Lee A. Tregurtha on Detroit River
In addition to their loads, many Great Lakes freighters carry with them a small part of history, but few have as much history behind them as the ship now known as the Lee A. Tregurtha.
Originally planned as the oil tanker Mobiloil, the onset on World War II prompted the U.S. Maritime Commission to take over the ship’s construction and it was soon commissioned into the U.S. Navy under the name USS Chiwawa. From 1942 through 1944, the Chiwawa served in the Atlantic Fleet, refueling vessels along the East Coast and sailing on convoys across the ocean. Eventually it joined the Pacific Fleet for the final months of the war and was decommissioned in May 1946.
After a brief stint as an Atlantic tanker, the Chiwawa was converted to an ore carrier by Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Company. It continues to serve the Great Lakes in that capacity as the Lee A. Tregurtha, a name it was given in 1989. Frequent renovations and upgrades have kept the historic freighter in service, including the 2006 addition of a pair of Rolls-Royce diesel engines.
In this eScapes video, the Tregurtha maneuvers upbound on the Detroit River between Lake Erie and Lake Huron. The Ambassador Bridge can be seen in the background, joining Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan.
Chris Standring is a jazz guitarist who has distinguished himself in the contemporary jazz realm with adventurous, lyrical compositions leavened with pure-pop perfection, dazzling guitar solos and thick beats. Though predominately influenced by jazz, Standring has expanded his sound with rock, blues, R&B and electronic elements.
Links
BoatNerd.com article: Lee A. Tregurtha
Interlake Steamship Company: Lee A. Tregurtha
Duluth Shipping News profile on Lee A. Tregurtha
Chris Standring Official Site