Have you ever wondered how freighters from foreign countries navigate the narrow waterways in our area? It turns out, they don’t.
Located near Desmond Marine, the Lakes Pilots Association has been keeping track of ship traffic and meeting freighters in the water for years.
Bill Wager, a dispatcher for the Lakes Pilots Association, feels his unique job is like a giant puzzle of boats, captains, crew members, and schedules that he’s excited to piece together every day.
Freighters that travel from the Atlantic Ocean into the Great Lakes are often piloted by people who have never navigated these waterways. The passage on the St. Clair River from the Lake to Detroit and even further to the waters of Lake Erie can present unique challenges due to twists and turns, water depth, and currents.
To ensure the safety of the freighter crew and other boaters, along with stewardship of the land and waterways, highly trained U.S. and Canadian Registered Pilots are brought to the freighters by the Lakes Pilots Association crew so they can take over for the freighter’s captains.
What does this look like? Watch our adventure out with the pilot boat here:
When a freighter prepares to approach the mouth of the St. Clair River, communication among several entities makes its way to the Lakes Pilots Association. Their crew organizes the exchange of pilots and prepares the pilot boats and crews to meet the freighters.
The pilot boat meets the freighters in Lake Huron near the permanent buoy. The pilot boat and the freighter make a moving connection, and the U.S. or Canadian Registered Pilot climbs a ladder to board the freighter. Depending on the destination, the pilot may be aboard for half a day to 14 hours navigating the ship through the Great Lakes region and working with the freighter’s crew.
Just after the new pilot boards the freighter, the pilot coming off duty disembarks the freighter by climbing down into the pilot boat and heading back to the Lakes Pilots Association headquarters. Pilots have a mandated rest period between trips and may stay overnight in the area at a local hotel or hang out in the headquarters building until taking their next trip.
Would you like the chance to see the Lakes Pilots Association in action and touch a freighter yourself? Woman’s Life Chapter 800 is currently selling raffle tickets for $10 each to support the nonprofit A Beautiful Me. Winners will get a “Touch a Freighter” package for 4 people to enjoy this exhilarating experience.
Learn more here: https://www.facebook.com/events/599249984952756
Thanks to the pilot boat crew: Danny Gallagher & Erick Gallagher, and pilots: Captain Ben Kinsley, Captain George Haynes, Captain Fred Hoffe, and Captain Brad Szczotka for this amazing experience!
Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand
