US Ferry News from outside the PNW

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Jun 17, 2009 8:12:46 GMT -8 Northern Exploration said:

Jun 17, 2009 4:06:44 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

I think the truth in this rings even more clearly for the east coast. I've been doing a little research over the last month or so, and am amazed at how many different services have come and gone since the days of the first settlers. That said, there has been some hints at a resurgence of sorts here...ferries offer a certain flexibility that fixed links by their nature can't...though these are more often passenger only services.

Don't get BCinNJ started - his research includes Washington Crossing the Delaware.

The venerable little ferry, that was was recently upgraded to a new one, to ferry passengers and cars across to the Toronto City Centre Airport, is actually being joined by a second one. In this case the crossing is ridiculously short and would have been much better served by a bridge. Since some local politicians have apposed a bridge as a way of strangling growth, the airport recently released a design study for a tunnel. The airport falls under the Toronto Harbour Commission (Federal mandate) and the politicans against are one local MP and the Mayor. So the two are constantly niggling back and forth.

Ontario has a variety of passenger ferries that ply a number of routes. Many of them save a lot of time if you meet the sailing right, versus driving around. Unless some major funding was announced and a were to be built as a job creation scheme, none are in danger of being replaced. The bulk are in more rural and tourist areas versus being on a high traffic route.

Here is a pretty good listing of the routes:

www.ontariotravel.net/TcisCtrl?site=consumers&key1=travelTools&key2=transportation&language=EN&linkType=I

An out of date listing is here that also includes the now defunct Rochester to Toronto service.

www.ontario.worldweb.com/Transportation/Ferries/

Missing are some seasonal routes, including one that crosses the Ottawa River halfway between Ottawa and Montreal at Hudson. Although that maybe technically a Quebec Ferry. In Winter when the Ottawa gets ice clogged enough, and ice bridge is used. Winters lately are less reliable and there have been problems with it .

lol...well, we've had problems with crossing the Delaware on the ice floes lately too.

[Northern Exploration]

The white stuff you thought were ice flows, was styrofoam floating downstream from the garbage dump .

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/en-US/News/Article/ACMA-Monitors-First-Dry-Dock-of-TxDOT-Ferry/331040.aspx

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ACMA Monitors First Dry Dock of TxDOT Ferry
Friday, June 26, 2009, 9:52 AM
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TxDOT-Ferry---Dry-Dock-(1)_.jpg

Alan C. McClure Associates (ACMA), a naval architecture and engineering firm, announced that the first dry dock for a ferry being built for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has been completed at Conrad Deepwater in Amelia, Louisiana. ACMA and Schuller & Allen provided engineering and design for the new 264-ft vessel, and ACMA is now providing owner’s representation during the construction period until vessel delivery.

ACMA Vice President Darrel Harvey said “The ferry’s first dry dock went very smoothly. The vessel received her new propeller shafts, propellers and rudders, along with a fresh coat of bottom paint. Now she’ll be given the final top side colors that she’ll proudly wear during her tour of duty. Over the next few months, ACMA will be overseeing alignment of the propulsion system, electrical equipment integration and termination, and equipment start-up, as well as dock trails and sea trials.”

(www.acma-inc.com/drill/ferry.html)

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10731518

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Savannah River ferry system gets money for new boat

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - It might be the most relaxing commute around and it's certainly the cheapest.

But the trip across the Savannah River will soon get even better with the newest and biggest addition to the Savannah River Ferry System.

"The ferries we have right now hold approximately between 95 to 100 passengers,'' said Mark Spadoni, general manager of the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort on Hutchinson Island. "The new vessel being planned will able to accommodate 150 people, which is clearly advantageous as it relates to the larger conventions we have.''

Stimulus package money will contribute the final $1 million necessary to build a new boat for the Savannah River fleet.

And that will build on the link between downtown and Hutchinson Island while enhancing the already peaceful one-minute cruise for Westin employees on their way to work, tourists who want to see River Street from the other side and guests of conventions, such as the Georgia Police Chiefs Convention in town this week.

"It's nice, it's a pleasant way to travel rather than your average car or trolley or bus,'' said Sylvester police chief Alfred Anderson, who rode the ferry during this week's convention but also has been on it with his family. "It relaxes you as you travel from side to side.''

But a newer, bigger ferry could have benefits off the river that could ripple through the city.

"It is helping stimulate the economy from a ship building standpoint,'' said Spadoni. "But also from a convenience standpoint. Our ability to drive convention business is such a critical component to driving tax revenue for the city and obviously it helps all of us.''

Because the money is coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, contracts to build the boat have to be in place by February 2010.

It would likely take more than a year for construction, placing time of arrival in Savannah for the new ferry somewhere around spring of 2011.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

www.dot.gov/affairs/2009/fhwa2109.htm

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Office of Public Affairs


FHWA 21-09
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Contact: Nancy Singer
Tel: [phone]

Transportation Secretary Announces $60 Million in Economic Recovery Funds to Build and Improve Ferry Docks and Facilities

WASHINGTON - U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $60 million in grants to 19 states and one U.S. territory to improve ferry service and save and create jobs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“The Recovery Act was put in place quickly to rescue the economy from the worst recession since the Great Depression and rebuild it for a stronger future,” said Secretary LaHood. “Rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure is a key part of that prescription for strength. It creates jobs today and builds for better, more sustainable economy moving forward.”

"The projects we selected will help put people back to work and at the same time offer more access to areas that lack transportation options,” said Secretary LaHood. “It is about providing more travel choices to people from communities that need it the most.”

The Secretary added that most of the projects selected are located in economically distressed areas and will address critical transportation needs. The improvements will be made quickly to satisfy ARRA’s emphasis on immediate economic recovery through infrastructure investment. Priority is given to projects that can be completed in two years or less.

The largest projects are in Nueces, Texas, where a bridge or tunnel is not feasible, and Detroit, Michigan, where ferry service to the suburbs is necessary. Both ferry projects represent key solutions to connect communities and respond to growing traffic needs in the regions.

ARRA provides the $60 million to the Federal Highway Administration’s Ferry Boat Discretionary program, which is intended for the construction and repair of ferry boats and terminal facilities.

State
City/County
Project
Improvement
Amount

Alabama
Wilcox
Gee’s Bend Ferry
Upgrade ferry lines and build new terminal at Camden
$1,419,000

Alaska
Hoonah
Hoonah Ferry
Replacement of aging structures to allow for safer and more reliable service
$3,059,507

Arkansas
Marion
Peel Ferry
Replace aging tugboats to provide safer and more reliable service
$350,000

California
San Francisco
Sausalito Ferry
Ferry landing improvements to include better access
$3,200,000

Florida
Duval
Mayport Ferry
Terminal improvements to include ramp upgrades for safety
$3,000,000

Georgia
Chatham
Savannah River Ferry
Construct new ferry boat
$1,000,000

Kentucky
Crittenden
Cave-in-Rock Ferry
Construction and rehabilitation of ferry landing to reduce service delays
$90,000

Kentucky
Monroe
Turkey Neck Bend Ferry
Replace aging ferry and trailer
$300,000

Kentucky
Butler
Reeds Ferry
Construct new ferry boat
$300,000

Louisiana
Iberville
Plaquemine/Sunshine Ferry
Improve landing infrastructure with upgraded hydraulic systems
$350,000

Louisiana
Plaquemines
Plaquemines Parish Ferry
Replace ferry boat engines with energy-efficient/alternative fuel engines that improve speed and reduce emissions
$1,856,930

Louisiana
Iberville
Plaquemine/Sunshine Ferry
Replace main engine of M/V Ascension ferry boat to improve speed, efficiency and reliability
$650,000

