April 28, 2006
BEAVER ISLAND BOATHOUSE PROMISES NEW CMU ADVENTURES
New and safer adventures await Central Michigan University students, faculty and staff with the purchase of the former U.S. Coast Guard boathouse on Beaver Island. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:39 AM
Fuel cells for boats & fractional ownership discussed at MDRA Creative Conference
Gasoline: $3 a gallon and climbing! "Who in this room is considering hydrogen fuel cell powered boats?" questioned Jeremy Rifkin, as he addressed the 10th Annual Creative Conference in Palm Beach sponsored by Marine Design Resource Alliance. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:34 AM
Fitz urges tough drunken boating law
Joe Zielinski's family spent countless idyllic summer days at Donnell Lake. They swam, they fished, they enjoyed bonfires together. "It was like paradise for us all," the Lansing, Ill., man told a room full of Dowagiac Union High School juniors and seniors Thursday. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:32 AM
Our great state parks need a financial boost
A few years ago, Rick Jameson, the late executive director of Michigan United Conservation Clubs, stopped to use a pit toilet at a rest area along M-28 on the Lake Superior shoreline near Marquette. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:28 AM
April 27, 2006
Mackinaw ends ‘farewell tour'
The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw returned to the secondary dock at the Millard D. Olds Memorial Moorings on Sunday after a “farewell tour” that encompassed 11 days, four cities and more than 725 nautical miles. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:16 AM
Boaters feel the crunch of high fuel costs
While gas prices are affecting everyone, leaders with Michigan's tourism industry say they're not overly worried; and yet, high fuel prices don't only affect drivers at the pump. Boat owners are feeling the crunch, too. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:13 AM
Wishes meet reality on port plans
Plans for the Port of Rochester show a mix of townhouses, villa-style apartments, park spaces and a marina — all good ideas, Sue Reynolds said, but maybe a little too much for Charlotte. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:11 AM
Madison to host regional concrete canoe competition
Twelve schools, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will see if their canoes, made entirely of concrete, sink or swim at the Great Lakes Regional Concrete Canoe Conference on Friday, April 28. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:07 AM
April 26, 2006
Bodies of 2 missing fishermen recovered from Lake Huron
HARRISVILLE, Mich. (AP) — Police divers have recovered the bodies of two fishermen whose boat capsized in Lake Huron. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:22 AM
Minnesota Gets Mixed Environmental Review
Even though Minnesotans recycle at about the same rate as a decade ago, they also produce more trash and the state may need new landfills and incinerators sooner than expected, according to data on a new environmental report card. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:19 AM
Accidental dumping of sewage still a mystery
Nearly a month after the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District accidentally dumped 822,000 gallons of partially treated sewage into Lake Michigan on a dry and sunny day, officials still have no explanation for what went wrong or how such missteps can be avoided. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:16 AM
Shared Passion for Sailing Brings Four Men to Navigate Across the Great Lakes
Milwaukee, WI (PRWEB) April 24, 2006 -- Departing on April 29th aboard the Dawn Treader, a 1983 O'Day 34 with an overall length of 34 feet and beam of 11 feet, 3 inches, John, Mike, Scott, and Marek will sail from the shallows of Lake St. Clair, into the North Channel and up the St. Clair River to Lake Huron. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:12 AM
April 25, 2006
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Posted by Kenan at 06:31 PM
A good day for a Clean Sweep
Don't forget the second annual Earth Keeper Clean Sweep to collect electronic waste at 28 sites across the Upper Peninsula on Earth Day 2006 (that's today). more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:27 AM
Boaters get extra days on the canal system
WATERFORD - For the first time in 33 years the state canal system will be open for boaters in April. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:24 AM
Michigan acquires Blue Water Isles Wetland from Waste Management
Local officials and outdoor enthusiasts celebrated the ceremonial handing over of a Lake St. Clair costal wetland known as the Blue Water Isles to the State of Michigan. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:21 AM
Asian invader, grass carp, caught near Prescott, Wis.
PRESCOTT, Wis. (AP) — A commercial fisher hauled in an Asian carp that weighed 45 to 50 pounds from the Lower St. Croix River, indicating the invasive species is continuing its spread up the Mississippi River from the South, an official says. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:20 AM
Marinas with Wi-Fi keep sailors online
Marinas are becoming the latest hot spots. Not just for those big yachts or the promise of a carefree weekend on the water they represent. Marinas are now hot spots because they're increasingly wired - or, more accurately, wireless. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:18 AM
April 24, 2006
Port of Call: Cleveland
Kick off this boating season by heading to Lake Erie’s southern shore and explore the waterways of Cleveland, as well as all the summer activities it has to offer.
