1000 Foot Ships of the Great Lakes - All 13 Vessels!

Between 2015 and 2017, I managed to capture footage of all 13 thousand-foot lake carriers in the Duluth, Minnesota area. So it seemed like a good idea to bring them all together for one video. Some of this footage has already been uploaded to my channel as individual videos, some hasn't. But I re-edited the footage and decided to go with natural sound instead of music background this time (even if the wind noise in the microphone is slightly annoying at times). Unfortunately, three of the ships didn't offer up Captain's salutes (American Integrity, Edwin H. Gott, and Burns Harbor).
These 1000-foot ships generally carry either iron ore or coal from the western end of Lake Superior (including the ports at Duluth, Superior, Two Harbors, Silver Bay) to unload at ports in Indiana, Michigan, or Ohio.
Here are the ships covered in the video. All were recorded in Duluth, Minnesota, except where noted. Click the time stamps below to skip to your favorite ship or select video chapters using the progress bay within the video.
0:00 Stewart J. Cort (Superior, Wisconsin)
3:04 Presque Isle
5:28 James R. Barker
8:00 Mesabi Miner
10:40 Walter J. McCarthy
12:46 American Integrity
14:46 American Spirit
16:50 Edwin H. Gott (Two Harbors, Minnesota)
19:52 Indiana Harbor
22:05 Burns Harbor (Superior, Wisconsin)
24:45 Edgar B. Speer
28:39 American Century
32:15 Paul R. Tregurtha
Which ship is your favorite? Which one has the best-sounding horn? Let us know in the comments section.
If you enjoy this video, be sure to check out this newer video I created featuring 40 different freighters of the Great Lakes, including both the modern super carriers and the classic lakers: • 40 Ships in Action: St...
If you just like listening to ship salutes, check out this video I created highlighting the salutes of 35 different lake carriers: • 35 Lakers Saluting! Gr...
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Donations of any size are gratefully accepted, as they help offset my expenses. Thank you postcards are sent for any donations over $5, plus thank you gifts are sent for donations of $30 or more. Gifts increase in value with donation size and are of my choosing, usually themed on Great Lakes shipping and/or the Duluth-Superior region.
Your views, likes, comments, and subscriptions also help this channel and are greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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Music: When The Wind Blows
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

[@1Long2Short]

Buy me a coffee! Donations, plus monthly and annual subscriptions. www.buymeacoffee.com/1long2short PayPal donations www.paypal.com/paypalme/1long2short As always, your views, likes, comments, and subscriptions are also greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[@rottenroads1982]

Paul R. Tregurtha is of course, at the End because it’s the Longest of all the Current Great Lake Freighters.

[@jimunger5202]

I help build all the 1000 footers built in Lorain. Very proud of my ships

[@Gr8Layks]

Good, honest work. Definitely something to be proud of!

[@simonperry330]

@@Gr8Layks Good Work Sir

[@roberthoffhines5419]

you should be. Majestic old gals.

[@sumbeech1484]

Lorain, Ohio--- Once the proud producer of Ship's, Steel, and Automobiles ! Now it's the proud producer of massive amounts of minority babies !!! Dollar store on every corner

[@janetcarbone4213]

Thank you! ❤️ your work

[@rvhorizons2528]

My father was on two of the ships shown the Stewart J Cort and the Burns Harbor. My father was a head chef on both ships. I was even on the the Cort visiting him many years ago. Thank you for showing these awesome ships of the Great Lakes.

[@bobpaulino4714]

Saw a brief documentary about a chief chef who was retiring after 40+ years of service. The interviewer and cameraman were permitted aboard for one of his last trips. He baked fresh bread, croissants, pastries, etc. One meal had around a dozen pork loins. Incredible meals prepared from the heart---

[@oldsrocket8841]

He probably knew my grandfather. Both he and his father both sailed for over 50 years, over 100 years combined. He was a head chief as well.

