Other Ships and Boats

I love front row seats for watching Michigan storm fronts arrive. This evening my vantage point is picturesque Snug Harbor Marina in Pentwater. Within moments it has turned from daylight to dark and the wind has picked up from 15 to 45 knots. Gotta love it! F22 at 1.6 seconds, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

While unloading artwork for an exhibit at the Muskegon Lumberjacks hockey game in Muskegon my eye is drawn to the graphic designs created by the superstructure of a World War II landing craft on display in Muskegon harbor. F5.0 at 1/1600, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 165 mm

The tugboat Zeus slowly chugged into the Ludington harbor tonight while pulling a large barge behind it. I was impressed by the towering crows nest on this beautiful tug and could only imagine how sea sick I would get while standing way up there. I did not inherit my dad's sea legs. F3.5 at 1/200, ISO 800, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

My three-year-old son Ethan, like many little kids, loves watching tugboats. I wish Ethan had been with me today in South Haven to see the mini tugboat Wilhelm Baum. According to my dad, the Whilhem Baum is a certified Coast Guard Auxiliary rescue boat. I would love to go for a ride on it sometime. I guess I am a big kid at heart because I love tugboats too! F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 34mm

The Lake Michigan Carferry Badger passes by the Coast Guard buoy tender Hollyhock while departing Ludington harbor en route to Wisconsin. I love watching the lights of ships. This is a good night for ship watching. F4.0 at 1/15, ISO 1600, 12-24 mm lens at 18 mm

Wreckage of Scanlon's Barge, which sank in Lake Huron near Alpena in a 1929 storm, looms below me through the glass bottom of the Alpena Shipwreck Tours boat Lady Michigan. Captain Paul Labrecque expertly maneuvers the vessel over the wreck to give several dozen passengers aboard the tour boat a close-up underwater view without getting wet. This protected shipwreck is part of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. F4 at 1/800, ISO 1600, 24-70mm lens at 24mm

For over a hundred years, these particular dunes on Hamlin Lake have been a popular picnic area for boaters. As a kid, my parents took my brothers and me here often. Now I enjoy taking my kids to the "Hamlin Dunes." F6.3 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 10mm

Michael Wolff of Ludington enjoys a leisurely kayak ride in the Ludington channel tonight just before sunset. It is so nice when locals can enjoy being tourists in our own town. Ludington is hard to beat on a warm summer night. F9 at 1/320, ISO 400, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

A boat ride on a tranquil summer evening has always been one of the finest life experiences. During one of my Lake Michigan sunset cruise/photo excursions on my trusty 13-foot Boston Whaler, this classic-looking runabout passed by as I was waiting for the carferry Badger to leave port. The beautiful watercraft reminded me of my childhood days aboard a classic wood speedboat.

Small but mighty, the Coast Guard Cutter Raritan towed the carferry City of Midland into Ludington harbor. The 100-foot tug and the Coast Guard Icebreaker Mackinaw had come to the assistance of the carferries Spartan and City of Midland after the ships became lodged in the ice just outside of Ludington breakwaters in February 18, 1977. The ice, packed tight by the wind, had damaged the rudder of the Midland.

First I am thinking how beautiful Lake Margrethe looks with those big clouds suspended above it. Then I spot a red kayak cruising along the north shore of the nearly 2,000-acre lake near Grayling, Michigan. Just the added ingredient I was looking for! F5.6 at 1/500, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 24mm

Today is the 35-year anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. Many people don't realize that storm hit all of the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan. The weather this morning was the polar opposite of 35 years ago - 60 degrees with the lake totally at peace. F8.0 at 1/500, ISO 800, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

The freighter Canadian Transfer, her navigation light showing she is underway, steams slowly, carefully toward Ludington harbor on a summer night. The traditional style Great Lakes freighter was bringing a load of stone to the Laman Aspalt docks.

Thunder Bay, near Alpena, Michigan is the ultimate Great Lakes shipping graveyard with over 50 sunken vessels that have been found and are easily accessible to view. It is estimated that over 200 vessels have sunk in this area of Lake Huron known as "Shipwreck Alley." Today, my dad and I explored Thunder Bay aboard the Lady Michigan, a glass bottom tour boat owned by the Alpena Shipwreck Tours Company. This photo shows the remains of Scanlon's Barge, which sank in 1929 and is only 13 feet below the surface. As I was shooting this photograph, a fish came by to check out the wreckage as well. F6.3 at 1/250, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

An integrated tug and barge steams past Ludington South Breakwater Light while northbound on Lake Michigan. I wish the ship's crew smooth sailing and arrival at their home port before Christmas. F4.0 at 1/400, ISO 100, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

The mighty small but mighty powerful tugboat Wyoming is dwarfed by the stern of the Great Lakes ship Calumet as the tugboat does its part to control the stern of the large ore carrier. F4.5 at 1/3200, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

The tugboat Wyoming is all business. From its reinforced iron hull to its giant cleats and array of towing lights, it is obvious this little ship is built to work. As a longtime Great Lakes sailor, I love how "squared away" the Great Lakes Towing Company vessel looks. F4 at 1/2000, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

Manistee harbor has been a busy shipping, fishing and industrial port since the mid-1800s. This morning a lone recreational fishing boat trolls past the handsomely restored carferry SS City of Milwaukee on Manistee Lake. F22 at 1/10, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 100mm

Workshop

The Princess of Ludington is a new ferry that gives people a shoreline cruise out of Ludington. I think this is such a great idea and an awesome thing for Ludington. I waited until the sun showed through one of the windows of the ship to click the shutter. As Sam Abell, from National Geographic would say, see more and shoot less.