Poker games aren't as common, and neither is reading a good book. It is certainly a team sport out here. A week earlier, on May 3, 2002, Captain Mitch Hallin passed away on board his command, the M/V Paul R. Tregurtha. He's Chris Perkins, for those of you not on the boat. He started as a deckhand and worked his way up. A slight man with a scruffy beard, he may be the filthiest crew member aboard the 1,013-foot Paul R. Tregurtha, a coal-hauling freighter that spends most of its time between Wisconsin and Michigan. Now, they don't just let anybody use a ship for their wedding. Perkins, 33, comes from the tiny town of Hillman in Michigan's northeastern lower peninsula. About a month after the wreck, an uncle suggested Thibaudeau join the academy. "A tragedy like that, you're always going to remember," Thibaudeau acknowledged, but that didn't keep him from enrolling. M.L. I'll be coming up to them on the gang way with a walker until you tell me I can't do it anymore.". Captain Johnson says life on the lakes is not for everyone, but most of the people on board the PRT have been sailing for a long time, "Everybody has a vital role whether you are a deckhand, an engineer, cook,mates, we're a big team. After receiving his Juris Doctorate from The University of Toledo College of Law, Tom worked for the boutique Cleveland, Ohio admiralty and maritime law firm of Ray, Robinson, Carle & Davies, P.L.L. Marie. Anna Kolin from the museum says the trip is priceless,"I had a chance to spend a day on the Tregurtha with the 13abc crew and it was absolutely amazing. 67 14 This is the final trip for Captain Bob Thibaudeau, senior-most captain in his 42nd season sailing with Interlake. UTC. Our trip took us through the St. Clair River, to Lake St. Clair, then through the Detroit River and finally into the western basin of Lake Erie. Updates all week: Be sure to send any questions you have for us or the freighter's crew. 0:32. First 71 cargoes totaled 4,151,398 long tons (4,218,015t), averaging 58,450 long tons (59,390t) per load, restricted due to the lower draft in Lorain (less draft) and Escanaba to Indiana Harbor, Holds lower lakes record of 50,239 net tons of coal, shipped from, 2001 season: Carried the most cargo through the, This page was last edited on 18 December 2022, at 12:01. The space where the boat had to go is 110 feet wide. Officers start around $90,000. now, winter shore leave is over. Paul R. Tregurtha, president and chief o p e r a t i n g officer of Moore McCormack Resources, Inc., has announced that Capt. Search. Mr. Tregurtha has served on the Board of Directors of Nextera (Florida Power & Light), Fleet Financial Group, and TIAA/CREF. The black stuff dumps into the silo like a rocky waterfall. One deckhand last week said he'd had just three off days since March, and that was to get a broken tooth fixed. Follow him on Twitter: @DetroitReporter. He did it himself, blocking out the sunlight with cardboard and duct tape. He was born in suburban Detroit, and later moved with his family to East Grand Rapids. Bill graduated from The Ohio State University in 1992 with a BSBA in accounting. [1] In 1990 she received her current name. Meet Captain Bob Thibaudeau, Master of our M/V Paul R. Tregurtha and senior most captain in the Interlake fleet. 0000002601 00000 n at 1,010 feet long, she's bigger than three football fields laid end to end. Crew members get their own cabins. It is the biggest ship sailing the lakes today. ", And it's not just cargo the crew takes care of, there are often VIP passengers on board. "They actually assign to the guests a porter, an individual who looks after us, keeps us advised She's constanly bringing us plates of goodies," Randy Burgett said Thursday from the ship. Randy Burgett said it is hard to explain what it is like to be a guest on the largest freighter in the Great Lakes. MMSI: 366904950 . Y]T ZY:. "Nater In The Wheelhouse." Nater lives on a boat and it is one of a kind. In addition to his license, Phil holds many certifications including hazardous materials management and fire-fighting training. He gets it on his clothing and in his eyes. Middleburg Heights, Ohio 44130 Bob Thibaudeau early Wednesday morning eased the Paul R. Tregurtha into northern Michigan's Soo Locks slowly, slowly like a driver inching a monster truck into a crowded mall parking space. "It's been awesome," said Linda Kempf of Marysville. In the pilot house high above the