• Tuesday-What'sUP April 12 - 01:15 am

Robert Halonen made a visit to Sault Ste. Marie and stopped by Rotary Park to watch the St. Mary's River traffic. His first shot is of the Sugar Islander ferry, waiting for the freighter, Cason J. Callaway to pass by. Then the ferry boat makes the crossing of the river to take folks and their vehicles over to Sugar Island. The Sugar Islander II transports between Sault Ste. Marie and Sugar Island year round, making two round trips every hour. This ferry boat is larger than the previous one and better suited to the icy conditions it has to traverse during the winter months.

With these two shots from Robert, I've now had to add another place to my bucket list of locations to visit and things to do in the U.P. The ferry trip with your car along, has to be one of those unique experiences, taking you back in time, like before the Mackinac Bridge was built and that was your only connection across the Straits of Mackinac. Mark this on your list, too!

If ever in this area, check it out! Neat place to visit!

Sugar Island is a 15 mile long island. It is a unique life style to live on an island. Your life is regulated by the ferry schedule. It was a sugaring spot for the Indians, thus its name. As a child we spent lots of time on that island. If you are anywhere near the Soo Aug. 12,13,or 14 take a drive over. There is the Sugar Island Music Fest taking place. You will hear some good foot stomping music for sure. sugarislandfest.org

Sweet!

always good to start the day with a picture that includes water and a freighter. Each year the BOATNERDS gather at this site for their picnic and watch/photo freighter action. The last weekend in June is the only time that the public is allowed to go out onto the Soo Locks.

How nice, the Cason J. Callaway was the ship I sailed on in the late sixties. Of course it was about 150 feet shorter and had no self-unloading rig then. Still, neat to see that ship. Thanks for posting the picture.

Good pics. I should take a trip to Sugar Island. Never been there.

I've never been there either. When I was at the Soo, I didn't even know about it. Now that I do, I will have to go there. Thanks for the great pictures and the info.

Been on ferries in Washington state, Lake Michigan. Port Aransas, Texas, Madeline Island, Wi. and Ireland. Great time each one. But the best and longest was the Aran Islands in Ireland. That was a grand experience! That's the closest I'll ever get to a cruise but not nuts about one of them anyway. Thanks for the pictures.

Not knowing how to swim and having a fear of being ON water, I've never had a desire to ride a ferry but we did once.....one of New York's Staten Island Ferries. Nice photo of the Callaway and the ferry side/side.

Ferries are a way of life here in Western Washington/Seattle area. Some do it every day to commute to work. Personally, we don't take them often (mostly because they are so expensive to take) but I certainly do love to see them as they cruise along. An iconic site in this area and something every tourist should do!

I took a ferry from Bar Harbor, Maine to Nova Scotia. It could take 250 cars, 700+ passengers, and go around 50 miles per hour in 6 foot seas. When I sat on the fan tail, I couldn't see the end of the wake. It was called the "Cat" and the captain steered with a 4 inch joy stick. Unfortunately, they had to suspend operations due to financial difficulties (it wasn't cheap). We went almost 150 miles in less than 3 hours. That was some ride.

I too am a lover of ferries, both for the voyages themselves and the otherworldy places they take you...the Manitou Islands, Beaver Island, Isle Royale, Drummond Island, Mackinac Island, and others.

One of my most memorable trips was on the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry "MV Hebrides" from the Isle of Skye to the Isle of Harris. All of the islanders are sensitive to the cost of the ferries, and even have a little poem they recite about Calendonian MacBrayne:

The Earth belongs unto the Lord
And all that it contains
Except the Kyles and the Western Isles
And they are all MacBrayne's

Hi
JoAnne, my family rode a ferry in Puget Sound. It was not a smooth crossing--I remember when we went below to use the bathroom, the stall door flew open.

Motion sickness (rather than the fear of needing to swim for it, Shirley) has been a downside for some family members when riding ferries.

Dunerat, you just reminded my old brain that we've also taken the Mackinac Island ferry several times. (Well, they say the mind is the first thing to go. :-]) Kathyrn, no motion sickness here, just plain ol' fear of boats...unless they're docked.;)

Years ago my traveling companion and I took a car ferry from Tobermory, Ontario (Bruce Peninsula) to Manitoulin Island and then drove around the Canadian side of Lake Huron, re-entering the U.S. at the Soo. People fed the seagulls while they flew along with the ferry.

This trip completed my tour of the Canadian side of all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway up to Nova Scotia. I recommend this tour of Canada to anyone who enjoys beautiful scenery, friendly, helpful people, and excellent food and accomodations, much like that of the U.P. of Michigan.

Years ago my traveling companion and I took a car ferry from Tobermory, Ontario (Bruce Peninsula) to Manitoulin Island and then drove around the Canadian side of Lake Huron, re-entering the U.S. at the Soo. People fed the seagulls while they flew along with the ferry.

This trip completed my tour of the Canadian side of all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway up to Nova Scotia. I recommend this tour of Canada to anyone who enjoys beautiful scenery, friendly, helpful people, and excellent food and accomodations.

upkemper, is there a link for this boat
that travels around 50 mph?

What? Nobody here took or remembers the straits
ferrys? Before 1958 you had to either take them to
get to the LP or drive around Lake Michigan. My
longest ferry ride was from Hook van Holland to
Harwich England in a full gale. What a ride!

I've been on 3 ferries on the Great Lakes. The Charlevoix to Beaver Island ferry, Ludington to Milwaukee, and Shepler's to Mackinac Island.

Asturgeon, Here is a link for a similar ship to the Bar Harbor Cat. http://www.ferry-site.dk/ferry.php?id=9279264&lang=en

You can also get the specs by typing "HSC Tanger Jet" into Google. This will take you to a Wikipedia write up.

There were several of these boats made in Australia and currently operate all around the world

Oh sure, as a young child I remember traveling on the huge car ferry boats with my family to cross the Straits of Mackinac ... but first, they took us Up North for our annual vacation to visit relatives and friends in the UP ... and eventually, back downstate to the LP.