Largest Icebreaker on Great Lakes: USCG Mackinaw Operation Taconite, Sault St. Marie Jan. 2018
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- čas přidán 13. 01. 2018
- USCG Mackinaw preps the Lower St. Mary's River for the passage of ore boats near the end of the shipping season, January 8, 2018. The cold snap of early 2018 kept the Coast Guard fleet busy with Operation Taconite, a battle to keep the lanes clear for freighters delivering last-minute loads. The Mackinaw is 240 feet long X 59 feet wide, displacing 3500 tons. She is powered by twin azipods, developing 9100 shaft hp.
Staffed by well trained, dedication US Coast Guard crews. Top notch operation. Thanks Coastie's!
Beautiful to see the older freighters like the Jackson still sailing the lakes. When I was a kid and lived along the St. Clair river by Port Huron I had an old timer friend that had sailed the lakes all his life. He taught me how to identify the older and newer freighters of the time that looked almost identical (you look at the stern, if it's rounded it's an older ship. If it's flat, it was the newer design). He volunteered at the Huron Lightship Museum too, so i got to go there often and learn things.
Sadly he was told he would lose his legs because of health problems and took his own life by drowning himself in the St. Clair.
God bless him and his family sorry to hear about your loss
Sorry to hear about your friend. The old freighters had an allure that captured my mind as a kid. Still some neat classics still surviving.
Just a ‘breath’ of Vermouth in mine, thank you.
Proud of the Mackinaw, home ported here in Cheboygan, Michigan!
IT's a new boat, more high tech then what it replaced (which is tied up over in Mack city and there's a cool virtual tour on youtube). But not many people remember when the USCGC Westwind use to be home-ported in Milwaukee WI till around 1981 when it ended up in Mobile AL.
tc1uscg I remember the Westwind well.
Thanks for sharing this footage. Awesome! Outstanding videography.
Thank you. I've been able to learn from some very talented people. Working with video gear in the cold takes some practice.
i just watched a video of two Coast Guard tug boats trying to do the same thing. it was sad.
Every cold weather region should have a Mackinaw 🥶❄️ ☃️
Wow thank you for sharing I don't get up that way during the winter:-) have an awesome day
*Kudos* to the camera person. You are a true *professional* 😊
Oh, and very cool video as well 😊 (thanks for sharing)
Thanks! Years of learning, and working with some very good videographers has helped.
If I lived along this river, I don't believe I would ever be inside. So awesome seeing theses huge ships going by.
You aren't alone in feeling that way Shirley. I met a few people who live along the river, and they all love watching the boats go by. The St. Mary's River is the connection between Lake Superior and the rest of the Great Lakes, so it's busy with both domestic and foreign ships ("Salties").
So cool. I hope they appreciate getting to see those ships.
Shirley Padgett 0
My sister lived on the river for a few years in the Sault, you are exactly right, it's a wonderful backdrop for life, year round.
Oh you might want to go inside and warm up a bit.😉
Two years ago I got a close picture of the ship in the summer. These vessels are wonderful!
Yup, Tom I agree the Great Lakes boats are wonderful. Lowly workhorses, not pretty, but get the job done year in and year out, in all kinds of weather.
Awesomeness!
Just took a tour of the Big Mac this summer. Of course the people who gave tour liked the Big Mac much more than the new ice breaker. They said it could break more ice in a given amount of time than the the new one , but the old one cost more to run . If I remember correctly, it was built in the 1940's . Still was a cool ship.
Wow that's late! We used to tie up at Port Arthur at the end of November and after our lay-up duties were finished (usually about Dec. 10th) we went home until March.
Wow! I bet the props take a beating doing this kind of work!
Michael, I've done a bit of research on the propulsion system. Each azipod (picture a 360-degree rotating pod with prop) develops 4500hp, and the propellers are of a special stainless steel and designed especially by the Coast Guard for ice operations. The props actually pull the ice through and break it up like a blender when the ship runs stern-first. Most of the ice-breaking happens as the ship rides up onto the ice sheet, with the weight of the ship breaking the ice beneath the bow as they move forward.
