Fitzgerald memorial ceremony

   TWO HARBORS, MN – One of the most famous lighthouses on the Great Lakes will again be hosting an Edmund Fitzgerald memorial service this year, and the gathering marking the 50th anniversary of the freighter’s tragic loss is expected to draw thousands to the clifftop site.
   Split Rock Lighthouse will host its annual event on Nov. 10, a half-century after the Fitzgerald sank in a violent storm off Whitefish Point at the southern end of Lake Superior.
   At the service, all 29 names will be read aloud to the tolling of a bell. Then Split Rock’s beacon will be lit in tribute to those lost.
   The Minnesota Historical Society will be hosting the event. The lighthouse, perched atop a high, rocky cliff, sits more than 130 feet above Lake Superior. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States.
   “We’re just trying to provide a little place for memory and for remembrance and to really put into perspective the power of the lake,” site manager Hayes Scriven told Minnesota Public Radio recently. “So that’s why we think it’s very important for us to keep doing this.”
   The Split Rock Lighthouse event is one of many taking place across the Great Lakes to honor the memory of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s crew. In Michigan, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point will be holding a public remembrance event on Nov. 10, as well as a private ceremony for the relatives of the Fitzgerald’s crew.
   The Mariners’ Church of Detroit also has memorial events planned for November. You can see the lineup here: https://marinerschurchofdetroit.org/edmund-fitzgerald/

[M Live]

Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.

PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
    *(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.) 
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
   A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
   The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.

[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]

National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]

Gales of November Conference Honors Fitzgerald 50th

   DULUTH, MN – Lake Superior Marine Museum Association presents Gales of November2025, a two-day conference Nov 7-8 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. This special event brings together maritime historians, lighthouse preservationists, and Great Lakes experts for a weekend of reflection, education, and storytelling
   Attendees can look forward to in-depth presentations on shipwreck research, lighthouse restoration, and the evolution of theories surrounding the Fitzgerald disaster. The conference also includes updates from the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, buffet luncheons and a silent auction.
   Gales of November offers an opportunity to honor the men lost aboard the Fitzgerald and celebrate those who continue to preserve the legacy of Great Lakes shipping and maritime history.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER AT: destinationduluth.co/GalesOfNovConf

Great Lakes Maritime Institute Marks Fitzgerald Anniversary

Season wraps up Oct. 31 at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Oct. 31 is the last day to visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point before it closes up for the season. It will reopen for the 2026 season on May 1.
   Executive Director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Bruce Lynn, said it has been a banner year for attendance at the museum.
   “Each year we get about, in the range, of about 75,000 visitors (paid tickets) coming through the May 1 and Oct. 31, with most of that being between in June, July and August. This year, we will be right around the 80,000 visitor mark. But that is only part of the story, too, because some have already been through the museum a few times before, so they come up and spend time on the beach or walk the trails or visit Seney National Wildlife Refuge, or they want to see some of the bird life. There are a lot of reasons for people to come up. There are days when we could get 1,000 people coming through the museum, but there also might be 2,000 on site that day, so we can be pretty busy up this way,” Lynn explained.
   While the museum is closed Nov. 1 – April 30, the property is open to the public year-round.
   Lynn noted that there will be a 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Nov. 10. No tickets are needed to attend; however, there are strict rules that must be followed.
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating (seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell) will be set up for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5 p.m.
   A ceremony will be held only for family members and dignitaries at 7:00 PM, which will be live-streamed for the public.
   Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.

[Soo Leader]

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events

   WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975.  The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time

Split Rock lighthouse on Lake Superior to shine 
beacon for Edmund Fitzgerald memorial ceremony