[@thomvogan3397]

Thank you for making this without any annoying background music or narration, just the sounds of these beautiful big ladies of the Great Lakes. My father started sailing on ships of the Canada Steamship Line when he was only 16. He was from Wiarton on Georgian Bay and work was scarce so a lot of the men from that area sailed. I remember going to pick him up when his ship would come into a port close to home and marveling at the size of it and back then they were only about half the size of these. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

[@maureenkennedy3234]

We camped on the St Claire River at Algonac and watched freighters come and go. What struck me was not so much the visual sight of them but how you could feel the rumbling of the ground through the water when they were very far away.

[@googlreviews7813]

One ship that I would love to see in person is SS Arthur M. Anderson, watched a documentary on big Fitz recently and it would be cool to witness in person the very ship that was accompanying Edmund Fitzgerald during that storm in 1975.

[@lukeswain1752]

The legend lives on...these ships are incredible. I'm not a boat nerd like some of y'all 😉 but these ships are unreal. I can't imagine the inertia these ships have is unfathomable

[@dalebannon8503]

I live in Ludington, Michigan, half way up the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. We are a deep water port of refuge. When these 1000 footers came into service, we had to cut back the outer end of our breakwall to allow for the width of these monsters. Our channel also was widened. Pere Marquette Lake (our harbor) had to be modified to allow a 1000 foot ship to make a right turn to get in. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers monitors our channel to keep it deep enough to allow these ships to continue to get in if they should have to run from a storm.

[@poppawheelie59]

I rode the Badger I think it was out of Ludington to Milwaukee through a wicked storm one night in the late 70's, scared the poo out of me.

[@brute32]

I went too ludington Michigan and was shocked by the size of the ferries there.. 1000 foot ships that's crazy big!!

[@denniscrane9753]

@Steven Van Niman um the west coast of Michigan is the eastern shore of Lake Michigan😉

[@timjohnson1199]

@@poppawheelie59 The Badger is great. A privilege to ride her

[@MultiPurposeReviewer]

Ah, this is so relaxing. It's amazing how silently they can glide by you. If you closed your eyes, you could easily miss a transit, until they crack the air with some horn music.

[@tntsher]

I just got back from 3 days in Duluth. Absolutely fabulous place! The Lake, the Ships, the Bridge, the views and hills, not to mention the museums and all the history make this a great vacation spot. The North Shore drive with all the Light Houses and cliffs and waterfalls is probably the most scenic area east of the Rockies!!! Can't wait to go back and spend more time!

[@badguy1481]

Don't remember the name of the area, but the sandbar strip that juts across the harbor..with all the restaurants and bars...was great! Who KNEW COLD Duluth...was so HOT!

[@Vektorer]

BADGUY 1 That would be Park Point, Minnesota. I lived on The Point for the better part of 2 years. Make that 2 winters...Brrrrr!

[@ernstvanstangl1048]

Sounds like I need to put Duluth on my itinerary! Northeast Ohio Erie shore guy here.

[@damanyocum149]

Duluth, Minnesota..proud to have it as my hometown 🇺🇸🦅❤️🤍💙🔧🛠️⚓

[@falcondragonslayer]

Same, I love Duluth. I live 10 hours away, so I rarely get to go there, which makes it all the better when I do. Obviously the focus of tourism is the ships, and the most I have seen on one trip is I think around 6, in just a day or two. Busy year. The train depot is also great. It has all these trains, old and new, along with a Yellowstone-class locomotive that operated on the Duluth and Mesabi Iron range railroad (I think that’s the right name for the railroad). They also have an awesome HO-scale model train layout. The area is also home to the first lighthouse in Minnesota. Along Minnesota point (the small island that the aerial lift bridge is connected to) there is a hiking trail that leads goes past the Minnesota point lighthouse. It’s not much anymore, just a crumbling column of 164 year old bricks, but it’s still a cool thing to see And of course there’s split rock lighthouse along the north shore. I’ve actually gone there the only day in the entire year when they are lighting the spotlight completely by accident…not once, but twice!