Nice video! I'll just leave this here: CCGS Pierre Radisson (L-322.5ft, B-64ft, D-23.5ft) USCGC Mackinaw (L-240ft, B-58.5ft, D-16ft)
True. She's a bigger ship. Just not really stationed on the Lakes. She ventures into the Lakes occasionally. But mostly services the St. Lawrence and Saguenay, as well as the Ocean.
Awesome video, ships on the ice are a beautiful site
Thanks Great Vid thumbs up
That ship is a Beast
My favorite place in the whole world.
The Soo is indeed a very special place. I first visited there in February of '79. A magical, winter wonderland.
That is awesome.
Thanks Dan! This was my first time seeing the Mackinaw "in person." Side note: This boat is the second "Mackinaw." The first, launched in 1944 was a bit longer, and wider. I remember that boat coming to the aid of boats that were stuck fast in the ice off Muskegon. I'm guessing that with advances in technology (azipods, bubblers, etc.) the new and improved Mackinaw is just as effective if not more.
Really nice video. Semper Paratus!
Thanks John! Yes, they are always ready. I recall them going out to rescue people in conditions no one else dared.
Good video. I look at the little cabin on the front of the H Lee White and the St. Clair and cannot think of a colder more miserable place in the world to be confined. A 4ft x 4ft steel and glass box. I doubt the insulation is any good if it exists and even if the heater works I bet it is not even heat. I know it is an important job for guiding the ship in the harbor but even then BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Lots of HOT stuff to drink!!!!
I bet it has plenty of heat if needed.
I like your lead foto which shows a logging railroad with a circa 1910 loco :)
Thanks! I chose this because it represents the logging operations around Muskegon, MI, where I grew up. I'm pretty sure it's taken from the woods around there.
Just did a bit more research. Apparently, this photo circa 1890, somewhere in the Michigan woods.
Granskare, just did a bit more research. This is a Shaw Logging Co locomotive, near Muskegon, where I grew up. Circa 1890.
Great
When that close to big ships does the ground vibrate?
Hmmmm. Not really, at least when they're going this slow. But the big diesels do make your innards vibrate!
I was the bartender onboard this Ice Breaker... never ran out of ice for mixed drinks!
guess they were off duty then, right?
Här här här
Stupid comment.
They've been having ice jams backing up water into homes along the St Clair River this past week. Both the US and Canadian coast guards have several small ice breakers there right now, but don't seem to be helping much. I wonder what's keeping the Mackinaw from joining the efforts? It's not even out doing a separate job. Marinetraffic.com has had it docked at home in Cheboygan the few times I've checked.
Minor points, but it’s “USCGC Mackinaw” (not “USCG Mackinaw”) and “Sault Ste. Marie (not “Sault St. Marie).
Nice video. Always cool to see the Mackinaw busting up some ice.
David L. , you are absolutely correct. I'm kind of ashamed. I grew up around these places and boats, and missed those details. Thanks.
Don't watch the video and enjoy not pick the stupid details
Nit
The ice is going snap crackle pop!
Good vid Sam! Boats don't make money sitting at the dock!
terry boyer Thanks! Yes, the Coast Guard had 3 icebreakers around the Soo working to keep things moving. It was the last week of shipping season before they closed the locks.
can the people in the houses drive across the lake?
I'm only aware of the Neebish Island ferry, and one airboat which was used in an emergency in 2018. I'm pretty sure autos are not able to cross the ice, because the river and boat traffic keeps the ice broken up. Even when boat traffic stops in late January thru March, the ice is still very rough, not something a vehicle could cross.
Do the Ice Breakers run down into Lake Erie ???
Mac Dawg I'm sure they do. I just looked up on marinetraffic.com and see that the Canadian Cutter Griffon is assisting the Algocanada in the west end of L. Erie right now.
