Alpena arrived on the Saginaw River Saturday morning, calling on the Amrize Cement Dock in Essexville to unload. There were a few peaks of sunshine as she came in, and a very large number of fishing boats participating in the start of the Myriad Saginaw Bay Tournament, hosted by the Michigan Walleye Tour. A few hours later, Algoma Innovator came by outbound, after unloading overnight in Saginaw. Photos taken 10/11/25.
Algoma Innovator arrived on the Saginaw River, bringing a split load for the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City and the Burroughs North - 1st Street Dock in Saginaw. She arrived Friday afternoon, dropping a partial cargo in Bay City, before heading up to finish in Saginaw. Algoma Innovator was outbound Saturday morning, headed for the lake. Photos taken 10/10/25 at the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City.
Algoma Compass outbound on the Saginaw River at the Essexville Range, passing American Mariner unloading at Bay Aggregates. Algoma Compass had arrived the day before and unloaded in Zilwaukee. Photos taken 10/10/25
American Mariner arrived on the Saginaw River Friday morning, marking her first visit of the 2025 season to the river. She made the turn into the slip at Port Fisher in Bay City, to unload for Bay Aggregates. American Mariner is currently the longest freighter to come into the Saginaw River at 730 feet long. Since I have been keeping records, the longest vessel to travel up the river is the tug Joyce L. VanEnkevort and barge Great Lakes Trader, with a combined length of 840 feet. When turning at Sixth Street, the Joyce L. would have to come out of the notch to turn Great Lakes Trader, then re-enter the notch after. Photos taken 10/10/25
Back on the Saginaw River for another unload, Algoma Compass traveled to the upper river on Thursday, delivering the first load of road salt for the season to the Sargent Docks and Terminal in Zilwaukee. Photos taken 10/9/25
American Courage was inbound the Saginaw River on a rainy Tuesday, headed up to the Saginaw Area with a split load for the Burroughs North - Zilwaukee Dock and the Burroughs North - GM Dock. Once finished unloading, American Courage turned in the Sixth Street Turning Basin and was outbound for the lake early Wednesday morning. With the rainy weather, I turned to the old drone, my trusty Air 2S for the work, leaving the Mavic 3 Pro in the case. Photos taken 10/7/25