   TWO HARBORS, MN – One of the most famous lighthouses on the Great Lakes will again be hosting an Edmund Fitzgerald memorial service this year, and the gathering marking the 50th anniversary of the freighter’s tragic loss is expected to draw thousands to the clifftop site.
   Split Rock Lighthouse will host its annual event on Nov. 10, a half-century after the Fitzgerald sank in a violent storm off Whitefish Point at the southern end of Lake Superior.
   At the service, all 29 names will be read aloud to the tolling of a bell. Then Split Rock’s beacon will be lit in tribute to those lost.
   The Minnesota Historical Society will be hosting the event. The lighthouse, perched atop a high, rocky cliff, sits more than 130 feet above Lake Superior. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States.
   “We’re just trying to provide a little place for memory and for remembrance and to really put into perspective the power of the lake,” site manager Hayes Scriven told Minnesota Public Radio recently. “So that’s why we think it’s very important for us to keep doing this.”
   The Split Rock Lighthouse event is one of many taking place across the Great Lakes to honor the memory of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s crew. In Michigan, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point will be holding a public remembrance event on Nov. 10, as well as a private ceremony for the relatives of the Fitzgerald’s crew.
   The Mariners’ Church of Detroit also has memorial events planned for November. You can see the lineup here: https://marinerschurchofdetroit.org/edmund-fitzgerald/

[M Live]

Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.

PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
    *(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.) 
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
   A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
   The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.

[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]

National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]

Chi-Cheemaun arrives for winter layup

Chi-Cheemaun arrived Owen Sound this afternoon for winter layup to conclude it 2025 sailing season.

Cargoship ‘Thamesborg’ Arrives in Eastern Canada After 10-week Odyssey, Grounding in Arctic

Malte Humpert
October 26, 2025

   Thamesborg‘s journey from China to Canada was supposed to take just three to four weeks via an Arctic shortcut. It ended up lasting more than two months. Wagenborg’s general cargo ship has reached its originally intended destination of Baie Comeau in eastern Canada.
   The vessel was successfully refloated on October 8, more than a month after running aground in the Franklin Strait along the Northwest Passage. For the past two weeks Thamesborg and its escorts icebreaker Botnica and tug Beverly M I made their way out of the Arctic traveling through the Baffin Bay, Davis Strait and into the St. Lawrence River.
   “Wagenborg report that its general cargo vessel MV Thamesborg has safely arrived in the port of Baie Comeau, Canada where it will start unloading its remaining cargo.  Following discharge operations the vessel will be undergoing repairs at a shipyard to be determined,” the company stated after the vessel arrived in port.
   Based on AIS data Thamesborg remains at anchor close to shore awaiting offloading. Photos taken upon arrival show the vessel traveling under its own power.
   The complex salvage operation involved the transfer of parts of Thamesborg’s cargo to two assisting vessels, Nunalik and Silver Copenhagen. The latter arrived at Baie Comeau two days ahead of the rest of the convoy, with photos taken on October 25 showing it after offloading its cargo. The vessel has since departed the port.
   The grounding incident and refloating wrapped up without pollution or injuries, the Canadian Coast Guard confirmed in its final incident update.
   “The exact cause of the grounding is subject of an investigation which is conducted in full cooperation with the Canadian authorities, including the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB),” Wagenborg reiterated.
   An interim report by the TSB is due within 12 months and should shed light on the cause of the grounding. Some Arctic shipping experts had suggested that Thamesborg took an unusual course through Franklin Strait to the east of the established corridor resulting in it making contact with an unmapped underwater shoal.

Season wraps up Oct. 31 at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Oct. 31 is the last day to visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point before it closes up for the season. It will reopen for the 2026 season on May 1.
   Executive Director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Bruce Lynn, said it has been a banner year for attendance at the museum.
   “Each year we get about, in the range, of about 75,000 visitors (paid tickets) coming through the May 1 and Oct. 31, with most of that being between in June, July and August. This year, we will be right around the 80,000 visitor mark. But that is only part of the story, too, because some have already been through the museum a few times before, so they come up and spend time on the beach or walk the trails or visit Seney National Wildlife Refuge, or they want to see some of the bird life. There are a lot of reasons for people to come up. There are days when we could get 1,000 people coming through the museum, but there also might be 2,000 on site that day, so we can be pretty busy up this way,” Lynn explained.
   While the museum is closed Nov. 1 – April 30, the property is open to the public year-round.
   Lynn noted that there will be a 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Nov. 10. No tickets are needed to attend; however, there are strict rules that must be followed.
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating (seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell) will be set up for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5 p.m.
   A ceremony will be held only for family members and dignitaries at 7:00 PM, which will be live-streamed for the public.
   Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.