Hey Thanks for your reply !!
While aboard the USCGC Westwind, we broke ice between Silver Bay, Mn and Pennsylvania. We also went to Greenland and Iceland. That was an Icebreaker, not a buoy tender.
With little to no margin of error how do the hulls and props take this? How much does a ship prop cost?
Danielle, good question. The Mackinaw is built on decades of icebreaking design experience from Scandinavian countries. The props are special stainless steel custom designed for the Coast Guard. The hull is highly reinforced for icebreaking. Here is a link to an article that has very in depth information:
www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=dynamic-positioning.com/proceedings/dp2005/morrison.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj8xe7qsYPhAhUs5YMKHXR_C54QFjAOegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw28gW0OzMc_RNzL63tpr9RX&cshid=1552627124968
It's a BERKELEY JET Drive...
What is the Mackinaw's mission during the warmer months when icebreaking isn't needed?
Service aids to navigation as required.
Bouy tender
It had been used in connection with the big sailboat races.
A nice informative video - thanks.
Nice chunk of shp in the Mackinaw
Sam , thanks so much for the work involved in putting this video together . It was very informative for me . It is very impressive to see how the the men and women on the crews and the great vessels deal with the harsh winter conditions in the Great Lakes area . I live in Maryland . It is rare that Chesapeake Bay freezes due to the salinity . We can encounter some rough winters at times . Looks like for Great Lakes it's an every year proposition . I believe that we also receive a boost from the Gulf Stream on the east coast . You must have found a clever way to keep yourself and camera warm , too . Nice work .
I'll share a little secret. This day it wasn't that cold, only in the teens or twenties. So the camera was just fine. But there are times when I shoot in N. Minnesota and the temps are way below zero f. You can see some of that in my other vids. For that I use a Portabrace Polar Mitten filled with hothands packs. Even so, in the worst conditions (-25f, 30 mph winds), the camera can only endure so much. Myself included. But I actually enjoy the challenge of working in those conditions, go figure. An old Michigander just can't get enough winter!
Sam . I would say that your ability to mentally and physically to meet Winter's challenge shows in the quality of the product . I have been following Ryan Heavy Head in Lethbridge Alberta Canada on YT . He makes outdoors vlogs all year long . On some winter days his camera will fail due to the cold .My reason for my comment . I will have to suggest your solution to him . Thanks for sharing . I knew there had to be a solution to the problem .
Is this the same USCG icebreaker Mackinaw they had in the 80’s?? If so, I got to ride on it when it came into Bay City, MI when I was in grade school.
No, this Mackinaw is an updated version of the original. This one was launched in 2004. The original, built in 1943, was retired in 2006, and now is a floating museum in Mackinaw City, MI.
Is the Old Mac still around?
Last I saw her she was docked as a museum in Mackinaw City, MI.
@@samsrailventures1961 I've taken the tour. I recommend it for anyone visiting the area.
How well do icebreakers handle rough seas with 15 ft+ waves? The rail sure is low on both sides.
Hey Dan, good question. The Mackinaw is a multipurpose vessel, designed as both an icebreaker and bouy tender. I suppose it can handle 15 foot seas ok. Above that, they may call out smaller cutters that have rollover capabilities. Anyone out there know this info?
Just for fun I am trying to construct on paper a ship that has everything technically possible in regards to reducing the danger of being out in really bad weather. I mean things like length,beam,hull design, bow design, engines, etc. One other CZcamsr told me that ships have to be allowed to flex, if they do not flex they break. I would think an icebreaker is not built with flexing in mind.
Most Great Lakes boats are long, carry heavy cargo loads, and are designed to flex. I'm not sure about a shorter vessel like an icebreaker though. Most Great Lakes bulk carriers are either 730 feet (the old max size), or 1000 feet long and flex quite a bit. But the Mackinaw is less than 300 feet long, and has a heavily reinforced hull. I'm guessing it doesn't flex much.
As well as the Edmund Fitzgerald.