[@swilkobarfingtoniii1642]

I used to sail into Duluth/ Superior on a regular basis, and this footage brings back some great memories. The ship I worked was a 730' that had twin Pielstik engines which made 15 000 H.P. and gave her a top speed of about 25 kts. The only time we ever went that fast was when we served as the flagship for the fleet and the "commodore" was onboard. Usual cruising speed was 14- 16 kts.

[@pacificcoastpiper3949]

What was her name?

[@Pineconepicker1]

I sailed aboard the Canadian ship named the MV Comeaudoc, 734 ft. Seeing these great ships was a sight to behold. With most being self unloaders, the crews were cut drastically. Putting many sailors out of work. Also, due to their length, these ships were limited due to lock sizes as to where they could sail. Like all Great Lakes ships, they had a blunt bow, that made them slow and hard to handle. None the less their size was awesome, and a wonder to watch as they plied their trade. Credit must be given to their skippers for being able to maneuver and berth these ships.

[@hines862009]

Do you happen to know why the bow is vertical? ...maybe it's better during storms?

[@georgedoolittle7574]

@@hines862009 I'd argue they're more like a massive barge(one in fact is) thus giving more usable space for haulage. Surprised they don't haul plus 100,000 actually. 300,000 tons is "China(Vale) Class."

[@danielfukyouston5319]

Id never noticed that about the bow befor now. Thanks.

[@rverro8478]

Oh ! Comeaudoc. The old Murray Bay. She was a nice one to look at.

[@chuckstraub2241]

Growing up in Erie, PA I watched as the Stewart J Cort and the Presque Isle were built and launched. Glad to see the shipyard where they were built is active again!

[@masterenos]

Most of the big boats are over aged now and we need new ones

[@jstoli996c4s]

Chuck Straub where is the shipyard located?

[@chuckstraub2241]

jstoli996c4s Erie Pennsylvania

[@jstoli996c4s]

Chuck Straub is it Donjon?

[@chuckstraub2241]

jstoli996c4s now it is. It was Litton Industries and Perry Shipbuilding back then.

[@hilljoseph6764]

I'm a maritime security officer let me tell u these r massive ships up close but the nicest people from the boats ull ever meet

[@davidsquires154]

I was in junior high school, when the Stewart J.Cort on it's first voyage. The Stewart J.Cort is the number #1 of the 1000 foot freighters. And this was back in 1972.

[@mattportnoyTLV]

Saw a model of Paul R. Tregurtha at Museum of Science and Industry today. We live right on the South Shore, so we see these freighters regularly from our living room window.

[@twinstickpete]

Thank you for not filling vid with crap music...great job

[@jamesdennis5699]

Billy McNichol

[@roberttuss5349]

I agree wholeheartedly. I watched the entire vid, and gave it a like. If it had music, I would not have watched it nor given it a like.

[@r.s.andrews5032]

I agree! Who needs MC Hammer chucking' and jiving when a ship is passing peacefully?

[@bob_atwestmi_fl_us7812]

I agree, why so many people feel they are enhancing a video with music is beyond me. If we wanted music we would be on a music site.

[@sumrandomschmuck]

The Barker hands down was my favorite salute. Miss watching these ships go up and down the Detroit river while at work.

[@rebeccalarmand9357]

The Bark

[@MrBill34786]

My dad was one of the shipbuilders who built the Edwin H. Gott back in 1978.

[@mattharper588]

William Schmoll Jr I also worked on the Gott during construction really cool experience

[@danmanthe9335]

@@milesrand8675 must've been heartbreaking when it went down

[@milesrand8675]

My grandfather helped build the Edmund Fitzgerald (Deleted my comment by accident)

[@lenbelton248]

I like to sit under the twin bridges at Point Edward Ontario and watch the ships go by hopping to see a 1000 footer, and of course eating some french fries.