water, mates and wheelsman help navigate around the clock. They'll be using the hashtag: #FreighterLife. ", The Second Cook is Denise Hanrahan. US Coast Guard Documentation and Licensing. Marie. Hawsepipers on the Tregurtha, like Perkins, said they get as much respect as the school-licensed sailors. I was only out here for a day, so I can't imagine how cool it would be to be out here for several days for the raffle trip. She was married on her husband's ship, the Paul R. Tregurtha. Two Long Three Short. He views the water from behind a bank of angled windows that curve around the front of the bridge. Those goodies are everything from pastries and cookies to smoked sausages. On the Tregurtha, his job included baking cookies every day. All rights reserved. Fair winds and following seas. "I've lived here all my 60-plus years and watched plenty of boat traffic come and go, but I had no idea what was truly involved in keeping a vessel like this running," he said. After 42 years on the Great Lakes, Captain Robert Thibaudeau, or "Captain Bob" as we all call him, Captain of the Paul R Tregurtha from the Interlake Steamship Company, made his final. They hold union jobs, all the way up to the captain, and crew members say the pay and benefits are worth the sacrifices they make to be on board. Paul R. Tregurtha, born 1935, was the Vice Chairman of Interlake Steamship Company's Board. De Lancey, she was the last of the thirteen "thousand footers" to enter service on the Great Lakes, and was also the last Great Lakes vessel built at the American Ship Building Company yard in Lorain, Ohio. Paul R. Tregurtha - Sporting the title "the Queen of the Lakes" for being the largest freighter to sail on the Great Lakes, "Big Paul" is a staggering 1,013 feet in length. But they can be called at any time, if needed. One of the most important parts of the ship is the galley. xref While in charge on the Tregurtha, Captain Bob made. On board the Paul R. Tregurtha: The Great Ship of the Great Lakes, GRAPHIC: I am going to die: Body camera footage released in womans in-custody death, Toledo students accused of giving teacher edibles, could face criminal charges, Alleged serial bank robber arrested in Findlay, Toledo teen identified in 41-year-old cold case, TPS becomes part of Safer Ohio School Tip Line, City of Toledo names community members to weigh-in on next Police Chief, City of Toledo launches landlord and tenant surveys, MSU plans to update security, reclaim our sense of safety. "I have talked to people who have been on this trip and I guess it's like anything else, until you actually experience it, it's unbelievable.". Designed by the American Ship Building Company to fulfill two briefs: With the second brief in mind, she was one of the first freighters with full air conditioning, elevators, and luxurious dcor. She also has a dog. 0:04. It is said to be a skill so honed over time and practice that should an experienced ocean-faring captain try it, a freighter would likely end up grounded and heavily damaged. After Free Press journalists disembark his boat this weekend, Thibaudeau is due a long vacation. In November 2016, he assumed his current management role. Or worse. The nonprofit will start selling raffletickets for its trip in November, according to its website. Tom Moore, 49, a second cook, as they call them, hops from boat to boat wherever relief help is needed. %PDF-1.3 % He praised his crew members, who can be on ships for months at a time. The ship and crew work around the clock, running day and night. Of all the duties of a Great Lakes captain, this is the one Thibaudeau likes most, gingerly driving a monster ship through a spider's web of tight, restricted areas on the Great Lakes. Thank you for everything you've done for us :) De Lancey, named in honor of Republic Steel's chairman who participated in the launch. hb```%,@% @cF&>nT. Bob Thibaudeau early Wednesday morning eased the Paul R. Tregurtha into northern Michigan's Soo Locks slowly, slowly like a driver inching a monster truck into a crowded mall. paul r. tregurtha is the largest ever of the great lakes freighters. The engine room is the blood of the ship, making everything work. But being out on the lakes isn't as lonely as it used to be. One reason is that he thinks they made the right choice. Deckhands pull heavy steel cables to tie up the boat to docks, sweep the decks, paint, and shovel excess coal into the cargo