@@samsrailventures1961 size of the waves are seldom taken into account when putting out to sea. 15 foot seaway is not considered heavy weather, you just use caution (always) while traveling the outside decks.
How many are watching this from Florida (or a warm climate)?
Cary Huff Dublin ireland 🇮🇪 never hot never to cold.. just grey..
It's -5 outside here, and will be about 30 below tonight. Williston ND
exelent camerawork.
Thanks Tommy. I've been fortunate to have worked with talented people. Add just plain hard work, good equipment and preparation.
i mean some people on youtube have second world war running in the speakers while they beat up the camera...and calling it a video.
Official U.S. Coast Guard ship designations are United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) then the name.
St Clair just had a huge fire and is still burning as I type this ...
Thanks for this heads up. Here is a link with pictures, courtesy of boatnerd... www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/stclair-fire2019.htm
Running on SNOW TIRES
Do the Ice Breakers allow ride alongs ???
Mac, if so I'd like to be first in line! I'm guessing you'd have to be a broadcaster to gain access. These are technically U.S. Military vessels. Sometimes, you can tour it during the Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven, MI www.coastguardfest.org I don't think it's scheduled for this year, though.
Yep. You go down to the recruiter station, answer a few questions, take a test that’s designed for a 6th grade education to meet minimum requirement, go to boot camp for 10 weeks. They’ll fix you right up.
@@brettholt6277 Your 6th grade education will get you a job painting the ship. It takes quite a bit more than that to get a good job in the military.
Rexford L I’m a veteran you are preaching to the choir.
@@brettholt6277 I was a Navy recruiter for a while.
thats not the mackinaw btw. the boat is way smaller and doesn't have a crane in the front of it.
The crackling ice, where exactly was the cracking? The ice near the shore where the camera and microphone were pointing or was it from out further near the freshly chopped channel ice? Thanks
At around 10:20 as the St. Clair is turning, what the heck are those 2 bushes or trees? Is that an optical illusion or something?
And excellent article you linked in another post. Heated deck, now that's a 21st Century ship! Thanks so much.
The ice near me was cracking. The gentle motion of the boat displacing water created just enough wave action to buckle the ice slightly. I'm guessing the water depth of the ship channel here is only around 30 feet max and obviously more shallow near me. So, wave action in the shallow water was enough to put pressure on the ice. Boat was roughly 800 feet from me at the nearest point.
@@samsrailventures1961 - Thanks for that info. Heard the sweet sound of those humming diesels so well very early in the video, it was as if I could smell the air you were breathing. So knowing that sound of crackling ice pretty distinctly it just seemed like I was on solid ice about 100 feet from the Mackinaw 30.
Such a majestic, beautiful piece of video. Captured so much in so little.
Thanks so much - you made my day!
Small trees or bushes. Because the ice and snow cover everything, you can't always tell where the land ends and the water begins. The bush at 10:20 is on the shore near me. The bushes in the distance at 10:30 may be on a small rock island.
That is a 7.3 ford diesel idleing , I can tell that sound a hundred miles away! lol
Great video! We`d love to use some of the footage in an upcoming video we`re working on. Could you let us know if we have your permission? We`d of course credit you in the video.
Sure can. Glad you like it. Just include my credit.
Given some time, I may even be able to get some source clips without watermark if there is a need for it.
I like to hear the ice crunching.
Yes, I must agree. It was very relaxing to just be there watching the boats go by, hearing the sounds of ice cracking, and the sounds of marine machinery humming away in the background.
Sounds even better in 2nd Class Petty Officer’s berthing, right at the water line, and against the hull. The port side strakes are all that’s between you and a good night’s sleep ...for days.
That looks like fun - for about a week - then I think it would be cold and boring!
Hey Mike. I've seen documentaries that say one thing about life aboard the Mackinaw... that it vibrates ALOT! Everything has to be vibration proofed, down to coffee cups. It causes fatigue to be in that environment 24/7.