Posted by Kenan at 05:18 PM
Boating is Big Business
Just how much of an impact does recreational boating have on the Great Lakes economy? Find out just how much revenue is generated from sales and support.
Posted by Kenan at 03:23 PM
Wake up Call
Do you know how to handle wakes? Learn the several major factors that affect wake characteristics.
Posted by Kenan at 12:28 PM
Hidden gems among Lake Huron beaches
If undiscovered beach treasures are what you seek, look no farther than three northeast Michigan shoreline gems, where the sand and spectacular views await both the daytime beachcomber and the overnight guest. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:00 AM
USA. Great Lakes cruising growing in popularity
As the world grows smaller, finding new and exciting travel destinations becomes more difficult. With concerns over the cost and safety of international travel, one new destination is becoming very popular, especially for cruisers, the Great Lakes. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:44 AM
Marina District awaiting private money
It was a clear day as Mayor Carty Finkbeiner - with one eye on the news cameras - pointed from his 22nd-floor window to a tract of fallow dirt across the Maumee River. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:42 AM
Officials find hybrids of rare blue walleyes in Delavan Lake
DELAVAN, Wis. - State officials were surprised to find two fish in Delavan Lake that they believe are hybrids of blue walleyes, a rare species of fish not known to exist so far south in the state. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:38 AM
April 21, 2006
Toxic leaks tarnish image of posh Lake Michigan resort
PETOSKEY, Mich. (AP) _ On a hillside overlooking Lake Michigan, the community of Bay Harbor promotes itself as an environmentally sensitive luxury resort. more»
Posted by Kenan at 08:38 AM
Ohio’s Lake Erie marinas help keep waterways healthy with free Oil Eradicators
Marinas along the shores of Lake Erie have begun joining the Ohio Clean Marinas Program to keep waterways healthy. Participating facilities are inviting boat owners to use best management practices, too, by joining the Ohio Clean Boater Program and providing a unique tool to help get them started. more»
Posted by Kenan at 08:27 AM
Michigan caps leak in water protection law
LANSING -- House Democrats claim there's a leak in the new Great Lakes protection law, signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm only two months ago. more»
Posted by Kenan at 08:24 AM
Plans for port's reuse taking shape
The terminal building at the Port of Rochester that once serviced the high-speed ferry may be the future home of the proposed Great Lakes research and educational center and an aquarium, a preliminary plan of the port now shows. more»
Posted by Kenan at 08:17 AM
April 20, 2006
Finish study; give recreational boats their due
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Detroit office has gotten disgracefully behind on what should be a fairly straightforward project: studying the value of recreational boating in the Great Lakes. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:22 AM
Ferry tests engines in 4½-hour outing
Rochester's high-speed ferry sailed through a more than four-hour test yesterday on Lake Ontario, returning to a welcoming crowd, though there's still no deal to sell the vessel. "Everything went well," Mayor Robert Duffy said of the engine test. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:21 AM
Harbor cleanup outlined
Silhouetted by sunlight glinting off a shimmering Waukegan Harbor on Wednesday, local, state and federal officials gathered to outline a plan for what they hope will be the final cleanup of the polluted waterway. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:19 AM
Coast Guard Auxiliary helps keep boating safe
The auxiliary cannot do law enforcement. Their mission in the Great Lakes is educating boaters on safe boating practices. The 80-member Wilmette Harbor Auxiliary patrols the harbor, runs boating classes, inspects boats -- several 100 vessel checks every summer -- and work closely with the Coast Guard. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:12 AM
Rudder sightings
While not yet comparable to the fabled Loch Ness monster, a mysterious missing rudder is spurring sightings of its own along the Saginaw River. People are looking for a piece of steel that may have snapped off the 844-foot Great Lakes Trader during a voyage upriver this month. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:07 AM
April 19, 2006
Hats off to Ehlers and Levin for bill to protect Great Lakes
If defenders of the Great Lakes once didn't have their acts together, that's no longer the case. Less than a month after representatives of the region were told in a Capitol Hill hearing by lawmakers that they were unprepared, a comprehensive and coherent lakes-protection bill has been introduced in the U.S. House and Senate. Chief sponsors are Republican Rep. Vern Ehlers of Grand Rapids and Michigan Democratic Sen. Carl Levin. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:59 AM
Lack of channel maintenance means less freight is shipped
DULUTH, Minn. - Fred Shusterich says the government has failed to maintain the St. Marys River at its authorized depth of 25 feet and that for every inch of reduced draft, a 1,000-foot laker must shed about 267 tons of cargo. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:49 AM
Life On The Big Lake
A ship like the Michipicoten may look peaceful on calm waters, but there's always work to be done inside.
