Freighters frozen on Lake Michigan, Ice Breaking and Mackinac Bridge - 3/25/2019

Ice Breaking Operations involving the United States Coast Guard and vessels from the Great Lakes Merchant Fleet on Northern Lake Michigan in the Straits of Mackinac.
All freighters in the area were beset or stuck for at least 24 hours until ice breaking operations could get underway.
Video ends with footage of the ship underway and transiting under the Mackinac Bridge and sailing by Mackinac Island, MI.
Shot Description
1) Cutter Katmai Bay breaking ice ahead of Paul R Tregurtha (largest ship on Great Lakes).
2) Katmai Bay bubbler system assisting it through ice.
3) Katmai Bay approaching PRT to assist freeing it from ice pack.
4) Same but wider angle.
5) Same but tighter shot.
6) Katmai Bay bubbler system assisting it through ice.
7) PRT plowing through ice.
8) USCG Katmai Bay passing our bow in heavy ice.
9) Zoom in of Katmai Bay bubbler system assisting it through ice.
10) Katmai Bay leading into the track.
11) Bow plowing throough ice field.
12) Looking back toward stern and then panning ice field.
13) Looking over bow toward path through ice field.
14-18) Various Clips sailing under the Mackinac Bridge in ice.
19) Mackinac Island views
SID: Eric Treece

[@philipschneider6396]

Who ever first described them as, The Great Lakes was absolutely correct!

[@george8873]

Love how @ 3:15 it shows exactly how ice breakers work by going on top of the ice and then breaking on down through it with the weight of the ship.

[@alexandriajones7163]

@4:08 what are the bubbles on the side of the boat from? They have blender blades underneath too? Lol

[@ronimiller397]

I was born raised in MI , my fascination with ships has never left. I moved to land locked states after University. Never tire watching these. Now in Texas I drive to gulf to watch ships coming in . I was my Dads ship watching Buddy. Funny how this brings back a warm heartfelt feeling . I’ve seen many of the ships Arthur Anderson , several love PAUL Trecurtha

[@NattyBumppo48]

Roni - My story is much like yours, only I'm originally from Duluth, Minnesota.. I saw many of he same "Lakers" as you, and my list even includes the Fitzgerald, prior to her sinking in '75....guess I just gave away my age.....lol I tell myself I'll go back one day, but time is running out...

[@ronimiller397]

@@NattyBumppo48 I saw Fitz at the coal plant I was young . My Dad and I got around , I was his buddy lol. We went on the Acurama (so) to Cleveland. I was really young it started out ok. Great Lakes can turn rough as ocean . My Dad never got sick he did on that one. I remember being sick in cabin . Awful , it was a blur

[@NattyBumppo48]

@@ronimiller397 As you know all too well, the great lakes can get pretty rough. Ironically, the Fitzgerald itself is proof of it.

[@randallfield6492]

My mother in law lives on Lake Huron just east of the bridge on the shore and looks out on these activities. It's so cool.

[@nizzam1]

What a beautiful view !!! Props to whoever took the video amazing !!!

[@daviemaclean61]

I was an engineer in the British Merchant Navy in the early 80's and was told that our ships (it was a small company) were specifically designed to be able to go through the locks on all the world's canals, Keil, St Lawrence, etc and they were 600' and 30,000 tonnes. I never sailed into the Great Lakes so it never occurred to me that there were vessels bigger than that which never left!

[@shirleybalinski4535]

This ship is I believe 1,000ft. That ice can reach as much as 56ft. In depth. You should try & visit our Lakes. The State of Michigan is about the size of England. Where this video took place is up near the Canadian border.

[@brucebannerman6848]

Could the ice be 56 feet thick or is this a misprint

[@daveedwards374]

My dad sailed on the Great Lakes for 46yrs, the last 26yrs as captain on the ore freighters as I don't remember him going to the Lake Michigan side. He mainly went through the Soo Locks up into Lake Superior to Duluth and Silver Bay. The last few boats he commanded was like Flag Boats as high executives from big companies made deals as the ship went up to lake superior and back down to Cleveland or Ashtabula, Oh as he told me millions or dollars were exchanged or businesses were bought or sold on a trip. I was employed as a deckhand after I graduated from HS and the 360ft boat I was on was the Henry G Dalton and my 2nd mate on my boat turned out he was the 1st mate on my dads boat and my captain knew my dad. My dad commanded John B Cowel which is down on the Detroit River as a museum. He was also commanded Richard M White, Tom M Girdler, and the last boat he was on when retired was the Thomas F Patton. When I was sailing we basically went to Duluth and Silver bay and down to Cleveland and have taken a load of grain to General Mills up in Buffalo, NY. But when we were going through the Soo Locks back then they were building the Soo Locks for the 1000fters at that time and were making self unloaders which would eventually eliminate my job. Dad was basically gone 9mo out of the year but was able to take trips on the boat when we were kids and I worked with the men as I helped paint etc. I remember the last trip before we laid up we went through the Soo Locks and was the first to go through as it has just snowed and was about 6" of snow but never experienced being froze on the lakes as it was June when I got on the boat after I graduated. We raised in Michigan and now live in Tn and took my significant other to Michigan City and went to the Island and I toured the retired icebreaker tug boat there and brought back so many memories of the captains quarters, mess hall and kitchen, engine room but we didn't have the type of engines the ice breaker had but the memories it brought back and the bunk beds. It was great. Thanks

