The MacArthur Lock officially open for the 2024 shipping season SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Harvest Spirit was the first ship of the season  heading downbound through the MacArthur Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, MI, on Thursday. The MacArthur Lock winter maintenance work included a dam safety periodic inspection to determine asset performance and conditions. These assessments drive future repairs to ensure the lock stays operational. In addition, crews also performed a wide range of other maintenance tasks from fender timber replacements on the piers, to inspections and preventative maintenance on electrical and mechanical systems U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,…

Port and vessel activity from Friday, April 26 , 2024, compiled by Tom Geiger, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports and pictures to [email protected] You can Now visit Matt Miner’s Saltie page at  https://boatnerd.com/foreign-vessels-on-the-lakes-2024/ PORT REPORT 4/27/2024 ST JOHN’S        [CASJF] 4/26/2024  Maersk Mobiliser-DEPARTED-4:42 PM 4/26/2024  Oceanex Avalon-DEPARTED-7:06 PM 4/26/2024  PR Sirius-DEPARTED-7:48 PM 4/26/2024  Atlantic griffion-DEPARTED-7:56 PM 4/27/2024  Taskall-IN PORT 4/27/2024  Avalon Sea-IN PORT 4/27/2024  Marsol Dragon-IN PORT 4/27/2024  Mearsk Cutter-IN PORT 4/28/2024  Oceanex Sanderling-ETA-11:25 AM 4/29/2024  Oceanex  Connaigra-ETA-5:51 AM HALIFAX, CANADA     [CAHAL] 4/26/2024  MSC Cornella-DEPARTED-4:02 AM 4/26/2024  Contship Art-SRRIVED-6:02 AM 4/26/2024  Teleost-DEPARTED-10:26 AM 4/26/2024  Silver Arctic-DEPARTED-4:31 PM…

1876:   On 27 April 1876, the Port Huron Times reported, “The steam barge MARY MILLS arrived up this morning and looks ‘flaming’. Her owner said he did not care what color she was painted so long as it was bright red, and she has therefore come out in that color.” 1877:   On 27 April 1877, the 40-foot 2-mast wooden schooner VELOCIPEDE left Racine, Wisconsin, for Muskegon, Michigan, in fair weather, but a severe squall blew in and it developed into a big storm. The little schooner was found capsized and broken in two off Kenosha, Wisconsin, with her crew of…

Port and vessel activity from Thursday, April 25 , 2024, compiled by Tom Geiger, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports and pictures to [email protected] You can Now visit Matt Miner’s Saltie page at  https://boatnerd.com/foreign-vessels-on-the-lakes-2024/ PORT REPORT 4/26/2024 ST JOHN’S        [CASJF] 4/25/2024  Kopit Hopson 1752-DEPARTED-5:32 PM 4/25/2024  Maersk Clipper-DEPARTED-8:34 PM 4/26/2024  Avalon Sea-IN Port 4/26/2024  Oceanex Avalon-ETA-6:58 AM HALIFAX, CANADA     [CAHAL] 4/25/2024  Grand Sapphire-ARRIVED-10:51 AM 4/25/2024  Vivienne Sheri D-ARRIVED-12:41 PM 4/25/2024  Nord Logos-ETA-1:00 PM 4/25/2024  MSC Cornelia-ARRIVED-4:41 PM 4/25/2024  NYK Demeter-DEPARTED-10:18 PM 4/26/2024  East Coast-IN PORT 4/26/2024  Contship Art-ETA-3:47 AM 4/26/2024  Silver Arctic-ETA-6:41 AM 4/26/2024  Delphinus C-ETA-2:39 PM 4/26/2024 …

1859:   On 26 April 1859, the wooden schooner A. SCOTT was carrying limestone blocks for a large Presbyterian church being built at Vermilion, Ohio. The vessel was driven ashore near Vermilion by a gale and was quickly pounded to pieces. Her insurance had expired about ten days earlier. No lives were lost. 1891:   26 April 1891 NORWALK (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 209 foot, 1007 gross tons) was launched by William DuLac at Mount Clemens, Michigan. At first, she was not able to get down the Clinton River to Lake St. Clair due to low water. She lasted until 1916, when…