[@mwrp3597]

A tradition if your from the area👍🏻

[@daviddrown4832]

This footage deserves 3 longs and 2 shorts!!! Much different then the 50's and 60's when I sailed the Great Lakes. Thanks for your efforts to bring this to the Arizona desert...

[@badgermoon9229]

In the 90's I did winter maintenance on a few of the ore boats. One year I worked on the Gott and the Blaugh which were tied up side by side. I also got to do work on the Callaway, and a cement hauler the St. Crapo the year prior to her retirement. There is no way to do justice to what it is like to see these ships up close and be able to go aboard and work on them. Thanks for the great vid.

[@rebeccalarmand9357]

If my memory serves me, the St Crapo looked like crappo.

[@jamespeter1662]

Excellent video, I am fascinated by these gigantic ships.. many thanks for putting this together :)

[@dbcooper692]

My grandfather and most of my uncles worked in the iron ore mines in and around Buhl Minnesota around the turn of the century until the early 1930s. My great grandfather was the mining superintendent of the Buhl mine. At one time Duluth MN had more millionaires than any city in the U.S.

[@tomuchfunwithgas846]

Thank you. We lived in Hayward Wi for 35 years and spent many happy hours ship watching at the waterfront park. Good memories thanks.

[@comradeyuri8492]

WOW, excellent job, great video quality, and no corny music.

[@mngirl5437]

TY TY TY you have made a homesick gal feel alot better!

[@richardpark7099]

The Clydesdales of the waterways!

[@jcfireman2215]

I worked on most of these at Bay Ship during the 80s.

[@rickmadsen2607]

I worked on the last ship in 1980

[@mikeschiesel2852]

This was fantastic. Having grown up in Buffalo, I love the freighters of the lakes. Even when they "get in the way" of our sailing races. Awesome footage, thanks for this.

[@bnww5022]

Spent most of my life living in Duluth and Two Harbors.. Nostalgia came watching from my home in Wyoming.

[@marlenelampard6791]

The BARKER...grew up on the. Detroit river...seen everyone of them .most of my life...

[@donaldscheer5206]

Something about watching these Great Ships! Just Awesome!

[@jimjess62]

My favorite was the James Barker the two tone horn was cool and I favor ships with the taller bow, reminiscent of the forecastles on sailing ships.

[@shithead_garage]

Yeah I’m pretty fond of ol’ Barker’s horn.

[@colleen3107]

@Jim Jessen ~ my cousin recently retired from years on Interlake ships on the Great Lakes. I asked him about the Barker horn and he said it is actually 2 horns, 1 in the bow and 1 aft and if they time them correctly you get that sound.

[@clodwolf]

@@colleen3107 your cousin is mistaken, 2 horns next to each other, different tones and time

[@judyscheiber3661]

The Barker has a unique voice for sure.

[@deborahs5183]

My Dad was 2nd Mate on the Joesph H. Thompson..my sisters an I got to go on a week each year in the summer from Cleveland Ohio to Duluth Minnesota or from Huron Ohio to Dulth Minnesota an back..Thank you very much for this video the sound of the water an seagulls takes me back...memories...beautiful!

[@kitzeesw]

Absolutely terrific footage! Thanks for sharing!

[@antonyspring8275]

Would these vessels class as the largest motorized barges due to the nature of their work and environment????????

[@LLSeltzer]

Spent the summer on the St. Lawrence River, near Cape Vincent. Had many encounters in our boat, with these ships. Followed many around the back side of Carlton Island (NY) on their way to and from Lake Ontario. Very good video and audio recording. Thanks for no droning soundtrack and certainly, for using a camera mount.

[@timjohnson1199]

Ah, thanks for this. I used to visit these to work on the main drives and various gearboxes for my old companies Philadelphia Gear and Falk. It was good to go back in time

[@rustybarnes3230]

These truly amaze me. I'd love to see them in person. I can only imagine the work that goes into keeping these mammoths going.

