Saginaw River Passage - November 28th

American Courage was outbound for the Saginaw River early Friday morning after unloading at the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City.  Inbound late Friday morning was Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber, calling on the Wirt Stone dock in Bay City.  The pair were expected to be outbound late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber inbound at the Lake State Railway Bridge

Passing through Lake State Railway Bridge

Saginaw River Passage - November 27th

Happy Thanksgiving!

The American Courage was inbound on the Saginaw River during the late afternoon Saturday, calling on the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City.  She was expected to be unloaded and outbound for the lake, early Friday morning.

Olive L. Moore Outbound - November 21st

Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber outbound on an ice covered Saginaw River - November 21, 2014

Passing through Downtown Bay City early on a single digit temperature morning.

Saginaw River Passages - November 20th

Manitowoc was inbound on the Saginaw River Thursday morning, calling on the GM Dock in Saginaw to unload.  She was back outbound for the lake early Thursday evening.  Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber were inbound Thursday afternoon carrying a split load.  The pair dropped a partial cargo at the Wirt Stone dock in Bay City, then continued upriver to finish unloading at the Wirt Stone dock in Saginaw.  The Moore-Kuber were expected to be outbound early Friday morning.

Saginaw River Passages - November 18th

The Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber were back on the Saginaw River Tuesday morning, with the pair traveling all the way to the end of the commercial shipping channel, to unload at the Lafarge Stone dock in Saginaw.  The Moore-Kuber finished unloading by the late afternoon and were outbound for the lake Tuesday evening.

Saginaw River Vessel Passage Totals

Through the end of the summer and into the fall months, commercial shipping remained down on the Saginaw River.  The following illustrates how much:

August 2014 - 19 commercial passages.  Two less than August 2013 and two less than the five year average.  September 2014 - 18 commercial passages.  Two more than September 2013 and two more than the five year average.  October 2014 - 14 commercial passages.  One less than October 2013 and one less than the five year average.

As far as where things stand as of the year to date, Commercial shipping for 2014 is currently at 100 vessel deliveries.  This is 23 less than the 123 passages last year at this point and 20 less than the five year average.  Interestingly, there has only been two deliveries of coal, to the Consumers Energy/Karn-Weadock power plant in Essexville, this year by water.  Last year there were sixteen.  Rail has been king this year for coal in Essexville.

Saginaw River Passages - November 17th

Mississagi was outbound from the Saginaw River early Monday morning, after unloading overnight at the Sargent Dock in Zilwaukee.  Ryba Marine Contracting has been dredging in the lower Saginaw River for the past month and a half, from the Confined Disposal Island in the Saginaw Bay up to where they currently are working in Downtown Bay City, between the Veteran's Memorial Bridge and Liberty Bridge.  The tug Thomas R. Morrish has been running mud scows upriver to the new Confined Disposal Site located near Cheboyganing Creek on the Bay/Saginaw County line.

Ryba Marine's tug  THOMAS R. MORRISH

Dredging operations as seen through the rigging on the schooner APPLEDORE IV

Saginaw River Passages - November 16th

A snowy morning on the Saginaw River saw the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber outbound late Sunday morning after unloading in Saginaw overnight.  The pair passed their fleet mate, Mississagi, who was inbound to unload salt at the Sargent dock in Zilawukee.  Mississagi also unloaded salt at Sargent on Friday.  She was expected to be outbound late Sunday night.

Mississagi coning around the corner at Cass Avenue

Black & White view headed towards the Airport Turning Basin

Photos from the Saginaw River - November 12, 2014

Manitowoc inbound on the Saginaw River just above the James Clements Airport

Manitowoc making the turn at Cheboyganing Creek

Mississagi inbound nearing Cass Avenue