Roger blough activity

[Guest]

If you haven't checked them out, there are many good video's on YouTube of the tow. Was binge watching those and the tow of the Crapo too.

Don't think the Blough will be parked very long in Ohio as the video's from Canada show they are making progress cutting up two boats including the MV St. Clair.

[Jared]

In the 80s you still had to hire thru a hall and join either SIU or local 5000. There were some independent operators, mostly tugs but very few. I did ok but you couldn’t be picky and took your assignment. After my license it got easier. All in all it was a good career choice for me but now it’s pretty lousy. Not sure the SIU hall in Algonac is even open. Local 5000 closed several years ago. Direct hire now. It’s been a very unique industry but is now on a slow death cruise.

It's still there and open. And still hostile to those who want to apply.

[Guest]

Does anyone know what dock the Blough is at in Conneaut?

[Guest]

In the 80s you still had to hire thru a hall and join either SIU or local 5000. There were some independent operators, mostly tugs but very few. I did ok but you couldn’t be picky and took your assignment. After my license it got easier. All in all it was a good career choice for me but now it’s pretty lousy. Not sure the SIU hall in Algonac is even open. Local 5000 closed several years ago. Direct hire now. It’s been a very unique industry but is now on a slow death cruise.

[Guest]

Fate? Like the fate that befell the Ryerson and John Sherwin? Two lakers that, despite what happened to the Blough, continue to rust away in long term layup. Why haven't the Ryerson and Sherwin been scrapped?

I have been interested in Great Lakes shipping for nearly 50 years, and I can tell you that the industry has been in nothing other than decline since at least the 1980s but the beginnings of that go back even further to the late 1950s. The continuing current decline in tonnages along with an aging fleet will eventually catch up with many US shipping companies that apparently have no intention of acquiring replacement tonnage. Do you think GATX would have divested itself of ASC if it were not in its financial interest to do so? Would CN reportedly look to exit from its Great Lakes shipping operations? Apparently, these companies have looked at their long term prospects based on information not privy to most of us and made these decisions. The two ships you cite are generally exceptions for various reasons and in regard to their ownership that obviously perceives some value in retaining them. If that were not the case, both would be gone by now. More to the point, would ASC have divested itself of the American Victory, American Fortitude, and American Valor if future demand projections had deemed these vessels worthy of repowering for continued service? The bottom line is that there is currently not enough demand to keep all of the current ships in operation. Would GLF have a system of rotating their AAA class ships with at least one in layup if the demand was there? Although both were usually early layups during rough times, it is quite clear that the current US fleet has been able to absorb any lost capacity due to the removal from service of the Roger Blough and St. Clair. To see how commerce has declined on the lakes, take a look at the annual cargo numbers published by the Lake Carriers' Association and compare them against ones from the past decades back to the 1950s. Also factor in the economic growth of the country over that same period and it is obvious that the tonnages carried on the lakes have fallen way behind. Not trying to through a wet blanket on the boat watching hobby or disagree with you but don't expect the glory days to return any time soon.

[MarcE]

You picked a good time to get out. Nearly 40 years ago, during early 1980s, while beginning high school I was hoping to have a future career in the Great Lakes shipping industry. Obviously, things got so bad during that timeframe that I soon realized that this was unlikely to happen. The cost of going to the GLMA and after talking to the local Seararers hall in Algonac soon convinced me that such a career path may not be a good thing, With jobs scarce in Michigan, I first looked into joining the Coast Guard but when the schooling I desired could not be guaranteed despite a having high ASVAB score I enlisted in the US Navy with plans to either enter the Great Lakes shipping industry in about 8 years after reenlisting once. If things were still not good, then I would consider going for 20 years in the USN. As often happens, life doesn't always work out and after an injury in training, I was discharged with no real option of pursuing a career on the water. I know when I talked to the Seafarers Union representative he told me that someone just coming in would have to look for work on the Mississippi or on saltwater and, from what I recall, that the union was heavily involved in military sealift operations at the time. I really had no desire for saltwater work but figured if that was where I was likely to end up until I had some seniority I may as well try the military. Considering your length of service, your career would have begun around the same time I was in high school. How well did you fare during the 1980s?

Pretty much the same.
Of course the union is going to tell you that, thats a given. Should of hired directly through the shipping company, why deal with a hall?

[Scott]

Fate? Like the fate that befell the Ryerson and John Sherwin? Two lakers that, despite what happened to the Blough, continue to rust away in long term layup. Why haven't the Ryerson and Sherwin been scrapped?

[Guest]

If the blough wasn’t going to scrap then why would they remove all of the radar and whistles off of the ship? That’s a sure tell tale sign she’s going to scrap. I hope I’m wrong as she looks good enough to sail another 40 to 50 years.