[@allottafahchina3563]

I'm from Australia and am fascinated by these huge ships. My favourite is the Paul R. Tregurtha.

[@boxedfender4810]

Pretty sure I've seen that one in person. I'm currently a couple hundred yards from lake superior have been most of my life

[@kyoMcMushy]

I’m from mn and have seen it multiple times. Great ships, fit for the Great Lakes

[@HistoryRocksMuse]

Very well done indeed! thanks for all the hard work to pull this together. James R Barker is one of my fav's on the GL, esp her horn. Happy 2018! Cheers from south side of Lake Erie. Yeoman Jim, former Tin Can Sailor, USN

[@Bobbyo60]

I love the ships with the control room forward!!

[@dennismanley9891]

I love the whistle of the James R Barker

[@mjc11a]

Great presentation made all the better with natural sounds! Thanks for sharing.

[@donmathias1705]

Thanks for posting. The background was nice to see too. Visited Duluth 2010 and was fortunate enough to see one of these monsters go thru the canal. I'm from NZ so great to see this footage. The lifting deck bridge is amazing too.

[@yoonjins_sweetiepie]

It’s called the Aerial lift bridge and is an iconic symbol of the Great Lakes shipping industry

[@ellabare2]

Best horn.. Barker. So nice. American Century best looking. Very nice video ship tour.

[@ghggp1]

Having lived on Lake St Clair all my life I was always enthralled by the 1000 footers! So impressive! Can’t even imagine what it must take to captain behemoths like that! Thanks for a great video! Really enjoyed it!

[@falcondragonslayer]

I’ve seen four of these ships in person in the past year: American Century, Mesabi Miner, Walter J Mcarthy Jr, and Paul R Tregurtha. Personally, I think the Stewart J Cort looks the best out of all of them because it has the classic design. I wish they would build more ships like that cause they have a sort of elegance that the stern-Enders are lacking.

[@inkslinger6156]

Enjoyed the video. I love watching Great Lakes ore containers. I got a 6 foot model of the Edmond Fitzgerald. I want a few more of the ore carrier models. One with an ore unloader. Thank you for sharing this video.

[@markdice2500]

Great work, thanks for your effort, and, for using a tripod and keeping natural sound.

[@cecilwilson5442]

Good to see that you build a ship using steel, labour and machinery from your own country,, regeneration of the money helps you to keep jobs and future skills,, dying out like they're in the UK good video,, from Belfast ☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️good steel that lasted years,, buy cheap and buy twice

[@1Long2Short]

Unfortunately, there hasn't been an American-built laker since the early 1980s. And most (if not all) of the new Canadian lakers have been built in China. (Nothing against the Chinese.) That is due to change with a new ship being built in the USA over the coming year or two. But that's a temporary blip on the radar.

[@visionplayer10]

I remember seeing the Tregurtha, Gott and Speer. They use to sit in the bay off Port Dover, Ontario. They were huge and very neat to see sitting in the Long Point Bay!!

[@iBackshift]

When the SJC went by, you can hear the beautiful sound of the EMD's drumming away below deck. I think they're EMD 20-645 @ 3500hp/each.

[@lutemule]

Watching these monsters come into the harbor is awesome in real life! Have also watched them get loaded with ore. Takes about 24 hours to do so.

[@DukeCannon]

I grew up in New Baltimore Mi, it always made our day when the freighters would honk at our little boat when we waved. Good times Good times (Yes I remember the Edmond Fitzgerald, that affected Literally Everyone in the State)

[@bo0tsy1]

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they called Gitche Gumee The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead When the skies of November turn gloomy

[@m.t.o.9035]

Every time....those words to the song....chills down my spine....

[@georgemurray8200]

@@m.t.o.9035 💯

[@anitaforkner4156]

I remember the first time that the Edwin Gott came into Two Harbors. Beautiful sight. Awesome video with the lake sounds.

[@carlalyles]

The size of those ships are amazing! great job, I love ships!