Louisiana
Iberville, Pointe Coupee, and West Feliciana Parishes
M/V Acadia, M/V Ascension, M/V St. Charles, M/V St. Francisville Radar Systems
Replace navigational radar systems on the four ferry boats to improve safety and efficiency
$300,000

Maine
Cumberland
Casco Bay Island Transit District Ferry
Construct new ferry boat to provide expanded and more reliable service
$5,500,000

Maine
Waldo
Maine State Ferry Service – Lincolnville
Replace aging dock systems to improve safety
$1,300,000

Maryland
Baltimore
Inner Harbor Connector
Pier improvements and the purchase of a new ferry
$1,590,000

Michigan
Detroit
Detroit City Dock
Design and construction of new offshore wharf and additional space for passenger terminal building
$7,139,455

Michigan
Chippewa
St. Mary’s River Ferry Dock
Dock upgrades to include lengthened piers to accommodate multiple vessels along with larger ones
$1,175,000

Missouri
Mississippi
Dorena-Hickman Ferry
Construct new ferry boat to accommodate larger vehicles
$957,500

Missouri
Lewis
Canton Ferry
Construction of heavy vehicle ramps and safety gates on the ferry docks
$188,000

New York
Clinton
Lake Champlain Transportation Company (LCT Co.) Ferry
Construction of additional ferry slip to provide additional capacity
$2,500,000

New York
Richmond
Staten Island Ferry
Rehabilitation and upgrades to the terminal and dock to improve safety, efficiency and reliability
$4,000,000

Ohio
Ottawa
Middle Boat Ferry
Repair deteriorating commercial dock and replace passenger and freight terminal building
$800,000

Oregon
Marion
Buena Vista Ferry
Construct new ferry boat and improve landings and terminal electrical utilities to provide more reliable and expanded service
$3,224,608

Tennessee
Stuart
Cumberland City Ferry
Construct new ferry barge and construct new landings and floating terminal
$3,000,000

Texas
Nueces
Port Aransas
Construct new ferry boat to expand service
$7,200,000

Virgin Islands
St. Thomas and St. John
VI Ferry
Construct new ferry boats to expand service
$3,000,000

Washington
Skagit
Guemes Island Ferry
Construction of new ferry terminal with expanded customer service
$750,000

Wisconsin
Grant
Cassville Car Ferry
Replacement of deteriorating ferry boat
$1,800,000

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/en-US/News/Article/331363.aspx

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CG Investigates Grounding of Ferry

At approximately 11:30 p.m., July 21, 2009, the 57-ft car ferry, Captain, went aground at Balboa Island, Newport, Calif. with no passengers aboard.

At the time of the incident, the ferry operators reported a 2-foot hole in the vessel's hull, but there were no reports of flooding.

When the ferry grounded, there was an estimated 50 gallons of gasoline onboard. The fuel has been removed and there have been no reports of pollution to the Coast Guard at this time.

The ferry has been refloated and has been taken to a nearby shipyard for repairs. Coast Guard inspectors and investigators from Sector Los Angeles - Long Beach will continue the investigation and oversee the repairs.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/en-US/News/Article/331450.aspx

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Chalmette Ferry Resumes Operations

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced that the Lower Algiers/Chalmette ferry has resumed service.

The ferry closed at 6:00 p.m. on July 31 to make repairs to the ferry landing. While conducting a routine inspection of the landing, department staff found that some of the ferry landing’s pilings were in need of repair.

The ferry will maintain its normal hours of operation from 6:00 a.m. to 8:45 p.m., seven days a week.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

www.connpost.com/ci_12979834?source=most_emailed

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Keeping the ferry moving in ship-shape fashion

One of the most coveted jobs in a coastal community is the captain of a stately ferryboat.

Sitting on the bridge, high above the waves, the captain is in charge of a 1,587-ton vessel that's controlled by delicately nudging a pair of joysticks. Cumulus clouds, looking like they were painted by Poussin, billow across an azure sky. A pair of 3,000-horsepower diesels quietly rumble below decks while hundreds of passengers pass the time playing sudoku, calling friends on the cell phones and gazing over the open water.

The radio is alive with chatter from Coast Guard alerts, other ship traffic and the walkie-talkie conversations of other crew members aboard the ship.

It's part "Master and Commander," part cruise ship operator, part transit worker.

Stephen Schmitt, 41, is one of 10 captains who pilot the three Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamship Co. ferries across Long Island Sound. He's been with the company 22 years, and worked his way up through the ranks, eventually becoming captain in 2001.

During a recent Sound crossing, Schmitt chatted about his life on the water and his duties as captain.

Q: When you were a kid, did you want to be a pirate?

A: "I always loved boats. I always wanted to join the Navy, but I never did that. I love being on the water. I just stepped into this and I love doing it."

Q: How does one became a ferry boat captain?

A: "For me, I started with the company in 1987, working on the dock. I started working on the boat in 1989 as an OS ---- ordinary seaman ---- while I was at Suffolk Community College, and then became an ABS [able-bodied seaman]. Then it gets complicated, because to become a first mate, you have to go back to school. The tests are very difficult. You have to study a lot. Rules of the road. Radar. Charts. Then, you have to go through more studies and tests to get your captain's certificate."

Q: This is a pretty big boat. It must be hard to handle.

A: "The wind affects us the most. Rain and snow don't bother the boat, but the wind does. There's an old saying that ship captains have ---- 'Hours or boredom followed by moments of terror.' One time ---- my third day as captain ---- I look down and there's a guy paddling a kayak with a small child sitting on top, down by the stern. Then the call comes up ---- 'Shut the engines down! They're in the water!' Another few feet and he would have been sucked into the props. They were OK, but I wasn't too happy. I've docked in thunderstorms with sheets of lightning all around. But I have lots of power.

"The best thing to do is to stay on the controls and not get nervous. You always have the option of bailing out. If you're not comfortable with the approach, you can always stop, back up and make another pass. I can't imagine doing the Murmansk run ---- ice everywhere. "

Q: We're on the Grand Republic. Are you always on the this boat, or do you bounce around?

A: "We bounce around.

"I work as mate on the boat, and I work as captain on all three."

Q: How many crew members are there?

A: "Each boat has one captain, one first mate, two able-bodied seaman, one ordinary and one chief engineer. So six guys. Today, it's very busy, so we'll put an extra OS on. We have to have enough people to cover the lifeboats, that kind of thing, but we usually have that anyway, because all of the crew, including the bartenders, the snack bar people and the pursers, know the emergency drills."

Q: How's business this summer?

A: "Business has slowed down a lot, so we've been running three boats on the weekends and two during the week. August is usually our biggest month by far. This problem with the Throgs Neck shutting down has worked out for us."

Q: I notice you have GPS. That wasn't there when you started.

A: "Right. We're of the old school, though. We still go by radar. There's a lot of lobster boats out there now. GPS isn't going to show you that, but radar will."

Q: I know the ferry company wants to switch to the other side of Bridgeport harbor. What's your take on that?

A: "We really don't have the staging area that we should have here on this side of Bridgeport harbor. The cars are lined up all the way down the road. We really need two ramps, too. A couple weeks ago, a hose on the Bridgeport ramp went and it took 40 minutes to fix. Plus, we have to expand."

Q. Do you have to call the police and tell then to meet you at the dock sometimes?

A: "Oh, yes. Usually it's for people who don't want to buy a ticket, or walk-ons who spent the day drinking in Port Jeff. Another big thing is people leaving their stuff in bags under the seat. It's a different time today. We're all trained in security."

