yikes !!! lol

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...78972154,d.cGE

I never sailed the lakes nor have I ever had the honor of serving on a breaker or buoy boat but, the new Mackinaw is the cat's meow of both worlds and will hopefully maintain that vital sea lane open for decades to come while offering search and rescue, maritime LE, oil spill response and all the other jobs that we do.

The lakes are treacherous in the winter months not only with high seas but ice.

 

A few years ago we went to Whitefish Point, MI. There's a small museum there honoring those that lost their life on the lake. They have "The Wreck Of The Edmond Fitzgerald" playing on a loop. Definitely worth the trip to see.

 

Icebreakers are bad-***....

I was surprised at the comparisons between the 'old' 1944 Mackinaw.....and the 'new' Mackinaw. If I read it correctly, the OLD Mackinaw has X3 the fuel capacity and X10 the range of the new boat.

 

If any of you find yourselves in my little corner of the world, the old Mackinaw is tied up at Mackinaw City, and they offer tours. Up at the Soo, the museum "ship" Valley Camp, offers the same. Down in Toledo, the Willis Boyer is another, he was a former Cleveland Cliffs boat.

I've been working out of the woods lately, so I haven't been up to the Soo in like 2 months. I've seen the new Mackinaw many times, it's a good looking boat. Some might be amazed that a breaker isn't a huge boat at all, much, much smaller than the boats they help out.

 

The 1944 Mack was purposely built so she could never the lakes. She was simply too wide to transit through the locks.

I think the 65 years between the two Macks has proven that they needed a multimission vessel more than they needed a dedicated breaker. The new Mack doesn't have the fuel capacity or the range but she doesn't need it. She can stop and buy fuel anywhere marine diesel (DFM) is sold in bulk and she most likely has tractor trailer loads meeting them in most every stop anyway.

Additionally we have ice breaking tugs and 225' black hulls cruising the lakes that are all capable of breaking ice up to 14".

My offer a hardy salute to all my shipmates who brave the great lakes, the ice and the sheer cold of the winters in that region.

 

The thought of being on a ship going down in that icy cold wavy water is horrendous.

 

Horrendous is an understatement. No one word can describe this. Total despair, helplessness, hysteria, etc. My 24 years in the Coast Guard was an honor and a curse. You can't unsee horrific events such as the loss of life at sea, a sinking vessel, etc.

 

My dad served on a Diesel electric boat and told some stories about life on a submarine. No Thanks.

 

I played tourist on the USS 'Torsk' (1944-1971) last Spring. Damn! Narrow, narrow, NARROW!!! Went through, I think.....oh, 6 or 7 hatches. Had to step WAY up and duck down at the same time when going through. STILL bumped my head several times. Not much room for everything. Even the officers' quarters (only the captain had his own cabin) were like sardine cans. The mess hall was about as big as a large, civilian dining room with 6 or 8 picnic table sized tables in it....and the galley was about the size of a normal kitchen. Don't know how 100 or so guys lived on that dang thing for weeks or months at a time.

***From what Tim said on another thread, they're a lot wider now....with multiple stories. Still not for the claustrophobic......but more elbow room and amenities.

The truth? I also played tourist on the USS Constellation (1854) the same day. Hell....I woulda rather served on THAT ship than the Torsk. The officers' area was a lot roomier. The Captain had nice digs.......The ship was quite a bit beamier than the Torsk, and with multiple decks. If I'd had my druthers, I'd a been a cook on the Constellation. Private area right in the middle of the ship on the 2nd level.........High enough to bail if you were going down....and I reckon that was your job....just serving food. Not playing around on the masts and in the riggings and standing watch or any of that other naval nonsense.....lol

 

Theres something scary about submarines, even on a ship going down, and ice water to drown in, you still have the feeling of being able to jump off.

with a sub, you are 100% reliant on the machine. If there is a fire, you can't jump off. If it sinks, you can't jump off.

Even though jumping off might mean certain death, it's a nice option to have. lol.

 

Try riding a submarine under the polar ice cap for about 3 months. Riding subs isn't bad nowadays but knowing that here is an ice cap over your head that would certainly prevent you from any chance of saving your ship is somewhat disturbing. I had the pleasure of doing this a couple times.

 

yeah... that sounds terrifying lol. Must have been quite the experience.

 

Thirty nine years ago today the Fitzgerald went down in Canadian waters. As Lightfoot sang...


"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours."

 

Great song, not sure about hearing it on a loop all day over and over though, if working at the museum. Well I am sure - drive me nuts!

Mr. Lightfoot is sort of Canada's Willie Nelson, one of his songs is basically the National anthem up there.