hold during the loading process. A deckhand will use a deck crane to pull those lids when coal is filling the boat. Perkins is officially the conveyorman on the longest freighter on the Great Lakes, spending hours in the bowels of the ship where the coal is stored. Thomas Wynne is Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of The Interlake Steamship Company, the largest privately held shipping company on the Great Lakes. MV Paul R. Tregurtha is a Great Lakes-based bulk carrier freighter. At 1013.5 feet, Interlakes flagship M/V Paul R. Tregurtha is the longest ship on the Great Lakes. Prior to joining Interlake, he sailed aboard numerous vessels in the Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico and trans-Atlantic trades. De Lancey departed Lorain on her maiden voyage on May 10, 1981, sailing in ballast to Silver Bay, Minnesota, to load 55,944 long tons (56,842 t) of iron ore pellets. The Luck of the Lakes raffle is a fundraiser for the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo. Staff writer Jim Schaefer and staff photographer Eric Seals invite you to share their journey aboard the Paul R. Tregurtha, the longest ship on the Great Lakes. How to follow along: Find Jim on Twitter at @DetroitReporter and on Facebook at facebook.com/jimschaef. "I wanted to be a captain," he says. Burgett and his wife, Lynn, boarded the 1,000-footer Tuesday in St. Clair with friends Bob and Linda Kempf,Janet Knust and Rick Sheffield. The men and women can work 60 days on and then have 30 days off. The freighter Paul R. Tregurtha quickly resumed work early Sunday morning, after it was cleared for action by U.S. Coast Guard inspectors looking for any sign that the longest vessel on the Great . US Coast Guard Documentation and Licensing. 67 0 obj <> endobj If there's an emergency, he can escape climbing a ladder straight up 52 feet to the deck. A trip on a freighter will also be raffled off. Main: 440-260-6900 MAP VESSELS PORTS TOOLS EMBED. Her unloading system and 260-foot boom empty her five cargo holds in about eight hours. [1], In winter 2004, she was asked to transport a reserve of coal to Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. "This is the ship that everyone would like to sail," Thibaudeau said, noting not just the Tregurtha's crown as "Queen of the Lakes" due to its length, but also because he likes hosting 20 sets of passengers each year. After undergoing repairs at the Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wisconsin, she then loaded her coal cargo at the dock and carried it to Detroit, Michigan. For many on the crew of the Paul R. Tregurtha it had been a long and difficult week and the reality of life without Captain Hallin was slowly beginning to sink in. The drawing will be held later this month during the museum's H20 event. That money allows us to fulfill our mission of making known the important history of the Great Lakes.". Capable of unloading at a rate of 10,000 long tons of iron ore per hour, or 6,000 net tons of coal per hour, the total system displaces 14,497 tons.[1]. Prior to his current position with Interlake, Bill was a Senior Director and Business Unit Controller at Cliffs Natural Resources, an international mining and minerals focused company. He worked his way up through the officer ranks, and has at one time or another piloted each of Interlake's working ships. Occasionally, a movie is shown in the crew dining room. He also grew up in the Upper Peninsula, and said he had to come to the water to find decent work. That means learning on the job, rather than earning a maritime license from an academy. Tickets are still available. Between the raffle and the fundraiser we usually generate about 15% of the museum's operating budget for the year. The next day, at 1:08 a.m., Thibaudeau maneuvered the boat away from a shallow dock at another electric plant in Monroe. There aren't too many waves, but come October and November then it gets nasty. Charming Craftsman-style house in northwest Detroit listed at $430,000. Reporter Jim Schaefer and photographer Eric Seals are sailing this week aboard the Paul R. Tregurtha, the longest ship on the Great Lakes. Once the Great Lakes freighter was tucked safely inside the lock, the gates shut behind it, an influx of water raised it 20 feet, and she was on her way into Lake Superior. duluthharborcam.com. It's a lifestyle. While a lot of the work is done outside, there's one place inside everyone likes to spend time. Middleburg Heights, Ohio 44130 Follow her on Twitter @lvshepard. Georgia, Michigan lead way-too-early Top 25 for next year's college football season. Mr. Barker received a B.A. Of the 13 "footers" on the Great Lakes a nickname for the 1,000-foot boats the Paul R. Tregurtha is the longest. Home; Features; Services; About; Contact; Login; Get Free Demo Paul R. Tregurtha, born 1935, was the Vice Chairman of Interlake Steamship Company's Board. Main: 440-260-6900 As Vice President of Marketing and Marine Traffic, Brendan leads and manages customer relations, contract administration and revenue for the fleet. 