Q: Do you live in Connecticut or Long Island?

A: "Mount Sinai, Long Island. I actually met my wife, Andrea, on the ferry. She's from Trumbull. I proposed to her on the ferry, too. We didn't get married on the ferry, though. She wouldn't go for that ... Look at this guy! Never been on a boat in his life, and he's flying into the harbor at 60 knots. This is what we have to deal with all summer long."

---- JOHN BURGESON

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/en-US/News/Article/331632.aspx

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Public Hearing, Proposed Gretna Ferry Route Change

The Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) will hold a public hearing on a proposal to change the route of the Gretna ferry from the Gretna-Jackson Avenue route to the Gretna-Canal Street route. In addition, proposed changes in the times of operation for the Gretna ferry will be discussed. The proposed start date for the new route and/or times of operation will be in the fall of 2009.

The hearing will take place on August 26, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Gretna City Hall, Council Chambers, 2nd Street at Huey P. Long Avenue, Gretna, La. DOTD representatives will be available to answer questions and to receive comments from the public. For more information relating to the meeting, contact Peggy Olivier at 504-376-8100.

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Avenue-Gretna_Ferry

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/fort-gates-ferry-still-crossing-the-st-johns-river/1029732

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Fort Gates Ferry still crossing the St. Johns River

FRUITLAND

Crossing the river can be an ordeal without the help of a blue-eyed, taciturn man named Dale Jones. When he takes a day off, certain unhappy Northeast Florida motorists have to drive their cars an extra 50 miles to get from one side of the St. Johns River to the other. They have to drive to Palatka across Old Memorial Bridge or head south an hour to pass above the river at Astor.

But for $10, Jones will take two vehicles and their passengers across the river on the oldest ferry in the state. Since 1853, the Fort Gates Ferry has transported farmers, soldiers, livestock, wagons and now motor vehicles from the Salt Springs area of the Ocala National Forest to the little community of Fruitland to the east.

In the old days the ferry pilot employed a long pole to push the little barge and cargo across the wide river. After the Civil War, a steam-driven boat nudged the barge from bank to bank. Now Jones perches at the wheel of a little tugboat powered by an internal combustion engine. The tug and barge, by the way, are almost a century old.

"If things work, why replace them?'' is the ferry pilot's philosophy.

Jones has nothing against modernity, nothing against bridges. He drives his pickup across them from time to time. But bridges are sadly imperfect, he has found. Sometimes the draw in a modern bridge gets stuck in the "up" position during a power outage. Sometimes a traffic accident blocks the lanes.

Then even modern Florida needs a ferry.

• • •

Jones, 50, owns the ferry with a relative, Dick Hackett, 75. They also own the Fort Gates Fish Camp next to the ferry terminus on the Fruitland side of the river. They rent boat slips and cabins. They say "nice fish" when somebody comes in with a stringer of bass. Sometimes they take a photo of the triumphant angler and post it on a bulletin board for visitors to admire.

Before it was a fish camp, before the ferry began operating, Fort Gates was a federal encampment during the longest Indian uprising in U.S. history, the Second Seminole War, which lasted from 1835 to 1842. During the Civil War the ferry transported Confederate troops. Today Fort Gates is a place where anglers in orange jumpsuits launch their expensive boats to go after bass.

One of these days Jones is going to start fishing for bass.

"I bought me a license last October,'' he says. "But I still haven't wet a line. Too much work. I got me a ferry to run.''

Once there were dozens of Florida ferries, including one that crossed Tampa Bay. Now only four remain. The Mayport Ferry, founded in 1948, crosses the St. Johns near Jacksonville and can manage 40 vehicles and 200 passengers at a time. Since 1943, a private ferry has carried motorists, two at a time, from the Putnam County mainland to their homes on 3.5-mile long Drayton Island where the St. Johns River widens into Lake George. In Southwest Florida's Charlotte County, a ferry has been transporting residents from Palm to Knight and Don Pedro islands since 1984.

The Fort Gates Ferry transports about 1,500 vehicles a year across one of the most remote sections of the St. Johns. "This part of the river ain't got tore up like some of those places around the bend,'' Jones says. In his opinion, development is a double-edged sword. It can bring customers but change the relaxed way of life. The Fort Gates Fish Camp and Ferry has a new neighbor, a residential development that includes a paved airplane runway and hangars instead of garages. Maybe one day the wealthy homeowners will demand a new bridge from politicians. For now, in a bad economy, they depend on the ferry.

The ferry operates as needed between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. every day except Tuesday. At the fish camp, a customer knocks on the office door to find Jones. From the Ocala National Forest side, customers have three options to alert the ferry pilot. They can call on their cell phones and hope for the best. They can blow their horns and hope the wind is blowing toward Jones.

The time-honored way is to drive to the river bank and turn on the vehicle's headlights.

• • •

There is no paved road leading to the ferry on either side of the river. On the fish camp side, the 1-mile-long dirt road is always passable and close to civilization in an emergency. On the Ocala National Forest side, a motorist requires a sense of adventure. The yellow sand road to the river weaves through wilderness for 7 miles. The road is known as National Forest Road 43, Salt Springs Road, Fort Gates Road and Florida Bear Scenic Highway. Motorists who break down are more likely to see bears than tow trucks.

In dry weather, a Honda Civic should make it. In rainy weather, streams of water flow across the road. In a frog-strangling downpour, parts of the road wash away.

Switch on your lights.

For a long time, nothing happens.

Then a dot appears on the river. The dot gets bigger. It's a 40-foot barge pushed by a 20-foot launch with Dale Jones at the helm. It has taken him 10 minutes to make the 1-mile crossing.

He lands. He ties up to the dock. He keeps his mouth shut. He spins a wheel that raises the ramp to the level of tires. He gestures "come on" with both hands. His passenger drives slowly onto the barge. He gestures "a little more" and his passenger drives a little more forward. Now he holds his hands up in the "stop" position. He unties from the dock. Without a word he boards the tug, turns the barge around and heads for the other side.

• • •

Fifteen minutes later, at the fish camp, he is slightly more talkative.

Two customers today. But on a good day there can be 30. Maybe more if there's an accident on the bridge at Palatka.

Who are his customers?

They are deer hunters with rifles in the windows of their pickups. They are families with kids and tubes heading from the coast to a day in an Ocala National Forest spring. They are foreigners who want to ride on every ferry in the United States. They are a lawn man with a truck and trailer who has accounts on the other side. They are motorcyclists. Twenty Harleys can fit on the trailer. They are cyclists. Jones can fit 45 and their riders on the barge.

"I basically like this,'' says the former Pennsylvania resident who moved here more than a decade ago. Sometimes he is bored and wishes he were doing something more exciting. But those feelings pass. "It's pretty here. It's peaceful. People are nice and friendly.'' He sees eagles and ospreys. He sees big alligators. One time he saw a bear swimming across the river.

Another time a lightning bolt struck a marker a hundred yards from the barge. "I won't pick you up in a storm,'' he says. "Not worth 10 bucks. You'll have to wait.''

In 1972, Paul Newman visited the Fort Gates Fish Camp to film a commercial for a car company. The guy who ran the ferry let Paul Newman take the wheel for a few minutes. In the stuffy fish camp office, where wasps fly just below the ceiling, they have a scrapbook full of clips about the Paul Newman visit.

The owners of the ferry at the time, Fred and Connie Ludolff, had the gumption to invite the famous movie star to supper. At the ferry landing — even now — even close-mouthed Dale Jones can tell the story of what happened next.

"Connie,'' Paul Newman said, "I'm awfully hard to please. I want bass, corn on the cob with watermelon for dessert.''

