Saginaw River Images

Thursday, November 6, 2025

Lake Huron Passage - Port Gypsum - November 6, 2025: Sam Laud

I took a short trip North this morning to catch Sam Laud loading gypsum at the Port Gypsum Dock in Alabaster Township. The plan was to catch her during the "Sunrise Side" Lake Huron sunrise, and that worked out perfectly. Photos taken 11/6/25

Saginaw River Passage - November 5, 2025: Algoma Buffalo

Algoma Buffalo on the Saginaw River, unloading at the Burroughs North - 1st Street Dock in Saginaw. Pretty cool shots as Algoma Buffalo is unloading at the far southern end of the dock, with half of the boat into the Sixth Street Turning Basin. For those of you unfamiliar, there are turning basins dredged out on the Saginaw River for vessels to turn around in. You can see in some of the photos the cut out for the basin. Vessels line up with a point on shore, nose the bow into the mud, and then swing the stern upriver, turning the boat around. It is a cool process to watch in person. Photos taken on 11/5/25.

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Saginaw River Passage - November 4, 2025: Algoma Buffalo

Algoma Buffalo was back on the Saginaw River, arriving Tuesday night with a split load to be shared by three different docks. She stopped first at the Wirt Sand & Stone Dock in Essexville for a partial unload, before continuing upriver to unload at both the Wirt Stone Dock in Saginaw and the Burroughs North - 1st Street Dock in Saginaw. Photos taken at the Essexville Wirt Dock on 11/4/25

Following the boats of the Saginaw River and Great Lakes

Here is a little background on my history with the boats: I have been an avid photographer and follower of the big lake freighters that carry their cargoes between the ports of the Great Lakes. During that time, a number of my photos have been used by various shipping companies and in publications from the U.S. Coast Guard, Lake Carriers Association, the Marine Legal Review, and in the annual boatwatchers bible, "Know Your Ships". I also report news and vessel passage information from the Saginaw River to both Boatnerd.com and to the local newspaper, The Bay City Times, and have been fortunate enough to have had the honor of being aboard and taking a trip on a Great Lakes Freighter. I am also a licensed U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner, Captain and deckhand for the Bay City Boat Lines, and a Deckhand for Malcom Marine, Inc.

In this blog, you will see information on the vessels that ply the waters of the Saginaw River, photos, and vessel passage information. I hope that you will enjoy what is posted here.