The Great Lakes -- Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario -- and their connecting channels form the largest fresh surface water system on earth. If you stood on the moon, you could see the lakes and recognize the familiar wolf head shape of Lake Superior, or the mitten bounded by lakes Michigan, Huron and Erie. Covering more than 94,000 square miles and draining more than twice as much land, these Freshwater Seas hold an estimated 6 quadrillion gallons of water, about one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water supply and nine-tenths of the U.S. supply. Spread evenly across the contiguous 48 states, the lakes' water would be about 9.5 feet deep. The channels that connect the Great Lakes are an important part of the system. The St. Marys River is the northernmost of these, a 60-mile waterway flowing from Lake Superior down to Lake Huron. At the St. Marys rapids, the Soo Locks bypass the rough waters, providing safe transport for ships. The St. Clair and Detroit rivers, and Lake St. Clair between them, form an 89-mile long channel connecting Lake Huron with Lake Erie. The 35-mile Niagara River links lakes Erie and Ontario, and sends approximately 50,000 to 100,000 cubic feet of water per second over Niagara Falls; the manmade Welland Canal also links the two lakes, providing a detour around the falls. From Lake Ontario, the water from the Great Lakes flows through the St. Lawrence River all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,000 miles away.
This system greatly affects our way of life, as well as all aspects of the natural environment, from weather and climate, to wildlife and habitat. Yet for all their size and power, the Great Lakes are fragile. In the past, this fragile nature wasn't recognized, and the lakes were mistreated for economic gain, placing the ecosystem under tremendous stress from our activities. Today, we understand that our health and our children's inheritance depend on our collective efforts to wisely manage our complex ecosystem.
Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes in surface area and volume. In fact, Superior has the largest surface area of any freshwater lake in the world. The lake stretches 350 miles from west to east and 160 miles north to south. Its shoreline is nearly 2,800 miles long. Superior is also the coldest and deepest of the five Great Lakes. Average depths are close to 500 feet; the deepest point in the lake reaches 1,332 feet.
Lake Michigan, ranked second largest of the Great Lakes according to volume, is the only Great Lake entirely within the United States. Averaging 279 feet deep, the lake reaches 925 feet at its deepest point. Lake Michigan is approximately 118 miles wide and 307 miles long and boasts more than 1,600 miles of shoreline, including many sandy beaches.
Lake Huron is the third largest of the Great Lakes by volume, holding nearly 850 cubic miles of water. The shores of Huron extend more than 3,800 miles and are characterized by shallow, sandy beaches and the rocky coasts of Georgian Bay. Lake Huron is 206 miles wide and approximately 183 miles from north to south. Home to many ship wrecks, the lake averages a depth of 195 feet.
Lake Erie is the shallowest of the Great Lakes (averaging only 62 feet) and overall the smallest by volume. Erie is also exposed to the greatest effects from urbanization and agriculture. Lake Erie measures 241 miles wide and 57 miles from north to south, and has 871 miles of shoreline. Because it's not as deep as the other lakes, Erie warms rapidly in the spring and summer and is frequently the only Great Lake to freeze over in winter.
Lake Ontario, the 14th largest lake in the world, is the smallest of the Great Lakes in surface area.
It ranks fourth among the Great Lakes in maximum depth, but its average depth is second only to Lake Superior. Lake Ontario lies 325 ft (99 m) below Lake Erie, at the base of Niagara Falls. The falls were always an obstacle to navigation into the upper lakes until the Trent-Severn Waterway, along with the Welland and Erie Canals were built to allow ships to pass around this bottleneck. The oldest lighthouse on the U.S. side of the Great Lakes was set up at Fort Niagara in 1818 to aid navigation. The basin is largely rural, with many scenic resort areas.
MACKINAC BRIDGE
SOO LOCKS
The History of the Soo Locks
The St. Marys River is the only water connection between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes. There is a section of the river known as the St. Marys Rapids where the water falls about 21 feet from the level of Lake Superior to the level of the lower lakes. This natural barrier through navigation made necessary the construction of the locks project known as the St. Marys Falls Canal.
The world-famous Soo Locks form a passage for deep-draft ships around the rapids in the St. Marys River. Before white men came to the area, the Ojibway Indians who lived nearby portaged their canoes around the "Bawating" (rapids) to reach Lake Superior from the St. Marys River.
Early pioneers arriving in the territory were forced to carry their canoes around the rapids. When settlement of the Northwest Territory brought increased trade and large boats, it became necessary to unload the boats, haul the cargoes around the rapids in wagons, and reload in other boats.