He left with a full stomach.

Jeff Klinkenberg can be reached at [e-mail] or [phone]. His latest book is "Pilgrim in the Land of Alligators."

IF YOU GO
The Fort Gates Ferry

The ferry operates from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily except Tuesday. From Tampa Bay, take Interstate 75 north to Ocala. Exit at State Road 40. Go east 12 miles, then turn north on County Road 314 for 18 miles. Drive north on State Road 19. After a mile, turn right on National Forest Road 43 and proceed 7 miles to the St. Johns River. At the boat ramp, turn on lights and wait for ferry, or call [phone].

On the Web

See video of the ferry at links.tampabay.com.

[cobblehillian]

Interesting story, thanks for posting it.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

www.courant.com/community/rocky-hill/hc-ferry-dock0828.artaug27,0,4175030.story

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Plan For Dock Near Ferry Gets Hearing On Tuesday

When it comes to their 350-year-old ferry, people in Glastonbury and Rocky Hill can be pretty protective.

There's already a national historic district around the ferry landings. And when the state Department of Transportation attempted to curtail ferry service in 2003, there was such an outcry that funding was found to keep the tugboat and barge traveling regularly across the Connecticut River between the two towns.

And when a dock proposed just south of the ferry landing was tentatively approved by the state Department of Environmental Protection over the summer, worried ferry enthusiasts again leaped into action, forcing the DEP to hold a public hearing on the plan by property owner Greg Lichatz.

Lichatz's planned dock would be 100 feet south of the Rocky Hill ferry landing and would extend 50 feet into the river from the shore. The ferry connects Route 160 in Glastonbury to Meadow Road in Rocky Hill.

The hearing will take place Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in town council chambers at Rocky Hill Town Hall.

Although the DEP and state Department of Transportation, which operates the ferry, have no issues with the dock, Rocky Hill resident and ferry supporter Peter Maxwell believes it will be a "nail in the coffin" for the nation's oldest continuously operated ferry.

"Common sense tells us that, with an obstacle immediately downstream, the current will become the insurmountable factor," Maxwell said of tidal and river currents where the ferry runs. "The ferry will remain in its slip for large portions each season. Why is the DOT approving this obstruction, to be constructed within Route 160's right of way established after centuries of use?"

Charles C. Beck, the DOT's transportation maritime manager, said in a letter that he doesn't anticipate "any conflicts with ferry navigation as it approaches and departs the ferry slip."

"However, at times weather and river conditions produce unusual challenges to a successful landing or departure," he wrote.

"The installation and location of the dock will have no impact on the ferry," said Kevin Nursick, a DOT spokesman. "We are the stewards of the ferry and we are intent on running it for years to come. If a dock would have a negative impact on that, it would not be installed."

Brian Thompson, director of DEP's Office of Long Island Sound Programs, said any dock within the high tide line is reviewed for impact on tidal wetlands and coastal resources. He said the DEP "was satisfied" that there were no "significant issues."

"It's nothing terribly unusual as far as docks go," he said. "There's no real issues with the navigation along the river."

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/en-US/News/Article/331879.aspx

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All American Completes 83-ft Alaska Ferry

All American Marine, Inc. delivered another 83-ft hydrofoil-assisted aluminum catamaran for operation in Alaska. The recently launched Kachemak Voyager will operate in Kachemak Bay and provide passenger ferry service between the communities of Seldovia and Homer. Through a competitive bidding process, the Seldovia Village Tribe awarded a contract to All American Marine in September 2008 to build a sistership to the CIRI owned, M/V Aialik Voyager and M/V Orca Voyager, AAM previously built for servicing the Kenai Peninsula. Seldovia was looking for a proven design, but was able to work closely with AAM to make it their own.

The 82.7-ft by 29.2-ft Kachemak Voyager ferry is rated to carry 150 passengers and certified under USCG Subchapter T regulations. Unlike her sisterships that serve as eco-tour vessels, the Kachemak Voyager was built to haul passengers and cargo. The village of Seldovia can only be accessed by air or sea; therefore, cargo capacity for transporting goods and supplies was indispensible to the design. On the main deck, a large aft luggage and stowage room was constructed with an assortment of fold-down shelving to accommodate many articles of varying sizes. The craft also features a Morgan Marine 40-3L knuckle boom crane installed on the upper aft deck. The crane will be used to load and unload cargo totes that will transport the villagers’ provisions safely and dry. Should passengers elect to transport ice cream or fish, a chest freezer is readily available to keep them frozen.

While the aft deck crane may portray to some the illusion of a work boat, the onboard amenities make it clear that the 15 nautical mile voyage will operate in class and comfort. Passengers are indulged in the spacious comfort of the two deck cabin. Each row of cabin seating faces a dining table and the design of the flip-up style Eknes seats makes it very easy for passengers to access seats inside a row. In addition to dedicated wheel chair space, the seats can be quickly removed to accommodate wheelchairs at the tables. The vessel is highly accessible and offers wide aisle ways, low clearance door sills, and an exterior ramp that gradually sweeps up to the fore deck. The cruise experience is complemented by plenty of LCD video monitors, a high grade Bose sound system, and large viewing windows located throughout the cabins. A fully equipped galley is onboard, complete with multiple refrigerators, freezers, sinks, and ovens. The exterior decks are accessible from either cabin, with an observation area and outdoor seating available on the upper deck and a wrap around exterior walkway with rain shelter on the main deck.

The semi-displacement catamaran hull was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. The design integrates the signature Teknicraft symmetrical and asymmetrical combined hull shape, bow wave piercer, and copyrighted hydrofoil system. The vessel’s design offers all passengers a smooth ride and extreme comfort as the hull provides a cushioned effect when encountering waves. The catamaran is highly stable and has outstanding seakeeping ability. The Kachemak Voyager is powered by twin C32 Caterpillar ACERT engines, each delivering 1450 bhp at 2300 rpm. The propulsion package includes ZF 3000A transmissions and Osborne 5-blade propellers. Fully loaded, Kachemak Voyager reaches a top speed of 29 knots and cruises efficiently at 27 knots.

All American Marine Inc., located on the shores of Bellingham Bay, was founded in 1987 and specializes in the construction of custom tailored aluminum boats. Today, the company has become a leading builder of high speed passenger catamarans, excursion boats, and research vessels. All American Marine is the exclusive builder for Teknicraft Design Ltd. catamarans in North America.

[DENelson83]

www.click2houston.com/news/21034163/detail.html

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Man Drives Off Ferry Landing, Dies

GALVESTON, Texas -- Galveston police are trying to figure out why a man's car plunged off of a ferry landing Sunday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Witnesses said the man plowed through some orange cones, drove onto an empty ferry landing and plunged over the edge at a fairly fast speed.

"When they hit the end of that ramp, probably 25 mph or so ,there was no deceleration, no brake lights," witness D.J. Page said. "They wanted to jump."

A witness took a picture on his cell phone that shows a Toyota Corolla sinking near the pillars of the ferry landing at about 5 p.m.

Divers recovered the driver's body and brought up the car. The driver's name was not released.

Ferry service was stopped during the search to keep the waters calm. Many people had to wait more than three hours for the ferries to start running again.

