Saginaw River Passage - June 8th

Mississagi was inbound on the Saginaw River Saturday morning, heading up river to Saginaw, to unload at the Buena Vista Dock.  Once finished, she backed down to the airport turning basin, turned, and was then outbound for the lake Saturday evening.

Saginaw River Passage - June 5th

Wednesday saw Cuyahoga make her first visit of the season to the Saginaw River, as she traveled all of the the up to the Sixth Street Basin and unloaded at the Lafarge Stone dock in Saginaw.  She departed the dock late in the evening, and was backing down the Saginaw River.

Saginaw River Passages - June 2nd

The big tug, Olive L. Moore, uncoupled from the Lewis J. Kuber Sunday morning, and headed downriver from the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee, bound for the Wirt dock in Bay City.  There, she met up the the tug Manitou, who had recently arrived on the Saginaw River, and together they assisted in turning the Manitowoc in the Wirt basin.  The Moore and Manitou made quick work of the turn and Manitowoc was outbound from the river late Sunday morning.

Olive L. Moore and Manitou assisting the Manitowoc in turning around at the Bay City Wirt Basin

After escorting Manitowoc out of the river, the Manitou traveled upriver to where the Moore-Kuber have been tied up at Burroughs since early on the 29th of May.  With still too much current to turn around, Manitou tied off to the Moore with plans of trying again tomorrow if conditions cooperate.

The tug Champion arrived on the Saginaw River late Sunday afternoon with two barges of equipment for the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville.  She remained there Sunday night.

Olive L Moore heading back up the Saginaw River  to re-attach to the Lewis J. Kuber

Tug Manitou along side the Olive L. Moore at Burroughs in Zilwaukee

Champion inbound for the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville

Tug Champion

Saginaw River News

Both the Manitowoc and the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber remained on the Saginaw River as of Saturday night, with Manitowoc at the Bay City Wirt dock and the Moore-Kuber at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee  The Moore-Kuber arrived on the 28th of May with a split cargo for Bay City and Saginaw Wirt and Manitowoc arrived on the 29th and unloaded at Bay City Wirt.  Very strong currents in the Saginaw River are preventing the vessels from safely turning around and heading out for the lake.

Commercial Vessel Passages for the month of May totaled 18.  This is three less than the same period in 2012, but is actually one more than the five year average.  For total vessel passages for the year, there have been 21, which is 14 passages less than the same period in 2012.

Manitowoc at Bay City Wirt on May 31st

Another view at sunset

USS Edson at her dock near the Independence Bridge

Crew from Luedtke Engineering dredging the channel between the Saginaw River Front range
and the Confined Disposal Island

Tugs Kurt Luedtke, Karl Luedtke and the Derrick Boat 16

Kurt R. Luedtke

Suction dredge Lucille T at the Confined Disposal Island

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