It's funny usually i get annoyed when someone doesn't edit out the commercials, but in this film i am actually happy the uploader left the commercials because it brings a lot of my 80's memories. I was only 15 in 1989 and just hearing the music and the commercials take me back to the 80's and 90's. I miss those times so much, i had the best childhood ever. Thank you for uploading this great documentary to TH-cam.
The commercials make this more than just a documentary about Great Lakes Shipping, the commercials (both national and regional) turn it into a time capsule from 1989!
@aviationnut • I totally agree with your comment & i to miss the 80’s & 90’s so so much! The commercials were indeed neat to see & brought back a lot of great childhood memories, i was 12yrs old in 1989 & i’ve always been fascinated with Trains,Ships & hotrods since childhood & now i like to take pictures of them & some i’ve blew up & put into a nice picture frame in my garage 😃
Why aren't we making more boats? One might call it a sorry waste of our resources to ignore American know-how, all while not training our young men and women with the wisdom that is our inheritance. Translation: I think we might be fuckin up.
My grandpa was the captain of the freighter Hebert C. Jackson from her launch (1959) to 1989. He said him and Pat were buddies apparently according to my grandma they used to gossip and chat like teenage girls for hours. My grandpa told me a story once about the time Jackson’s stern anchor chain snapped and went to the bottom of the Detroit river. The benson was behind her over the radio all you could hear was Pats nonstop laughing.
used to watch these types of documentaries with my father, watching this makes me realize how much I miss him, he passed in 2006. He grew up in Wisconsin, knew a heck of alot about the great lakes area.
My condolences to you brother. May you have BEAUTIFUL, WARM and FOND memories of your father that bring a smile to your face and heart. And, may THE MOST HIGH grant you His peace that excels all thought and always keep you in His loving-kindness, grace, care and mercy. Much love to you brother! ~ Your brother from another mother, M. Coleman
I saw this when it was originally broadcast. Mort Crim was a great journalist and always was very good at making a presentation informative and interesting. My Grampa was a 40 year retiree of the Ford Motor Co. and these men actually created value in the economy! The didn't just push buttons on a computer and move "funny money" around!
I think I watched this one a long time ago.... The adds are a flash back to just after I graduated from high school, and was starting in the machine tool trades.... It's also reminding me of life before the internet, back when I had an impressive personal library.... Need to start budgeting for books again....
Popular ship. Google 'Benson Ford Shiphouse South Bass Island. There is a ship superstructure on the West Bank of South Bass Island which is lettered Benson Ford, Article on this vessel indicates Benson Ford was renamed John Dykstra ll in 1981. Was purchased at auction in 1999 by Frank Sullivan. We go by it regularly enroute to Put in Bay, Middle Bass, Sugar, Rattlesnake, or beyond to fish or play.
Bob Paulino The Benson Ford you are talking about is a different Benson Ford. That one was built in 1924 as Henry Ford’s flagship. In this video, at 17:32 , it is said by the captain that the ship was originally named Edward B. Greene worked for Cleveland Cliffs. She was bought by Ford and renamed Benson Ford. In the 1990s (I believe) she was purchased by Interlake Steamship Company and renamed to her current name Kaye E. Barker.
This was an awesome video! A lot of them talked of the problem of being away from home. I grew up in the late 60's and 70's and I remember life before the internet and iPhones. What a difference that technology would have made in these men's lives, to be able to communicate with their loved ones during their time away, at least for parts of their journey. Thanks for the post!
This was a LOT more interesting then I thought it would be. I just started watching it for the heck of it and after a few minutes I was right into it. Thanks for posting this.
I was 19 in 1989, this brings back a lot of memories. I especially liked when they showed the Mustang 5.0 Lx 's on the line, I had a brand new one in 88. Great times to be alive, thought the world would always be so great and get so much better.
knowing it was for the steel they used on the mustangs made it hit home more for me as well. Made me look out the window at my 83 capri 5.0 and appreciate it more. I was 9 and I agree it was a better time.
If you don’t live near the Great Lakes region you might think they are just pleasure waterways, like the commercials show, but those lakes are full of hard working blood sweat and tears. My Dad was a hard working quarryman - he proudly would tell you that he never turned down a day of work and never took a sick day and only 1 family vacation.
I was born and raised in that area. I have seen those ships many times. Thank you for putting this up, I felt like I was back at home watching TV on channel 4 30 years ago.
I'm from Detroit, worked in the auto industry for 40 years, I now live in Marquette and I found this very interesting and nostalgic . We often go out to Presque Isle and watch the boats come in to the dock. Thanks for this upload.!! I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Grandpa was a prosecutor and judge, and grandma a nurse, in Ashtabula. Spent many childhood days/ evenings with dad, uncles, and cousins at point park, lake shore park, walnut Beach, or in Conneaut watching the ships come and go, along with all of the supporting rail and truck traffic. Ship data was in the local paper and folks would show up en mass for arrivals and departures. Now we take the grandkids there, off of Marblehead, or out on the boat to enjoy the water and see the sights.
My father, 'layed off' from the Rouge plant, worked as a 3rd assistant electrician's helper during the recession of 1958 on the building of the Edmond Fitzgerald. As a high school teen, I worked as a 'gopher' at a TV repair shop and went with one of the TV repair guys aboard an up bound freighter on the Detroit river to repair the TV in the caption's quarters. Spent time working at the Rouge on the line building Mustangs between college semesters.
I worked on a rail tunnel under the St Claire River back in 1994/5, lived in an apartment right on the river in Sarnia for a year. My lounge window looked downstream from the lake and I would spend hours just watching those Lakers passing up and down. Also had a friend the son of a Laker captain, with a sail boat and we spent many an hour sailing Lake St Clair. Then there was the winter freeze over and the river traffic stopped and hole fishing took over.
