Ship Lost in Time Making an Incredibly Rare (15+ years) and Beautiful Birthday Canal Departure

It’s my 27th birthday and Alpena decided to make it extra special! The 82 year old vintage steamship comes in through the Canal once or twice a year on average, but she always leaves through the Superior Entry since her usual dock is halfway between the two channels and it’s easier not to have to turn around. For some reason or another, she made an exception today and returned to the Canal to make her first departure from there in at least 15 years according to Paul Sinocca, and the last time she used the Canal to leave she’d been departing from a different dock. Whatever the reason, it was absolutely spectacular with the morning sun beaming down on the lake! There are few videos I ask you all to stay until the end, but her out on the lake looks like a painting!

Built during World War II as the Leone Fraser, she operated as a 639ft straight decked ore hauler, one of many ships that were being built at a frantic pace to support the war effort and increase steel production. Post war she continued to operate and in the 1960s she was modified to haul grain in addition to ore. In 1982 the ship was laid up and expected to be scrapped following the introduction of the thousand foot lakers, which she could not compete with. In 1989 the aging ship was saved from the scrapyard after 7 years in storage by Fraser Shipyards in Superior, who purchased the ship, towed her into dry dock, and converted her into a self unloading cement hauler, shortening her by 120ft to 519ft long so she could fit into most cement slips around the lakes. Even at reduced size the ship was still the largest cement hauler of the day, and Fraser put her up for sale for Great Lakes cement operators.
Their gamble paid off, the next year she was purchased by Inland Lakes Management and renamed Alpena. In 2015 following the conversion of the St Mary’s Challenger to an ATB she became the oldest fully operating steam freighter on the Lakes, and in the world. She’s also the last pre-classic design, vintage laker still in operation following Cuyahoga’s fire earlier this year, and also has the last steam powered whistle on the Lakes. In late 2015 she had her own multi-million dollar fire while getting inspected in drydock, but was repaired without much incident. She was repainted and modernized slightly in 2022 in Sturgeon Bay WI.

She truly looks like a time machine, something that should not exist in today’s world, like time forgot her! The contrast when she was arriving yesterday between her and the modern lakers, salties, and especially the spaceship looking Viking Polaris was incredibly striking, a living, breathing museum piece.

She only comes to Duluth once or twice a year, and usually during the night, so seeing her at all is a special treat. To see her under these circumstances is extraordinary. I know it was wasn’t exactly intentional but thank you Alpena for a wonderful birthday gift!! Absolutely made my day!