Riding on the Badger

After my day of spotting in Chicago, we stayed overnight and met my uncle for dinner.  On Monday it was time to go home, but my dad decided to take the Badger instead of driving through Chicago and Indiana.  I'd never ridden on the Badger before, so I was game.

 The Badger was built in 1952 by the Chesapeake and Ohio Company as a rail ferry.  It would take rail cars between Michigan and Wisconsin year round.  In 1972, the service was greatly curtailed and in 1990, the rail service ended.  In 1991, the Badger and Spartan were bought by Charles Conrad of Holland, Michigan.  He had the Badger converted to an automobile ferry.  In 1997, it was designated as a historical site in both Michigan and Wisconsin.  In 2016, it was designated as a national historical landmark.

 In 2015, it was officially designated as a part of US-10.  It is about a four hour ride.

 The crew drive your vehicle on the ship.  So you just park it and they take care of the rest.

 A shot of the front deck.  They have deck chairs set up and you can just relax.  There is also a place where you can get food and they play bingo in one of the areas.  It is kind of nice.

 The USS Cobia is a Gato glass submarine that served in World War II.  It is similar to the boats built in Manitowoc but was built by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, CT.

 She participated in 6 war patrols but only earned 4 battle stars.  She ended up sinking about 16,000 tons of cargo.  In 1970, she was decommissioned and towed to Manitowoc.  Much of her systems are kept operational.

 Pulling out of the slip in Manitowoc.

 the Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse was built in 1918.  It is 40 feet tall and has fourth order fresnel lens.  It is visible 13 miles out.

 In 1971 it was automated.

 It is built of steel.

 Leaving the friendly confines of the Manitowoc harbor.  It was a pretty smooth day on Lake Michigan.  Apparently, the Badger has never cancelled due to weather.  It's only cancelled once due to mechanical issues.  Looking at it, it looks like they take care of her.

 Her stack.  With the conversion of the St Marys Challenger to a barge, the Badger is now the only ship with a Unaflow Skinner steam engine in existence.  I think she is the last coal fired ship in the United States.  A few years ago, she was taking some heat because of her coal ash.  Now, the accumulated it during the trip and recycle it afterwards.

 Looking forward on the ship.  It is amazing that you can't see the Michigan shoreline.

 Looking back.  The Wisconsin shoreline starting to disappear.

 And you even reach a point where you can't see either shoreline.

 The Stars and Stripes waving proudly.

 One of the lifeboats.

 Looking back towards Wisconsin again.

 Eventually, the Michigan coast started to loom large.

 You can see Big Sable Lighthouse off in the distance.

 We were greeted by a sheriff's boat.

 Which escorted us in.

 Starting to enter the channel.

 The Ludington Lighthouse.

 It looks kind of different from the Lake.

 Another angle.

 The Spartan is in permanent layup.  I think she is mostly used for parts.

And we start to ease into our dock.