Saginaw River Report - April 30th

The Saginaw River crested on Saturday at 20 feet. That is 3 feet over flood stage. The current in the river is extreme and because of that, the Stephen B. Roman and the tug Karen Andrie - Endeavour are still tied up in Essexville, unable to safely turn and head for the lake. The Roman is at Essroc and the Andrie at Bit-Mat.

Saginaw River Passage - April 28th

High winds and heavy rains have been the order of the day on Thursday. A strong current is running in the Saginaw River, but that did not stop the Karen Andrie and her barge, Endeavour, from making the trip into the river and stopping to unload at the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City. The pair arrived during the early afternoon and plans are to depart around 2 am. The Stephen B. Roman remains at the Essroc dock after arriving early Wednesday morning.


Tug Karl Luedtke


Karen Andrie - Endeavour at the Essexville Range

Saginaw River Passage - April 27th

The Stephen B. Roman made her second visit to the Saginaw River, arriving early Wednesday morning to unload at the Essroc dock in Essexville. As of Wednesday night, she was still unloading at the dock.


Stephen B Roman at Essroc on Wednesday

Saginaw River Passages - April 22nd

The USCGC Hollyhock finished working AToN in the Saginaw River Entrance Channel and was outbound from the area Friday night. Inbound Friday night was the tug Karen Andrie pushing the tank barge Endeavour. The pair called on the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City to unload.

Saginaw River Passages - April 21st

The USCGC Hollyhock arrived in the area early Thursday morning and was working AToN in the Saginaw River Entrance Channel. Hollyhock was replacing winter marks with lighted summer buoys. The Station Saginaw River 49' BUSL 49422 has also been working AToN in the upper Saginaw River.

Saginaw River Passages - April 19th

On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, Algoway made her first visit of the 2011 season, calling on the North Star dock in Essexville to unload Potash. She is expected to depart late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.


Algoway upbound nearing the North Star Dock

Saginaw River Passages - April 16th

The tug Zeus and her tank barge made the Saginaw River on Saturday, calling on the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City. The pair had been on the hook out in the Saginaw Bay waiting on more favorable weather before making the trip in. Three other vessels who had been waiting on weather were also on the move. The tug Karen Andrie and barge Endeavour departed the Bit Mat dock and across the river, the Stephen B. Roman departed the Essroc dock, with both vessels headed for the lake during the afternoon on Saturday. Out on the Saginaw Bay, the tug Olive L. Moore and barge Lewis J. Kuber were also headed for the lake after spending the past 36 hours at anchor.

The weather forcast for Saturday night and Sunday is calling for gale force winds of 45 miles per hour plus in the area.

Saginaw River Passages - April 15th

After unloading during the day Thursday, the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber were outbound from the Lafarge Stone Dock in Saginaw during the early evening. The pair made it out into the Saginaw Bay and dropped their hook to wait on weather before continuing to the lake. They are still there Friday evening. Also waiting out in the bay near the Moore-Kuber is the tug Zeus and her barge. Still at the Essroc dock Friday night is the Stephen B. Roman, who arrived early Thursday morning to unload. The tug Karen Andrie and barge Endeavour were able to make the Saginaw River on Friday morning, calling on the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City to unload. They were still there Friday night. Winds on the Saginaw Bay have averaged over 30 knots, out of the northeast, most of the day, with gusts in the 40's.


Stephen B. Roman at Essroc


Tug Ann-Marie looking good and back in service after sinking early in the winter

Saginaw River Passaegs - April 14th

The Saginaw River saw an unusual visitor on Thursday when the Stephen B. Roman arrived with a cargo for the Essroc Cement dock in Essexville. There was a lot of speculation when the new powdered cement unloading system was built last year if the Roman would call on Essroc. That speculation was ended Thursday morning with her arrival. Also calling on the Saginaw on Thursday was the river's most frequent visitor, the tug Olive L. Moore and her barge, Lewis J. Kuber. The pair traveled all the way upriver to the Lafarge Stone Dock in Saginaw.


Stephen B. Roman unloading at the Essroc Dock in Essexville

Saginaw River Passage - April 13th

The tug Samuel De Champlain, with her cement barge, Innovation, called on the Saginaw River early Wednesday morning, passing the front range around midnight. The pair traveled up to the Lafarge Cement dock in Carrollton to unload. They departed the dock during the early afternoon and due to strong currents in the river, began the long, slow process of backing all of the way out of the river. The Samuel De Champlain and Innovation are the first to call on the Saginaw River this season. It also marks their first visit since 2006.


De Champlain - Innovation unloading at Lafarge Carrollton on Wednesday

Saginaw River Report - April 8th

While we are still waiting for our first boat of the 2011 shipping season, there has been some vessel movement the past few days. The tug Kurt R. Luedtke has been shifting equipment from the old Defoe Shipyard slip, where it spent the winter, out to the Confined Disposal Island in the Saginaw Bay.

Still Waiting for the Start of the 2011 Season

April 1st has arrived and the Saginaw River is still waiting for her first commercial visitor of the 2011 shipping season.

Last year, the tug Karen Andrie and barge Endeavour were the first in on March 31st. The Alpena came next on April 7th.

It should be any day now, and I will keep everyone posted...