[@granskare]

I used watch the 'boats' near Marquette, Michigan where I was born.

[@daviator4720]

Thank you Mark, wonderful, peaceful video...

[@frankreight5049]

Wow what a great video of frighters. I love to just watch ships go by on the lakes.

[@jamescreighton9170]

I was a 5 or 6 year old kid, when I saw the newest 1000 foot ship, in the 70s.. the Stewart J Cort

[@lestermorr1264]

First time I saw the Cort was in the middle of the night in the middle of Lake Michigan,I was on the Arthur K Atkinson headed for Frankfort and we hauled and ran alongside of her so we could take a look at the awesome beast, the Atkinson was just a tad under 400 feet.

[@vacayooper4728]

We walked down to the Saint Marie's River during school to see the Stewart J. Cort on its maiden voyage through the Locks.

[@dashaB-sl4pu]

Wathing this and it's brilliant but for the life of me ,I cannot get the EDMUND FITZGERALD and her crew out of my mind, RIP

[@eeljn]

I lived out at lighthouse point in 76-77. It was fascinating watching the Presque Isle and the Roger Blough come into the Mesabi docks. Two Harbors was quite a bit different back then. The Edna G was still working back then.

[@natesmith1422]

I was a fitter at sturgeon bay ship building and was on all the 1000’ ships. The P.R.T is my favorite!!

[@Bobbyo60]

Ahhh…. The Barker bark!! One of a kind!!!

[@garymeldrum949]

I remember in’72 I was 12 and my mom had us all out on the St. Clair river bank to watch the Cort go by. It was a big deal the first 1000 Footer

[@garymeldrum949]

Funny now though, I walleye fish the St. Clair river all the time now and don’t even give the 1000’s a second glance. They are impressive though how much water they displace. They suck the water way out of the canals and then it comes crashing back in. Occasionally two will pass each other and that is something to see. I like to slide right in behind one when they pass me fishing and get a transom view. All the mates will come out on the side bridge and ask us how the fishing is. Masabi Miner is my personal favorite

Amazing feats of engineering and almost ghostly in their movements

[@shariys1]

I so expect to hear that bridge answer back every time ...

[@1Long2Short]

I thought about including every bridge reply, but I figured it might be repetitive to have ten bridge replies in the same video... so I just settled on two or three.

[@Beekers1]

Great footage and a wonderful way to spend a relaxing evening watching and listening to the Lakers. The Paul R. Tregurtha is a spectacular boat all around though I smile every time I hear the James R. Barker's dual horn and I favor the paint job on the Great Lakes Fleet. The engine sound from the Presque Isle is quite different from the other 12 and the forward bridge on the Stewart J. Cort appeals to me visually....her back end (stern) not so much ;+). I am grateful so many photographers and Laker Lover's post videos on line. I enjoy revisiting Duluth and the shipping activities from the comfort of my northern California home. Thanks so much.

[@1Long2Short]

Thanks for the kind words! Glad you enjoyed the video. I wish my Stewart Cort footage was a little better. I had a battery failure when the front end of the ship went by me, so I didn't get enough footage of her forward bridge. Next time!

[@dalebannon8503]

@trent Ludington Ludington, Michigan has one ferry left. It is the 410’ long steam ship, the S.S.Badger. It now sails only in the summer even though it has two hulls, the inner one to keep the water out and the outer one with which to break ice in the winter.

[@northernzeus768]

Thank you for this channel. I am a recent transplant (4 years now) to the area and am transfixed by sights of theses behemoths. I cannot wrap my head around how these ships can float. The physics is beyond me. New subscriber. 👍

[@1Long2Short]

Welcome aboard!

[@johnklar5131]

These ships are so big that they are scary.

[@pattflorida5790]

Very impressive. really enjoyed watching. Had never seen the locks open and close. Thanks for the adventure.

[@tariqulislam745]

Great 👌👍 from Dhaka, Bangladesh 🇧🇩.

