Hopefully For More Years

It is no secret that I'm a lover of the classic laker.  The classic laker is a ship that is unique to the Great Lakes (I think).

 I have no idea why the classic lakers have the pilothouse in the front.  It doesn't make it any easier to steer in some of the windy rivers.  Maybe it helps with seeing some of the obstacles in those rivers.

 But it is a look that sets the lakers apart from their ocean going counterparts and the newer ships that appear on the lakes.

 With many of them built in the 40's and 50's, their number is certain to dwindle over the next 10 to 20 years.  Especially since many of them are worked pretty hard.

 The Mississagi originally started life in 1943 as the George Sloan out of the Great Lakes Engineering Works in Rouge, MI.  The fact that she is still sailing is a testimony to two things.  One, she was built fairly solidly.  Two, freshwater is not nearly as harsh on ships as saltwater.

Given her looks at times, I always wonder if she is going to be setting her date with the torches in the near future.  I hope not because she is one of the nicer looking lakers.