[Soo Leader]

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events

   WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975.  The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time

Split Rock lighthouse on Lake Superior to shine 
beacon for Edmund Fitzgerald memorial ceremony

   TWO HARBORS, MN – One of the most famous lighthouses on the Great Lakes will again be hosting an Edmund Fitzgerald memorial service this year, and the gathering marking the 50th anniversary of the freighter’s tragic loss is expected to draw thousands to the clifftop site.
   Split Rock Lighthouse will host its annual event on Nov. 10, a half-century after the Fitzgerald sank in a violent storm off Whitefish Point at the southern end of Lake Superior.
   At the service, all 29 names will be read aloud to the tolling of a bell. Then Split Rock’s beacon will be lit in tribute to those lost.
   The Minnesota Historical Society will be hosting the event. The lighthouse, perched atop a high, rocky cliff, sits more than 130 feet above Lake Superior. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States.
   “We’re just trying to provide a little place for memory and for remembrance and to really put into perspective the power of the lake,” site manager Hayes Scriven told Minnesota Public Radio recently. “So that’s why we think it’s very important for us to keep doing this.”
   The Split Rock Lighthouse event is one of many taking place across the Great Lakes to honor the memory of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s crew. In Michigan, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point will be holding a public remembrance event on Nov. 10, as well as a private ceremony for the relatives of the Fitzgerald’s crew.
   The Mariners’ Church of Detroit also has memorial events planned for November. You can see the lineup here: https://marinerschurchofdetroit.org/edmund-fitzgerald/

[M Live]

Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.

PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
    *(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.) 
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
   A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
   The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.

[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]

National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]

Season wraps up Oct. 31 at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Oct. 31 is the last day to visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point before it closes up for the season. It will reopen for the 2026 season on May 1.
   Executive Director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Bruce Lynn, said it has been a banner year for attendance at the museum.
   “Each year we get about, in the range, of about 75,000 visitors (paid tickets) coming through the May 1 and Oct. 31, with most of that being between in June, July and August. This year, we will be right around the 80,000 visitor mark. But that is only part of the story, too, because some have already been through the museum a few times before, so they come up and spend time on the beach or walk the trails or visit Seney National Wildlife Refuge, or they want to see some of the bird life. There are a lot of reasons for people to come up. There are days when we could get 1,000 people coming through the museum, but there also might be 2,000 on site that day, so we can be pretty busy up this way,” Lynn explained.
   While the museum is closed Nov. 1 – April 30, the property is open to the public year-round.
   Lynn noted that there will be a 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Nov. 10. No tickets are needed to attend; however, there are strict rules that must be followed.
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating (seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell) will be set up for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5 p.m.
   A ceremony will be held only for family members and dignitaries at 7:00 PM, which will be live-streamed for the public.
   Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.

[Soo Leader]

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events

   WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975.  The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time

Split Rock lighthouse on Lake Superior to shine 
beacon for Edmund Fitzgerald memorial ceremony

   TWO HARBORS, MN – One of the most famous lighthouses on the Great Lakes will again be hosting an Edmund Fitzgerald memorial service this year, and the gathering marking the 50th anniversary of the freighter’s tragic loss is expected to draw thousands to the clifftop site.
   Split Rock Lighthouse will host its annual event on Nov. 10, a half-century after the Fitzgerald sank in a violent storm off Whitefish Point at the southern end of Lake Superior.
   At the service, all 29 names will be read aloud to the tolling of a bell. Then Split Rock’s beacon will be lit in tribute to those lost.
   The Minnesota Historical Society will be hosting the event. The lighthouse, perched atop a high, rocky cliff, sits more than 130 feet above Lake Superior. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States.
   “We’re just trying to provide a little place for memory and for remembrance and to really put into perspective the power of the lake,” site manager Hayes Scriven told Minnesota Public Radio recently. “So that’s why we think it’s very important for us to keep doing this.”
   The Split Rock Lighthouse event is one of many taking place across the Great Lakes to honor the memory of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s crew. In Michigan, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point will be holding a public remembrance event on Nov. 10, as well as a private ceremony for the relatives of the Fitzgerald’s crew.
   The Mariners’ Church of Detroit also has memorial events planned for November. You can see the lineup here: https://marinerschurchofdetroit.org/edmund-fitzgerald/

[M Live]

Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.

PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
    *(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.) 
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
   A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
   The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.

[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]

National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]

Tug Ocean Tower on way to Manitowoc to load New Konecranes

   Heading to Manitowoc, Wisconsin is Dann Ocean Towing Co’s OCEAN TOWER. This will be its first transit of the Seaway since 2011. Estimated arrival around November 1st. Photos taken in Cote Ste-Catherine on November 17, 2011.
   Heading for Manitowoc, Wisconsin, is the tug OCEAN TOWER owned by Dann Ocean Towing Co. This will be its first transit of the Seaway since 2011. ETA on or about Nov. 1st. Photos taken at Côte Ste-Catherine on November 17, 2011.

[Rene Beauchamp]

Boo on the Boat Marks Halloween
at National Museum of the Great Lakes

   Toledo, Ohio – The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) invites families to celebrate Halloween at Boo on the Boat, happening Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26. Join us during museum hours for Halloween fun aboard two of Toledo’s most historic haunts—the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio.
   Costumed trick-or-treaters can explore the pilothouses and galleys, collecting treats in pre-portioned, sealed bags at haunted stations along the way. The event offers a frightfully fun way for young explorers to dive into Great Lakes history while enjoying the spooky season.

[See details in the gallery below.]

Split Rock lighthouse on Lake Superior to shine 
beacon for Edmund Fitzgerald memorial ceremony

   TWO HARBORS, MN – One of the most famous lighthouses on the Great Lakes will again be hosting an Edmund Fitzgerald memorial service this year, and the gathering marking the 50th anniversary of the freighter’s tragic loss is expected to draw thousands to the clifftop site.
   Split Rock Lighthouse will host its annual event on Nov. 10, a half-century after the Fitzgerald sank in a violent storm off Whitefish Point at the southern end of Lake Superior.
   At the service, all 29 names will be read aloud to the tolling of a bell. Then Split Rock’s beacon will be lit in tribute to those lost.
   The Minnesota Historical Society will be hosting the event. The lighthouse, perched atop a high, rocky cliff, sits more than 130 feet above Lake Superior. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States.
   “We’re just trying to provide a little place for memory and for remembrance and to really put into perspective the power of the lake,” site manager Hayes Scriven told Minnesota Public Radio recently. “So that’s why we think it’s very important for us to keep doing this.”
   The Split Rock Lighthouse event is one of many taking place across the Great Lakes to honor the memory of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s crew. In Michigan, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point will be holding a public remembrance event on Nov. 10, as well as a private ceremony for the relatives of the Fitzgerald’s crew.
   The Mariners’ Church of Detroit also has memorial events planned for November. You can see the lineup here: https://marinerschurchofdetroit.org/edmund-fitzgerald/

[M Live]

Season wraps up Oct. 31 at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Oct. 31 is the last day to visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point before it closes up for the season. It will reopen for the 2026 season on May 1.
   Executive Director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Bruce Lynn, said it has been a banner year for attendance at the museum.
   “Each year we get about, in the range, of about 75,000 visitors (paid tickets) coming through the May 1 and Oct. 31, with most of that being between in June, July and August. This year, we will be right around the 80,000 visitor mark. But that is only part of the story, too, because some have already been through the museum a few times before, so they come up and spend time on the beach or walk the trails or visit Seney National Wildlife Refuge, or they want to see some of the bird life. There are a lot of reasons for people to come up. There are days when we could get 1,000 people coming through the museum, but there also might be 2,000 on site that day, so we can be pretty busy up this way,” Lynn explained.
   While the museum is closed Nov. 1 – April 30, the property is open to the public year-round.
   Lynn noted that there will be a 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Nov. 10. No tickets are needed to attend; however, there are strict rules that must be followed.
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating (seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell) will be set up for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5 p.m.
   A ceremony will be held only for family members and dignitaries at 7:00 PM, which will be live-streamed for the public.
   Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.

