Great lake boats, a good video

[ArlyA]

I totally understand all the reasons why they converted a lot of the old lake freighters to barges but I don't feel the same level of nostalgia watching a barge vs an actual lake freighter

The Presque Isle was built as we see today in 1970.
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Presque Isle (barge)
IMO N/A

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Presque Isle was constructed as a self-unloading integrated tug/barge unit for Litton Great Lakes Corporation. The tug/barge unit was intended to operate as part of Litton's Wilson Transit Company, but Litton sold Wilson before the barge was completed. The tugboat was constructed by Halter Marine of New Orleans, Louisiana. The barge was constructed by two different shipyards on the Great Lakes. The bow portion of Presque Isle was built by Defoe Shipbuilding in Bay City, Michigan, being towed to Erie, Pennsylvania by the tugs Laurence C. Turner and Maryland in October 1972. The cargo section and notch were being built by Litton Industries' Erie Marine Shipyard where the 1,000-Footer Stewart J. Cort was built the year before. The bow section was welded to the cargo section in early 1973. The tug/barge Presque Isle was designed as an integrated tug/barge unit, with the tug fitting into a specially-designed notch where it would rigidly lock in, and the pair would sail as one vessel. It was designed with intentions to take advantage of the U.S. Coast Guard's tug/barge manning requirements, but since the tug was not deemed seaworthy on its own, it had to operate with a full-size crew. The pair was built at a cost of about $35 Million under Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970. The barge portion of the unit was 1000' long, 104' 07" wide, and 46' 06" deep, being capable of carrying 57,500 Tons at a mid-summer draft of 28' 07". The pair entered service on December 16, 1973, hauling one load of ore before laying up at Erie, Pennsylvania, for the winter. In 1975, the United States Steel Corporation, experiencing shipyard delays, signed a 25-year lease on Presque Isle with Litton Great Lakes Corporation. U. S. Steel wanted to build a few 1,000-Footers, but backlogs at shipyards forced them to wait. The agreement proved to be a win-win, as U.S. Steel needed a 1,000-Footer, and Litton wanted to find a home for theirs. Presque Isle fit in well with the U.S. Steel trade routes, carrying ore from their upper lakes docks to their mill in Gary. If demand was low, Presque Isle had large enough cubic capacities to be efficient in the coal and stone trades as well. Upon entering service for U.S. Steel, she went right to work as part of their winter navigation fleet during the late 1970's. On April 12, 1990, Presque Isle rammed the approach wall to the Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. She was repaired at Superior, Wisconsin a few days later. Presque Isle became the first vessel to utilize the unloading hopper at the DM&IR ore dock at Duluth on July 25, 1995. The hopper was installed to receive shipments of limestone for use in making taconite pellets. USS Great Lakes Fleet, Presque Isle's operator, acquired 100% of Litton Great Lakes Corporation stock on November 1, 1997. Full ownership of the tug/barge pair was taken over by USS Great Lakes Fleet in 1998. Blackstone Capital Partners, majority stockholders of USS Great Lakes Fleet, sold the fleet in 2001, being renamed Great Lakes Fleet, Inc. after ownership was transferred to the Canadian National Railway. The fleet's ships remained under U.S. ownership. Presque Isle finally received her black and grey diagonal stripes on her bow in the early 2010's. Presque Isle continues to serve the iron ore, coal, and stone trades on the Great Lakes for Great Lakes Fleet, Inc. of Duluth, Minnesota. Written by Brendan Falkowski.​

 

[ArlyA]

The James Barker leaves Duluth MN and the Oakglen arrives on April 3rd. Got to love the Barkers horn.

 

[jjeff]

The James Barker leaves Duluth MN and the Oakglen arrives on April 3rd. Got to love the Barkers horn.

I wonder if the horn on the Barker is a Kahlannberg horn?

 

[ArlyA]

A nice drone vidieo of the earlier boats in the St Mary's river. This is the river that drains Lake Superior and below the Soo locks.

 

[ArlyA]

Its so, so breezy here today most boats came off the lake or on the south shore . It like 5mph gusts today. A live lake traffic map can be seen here.

 

[ArlyA]

The buoy tender Hollyhock was passing through here and the big wind we had today made them tie up to wait the wind out. They are reinstalling our canals navigation buoys here. Here is a pic I found on the web.

As seen in Lilly pond located here. The buoys can be seen behind the boat and on the shore.

One of the sailors likes mutts.

 

[MossRoad]

Went to the Art Institute of Chicago today. On the way home, stopped in traffic on I94, looked to my left at the International Port of Illinois, and noticed a ship sitting there rotting away. Zoom in for picture. Also did a quick search and found the following video with info about it. Enjoy.

 

[ArlyA]

Badger in the News
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SS Badger enters federal funding program as LMC explores power conversion

Ludington, MI – The SS Badger was recently accepted into a federal funding program, opening the carferry up for grant opportunities and designating its route to Manitowoc as a shortcut on a marine highway.

The carferry was enrolled in the America’s Marine Highway Program, which promotes traffic on waterways to support maritime jobs and relieve congestion on land.

Being enrolled in the program, funded last month for $25 million, makes the Badger eligible for grants that could pay for a variety of projects.

Past grants have been spent on a freight service carrying fresh produce across the Long Island Sound; a specialized dock for loading and unloading space launch equipment; and improved freight shipping, among other things.

Lake Michigan Carferry, which owns the Badger, isn’t yet working toward “anything specific,” according to General Manager Sara Spore. But there has been talk of applying for funds to “repower” the carferry, converting the country’s last large coal-fired steamship to a cleaner energy source, she said.

“We’re doing studies of the feasibility” of such a conversion, Spore said, “but, you know, there’s a lot of work that has to go into a project like that. … We have to do the engineering studies and really look at it.”

Other possibilities for a power source include diesel fuel, battery power and liquefied natural gas, she said. Liquefied natural gas is natural gas cooled until it becomes liquid, decreasing its volume and making it easier to transport.

The Badger in recent years was outfitted with a more efficient system that burns less coal and stores coal ash on board for later disposal on land. Previously, ash had been dumped into Lake Michigan.

The carferry’s enrollment in the program also tacks its route onto Marine Highway M-90, which spans the Great Lakes and the Erie Canal. Projects are only funded along designated marine highways.

That doesn’t change anything about the water route being classified as a continuation of U.S. 10. Until a recent paint job, that fact had been emblazoned on the back of the ship, and Spore said it will return soon.

“People are pretty worried about that. It’ll be going back up,” she said. “There’s still some painting and work that has to be done. We are still the extension of the highway.”

The America’s Marine Highway Program has awarded more than $51.7 million in grants since it was created in 2014.

 

[MossRoad]

Wouldn't it be curious to take a submarine across the lake under the same path that the Badger has taken all these years and see what's on the bottom?

 

[jjeff]

Wouldn't it be curious to take a submarine across the lake under the same path that the Badger has taken all these years and see what's on the bottom?

I'd guess a lot of sunglasses, kids toys, and Jimmy Hoffa.