National Museum of the Great Lakes breaks ground on addition TOLEDO, OH – Amid sunny skies and a brisk wind that occasionally carried a gull or two overhead, the National Museum of the Great Lakes broke ground on a 5,000-square-foot expansion Monday afternoon. The museum’s capital campaign has already raised $4.5 million toward the Second Wave expansion project’s $6 million price tag, which includes construction and exhibit acquisition costs. “Our fundraising efforts for this project are in full swing. We’ve had support from the State of Ohio, forward thinking businesses, generous donors, loyal museum members, and visitors,” said Paul…

Port and vessel activity from Wednesday, April 24 , 2024, compiled by Tom Geiger, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports and pictures to [email protected] You can Now visit Matt Miner’s Saltie page at  https://boatnerd.com/foreign-vessels-on-the-lakes-2024/ PORT REPORT 4/25/2024 ST JOHN’S        [CASJF] 4/24/2024  Atlantic Merlin-DEPARTED-10:59 PM 4/25/2024  Captain Molly Kool-IN PORT 4/25/2024  Maersk Clipper-IN PORT 4/25/2024  Marsol Dragon-IN PORT 4/25/2024  Maersk Clipper-IN PORT 4/26/2024  Oceanex Avalon-ETA-2:37 AM HALIFAX, CANADA     [CAHAL] 4/24/2024  Orion-DEPARTED-8:49 AM 4/24/2024  Atlantic Sky-DEPARTED-5:28 PM 4/25/2024  East Coast-ETA-8:41 AM 4/26/2024  Oceanex Sanderling-IN PORT 4/25/2024  Grand Sapphire-ETA-9:04 AM 4/25/2024  NYK Demeter-ETA-10:34 AM 4/25/2024  MSC Cornelia-ETA-1:56 PM 4/25/2024  Vivienne Sheri…

1874:   The wooden schooner OTTAWA was launched on 25 April 1874, at Grand Haven, Michigan. She was owned by Capt. William R. Loutill and could carry 180,000 feet of lumber. 1885:   T S CHRISTIE (wooden propeller, 160 foot, 533 gross tons) was launched at F. W. Wheeler’s yard (Hull #22) in W. Bay City, Michigan, on 25 April 1885. She was built for the Bay City & Cleveland Transportation Company at a cost of $45,000. Originally built as a double-deck vessel, she was cut down to a single decker at Chicago in 1902. 1888:    On 25 April 1888, JESSIE…

Ferry Badger will start season June 1 The S.S. Badger’s schedule has been updated, with crossings now starting earlier than expected. Departures will commence on June 1st instead of June 14th. Continue checking back for even earlier booking dates. Read more here: https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/Crossings-Now-Starting-June-1st—.html?soid=1102183130649&aid=zm8W0bYeVtU Lake Michigan Carferry Keewatin museum at Kingston rebrands Kingston, ON – The Marine Museum of the Great Lake at Kingston has rebranded itself the Great Lakes Museum. Visit https://greatlakesmuseum.ca/ to learn about the museum and centerpiece the steamer Keewatin. Tours of Keewatin start May 13. Two tours will be offered: a 75 minute Passenger Experience and a…

Port and vessel activity from Tuesday, April 23 , 2024, compiled by Tom Geiger, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports and pictures to [email protected] You can Now visit Matt Miner’s Saltie page at  https://boatnerd.com/foreign-vessels-on-the-lakes-2024/ PORT REPORT 4/24/2024 ST JOHN’S        [CASJF] 4/23/2024  Marsol Dragon-DEPARTED-3:32 PM 4/23/2024  Atlantic Heron-DEPARTED-6:22 PM 4/23/2024  Oceanex Connaigra-DEPARTED-9:27 PM 4/23/2024  Atlantic Merlin-DEPARTED-10:59 PM 4/24/2024  Capt. Molly Kool-IN PORT 4/24/2024  Dalton Pioneer-IN PORT 4/24/2024  CGE 224-IN PORT 4/24/2024  Maersk Mobiliser-IN PORT 4/24/2024  Maersk Clipper-IN PORT 4/26/2024  Oceanex Avalon-ETA-9:21 PM HALIFAX, CANADA     [CAHAL] 4/23/2024  CB Pacific-DEPARTED-1:11 PM 4/23/2024  Wolfsburg-DEPARTED-1:23 PM 4/23/2024  Bob Annand-DEPARTED-2:30 PM 4/23/2024  One Cygnus-DEPARTED-6:28…