My grandfather's name was Benson Ford. He is gone now, but it was nice to find out there was a huge ship carrying his name. We live in Houston and have nothing to do with shipping, but it was cool just the same. The only big iron ore carrier I ever heard before this was the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Oh wow that’s funny you say that because I’ve watched this great documentary several times now & I usually find something different every time I watch this, the giants of the Great Lakes. I live in Windsor,Ontario,Canada 🇨🇦 & I'm not too far from the Windsor/Detroit River & I live on “Parent Ave.” & my address is only a few blocks from the river & I always hear the ships horns just like someone who lives near the train tracks & you just get use to it 👍 the “Captain” of this ship 🚢 is so funny & he says to the railroad guy so what’s going on with this Train? I’m a comin & you might be out of a job LOL 😂
BORN AND LIVED IN ECORSE,MI FOR 45 OF MY YOUNG 53 YRS,AND BEING ON THE RIVER HAS ALLOWED ME TO ENJOY WATCHING THESE MARINE MAMMOTHS AS THEY PASS THROUGH! ALWAYS A TRUE MICHIGAN PLEASURE!
I really enjoyed watching this, plus I learned a lot of things about Great Lakes vessels. I spent several years in the US Navy. Vessels this large were always referred to as “ships” not boats . I never knew the term boat was used in this application on the Great Lakes. Nice job!
@Big Bill O'Reilly -- no kidding, but he was a liar and Con man , who would have thought that it was even remotely possible for a draft dodging piece of crap like him would someday become president with the help of the Russians and the party of Reagan would be his biggest defender in all things Russian
@@squirrellyboe7421 yeah, that's a laugh. A joke that's not funny. Literally anyone else 2020. I can't stand Hillary but I'd take her over 4 more years of Trump and believe me, that's really saying something for me to say that. Yeah, he's done a wonderful job making this country great by legitimizing racism, fear mongering, and cutting taxes for himself and his cronies while I had to pay in with the same exemptions for the first time ever thanks to him! Panders to Christian idiots who think he's one of them. He's an idiot, but not Christian, morons. Not to mention making this country more hated by the rest of the world than ever before. But they don't have to share the country with idiots who support Trump do they? No that's just me and the everyone else not dumb enough to vote for the clown. Seriously, fuck Trump and fuck you and the rest of his supporters.
1989 was a great year. Thank You for the education. I lived on Lake Erie until my early teens along the Black River in Lorain Ohio and was on a few of these vessels when I was very young in the early 70’s. To early 80’s. If the Great Lakes were warm all year round I would probably be a Captain up there doing something on the water.
My hometown born and raised in Lorain i still go down when i have time when a freighter comes in and watch em go under the Charles Barry bridge always a trilling sight
This is what *good* documentaries are all about! Facts; not agendas. Actual interviews; not liberal licensing. The decade of the 1980's was tough, but good and rewarding.
Wonderful documentary. Brought back great memories of growing up on Lake Erie south of Monroe. Could see the freighters on the horizon. Great place to grow up and dream for a little boy.
89 no smart phones no personal computers no wi fi. T.V. was free and still came through antennae. Was it so much worse. I was 29 seemed like a good time to me.
PC's were around. You had a choice of Apple, IBM (and clones), Atari, and Amiga, plus a few minor players. And a lot of people already thought everyone had cable (Speaking as someone who only had cable one month in her entire life.)
It was better. No worries about your personal data being stolen and sold online. Plenty of people had cable. But plenty didn't and never missed it. I had few problems with the 80's. Today, yes we have many technological marvels, etc. But you always have to gauge what's to be gained against what will be lost.
I was 20 and had just started as a linesman with Telecom (later to become Telstra) in Australia, and used to haul in the copper phone cables, from huge 3800 pair cable down to pencil thin 2 pair cables. Then came optic fibre. In 1992 I moved into the office and was amazed at my 286 computer and Dos operating system, Windows came soon after and by the time I left it was 586 computers and mobile phones that looked like bricks.
A wonderful documentary! I pictured my uncle on board. In the 50's, he was a mate on the J.J.H.Brown. We used to go down the the Aerial Bridge in Duluth as he came through. He eventually made captain on a 1000 footer about a year before he had a serious heart attack. He was buried on the hillside in Duluth overlooking Lake Superior.
I sailed deep sea and coast wise for 26 years. Never sailed fresh water. On some of the newer ships we had phone service (pay) but no wifi or internet. I was mostly on small ships and 50 year old tankers.
Good to see they start their days off with a bowl of total. Did you know it can take up to 9 bowls of other brands of cereal to equal the same nutritional value as one bowl of total.
In the Easter week of 1956 I joined the Edward B. Green as a Deck Cadet from the United States Merchant Marine Academy.The first Upbound from Toledo to Duluth had been delayed by ice late in the season. My Lake time on the EB. Green ended in July ‘56. In August this year 2022,I will be reliving my earlier time on the theGreat Lakes.I’m looking forward to it. I am old, The Ore Boat is old. I didn’t change my name. He did. Or, she did. It is a harmless tradition among new owners or otherwise titled executives to name ore boats after themselves or their wives or children. You’re always “Edward” to me. Bill Grady I
Very Interesting video, I served on a Coast Guard icebreaking tug. We used to assist these ships in the winter up near St. Ignace and the Soo. Always wondered what that life was like.
The problem with comercials is that they have to be memorable, and there are two ways of being memorable. Being really, really good, and being really, really bad. Of course being really bad is easier.
Around 1985 I worked as a night watchman at M and M salvage. It was located in the slip between Sterling Fuels dock and CBM's cement plant. M and M scraped 4 lakers there before going bust. A few years later I worked at the Sterling Fuel dock as a security guard. My stepfather worked for CBM and our houses backyard ended at the Sterling fuel tanks "huge" in between Sandwich and Russell ST. You could see the river and CBM from our backyard through a space in the tanks. Good times and memories back then. Even worked on a tugboat for a summer in the same slip called the Jenny T for the Gayton family. Wow! I'm going back in time.