[@mnrobards]

Great Video. Thanks for leaving original sound track !

[@FreighterChasinMason]

This the best video I have ever watched I love this video with all the horns

[@1Long2Short]

Thank you!

[@beervids9880]

Great video !!! Have seen many of these on the St. Clair River, these are amazing ships to watch !!!

[@TOTALCAMARO]

Thank you for sharing these. I’m so glad that I came upon these videos. Fascinating to watch and learn from them. They are very calming for me especially when I experience my anxiety attacks. 🥰😊

[@sugaredrat3747]

My all time favorite ship is the Anderson. But, the James R Barker has the best horn!

[@judyscheiber3661]

GREAT VIDEO ! ! ! ! The Paul R Tregurtha should have had daylight video. She's drop dead gorgeous with a commanding voice. All the Interlake ships are well kept. They don't rumble or smoke hard. Interlake takes the best care of their fleet! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! Classy.

[@1Long2Short]

I didn't have a good daylight video of the Tregurtha at the time I compiled the video. I either kept missing her or would only catch her at night. So I used the best one I had. (I still haven't gotten a really good daylight video of her, with the sun at the right angle. But it will happen eventually!) I agree about the Interlake Fleet. They seem to take great care of their ships and have the best looking paint scheme in my opinion... especially on their classic lakers.

[@billtsirtsis7060]

Beautiful ships beautiful Lakes.

[@mrogoze7509]

The Presque Isle could carry 115,000,000 lbs of cargo!

[@Breeski1]

My favorite is James R Barker. It was the first ship I saw come in when I moved to Duluth. It's salute is incredible!

[@erikc3936]

The Stewart J Cort is my favorite. One of a kind and the first on the lakes. Favorite horn Barker with the Paul R a close second.

[@sparkybluefox]

Bravo ! Very well done ! Thank you for creating and posting such a fine video of the greatest ships on the Great Lakes ! SBF

[@ldwithrow08]

An interesting approach to ship building. They basically take about a 900 foot bulk carrying barge and tack on a propulsion and hotel and control section at either one or both ends. If they tried to go out on the ocean, the denser salt water and higher waves would rip it apart. Lake carriers are a unique breed of ships found almost nowhere else in the world.

[@sstroh08]

Lawrence Withrow You'd be amazed at what the waves on the lakes can be like.

[@ldwithrow08]

Amen to that! A lot of ships have been lost to lake storms. The fresh water is less dense than salt water and doesn't provide as much bouyancy. The waves are closer together and choppier. The problem with long, narrow barge-like hulls at sea is that the denser salt water lifts the hull farther up and the wave trough doesn't. This makes for uneven bouyancy if the ship spans two or more waves. If the ship is narrow and shallow draft, as lakers necessarily are, it's like breaking a stick over your knee. Sea going bulkers are always a lot beamier and deep draft than they look to stiffen their hulls.

[@dbrinkm1]

I have sailed the oceans and the Great Lakes...the storms on the Lakes are BAD ! some have as much as 35 foot waves and gail force winds to contend. Many of us would rather take our chances in the ocean rather than in the Great Lakes with gail force storms and ice cold weather conditions seen in fall and winter.Theses 1000 foot Ore freighters can sail to China and Japan..but slow ! .Have seen many Chinese and Japanese flat and round nosed freighters go from the Atlantic through the St. lawrence Seaway and all the way to and through the Sault. Marie Locks. Many of the giant Container freighters are flat nosed, some round, and they do sail around the world. They travel all seas ...if ...they take the proper sea routes .Don't sell these giant ore carriers short..they impress all of us old time sailors too.. I will be 72 in two weeks.....Peace.

[@dalebannon8503]

If an ocean going ship enters the Great Lakes system, the ocean pilot must step down and have a Great Lakes trained pilot take over. The seas of the ocean are totally different than the seas of the Great Lakes. Our Great Lakes are the burial grounds for hundreds of ships.