Do shipping companies pay for this service? Or does it only get paid for by tax dollars?
Tax dollars. But what people don't understand is, these units work on a budget. Rather they sit at the dock and do nothing or out breaking ice, they get the same amount of operational funds regardless.
@@tc1uscg65 But if they are sitting at the dock, they do not burn fuel or break their boat. I know. Some politician at some time in the past decided this would be a good thing to spend money on. I just happen to disagree. The shipping companies profit off of direct expenditure of tax dollars. Maybe they should get their cargo moved before it freezes. I bet that is too much to ask.
@JohnnyGotHisGun How about a tax on each vehicle based on its weight and impact to the roads based on number of miles driven instead of based on my income or property value?
@Steven Van Niman Please explain. I have never voted for or supported Bernie Sanders. Bernie is EXACTLY the type of person that would want tax dollars to pay for EVERYTHING.
PAY the US Coast Guard!!!
(No more shutdowns that leave USCG unpaid!)
AMEN! ALSO APPROVE THE MONEY FOR THE COAST GUARD TO BUILD A NEW HEAVY ENDURANCE ICEBREAKER TO REPLACE THE POLAR STAR, IMMEDIATELY!!!
Amazing footage! Wish to go there in my life. And I'm not even from the US or Canada!Is it possible for me to use and share this footage on my youtube page? I share footage from all kind of activities on our ocean. Cargo ships in the 1960s till now, oil rigs, fishing vessels, etc. Of course full credit will be given to the owner of the footage. Looking forward to your reply. Kind regards. Cheers.
Sorry, but I just noticed your request. Of course, feel free to share my footage, as long as you give written credit to me. Happy you enjoyed it. -Sam
@@samsrailventures1961 thank you for you reply. Do you have an email address for me to contact you about the footage? My email address is on my CZcams channel in bio. I'm looking forward to hearing from you again. Thanks and kind regards
My whole life i thought Freighters were "laid up" from November to end of march!
The Soo closes mid January, and reopens late March. This dictates the shipping schedules for Lake Superior anyways.
Just watched a boat go down the St Clair river Jan 10 . No ice.
Dam your Not going to need a bigger Boat !!
It sounds like to me like two GM 16V645 3,000 hp diesel engines doing the honors for power. Am I even close?
Well, I didn't know either. So, I did a little digging. They are 3 Caterpillar 3612 diesel generators, each weighs around 56 tons. Each supplies 3.5mw of power, and around 3,000 hp, for total of 9200 hp. Here is a very helpful link: ss.sites.mtu.edu/mhugl/2015/10/11/the-building-and-services-of-the-uscgc-mackinaw-ice-breaker/
Didn't know there was a new Mackinaw. Just googled it.
Yes, it was hard to let the old "Mac" go. She was a large, powerful ship for her time, and served the Lakes so well. I can recall a few times when she was called upon to rescue ships stranded off the shore in Muskegon. Get to know the "new" Mackinaw. This vessel is a great example of modern marine engineering.
@@samsrailventures1961 understand perfectly. When I saw the video I was expecting the old Mackinaw. When I saw the new ship I thought " That's not the Mackinaw." Lol. Glad the old Mackinaw is now a museum ship.
OMG that’s COLD!!!🥶 (I’m from Florida 🥵)
One of my favorite sayings, I think comes from the Scandanavian countries is: "There is no such thing as bad weather, only poor clothing choices." So, I bundled up and enjoyed the beauty of winter up north. Honestly, it wasn't too bad that day, only in the 'teens.
No frost or even snow on trees: It's not really cold.
She's not wasting any time,carving through there like a hot knive through butter.
Ha! Yes, I was pretty impressed with the speed of these smaller cutters.
Still never as cool as the first Mackinaw cutter...
I know, I know. There is only one "Big Mac." But I'll have to say this one has grown on me. I'll bet the crews like it, as it has big windows for great visibility. And with new technology, it may even be more effective?
The ice appears to be less than a foot thick, not that big a deal!