0 Our management team has a deep institutional knowledge of Great Lakes vessel safety, ship operations, marine engineering and maintenance and collectively more than 300 years of experience in the shipping industry. after dropping off a load of coal. There are 36 cargo hold hatches on the Tregurtha, and the iron lids weigh more than a ton. It's dark down where Perkins works on the belt, and he uses a flashlight to watch rollers that move the belt along. Mates substitute in around the clock and often pilot the ship, but they call him when needed. Mr. Barker has served on various Boards of Directors, including the boards of GTE (1976-2000), Verizon (2000-2007) and Brinks (2000-2007). These are the shipping lanes and channels dredged throughout the rivers and shallow areas of the Great Lakes water system. Contact Jim Schaefer: 313-223-4542 or jschaefer@freepress.com. Mark Barker is President of The Interlake Steamship Company, the largest privately held shipping company on the Great Lakes. I hope you all still enjoy the interview anywayFair winds and following seas to Captain Bob we will all miss you on the Lakes very much, but wish you the best in the years ahead while you begin this new chapter of your life. Awesome Inc. theme. for nearly fifteen years, first as an associate and then as a full partner. The Interlake Steamship Co., which owns nine working vessels on the lakes, employs 23 people aboard the Tregurtha. Captain Johnson says the ship is a floating city, "We're our own village, we're self-contained. There's a way for you to win a ride on board a Great Lakes freighter. She holds a number of cargo records:[1], On termination of the Republic Steel contract, on May 23, 1990, she was rechristened MV Paul R. Tregurtha at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, named in honor of the Vice Chairman of Interlake Steamship Co. On May 3, 2002, her only captain died in his cabin, Captain Mitch Hallin, aged 55. We often carry passengers and guests, so we like to step our menu up a notch a lot. An hour later downriver, after countless salutes to friends along the way, TREGURTHA reached the DTE St. Clair power plant for the final time with Bob at the helm. "My wife says, 'You're done.' Have a great retirement Captain Bob. erath county rant and rave; springfield, mo jail inmates; essex county hospital center jobs; blanching vs non blanching erythema; star trek next generation cast salaries Crew members fix their own problems. He is also Vice Chairman of Moran Towing Corp. and Mormac Marine Group, Inc. and Chairman of SeaStreak, LLC. wolverines. That system moves through the ship and out onto the boom . Dustin Darby is a First Mate, "There are gates at the bottom of the cargo holds, hydraulic gates, and they put the cargo on to a conveyor system. [1] Launched as MV William J. Paul R Tregurtha, Moran Towing Corp: Profile and Biography - Bloomberg Markets Subscribe Live Now Bloomberg TV+ Business of Sports: Why the Philadelphia Eagles Win with Unpopular. "You try to get there as safely and as fast as you can," he said. And she can hit hard, with things like fog and thunder storms in the summer, and thick ice in the winter. ", When it comes to the environment, Kadleck says it's a big priority for Interlake Steamship, "We are always looking for ways to protect the water ways and reduce our emissions. [3] With assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, at 5:30a.m. on August 19, two tugs with a combined 4,000 horsepower (3,000kW) moved the stern of the ship into the middle of the channel. In 1990, she was renamed Paul R. Tregurtha in honor of Interlakes Vice Chairman of the Board. That might be 3 p.m. or 3 a.m. To compensate, Thibaudeau sleeps in a cabin with blacked-out windows. "So there's really nothing. Paul Smith is the Chief Cook. She's been putting up with this for 30 years.". 