Saginaw River Passages - May 29th & 30th

Heavy rains and strong currents once again caused havoc on the Saginaw River, just as they did earlier in the season, as two vessels tried to leave after unloading, but could not.  The Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber arrived on Tuesday with a split cargo, unloading at the Bay City and the Saginaw Wirt Stone docks.  The pair backed down river from Saginaw Wirt on Wednesday and attempted to turn in the Airport Turning Basin, but were unable to do and headed back upriver to tie up at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee to await more favorable conditions.

Manitowoc at the Bay City Wirt Stone dock on Thursday afternoon.

Manitowoc was inbound on Wednesday, unloading at the Bay City Wirt Dock, once finished, she attempted to turn in the basin at the west end of the dock, but was also unable to get around and tied back up at the Wirt dock to wait for more favorable conditions.  Both vessels remained at their dock late Thursday night.

Saginaw River Passages - May 27th & 28th

The tug Joseph H. Thompson, Jr., and barge Joseph H. Thompson, called on the Saginaw River late Sunday night, headed for the Bay Aggregates dock.  Strong currents in the river from recent rains made the tricky entry into the Bay Aggregates slip event more difficult, making it necessary for the tug Kurt Luedtke to assist the big tug and barge unit into the slip.  Once unloaded, the Thompson - Thompson, Jr. departed Bay Aggregates and were outbound for the bay on Monday.

Tuesday afternoon saw the arrival of the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber, who called on the Wirt Stone dock in Bay City.  They remained there during the evening hours.

Saginaw River Passages - May 25th & 26th

The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. called on the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville on Saturday to unload coal.  Finished unloading on Sunday morning, the McCarthy, Jr. backed from the dock and out into the Saginaw Bay to turn at Light 12 and then head for the lake.  The tug Karen Andrie and her tank barge, Endeavour, called on the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City on Saturday.  The pair completed their unload and were outbound Sunday afternoon.

Karen Andrie - Endeavour unloading at the Bit-Mat dock

Saginaw River - May 24th

USS Edson at her new home just below the Independence Bridge

Suction dredge Lucille T and Derrick Boat 16 being pushed outbound by the tug Kurt Luedtke

Karl E. Luedtke

Kurt Luedtke

Saginaw River Passages - May 22nd & 23rd

Post # 500 here on Saginaw River Images!

Calumet arrived on the Saginaw River late Wednesday night, calling on the Wirt Stone dock in Bay City, to unload.  She finished, turned and was outbound for the lake Thursday morning.  Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber were inbound Thursday afternoon, calling on the Wirt Essexville Sand & Stone dock.  The pair were expected to be outbound late Thursday evening.

Saginaw River Passages - May 20th

The Sam Laud called on the Saginaw River on Monday, unloading at the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City during the afternoon.  The Laud was back outbound Monday evening after unloading.  Calumet was inbound late Monday afternoon, headed all of the up to Saginaw to unload at the GM Dock.  She is expected to be outbound early Tuesday morning.

Saginaw River Passage - May 17th

Alpena made her first visit of the season to the Saginaw River on Friday, calling on the Lafarge Cement Dock in Essexville to unload.  She was expected to be outbound early Saturday morning.

Saginaw River Passages - May 15th

The hardest working boat on the Saginaw River was back at it again on Wednesday. Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber were inbound during the late morning with a split load. The pair partially unloaded at the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City, then continued upriver to finish unloading at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee. The Moore-Kuber were expected to be outbound early Thursday morning. This is their fourth trip of the season to the Saginaw River.

Saginaw River Passages - May 13th

The tug Zeus and her tank barge, Robert F. Deegan, were inbound on the Saginaw River on Saturday, calling on the Dow Chemical dock.  The pair were outbound early Monday morning.  Inbound on Monday was the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber.  The pair unloaded at the Bay Aggregates Dock in Bay City, once finished, they departed the slip and headed back for the lake, early Monday evening.

Saginaw River Passage - May 11th

The tug Zeus and her tank barge, Robert F. Deegan, were inbound on the Saginaw River on Saturday, calling on the Dow Chemical dock.  Due to weather conditions, the pair remained on the Saginaw River late Sunday night.