[Soo Leader]

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events

   WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975.  The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time

Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.

PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
    *(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.) 
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
   A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
   The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.

[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]

National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]

Michigan is paying $600K to settle a police case and getting an artifact from a famous shipwreck

   DETROIT – The state of Michigan has acquired a life ring that washed ashore 50 years ago from the Edmund Fitzgerald, a rare artifact that strangely became part of a settlement in a lawsuit that had nothing to do with the famous shipwreck.
   Taxpayers are paying $600,000 to settle the lawsuit by Larry Orr, who accused a state police officer of violating his rights during a sexual abuse investigation that was discredited, court records show.
   Orr, in turn, agreed to give up the life ring, which he owned. U.S. Magistrate Judge David Grand said it was an “unusual settlement conference” when lawyers appeared in court on Oct. 8 and put the deal on the record.
   The Associated Press reached out to the state police this week to try to learn why it wanted the life ring and who had authorized Lt. David Busacca’s attorney to bargain for it.
   “Upon learning the details of the settlement, we are not comfortable with the life preserver being included and will be reaching out to Mr. Orr’s attorney,” spokesperson Shanon Banner said in an email Thursday.
   Banner wouldn’t answer follow-up questions. The state already has the orange ring.
   Orr found it on the Lake Superior shore after the Fitzgerald sank during an incredible storm in November 1975. All 29 men on the ore vessel died. Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot memorialized the disaster with an iconic ballad, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
   Orr had planned to auction the ring, figuring it might attract more attention around the 50th anniversary in a few weeks, said his attorney Shannon Smith.
   Busacca apparently knew that Orr had one, and it was suddenly brought up during talks to settle Orr’s lawsuit against him, Smith said.
   She said it probably represented half the value of the $600,000 deal reached over allegations of police misconduct.
   “Are we at a mediation for a wrongful prosecution or an estate sale?” Smith said she wondered.
   Busacca’s lawyer, Audrey Forbush, declined to comment when reached by AP. Orr, who is in his 70s, also declined to comment.
   The life ring had been on loan to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula until Orr retrieved it this year.
   “They’re pretty unusual,” museum director Bruce Lynn said. “I don’t honestly have any idea how many are out there.”

[AP, WOOD TV]

Kahlenberg horns made in Two Rivers echo on sea, land and in sporting venues worldwide

   TWO RIVERS (WLUK) — When it’s time to make some noise, Kahlenberg Industries literally sounds the horn.
   From super yachts to NHL arenas and NFL stadiums, the Two Rivers company is making its mark around the world.
   The Kahlenberg Brothers Company started making engines in Two Rivers in 1895. 130 years later, in the same building where it all started, the brothers’ company has expanded. While they’ve moved away from engines, a main focus of what is now known as Kahlenberg Industries is producing horns.
   “You know, we often say they’re the Rolls Royce of horns in the marine industry,” says sales manager Alex Kahlenberg, a fifth-generation member of the business.
   From commercial vessels to super yachts, Kahlenberg makes horns for ships of all sizes. For tugboats    the sounds of Kahlenberg horns are literally heard around the world. The T3A is one of the most popular. It can been seen on yachts anywhere from 40 meters and up.
   That loud sound from a Kahlenberg horn was music to the ears of Chicago Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz back in the 1970s.
   “He liked the sound of his horn on his yacht, so he wanted to put it in the arena,” Kahlenberg said. “And, you know, that was a tradition that they started — sounding the horn after goals — and it became a leaguewide tradition to blast the horn after a goal.”
   Fifty years later, Kahlenberg horns are in almost all NHL arenas. Their most recent installation was in Salt Lake City, following a special request from the Utah Mammoth of the NHL.
   “When they came to us looking for a goal horn, they had a specific chord in mind and were wondering if we could replicate that chord, and luckily, we were able to, because you know, it’s a very large air horn that’s powered through a diaphragm,” said Kahlenberg.and military aircraft carriers, the horn is most likely a Kahlenberg.
   The organization put out a video to introduce its new sound.
   “They are a C sharp major chord. They have a C sharp and F, a G sharp and a B,” said Kahlenberg about the Mammoth’s sound.
   Four notes from four horns that make up one of the most unique goal horns in the NHL.
    “It’s been amazing to see the history, see the hard work that’s been put in every day by our workers, to you know, give the fans an experience they can remember,” Kahlenberg said.
   Kahlenberg horns can be found in plenty of other sporting venues, too.
For example, in the NFL realm, Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, has one.
See full article and all videos on this story at this link:      https://fox11online.com/news/local/kahlenberg-horns-echo-on-sea-land-and-sporting-venues-worldwide-nhl-utah-mommoth-chicago-blackhawks-goal-horns-family-business-yacht