Such a neat documentary. Thanks for sharing. I live in indiana on the Ohio river and worked as a deck hand on the steam powered Belle of Louisville. Ive always loved the water. Id love to see more videos like this. I even like watching the old commercials.
This area desperately needs these middle class jobs. $50,000 for a deck hand in the 80s was a lot more money and went farther then than we realize today and going to the right ppl!
@@redrobbo1896 predatory loan companies , cut rate groceries that sold rotten meat that was covered up with " BBQ " seasoning so you couldn't see it was green , 2nd. hand used car dealers that promised a " square deal " on a car that had been wreaked and covered up with fiberglass and glue that carried their own paper and charged balloon payment that you can't afford , but you can't afford a decent car 'cause your job pays crap . use your imagination kid .I lived in that era . every vulture and rat in the world was out there because there were no laws against it . It was allowed because government officials were bribed to allow it under the disguise if " free enterprise and allowing the market to work , and allowing commerce to seek its own level " sound familiar ??????
The salary has stayed the same since the 80's. It's still at about 45,000 to 50,000 a year counted for 8 hours a day. Not including taxes and over time. Meanwhile cost of living has skyrocketed. No wonder people are looking for jobs out at sea nowadays. Luckily I stayed in.
Thank you for uploading this, I used to watch ships at the Eisenhower Lock near Massena, NY. Never saw the Ford or any US freighters for that matter, all Canadian and foreign ships.
Great doco, As an Aussie these huge inland lakes are fascinating plus never having been on a ship I would love to try the life but I'm too bloody old now. Thanks for educating me a bit.
There are a lot less ships on the lakes than there were in the 70's and 80's. But they are still out there moving iron ore pellets, coal and grain. You Aussies are shipping all the iron ore now(to China) in those big ocean going bulk carriers.
I worked on that vessel the benson Ford and the breach and the Henry did repair at the rouge plant. Did Repairs on the hatch comings on the cargo holes. I was working at nickelson dock and terminal at the time .
Absolutely loved this video, I’ve watched it several times already and have got my grandkids watching also. Like the old saying goes “ They don’t make-um like that anymore “ God bless these men and their families.
Damn I was 18yrs old! 1989! What the he'll happened to the years? I drove over the bridge on 94 every day. The really high bridge there in southwest Detroit! Wow! The Rouge facility is a ghost town now!
What a great program. I'm English and am new to the great lakes experience but after watching the to,ings and fro,ings into Deluth , Michigan I'm hooked !! . I'm more usual to railway locomotives but I was born in Gravesend Kent in South East England and being opposite Tilbury Docks took big ships in my stride but after watching this documentary I'm in owe of everything maritime . Wonderful . Truly wonderful. Love it . -bud the painter-
My great Grandfather was a coal stoker on one of the early Lakers. They were much smaller back then. My mother said he was a hard working man but usually got drunk as soon as he hit the shore and drank until he had to go back to work. My mother said he never drank while on board. He provided for a large family and was a good father to his children.
I grew up on the Oregon coast and have commercial fishing in my family for generations half my family came from Norway .I moved to Pittsburgh and until recently the only boat I knew of was the fitts .I have so much to learn .this is a great video
What makes this video so interesting, is that I've been on almost every part of this water filmed here. If I haven't been there (Canada) I know exactly where all of these land marks are. Funny to see the Canadian water front before the Casino, and to see the Boblo dock. Just listening to Mort Crim narrate, takes me back to my childhood. Thanks
I was born in 1983 and I had this taped off tv on vhs and I used to watch it over and over when I was little. Really nostalgic and awesome to watch again note that I’m older. Thank you for posting.
00:26 Mort Grim predicted it in 1989; corporate takeovers, massive layoffs, closed factories, the rise of high tech and a glut of low paying service jobs. It's like he saw right into 2018.
Mort Crim knew that Republicans were on course to destroy the economy and suck every dollar out of the country they could. They enlisted the corrupt elected congress that they own and the dumbest voters in America. Every assault on democracy was blamed on liberals. Cons appealed to gullible low information voters to fear and hate anyone, such as liberals or independents, who didn't agree with the con fleecing of America. It worked very well.
@@mipilot30 um I believe it was Trump who has ordered the tariffs on steel imports that is creating a boom in the taconite industry right now. Nice try though
@@scottburns5376 Yeah but prices have gone up, so we the consumers are paying more. I bought a refrigerator in 2017 that was $899.00 that same refrigerator today is $1,300,00 on sale.
@@jesterd14 problem is you can't have it both ways. You can import the cheap steel but you cant complain that the manufacturing jobs are over seas. If you buy your steel here, you're gonna pay more for your union employees that work in the mills and the shipping crews like in this video.
7:00 shows the launch of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and a report of a spectator fatality, a bad luck omen for the ship. Gordon Lightfoot sang the tale of this ship, sinking in a 1975 gale taking with her all 29 crew members. Chilling...........
Gordy was writing a song, not a history. It's interesting that here they say it was a routine launch, but the EF video available here on YT said that it wasn't routine, that the ship was slightly off kilter and when it landed it nearly went onto shore opposite the launch site. It wasn't clear what effect it had on the witness who had a fatal MI.
The Benson Ford was renamed the Kaye E. Barker and still sails the Great Lakes today, often doing the same route seen in this video (but also occasionally doing hauls elsewhere, depending on where the demand is).
That's interesting, I always thought the Benson Ford which was built in 1924 I believe was retired and the Pilot House along with a bow section is a private residence at South bass Island on top of a cliff.