In 1797, the Northwest Fur Company constructed a navigation lock 38 feet long on the Canadian side of the river for small boats. This lock remained in use until destroyed in the War of 1812. Freight and boats were again portaged around the rapids.
Congress passed an act in 1852 granting 750,000 acres of public land to the State of Michigan as compensation to the company that would build a lock permitting waterborne commerce between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes. The Fairbanks Scale Company, which had extensive mining interests, in the upper peninsula, undertook this challenging construction project in 1853.
In spite of adverse conditions, Fairbanks' aggressive accountant, Charles T. Harvey, completed a system of two locks, in tandem, each 350 feet long, within the 2 year deadline set by the State of Michigan. On May 31, 1855, the locks were turned over to the state and designated as the State Lock.
Boats which passed through the State Lock were required to pay a toll of four cents per ton, until 1877, when the toll was reduced to three cents.
Within a few years, commerce through the canal had grown to national importance, and the need for new locks became clear. The funds required exceeded the state's capabilities, and thus, in 1881 the locks were transferred to the United States government, and were placed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps has operated the locks, toll free, since that time.
The pictures below are of the New Staten Island Ferry Launched in September 2003, the Photos were taken by Mr. Dick Lund. Dick has one of the most extensive photo collections on the Web. Mr. Lund has graciously allowed me to use these photos here. They do not belong to me down below you will find a link to his great site.
DAVES EMS HEADQUARTERS
GREAT LAKE SHIPPING
Staten Island Ferry Guy V. Molinari Launched on Sept 20, 2003
(Soo Locks Four Views)
Soo Locks-Davis-MacArthur-Poe-Sabin
Active Locks
Poe Lock
which is the largest Lock and Newest of the locks
MacArthur Lock
In-Active Locks
SABIN
Slightly Used Locks
DAVIS
VEIW ONE
VEIW TWO
VEIW THREE
VEIW FOUR
STATE OF MICHIGAN
REMEMBERING THE 729 FOOT EDMUND FITZGERALD AND IT'S CREW LOST ON LAKE SUPERIOR NOVEMBER 10, 1975
On November 10, 1975 the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior. All 29 crew members died.
The Fitzgerald weighted 13,632 tons and was 729 feet long. In 1958, when it was first launched, it was the largest carrier on the Great Lakes, and remained so until 1971. The Fitzgerald was labeled "The Pride of the American Flag". In 1964 it became the first ship on the Great Lakes to carry more than a million tons of ore through the Soo Locks. On November 9, 1975 she departed from Superior, WI with approximately 26,000 tons of ore bound for Detroit MI.
The Brave Crew lost:
Ernest M. McSorley, 63, Captain, Toledo Ohio
John H. McCarthy, 62, Mate, Bay Village, Ohio
James A. Pratt, 44, second mate, Lakewood, Ohio
Michael E. Armagost, 37, third mate, Iron River, Wisconsin
Thomas Bentsen, 23, oiler, St. Joseph, Michigan
Thomas D. Borgeson, 4l, maintenance man, Duluth, Minnesota
John D. Simmons, 60, wheelsman, Ashland, Wisconsin
Eugene W. O'Brien, 50, wheelsman, Toledo, Ohio
John J. Poviatch, 59, wheelsman, Bradenton, Florida
Ranson E. Cundy, 53, watchman, Superior, Wisconsin
William J. Spengler, 59, watchman, Toledo, Ohio
Karl A. Peckol, 20, watchman, Ashtabula, Ohio
Mark A. Thomas, 2l, deck hand, Richmond Heights, Ohio
Paul M. Rippa, 22, deck hand, Ashtabula, Ohio
Bruce L. Hudson, 22, deck hand, North Olmsted, Ohio
David E. Weiss, 22, cadet, Agoura, California
Robert C. Rafferty, 62, steward, Toledo, Ohio
Allen G. Kalmon, 43, second cook, Washburn, Wisconsin
Frederick J. Beetcher, 56, porter, Superior, Wisconsin
Nolan F. Church, 55, porter, Silver Bay, Minnesota
George Holl, 60, chief engineer, Cabot, Pennsylvania
Edward F. Bindon, 47, first assistant engineer, Fairport Harbor, Ohio
Thomas E. Edwards, 50, second assistant engineer, Oregon, Ohio
Russell G. Haskell, 40, second assistant engineer, Millbury, Ohio
Oliver J. Champeau, 4l, third assistant engineer, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Blaine H. Wilhelm, 52, oiler, Moguah, Wisconsin
Ralph G. Walton, 58, oiler, Fremont, Ohio
Joseph W. Mazes, 59, special maintenance man, Ashland, Wisconsin
Gordon F. MacLellan, 30, wiper, Clearwater, Florida
The Ballard of the Edmund Fitz By: Gordon Lightfoot
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy.