[M/V LeConte]

From the Marine Log: www.marinelog.com/DOCS/NEWSMMIX/2009sep00292.html

Conrad Industries books ferry contract

Conrad Industries, Inc. (OTC Pink Sheets: CNRD.PK) has been awarded a contract for the construction of a passenger/vehicle ferry with a value of $13.0 million, which brings the current backlog to approximately $56.8 million compared to $40.6 million at June 30, 2009, $56.3 million at December 31, 2008 and $74.8 million at September 30, 2008.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation awarded the contract to Conrad for the construction of a 220-foot passenger and vehicle ferry for service between the Cedar Island, N.C. and the Ocracoke Island, N.C. terminals. The vessel is capable of transporting 300 passengers and 50 vehicles, and will be built at Conrad's Orange, Texas, shipyard.

Johnny Conrad, President and CEO stated, "Our working relationship with the North Carolina Department of Transportation dates back to 1991, and this will be the third ferry built for them. Production of the new vessel is scheduled to begin in December 2009 with delivery during the second quarter of 2011."

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/en-US/News/Article/332015.aspx

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McClure Secures Port Aransas Ferry Assignment

Alan C. McClure Associates (ACMA), a naval architecture and engineering firm, recently announced that the company has been selected to develop shipyard construction-level detail drawings for the next generation of TxDOT ferries. ACMA will also be responsible for ABS and USCG compliance, as well as weight monitoring for assembly lifts during the construction period. The 160-ft double-ended, geared diesel-powered automobile and passenger ferries will have the ability to carry approximately 28 vehicles and 150 passengers. They will join the fleet operated by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) that offers free ferry service between Port Aransas on Mustang Island, and Harbor Island, a continuation of Texas State Route 361.

Both vessels are being built at Southwest Shipyards on Brady Island in Harrisburg, Texas with funding for the first ferry being provided by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The second, and identical, ferry is being funded by the State of Texas. The vessels will be built under ABS rules, Vessels for Service on Rivers and Intracoastal Waterways, and will be certificated by the United States Coast Guard as a Subchapter ‘T’ vessel. Computer lofting and general steel quantities will be developed by Advance Fabricating Inc of League City, Texas (www.advancefab.net).

“With the work we’ll perform on the new Port Aransas ferries, ACMA will have specific involvement on all of the major ferry systems in Texas, from concept design, detailed construction drawings, owner representation and vessel delivery,” said ACMA Vice President Darrel Harvey. “During our earlier assignment on the 264-ft Galveston/Bolivar Island ferry John W. Johnson we learned a number of valuable lessons. Today, we’re applying those lessons to future projects by adapting our thinking to include more cost-efficient processes that better reflect current shipyard needs.”

(www.acma-inc.com)

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Jul 20, 2009 10:51:45 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

www.dot.gov/affairs/2009/fhwa2109.htm

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Office of Public Affairs


FHWA 21-09
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Contact: Nancy Singer
Tel: [phone]

Transportation Secretary Announces $60 Million in Economic Recovery Funds to Build and Improve Ferry Docks and Facilities

WASHINGTON - U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $60 million in grants to 19 states and one U.S. territory to improve ferry service and save and create jobs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“The Recovery Act was put in place quickly to rescue the economy from the worst recession since the Great Depression and rebuild it for a stronger future,” said Secretary LaHood. “Rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure is a key part of that prescription for strength. It creates jobs today and builds for better, more sustainable economy moving forward.”

"The projects we selected will help put people back to work and at the same time offer more access to areas that lack transportation options,” said Secretary LaHood. “It is about providing more travel choices to people from communities that need it the most.”

The Secretary added that most of the projects selected are located in economically distressed areas and will address critical transportation needs. The improvements will be made quickly to satisfy ARRA’s emphasis on immediate economic recovery through infrastructure investment. Priority is given to projects that can be completed in two years or less.

The largest projects are in Nueces, Texas, where a bridge or tunnel is not feasible, and Detroit, Michigan, where ferry service to the suburbs is necessary. Both ferry projects represent key solutions to connect communities and respond to growing traffic needs in the regions.

ARRA provides the $60 million to the Federal Highway Administration’s Ferry Boat Discretionary program, which is intended for the construction and repair of ferry boats and terminal facilities.

State
City/County
Project
Improvement
Amount

Alabama
Wilcox
Gee’s Bend Ferry
Upgrade ferry lines and build new terminal at Camden
$1,419,000

Alaska
Hoonah
Hoonah Ferry
Replacement of aging structures to allow for safer and more reliable service
$3,059,507

Arkansas
Marion
Peel Ferry
Replace aging tugboats to provide safer and more reliable service
$350,000

California
San Francisco
Sausalito Ferry
Ferry landing improvements to include better access
$3,200,000

Florida
Duval
Mayport Ferry
Terminal improvements to include ramp upgrades for safety
$3,000,000

Georgia
Chatham
Savannah River Ferry
Construct new ferry boat
$1,000,000

Kentucky
Crittenden
Cave-in-Rock Ferry
Construction and rehabilitation of ferry landing to reduce service delays
$90,000

Kentucky
Monroe
Turkey Neck Bend Ferry
Replace aging ferry and trailer
$300,000

Kentucky
Butler
Reeds Ferry
Construct new ferry boat
$300,000

Louisiana
Iberville
Plaquemine/Sunshine Ferry
Improve landing infrastructure with upgraded hydraulic systems
$350,000

Louisiana
Plaquemines
Plaquemines Parish Ferry
Replace ferry boat engines with energy-efficient/alternative fuel engines that improve speed and reduce emissions
$1,856,930

Louisiana
Iberville
Plaquemine/Sunshine Ferry
Replace main engine of M/V Ascension ferry boat to improve speed, efficiency and reliability
$650,000

Louisiana
Iberville, Pointe Coupee, and West Feliciana Parishes
M/V Acadia, M/V Ascension, M/V St. Charles, M/V St. Francisville Radar Systems
Replace navigational radar systems on the four ferry boats to improve safety and efficiency
$300,000

Maine
Cumberland
Casco Bay Island Transit District Ferry
Construct new ferry boat to provide expanded and more reliable service
$5,500,000

Maine
Waldo
Maine State Ferry Service – Lincolnville
Replace aging dock systems to improve safety
$1,300,000

Maryland
Baltimore
Inner Harbor Connector
Pier improvements and the purchase of a new ferry
$1,590,000

Michigan
Detroit
Detroit City Dock
Design and construction of new offshore wharf and additional space for passenger terminal building
$7,139,455

Michigan
Chippewa
St. Mary’s River Ferry Dock
Dock upgrades to include lengthened piers to accommodate multiple vessels along with larger ones
$1,175,000

Missouri
Mississippi
Dorena-Hickman Ferry
Construct new ferry boat to accommodate larger vehicles
$957,500

Missouri
Lewis
Canton Ferry
Construction of heavy vehicle ramps and safety gates on the ferry docks
$188,000

New York
Clinton
Lake Champlain Transportation Company (LCT Co.) Ferry
Construction of additional ferry slip to provide additional capacity
$2,500,000

New York
Richmond
Staten Island Ferry
Rehabilitation and upgrades to the terminal and dock to improve safety, efficiency and reliability
$4,000,000

Ohio
Ottawa
Middle Boat Ferry
Repair deteriorating commercial dock and replace passenger and freight terminal building
$800,000

Oregon
Marion
Buena Vista Ferry
Construct new ferry boat and improve landings and terminal electrical utilities to provide more reliable and expanded service
$3,224,608

Tennessee
Stuart
Cumberland City Ferry
Construct new ferry barge and construct new landings and floating terminal
$3,000,000

Texas
Nueces
Port Aransas
Construct new ferry boat to expand service
$7,200,000

Virgin Islands
St. Thomas and St. John
VI Ferry
Construct new ferry boats to expand service
$3,000,000

Washington
Skagit
Guemes Island Ferry
Construction of new ferry terminal with expanded customer service
$750,000

Wisconsin
Grant
Cassville Car Ferry
Replacement of deteriorating ferry boat
$1,800,000

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marinelink.com/en-US/News/Article/$42M-in-Grants-for-Ferry-Docks-Facilities/332037.aspx

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$42M in Grants for Ferry Docks & Facilities
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced more than $42m in grants to improve ferry service and build new docks and facilities in 15 states and Puerto Rico.