[@zekezeke5170]

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[@zekezeke5170]

0l

[@TOTALCAMARO]

Amazing team work between the ships and the coast guard. Great job and amazing video. Thank you for sharing. It’s very educational watching these.

[@wolfbyte3171]

For anyone curious, the tug is the USCGC Katmai Bay (WTGB-101), a 140 foot Bay-class icebreaking tug. Homeported in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, with a crew of 17 (3 officers, 2 chief petty officer, 12 crew)

[@ErikButterworth]

Makes one curious as to if the Katmai Bay is stuck down in the Straits clearing passages through the ice due to the Soo Locks being closed for the season and can't return to its home port until the Locks reopen in the spring.

[@timmullarkey]

wolfbyte3171 love this, I was on the USCG WAGB281 Westwind a long time ago breaking ice in the same water.

[@ErikButterworth]

@@timmullarkey Nice! I remember being on vacation in Mackinaw City once when the USCGC Mackinaw (WLBB-30) happen to stop and dock there near where its predecessor, USCGC Mackinaw (WAGB-83) was permanently moored. Got a chance to see it up close and speak to some of the crew before they went home for the night.

[@ErikButterworth]

@Randy She Ah, okay. Thanks.

[@debbietrelfa1928]

Thank God for the US Coast Guard.

[@treebuzzard5796]

Incredible how the ice sheet is all the way around which goes to show the severity of the winter you face in the US, thank you for the raw video sound of the ships & the ice breaking against the ships.

[@jameshagen7648]

I noticed that! Yet, there doesn't appear to be any ice around the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Just snow.

[@bogthing1]

Thanks for the look at our inland seas, and Katmai Bay in action. Semper Paratus.

[@kathyhensarling2537]

Michigan,my home state, miss you!

[@pamalahendra5129]

The Tregurtha is the largest ship on the great lakes. And the mighty mac.... seeing these ships on the st. Clair river is amazing!

[@debbietrelfa1928]

The American Spirit is just under 1,000 feet. Also sails the Great Lakes.

[@ernestsutton25]

So what. ! Get a life.

[@danrossell6375]

@@debbietrelfa1928 It is the longest by 9 feet. There are 4 others at 1004 feet.

[@comradeyuri8492]

Very impressive video. I've boated in that area and passed under the Big Mac but that was in July.

[@keithsage1593]

Thank you from Ontario Canada.

[@scottburns5376]

Captain Treece! Good to see your videos again. Keep em coming please. Good stuff as always!

[@rumanda36]

That little workhorse really chews through the ice rather easily doesn’t it?!?!

[@ErikButterworth]

Nice to see the Coast Guard busy keeping the Straits of Mackinac open for the freighters. While the Katmai Bay handles things down in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, the Mackinaw takes care of things up in Lake Superior, especially Whitefish Bay. Also, the Mackinac Bridge is looking pretty good for being over 60 years old. The Mackinac Bridge Authority is keeping it in excellent shape.

[@terryboyer1342]

I saw a documentary where the designer said she'll last a thousand years if maintained.

[@ErikButterworth]

@@terryboyer1342 That's pretty impressive, considering the Mackinac Bridge Authority is always working on the bridge 24/7 to keep it in excellent shape.

[@thomasnikkola5600]

The mighty Tregurtha! Biggest baddest on the water! Also props to the Coast Guard! I love how they ride up the ice and crush it down! Just raw power and brut strength!

[@thebluehotel426]

Fantastic. The Coast Guard is the jack of all trades.

[@indridcold8433]

Sometimes, freighters may have to stay until the spring Thaw. Growing up around the Lake Michigan shore, I would sometimes see a freighter left on the ice until spring. I really miss living on the lake front. I am very far from any large body of water now.

