Barge runs aground in Lake St. Clair

**GPCharles** · April-15-20, 01:27 PM

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating how a barge ran aground in Lake St. Clair near Peche Island on Monday. The tanker, “Margaret,” registered out of Green Bay, Wisconsin, got stuck in soft mud around 2 a.m. The barge is carrying more than 3.9-million gallons of diesel fuel, but Coast Guard personnel said it is not leaking, and the vessel does not appear to be damaged. A tug boat is also stuck.
It also is not impeding regular commercial traffic on the waterway. Salvage workers are on the scene trying to refloat the Margaret. The U.S. Coast Guard is coordinating rescue efforts, and the Canadian Coast Guard is monitoring salvage operation.

**MikeM** · April-15-20, 02:07 PM

I saw that the day we had the strong winds. Thought they were waiting there for the winds to subside.

**Richard** · April-16-20, 12:21 PM

Salvage crew on site,is that salvage under maritime rules?

3.9 million gallons of fuel would be a nice bounty.

**MikeM** · April-16-20, 12:49 PM

Still there today, with two tugs trying to free it. Not sure how accurately the reported position and the aerial photo line up, but looks like it drifted south of the channel by the Peche Island front range light.

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News chopper was buzzing it earlier today.

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**GPCharles** · April-16-20, 01:11 PM

It's good to know that there are safe alternatives to a pipeline in a tunnel under the straits of Mackinac. Just use fuel barges...

**Bigb23** · April-16-20, 01:36 PM

News chopper was buzzing it earlier today.

MikeM - where do you get that flight data from ? Looks like it's right from a transponder.

And how in the hell did they run aground with the extra margin of record high lake levels ?

**GPCharles** · April-16-20, 02:34 PM

Just to the east of the channel in that location is marked on the chart as "dumping ground." It is completely within US waters.

**MikeM** · April-16-20, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by Bigb23

MikeM - where do you get that flight data from ? Looks like it's right from a transponder.

And how in the hell did they run aground with the extra margin of record high lake levels ?

flightradar24.com

**Jimaz** · April-16-20, 06:54 PM

Dumb question:

How do they refloat something like that when the specific gravity of diesel fuel is less than water? Do they remove some other kind of ballast?

**Scottathew** · April-16-20, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

Dumb question:

How do they refloat something like that when the specific gravity of diesel fuel is less than water? Do they remove some other kind of ballast?

Removing any kind of liquid and replacing it with air will help it float.