Can a Great Lakes freighter sail the ocean?
Can a Great Lakes freighter sail the ocean? Because of this narrow width most ocean-going ships can't make it through. However, our lakers can make it to the atlantic, but usually don't venture too far as their narrow beam and the larger waves of the ocean make it perilous.
How deep are the Great Lakes?
At the deepest measured point, Lake Superior is 1,332 feet, around a quarter-mile straight down. Again, comparing it to the next deepest point in another Great Lake, Lake Michigan comes in second with a depth of 925 feet.
How much do Great Lakes sailors make?
They hold union jobs, all the way up to the captain, and crew members say the pay and benefits are worth the sacrifices they make to be on board. Deckhands average about $55,000 to $65,000 a season, which usually equates to six or seven months of work. Officers start around $90,000.
Is alcohol allowed on Great Lakes freighters?
Officers, crew members, family members, or shore staff visiting the ship is not allowed to bring alcohol or drugs on board ships. If required by the company policy, seafarers can be screened for alcohol and drug abuse during medical checkups prior to joining a ship.
Could ships travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes by way of the Saint Lawrence Seaway?
The St. Lawrence Seaway (French: la Voie Maritime du Saint-Laurent) is a system of locks, canals, and channels in Canada and the United States that permits oceangoing vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes of North America, as far inland as Duluth, Minnesota, at the western end of Lake Superior.
Why are Great Lakes freighters red?
But the hulls are often painted red to maintain a nautical tradition. Collins also points out that the red may help observers gauge the load of a ship's cargo. The more weight on board, the lower in the water it will be.
How big of a ship can get into the Great Lakes?
Lawrence Seaway (Highway H2O) Facts. Opened to deep draft navigation in 1959. Vessel maximum: 225.5 m (740 ft.)