Last month bore witness to a small drama in the annals of Great Lakes shipping history. After lying idle by the Peavey Grain elevators on Connors Point since 1981, the John Sherwin was set loose from her moorings. Strange as it may seem, her mission would take her directly across the street from where she had lain for the past quarter century.
Of course, she had to circumnavigate the whole of Connors Point to get to the other side of the road. Her real objective was the drydock at Frasier Shipyard to have her hull inspected for seaworthiness and the tantalizing possibility of being outfitted anew for service.
Unable to launch herself back into the harbor, she moved without the hand of a captain, a pilot on board or even a crew to reach her new destination. Instead, she relied on the help of two sturdy tug boats.
Nevertheless, the move generated the kind of excitement one finds anytime a small part of history seems to come back to life. It was the excitement of imagining days recalled through stories passed down from parents and grandparents. It was the excitement of seeing something come to life which, until then, had only been one among many lake front curiosities. It also brought the thrill of briefly reliving former years for some there that had served on the Sherwin herself, or other vessels.
It does not take a genius to realize that something must be afoot if the Sherwin's owners, Interlake Steamship Co., suddenly want to resurrect a ship which last saw active service the year Ronald Reagan became president. In fact, the Sherwin's rest has lasted more years than she saw of active service after launching in 1958.
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John Hopkins, vice president of marketing and marine traffic for Interlake Steamship Company, says one factor behind the decision to examine the Sherwin lay in the growth of the western coal markets. The steady growth of this market over the past decade, and the current spike in lime and steel, has led to a corresponding need for increased tonnage in shipping. Add to this a static number of existing lakers, and one realizes the potential of returning a mothballed ship to active duty.
At 806 feet, the Sherwin would again be one of the largest boats in operation on the Great Lakes. The capital expenditure of such an overhaul would be high. Though Interlake refused to speculate, another well informed source suggested around $20 million would be required to retrofit the Sherwin with a self-unloader and restore her for full service. Currently, however, the ship's fate seems precarious. Word is out that her hull has suffered from a significant amount of corrosion and pitting.
Although Hopkins did not deny the hull had been found wanting, neither was he willing to say the end of the road was definitely at hand. With the value of scrap metal growing it may be easy for the pragmatic to write off the Sherwin for a quick influx of cash, but this is not the first time scrap value has looked attractive.
End of story? Maybe, but assets like the Sherwin have a way of taking on a kind of charmed, if not very glamorous, existence. With a predicted shortage of hauling capacity, for the near future, the Sherwin has her best chance to be returned to the line of duty for which she was built. Still, much needs to be answered before determining her fate.
Several discussion threads of possible futures for the Sherwin are at http://www.boatnerds.com . The site offers good dialogue from many experienced voices in the industry. Also available are several pictures of the Sherwin in her prime.
It would be good to see her in such shape again. In the end, though, she was built for business, and business will dictate her future.
Russ Young, Christian, free-lance writer and a former pastor, may be reached at RussYoung@thelifeline.net .