Over the years technological advancements have changed the way some work is accomplished on an ore boat, but some things are exactly the same as they were 50-years ago. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:43 AM
Bass Pro deal up in the air, but it's said to be 'closer'
Buffalo's long courtship of Bass Pro Shops continues, but still no wedding date has been set. What's the holdup? The next step appears to be a predevelopment contract, probably signed by the end of this month. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:41 AM
Sponsors float ships
BAY CITY -- The tall ships are coming to mid-Michigan this summer. Nine companies -- including The Saginaw News -- with ties to the Saginaw Bay area will help cover the cost for 11 vessels that will dock in Bay City during the Tall Ship Challenge, a race across the Great Lakes. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:40 AM
April 18, 2006
CHICAGO RIVER DAY 2006
14th ANNUAL CHICAGO RIVER DAY ANNOUNCED. Friends of the Chicago River is excited to announce that this year's Chicago River Day will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2006. more»
Posted by Kenan at 04:51 PM
Can Mich. afford laws that limit water exports?
M ichigan license plates once bragged: "Water Wonderland." But in times when the state imports tons of Canadian garbage and bottlers like Coke, Pepsi and Nestle package and ship the state's water elsewhere, an up-to-date state slogan would read: "Garbage In. Water out." more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:40 AM
Bill floated to set Erie Canal story straight
ALBANY -- Anyone who sang the Erie Canal song in grammar school remembers that Sal, the mule, knows "ev'ry inch of the way, from Albany to Buffalo." But if a section of the state Canal Law continues to stand, Sal, trudging along the towpath, would have pulled barges "filled with lumber, coal, and hay" from Waterford to Tonawanda. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:38 AM
State proposes mercury rule stricter than EPA's
WASHINGTON -- Michigan's electric power plants have their marching orders from the state: Remove 90 percent of mercury emissions from smokestacks by 2015. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:37 AM
Icebreakers star in documentary
A longtime fixture on the Great Lakes is winding up its career, a 62-year stint that's the focus of a new film.
Breaking the Iceis the tentative title of an hourlong documentary in production about the Coast Guard icebreaker Mackinaw, which is being decommissioned in June, and the vessel's same-named replacement. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:31 AM
Charlevoix could be Griffin research site
CHARLEVOIX — He was the first European to sail a ship on the northern Great Lakes, and also the first to lose one. The Griffin, a primary ship of the French explorer La Salle, is thought to have disappeared in a storm in northern Lake Michigan in the fall of 1679. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:29 AM
April 17, 2006
Sailboat capsizes on Lake Michigan
A sailboat capsized in rough Lake Michigan waters Sunday morning near Belmont Harbor, fire officials said. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:43 AM
Two Rivers seeks to remove 'weeds'
TWO RIVERS — The Two Rivers City Council tonight will be asked to appeal a Department of Natural Resources ruling some in the city say hinders tourism and economic development. At issue is how much of the area bordering Lake Michigan — at Neshotah Park and along Memorial Drive — should be left in its natural state or "groomed" by city crews to provide more sand beach. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:36 AM
Mackinaw sets to sail on its farewell cruise
CHEBOYGAN - The fanfare of a change of command ceremony completed on the new Mackinaw's decks next door, the original U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw departed Thursday afternoon for a farewell tour that will take the ship to four lower-lakes ports for the last time. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:34 AM
Exclusive 'public' beaches rile some
Would-be beachcombers are stopped by twin signs at each end of this public slice of Lake Michigan shoreline sandwiched between some of the priciest real estate in Milwaukee County: Private Property Beyond This Point-No Trespassing. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:30 AM
Postcards trumpet maritime link
Port Huron artist Jim Clary's campaign to market the city as the "Maritime Capital of the Great Lakes" now can be found in local shops, restaurants and hotels. Clary designed two postcards, each featuring photos he'd taken of local maritime icons, as a way to promote the city as a tourist destination. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:27 AM
Undredged channels limit shipping on Great Lakes