With a load of iron ore - 26,000 tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed When the gales of November came early
The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconson
As the big freighters go it was bigger than most
With a crew and the Captain well seasoned.
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ships bell rang
Could it be the North Wind they'd been feeling.
The wind in the wires made a tattletale sound
And a wave broke over the railing And every man knew, as the Captain did, too, T'was the witch of November come stealing.
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait When the gales of November came slashing When afternoon came it was freezing rain In the face of a hurricane West Wind
When supper time came the old cook came on deck Saying fellows it's too rough to feed ya
At 7PM a main hatchway caved in
He said fellas it's been good to know ya.
The Captain wired in he had water coming in
And the good ship and crew was in peril
And later that night when his lights went out of sight Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Does anyone know where the love of God goes
When the words turn the minutes to hours
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay If they'd fifteen more miles behind her.
They might have split up or they might have capsized They may have broke deep and took water And all that remains is the faces and the names Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.
Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the ruins of her ice water mansion
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams, The islands and bays are for sportsmen.
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered.
In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed
In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral
The church bell chimed, 'til it rang 29 times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they say, never
gives up her dead
When the gales of November
come early.
THE SEARCH
The Anderson which had been following the Fitzgerald ended up as the primary vessel in the search, taking the lead. With the ship pounding and rolling badly, the crew of the Anderson discovered the Fitzgerald's two lifeboats and other debris but no sign of survivors. Only one other vessel, the William Clay Ford, was willing to leave the safety of Whitefish Bay to join in the search at the time.
The Coast Guard launched Helo's from Traverse City Air Station along with a fixed-wing HU-16 aircraft at 10 pm and dispatched two cutters, the Naugatuck and the Woodrush. The Naugatuck arrived at 12:45 pm on November 11, and the Woodrush arrived on November 14, having journeyed all the way from Duluth, Minnesota.
The Coast Guard conducted an extensive and thorough search. On November 14, a U.S. Navy plane equipped with a magnetic anomaly detector located a strong contact 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point. During the following three days, the Coast Guard cutter Woodrush, using a sidescan sonar, located two large pieces of wreckage in the same area. Another sonar survey was conducted November 22-25.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was located and filmed at the bottom of Lake Superior at 535 feet below the surface of the lake.
fitzgeralds path: source NOAA
The Woodrush and its crew searched for the crew of ill-fated ore carrier Edmund Fitzgerald after it sank in Lake Superior Nov. 10, 1975. Coast Guard suspended the search Nov. 13, searching because of the remote chances of finding the 29-man crew from the 729-foot ship in the freezing water.
Lake Erie has an average depth of 62 feet and a maximum depth of 210 feet.
Lake Huron has an average depth of 175 feet and a maximum depth of 750 feet
Lake Michigan has an average depth of 279 feet and a maximum depth of 925 feet
Lake Ontario has an average depth of 210 feet and a maximum depth of 283 feet
Lake Superior has an average depth of 500 feet and a maximum depth of 1332 feet
In 1923 the Legislature ordered the State Highway Department to establish a ferry service at the Straits. Within five years traffic on this facility became so heavy that the late Governor Fred Green ordered the same agency to make a study of bridge feasibility.
Vacationland - 1952
In the winter of 1952, the Highway Department acquired the 10,000 horsepower "Vacationland". Built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works in River Rouge, Michigan, it cost $4,745,000 and, with a 75 foot beam and a 360 foot length, became the queen of the fleet. The "Vacationland" carried nearly 150 cars and trucks. The five-vessel fleet had a total carrying capacity of about 500 vehicles.
City of Petoskey - 1940
When the government purchased the "Mackinaw City" and the "Sainte Ignace" in 1940 for war purposes, the State obtained a Pere Marquette Railway boat for service at the Straits of Mackinac. The ferry was renamed the "City of Petoskey". The vessel could carry 105 vehicles.
Winter Service
Winter service began in 1931 when the Highway Department arranged with the Mackinaw Transportation Company to carry cars across the Straits on a railroad icebreaker during the cold months. This arrangement turned out to be poor business for the State, so in 1936 the Highway Department leased the railroad icebreaker "Sainte Marie" for winter operations on a regular schedule.