Congress authorized the Federal Highway Administration’s Ferry Boat Program was created to fund ferry boat projects that provide critical access to areas that lack other means of transportation where high passenger demand already exists. Program funds can be used for capital improvements to existing ferry operations which could increase the number of riders, relieve congestion or address environmental or significant operational concerns.

The projects include funding for the rehabilitation of the Hoboken ferry terminal in the New Jersey/New York City metropolitan area and the construction of a new ferry terminal in the Oyster Point Marina in south San Francisco. Both projects have the potential to help reduce congestion on other highways and boost the number of riders. Washington State also received several grants to improve service in the Seattle area.

FHWA Ferry Boat Discretionary Grants:
State
Project
Grant Amount

New Jersey
Hoboken Terminal Ferry Slip Rehabilitation
$3,000,000

Puerto Rico
Fajardo – Vieques – Culebra public ferry
$3,000,000

California
South San Francisco Ferry Service
$3,000,000

Illinois
New pushboat & barge, Brussels Ferry
$1,760,000

Maine
Bass Harbor Terminal docking facility
$600,000

New York
Replacement Oil Barge #4, Staten Island ferry
$2,400,000

Washington
WSDOT Ferries Division Diesel Engine Retrofits
$2,349,325

Washington
Kitsap Transit additional vessel
$1,400,000

Total: $17,509,325.00

Ferry Boat Discretionary Grants Designated by Congress:
State
Project
Grant Amount

Alaska
City of Gustavus Public Dock and Floats
$950,000

California
Berkeley/Albany Ferry Service
$475,000

California
Larkspur Ferry Terminal Parking Improvements
$475,000

Florida
Mayport Ferry and Dock Ramp Rehabilitation
$712,500

Florida
Hillsborough County
$475,000

Georgia
Savannah River Ferry System
$475,000

Massachusetts
Long Island Ferry Dock Construction
$950,000

Massachusetts
Oak Bluffs Terminal Reconstruction Project
$1,900,000

Massachusetts
Water Transportation Service Ferry
$950,000

Missouri
Ferry Service for Route 240 Bridge Improvements
$950,000

New York
Glen Cove Ferry and Facilities
$950,000

New York
Ferry Pier Upgrades
$665,000

New York
National Parks of New York Harbor Docks Upgrade
$475,000

New York
Ferry Landing Improvements
$950,000

New York
Ferry Terminal and Transportation Center
$475,000

New York
Newburgh-Beacon Ferry
$1,330,000

North Carolina
North Carolina Statewide Ferry System
$1,900,000

Ohio
Excursion Vessel Project
$475,000

Ohio
Put-In-Bay, Ohio Ferry Terminal
$475,000

Puerto Rico
Passenger Ferry Boat
$2,128,000

Tennessee
Street Landing/Docking Facility
$475,000

Texas
Port Aransas Ferryboat Expansion, Port Aransas
$475,000

Washington
New Ferry Boat Construction
$475,000

Washington
Rich Passage Wake Impact Project, WA
$1,425,000

Washington
Vashon Island Passenger Ferry
$950,000

Washington
Wa. State Ferry System, New Vessel Program
$475,000

Washington
Rich Passage Wake Impact Study
$2,137,500

Total: $24,548,000

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

www.professionalmariner.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=727532847D0D4F48963A387873433BC6

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Great Lakes Shipyard to install 40-foot extension on Ohio ferry

Miller Boat's vessel Put-in-Bay to receive mid-hull work

The following is the text of a press release issued by Great Lakes Group and Miller Boat Line:

(CLEVELAND, Ohio) -- Great Lakes Shipyard, a division of The Great Lakes Group, has been awarded a contract by Miller Boat Line, Put-in-Bay, Ohio, to fabricate and install a new 40 foot mid-body extension in the passenger/vehicle ferry Put-in-Bay.

The contract was awarded on August 17, 2009, and all work is underway at Great Lakes Shipyard's state-of-the-art facilities on the South Bank of the Old River Channel, on Cleveland's Cuyahoga River. The project is slated for completion by year end.

Miller Boat Line operates a fleet of four all-steel passenger/vehicle ferries, each approximately 96-feet in length, which run on Lake Erie from Catawba to the islands of Put-in-Bay (South Bass Island) and Middle Bass Island, Ohio.

The mid-body extension of the Put-in-Bay will make the vessel 136-feet overall in length and will enable it to carry up to eight additional full size automobiles or an additional 100 passengers. The project also includes the installation of new rudders, a new steering system, and a new main engine keel cooling system.

Miller Boat Line principal Scott Market said, "After a thorough source selection process, Great Lakes Shipyard was our clear choice. We are especially pleased to be working with an Ohio-based company."

The Great Lakes Group has been in Cleveland since 1899. In 2007, the company built a new fabrication and repair facility on the Cuyahoga River for the construction of unique custom designed marine products, such as the mid-body section, and for tug and barge construction.

Information about The Great Lakes Group can be found online at www.thegreatlakesgroup.com.

Miller Boat Line ferries are the only scheduled means of transporting passengers, freight, vehicles and commercial vehicles to the Lake Erie islands of Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass Island, Ohio. More information about Miller Boat Line can be found online at www.millerferry.com.

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A copy of pics to go with the story:
www.millerferry.com/FileUploads/Put-in-Bay-Extension1.gif
www.millerferry.com/FileUploads/Put-in-Bay-Extension2.gif

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/en-US/News/Article/332196.aspx

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S. San Fran. Ferry Terminal Construction Begins

Construction on the South San Francisco Ferry Terminal begins at Oyster Point Marina with an official groundbreaking ceremony. At 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 19, 2009 civic leaders will kick-off the start of construction of the $26m ferry terminal. Ferry service is scheduled to launch in 2011. Congresswoman Jackie Speier, along with South San Francisco Mayor Karyl Matsumoto and WETA Board Chair Charlene Haught Johnson will turn over the first spade of dirt commencing the start of construction. The project will provide one hundred seventy (170) construction-related jobs & over twenty new full-time maritime operations and supervisory jobs.

The South San Francisco ferry service is a part of the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) Transition Plan, adopted in 2009, which sets forth a five-year plan for consolidating and expanding ferry service in the Bay Area. The new ferry service between Oyster Point and the East Bay will provide an alternative transit option for people commuting to jobs in South San Francisco.

"The WETA is elated to deliver on our plan to expand ferry service. With a daytime population of over 100,000, South San Francisco is a dynamic, growing destination well-suited to ferry service,” commented WETA Board Chair Charlene Haught Johnson.

“This project is moving forward today as the result of the combined efforts of a multitude of local, regional, state and federal governmental agencies and representatives, labor organizations and local businesses in the South San Francisco area,” stressed Nina Rannells, the WETA’s Executive Director. The project has enjoyed a long history of support, first from Congressman Tom Lantos and more recently from Congresswoman Speier who along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congresswoman Barbara Lee helped secure the final $3m in federal funds needed to build the new terminal. Other funding sources include Regional Measure 2 bridge tolls, San Mateo County Measure A sales tax and State Proposition 1B funds.