9nly one ship was named the Benson and she was built in 1924 n is the sister ship of the Henry Ford the 2 both made the same time identical the only difference between them is they put a self umloader on the Henry Ford both ships were 613 feet long 64ft beam
I worked on the great lakes for 8 years. Mainly cargo ships but I did work on 1 french Canadian oil tanker. Arthur Simard. The tanker rode the Lake storms beautifully. I thoroughly enjoyed the rough weather on the Simard..
Here in Sault Canada it's a daily occurrence seeing ships go by. Of course you'll see the big boys like the Cort or the Tregurtha, but there's a little known fact about salt water ships that you see pass through here. They wont be any longer than 730 feet. That's because the Welland Canal can only facilitate that given length at the most.
We went to Michigan around 1983/84?...They were,some of the most unfriendly people I EVER SAW!. We're from Indiana folks are usually friendly here...of course some will have a story😊..
I loved it . If the kids now today add to live like that no phones no internet you had to actually talk to people face-to-face lol . Nostalgia got to love it
@@ThatSB oh it's got its upsides. But the downsides are pretty bad there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Too many people abuse it and I have way too much dependency on it. But in a case like yours being a mariner is a very tough job and it's got to be difficult to deal with the loneliness. Something like this keeps you connected with your family . My grandfather knew a lot of Mariners and they said they would go out for a few months at a time and when they would come back they said the world has changed they had no idea what was going on . Every time they came back they said everything was different
Great documentary. I've been on Lakes once by "saltie" but all thru till Duluth and then bound to North Africa, it was during my second voyage as a cadet, while studying in Academy. Have a good memories for all that straits and rivers shown here:) thank's for sharing..👍
It's funny usually i get annoyed when someone doesn't edit out the commercials, but in this film i am actually happy the uploader left the commercials because it brings a lot of my 80's memories. I was only 15 in 1989 and just hearing the music and the commercials take me back to the 80's and 90's. I miss those times so much, i had the best childhood ever. Thank you for uploading this great documentary to TH-cam.
Back in the day I went out of my way to cut out the commercials. Now, I wish I left them in!
The commercials make this more than just a documentary about Great Lakes Shipping, the commercials (both national and regional) turn it into a time capsule from 1989!
I too love these great commercials!
@aviationnut • I totally agree with your comment & i to miss the 80’s & 90’s so so much! The commercials were indeed neat to see & brought back a lot of great childhood memories, i was 12yrs old in 1989 & i’ve always been fascinated with Trains,Ships & hotrods since childhood & now i like to take pictures of them & some i’ve blew up & put into a nice picture frame in my garage 😃
Why aren't we making more boats? One might call it a sorry waste of our resources to ignore American know-how, all while not training our young men and women with the wisdom that is our inheritance.
Translation: I think we might be fuckin up.
My grandpa was the captain of the freighter Hebert C. Jackson from her launch (1959) to 1989. He said him and Pat were buddies apparently according to my grandma they used to gossip and chat like teenage girls for hours. My grandpa told me a story once about the time Jackson’s stern anchor chain snapped and went to the bottom of the Detroit river. The benson was behind her over the radio all you could hear was Pats nonstop laughing.
Crewman said he worked 37 hours strait. The money is good for some positions, but not an easy lifestyle. I'm thankful for people who can do it.
used to watch these types of documentaries with my father, watching this makes me realize how much I miss him, he passed in 2006. He grew up in Wisconsin, knew a heck of alot about the great lakes area.
Ditto. Stay up homie. 🍻💯
My condolences
I feel your pain, just had two year anniversary of losing my dad. Leaves a big hole inside.
My condolences to you brother. May you have BEAUTIFUL, WARM and FOND memories of your father that bring a smile to your face and heart. And, may THE MOST HIGH grant you His peace that excels all thought and always keep you in His loving-kindness, grace, care and mercy. Much love to you brother! ~ Your brother from another mother, M. Coleman
I saw this when it was originally broadcast. Mort Crim was a great journalist and always was very good at making a presentation informative and interesting. My Grampa was a 40 year retiree of the Ford Motor Co. and these men actually created value in the economy! The didn't just push buttons on a computer and move "funny money" around!
I think I watched this one a long time ago.... The adds are a flash back to just after I graduated from high school, and was starting in the machine tool trades.... It's also reminding me of life before the internet, back when I had an impressive personal library.... Need to start budgeting for books again....
The Benson Ford is now called the Kaye E. Barker and is still in service for those who didn’t know.
Popular ship.
Google 'Benson Ford Shiphouse South Bass Island.
There is a ship superstructure on the West Bank of South Bass Island which is lettered Benson Ford,
Article on this vessel indicates Benson Ford was renamed John Dykstra ll in 1981.
Was purchased at auction in 1999 by Frank Sullivan.
We go by it regularly enroute to Put in Bay, Middle Bass, Sugar, Rattlesnake, or beyond to fish or play.
Bob Paulino
The Benson Ford you are talking about is a different Benson Ford. That one was built in 1924 as Henry Ford’s flagship. In this video, at 17:32 , it is said by the captain that the ship was originally named Edward B. Greene worked for Cleveland Cliffs. She was bought by Ford and renamed Benson Ford. In the 1990s (I believe) she was purchased by Interlake Steamship Company and renamed to her current name Kaye E. Barker.
@@bobpaulino4714 That's a nice house have you ever seen the inside of the Benson Ford on South Bass it's beautiful
Yes!! I can certainly appreciate what she’s done and into the future!
That's weird I have a picture her pilot house is part of a house in Toledo or Sandusky I have a picture of it
This was an awesome video! A lot of them talked of the problem of being away from home. I grew up in the late 60's and 70's and I remember life before the internet and iPhones. What a difference that technology would have made in these men's lives, to be able to communicate with their loved ones during their time away, at least for parts of their journey. Thanks for the post!
Stuff like this I find fascinating. Nobody really ever talks about this but to know there’s a documentary about it is awesome
This was a LOT more interesting then I thought it would be. I just started watching it for the heck of it and after a few minutes I was right into it. Thanks for posting this.