Boo on the Boat Marks Halloween
at National Museum of the Great Lakes

   Toledo, Ohio – The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) invites families to celebrate Halloween at Boo on the Boat, happening Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26. Join us during museum hours for Halloween fun aboard two of Toledo’s most historic haunts—the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio.
   Costumed trick-or-treaters can explore the pilothouses and galleys, collecting treats in pre-portioned, sealed bags at haunted stations along the way. The event offers a frightfully fun way for young explorers to dive into Great Lakes history while enjoying the spooky season.

[See details in the gallery below.]

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events

   WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975.  The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time

Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.

PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
    *(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.) 
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
   A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
   The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.

[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]

National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]

MI reps. request Trump administration send at least 1 new icebreaker from Finland to the Great Lakes

   Two U.S. representatives from Michigan are asking the federal government to send at least one new icebreaker ship to the Great Lakes as part of a deal between the U.S. and Finland.
   Earlier this month, President Donald Trump and Finnish President Alexander Stubb signed a memorandum of understanding that would allow the U.S. to purchase 11 new icebreakers from the Nordic nation.
   On Tuesday, Rep. Tom Barrett (R – MI 7) and Rep. Hillary Scholten (D – MI 3) wrote a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, urging the office to ensure at least one of the new ships will be planned for winter navigation on the Great Lakes.
   “The Great Lakes can easily be overlooked by some as part of the Coast Guard’s mission. Relentless winters on the Great Lakes often result in heavy ice accumulation that only icebreakers can navigate through. Without these USCG vessels consistently patrolling the water border between the United States and Canada, our federal law enforcement will be unable to effectively deter border crossings year-round,” the letter reads. “The Great Lakes are also key pillars of our economy, creating $3.1 trillion in gross domestic products and employing 25.8 million people. A failure to keep them clear of ice can lead to major economic loss and threaten thousands of jobs, which makes the procurement of a new icebreaker even more significant.”
   Under the MOU between the U.S. and Finland, four ships will be built in Finland and up to seven additional ships will be built at U.S. shipyards
   The full letter can be read by clicking on this link:  https://barrett.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/barrett.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/quill-letter-l30056-ice-breakers-for-the-great-lakes-version-1-10-21-2025-09-33-am.pdf

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events

   WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975.  The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time

Boo on the Boat Marks Halloween
at National Museum of the Great Lakes

   Toledo, Ohio – The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) invites families to celebrate Halloween at Boo on the Boat, happening Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26. Join us during museum hours for Halloween fun aboard two of Toledo’s most historic haunts—the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio.
   Costumed trick-or-treaters can explore the pilothouses and galleys, collecting treats in pre-portioned, sealed bags at haunted stations along the way. The event offers a frightfully fun way for young explorers to dive into Great Lakes history while enjoying the spooky season.

[See details in the gallery below.]

Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.

PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
    *(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.) 
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
   A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
   The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.

[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]

National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events

   WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975.  The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time

Boo on the Boat Marks Halloween
at National Museum of the Great Lakes

   Toledo, Ohio – The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) invites families to celebrate Halloween at Boo on the Boat, happening Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26. Join us during museum hours for Halloween fun aboard two of Toledo’s most historic haunts—the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio.
   Costumed trick-or-treaters can explore the pilothouses and galleys, collecting treats in pre-portioned, sealed bags at haunted stations along the way. The event offers a frightfully fun way for young explorers to dive into Great Lakes history while enjoying the spooky season.

[See details in the gallery below.]

Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.

PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
   Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
    *(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.) 
   Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
   No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
   Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
   Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
   A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
   The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.

[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]

National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]