Others who played key roles include: South San Francisco Mayor Matsumoto, South San Francisco Council members, and staff, San Mateo County Transportation Authority board members and staff, the San Mateo County Harbor District, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, CalEMA, the California State Department of Boating and Waterways, the Federal Transit Administration, San Mateo County Transit Advocates as well as representatives from the San Mateo County Building Trades, MMP, IBU, and local employers.

[Low Light Mike]

Disappearance of a car-ferry on Lake Erie.

Published: December 09. 2009 1:15AM
Ship lost on Lake Erie 100 years ago remains a mystery
Ship lost on Lake Erie: What happened to the Marquette & Bessemer?

By TIM HAHN
[e-mail]

On Dec. 4, 1909, Sarah Clancy, of Erie, awoke from a disturbing dream
A ship was sinking in a raging storm, and through the din came the voice of her brother, John Clancy.


When Sarah told her sisters of the dream, and expressed a fear that disaster had befallen the car ferry Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 that John Clancy, of Cleveland, served on as a watchman, the sisters laughed at Sarah's anxiety.


But Sarah Clancy's dream would soon prove prophetic.


Word reached Erie from Detroit on Dec. 11 that the Marquette & Bessemer, and the 34 men aboard her, hadn't been seen since launching from Conneaut, Ohio, on the morning of Dec. 7 and was believed to have been claimed by a vicious storm that had scoured Lake Erie.


A day later, those fears were realized when a state fish commissioner tug pulled into the Erie harbor towing a life boat containing the frozen bodies of nine of John Clancy's fellow Marquette & Bessemer crew members.


"John is lost," an Erie Daily Times reporter quoted Sarah Clancy as saying after word had spread about the life boat's discovery. "I cannot believe longer that he has escaped. My horrible dream was true."


A century after sailing off into Lake Erie history, the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 remains a puzzle.


Although theories abound, no one knows for certain what brought down a 350-foot steel car ferry that was captained by two experienced seamen.


Also unknown is when and where it sank, as numerous searches over the years have failed to locate its final resting place.


"It's interesting because so much is unknown," said Patrick McLeod, 40, of Ann Arbor, Mich., a descendant of Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 Capt. Robert R. McLeod and First Mate John C. McLeod. "During the great storm of Dec. 7, 1909, it simply vanished."




Set to launch



Built in 1905 by the American Ship Building Co. of Cleveland, the Marquette & Bessemer was a steel, twin-propeller vessel that ferried railroad cars between Conneaut, Ohio, and Port Stanley, Ontario. It was part of a fleet owned by the Marquette & Bessemer Navigation Co., which was formed in 1895 as a division of the Marquette & Bessemer Railroad, Erie author David R. Frew wrote in, "Long Gone: The Mystery of the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2," which was published in 2002.


"By the time the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 was built, car ferries had proven themselves as a viable form of transportation on the Great Lakes. They eliminated the great bulk of breaking freight up from rail cars and putting it in package freighters. It was an economical way to move freight, and the ships were hardy," said Art Chavez, of Milwaukee, who has been studying car ferries for more than 30 years.


Capt. McLeod and his first mate and older brother, John, grew up in Ontario and were lured to lives on the water by the tales of their uncle, Duncan Rowan, who captained ships on the Great Lakes, Patrick McLeod said.


Under the command of the McLeods, the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 made regular runs between Conneaut and Port Stanley, hauling coal-laden railroad cars north and returning with empty cars. The trips typically started at 9:30 a.m., reached Port Stanley by midafternoon and returned to Conneaut before 10 p.m., according to historians.


On the morning of Dec. 7, 1909, the ferry left Conneaut after 10 a.m. carrying 26 coal cars, three railroad cars loaded with steel and one with pig iron, Frew wrote in "Long Gone." It also hauled a load of structural steel and one passenger, a 33-year-old Erie businessman who was heading to Canada to purchase a stake in a fishery for his employer.


Albert J. Weis was treasurer of the Keystone Fish Co., which was one of three diversified holdings of the Curtze family of Erie. He carried with him that morning a bag containing $32,000 that he planned to exchange for a piece of a fish processing facility in Port Stanley, Frew said.


Weis was a protégé of one-time Erie businessman William Kolbe, whose own fish company was supplied through a processor in Port Dover, Ontario, Frew said.


"Weis was trying to emulate the business strategy of Kolbe, but he wanted to honor Kolbe's friendship by not competing with him at Port Dover," Frew said. "The plan for Keystone would have been to buy processed fish in Port Stanley, bring the fish to Erie and make the big bucks."


Weis never made it to his meeting.




The great storm



A storm that made its presence felt as the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 pulled out of Conneaut on the morning of Dec. 7, 1909, kicked up with a vengeance as the ferry began crossing the lake. Winds whipped to more than 70 knots, the temperature dropped from 40 degrees to 10 degrees and blizzard conditions settled in, according to information on the Web site, "Shipwrecks and Maritime Tales of the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail."


What became of the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 is unknown.


There were reports that its whistle was heard off Port Stanley on the night of Dec. 7, near Conneaut at 1 a.m. on Dec. 8 and again near Port Stanley between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Dec. 8.


Frew wrote in "Long Gone" that the ferry and those aboard it spent 48 hours traveling back and forth across Lake Erie in a desperate attempt to find a harbor of refuge.


Within a few days, newspaper readers throughout the Lake Erie region were learning just how bad the storm had been.


A dispatch from Cleveland that was published in the Dec. 11 edition of the Erie Daily Times claimed that the storm took 59 lives, four boats and $6 million in property.


The losses included the car ferry Marquette, which was wrecked, the steamer W.C. Richardson, which sunk, and the steamer Clarion, which burned, according to the dispatch.


The Marquette & Bessemer No. 2, valued at $350,000 and carrying $140,000 in cargo, was four days overdue and its safe return "has been practically abandoned" at the navigation company's main offices in Walkerville, Ontario, according to the dispatch.


"At Conneaut, where all the members of this crew lived, their friends and relatives are gathered at the dock, hoping against hope that there may yet be good news, but thus far without a crumb of comfort," the story read.


The life boat containing the bodies of nine Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 crew members was found at about noon on Dec. 12 drifting on Lake Erie, 15 miles north of Erie.


Other bodies were later found at Long Point in Canada and near Buffalo. John McLeod's body was pulled from the Niagara River in April 1910. Robert McLeod's was recovered in October 1910 about six miles west of the tip of Long Point.


John Clancy, the watchman who was the subject of his sister's prophetic dream, was never officially recovered. But a body found in September 1910 was suspected to be his because the shoes on the corpse were traced to an Erie department store, and Clancy's sister recalled buying such a pair of shoes for her brother, Frew wrote in "Long Gone."


The body of Weis was never found. Nor was the bag containing $32,000 that he was carrying.




The search for answers



The sinking of the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 helped drive some notable changes in Great Lakes shipping.


Wireless communication devices were put on all ships right away, said Patrick McLeod, whose Web site, www.marquette andbessemer2.com, is dedicated to the ship.


It also helped drive rules requiring ferries to have stern protection, said Chavez, the Milwaukee man who studies ferries.


The Marquette & Bessemer No. 2, like many ferries at the time, had open car decks that would allow water to enter the decks and potentially pour into the engine and boiler rooms below, Chavez said. He believes this lack of protection is what led to the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2's demise.


Frew and others have said that Robert McLeod had been concerned about the lack of stern protection on his ferry, and had gotten assurances from his bosses that protection would be added before the 1910 season.


The Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 also has spawned a good bit of folklore.


Some claim that late at night, especially in December, the ill-fated ferry's distress whistle can still be heard, according to the "Shipwrecks and Maritime Tales" Web site.


