Oh my gosh, have you got a treat in store for you today! My Georgia/Mackinac Island friend, Jane Winston, her son Jeff, and four other folks from Mackinac Island got the trip of a lifetime a week ago!
Jane Winston and her son Jeff.
The happy group boarded the Paul R. Tregurtha (at 1,015 feet, she holds the title Queen of the Lakes – the longest ship operating on the Great Lakes circuit) on June 12 and spent six nights aboard the working freighter as she delivered coal to St. Clair Shores and Monroe, Michigan and then doubled back to pick up more coal in Duluth, Minnesota. The journey covers all aspects of living aboard a Great Lakes freighter from food, to how they entertained themselves, to how the crew accomplishes the work they do each day.
Duluth, Minnesota from the deck of the Paul R. Tregurtha.
Leaving Duluth, captured by Jill Sawatzki via a webcam.
So, come on aboard! Jane wrote about the trip in eight blog posts. When you click on the link below, you’ll be seeing the LAST post. To the right is a column that says “Blog Archive”. Click on the one that says “On Board the Paul R. Tregurtha June 11, 2016” – that’s the first one. Then you can keep going back to the Archive to pick the next one in sequence.
Happy sailing and thanks to Jane for allowing me to share her fabulous trip with my readers! http://janeonmackinacisland.blogspot.com
Bree's Mackinac Island Blog 
Oh my gosh! This looks like so much fun! I did a search and found a couple of sites that have raffles! I am entering them tomorrow! I am sure they will wonder why a gal from a little hick town in Southeast Iowa wants a raffle ticket! LOL! This is such a great article!
Loved this blog a ton…or should I say 68,000 tons! I had the opportunity to experience this same trip in July of 2011 and I’m still telling anyone that will still listen to me…I’d be happy to send you my 453 pictures that I took over 8 days! We had some mechanical issues with unloading coal in St. Clair and Monroe so that added 2 more days to our trip. Reading Janes commentary and looking at her pictures sure brought back great memories. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. We see the Tregurtha frequently when we go to Port Huron MI and drive along the St. Clair River. It is always breathtaking to see that magnificent ship.
Had no idea you had done this trip, Paul! What an adventure!
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Oh my goodness, we had no idea that so many trips for the fortunate winners! When we lived in St.Clair, Mi. This beautiful ship passed by the house quite often. As a matter of fact this is one the kids ( Amelia and Michael) knew as she was coming up or down the river by her sound. It was amazing that the size was the length of three to four homes…. Crazy memories, she is beautiful especially at night all lite up!☺️
Thank you, Brenda,
That was so interesting and informative. I would jump at the chance to do something like that, although I don’t think my cardiologist would approve (it might take too long to get from the ship to the paramedics and the emergency room, but I would be willing to give it a go). Not very long ago I read about a lady who travels by freighter from the west coast to New Zealand or Australia to visit friends and then back again every year. It’s amazing to me the comforts that are available on the freighters.
Thanks so much for sharing. I really enjoyed it.