"Out Here"--documentary art in progress

“Not a Cruise Ship”— an audio slideshow I...

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 02:10:15 -0400

“Not a Cruise Ship”— an audio slideshow I produced for WBEZ’s Front and Center

WBEZ Feature goes on the air!

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:17:39 -0400

I produced a documentary feature about life on board the Calumet for WBEZ’s Front and Center series on the Great Lakes. Listen here.

After spending a month on a boat, everyday things back home can...

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 20:33:00 -0400

After spending a month on a boat, everyday things back home can catch you off guard. Here’s Ed.

The first rule in recording an interview for radio is to find a...

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:08:00 -0500

The first rule in recording an interview for radio is to find a quiet place, and unplug the refrigerator (don’t want that buzz in the background!) On a cargo ship, though, I have to embrace the noise. There’s no escaping it.

We backed two miles down the Calumet River in South Chicago to...

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:21:00 -0500

Backing down the river.

This mountain? Salt.

We wait for our turn to load.

Barges, bound south to the Mississippi.

I record as coal pours into the hold.

We backed two miles down the Calumet River in South Chicago to load coal at KCBX Terminals, Co.

Here's a map of the Great Lakes and the load/unload schedule while I was on board.

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:14:00 -0500

I joined the Calumet crew in Ohio, west of Cleveland, and got off nine days later in South Chicago. Here’s the schedule with stops we made while I was on board. This route took us from Lake Erie up the Detroit River, across Lake Huron, through the Straits of Mackinac, and all over Lake Michigan.

Marblehead, OH— load limestone/dirt mix (“work dirt”)
Marine City, MI— unload half the dirt
Marysville, MI— unload the other half
Sarnia, Ontario—stop for fuel
Meldrum Bay, Ontario— load limestone
Grand Haven, MI— unload
S. Chicago, IL— load coal
Green Bay, WI— unload
Port Inland, MI— load limestone
Grand Haven, MI— unload
S. Chicago, IL— load coal

Loading work dirt at Marblehead, OH. This is where I got on...

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:04:09 -0500

Loading work dirt at Marblehead, OH. This is where I got on board.

Working out here is not a vacation… it’s a job. Ed,...

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 17:01:00 -0500

Working out here is not a vacation… it’s a job. Ed, Sam, and Dom weigh in on this.

This silent video is really a montage of over 500 photos taken...

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:40:00 -0500

This silent video is really a montage of over 500 photos taken in Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Port Inland, and the Calumet river in South Chicago. I put them in order using iMovie and varied the speed of frame playback. Stop motion photography is a new medium for me, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.

We’re “out here,” somewhere. Yep.

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 16:37:00 -0500

We’re “out here,” somewhere. Yep.

Counting down the days til crew change.

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 16:34:01 -0500

Counting down the days til crew change.

Somewhere in Lake Michigan.

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 16:31:33 -0500

Kyle, unclamping the cargo hold lids

Somewhere in Lake Michigan.

Captain Jeff gets back on board after checking in with customs...

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 15:35:00 -0500

Captain Jeff gets back on board after checking in with customs in Grand Haven, MI. We loaded limestone in Ontario the day before and this is our first stop back in the U.S.

Dom at work, coffee in hand. We’re pulling up to the fuel...

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 15:25:00 -0500

Dom at work, coffee in hand. We’re pulling up to the fuel dock at Sarnia, Ontario.

"The money's nice, don't get me wrong, but it can't be the only reason you're out here..."

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 15:23:00 -0500

…I think the money’s why a lot of people do it in the first place but… How do I put it? Sailing just becomes a part of you. Without it, you feel like you’re missing out on somethin’. You go on vacation, you know sure it’s fun for the first week or so, but then you start missing it. You wanna be back on the water. Least I do. I just love being on the water. You have your bad days when you wonder why you’re out here but… if you didnt have it, I guarantee ya… 16 out of these 17 guys, they’d really miss it and want to come back.”

-Sam, on why he sails

The MV Calumet, a bulk ore carrier. This working boat is one of...

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 14:26:00 -0500

The MV Calumet, a bulk ore carrier. This working boat is one of over 60 U.S.-Flag vessels that together haul over 100 million tons of cargo each year between ports on the Great Lakes. Limestone, coal, and iron ore (used to make steel) are the most common types of cargo.