The Rev. Robin Swope, of Erie, claims on his blog, "The Paranormal Pastor," that some have seen the image of a distant ship resembling the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 on the Lake Erie horizon.


The biggest mystery remains where the ferry now sits. Some claim to know its location, but several attempts to find it have turned up empty.


"I believe that the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2, wherever she is, lies as a silent memorial," Frew wrote at the end of "Long Gone."


"She is a testimonial to the men who built and sailed her, and to the crew that lost their lives in December 1909. More than that, the car ferry is an unseen but widely remembered monument to all the men and women who have sailed the Great Lakes. These sailors and their families made great sacrifices to deliver passengers and badly needed goods to a developing continent, and those of us who share their stories are forever in their debt."

TIM HAHN can be reached at [phone] or by e-mail.

from here: www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091209/NEWS02/312099967/0/news

[rt1commuter]

Very cool.

www.intelligencesquared.com/interviews-lectures-conversations/mark-wallingers-ferry2

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/en-US/News/Article/332992.aspx

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Ferry Co. Charged with Dumping Sewage

A company based in Marblehead was charged on Jan. 7 in federal court with dumping sewage into North Shore waters from a popular ferry it operates out of Salem. United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, Rear Admiral J. L. Nimmich, United States Coast Guard, Commander, First Coast Guard District and William Schenkelberg, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the Coast Guard Investigative Service, announced today that The Rockmore Company, Inc. was charged in a Criminal Information with two violations of the Rivers and Harbors Act arising out of its practice of dumping human waste into local waters.

The Information alleges that, from 1990 to 2006, the company has operated a 59-ft long passenger vessel named the P/V Hannah Glover based in Salem. The Hannah Glover provides dinner cruises and sightseeing tours in the waters along the shores of the Massachusetts towns of Marblehead, Beverly and Manchester-by-the-Sea. On several occasions, the vessel ferried passengers to the Charles River in Boston to view the annual 4th of July celebration on the Charles River Esplanade. The company also regularly shuttled children from Marblehead to a summer camp on Children’s Island just off the Massachusetts coast. The company also operated a 116-ft barge called the P/V Rockmore, on which the company maintained a restaurant.

The Information further alleges that for many years crew members routinely utilized the ship’s sewage pump to discharge raw sewage directly overboard. Ordinarily, deck hands activated the pump and opened the overboard discharge valve either upon order of the master of the vessel, or upon observing the overflowing of the vessel’s public toilets.

The Information further alleges that the discharges took place at various locations along the Massachusetts coast, including in Salem Harbor and off beaches in Marblehead and Beverly, as well as in the Charles River near the Esplanade during the 4th of July celebrations in 2002. The discharges ranged in amount in the hundreds of gallons. The sewage discharged from the Hannah Glover included the waste generated by its passengers, as well as the sewage from the Rockmore, as the company’s employees routinely pumped the contents of the Rockmore’s sewage holding tank onto the Hannah Glover for disposal. During some summers, the company allowed the sewage holding tank aboard the Rockmore intermittently to overflow, such that raw, untreated sewage spilled into Salem Harbor.

The case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Mitchell of Ortiz's Economic Crimes Unit, and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Bowman and Cassie Kitchen of the United States Coast Guard. The details contained in the Information are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/news/article/great-lakes-shipyard-reconstructs-put-in-bay/334090.aspx

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Great Lakes Shipyard Reconstructs Put-In-Bay

Great Lakes Shipyard, a division of The Great Lakes Group, has completed all work required under contract with Miller Boat Line, Put-in-Bay, Ohio, to fabricate and install a new 40-ft mid-body extension in the passenger/vehicle ferry Put-in-Bay. The contract was awarded on August 17, 2009, and all work was completed at Great Lakes Shipyard facilities on the South Bank of the Old River Channel, on Cleveland's Cuyahoga River.

What started out as a straight forward mid-body extension project grew into a complete rebuild, including replacement of the main engines with new CAT C18 diesels. The mid-body extension of the Put-in-Bay increased the length of the vessel from 96-ft to 136-ft overall and nearly doubled its carrying capacity. The project also included the installation of new rudders, a new steering system, new main engine keel cooling system, generator overhauls and new propellers.

Miller Boat Line’s fleet includes three additional all-steel passenger/vehicle ferries, each approximately 96-ft in length, which run on Lake Erie from Catawba to the islands of Put-in-Bay (South Bass Island) and Middle Bass Island, Ohio.

www.thegreatlakesgroup.com

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/news/article/miller-boat-line-green-ferry/334115.aspx

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Miller Boat Line “Green” Ferry

Miller Boat Line has begun using a 10-20 percent biofuel mix in one of its passenger vessels, the William Market, and has plans to eventually use it in all four of its vessels.

The biofuel, G2 Diesel, provides 15 percent better fuel economy than traditional diesel and leaves a cleaner wake, protecting Lake Erie and generating fewer harmful emissions. Miller Boat Line has long been the most value-friendly way to travel to Put-in-Bay and the only way to bring vehicles to the island.

G2 Diesel, is manufactured by a local company named 11 Good Energy, headquartered in Canton, Ohio. G2 Diesel is made primarily from soybean oil and ethanol and has a distinctly different aroma than traditional diesel when burned: some say it smells like French fries or butterscotch.

Using G2 Diesel costs the company more than traditional diesel; however, the ferry service is keeping its fares the same. Miller Boat Line has made a dedicated effort to support Ohio businesses in this effort; 11 Good Energy uses locally-grown soybean oil.

It is 99 percent agricultural in material and manufactured using 70 percent less energy than traditional biodiesel. It has been used in locomotives, trucks, and buses: this is the company’s first demonstration of marine applications.

Using G2 Diesel will not affect the speed of the vessel. The fuel will result in a cleaner burning engine, less pollution, and better lubricity of the internal parts in the engine which, in turn, will provide more engine hours between rebuilds.

www.millerferry.com

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

marinelink.com/News/Article/334202.aspx

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Fourth High-Speed Environmentally Friendly Ferry

Kvichak Marine Industries and Nichols Brothers Boat Builders recently delivered M/V Taurus, their fourth high-speed, environmentally friendly ferry to the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) located in San Francisco.

WETA mandated that their new passenger ferries integrate as much green technology as possible and that emissions be 85% cleaner than the current EPA emission standards for Tier II (2007) marine engines. They started with a sleek, low wake 118-ft catamaran hull, designed by Incat Crowther of Australia, to minimize shore erosion from wake and reduce fuel consumption.

The vessels are powered by a pair of Tier II compliant, MTU 16V2000, 1410 HP Diesel engines with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems from Engine, Fuel & Emissions Engineering of California. SCR, current state-of-the-art technology for diesel emissions reduction, injects urea into the exhaust before it passes through a precious-metal catalyst, converting nitrogen oxide –a toxic greenhouse gas- into harmless nitrogen and water.

Using a biodiesel/ultra-low sulfur diesel blend in conjunction with SCR, these ferries exceed Tier II requirements by more than 85% in trials and by 90-95% in actual operation.

In addition to minimal shore impact and low emissions, the passenger ferries showcase several additional green features:
• Custom exhaust systems minimize noise pollution on ship and shore.
• Solar panels augment the electrical system
• Sonar system allows the captain to detect and avoid whales and debris

Taurus is joining the fleet of three vessels already delivered to San Francisco, the M/V Gemini, M/V Pisces and M/V Scorpio.

Length, o.a 118 ft
Beam, o.a 28 ft
Draft 6 ft
Fuel capacity 2,400 gal
Cruising speed ~26 kts
MTU SCR After Treatment System
(2) Northern Lights 65kW Gensets