Meet The Largest Ship To Ever Sail The Great Lakes, The ‘Queen of the Great Lakes’
Over the weekend, I went across the Mighty Mac for the first time since college, and I was stunned by a few things:
- How quickly you can cross the bridge on a light-traffic day.
- How beautiful the bridge is with its fresh coats of paint
- How large (and how many) the freighters traversing the Strait of Mackinac are.
It's easy to forget that the lakes are more than just something to drive over and swim in; ships constantly sail the Great Lakes for businesses all around the Midwest. One ship in particular holds the title of the largest, earning the title of "Queen of the Great Lakes."
M/V Paul R. Tregurtha, the Queen of the Great Lakes
Sailing around the Great Lakes are 13 freighters over 1,000ft long, but no freighter is larger than the M/V Paul R. Tregurtha, aka the Queen of the Great Lakes. The longest of the "Footers" freighters, it was built in 1981 and measures 1,013 ft, 5 in, according to Visit Sault Ste. Marie, and can carry 68,000 tons.
Despite its age, the Tregurtha is in great shape, largely because it only sails on the Great Lakes, so it isn't exposed to saltwater and doesn't corrode as fast. It is still sailing to this day.
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Gallery Credit: Janna