I was 19 in 1989, this brings back a lot of memories. I especially liked when they showed the Mustang 5.0 Lx 's on the line, I had a brand new one in 88. Great times to be alive, thought the world would always be so great and get so much better.
knowing it was for the steel they used on the mustangs made it hit home more for me as well. Made me look out the window at my 83 capri 5.0 and appreciate it more. I was 9 and I agree it was a better time.
wait you had a brand new mustang when you were 18 ? damn i feel like a looser haha
@@andrewbalcom7418 You;re not a loser, but I admit I was kind of dumb for buying a car for 14,600$ with an interest rate of 15% haha.
If you don’t live near the Great Lakes region you might think they are just pleasure waterways, like the commercials show, but those lakes are full of hard working blood sweat and tears. My Dad was a hard working quarryman - he proudly would tell you that he never turned down a day of work and never took a sick day and only 1 family vacation.
Nicole Mikloiche Within five blocks my whole life. So true!
Not sure if that is something to be proud of
ThatSly B it is for me, especially all 5
I know them all too well,I live in Buffalo,NY astride of Lake Erie
@@ThatSB guy was dependable as hell. That’s pretty admirable
This documentary has now reached 1 million viewers!!!!!!!
I absolutely love this video. I could watch it over and over. Thank you for uploading it.
I was born and raised in that area. I have seen those ships many times. Thank you for putting this up, I felt like I was back at home watching TV on channel 4 30 years ago.
I'm from Detroit, worked in the auto industry for 40 years, I now live in Marquette and I found this very interesting and nostalgic . We often go out to Presque Isle and watch the boats come in to the dock. Thanks for this upload.!! I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Really good flashback here. I remember watching this as a child. Always loved these great ships. And good to hear Morts one of a kind voice again.
Born and raised on Lake Erie. Watched these ships all the time when I was a kid.
Grandpa was a prosecutor and judge, and grandma a nurse, in Ashtabula. Spent many childhood days/ evenings with dad, uncles, and cousins at point park, lake shore park, walnut Beach, or in Conneaut watching the ships come and go, along with all of the supporting rail and truck traffic. Ship data was in the local paper and folks would show up en mass for arrivals and departures.
Now we take the grandkids there, off of Marblehead, or out on the boat to enjoy the water and see the sights.
Same here .
Yes, me too. gave me a life long love for the big ships on our lakes.
I realize these freighters are all business but they have beautiful lines. Hopefully I will get to Superior myself not in November I tbink.
Thank you for not cutting out commercials. They were interesting too. Good show. I wonder where the men are today? God Bless and keep us all.
My father, 'layed off' from the Rouge plant, worked as a 3rd assistant electrician's helper during the recession of 1958 on the building of the Edmond Fitzgerald. As a high school teen, I worked as a 'gopher' at a TV repair shop and went with one of the TV repair guys aboard an up bound freighter on the Detroit river to repair the TV in the caption's quarters. Spent time working at the Rouge on the line building Mustangs between college semesters.
I worked on a rail tunnel under the St Claire River back in 1994/5, lived in an apartment right on the river in Sarnia for a year. My lounge window looked downstream from the lake and I would spend hours just watching those Lakers passing up and down. Also had a friend the son of a Laker captain, with a sail boat and we spent many an hour sailing Lake St Clair. Then there was the winter freeze over and the river traffic stopped and hole fishing took over.
Man I miss the late 80s early 90s was a great time sorely miss it💙
Yes indeed. I miss them too.
I could go back to pay phones, land-lines, Color TV, A.M. Radios and Beer in a Tin Can Right NOW.
Me 2
My grandfather's name was Benson Ford. He is gone now, but it was nice to find out there was a huge ship carrying his name. We live in Houston and have nothing to do with shipping, but it was cool just the same. The only big iron ore carrier I ever heard before this was the Edmund Fitzgerald.
This Documentary just reached Half a Million viewers!!!
Oh wow that’s funny you say that because I’ve watched this great documentary several times now & I usually find something different every time I watch this, the giants of the Great Lakes. I live in Windsor,Ontario,Canada 🇨🇦 & I'm not too far from the Windsor/Detroit River & I live on “Parent Ave.” & my address is only a few blocks from the river & I always hear the ships horns just like someone who lives near the train tracks & you just get use to it 👍 the “Captain” of this ship 🚢 is so funny & he says to the railroad guy so what’s going on with this Train? I’m a comin & you might be out of a job LOL 😂
I wish you could have made the audio louder
I watched this back when it originally aired, I was 27! I even enjoyed the commercials! Lol! Thank you for posting this walk down memory lane!
Wow, that "Yes! Michigan" commercial at 15:00 pulled something out of my brain that hadn't been accessed in decades. LOL! What a blast from the past.
BORN AND LIVED IN ECORSE,MI FOR 45 OF MY YOUNG 53 YRS,AND BEING ON THE RIVER HAS ALLOWED ME TO ENJOY WATCHING THESE MARINE MAMMOTHS AS THEY PASS THROUGH! ALWAYS A TRUE MICHIGAN PLEASURE!
I used to live on Ecorse between MIDDLEBELT and Merriman
I really enjoyed watching this, plus I learned a lot of things about Great Lakes vessels. I spent several years in the US Navy. Vessels this large were always referred to as “ships” not boats . I never knew the term boat was used in this application on the Great Lakes. Nice job!
I served in the Coast Guard and we called our ships boats, and our helicopters airplanes, much to the annoyance of our maritime sister services
I was 42 in 1989, it was a simpler time...it was a good time!
I was 8 :) hehe.