Ariel - 1923
Car ferry service began on July 31, 1923, with the little "Ariel", a river boat which had operated in the Detroit River between Walkerville, Ontario and Detroit. The Ariel, which accommodated only 20 cars, went out of service at the end of the 1923 season. The vessel was laid up in Cheboygan, Michigan, until it was sold in 1926 to the Port Huron - Sarnia Ferry Company. The ferry provided service between Port Huron and Sarnia, Ontario, on the St. Clair River.
Prior to the Mackinac Bridge Construction and Opening to traffic on November 1, 1957, car ferry service between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace was the only connection between to the Lower and Upper Penn. In it's 34 years of service, the ferries operated under the authority of the Michigan Department of State Highways carried approximately 12 million vehicles and more than 30 million passengers across the Straits of Mackinac. The state ferry operation, in effect a highway over water, was unique in being the first service of its kind operated by a state highway department. It came into being through an act of the State Legislature, which reacted to public displeasure with the infrequent and expensive ferry service for motor vehicles provided by railroad boats. Most travelers, including many who made regular crossings, viewed the passing of the state ferries with mixed emotions. The new $100 million bridge came as a blessing and a necessity, boosting tourist traffic in the Upper Peninsula and helping economic development. Driving by auto high above the blue waters of the Straits is a memorable experience. But the leisurely five-mile ferry trip was a thrill of its own. For many passengers, it was their only experience aboard a ship.
The five-mile bridge, including approaches, and the world's longest suspension bridge between cable anchorages, had been designed by the great engineer Dr. David B. Steinman. Merritt-Chapman & Scott Corporation's $25,735,600 agreement to build all the foundations led to the mobilization of the largest bridge construction fleet ever assembled. The American Bridge Division of United States Steel Corporation, awarded a $44,532,900 contract to build this superstructure, began its work of planning and assembly. In U.S. Steel's mills the various shapes, plates, bars, wire and cables of steel necessary for the superstructure and for the caissons and cofferdams of the foundation, were prepared. The bridge was officially begun amid proper ceremonies on May 7 & 8, 1954, at St. Ignace and Mackinaw City.
The bridge opened to traffic on November 1, 1957 according to schedule, despite the many hazards of marine construction over the turbulent Straits of Mackinac. The last of the Mackinac Bridge bonds were retired July 1, 1986. Fare revenues are now used to operate and maintain the Bridge and repay the State of Michigan for monies advanced to the Authority since the facility opened to traffic in 1957.
Jan 18, 1955 winter Break
MARCH 1957
OCTOBER 1957
OCTOBER 24, 1954 CASSIONS
LENGTHS
Total Length of Bridge (5 Miles) 26,372 Ft.
Total Length of Steel Superstructure 19,243 Ft.
Length of Suspension Bridge (including Anchorages) 8,614 Ft.
Total Length of North Approach 7,129 Ft.
Length of Main Span (between Main Towers) 3,800 Ft.
.
HEIGHTS AND DEPTHS
Height of Main Towers above Water 552 Ft. 168.25 Meters
Maximum Depth to Rock at Midspan Unknown Unknown
Maximum Depth of Water at Midspan 295 Ft. 90 Meters
Maximum Depth of Tower Piers below Water 210 Ft. 64 Meters
Height of Roadway above Water at Midspan 199 Ft. 61 Meters
Underclearance at Midspan for Ships 155 Ft. 47 Meters
Maximum Depth of Water at Piers 142 Ft. 43 Meters
Maximum Depth of Piers Sunk through Overburden 105 Ft. 32 Meters
CABLES
Total Length of Wire in Main Cables 42,000 Miles
Maximum Tension in Each Cable 16,000 Tons
Number of Wires in Each Cable 12,580
Weight of Cables 11,840 Tons
Diameter of Main Cables 24 1/2 Inches
Diameter of Each Wire 0.196 Inches
CONCRETE
Total Concrete in Bridge 466,300 Cu. Yds. 356,512 Cu. Meters
Total Concrete in Substructure 451,000 Cu. Yds. 344,814 Cu. Meters
Total Concrete in One Anchorage (No. 22) 91,600 Cu. Yds. 70,033 Cu. Meters
Total Concrete in One Pier (No. 19) 80,600 Cu. Yds. 61,623 Cu. Meters
Total Concrete in Superstructure 15,300 Cu. Yds. 11,698 Cu. Meters
WEIGHTS
Total Weight of Bridge 1,024,500 Tons
Total Weight of Concrete 931,000 Tons
Total Weight of Substructure 919,100 Tons
Total Weight of Two Anchorages 360,380 Tons
Total Weight of Two Main Piers 318,000 Tons
Total Weight of Superstructure 104,400 Tons
