DetroitGreat Lakes BoatsPhoto Du JourWindsor

Ste. Claire

August 24, 2007
Built in 1910, and along with her sister ship, 1902’s Columbia, the Ste. Claire ferried passengers from Detroit to Boblo Island until Labor Day 1991. The ship has a capacity of 2500(!) passengers. The ship was purchased by new owners in 2006 who are trying to restore the ship and get it back running as a river cruise ship in time for her 100th birthday in 2010. This winter they plan to…
Read more
Great Lakes BoatsPhoto Du Jour

The Laurentian

August 6, 2007
I was down by the river the other day when I noticed the markings of the NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) basically the US equivalent of Environment Canada, but with a bigger budget 🙂 I had never seen their research vessel before, and was in the…
Great Lakes BoatsPhoto Du JourPostcards

SS Noronic & Hamonic

July 25, 2007
Back in October 2005, I ran a peice on the SS Hamonic with help/contributions from T.R. Anderson II. I was going though some old post cards, when I came across this one of both sister ships. Both of these great ships of the Great Lakes met tragic endings with fires. The…
Great Lakes BoatsOld PhotographsPhoto Du JourPostcards

Displaced History

July 3, 2007
So with rumors abound that the former Tecumseh DUR station might still be standing, I headed to the suburbs with John and Mike to see what we might be able to uncover. This Victorian house on Lesperance is visible in the old postcard view posted two weeks ago. Just north of the station you can see the home. The streetcar tracks ran along the side of the road, and did a loop at the…
Read more
Great Lakes BoatsPhoto Du Jour

Bright Laker

January 15, 2007
The Panama Registered Bright Laker, anchored in the Detroit River. The front end looks a little beat up. Someone scraped up the paint! 😉 Launched in 2001, the Bright Laker’s maiden voyage was to haul steel products from Japan to Cleveland. Despite being an ocean…
Great Lakes BoatsPhoto Du Jour

The Walter A. Sterling - 1962

December 5, 2006
Today’s photo comes from reader John S., who’s father took this photo of the Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Co.’s Walter A. Sterling sailing past the Detroit skyline in 1962. The Walter A. Sterling, was launched as the U.S.S. Chiwawa, in 1942. She worked in the…
Great Lakes BoatsPhoto Du Jour

More Lakers

November 23, 2006
The Agawa Canyon Built at Collingwood, Ontario in 1970. She measures in at 646 feet. The Algorail Built at Collingwood, Ontario in 1968. She measures in at 640 feet in length. The John J. Boland She was built at Sturgeon Bay, WI in 1973, and sailed as the Charles E. Wilson until 2000, when she was sold and renamed the John J. Boland. To make things more confusing, she was replacing another…
Read more
Great Lakes BoatsPhoto Du Jour

Armco

November 21, 2006
Here’s one from the archives… I was out on the river a few years ago, when the Armco happend to come up upon us. At 767 feet in lenght the ship was an impressive sight down close in a 20 foot boat. She was built in 1953 at Lorian, OH., and lenghtened in 1974 by…
Great Lakes BoatsPhoto Du Jour

Edward L. Ryerson

September 14, 2006
Captured yesterday on the Detroit River is the 730′ long Steamer Edward L. Ryerson. Built in 1959, this old ship returned to service on the Great Lakes this summer after being layed up since 1999. From the Boatnerd website: Great Lakes Fleet Page Vessel Feature…