@Big Bill O'Reilly -- no kidding, but he was a liar and Con man , who would have thought that it was even remotely possible for a draft dodging piece of crap like him would someday become president with the help of the Russians and the party of Reagan would be his biggest defender in all things Russian
@@mdlclassworker3384 Trump 2020
@Big Bill O'Reilly Trump 2020
@@squirrellyboe7421 yeah, that's a laugh. A joke that's not funny. Literally anyone else 2020. I can't stand Hillary but I'd take her over 4 more years of Trump and believe me, that's really saying something for me to say that.
Yeah, he's done a wonderful job making this country great by legitimizing racism, fear mongering, and cutting taxes for himself and his cronies while I had to pay in with the same exemptions for the first time ever thanks to him! Panders to Christian idiots who think he's one of them. He's an idiot, but not Christian, morons. Not to mention making this country more hated by the rest of the world than ever before. But they don't have to share the country with idiots who support Trump do they? No that's just me and the everyone else not dumb enough to vote for the clown. Seriously, fuck Trump and fuck you and the rest of his supporters.
I vividly remember a lot of the commercials. That's freaking awesome.
1989 was a great year. Thank You for the education. I lived on Lake Erie until my early teens along the Black River in Lorain Ohio and was on a few of these vessels when I was very young in the early 70’s. To early 80’s. If the Great Lakes were warm all year round I would probably be a Captain up there doing something on the water.
My hometown born and raised in Lorain i still go down when i have time when a freighter comes in and watch em go under the Charles Barry bridge always a trilling sight
Really interesting documentary. Never seen that much of an in depth look at life on a great lakes freighter.
This is what *good* documentaries are all about! Facts; not agendas. Actual interviews; not liberal licensing.
The decade of the 1980's was tough, but good and rewarding.
80s in mich was bomb- priest dio maiden concerts,skiing on charleboix and those girls at catholic central !
Dude at 25.08 "get the glasses out, see who's daughter is maturing..." LOL!! Good ole' 80's!
Always a horn dog wherever you go!
😂😂😂
I still can't believe that made it passed the editing room🤣
@@scottburns5376 gotta love the 80's 🤣
Nothing to do with the 80's. In the summer time I can assure you they still do the same thing.
Thanks for posting, and for leaving the commercial breaks in
I wonder where these guys ended up in the last 30 years. This film is a fascinating time capsule, thank you for posting it.
@#1DaveLow The Real Shit Show Yeah the Cap has probably passed on by now.
@@johnstudd4245 the captain passed away in 2013.
Not sure what’s better, the show itself or the commercials!
Wonderful documentary.
Brought back great memories of growing up on Lake Erie south of Monroe. Could see the freighters on the horizon. Great place to grow up and dream for a little boy.
89 no smart phones no personal computers no wi fi. T.V. was free and still came through antennae. Was it so much worse. I was 29 seemed like a good time to me.
PC's were around. You had a choice of Apple, IBM (and clones), Atari, and Amiga, plus a few minor players. And a lot of people already thought everyone had cable (Speaking as someone who only had cable one month in her entire life.)
I'm the same age, getting old sucks doesn't it? lol. Some things have improved, but much has gotten worse
and you could make the equivalent of $104,000 in today's money in 8 months, with no college education.
It was better. No worries about your personal data being stolen and sold online. Plenty of people had cable. But plenty didn't and never missed it. I had few problems with the 80's. Today, yes we have many technological marvels, etc. But you always have to gauge what's to be gained against what will be lost.
I was 20 and had just started as a linesman with Telecom (later to become Telstra) in Australia, and used to haul in the copper phone cables, from huge 3800 pair cable down to pencil thin 2 pair cables. Then came optic fibre. In 1992 I moved into the office and was amazed at my 286 computer and Dos operating system, Windows came soon after and by the time I left it was 586 computers and mobile phones that looked like bricks.
A wonderful documentary! I pictured my uncle on board. In the 50's, he was a mate on the J.J.H.Brown. We used to go down the the Aerial Bridge in Duluth as he came through. He eventually made captain on a 1000 footer about a year before he had a serious heart attack. He was buried on the hillside in Duluth overlooking Lake Superior.
I sailed deep sea and coast wise for 26 years. Never sailed fresh water. On some of the newer ships we had phone service (pay) but no wifi or internet. I was mostly on small ships and 50 year old tankers.
I remember the 1980's as if it were just thirty years ago! 👀💖💖
Good to see they start their days off with a bowl of total. Did you know it can take up to 9 bowls of other brands of cereal to equal the same nutritional value as one bowl of total.
hahahahahahah
Ha! Nice one!
Colon Blow!
Very enjoyable. God bless the men and ships that helped shape the future of this country.
In the Easter week of 1956 I joined the Edward B. Green as a Deck Cadet from the United States Merchant Marine Academy.The first Upbound from Toledo to Duluth had been delayed by ice late in the season. My Lake time on the EB. Green ended in July ‘56. In August this year 2022,I will be reliving my earlier time on the theGreat Lakes.I’m looking forward to it. I am old, The Ore Boat is old. I didn’t change my name. He did. Or, she did. It is a harmless tradition among new owners or otherwise titled executives to name ore boats after themselves or their wives or children. You’re always “Edward” to me. Bill Grady
I
Thank you for leaving the commercials in... they're very interesting too!
Very Interesting video, I served on a Coast Guard icebreaking tug. We used to assist these ships in the winter up near St. Ignace and the Soo. Always wondered what that life was like.
What a great documentary. In the 80's, I used to fish the St. Clair/Detroit rivers with my dad. Thanks for sharing this. Brings back memories.
Ah yes, back when commercials weren't in your face and screaming in your ear.
Today you pay for the commercials and they mock you.
True
ikr also the commercials today are stupid and gay 😡
The problem with comercials is that they have to be memorable, and there are two ways of being memorable. Being really, really good, and being really, really bad.
Of course being really bad is easier.
and clogging up the airwaves
A real gem of a film. Thank you for posting.
Just facts, no repeating. Can you imagine if this was made today? Glad to have found it!