Total Weight of Structural Steel 71,300 Tons
Weight of Steel in Each Main Tower 6,500 Tons
Total Weight of Cable Wire 11,840 Tons
Total Weight of Concrete Roadway 6,660 Tons
Total Weight of Reinforcing Steel 3,700 Tons
RIVETS AND BOLTS
Total Number of Steel Rivets 4,851,700
Total Number of Steel Bolts 1,016,600
DESIGN AND DETAIL DRAWINGS
Total Number of Engineering Drawings 4,000
Total Number of Blueprints 85,000
MEN EMPLOYED
Total, at the Bridge Site 3,500
At Quarries, Shops, Mills, etc. 7,500
Total Number of Engineers 350
IMPORTANT DATES
Mackinac Bridge Authority Appointed June, 1950
Board of Three Engineers Retained June, 1950
Report of Board of Engineers January, 1951
Financing and Construction Authorized by Legislature April 30, 1952
D.B. Steinman Selected as Engineer January, 1953
Preliminary Plans and Estimates Completed March, 1953
Construction Contracts Negotiated March, 1953
Bids Received for Sale of Bonds December 17, 1953
Began Construction May 7, 1954
Open to traffic November 1, 1957
Formal dedication June 25-28, 1958
50 millionth crossing September 25, 1984
40th Anniversary Celebration November 1, 1997
100 millionth crossing June 25, 1998
Soo Lock 1855
Soo Locks Facts
* The Soo Area Office is responsible for the operation and maintenance of four navigation locks, as well as the improvement and maintenance of navigation channels and structures, such as breakwaters, dikes, and walls in the St. Marys River.
* The Soo Office is also responsible for compiling statistics on commerce passing through the locks. Data is also gathered on river and lake levels, discharges through power canals, and locks and compensating works.
* This office maintains and operates a hydroelectric power plant that supplies power to the Soo complex.
* The Soo Locks has also had a role in our nation's defense; supplying waterborne raw materials during every major war and conflict since the late 1800's. The raw materials required from the Great Lakes Region would be the same for war as for peacetime--only the tonnage levels would differ. The primary commodities that pass through the locks are tactonite pellets, grain, and western coal.
* The entire facility at the St. Marys Falls Canal is operated and maintained by the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Engineer District, Detroit. Immediate supervision of the facility is the responsibility of the Area Engineer, Soo Area.
* The Poe Lock has the largest capacity of the four locks. The lock, completed in 1968, took six years to build and is the only lock ever constructed between two operating locks.
* Many different types of vessels pass through the locks during a year, varying in size from the small passenger vessels and workboats to large ships carrying more than 72,000 tons of freight in a single cargo. In recent years, the number of passages through the locks has averaged about 10,000 vessels per year, down from previous years due to the larger vessels being able to carry more freight at one time.
How long does it take a ship to raise or lower in the Soo Locks?
The following are the fill and empty times for the Mac and Poe Locks, the fill time is how long to raise a boat and the empty time is how long to lower a boat.
**MacArthur Lock (or 1st Lock)
Filling Time: 8 minutes
Emptying Time: 7 minutes
**Poe Lock (or 2nd Lock)
Filling Time: 12 minutes
Emptying Time: 10 minutes
THESOO LOCKS ARE LOCATED IN THE UPPER PENNINSULA IN THE CITY OF SAULT ST. MARIE, MICHIGAN
St. Marys Falls Canal
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
Transporting products by water has played a major role in history. Navigating ships within waterways is essential to commerce and quality of life. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains navigation waterways throughout the United States much like road crews maintain highways. These waterways include the nation's deep-draft harbors that serve the seaborne commerce and smaller harbors for a variety of recreational and commercial purposes. The Corps has also built an intracoastal and inland network of channels with locks and dams for navigation. These waterways must be kept at the appropriate depth and width so ships and other watercraft can move safely and easily. Waterway improvements may include building breakwaters and jetties to protect homes and businesses from crashing waves. Several methods of dredging can be used to remove the sediments from the waterways. The dredged sediments are frequently used for other beneficial uses such as creating islands and wetlands or improving habitats.
