Roger Blough ran aground tonight at the mouth of Whitefish Bay, will be a little late

[gazhekwe]

https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/...ish-bay-305736


NEWS RELEASE
U.S. COAST GUARD
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10 p.m. update
The U.S. Coast Guard and the captain of the grounded Roger Blough laker have come to an agreement that it is safe to let the 24 crew members on board would stay there over night says Lt. Creighton Chong, the public affairs officer and chief, Waterways Management Division at Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie.

There is some flooding but it is under control, added Chong.
The Roger Blough is still at the same location on the reef in Whitefish Bay.
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Original story 7 p.m.
SAULT STE MARIE, Michigan — Coast Guard crews are responding to a grounded freighter in Whitefish Bay in Lake Superior Friday afternoon.

The motor vessel Roger Blough, an 858 ft U.S. Cargo vessel, has run aground in the vicinity of Gros Cap Reef in Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior with reports of flooding.

All crew members are reported safe with no injuries. Crew reports no sign of pollution in the water.
Multiple U.S. Coast Guard assets are on scene to ensure the safety of the crew and the environment and to assess the extent of damage.

More information will be released as it becomes available.
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Editor's note: The Roger Blough is a self discharging carrier built to ship taconite ore pellets. It was christened in June of 1972 and named in honor of a retired Chairman of the Board of the United States Steel Corporation. The Roger Blough was last located heading out of Duluth, MN at about noon on Thursday and was due to dock at Conneaut, OH at about 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 29.

[Honky Tonk]

Probably were using I-Maps....

[gazhekwe]

Here is a shot of the Roger Blough... from the top of the Pt. Iroquois Lighthouse today.




This ship ran aground between Pt. Iroquois [[at Bay Mills) and Gros Cap [[Ontario) two days ago, and its crew had to be evacuated. It is stuck in several feet of mud, and its cargo will have to be unloaded to allow crews to free it from the lake bottom. The U.S. Coast Guard and other authorities are assuring everybody that there is no pollution leaking into the Lake, but time will tell. The ship ran aground in a channel that is traveled by at least a dozen ships per day, right in front of a lighthouse. How the heck did it run aground there?

[Ray1936]

Better than hitting an iceberg, I suppose.

[gazhekwe]

Yes, there might actually have been an iceberg a month ago Apparently there was another ship stopped in the channel, and the Roger Blough was passing it at a point where the channel narrows and they hit Gros Cap Reef. Still investigating as to the cause and still working on how to get her off the reef and brought to safety. The say there is front end damage and leaking into the ballast tanks.

[Jimaz]

Just now heard on WWJ: The leak has been stabilized. She's no longer taking on water.

[gazhekwe]

Big Gash bout 20 ft long right of the front thruster..gonna un load and tow if the pumps can keep up with water.




Topside walkthrough

[gazhekwe]

AJ I wish I could see what the scuba divers saw when they went down there


JT When I heard they were doing a dive, I looked up the lake temperatures. Its anywhere from 45 to 50 degrees on the surface. Its gotta be wicked cold down below.


AT They will unload tonight and tow towards the Soo. Helicopter monitoring, might get some aerial shots.

[gazhekwe]

View from King's Club Casino, the first Indian casino east of the Mississippi.

[Scottathew]

Someone's gonna be in trouble!

[Jimaz]

I would have thought they'd have some system by now that would automatically intervene to prevent running aground. It's hard to imagine it wouldn't be cost effective for insurance rates, etc.

Local rivers have been running a bit low recently due to lack of rain but I can't imagine that has any significant effect on the lakes.

I think they were trying to pass another ship when it happened. That had to have been a factor.

[gazhekwe]

Yes, they were passing a ship that was tied up in the channel. Hit Gros Cap Reef. One of the cousins shared this video of her downbound coming out of the lock under tug today.

https://www.facebook.com/david.kaye....8486734967994/

Roger Blough Heading to Wisconsin for Repairs

Posted: Jun 11, 2016 7:48 PM EDTBy Lynsey Mukomel, Reporter/Anchor

A freighter that ran aground last month is heading for repairs but first it's moving through the Soo Locks.

The Roger Blough got stuck on a reef in Whitefish Bay in Chippewa County May 27th...

It's been anchored in Lake Superior [Waiska Bay] for the last week.

From here it will transit down the St. Mary's River and eventually make it to the shipyard in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for repairs.

[Zacha341]

Here's a bit of history of her from boatnerd:

http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/blough.htm