If this was filmed today it would just be a political anti trump piece
Excellent old school documentary. Enjoyed every minute of it, thanks for uploading!
Great account of life on an ore carrier. So special to actually know the third mate, Barry Van!
I love old commercials it sends me back to a better time when I was young&my only worry was when and where to meet my friends to ride our bikes.
Around 1985 I worked as a night watchman at M and M salvage. It was located in the slip between Sterling Fuels dock and CBM's cement plant. M and M scraped 4 lakers there before going bust. A few years later I worked at the Sterling Fuel dock as a security guard. My stepfather worked for CBM and our houses backyard ended at the Sterling fuel tanks "huge" in between Sandwich and Russell ST. You could see the river and CBM from our backyard through a space in the tanks. Good times and memories back then. Even worked on a tugboat for a summer in the same slip called the Jenny T for the Gayton family. Wow! I'm going back in time.
I grew up on Lake Huron and always loved watching the freighters steam by. Great upload, tyvm!
Glad you enjoyed it
Such a neat documentary. Thanks for sharing. I live in indiana on the Ohio river and worked as a deck hand on the steam powered Belle of Louisville. Ive always loved the water. Id love to see more videos like this. I even like watching the old commercials.
I've watched this like 10 times. As a born Michigander, it's very nostalgic. I remember Mort Krim on the news when I was a kid.
Man, after all these years since this documentary was made, we still got that accent.
Really enjoyed this insight into these vessels and the guys who worked them. Fascinating. Thanks for posting 👍
This area desperately needs these middle class jobs. $50,000 for a deck hand in the 80s was a lot more money and went farther then than we realize today and going to the right ppl!
Who are the wrong people then?
That amount would allow a family if 4 to live a very comfortable life in the 80's
@@redrobbo1896 predatory loan companies , cut rate groceries that sold rotten meat that was covered up with " BBQ " seasoning so you couldn't see it was green , 2nd. hand used car dealers that promised a " square deal " on a car that had been wreaked and covered up with fiberglass and glue that carried their own paper and charged balloon payment that you can't afford , but you can't afford a decent car 'cause your job pays crap . use your imagination kid .I lived in that era . every vulture and rat in the world was out there because there were no laws against it . It was allowed because government officials were bribed to allow it under the disguise if " free enterprise and allowing the market to work , and allowing commerce to seek its own level " sound familiar ??????
The salary has stayed the same since the 80's. It's still at about 45,000 to 50,000 a year counted for 8 hours a day. Not including taxes and over time. Meanwhile cost of living has skyrocketed. No wonder people are looking for jobs out at sea nowadays. Luckily I stayed in.
Probably not selling many cars Thanks China!.
I like the Sears add in this piece.. what’s Sears,now a days. Also Bill Bruford music. One great drummer.
Wow....I watched THE WHOLE THING fORD ORE CARRIER, round trip , life on board. Will watch again
Realy like the commercials weren't cut i realy enjoyed the commercials
Thank you for uploading this, I used to watch ships at the Eisenhower Lock near Massena, NY. Never saw the Ford or any US freighters for that matter, all Canadian and foreign ships.
Great doco,
As an Aussie these huge inland lakes are fascinating plus never having been on a ship I would love to try the life but I'm too bloody old now. Thanks for educating me a bit.
There are a lot less ships on the lakes than there were in the 70's and 80's. But they are still out there moving iron ore pellets, coal and grain. You Aussies are shipping all the iron ore now(to China) in those big ocean going bulk carriers.
I worked on that vessel the benson Ford and the breach and the Henry did repair at the rouge plant. Did Repairs on the hatch comings on the cargo holes. I was working at nickelson dock and terminal at the time .
Really gripping documentary. Much food for thought...
What an awesome video! It was a pleasure watching. Thanks!
Absolutely loved this video, I’ve watched it several times already and have got my grandkids watching also. Like the old saying goes “ They don’t make-um like that anymore “ God bless these men and their families.
Used to watch Mort Crim on KYW-3 in Philly. Great journalist. Thanks for posting this doc!
Damn I was 18yrs old! 1989! What the he'll happened to the years? I drove over the bridge on 94 every day. The really high bridge there in southwest Detroit! Wow! The Rouge facility is a ghost town now!
Network docs usually suck,this one is the exception.thank you,I really enjoyed this.
My father is the one waiving at the camera at the 11:00 mark.
Who cares man, who da fuck are YOU? Patting yourself on the back because your father was in a 30yo video? Fucking sad as shit.
oh Sven, you are so brave on front of computer. Another wanker millennial...
Whoopi shit
Very cool.
@@MrSvenovitch that is pretty much the dumbest comment I'd ever seen on the internet. And I'm counting all of the immature liberal assholes
What a great program. I'm English and am new to the great lakes experience but after watching the to,ings and fro,ings into Deluth , Michigan I'm hooked !! . I'm more usual to railway locomotives but I was born in Gravesend Kent in South East England and being opposite Tilbury Docks took big ships in my stride but after watching this documentary I'm in owe of everything maritime . Wonderful . Truly wonderful. Love it . -bud the painter-
My great Grandfather was a coal stoker on one of the early Lakers. They were much smaller back then. My mother said he was a hard working man but usually got drunk as soon as he hit the shore and drank until he had to go back to work. My mother said he never drank while on board. He provided for a large family and was a good father to his children.
Watching these old shows from the 80's bring back memories, I had not heard the "Yes, Michigan!" jingle in decades. Instant recognition.
I love old films and commercials.
Always liked Mort Crim. One of the few people in the news business I have respect for.
I grew up on the Oregon coast and have commercial fishing in my family for generations half my family came from Norway .I moved to Pittsburgh and until recently the only boat I knew of was the fitts .I have so much to learn .this is a great video
Been retired from Inland/Ispat Steel for 20 years now. This video made it seem like yesterday, thanks of this great video.