[@edwardpate6128]

I like the Cort as she still has that tradition look of a Great Lakes ship!

[@danjohansen1002]

Patina ?

[@1Long2Short]

The Cort is unique in so many ways.

[@charlespaul5160]

I was a USCG marine inspector in Sturgeon Bay, Wi 1985-1987. The fondest memory I have of the Stewart J Cort (I was on her doing an inspection) was when it was time to go aft from the forward house for lunch. No lie, the crew had a golf cart on deck that they would ride from the forward house to the aft house and vice versa. That gives you an idea of how long these 1,000 footers are. Also, the Cort has a big #1 painted on the front part of her aft house signifying that it is the 1st 1,000 footer built.

[@michaelchamberlain4618]

I was in the USCG and broke ice in 1983-1995 worked around them ALL.

[@johnmcque4813]

Presque Isle is the loudest ship on the lakes especially this year, I bet the staff on that vessel wear ear plugs. Why is the James R. Barker so loved by all?

[@1Long2Short]

Unfortunately the Presque Isle has been pretty quiet for several weeks now, undergoing major engine repairs. It may be another month until she runs again.

[@Name-ot3xw]

After spending a bit of time single handing a 40'er, I have a greater respect for the park jobs these guys have to do. Nerves(and hull) of steel.

[@flyingjay49]

Boats I sailed on starting with SS Lee A Tergertha, MV George A Stinson, MV Burns Harbor, MV Steward J Cort, SS Cason J Calaway, MV Edger B Speer, and SS Philip R Clarke.

[@michaeltaylor8835]

Love these long ships

[@alliehartom5978]

Love watching these ships at the Blue Water bridge connecting Port Huron to Sarnia.

[@gondolacrescent5]

I’ve lived within a few mile of the N., shore of Lake Ontario my entire life. I would wake in the middle of the night sometimes and hear horn blasts from far away in the still of the night. I always thought they came from trains but that doesn’t make any sense. I would commonly see lakers growing up but all would always be miles off shore. I feel the Great Lakes as a resource for travel and commerce are under utilized but it may be reflective of the diminished industrial capacities of the regions that encapsulate the lakes. The implementation of shipping containers in the 70’s changed everything about shipping and ships.

[@oldsrocket8841]

1,000 footers frequently unload at Nanticoke. The Mesabi Miner & Paul Tregurtha were there a week ago. Edwin H Gott as well. I live on the south shore in Ohio.

[@josephmcgraw4877]

I live in Duluth MN. The horns make you feel secure even early in the morning. 40 below windchills and temperatures this week. -43 in Hibbing MN.

[@dontworrywhatmynameis4111]

Awesome video bud!! All natural sounds, no music or talking..Almost made me feel like i was their..But still showed some info on the ships..

[@RoseGrace100]

Wonderful video. Love seeing all the ships. Beautiful video of all of them and love the natural sound.

[@1Long2Short]

Thank you!

[@williamlong4996]

worked winter fleet at bay ship in WI. love the big boats

[@toqirahmad7650]

Two ships in one colour is a great scene horns of ship is very attractive for me to much fascinating spirit of shipping and sailing Lords kings and queens thanks for sharing

[@kimmerdkd]

pretty interesting, as a child I lived in N. Michigan, Iron County. in 1963 I was nine and moved with my family to Arizona. Copper mining was big and my grandpa was the Mine Safety Director for several surface as well as underground operations throughout eastern and south eastern Arizona. I recall the economy in N. Michigan was in freefall due to iron mine closures and the impact on all the small town economies. I was really suprised to see virtually all these ships 1970-80's. launched do they carry ore specifically or grain, I had presumed the steel mills in Indiana and sheet steel for Detroit had all but abandoned the Great Lakes.

[@lowercherty]

Like everything else, these were built to replace aging smaller boats in a 3 to 5 to one ratio. The footers are pretty much limited to ore and coal. Smaller boats still carry salt, sand, grain, limestone, and other commodities.