CLEVELAND - Shippers on the Great Lakes are decreasing their loads or taking detours because channel waters haven't been dredged. From delivering salt up Michigan's Saginaw River to hauling iron ore to steel mills in Cleveland and East Chicago, Ind., the carriers say the lack of removing mud and sediment is limiting the strength of heavy industry on the lakes. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:24 AM
April 14, 2006
Protestors oppose hotel at dunes
CHESTERTON — Activists fighting plans for a privately financed hotel at the Indiana Dunes State Park outnumbered developers at a meeting on the proposed 100-room inn. About 30 protesters from the Save the Dunes Council, Sierra Club and other groups carried signs reading “Save Our Park” during Wednesday’s meeting. more»
Posted by Kenan at 04:06 PM
Lake Superior landmark collapses
Today's edition of the Marquette Mining Journal is reporting that a big chunk of a famous geological feature in Munising, Michigan tumbled 30 metres into Lake Superior yesterday. more»
Posted by Kenan at 04:03 PM
New captain takes helm of Mackinaw
CHEBOYGAN - Placing a confidence in Cmdr. John Little that left no doubt as to what is expected of him, U.S. Coast Guard 9th District Rear Adm. Robert J. Papp changed the command of the new icebreaker Mackinaw Thursday to a man known for his knowledge of the Great Lakes. more»
Posted by Kenan at 04:00 PM
Great Lakes should become a lively, profitable 'Third Coast'
The good news is that a badly needed, bipartisan $23 billion bill to save and restore the Great Lakes has been introduced in Congress. If adopted, it would reduce the threat of invasive species in the lakes, clean up contaminated sediments, improve sewage systems and restore fish and wildlife. more»
Posted by Kenan at 03:59 PM
Raymarine Announces the Second Annual North American 'Gear Up Sales Event'
MERRIMACK, N.H., April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Raymarine today announced its second annual Gear Up Sales Event for the North American market, taking place from April 14th to May 31st. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:19 AM
COAST GUARD RESCUES TWO FROM SINKING BOAT
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit Command Center received notification from a man reporting that his vessel was taking on water in Maumee Bay North East of Toledo, Ohio and needed assistance. Communications were difficult due to the vessel sinking and the men being extremely cold. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:08 AM
Salmon shrink as lake shows off mussels
Biologists and anglers blame the zebra mussel and its Black Sea cousin, the quagga mussel, for the shrinking Lake Huron sport fishery. The mussels, voracious filter feeders, are doing to Lake Huron what they earlier did to lakes St. Clair and Erie. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:04 AM
April 13, 2006
Burger Boat to buy bank building
MANITOWOC – Associated Bank announced plans Wednesday to build a new Manitowoc headquarters, on the city's west side, in Harbor Town Center. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:09 AM
Fox River cleanup set in De Pere
E PERE — A barge sucking up PCB pollution from the Fox River will join fishing boats near the De Pere Dam next spring. Gov. Jim Doyle stood on the banks of the river Wednesday to announce plans for cleaning up the De Pere site, which contains the biggest hot spot of PCBs in the river. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:07 AM
Ferry sets sail after winter work in Sarnia
The Ontario car and passenger ferry Chi-Cheemaununderwent sea trials Wednesday on Lake Huron after spending the winter undergoing a major refitting in Sarnia, the Canadian coast guard said. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:04 AM
April 12, 2006
Revisiting the Wabash Erie Canal
This week’s ramble is a revisit to the Wabash and Erie Canal as seen through the parks, exhibits and trails surrounding Delphi under the auspices of the Wabash Erie Canal Association of Carroll County. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:41 AM
April 11, 2006
Coast Guard to thwart propeller-related injuries and deaths
The National Boating Safety Advisory Council directed the U.S. Coast Guard to launch several initiatives to curb propeller injuries and fatalities. Propeller injuries resulted in 31 fatalities, and propellers were involved in 186 accidents in 2004, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Propeller injuries are ranked ninth in reported boating accidents. By comparison, falls overboard resulted in 271 fatalities, and capsizing in 203. more»
Posted by Kenan at 04:41 PM
Walleye equipped with radio not just a fishy tale
Fisheries researchers from the Ohio Division of Wildlife have implanted radio transmitters in 50 adult walleye in the Sandusky River-Sandusky Bay stock with an eye - make that, ear - to tracking them during the spring spawning run and thereafter. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:29 AM