[@leadslinger49]

Great video. Views I've never seen. Thanks. I love the North Country.

[@tumsfestival]

Great shots from aboard ship.

[@johnsmith4589]

Pretty cool how a boat that small can rescue a ship that big...size really doesn’t matter, huh? 💪🏻

[@mikewazowski5900]

Amomg us

[@fredfred3195]

As a native of Michigan i find the content of this video to be Wonderful!

[@robertpapps5383]

Always amazing to watch!

[@PeteS528]

Definitely some cool shots aboard the Sykes!

[@reaganpenner7371]

Not to put fine a point on it but this is what our blankety blank privilege gets us. Amazing machines, technology and people skilled enough and willing to make it all happen. Imagine the nerve and patients it takes to man these vessels.

[@paulkersey2179]

Really nice quality video, thanks

[@shariys1]

Gotta keep Big Paul on the move!

[@tracynation239]

An excellent video. ♡ T.E.N.

[@chagys5035]

Muchas gracias por tu video saludos desde Mexico 🇲🇽

[@BruceC]

Excellent footage - thank you

[@robertlewis2569]

I sailed the deck department on Laker SS Sharon in 1976/77... Great crew and ship

[@pauljohn5554]

You people up north, how thick does that ice get?

[@generationll]

How funny it is to see the king of the great lakes fleet the PRT stopped dead in its tracks

[@MokenaBob]

Great video. Impressed

[@EliChristman]

Man, that looks like a fun job! I'd be all down for it if rescuing people in big storms was not part of the description.

[@bigwheelsturning]

The USCGC Icebreaker, Northwind; I served on in the 60's would have gone through that ice like a hot knife. That was only 10 knot ice. They need new icebreakers to replace the really old one's they are trying to keep a live now with bailing wire and duck tape.

[@sundancer3700]

The newer Mackinaw icebreaker built in 2005 is one of the largest ice breakers in the world. Its 240 feet and can break up eight foot thick brash ice. Have toured it a few times and she is a beautiful ship.

[@tuunaes]

@@sundancer3700 In global scale Mackinaw is light ice breaker. And going through brash ice isn't really breaking the ice, because by definition brash ice is just loose pieces floating. It's pressure ridges growing to thickness of dozens of foots where challenge is.

[@tomeemerson]

Watching an icebreaker open that channel after the first long hard freeze is thrilling! It throws a wake three or four times the length of the ship. A freighter following it, the ice rolls up the bow and crashes down, very load, and a bit frightening if you are standing on the ice. I don’t recall which ship.

[@alexandersinclair9006]

@@tuunaes try looking up the difference between blue ice and your pathetic sea ice.

[@maryvanessa9909]

Wow that’s amazing 😉

[@FINfinFINfinFINfin]

If I was in the USCG I'd want to be stationed in Key West.

[@joetexas1546]

US Coast Guard-non essential personnell. Yeah right!

[@terryboyer1342]

Joseph If they only had a REAL icebreaker to use.

[@tc1uscg65]

@@terryboyer1342 And which one would that be? The Westwind was removed from the Great Lakes in the early 80's to end up in Mobile AL in 84.

[@terryboyer1342]

@@tc1uscg65 I don't understand your question. I'm merely stating that the Great Lakes hasn't a "true" ice breaker anymore. The Coast Guard hasn't a true ice breaker anymore due to the "wisdom" of congress. I believe it's shortsighted and disgraceful.

[@erichammond9308]

@@terryboyer1342 I thought the new Mackinaw was a heavy ice breaker? Either way, you are correct, the service with the biggest bang for the buck, the USCG is always undervalued by those in DC

[@panzerwolf494]

@@erichammond9308 Well, that's because you can't use them as props to get idiots to vote for you because "our troops!"

[@christineyoung7071]

WOW!!! AWESOME!!

[@grumpyoldbastard3484]

I love the mighty Mac. I miss Michigan.

[@waynelewis881]

What protects the props from damage?

[@stevewilliams9306]

She has a '' Bubbler'' system on her , and i am quite sure she would be jet driven ... no props to foul up . ... I am not 100% sure , but that's my guess . I am sure about the bubbler system for breaking the ice .

[@tomeemerson]

When sailing past Mackinaw, did the ship you were sailing on ever get “tagged” by kids from the island? (I had friends there years ago, they would tag ships sailing by, standing on the ice spray painted their names on the hull.)

[@kathyhensarling2537]

I love our Coast Guard men and women, a tough bunch.

[@andybrugman3619]

what a beautiful place to work you guys are so lucky

[@naybreed]

Dave Edward's Thanks for sharing your story. Jerome.

