Ships Due Soon on Rising Lakes; Princess Wenonah, Appledore Eye New Season
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Great Lakes shipping expert Steve Hause, a Saginaw firefighter, snapped this shot of a tug-barge combination ship on the Saginaw River last season.
The spring shipping season is nearly upon us and ship watchers are keeping their eagle eyes out for the first vessel of the season on the Saginaw River.
It's been only since the first week of January that shipping was suspended on the river and crews had an unusually short layoff before recently reporting back to work.
Ships began moving in the St. Lawrence River Feb. 25 and the steamer Alpena left winter layup in Cleveland March 4 to pick up cement at Lafarge bound for Chicago and Milwaukee. Muskegon soon will see the Tug Jacklyn M/Barge Integrity, the season's first big about 1,000 foot long barge/tug combos that seem to be dominating lakes shipping. Jacklyn M/Integrity, frequent callers in the Saginaw River, is reported enroute from Waukegan, Illinois, after ice breaking by tugs at Lafarge.
In anticipation of the new season on the lakes, about 50 observers of Great Lakes shipping gathered recently with the Saginaw River Marine Historical Society at Trinity Episcopal parish hall to enjoy a terrific pictorial review of ships by Saginaw firefighter Steve Hause, whose hobby is tracking lakes shipping.
The knowledgeable Hause described a struggling lakes shipping business, with nonew freighters built in 20 years and worn out ships being towed to India for scrapping. Several shipping lines, notably Oglebay Norton, are bankrupt and is reportedly being taken over by American Steamship Co. The once-fabulous U.S. Steel lakes fleet is fading out of existence.
The narrow Saginaw River is a trial for the long barge/tugs, some getting stuck between Bay City and Saginaw and one not able to unload and having to be towed back to the bay. Many ships have to back out of the river.
Frustrated captains have been quoted on the Saginaw River as saying: "Too much work for too little cargo," indicating that our long history as a center of lakes traffic is diminishing. However, the higher water levels will no doubt help.
No doubt Bay City will soon see the the tug-barges and big "bow thruster" ships at the Wirt Stone Dock, largest customer here for the lakes shipping fleet. The new ship technology on the Lakes is personified by the specially-designed American Republic, that has four propellors and eight rudders and is manned by two captains. The 1,000 foot Walter J. McCarthy is so long she is unable to go through bridges, confined to unloading coal at Consumer Power's Karn-Weadock complex at the mouth of the river. The McCarthy unloads its coal and then backs up six or seven miles into the bay before it can turn around and head to the next port.
Today's most utilitarian ship-barge combos include those with modern hyphenated names like Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder, Rebecca Lynn/tank barge, McKee Sons/Invincible, Great Lakes Trader/Joyce L. Van Enkevort, Tug James A. Hannah/Barge 5101,Tug Gregory J. Busch/Barge STC 2004, Tug Karen Andrie/Barge A-397. Hause says these hybrid ships are the "futureof the Great Lakes."
Traditional vessels calling here frequently include CSL Tadoussac, Calumet, Maumee, Mississagi, Alpena, Canadian Transfer, Capt. Ralph Tucker, a tanker which made its first visit to the river last December, Algoway, and Sam Laud, as well as the Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock.
Ironically, lakes shipping has come full circle in 100 years. The old Davidson-type barge/steamers of the 1880s operated under a similar concept as the tug/barge combos of today. One hull is chiefly for cargo and the other provides the power. The main difference is that the barges were towed by the steamers in the 1880s and today they are pushed by tugs, many of which snuggle into special niches at the stern of the carrier.
If the usual patterns prevail, ships will arrive to snarl vehicle traffic on the city's four bridges only occasionally until early May when ships begin a more steady parade to local docks and begin more frequent trips into Saginaw. However, the excitment of last August's tall ship festival will be hard to match this year.
Interestingly, salt is the main cargo brought here, a place which once produced mounds of salt from brine wells that dotted the town.
Because of lowwater levels, the narrow banks and changes in shipping technology, the Saginaw River is no longer a place that ships are built or lay up for the winter. The last of the Bay City-built freighters has passed from the lakes trade. But we have a new focus: tourism. Again, following the pattern of 100 years ago, the excursion boat trade has picked up here. Four vessels exclusively for tourism and educational purposes are moored at the Wenonah Park dock, being prepared for another busy season.
BaySail's executive director Roger Nugent is out at Appledore in Wenonah Park on a chilly day refreshing the varnish on a weathered spar, readying the ship for a new season.
Cruise boats Princess Wenonah, with a fresh coat of paint and a multi-colored princess gracing the bow, and Islander are waiting at the dock for crews and passengers to begin streaming aboard.
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