Congress tells Coast Guard to replace icebreaker
WASHINGTON - Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) today applauded legislation recommending that the Coast Guard acquire an icebreaking vessel to replace the soon-to-be decommissioned ACACIA Coast Guard Cutter. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:27 AM
Editorial: Don't let Great Lakes die a slow death
The proposal, called the Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act, was introduced last week by a bipartisan group of lawmakers. It looks at the long term needs of the Great Lakes by offering plans to ensure safe drinking water, clean beaches and healthy fish and wildlife. It also tackles the growing problem of invasive species, which could prove to be the ultimate threat to the Great Lakes. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:25 AM
Editorial: Cormorant funds not enough
The Great Lakes Fishery, especially in our neck of the woods, appears to be struggling a bit, especially when it comes to species like perch and smelt. Experts, be they scientists with the state or local anglers who enjoy drowning a worm every now and then, all have theories. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:24 AM
April 07, 2006
Tourism in U.P. improved last year
MARQUETTE — The news isn't all bad for Michigan tourism — at least in the Upper Peninsula. The statewide hotel occupancy rate was 53.5 percent in 2005, down 7 percent from the previous year and the lowest rate in the country, said Tom Nemacheck, director of the U.P. Travel and Recreation Association. But the U.P.'s occupancy rate jumped 8 percent. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:43 AM
River poisoning intentional, meant to kill lamprey
Harpersfield Township -- Federal wildlife officials released 500 gallons of a poison into the Grand River Thursday, to suffocate a fish-killing parasite that is right out of a nightmare. As the Grand River turned lemon-lime, state and local biologists watched warily. Six teams in canoes prowled the river, collecting fish and amphibians that were unintended casualties. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:35 AM
Gilchrist browns coming to Big Lake
State fish managers are banking on an old idea that new blood will revive Lake Michigan's ailing brown trout fishery. But a betting angler might be wise to hold on to his enthusiasm. There are a few wild cards still to be played. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:32 AM
Shipping imperiled Dredging snags leave water too shallow for some freighters
Shipping along the Saginaw River may soon find itself sunk. Legal battles that have held up dredging the waterway are threatening commercial shipping, which could cause businesses along the river to lose revenue and up to 280 jobs, they say. The delay also jeopardizes $3.3 million in federal grants for the dredging. more»
Posted by Kenan at 09:26 AM
April 06, 2006
Grease oozes into harbor
Hundreds of gallons of used kitchen grease oozed into the Duluth storm sewer system after Monday's accident downtown, and some of the grease flowed into Lake Superior, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said Wednesday. more»
Posted by Kenan at 08:49 AM
Questions target answers for smallmouth bass
Three advisory questions concerning the future of smallmouth bass fishing in Green Bay and Lake Michigan will be asked by the Wisconsin Conservation Congress at the Spring Hearings next week. The hearings will be held in every county, starting at 7 p.m. Monday. more»
Posted by Kenan at 08:45 AM
Senators Plan Funding to Clean Up Great Lakes
Michigans' Senior US Senator Carl Levin and a senator from Ohio have a plan to clean up the Great Lakes and do it, they say, on a budget. The plan would set aside 10.5 billion dollars over five years for the Great Lakes. more»
Posted by Kenan at 08:25 AM
Great Lakes 'ship' simulates crises
James Parlier was serving aboard the USS Cole in 2000 the day 17 fellow crew members were killed when a bomb planted by terrorists went off. "I knew every one of them really well," said Parlier, command master chief at the Great Lakes Naval Station, remembering his fellow Navy officers who died. "It was tough." more»
Posted by Kenan at 08:22 AM
April 05, 2006
Granholm: Tourism before politics
TRAVERSE CITY — Legislative leaders are putting election year politicking ahead of the state's tourism industry, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said in a trip meant to exert pressure on Republican leaders. At stake is how the state spends $15 million to market Michigan to tourists. Granholm wants to kick-start the tourism industry by front-loading the money over two years. Legislative leaders want to spread it over five years. more»
Posted by Kenan at 10:01 AM