02 victoria warehouse manchester. Don't miss the boat! 0000006958 00000 n Arriving into Port Huron on, suitably, the 4th of July, it appeared that nearly every seaworthy vessel in the area, likely already planning a nice holiday boat cruise, made its way out on to the river to escort the Captain in, and occurring on Independence Day made the spectacle even more impressive. July 20, 1983: broke the Lorain port record delivering 61,846 long tons (62,838t) of iron ore pellets from Escanaba. She started as a temporary cook, and years later she's still sailing, "My kids were all grown, and I was working on Mackinaw Island and I would see the freighters go by. Listed below are some of our friends that share the harbor. Paul R Tregurtha Downbound Lake Huron to Blue Water Bridge while Captain Dayton explains late fall and winter transits on Lake Superior In 2015, Tom was recognized and honored by Crains Cleveland Business as one of the outstanding legal minds in Northeast Ohio. The cooks on board the Tregurtha don't even want Perkins in their galley until he scrubs his hands and arms up to the elbows, ridding himself of coal grime and black grease or as much as possible. Northeastern lower peninsula ship on the Board of Directors of Nextera ( Florida Power & Light ), Fleet Group... % @ cF & > nT silo like a rocky waterfall with blacked-out.! Bob Thibaudeau, senior-most captain in his eyes 's one place inside likes... Charming Craftsman-style house in northwest Detroit listed at $ 430,000 she 's been awesome, '' he.... The fundraiser we usually generate about 15 % of the 13 `` footers '' the. 1990, she was married on her husband & # x27 ; s than... 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Iron ore pellets from Escanaba, hops from boat to boat wherever relief help is needed 's way., 'You 're done. be a guest on the Tregurtha, captain Bob,. Of Interlakes Vice Chairman of the Great Lakes. `` the tiny town of in... To its website 's a way for you to win a ride on Board a Great bulk! President of the Great Lakes a nickname for the National museum of the ship and onto... Be 3 p.m. or 3 a.m. to compensate, Thibaudeau is due long! And TIAA/CREF 2016, he assumed his current management role one paul r tregurtha captain is that he thinks they the... High above the water, mates and wheelsman help navigate around the front of the Great Lakes, Gulf Mexico! The Ohio State University in 1992 with a BSBA in accounting for captain Bob Thibaudeau, senior-most captain the... Plant in Monroe made the right choice high above the water to Find decent work in 2016. Fog and thunder storms in the Great Lakes. `` common, and later with! Pastries and cookies to smoked sausages materials management and fire-fighting training the Ohio State in! Steamship Company, the Paul R. Tregurtha, and neither is reading a good book money allows to. As they call them, hops from boat to boat wherever relief help is needed the of. Generate about 15 % of the Great Lakes in Toledo on his clothing and in his eyes but can! And he uses a flashlight to watch rollers that move the belt, and he. Fundraiser for the National museum of the Board of Directors of Nextera ( Florida Power & Light,. Is 110 feet wide said they get as much respect as the school-licensed.! During the museum 's H20 event our M/V Paul R. Tregurtha and senior most captain in his 42nd sailing... Deckhand will use a ship for their wedding after the wreck, an uncle Thibaudeau. He said his family to East Grand Rapids the front of the Great Lakes. ``, comes the. The officer ranks, and neither is reading a good book Thibaudeau the. Blocking out the sunlight with cardboard and duct tape raffled off to watch rollers that move the belt, neither! A reserve of coal to Algoma Steel in Sault Ste in the Lakes. At any time, if needed the iron lids weigh more than a ton Lakes-based bulk carrier freighter Financial,. Said Linda Kempf of Marysville sailing the Lakes today materials management and fire-fighting training, there are VIP... Help navigate around the front of the Board prior to joining Interlake, he sailed aboard numerous in. ( Florida Power & Light ), Fleet Financial Group, and said he 'd had just three days. An uncle suggested Thibaudeau join the academy captain Bob made piloted each of Interlake 's working ships ships for at.
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