Saginaw River Passages - May 9th & 10th

The tug Olive L. Moore and her barge, Lewis J. Kuber, became the first repeat visitor to the Saginaw River this season, calling this time on the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City on Thursday afternoon.  Once unloaded, the pair turned and were outbound for the lake early Friday morning.  Mississagi was inbound on Friday, calling on the Essexville Wirt Sand & Stone dock.  She had finished unloading by early afternoon, turned off the dock in the Essexville Turning Basin, and was outbound from the Saginaw River into strong northeast winds and rain on the Saginaw Bay.

Mississagi with her bow in the Essexville Turning Basin

Turning complete and headed outbound

Stern view at Smith Park in Essexville

Another view in the turning basin

Saginaw River Passage - May 8th

Indiana Harbor called on the Saginaw River Wednesday morning, unloading coal at the Consumers Energy power plant in Essexville.  She had completed her unload and was outbound for the lake by the afternoon.

Saginaw River Passages - May 7th

The tug Karen Andrie and her tank barge, Endeavour, were outbound from the Saginaw River early Monday morning, after unloading at the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City.  Tuesday afternoon saw the final move of the USS Edson, DD-946, from her temporary moorings at the North Star dock in Essexville to her new permanent home just below the Independence Bridge in Bay City.  Moving the Edson were the Busch Marine tugs Gregory J. Busch, pushing on the stern, and Edwin Busch, helping to keep things moving in the right direction up front.

Saginaw River Passage - May 5th

The Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber backed down the Saginaw River to the Airport Turning Basin, Sunday afternoon, turned and headed outbound for the lake.  The pair had unloaded overnight at the Buena Vista dock in Saginaw.  Inbound on Sunday was the tug Karen Andrie and her tank barge, Endeavour.  The pair called on the Bit- Mat dock in Bay City to unload.

Saginaw River Passage - May 4th

Saturday morning saw the first aggregate cargo of the season arrive on the Saginaw River, brought in by the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber.  Carrying a split cargo for the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City and the Buena Vista dock in Saginaw, the Moore/Kuber stopped first at Bay Aggregate and attempted to back into the slip there.  After numerous attempts with no success, a request for assistance went out to the tug Kurt Luedtke, who was waiting with a mud scow at Consumers Energy for the river to clear.  After having no luck in backing into the slip with the assistance from the Luedtke, the Kuber's cargo was finally dropped upriver from Bay Aggregates, on the cement pad just east of the Dow Chemical dock.  Once finished there, the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber continued upriver, Saturday evening,  to finish unloading at the Buena Vista dock.

Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber upbound at Cass Avenue on May 4, 2013

Stern view

Unloading at the Dow Chemical Dock in Bay City

Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber upbound at Cass Avenue.  May 4, 2013

Saginaw River Passage - May 3rd

The tug Gregory J. Busch, assisted by a few front-end loaders, moved the USS Edson on Friday about 200 yards further upriver.  Edson now rests in front of the North Star dock, up from the Essexville Wirt Sand & Stone Dock, where she has been since she arrived on the Saginaw River last summer.  The USS Edson's permanent home, just below the Independence Bridge in Bay City is still not 100% complete.  It is not known why the short move upriver today, but the water is somewhat deeper there, and it is assumed the move was in preparation for the move to her permanent dock when complete.

Tug Gregory J. Busch moving the USS Edson upriver to the North Star Dock

Close up view

Gregory J. Busch moving the USS Edson in closer to the bank

Stern close up

Tug Karl Luedtke and Derrick Barge 16 dredging off the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville

April Saginaw River Traffic Report

With a total of three commercial vessel deliveries for the month of April, traffic on the Saginaw River was down 79% as compared to the same period last year (14 vessel passages) and 75% compared to the five year average of twelve commercial passages.  Additionally, there have been no cargos of aggregates delivered to Saginaw River ports so far in 2013.  Delays due to weather and river currents certainly played a role in the decrease, as well as a decreased demand for the products handled by the docks along the Saginaw River.

Dredging is underway in the lower river with crews from Luedtke Engineering presently working off the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville.  A number of tugs have been active so far this season, with the Superior, Wyoming, Kurt R. Luedtke, Karl E. Luedtke, and Gregory J. Busch all moving in the river at some point.  The USCG Cutter Hollyhock has also made a number of visits, working aids to navigation out in the Saginaw Bay.  The research vessel, Mudpuppy II, has also visited the Saginaw River.