Three Great Lakes shipping videos

[Greg Hayden]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFiF...ature=youtu.be

# 1 is the 1989 Benson Ford running between Ford Rouge Steel in Detroit to Marquette MI returning to the Rouge. The Captain speaks of currents on the lakes. Sometimes approaching a dock the current tries to hold the ship off, other times it helps the ship go alongside. The Captain reminded me why the Great Lakes seasons were lengthened.

Back in the day one left home the last week of March or first week of April then never got home except for brief visits until Christmas. Now the seasons are longer and that is due to Taconite. Prior to Taconite when the weather turned cold the natural iron ore dug out of the ground would freeze in the pockets on the docks. Railroads that owned the ore docks would run Mallet or Yellowstone steam locomotives out on the docks. Steam lances powered by the locomotive boiler were used to loosen the frozen ore so it would flow into the ships. Hard marble shaped Taconite does not freeze in the pockets.

Among other vessels shown, is the George A. Stinson, the seventh footer (1,000 + feet LOA) on the Great Lakes. Today there are 13 footers. Owned by National Steel Corporation, who owned the Zug Island Steel Plant down river from Detroit and operated by the Hanna Line for whom I sailed on the lakes. Today the Stinson is the American Spirit.

http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fle...icanspirit.htm

# 2 The Long Ships Passing produced by the Lake Carriers Association 1959 stars the Shenango II with her distinct triple tone Tyfon steam whistles arranged vertically on the front of her smoke stack. On a trip from Cleveland to Duluth loading at DM&IR ore docks discharging via Hulett Ore Unloaders at Indiana Harbor at the foot of Lake Michigan.

https://case.edu/ech/articles/h/hulett-ore-unloaders

I recognize Captain Doyle and an engineer who lived in Duluth. Also a red head named Danny McKenzie that lived in Superior and was an Oiler on Shenango II it shows him in his living quarters. After Danny got his license and sailed a few years he left the lakes and joined the G Tugs in Superior. The Hanna Line George M Humphrey and Joseph H Thompson are shown both of which I sailed.

Beginning in 1947 when I was six, I would spend the bulk of the summers aboard The Shenango Furnace Company - The S F Co seen on the back of ships' crew shirts - the steam ships that my dad sailed as an engineer. Shenango(1), William P Snyder Jr and Col James M Schoonmaker now a museum ship in Toledo, Ohio.

https://nmgl.org/col-james-m-schoonmaker/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Col...M._Schoonmaker
https://www.greatlakesvesselhistory....er-col-james-m
https://nmgl.org/museum-interactive-tour-2/

This last is a virtual tour of the entire ship.

http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fle...sLOberstar.htm

# 3 produced in 2019 shows more Canadian flag vessels than the US flag. Though Hon James L Oberstar (Originally Shenango II) is in there as is one of the new style G tugs working in Toledo.

All three videos you get to hear a lot of whistle salutes.