Yes, this seems like small stuff. I've read that they call it "brash" ice. I think it can accumulate and trap ships, so they work to keep it open, especially in this critical bulk freight superhighway.
Sounds like train engines in the boats!
Yes, the Catterpillar diesels are similar to diesels used in some locomotives. I just watched this on my home TV and the sound bar allowed me to hear the rumble!
Very narrow window for freighters to travel thru that ice field, less it refreeze and need the breaker again 😳
Yes, I'm not really sure what the normal time window is for refreezing. During the day I was there, the Mackinaw, and Bristol Bay both stayed pretty busy. It's about 60 nautical miles from Whitefish Bay to DeTour Passage (Lake Huron entrance), and the two boats had lots of territory to cover. I'm guessing that normally moving loaded freighters also do a decent job of keeping ice broken up. It would be good to hear from a former "coastie" out there on this one...
I would like to think with the profit these shipping companies are making they might design an ice breaking ore ship. It would save the Fed a bunch of money not having to babysit them.
Albert Cyphers do you drive on roads that are plowed by the state,county or township that are funded with taxpayers dollars?
Actually, not a bad idea. Some Scandanavian countries are constructing just such ships designed to transit the polar regions.
And, in the past, whole fleets of railcar ferries plied Lake Michigan, each designed for icebreaking capabilities. They were quite capable of working year 'round no matter the conditions. The Coast Guard only maintains key waterways, and cannot be everywhere at once. Yes, the companies could have these boats, but the added cost would be passed on to companies who produce steel, etc. It is simpler for those companies to pay taxes to use the waterways.
@@CA-oq1ce Yes I do but it's kinda different running a huge fuel hungry ship doing something that could be done by an ice breaking freighter
@@albertcyphers1532both of you should try educating yourselves about what an ice breaking hull requires and the difference between blue ice and sea ice. That way you don't look so dumb.
that had nothing on the Mackinaw wow
Might be the largest icebreaker on the lakes but deffinatly not the hardest working one 😜 #tuglife
True. I tend to agree with you. The other video of the Bristol Bay was working pretty hard that day (see other video).
@@samsrailventures1961 nice! And I was stationed on the katmai bay best job I ever had
For all the would-be video editors out there. When the screen direction of the action changes, show how that change of direction occurs. It can be disorienting to the viewer if you don't. ::::cough, cough::::
Nonov Yerbusiness Now that you mention it, it is kind of jarring. Point well taken.
Great video, but this Mackinaw isn't as pretty, nor does she have the same capabilities as the original Mackinaw - WAGB-83.
Randy, I kinda agree with you. I grew up with the original, and it was indeed a mighty ship, with a wider beam, a bit longer, and 5800 more hp. But that doesn't completely tell the story. There have been some major advances in icebreaker design, due in large part to Scandinavian countries R&D over the years. The new Mac has these features, and is able to cut through the same depth of ice, and can turn where the old Mac could not. Check out this article: ss.sites.mtu.edu/mhugl/2015/10/11/the-building-and-services-of-the-uscgc-mackinaw-ice-breaker/
totally agree... very good footage but she just is not The Mackinaw
Old Guard?
It's got to be hair raising trying to navigate a big ship through that ice
I've heard people say that working on this ship is constant vibration, which can be fatiguing.
don,t worry world will end in twelve year,s aoc
You haven't seen an icebreaker until you've seen a Russian nuclear icebreaker.
Right. For sure Russia has always made it a priority to build super powerful icebreakers.
Herbert C Jackson Totally the Fitz Look aLike
Yes, it has those classic Laker lines. Not a lot of freeboard on this loaded boat.
The Jackson is technically a sister ship to the Fitzgerald, so there ya go!
Global warming.
Great stuff, thank you. Trump/Pence 2020
Thanks for your kind comment Rickey!
Rickey Williams Why you gotta bring politics here? Especially when they suck ass?
lmfao you guys got triggered by a simple comment