[@johnsoper5675]

I remember sailing under the Mackinac Bridge on the way to and from Buffington Dock (South Chicago)

[@leadslinger49]

I've delivered rail road cars to Buffington in the late 60's. I think is was cement or powdered Gypsum.

[@johnsoper5675]

@Randy She Awesome!!! I would go to the red ore dock. It was very messy. I had no idea that there was a beach there. I ended up working about 30 straight hours when we first arrived there

[@judithyoungquist8409]

Awesome, truely!!

[@macman3175]

Wow I forgot how cold it gets there , I only go to Mackinac in the summer.

[@Chris6134]

Impressive!

[@paolo_galassi]

How does that bubbling along the waterline form at around 3:40 ?

[@stevewilliams9306]

Thats what breaks up the ice ... It's called '' Bubbler'' system , jets of air shoot out of holes in her hull breaking the ice sheets into small pieces .

[@calvinsusanwebber3414]

What was PT out there for that late in the year.

[@wideawake914]

is it like that every year or was that the exception.

[@alexcika9906]

Very cool video you don't see that alot

[@alexcika9906]

@carl lagle videos like this

[@alexcika9906]

@carl lagle na bro it's the first time it showed up on my Recommend

[@Saint696Anger]

Really cool I thought we only had a few ice breakers

[@chrisjohnson4666]

Actually your right... really we have one ocean going breaker, one heavy breaker on the great lakes (the Mackinac) and a few small bay class like in the video...

[@TheLittlered1961]

@@chrisjohnson4666 Thought we had 2 ocean breakers. One polar class and one newer class. I am pretty certain I saw on the news the polar class breaker leaving this last fall.

[@chrisjohnson4666]

@@TheLittlered1961 there used to be two the polar star and polar sea... The Polar star was built in 1978 as was the sea... the star was rebuilt a couple years ago the sea blew its engines and has not neen in use since 2010... Those are the only heavy US ice breakers... The Russiand roll them out like sausages but we waste money one useless ships like the Zumwalt class...

[@chrisjohnson4666]

@@TheLittlered1961 "America's only heavy icebreaker, the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, is more than 40 years old and must be replaced by the new Polar Security Cutter," said Vice Admiral Daniel B. Abel, U.S. Coast Guard deputy commandant for operations. "We need the first new Polar Security Cutter immediately to meet America's needs in the Arctic." From December

[@TheLittlered1961]

@@chrisjohnson4666 Thanx for the info. I had to look it up. Congress just approved monies for the new class. I knew that it had been in the planning for many years. I was able to see the Polar Star and Sea in dry dock here in Seattle. Very impressive when looking up at them from a 16' boat.

[@tonys623]

What's that big white building at 7:16? It looks like a resort or country club.

[@h20bearboy65]

The Grand Hotel on Macinac Island

[@jasonsmith8635]

I live in Fl so we dont deal with this much. How does the ice not get sucked under and mess up the props?

[@alexandersinclair9006]

The props are designed to chew up the ice being pulled into them.

[@websurfer44]

What causes the water to be open around the island?

[@keithsage1593]

Damn it's to cold!! I'm going south,FLA....

[@guynorth3277]

This is twenty minutes away, a wonderful place to live around. Sometime the ice behaves so awesomely in the Spring melt. Why is the taxpayer held accountable to help private enterprise, I hope they reimburse the coast guard, regular folks should not have to pay for their problems.

[@wishinifishin5172]

Welcome my fellow northmen from alpena

[@DuckOfRubber]

One of the primary purposes and missions of the Coast Guard is to protect commerce along US coastlines. This is literally one of the main reasons the Coast Guard was created. As we’re only too aware in late 2021 when stores everywhere can’t even fully stock their shelves the week of Thanksgiving because they have no inventory, the consequences are far reaching and economically devastating for more than just the shipping companies when ships can’t reach US ports. If the ore ships couldn’t get through and the steel mills had to shut down, suddenly hundreds of industries employing millions of workers are at risk.

[@andrewmullin3625]

How did you get them to allow you to board the ship!?

[@andrewmullin3625]

@@StormChasingVideo apparently lol

[@Vashti0825]

Is this normal for large March?

[@indigodragon0613]

Vashti McRoberts As far as I know, yes. Once the mackinac straits freeze, they don’t unfreeze until the temperature has been quite warm for I imagine a month or so, maybe longer.

[@itsmuha9629]

Хорошо тут у вас, на Мичигане!

[@georgiaboy1579]

That's awesome

[@jjosephm7539]

Never back down hard in ice, you can bend the blades on the prop.