I agree, along with the Blough getting a lot closer to Port Colborne. Some may see the removal of the whistles and radar, and likely along with anything else of value that cannot be seen externally, as a sign that this equipment was removed as it will either no longer be needed or put in storage for any future repairs or conversion. From everything I have read about this situation, it sounds that unlike what happened with the St. Clair, the fire did not spread down the conveyor belt tunnel and cause extensive damage along the length of the ship. As such, the hull forward of the stern should be in good condition. Unfortunately, the part that burned is the most valuable part of the ship. If that is the case it is possible that the remaining hull is worth more than the scrap value of the vessel. If that is the case, it is possible that if CN does not see a need for this ship in the future that it could possibly be sold to another operator for a barge conversion or even a less likely reconstruction into a powered carrier using the apparently good engines and possibly an aft cabin design reconstruction. Such a sale could be lucrative for CN which seems to have no long term interest in owning a fleet on the lakes. All of this is just conjecture and until something definite happens we are all just guessing. Unfortunately, I tend to believe that given the continuing decline in annual tonnages it is far more likely the Blough will be moved to Port Colborne once there is room at the scrapping berth. This is a fate that will likely befall many current members of the US fleet through the balance of this decade.

[Guest]

They are currently anchored just outside Conneaut on the lake. Not sure if they're waiting for daylight to go into the harbor. I did find this morning that the conneaut port authority runs several webcams. Go to the bottom of the page and follow the instructions.

https://www.conneautportauthority.com/

Hope this helps.
Tom

[Mn bob]

If the blough wasn’t going to scrap then why would they remove all of the radar and whistles off of the ship? That’s a sure tell tale sign she’s going to scrap. I hope I’m wrong as she looks good enough to sail another 40 to 50 years.

[Guest]

I never realized that the shipyard fire in 1971 occurred just weeks after it was christened. Newspaper accounts from the day suggest $10 million in damages. No surprise the cost of the recent fire had ballooned to $100 million. But, it had new engines installed by the following January, and made its maiden voyage to Two Harbors just over a year after the fire. Looks like the victims families were awarded $1.1 million in 1975, plus college scholarships for the kids. American Ship fined $10,000 by OSHA.

June 5, 1971

June 7, 1971

[Denny]

In response to Guest’s question “Yes there are two tugs so far!” Both Candace Elise and Meredith Ashton. Not sure if both will tow her all the way to Conneaut but for now at least those are the two. Hope this helps you out.

[Guest]

The Lorain Fire Department has a scrapbook that covers the Roger Blough fire in June 1971.

https://lorain-fire.com/scrapbook/2016/ ... ger-blough

- Brian

[Guest]

Are there 2 tugs? Wonder what this sort of thing costs? I would imagine a fuel consumption of 2000 to 3000 gallons per day alone. $5 per gallon for MDO.

[Guest]

Some notable incidents from Roger Blough's history...

The ship's launch was originally planned for July 1971. However, on June 24, 1971, the ship suffered a major engine room fire which killed four and caused serious damage. Sea trials and delivery were delayed by a year to June 1972.

The Roger Blough assisted in the search for SS Edmund Fitzgerald. On November 11, 1975, the morning after the sinking, the crew of the Roger Blough recovered a 25-person life raft from the Edmund Fitzgerald.

The Blough also suffered millions in damage after grounding near Whitefish Bay in 2016.

With regards to the 1971 engine room fire were the 4 men who died unable to escape what happened exactly?

Thank you in advance.

[Jerry]

Blough expected at Port Huron about 10:00am

[Jerry]

Tugs waiting on fog.

[Denny]

As of 10:40 p.m. the tow is downbound Lake Huron and almost directly across from Goderich on the AIS map if that helps out any? Still don’t know yet what time they will be at the Bluewater Bridge in Port Huron on Sunday? Any info is appreciated and Thank You.

[Denny]

As I type this now on Saturday, October 29, 2022 the tow is near Harbor Beach now in Lake Huron at 8:20 p.m. and I don’t have any ideas or ETAs for Port Huron? I figure I’d leave that one up to you guys. At least I’m trying to help as far as tracking their location. I too am going to hate to see her go as she’s long been a favorite of mine and ironically both her and the Cort both entered service the same year that I did way back in 1972! So, if this is her end sadly then I say thanks for the many memories and salutes Roger Blough or Jolly Roger as you’ll always be remembered and never forgotten. 3 Long and 2 Short and thanks for the many salutes and wonderful beautiful memories. Fair Winds and Calm Seas as your career comes to a sad ending. So long dear friend until we meet again someday!

[Jon Paul]

I watched the Blough tow pass east bound under the Mackinac Bridge yesterday with mixed emotions. I reflected on how I had seen its maiden voyage, visited my friend Swede Wallin on board a few times when we were both unloading in Conneaut and watching it in convoys during the Winter Navigation Program in the mid to late 70's showing what a beast it could be in ice.
I would be surprised if it goes to scrap in the short term but unfortunately with the economy sliding into a recession, the uncertainty in Great Lakes shipping i.e., Rand and GLF and other factors, I don't see it having any future now.