Thankyou ever dmso much . A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.
Never gets old watching this. I even enjoy watching the 80s commrcials😂
What makes this video so interesting, is that I've been on almost every part of this water filmed here. If I haven't been there (Canada) I know exactly where all of these land marks are. Funny to see the Canadian water front before the Casino, and to see the Boblo dock.
Just listening to Mort Crim narrate, takes me back to my childhood. Thanks
I was born in 1983 and I had this taped off tv on vhs and I used to watch it over and over when I was little. Really nostalgic and awesome to watch again note that I’m older. Thank you for posting.
00:26 Mort Grim predicted it in 1989; corporate takeovers, massive layoffs, closed factories, the rise of high tech and a glut of low paying service jobs. It's like he saw right into 2018.
Mort Crim knew that Republicans were on course to destroy the economy and suck every dollar out of the country they could. They enlisted the corrupt elected congress that they own and the dumbest voters in America. Every assault on democracy was blamed on liberals. Cons appealed to gullible low information voters to fear and hate anyone, such as liberals or independents, who didn't agree with the con fleecing of America. It worked very well.
@@mipilot30 um I believe it was Trump who has ordered the tariffs on steel imports that is creating a boom in the taconite industry right now. Nice try though
@@scottburns5376 Yeah but prices have gone up, so we the consumers are paying more. I bought a refrigerator in 2017 that was $899.00 that same refrigerator today is $1,300,00 on sale.
@@jesterd14 problem is you can't have it both ways. You can import the cheap steel but you cant complain that the manufacturing jobs are over seas. If you buy your steel here, you're gonna pay more for your union employees that work in the mills and the shipping crews like in this video.
@@@mipilot30 It's both parties, Dems and Repubs who are responsible. Together they make up the money party that controls our politics.
7:00 shows the launch of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and a report of a spectator fatality, a bad luck omen for the ship. Gordon Lightfoot sang the tale of this ship, sinking in a 1975 gale taking with her all 29 crew members. Chilling...........
Do some research and you'll find that the song isn't the whole story by a long shot.
Gordy was writing a song, not a history.
It's interesting that here they say it was a routine launch, but the EF video available here on YT said that it wasn't routine, that the ship was slightly off kilter and when it landed it nearly went onto shore opposite the launch site. It wasn't clear what effect it had on the witness who had a fatal MI.
The Benson Ford was renamed the Kaye E. Barker and still sails the Great Lakes today, often doing the same route seen in this video (but also occasionally doing hauls elsewhere, depending on where the demand is).
Interesting, I see the Kaye Barker in Marquette a lot, and the 1000 ft James R Barker.
That's interesting, I always thought the Benson Ford which was built in 1924 I believe was retired and the Pilot House along with a bow section is a private residence at South bass Island on top of a cliff.
At least three ships have carried the name Benson Ford. The ship shown in the video above is the third to carry that name.
That's not actually correct the pilot house was sold to a land owner on lake superior the rest was sent to scrap
9nly one ship was named the Benson and she was built in 1924 n is the sister ship of the Henry Ford the 2 both made the same time identical the only difference between them is they put a self umloader on the Henry Ford both ships were 613 feet long 64ft beam
Ah yes, Mort Crim and the Yes-Michigan commercials. I lived Downriver (Detroit area). Thanks for posting this video!
We were a Bill Bonds family but mort was an icon. Hello from Trenton
I worked on the great lakes for 8 years. Mainly cargo ships but I did work on 1 french Canadian oil tanker. Arthur Simard. The tanker rode the Lake storms beautifully. I thoroughly enjoyed the rough weather on the Simard..
I cannot stand tv these days,\. This confirms my unhappiness with tv.
granskare I cannot watch TV today
Here in Sault Canada it's a daily occurrence seeing ships go by. Of course you'll see the big boys like the Cort or the Tregurtha, but there's a little known fact about salt water ships that you see pass through here. They wont be any longer than 730 feet. That's because the Welland Canal can only facilitate that given length at the most.
Holy crap, I totally remember the "Yes to M!ch!gan" and the "I Am Michigan" commercials. That's gotta date me a little
We went to Michigan around 1983/84?...They were,some of the most unfriendly people I EVER SAW!. We're from Indiana folks are usually friendly here...of course some will have a story😊..
It's June 2022 and I'm watching this now. Great history of the ship business on the Detroit River. I watched mort Crim many times on the news.
I recall reading paper backs on early boats in Lake Superior.
As someone who likes both Trains & Ships, the little exchange between the Benson Ford & Conrail train.
That was really interesting, thanks for sharing. 😀
Cool seeing this 33 years after it was made. With the auto industry in such decline I'm sure they would love to return to this level of market share.
People need to stop buying cars.
@@areguapiri That's fine in places with public transportation, sadly most of the world requires a car to get around.
I loved it . If the kids now today add to live like that no phones no internet you had to actually talk to people face-to-face lol . Nostalgia got to love it
It’s not the kids fault. They aren’t the ones making phones or the internet. Those would be adults.🤷🏼♂️
As a mariner, a miserable life has become a tolerable one thanks to phones and internet and electronics.
...But mankind has become "intolerable".
@@ThatSB oh it's got its upsides. But the downsides are pretty bad there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Too many people abuse it and I have way too much dependency on it. But in a case like yours being a mariner is a very tough job and it's got to be difficult to deal with the loneliness. Something like this keeps you connected with your family . My grandfather knew a lot of Mariners and they said they would go out for a few months at a time and when they would come back they said the world has changed they had no idea what was going on . Every time they came back they said everything was different
Great documentary. I've been on Lakes once by "saltie" but all thru till Duluth and then bound to North Africa, it was during my second voyage as a cadet, while studying in Academy. Have a good memories for all that straits and rivers shown here:) thank's for sharing..👍