[@philliphelms6505]

Coast Guard doing what they do best and not to mention search and rescue!

[@Strange087]

Those tanker ships are HUGE aren't they 😶

[@tuunaes]

Tregurtha is bulk carrier, which carry things like grain, ore etc.

[@dakotah_anderson]

Most of the great lakes aren't tankers there are some but mainly self unloading bulks which carrier coal, ore, wheat, limestone

[@williamsporing1500]

1000’

[@mikeramsey9747]

The people that live on the islands don't appreciate the ice breakers opening up channels because they depend on the ice to get building supplies and large items out to their islands in the winter.

[@CorneiliusLibowitz]

The st ignace side stays locked up (when weather permits), and they keep the mack city side open.... supplies are dragged out to the island from the st ignace side....

[@turtleonahottinroof8734]

To the Queen,.. now I understand why you love leaving a wake going into Duluth. 🖖🐢

[@kimzastrow1268]

That is like the person who took tons of swimming classes to get back home

[@rosesrambler]

What have polar bears got to do with the Great Lakes

[@ronaldspins]

get a clue

[@user-wc1ft6jv8r]

Now I c how to ice fishing never seen a lake freeze like that❤

[@c5back9]

What is that big beautiful white building at 7:15?

[@kdwaynec]

Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island

[@user-ne4od2xc4y]

it BIG

[@LakeFreightersBoats]

Good stuff thumbs up

[@craigzeigler194]

It has been a cold winter.

[@AimingWanderously]

What happens if a cutter gets stuck?

[@dakotah_anderson]

It will be pretty hard for that to happen but it's more likely a other cutter will come to help but the cutters do have bubblers so they break ice easily

[@suzannebenz8928]

So frightening!

[@user-wc1ft6jv8r]

Now I c how to ice fishing never seen a lake freeze like that

[@jamesbenedict7206]

Who paid for this?

[@jamesbenedict7206]

Is this a free service of the USCG?

[@jamesbenedict7206]

Thank you! I am a Florida boy and have never been in snow or ice!

[@bobv8219]

Good choice of traveling time. Why

[@hectora7479]

Imagine falling in!

[@brewsandbass5572]

In iceland they use jet skis

[@jasonwolfe6266]

My dad was on the raritan similar to this vessel

[@jm-ve8ry]

Why pollute you video with that silly graphic nonsense?

[@jeepcreepit5404]

Ah.. the first of the 140 bay class WTGB's.

[@EmersumBiggins]

If a private company decides to sail in ice locked water, it should have to send its own ice breakers to accompany its ships.

[@alexandersinclair9006]

OK bernie bro.

[@PHILIPWATSON82]

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE MORE POLAR BEARS TODAY THAN EVER.

[@bluedogsurvive6501]

PHILIP WATSON 5 they weee never in danger, more climate lies

[@JasmineLindros]

That is not true, PHILIP. There are more being reported, but there are more people in the Arctic now that it's easier to access, so there are more people observing and reporting.

[@darrenkastl8160]

JasmineLindros Yep that is true! The very first time some one said the ploar bears pack ice was shrinking ding ding ding .......lie from that very moment 35 yrs ago.

[@Sojourning_]

you guys need a much bigger boat / ice breaker.

[@kothwyllt2821]

Lake Michigan...bah! Michigan is baby lake. Only Great lake is Superior!

[@bernie9728]

Actually Lake Michigan/Lake Huron that are essentially the same lake are considerably larger than Lake Superior. For whatever reason someone decided to divide Michigan and Huron into two lakes, but both are connected and both are at the same elevation. Now Lake Erie is at the same elevation as Michigan and Huron, but you have to travel down a long river and pass thru a pretty good size lake to get to Erie. With Michigan and Huron no such passage is needed.

[@peroleable]

The earth is boiling they say and the ice is growing

[@user-vy9kc4bq1q]

Такое "добро" ломают, У нас конец января, а льда нет.😞 🎣

[@user-wc1ft6jv8r]

Wow

[@air5210]

After the ship breaks through the glacier, the glacier melts quickly and the global temperature rises. It equally damages the polar bear's habitat.

[@wishinifishin5172]

Are you stupid or good at acting? There are no polar bears OR glaciers in Michigan.

[@alexandersinclair9006]

its not a glacier stupid. Its on a lake and it melts away every year. Try doing research next time to avoid looking stupid.

[@ismailhotel4038]

Good 😊 hii 👍🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰

[@davenwpg1]

:)

[@dalecaruso2052]

Nature spent all winter creating that ice and now you going to break it, shame on you😜