First Passage of 2009!

The 2009 shipping season opened on the Saginaw River early Saturday morning with the arrival of the Manitowoc. This is twenty one days later than the start of the 2008 season, but there were only six vessel passages by this point as compared to last year, so it really hasn't been much slower. The Manitowoc was upbound through Bay City around 7am headed upriver to unload at the Wirt Stone dock in Saginaw. It is possible that she may have lightered at the Bay City Wirt dock earlier in the morning. Manitowoc was outbound for the lake Saturday afternoon.

The US Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock arrived on Friday to work aids to navigation out in the Saginaw Bay. She tied up overnight at the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City, worked aids again on Saturday and was outbound towards the lake just ahead of the Manitowoc on Saturday afternoon.

Buckets and Belts

In the mail today, I received a package that I have been waiting for for some time. It was my copy of a new book.

The book is titled "Buckets and Belts, Evolution of the Great Lakes Self-Unloader and was written by William Lafferty and Valerie van Heest.



While I have not yet had a chance to read the entire book yet, what I have read has been excellent! This book is very well put together and very well written. There are numerous historical photographs spread throughout the 304 pages which illustrate the information contained in the book perfectly. This book in my opinion is a must read for anyone with an interest in the boats of the Great Lakes, history buffs, and any "Boatnerd" in general. Valerie and Bill are two of the best out there at what they do and you will not be dissappointed.

This book and a number of other fantastic books and videos can be found here, at this address:
http://www.in-deptheditions.com

I would also like to publicly thank both Valerie van Heest and William Lafferty for placing my photo of the Mississagi on the cover and for including a number of my other photos in the book. It has been an honor and a privilege to have been included in a project of this magnitude and stature. Thank you!

M/V Jupiter Explosion

Here is a little story and some photos to look at as we wait for the shipping season to begin on the Saginaw River. At this time in 2008, we had only had two vessel passages to date, so we are not too far behind, but we are still waiting.....

I had been a career firefighter for only about four months. I was sitting at my station, having a cup of coffee at the end of my 24 hour duty shift when a call came in for a "boat" fire. as soon as we pulled out of our station, we knew it was more than a boat fire. Arriving at the scene at Total Petroleum, we saw the tanker "Jupiter" ablaze, with flame shooting into the air. I began to wonder what I was getting myself into with my new career a firefighter.

Over the next days and weeks, I would have the chance to set up various unmanned water streams, take draft readings on the Jupiter, help to assemble and deploy oil booms, sit on the old D&M Railroad Bridge manning a line as the US Coast Guard Cutter Bramble along with a crew from Boots & Coots began to finally extinguish the fire, and stand by as crews from Marine Pollution Control pumped the remaining fuel from the vessel after the fire was extinguished.

As most of us know, an investigation showed that the fire and subsequent explosion was caused by the suction caused by the passing freighter, Buffalo and from rotted pilings at the Total dock. The offloading hose parted from the dock as the Jupiter was pulled away and the fire began.

These photos are from my collection and were taken from the dock at Total and from a USCG Helo during a flight with one of our firefighters to overview the scene:

Gregory J. Busch on the Move

The tug Gregory J. Busch and her barge, STC 2004, got underway Friday night, heading upriver from the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee, to the Busch Marine dock in Carrollton. The pair had spent the winter at Burroughs.

Joseph H. Frantz - Stuck

While we are all waiting for the first vessels on the Saginaw River for 2009, I thought I would go back in my archives and post some photos of the Joseph H. Frantz after she became stuck sideways in the Independence Bridge.

The torrential rain the first part of September 1986 pushed water levels to near record heights. The flood stage on the Saginaw river is 17 feet, but on September 15th, it crested over 7 feet higher at 24.16 feet. The water was still high and the currents in the river still very strong when the Joseph H. Frantz attempted to transit the Independence Bridge, just downriver from the Bay City Wirt Stone Dock. The currents took the Frantz and wedged her between the spans where she sat, unable to get free. Numerous attempts to move the Joseph H. Frantz were unsuccessful.

Finally, the tug Malcolm and the tug Barbara Ann, both from Malcolm Marine, Inc. based out of St. Clair, MI, arrived on location and were finally able to free the Joseph H. Frantz after being stuck for three days.

The following photos were taken by my father:

I hope you enjoyed these historic photos. My next post will center on the explosion and fire of the tanker Jupiter, which burned on the Saginaw River in 1990.

Wintering Along The Lower Saginaw River

I was back out again today to photograph the vessels wintering in the lower Saginaw River. Starting in Downtown Bay City, we find the Princess Wenonah, West Wind, and Islander. These are all local tour boats working for the Bay City Boat Lines. They are all tied up just upriver from the Veteran's Memorial Bridge.

Princess Wenonah

West Wind

Islander

Group shot in from of the Bay City Hall



The tall ship Appledore IV, home ported in Bay City, is spending the winter tied up on the east side of the river in Wenonah Park, just downriver from the Veteran's Memorial Bridge.

Appledore IV


The Hiawatha is a walking beam, steam powered, side paddle wheel vessel who is spending her winter in the yard at Pier 7 Marina. She spends her summers on the Saginaw River docked at the Kingfish Restaurant and Tiki Bar.

Hiawatha


The Tug Jill Marie, who is owned and operated by Causley Marine Contracting, is in the yard at the Bay Harbor Marina for the winter.

Tug Jill Marie


Finally, MCM Marine has their tugs Mohawk and Madison, along with the dredge, Arthur J, and some other assorted barges, also spending the winter at the Bay Harbor Marina. MCM has been working out in the Saginaw Bay near the confined disposal island. This is the second winter in a row for these vessels at Bay Harbor Marina.

Tug Mohawk

Tug Madison

Dredge Arthur J

Over the past two days, we have covered the Saginaw River from the mouth all the way up to the end of the navigable channel at the Sixth Street Turning Basin in Saginaw. I hope you have enjoyed the series. Keep watching this site for more updates leading up to the start of the 2009 shipping season. Thanks for looking!

-Todd

Wintering Along the Upper Saginaw River

I was out this morning taking a few shots of the vessels who are residing along the banks of the upper Saginaw River this winter. The past week has brought temperatures much above normal and a large rainfall that has broke up all of the ice in the river and pushed it to 2.68 feet above flood stage on Saturday morning. The water has since began receding, but many of my photo locations are still under water.

This first shot shows the Luedtke Dredge Lucille T and a few work barges moored at the new Confined Disposal Facility along the Bay and Saginaw County borders.


The next shot shows the tug Gregory J. Busch and the little tug Joanne moored at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee.


Here is a wide view that shows the Busch, Joanne, and barge STC 2004


Here is a photo of the lonely tug "Statesboro" that is owned by Busch Marine Services. She has been sitting here in Carrollton for a few years.


This shot shows the tug Kurt Luedtke and Derrick Barge 16 tied up at the Peavey Grain Terminal, awaiting spring to begin dredging of the upper river.


Finally, here is a wide view of the Peavey Terminal.


Up next will be a report on the vessels along the Lower Saginaw River for the winter. Watch for it here in a few days.