Life as a Great Lakes Merchant Marine Captain by Captain Russ Brohl

#33 Thank You, Capt. Brohl. This was a wonderful Presentation. I worked the Great Lakes before the 1,000 footers. I was a Car Handler/Deckhand (Box Car Wrangler), on the Lake Michigan Railroad Car Ferries. The Ludington Fleet consisted of six Ice Breaking Railroad Car Ferries: SS Badger 43, SS Spartan 42, SS City of Midland 41, SS City of Saginaw 31, SS Pere Marquette 21, and SS Pere Marquette 22. I also had a chance to wheel these vessels, also! I was working a shore job when the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank, a very sad day!

I m a canadian retired trucker and did all kinds of hauling ! When you re hauling steel it s way different than hauling food in a reeferor tanker ! in Canada we haul much more heavy ! I was unloading steel coils and reloading plates at Algoma Steel in Sault-Ste-Marie Ontario, CA. Always hauling super B-trains ! that s 2 trailers on 5 axles 92,000 lbs pay load . The American side was United Steel ! Joint Company ! The other big steel city i was going much was Hamilton Ontario at Dofasco and stelco ! huge plants and loading ships going east all the way in the Atlantic Ocean ! 🤠

I worked on the Put-In-Bay for many summers in high school and college...well sort of. I worked on the Sacre Bleu. The new name of the Put-In-Bay. Also, all of the other Shepler's boats! My grandpa sailed for US Steel/Great Lakes Fleet for 40 years too. Love the video!

One of my friends from elementary school, her father was a Captain on a great lakes freighter. During the summer months, she would be sailing with him. His ship was the Benson Ford. This was in the late 1960's and 1970's. I remember going on a family vacation in 1971, my family and I were on one of the Soo tour boats going through the locks. Coming slowly towards the locks was the Benson Ford. I was waving and shouting; however my voice didn't carry over the distance.

Amazing memories as I graduated from Avon Lake HS with Ed Brohl in 1964. Spent many years sailing out of Edgewater Yacht Club while living on the lake and watching the freighters going past Avon Point. Still sailing in Florida to this day.

This was a great presentation. Loved the old sayings he mentioned, such as getting loaded down to your summer marks lol. And 'couldn't get away from the dock last night.' History, wisdom and fun all throughout his talk. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks, Capt!

Nice presentation Russ. 2-23

Good photo showing Rock Cut. Used to see all these older ships growing up on the Straights of mackinaw during the early 60's to the early 90's. From our vantage point you could see from the Poe Reef Lighthouse to the Mackinaw Bridge, and one of biggest memories I have is to see the black smoke from the Coal burners on the horizon well before you would see the ship.

Thank You your story is wonderful 😊

What a great time listening this man. I'm glade i did. i learned so much. thanks for the good quality too.

Thanks for a very informative tour!!! You proved an old lady could learn a lot.

Fascinating! 👍

Thanks for your time sailing! My Dad was also a Captain on the Lakers.

Amazing video. I truly enjoyed this. I am a newly minted boat nerd and had the pleasure of visiting Duluth this year. I got to see the Viking Octantis and Paul R Tregurtha go under the bridge. I really appreciate this video and the sharing of the history. I am from Cleveland and this brought back so many memories. My dad had a sail boat at Put in Bay and the stories of the Miller ferries was great! Thanks!

Great Presentation! Was very interesting hearing about this

Thanks for sharing your stories. I love hearing about the history and the piloting of vessels on Erie.👍

I grew up in Northeast Ohio just a few miles south of Lorain Ohio where a lot of ships were built...My cousin and I just loved the ore carriers we would get my Uncle ...My cousins dad also my dad's brother or my dad or sometimes all four to go down to one of the unloading docks on the mouth of the Black River and watch the ore boats dock up...We even went to the open house type showing of the William . J. Delancy a ship this Capt spoke of....Good memories !

I LoVe this guy 😂

Sounds like I'd've made a great drinker that also participates in running a freighter. 😊

Thank you